"This is your personal matter, not within the scope of our cooperation. Speaking of which, I hope you clean up your own mess and don't affect me, or else this partnership could end at any time."
Hearing this, Ye Yunchen smiled dismissively, seemingly unfazed by her words. Seeing Ke Yaru staring at him with a serious expression, he spread his hands and suddenly said in a low voice, "I need your help with her. After all, you were involved back then, weren't you?"
Back then. Ke Yaru narrowed her eyes, staring fixedly at the unflappable man. She had underestimated him. It was true that she had used Lin Xujia to control Ye Yunchen and Xia Yan back then, but she hadn't expected Ye Yunchen to catch on.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Dealing with a woman—I'm sure you have more methods than I do."
"And if I refuse?"
"Then I suppose you'd want President Yang to step in and handle this for me."
"Ye Yunchen, you—"
"Shh, this is a public place. Don't worry, I can promise not to tell Lu Zhengting."
Ke Yaru's eyes widened as she glared at Ye Yunchen. "I really underestimated you."
"Indeed, too many people underestimate me. You're just one of them."
"I'll have Lin Xujia dealt with." After saying this, Ke Yaru picked up her handbag beside her and left without looking back.
Ye Yunchen narrowed his eyes, his gaze lingering on Ke Yaru's retreating figure. He curled his lips casually, a hint of ruthlessness flickering in his clear black-and-white eyes. In this world, too many people underestimated him, too many didn't take him seriously. That's why he had this perfect protective layer—to fool everyone and hide himself.
When Ye Yunchen walked out of the coffee shop alone, he saw the streetlights glowing in the night and looked at the countless lit windows of the city. It seemed not a single one was lit for him. A bitter smile spread across his face, but darkness dwelled in his heart.
******
When Lu Zhengting returned home, Xia Yan was just carrying dishes out of the kitchen. A small floral apron was tied around her waist, making her look very cute. Her soft long hair was pinned up. He had once asked her why she kept her hair so long, and she had replied that she liked it—she had loved long, straight hair since she was a child, which was why it was like this now.
"Young master, you're back."
"Lu Zhengting, you're back." Xia Yan carefully placed the chicken soup on the table and cheerfully ran over to him. But catching a whiff of the kitchen smell on herself, she frowned, took a step back, and blinked at him.
"I smell a bit, so I won't hug you. Go wash your hands—dinner will be ready soon."
Hearing this, Lu Zhengting pursed his lips, seeming to catch the kitchen smell on Xia Yan as well. After a slight frown, he said, "Not hurting anymore? And you're already messing around."
"What messing around? I was thinking you'd be hungry after work. As your caring girlfriend, of course I should make a nice meal waiting for you. And you call it messing around? Hmph, Lu Zhengting, you'd better not eat. I'll eat it myself." Xia Yan widened her eyes and grumbled at him, occasionally rubbing her nose with her fingers, completely unaware that she looked just like a soft, adorable kitten.
Lu Zhengting was amused by Xia Yan. He no longer minded the faint kitchen smell on her and stepped forward, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. With a half-smile, he asked, "Mad?"
"Who would be that petty? Do you think I'm you? Take your paw off me." Xia Yan slapped his hand and said huffily, her words completely at odds with her expression.
Seeing this, Lu Zhengting laughed heartily. "I'm the petty one. Baby, are you really not letting me eat?"
Xia Yan raised an eyebrow and shot him a fierce look, pinching the back of his hand lightly like a tickle. "Since it's your first offense, I'll let it slide."
"Thank you, my baby."
"Tch, when you're sweet-talking me, it's 'baby, baby,' but when you're not, it's 'Xia Yan, Xia Yan.'" Xia Yan pouted, dissatisfied. He knew she was completely captivated by his voice.
"Baby."
"Gives me goosebumps. Go wash your hands and eat." Xia Yan made a disgusted face, rolled up her sleeve to her elbow, and showed him the goosebumps on her arm to prove she was serious.
After dinner, Xia Yan went to her room, opened her laptop, and logged into her email. Seeing several unread messages, she opened them one by one—all work-related. Her position at the company was Lu Zhengting's assistant, so all her tasks were personally assigned by him. Given their relationship, with Xia Yan resting for several days, the work had fallen on Secretary Zhou. She did the math and realized she'd basically used up someone's annual leave.
Lu Zhengting was in the study. Ning Nan and Xu Su had returned to Jiangcheng from Switzerland tonight, and Ning Dong was video-calling him now, giving a general update on the old man's condition. Ning Bei appeared in the frame, but Ning Xi was nowhere to be seen. Usually, Ning Xi and Ning Bei were twins and more clingy compared to the older two.
