Chapter 118: I Don’t Care Who Your Mommy Is!

Chapter 118: I Don't Care Who Your Mommy Is!

The warm water of the Monday morning shower still clung to my skin as Mercy gently ran the towel down my back. She moved with her usual silent precision, drying me off before transitioning seamlessly into helping me into my grey tieless suit.

Looking at her calm, focused expression while she buttoned the vest, a sudden thought crossed my mind, prompting me to ask her while she was busy. "Hey Mercy, you haven't asked me for anything lately. Don't you want to go out with me somewhere, or want me to buy you something you want? Just a date?"

Her eyes locked onto mine, the usual icy distance in them thawing into a small, rare smile that completely adorned her stoic face. She reached up, her cool fingers straightening my collar before she made her quiet request. "Master, I already get to train with you every morning, but if you want to give me something separate, how about personal firearms training? FF Firearms is open 24 hours, and we can go anytime. That is all I truly want. I am not like the other noble ladies. I like martial perfection."

Wow, she really was simple to please. A wave of spontaneous affection hit me, and I rubbed her soft cheek with the back of my fingers, feeling her warmth as she leaned into the touch just a little bit. "Sure, I would love to teach you, plus I can get more practice to improve my skills as well, so lets get better together."

She offered a soft nod of appreciation. "Thank you, Master."

Mercy really was bad for the heart.

By the time we pulled into the university campus later that morning, the entire place was fucking nuts. It looked like a full-blown festival had broken out on the lawns.

Every single student had shown up today, even the ones who didn't have any Monday classes on their schedule. The entire meet-and-greet event was being held in the small auditorium, and a massive, winding line already snaked out the front doors and across the courtyard, even though the event was still over four hours away.

Nadia, Nichole, Linda, Tina, Jenifer, and I stood near the parking lot, completely speechless as we took in the chaotic feast of screaming fans and crowded walkways.

Jenifer adjusted the jacket of her grey lady-suit, leaning closer to me with an observant look to explain the situation. "Master, more than half of that line are students saving spots to sell. This is a very common occurrence, and we even have some of our Fire birds members that go to University making money this way. So if you want a spot near the front, can I get one for you?"

I reached out and patted her shoulder in appreciation, offering a small laugh to ease her concern. "Nope, maybe if it was to buy a new album or get a movie-theater spot maybe, but not for an autograph, just let them make money. It is cold out and its hard work to do this."

Nadia and Nichole both leaned in to press quick, shivering kisses against my lips before heading off toward their Law class to get out of the biting wind.

The rest of our group turned toward the main building, picking up the pace to make our way to Business class.

Victoria ended up being late coming into class this morning, her usual perfect timing probably ruined by the Star Entertainment Group setting up their massive event downstairs.

The lecture hall was mostly empty when the bell rang, and as I walked down to the podium to drop off the finished attendance sheets, the familiar scent of Vicky's perfume washed over me as she stepped up right behind me. "Sorry I am late dear. But I was delayed in my office talking to the Dean and the operations manager of the event. They need to bring in the private security here to keep the fans in check. I need you for something, Rick?"

I looked at the mischievous glint in her eyes and sighed, guessing exactly where this was going. "You are not going to ask me to escort you to that damn event, right?"

Victoria pouted beautifully, putting on a perfectly practiced, guilty smile that she knew would break my defenses instantly. "You won't let your helpless wife go into the den of crazy's, right?"

My lip twitched as I looked at her victorious face, completely cornered by her charms. "Fine, then stay here after your second class and I will come and Bodyguard, sigh. I think you married me for free bodyguard work."

She let out a soft, teasing giggle at my defeat. "Rick, that is called smart business, fufu."

As soon as she let me go, I pulled out my phone and posted the situation into Harem-Chat so everyone would know why I was delayed. See, I always make sure to use my own product, and that was exactly how I got pulled headfirst into the Chaotic Entertainment Vortex.

By the afternoon, the campus had thinned out even more, leaving both the Business and Computers classes with only about half their usual attendance because of the ongoing celebrity meet-and-greet.

