The Art of Teasing - Chapter 146

Chapter 146

When Cen Lang saw Ye Ling return, she stood up and said, "CEO Ye, Weiwei, I'd like to discuss something with you two."

Qi Wei said lazily, "Not interested." With that, she stood up and left. Cen Lang and Cen Lin had specially invited her over, saying they had something to ask her help with; the two siblings moving together clearly meant an urgent matter. She had just sat down when she received a call from Cen Xun. Was this an urgent matter asking for help, or seeking revenge?

Ye Ling didn't even acknowledge Cen Lang and went straight into the ward.

Talk? Not a chance!

After entering, Ye Ling said to Wen Jing, who was keeping watch in the ward, "Go rest. I'll look after her here." She then instructed, "From now on, wherever Zhengyu goes, you will follow her without leaving her side. Even if she's using the bathroom, you stand at the bathroom door."

Wen Jing agreed.

She waited for Wen Jing to leave, closed the door, lay on her side at the edge of the bed, and gently wrapped her arm around Wen Zhengyu's waist.

Likely sensing a familiar presence, Wen Zhengyu, in her sleep, very naturally turned over and nestled into Ye Ling's embrace.

Ye Ling held Wen Zhengyu tightly, rested her chin on top of Zhengyu's head, and lightly kissed it, her eyes slightly reddening. Her heart ached for Wen Zhengyu, and also for her own past self. Some wounds, when inflicted on her, she could endure; she had truly loved, and Cen Xun had also been good to her. In those years, they had argued, fought, and quarreled, but they had also experienced happiness. It had been nearly ten years since she cut off all contact with Cen Xun; everything had long ended, and Wen Zhengyu should not have to suffer these harms.

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Cen Xun returned home already at dawn.

Cen Lin was still waiting in the living room, his face scratched with several bloody streaks.

Cen Lang didn't need to ask; she knew that Cen Xun and Cen Lin had fought again. She asked, "Where is the person?"

Cen Lin said, "Tied up, gagged, and tossed in the music room. How did it go?"

Cen Lang sat down, took the tea Cen Lin handed her, and said, "We've made enemies. Qi Wei is waiting for an explanation. As for Ye Ling's side, I'm afraid she's going to strike to kill." The bodyguards at the door today were no pushovers. She then called out, "Ah Wu."

A man guarding outside came in and stood at attention.

Cen Lang asked, "What's the situation?"

Ah Wu glanced at Cen Lang and said, "We've clashed…"

Cen Lang saw Ah Wu stammering and said, "Speak."

Ah Wu said, "The other side showed three people, but there were still more who didn't come out. The three we clashed with are all killers with blood on their hands; when they fought, every move targeted vital points. I heard one of them shout, 'The higher-ups haven't given the word, don't cause any fatalities yet.' All eight of our men ended up on the ground with broken heads and bleeding; four had fractured bones and were sent to the hospital. From their response, it seems they're only watching us for now and waiting for news. Young Master Lin said not to call the police yet, to wait until you return."

Cen Lin waved Ah Wu away and invited Cen Lang to the study.

He closed the study door, drew the curtains, and asked, "Are they their people?"

Cen Lang nodded and said, "Wen Zhengyu's people, now taken over by Ye Ling."

Cen Lin exclaimed in surprise, "Her? What people could she have?" His brows twitched, and he asked, "Did the Lian family give her people?"

Cen Lang looked at Cen Lin with a heavy gaze and said, "Wen Zhengyu has been officially recognized by the Lian family; she belongs to the Fourth Branch, and her branch has only her as the sole heir." When Zhao Si got into trouble, she had casually asked Qi Wei, "Why is the Lian family making such a huge commotion, as if the whole family is prepared to fight to the death?" Qi Wei had casually replied, "One of the five fingers was hurt and nearly severed; it would be a ghost if they didn't fight to the death." That is to say, the Lian family, up to Lian Huaixin's generation, is divided into five branches, with the family estate divided into five shares, and Wen Zhengyu alone holds one of those shares.