"Where's the third?" Lu Zhengting asked calmly.
Ning Bei frowned. "After we dropped you off at the airport last time, he hasn't been back. He's called a few times, but only said a few words—nothing useful. But with our connection, I'd guess he's with some woman now. Ting Ge, do you know if there's been a woman around him?"
"Lao Yao, isn't it normal for the third to have a woman? Or are you trying to keep the good stuff in the family and claim him for yourself?"
Hearing this, Ning Dong, the very serious eldest brother, couldn't help but twitch his mouth. After a moment's thought on Lu Zhengting's words, he immediately said sternly to Ning Bei, "Lao Yao, I'll introduce you to a woman."
"..." Ning Bei was floored.
"Big brother, why would I have thoughts about that brooding third? Besides, if I got with him, it'd be incest. Spare your little brother, please."
"Good. If you do, you'd better nip it in the bud."
Hearing this, Ning Bei felt like he'd never be able to clear his name. He was straight! Straight! Straight!
Lu Zhengting watched Ning Bei, who was about to lose it, with a suppressed smile, then ended the video call under his resentful gaze.
"Ding..."
Lu Zhengting's slender fingers moved the mouse, clicking on a new email notification. The file inside clearly displayed all of Ke Yaru's information, seemingly unrelated to Yang Jinkuan.
He narrowed his eyes at the screen. Yang Jinkuan couldn't beat him openly, so he tried underhanded tactics. In that regard, Yang Jinkuan had won a round. After a moment of thought, he shut down the computer, opened a drawer, took out a pack of cigarettes, and pulled one out.
With a "click," a faint flame flickered, lighting the cigarette between his fingers. The air filled with a light scent of tobacco. He took a deep drag. Xu Guang's remaining belongings had yet to yield any clues about what happened back then. Had he miscalculated? Xia Minghui was cautious and meticulous—aside from having someone search Xia Yan's apartment last time, he'd stayed put so far. And Yang Jinkuan? What was his original purpose in approaching him?
Ever since Lu Zhengting decided to investigate the events of five years ago, the case had dragged in many unexpected people, especially involving Xia Yan's father, Xu Guang. Maybe Xia Yan knew something but just didn't remember.
With that thought, Lu Zhengting took another drag. The smoke rings he exhaled dispersed into the air. In this closed room, aside from the heating, there was only the faint, drifting scent of tobacco.
After a long silence, Lu Zhengting stubbed out his cigarette, picked up his phone, scrolled through his contacts, found Ning Xi's number, and dialed.
At that moment, Ning Xi was staring at a calm, indifferent face, wishing he could book a ticket back to Beicheng immediately. He had tried that, but as soon as he booked, Zhan Meng secretly hacked into their system and changed his ticket...
The two went back and forth, turning it into a chase.
Ning Xi and Zhan Meng ended up evenly matched, with no resolution after half a day. Zhan Meng even stopped mid-hack, claiming she was hungry, and nonchalantly logged out under Ning Xi's glare.
"Ning Xi, I'm hungry. Go cook."
"Miss, do you have any sense of competitive spirit?!"
"Who said I was competing with you? I was just bored and played with you for a bit. Turns out playing with you is even more boring, plus I'm hungry, so I quit."
"Play? Zhan Meng! You're just—"
"Tell me, why do you have so much anger every day? And hey, not to criticize, but you should work on that temper of yours, or no woman will ever like you." Zhan Meng looked at him seriously, then, as if something occurred to her, added, "You don't like men, do you? Like Ning Nan?"
"..." Ning Xi gave her a speechless look. "What do you want to eat?"
"Anything's fine." Zhan Meng lifted her leg to move the laptop aside on the coffee table, bent down to scoop up Mengmeng, who was lying at the table leg, into her arms, and scratched its head. Seeing it look so content, she smirked, tugged at its whiskers, and shook them, only to find Mengmeng still happily lounging on her lap.
"Ding ding ding..."
"Mengmeng, wait a sec. Sister's going to answer a call." Zhan Meng cradled the cat and fumbled toward the sound. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the cat trying to slip away. Annoyed, she grabbed it and held it still, then, without even glancing at her phone, swiped to answer.
"Hello."
"..." Lu Zhengting, hearing a woman's voice on the other end, was momentarily stunned. Ning Xi kept his distance from women, but the person answering the phone now was a woman!