I wrapped up my work in the computer lab a few minutes early for standard security reasons, my Computer Use skill making short work of the final system checks before I headed over to Vicky's classroom just as her second lecture ended.

The hallway was filled with filtering students, and since none of the people from Victoria's second class had ever seen me show up at this specific time, a few of them gave me interesting, suspicious looks. A couple of the guys recognized me from the Kung-Fu club, though, and a few girls whispered while pointing, recognizing my face from the recent commercial.

I ignored the murmurs and made my way straight toward Victoria's desk, where she was currently packing up her materials while being cornered by her pesky second-class flirt, Sam Sun.

The guy was a six-foot-tall, young-looking blonde with bright blue eyes, standing right on that awkward border between a boyish look and a mature man, taking this specific business class only to fulfill the requirements for the Entertainment Degree he was building.

I knew a few very specific things about this guy that kept him on my radar; first, as Vicky's assistant, I had to grade his terrible papers all the time. Second, he was the spoiled son of Pam Sun, the CEO of Star Entertainment Group, which belonged to the Sun family under the Long Block hierarchy. Lastly, and most disgustingly, I knew him from the underground forums as the exact man who had coerced Ana to the casting couch. I had even watched their secret video of it online, and from a purely technical standpoint, he was an unimpressive pump-and-dump rabbit who couldn't please a woman to save his life.

He leaned over the desk, flashing a slick smile. "So Miss Long, why not come with me to the event? I have some security with me to bring you over safely so the ruffians won't bother you. Ana and Kate are excited to meet you again?"

Vicky caught sight of me walking down the steps of the lecture hall walkway, and her expression instantly brightened, smiling right past the pesky Sam as she cleanly declined his offer. "That won't be necessary Mr Sun, but thanks, my Bodyguard has arrived, and I am going with him, see you later."

Sam Sun whirled around, seeing me step up to the desk with total confusion plastered over his face as he tried to figure out why a random student was acting as Victoria's personal security. He knew who I was vaguely, but mostly just as a random face connected to the whole Scott green-hat cuckold business from a few weeks back.

I stepped right into his personal space, giving him a cold stare as my Kung-Fu muscle memory settled into a loose, dominant stance to back up my words. "Teacher Long, I am here to sweep away all your pests, just point and I will make a path."

Victoria gathered her documents with a satisfied nod. "Thank you Mr Tang, please, let us make our way to the rear of the auditorium."

Unfortunately, short of throwing him down the stairs, I had no clean way to keep Sam from tagging along with us.

He followed us right into the elevator, standing in the corner and chatting endlessly with Vicky, who hadn't given me the official signal to flush the shit yet because the guy was still the son of her high-level employee, Pam Sun. Plus, he hadn't explicitly crossed the line into harassment yet, acting more like an annoying fly hovering around her and praising her intelligence endlessly.

We had actually established a strict safety code for whenever she needed me to rescue her from a client or a colleague; if she called me Tang, it meant everything was civil and under control, but the moment she called me Lee, it was the green light to beat the dog.

Our small group of five took the long, winding service paths around the perimeter of the building, avoiding the swelling crowd outside until we reached the heavily guarded back entrance of the meeting hall.

Victoria stepped up and firmly announced that I was her private bodyguard, and when I pulled out my wallet to show my special concealed carry ID, the guards immediately stepped back with wide eyes. None of the local campus security here carried firearms, making me the Dean's absolute exception to the rule, meaning that unless a criminal brought an illegal weapon into the building, I was currently the only wielder in the room.

Sam walked beside us, completely oblivious to the fact that I was packing heat under my suit. He still walked around like he was a top-tier pimp, relying entirely on his basic level of Karate, which he only knew because he showed up to Scott's martial arts class a couple of times a week whenever he wasn't busy doing drama club exercises.

The heavy doors clicked shut behind us, and as we walked deeper into the backstage area, my father-in-law, Dean John Chang, came walking down the hallway toward us with a wide smile. "Hey there Rick, have not seen you for a few days. Make sure to bring Hana by again. It really was nice to have dinner with you two, and soon my grand-baby will be with us. Gloria is fit to be tied, ha-ha. And hello Victoria, I guess Rick is working for you today?"