Cen Lin cursed under his breath. When the matter with Zhao Si blew open, he had investigated Wen Zhengyu and found her to be a sheltered heiress immersed in the arts, completely unaware of the ways of the world. A person in her hands and a person in Ye Ling's hands were used completely differently. The trouble Zhao Si and Wang Zidao caused, when the Lian family and Ye Ling settled accounts, wouldn't trace back to him, but he had shares in that loan sharking operation. Zhao Er and Wang Zidao each held one share, he took three shares, and the remaining five shares were what he passed upward. Wang Zidao held the account book as a life-saving talisman, and now everyone was looking for that book. The opposing side was vicious and ruthless, gunning down Zhao Er directly. Whether anything had been taken from Zhao Er was hard to say. If this incident hadn't happened, with their relationship with Qi Wei, they could have asked Qi Wei to act as an intermediary, then he'd offer some benefits to Ye Ling and Lian Xin, and the loan sharking matter could have ended with Zhao Si. Even if he couldn't get the account book, it wouldn't matter—he'd just buy it back. Now, however, just when he needed to ask for help, that madwoman Cen Xun had beaten the person up at her own place.

He asked, "Sis, how do you see handling this now?"

Cen Lang said, "Two paths. Retrieve the account book; Wang Zidao cannot return alive to testify against you; and pray that nothing was left behind from Zhao Er or Zhao Si for them to dig up, so the matter won't trace to you."

Cen Lin said, "The risk is too great."

Cen Lang said, "The second path: hand over Cen Xun. The mess she caused, she must remedy herself. First, let Wen Zhengyu and Ye Ling vent their grievance. You have… find Lian Huaixin. Right now, this matter is being deliberately kept from the Lian family matriarch by Wen Zhengyu, temporarily suppressed, not yet exposed. Wen Zhengyu's mood is still fairly stable, her thinking still normal, she can still arrange things; both sides still have room to maneuver."

"If negotiations fail and the people you sent can't retrieve the account book, and you end up inside, then take all the blame. You were only dragged into this; they won't take your life. Spend a few years inside and you'll be out. The money went to gambling abroad and was lost."

Cen Lin wiped his face and asked, "What about negotiating with Lian Xin? He's a businessman who values profit."

Cen Lang said, "Given that he went out together with Ye Ling to strike Zhao Si for Wen Zhengyu, this isn't something that can be negotiated with profit. He is a businessman, he only recognizes money, and what he least lacks is also money."

"You go to Lian Xin, apologize and make amends for today's incident. Give away half of Cen Xun's assets, and on my side, I'll also produce a portion as the Cen family's compensation. Adopt a low posture, as low as possible, admit what you must. If he lets you off, you won't go in; if he doesn't, then you obediently go in and squat."

"Tomorrow I'll prepare a generous gift and go to the Qi family to apologize."

"Wen Zhengyu's matter can't be kept secret; so many people saw it. If someone asks, tell it truthfully: that Cen Xun sought trouble with her, that we are in the wrong."

Cen Lin committed every point to memory, nodding in agreement. He thought for a moment and said, "That madwoman, though… still…" He ultimately felt a bit reluctant.

Cen Lang stared at Cen Lin and said, "Think about Zhao Si, and think about the Zhao family's current situation."

Cen Lin could only nod and agree.

Standing up, Cen Lang went to the music room and saw Cen Xun tied up tightly, mouth gagged, the corner of her eye bruised, her eyes fixed on her.

Cen Lang stepped forward, pulled the towel from Cen Xun's mouth, pulled up a chair, and sat down beside her.

Cen Xun looked at Cen Lang without any weakness: "I hit her, so what—are you going to kill me or chop me up?"

Cen Lang looked at Cen Xun and said, "Our family has been surrounded. We sent out eight bodyguards, all eight of them fell battered and bleeding. Wen Zhengyu has temporarily suppressed the matter; the Lian family matriarch doesn't know yet. Neither the Lian matriarch nor Ye Ling has spoken, so that gang of desperados outside is only injuring people, not yet storming in to kill."