Yes, I may not write in my journal every second of every day of my life, but I do in fact go on dates, meet family, and do things during the quiet times of the story of my life, refusing to just fade to black.

Victoria offered him a polite, professional greeting. "Yes Dean, I did not want to come with such a large crowd without some security, thanks for doing this for the SEG event."

The Dean laughed heartily, gesturing down the corridor. "Honestly it is no problem. Many of the teachers are also fans, so it is a good morale booster, and it shows that Star University is with the current times. So let's go see the action, ha-ha."

The backstage walkways started narrowing significantly as we approached the main stage area. Sam saw his chance and tried to slide his way through the gap, aiming to stand right next to Vicky's side.

Anticipating the move, I reached out and gently grasped Victoria's arm, pulling her away from him and over to my right side where the wall blocked him off entirely. Sam's face twisted into an internally pissed expression when he realized I had read his aim perfectly, but he looked even more shocked that a high-and-mighty goddess like Victoria actually let a guy touch her arms to guide her around so easily.

I shifted my position, placing my right arm in a strict, protective stance right behind her lower back while leading from her left side, forcing Sam to stumble forward and walk awkwardly in front of us like a servant. "Teacher Long, I will have you follow me like this for your safety, let's follow the Dean."

Victoria's eyes met mine over her shoulder, a brilliant spark of amusement in them showing she was incredibly happy with my little game.

Soon, our group of four reached the edge of the curtains, standing at the side of the stage just like actors waiting to walk out into the spotlight.

The backstage production was intense, and I scanned the area, spotting several professional security teams guarding the wings and tracking the perimeter on both sides of the main stage to ensure no crazed fans could slip past the barrier. Down in front, a row of campus guards controlled the flow of students, checking them one by one as they came up for their signatures before pointing them toward the exit doors.

Right in the center of the stage sat a long draped table, where two incredibly beautiful women were seated, flashing flawless, synchronized smiles at the crowd while fans frantically took smartphone pictures of the famous brown-haired and white-haired idol actresses of the hour, Ana Zi and Kate Kong.

Behind both actresses stood two female managers with shoulder-length hair. Ana’s manager had a smooth mane of pitch-black hair, while Kate’s sported a vibrant red cut. They moved efficiently in their dark lady-suits, maintaining a professional aura as they assisted the celebrities with fresh bottles of water, spare pens, and hand-wipes.

Both Ana and Kate were dressed down in sleek blue jeans and heeled winter boots. Ana wore a high pink turtleneck, while Kate was clad in a cozy blue sweater. I squinted slightly, a passing realization hitting me as I stared at the high collar of the turtleneck. I couldn't help but wonder if Ana was using that fabric to hide a few fresh hickeys.

Honestly, looking at them up close, I felt a bit let down. I had always assumed that meeting my idol would trigger a massive wave of excitement and that classic fan urge, but right now, I felt completely normal. I was just looking at two ordinary women signing a massive pile of merchandise.

By no means did I like her music and movies any less. On the contrary, I absolutely loved listening to her tracks, but I guess that was where the line was drawn. I only truly cared to hear her sing or watch her act on screen.

I suppose the change in my perspective was entirely because of the stunning woman standing right next to me, alongside the many other beautiful women already filling my life. I simply didn't have that desperate urge to hunt down every sexy, hot girl in the room anymore. Victoria seemed to sense my drifting gaze, turning her head to meet my eyes, and we both shared a quiet, knowing smile. Yeah, she completely got me.

"Teacher Long, see—"

Sam was clearly trying to initiate another round of shameless boot-licking. When he spoke up and caught the remnants of Victoria’s genuine smile, he froze entirely in his tracks, completely stunned. But the moment his eyes tracked her gaze and realized she was smiling directly at me, a flash of deep, internal fury crossed his features. He had been trying to coax a real smile out of this powerful woman in class and at corporate events for months, and now he had finally witnessed it.

His mother, Pam, had consistently pushed him to get close to the CEO, even demanding he take this specific business class just to find an angle to impress her. Victoria was completely single and only twenty-three years old, making her a prime target for her eighteen-year-old son. If he could somehow manage to marry into the Long family, he would be set for life, which was why he constantly tried to project his most charming persona whenever she was near.

The moment Victoria heard Sam’s half-formed question, the warmth instantly drained from her face as she turned her head toward him. "What is it, Mr Sun?"

Sam forced his charming grin back into place, gesturing toward the stage. "Teacher Long, see how this event is really setting off a massive trend? This should help boost the numbers for the New Years Eve Bash, right?"

Victoria didn't look impressed, keeping her tone detached. "Well, it won't hurt, but I don't believe this single gathering will change our overall numbers much."

Sam’s plan was clearly to use that business question as a launching pad for his real goal, leaning in closer with a confident smirk. "Miss Long, if you don't have a date for the event yet, then may I have the honor of escorting you?"

The moment the words left his mouth, Vicky subtly bumped her elbow straight into my ribs, signaling for immediate aid. I took the hint and jumped right into the conversation like a commando dropping into enemy territory. "Cough. Actually, Mr Sun, that would be completely impossible for the two of you to go out on a date. It is highly inappropriate for university teachers and students to openly date one another. Especially since you just asked her right in front of the Dean, you really put Miss Long in a terrible spot, Mr Sun."

My father-in-law already knew the truth about my marriage with Vicky, so he wasn't going to be caught unaware by the sudden intervention. Besides, Vicky and I weren't just dating; we were legally married, so no campus violations were actually being broken anyway.

Daddy Dean turned his gaze toward Sam, his voice carrying a heavy, authoritative weight. "Mr Tang is correct about the student-teacher dating being frowned upon. At least, it is if we find out about it."

Sam caught the technical loophole in the Dean's words, raising his chin smartly as he tried to salvage the play. "It is fine, really. It isn't a formal date because my mother works directly for Miss Long, so this is just a standard business event."

Victoria’s patience completely evaporated, her expression turning icy as she shut him down. "Mr Lee, my bodyguard, will be giving me my plus-one for the evening. He will keep me safe while ensuring I don't have to date anyone at the event. I don't like dating, and more importantly, the other students might get the wrong idea if I accompany a classmate."

Frustration cracked through Sam’s handsome facade, and he threw his hand out, pointing a finger directly at my chest. "But he is clearly a student too! So that makes absolutely no sense, right? I don't mind being turned down, Miss Long, but I think it would significantly help the Star Entertainment Group's popularity if I joined you instead."

Okay, I had seriously been way too fucking nice to the tiny tots on this campus lately. Granted, the guy was a solid two inches taller than me, but that was completely beside the point.

My hand reached down, and I began unbuttoning my suit jacket slowly, letting the fabric pull back far enough for him and everyone nearby to glimpse the heavy iron resting against my side. My father-in-law and Vicky both knew I wasn't actually going to shoot the kid, but the visual threat was clear.

I stepped into his space, my voice dropping into a dangerous register. "Hey Sam, this is the absolute last warning I am going to give you. Victoria Long is NOT going to the New Years Eve event with you, period. And who the fuck are you anyway? What actual role do you hold in Star Entertainment Group? Are you a paid staff member? Then what the hell are you doing here bothering the boss of your own mother?"

Sam’s eyes flicked to the weapon, his confidence faltering slightly as he tried to lean on his family name. "My mother is Pam Sun, and she allows me unlimited backstage passes so I can help her scout out new talent."

I scoffed, looking at him with pure disdain. "I don't care who your mommy is. If you bother Miss Long even one more time, I will personally revoke your backstage pass the hard way, legally. And yes, I have killed people before. Before you try to threaten me with some spoiled nonsense, I want you to know that I am the Vice Leader of the Fire Birds. So, what was your mom's name again?"

Sam looked past me, realizing that both the Dean and Victoria were looking at him with pure pity for kicking a solid iron plate. He looked like he had just taken a physical slap to the face, his eyes darting around frantically, but his mother wasn't there to scold me or bail him out.

Apparently, my dressing down of the tall pretty boy was loud enough to echo straight onto the main stage. All four women at the table, along with a couple of front-row fans, had paused to watch the commotion.