Cen Xun sneered mockingly: "Is that all you're capable of? They've come knocking on our door, and you're just watching? That's not the style of the head of the Cen family."

Cen Lang locked eyes on Cen Xun, enunciating each word: "The Zhao Si affair, behind it, is our family, the bulk with Cen Lin. Zhao Er's death was not our doing. If the other side hadn't obtained what they wanted, they wouldn't have killed Zhao Er—they'd have kept him alive as a witness to identify us. Today we specially sought out Qi Wei precisely to ask her to act as an intermediary and buy back what we need, yet the moment we sat down, you went and beat up Wen Zhengyu. Cen Lin's overseas strongholds have been leveled one after another."

Cen Xun's smile instantly froze on her face. She let out a heavy sigh. She really hadn't intended to hit Wen Zhengyu; she just couldn't stand seeing Ye Ling all smiles beside Wen Zhengyu and wanted to stir up some trouble, to mess things up—it would be best if she could wreck it completely. She gave a scoff and said, "Such an important matter, and you hid it from me." She glanced sideways at Cen Lang and said, "So, now you're going to hand me over to protect Cen Lin."

Cen Lang said, "Whether or not we protect Cen Lin, we can't protect you."

"The Lian family's details we will investigate, but that's a later matter. Right now, you're solidly targeted. Wen Zhengyu is a refined person; Ye Ling is your ex. If you fall into their hands, you can still live. If you fall into the Zhang old crone's hands, or if that gang outside storms in, you'll either die or worse than dead."

"The matter has been made clear to you. The path to take, you choose yourself."

Cen Xun said, "Untie me first."

Cen Lang knew Cen Xun had always been tough, unwilling to admit defeat even to death. Rather than fall into others' hands and bow her head to an ex and a rival, Cen Xun would choose to end her own life. After all, they grew up together; Cen Lang didn't want to see Cen Xun die, still less let this enmity become a blood feud. She was silent for two seconds, then said, "Even dying now would become a source of disaster for the family." As she spoke, she moved to stuff the towel back into Cen Xun's mouth.

Cen Xun twisted her head away and cried, "I need to use the bathroom."

Cen Lang helped Cen Xun up and personally escorted her to the bathroom.

Cen Xun was still tied up with the blanket; standing by the toilet, she said to Cen Lang, "How am I supposed to use the toilet like this?"

Cen Lang swept a glance at the wall tiles and said, "If you're thinking of bashing your head against the wall to commit suicide, I estimate you'd end up as a hospital roommate with Wen Zhengyu." With that, she called the bodyguards to remove all dangerous items from the bathroom, had a guard stand outside, then personally untied Cen Xun, turned her back, and faced away from Cen Xun. She personally watched to ensure Cen Xun didn't actually bash her head against the wall or use her clothing belt to hang herself.

After using the toilet, Cen Xun washed her hands and said, "Cen Lang, the way you were just now with your back to me, you'd make a perfect hostage."

Cen Lang said, "If you really grabbed me as a hostage, then drove a car out, you might actually manage to escape. Run to the police station; you could at least get some protection."

Cen Xun said, "Seeing as how you so don't want me dead, I'll let you off this once. Fine, let me have a good rest tonight. I really do want to see how Xiao Yezi, now with her wings grown and clinging to a thick thigh, is going to deal with me, her ex, to show loyalty to her current partner." She shook the water off her hands, pulled out a paper towel to dry them, and said casually, "Maybe it'll be another big show."

Cen Lang asked, "Do you have any last words to leave?"

Cen Xun said, "If I die, give my ashes to Xiao Yezi."

Cen Lang said, "I'd better take them back, otherwise I'm afraid she'd dump you into the toilet and flush you away."

Cen Xun said, "Even though I accidentally went overboard and hit Wen Zhengyu, but I'm repaying with my life—she couldn't still hate me that much."

Cen Lang said, "Wen Zhengyu said she bumped into the toilet today."

Cen Xun immediately exploded, "Who's she calling a toilet!"

Cen Lang ignored her, instructed the bodyguards to keep an eye on Cen Xun, then returned to her room to sleep.

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