The first opportunist to seize the sudden initiative waved her hand high in our direction, calling out with a bright smile. "Hello again Miss Long, and Rick!"

Victoria’s icy demeanor instantly melted, replacing itself with a warm smile as she gave a small wave back to Ana Zi. I only offered a short nod and a smile in return. Yes, I had already explicitly told Ana before that my first wife said no, meaning I could never date her.

Sitting right next to her, Kate had completely frozen the exact moment her eyes landed on me. I didn't notice her stiffen at first, but it didn't take long for her silly brain to start turning. She raised her hand and waved directly at us, though Victoria and I both naturally assumed the gesture was directed at Vicky, right?

Victoria, knowing the girl well, returned the wave with a polite smile. Kate instantly blinked, realizing that I didn't seem to recognize her at all, and she hadn't even noticed Victoria standing there until the older woman waved back. Oops.

Too clueless to give up, Kate pointed her finger straight at me and then waved aggressively, thoroughly confusing everyone at the table. I turned my head around, looking at the blank wall behind me to see who she was targeting. Seeing my confusion, she shook her head vigorously and pointed right back at my chest, prompting me to point at myself until she nodded happily.

I leaned my head slightly toward Victoria. "Did you prank me?"

Victoria leaned in, her warm breath tickling my ear as she whispered. "I have no clue why she is waving to you. Do you know her?"

"Never met her in my life."

Over at the table, Jean Jia bent her waist to whisper something to Kate Kong. Kate kept pointing a finger at me, then back to herself, before making an explicit waving motion to call us over. The red-headed manager offered a brief nod, straightening her suit jacket as she walked away from the table and made her way toward our far end of the stage.

Jean stopped right in front of Victoria and me, her professional demeanor intact as she offered a polite greeting. "Hello Boss Long. And you, young man, your name is Rick Lee, correct?"

I wasn't entirely sure what kind of joke was playing out here, but since it was a normal question, I saw no harm in answering her directly. "Rick Lee-Tang is my name, and I am currently acting as Miss Long's bodyguard. How may I help you?"

Jean caught the genuine confusion in my voice, a faint, calculating glint appearing in her eyes as she waited for a good show. This kind of spontaneous drama would be absolute gold for the news and tabloids if chaos hit, and nothing sold better than celebrity scandal. Of course, Jean hadn't warned Kate about the potential fallout, but as a professional manager, she still had to help her client out.

"Kate wants to personally meet you, Mr Lee. Would you be willing to come over to the table and speak with her?"

I shook my head, gesturing firmly to the woman at my side. "Sorry, but I have to stay within arm's reach of Miss Long as her bodyguard."

Victoria, completely refusing to work with my excuses, stepped forward with a mischievous smile. "Then I will simply come along with you and say hello to Kate. I haven't seen her for a few months now anyway."

Vicky delivered a sharp, hidden elbow to my ribs, completely ignoring the glare I shot her way as she began walking. Left with no choice, the two of us were escorted straight over to the signing table.

Kate quickly wiped her hands with a sanitizing tissue, pushing her chair back as she stood up to meet us. The surrounding onlookers and staff members fell quiet, all of them intensely watching whatever strange development was unfolding on the stage.

Victoria opened the interaction with a polite smile. "Hello Kate, how has the SEG been treating you lately?"

Vicky had been fully expecting a standard, professional response, but the only thing either of us received was absolute silence as Kate stared directly into my soul with her intense red eyes. Under that heavy, unblinking gaze, I suddenly felt like a vulnerable baby sheep standing completely exposed in front of a hungry tiger.

When she finally spoke, her voice trembled slightly, fracturing her idol persona. "Rick Lee, age eighteen, right?"

"Huh? Yeah?"

Without a single word of explanation, she reached down into her designer purse, pulled out a faded envelope, and thrust it directly into my hands. I looked down at the weathered paper, completely baffled, before opening the flap to peek inside. My fingers pulled out an old, yellowed piece of notebook paper, and the moment my eyes scanned the messy, childhood handwriting, the memories came rushing back.

[Too Katelyn Pu... Well, I promised I would write. I hope you are not up another tree idiot-girl. No really, don't climb a tree again. I really don't know what pen-pals say to each other. Well I am good and that tree got cut down by somebody... (this part is boring ten year old nonsense, so it is omitted) ... So yeah, that was a nice lady that made me try a Deluxe burger at Big-Burger, so now I am one step closer to being a full grownup. Last thing, you have to be 18 to move back, not 12 idiot-girl. Well write back if you want, or just make new friends, as long as you are happy now. Rick Lee, Action Movie Star!]

I just stood there, dumbly staring down at the unmistakable lines of my own childhood handwriting. My brain felt completely jammed, processing the reality at a snail's pace before I looked up at Kate Kong and blurted out a completely silly question. "Why do you have my letter?"

Kate stared back at me, her brilliant red eyes turning glassy as they rapidly filled with tears. "Because that is my letter."

I shook my head, my mind stubbornly clinging to the facts I knew. "No, I sent this letter to Katelyn Pu."

"My mother married her husband with the last name Kong and changed mine, so I am actually Katelyn Kong now."

I blinked, looking up and down at this incredibly glamorous, over-the-top star standing in front of me. I tried to reconcile her image with the scrawny, tomboyish little thing I used to rescue from branches, realizing the only features that hadn't changed were her striking eye color, her hair, and that exact same clueless expression.

A wave of shock jolted through my system, and my hand moved on instinct as I shakily pointed my finger right at her nose, my voice cracking and rising unintentionally. "Y-Your Idiot Girl!?"

She didn't just take a casual emotional arrow to the soul from that blast from the past; she was squarely impaled by a massive, shameful emotional ballista bolt at the sound of her old childhood nickname.

But having absolute confirmation that it was really me was all she cared about, completely forgiving me for shattering her idol pride on the spot before she suddenly lunged forward and hugged me tightly. Oh, fuck. She did it right in front of absolutely everybody.

Kate buried her face directly into my chest, her arms wrapping around my waist with a crushing, super-tight grip as she began crying tears of pure relief. I was left frozen in place, my accusing finger still pointing awkwardly into thin air while my left hand clutched the yellowed paper of my old letter.

A deafening chorus of click-click-flash-clicks erupted from the edge of the stage, blinding me instantly. I looked over Kate's shaking shoulders into Victoria’s face, and she could clearly tell from my blank stare that my brain had completely shut down. My face must have gone entirely pale as a sea of smartphones rose into the air, thousands of fans recording every single frame of the scandal.

Looking past the flashes, I caught sight of the red-headed manager, Jean, who was currently smiling at the two of us like a sleazy salesman who had just pulled off a flawless fast one. Over to the side, Sam Sun’s expression was the definition of absolute ruin, looking exactly like Scott did the day he found out about Mei and me, while Victoria just stood there looking thoroughly amused by my misery.

Kate showed absolutely no intention of breaking the embrace, forcing me to lower my pointing hand so I could awkwardly pat her back, desperately trying to peel the idiot—I mean, Kate—off my chest. "Um, excuse me Miss Kong, but everyone is watching, and I think my suit is not waterproof."

Hearing my strained voice, she finally loosened her grip and stepped back, taking the handkerchief I offered so she could wipe the tears from her eyes.

She looked up at me, her lower lip trembling slightly. "I was told you died."

I frowned, completely confused by where she had gotten that terrible piece of news. I couldn't tell if she was mixing up the old bank accident that took my dad, or if she was referring to the disaster on my eighteenth birthday, leaving me to clarify. "No, the hospital saved me last summer. I am fine now."

All of a sudden, her eyes filled with a deep, crushing sadness as she took a half-step closer. "What? You almost died last summer? Why?"

We were very clearly reading from completely different pages here, and the chaotic energy in the room was rising by the second. I glanced over at the crowd of onlookers, all of them staring at us like a pack of bastards waiting for more free popcorn, and decided I had reached my absolute limit for the day.

"You have an event to finish, and I really need to leave, so here is your letter back. It was good to see you."

Without waiting for her to process the words, I shoved the envelope back into her hands, grabbed Victoria firmly by the arm, and executed a swift exit stage left.