"This guy is... Chen Feng?" Yang Chen finally recognized the pitiful fellow, never expecting it to be him.
Chen Feng at this mont was vastly different from the last ti Yang Chen had seen him. His once thin face was now pale, his hair disheveled as if he had rolled through a thicket, his cheeks sunken, and there were nurous bruises on his body.
More unsettling was his dazed, manic grin. He seed less like a person and more like a completely irrational humanoid creature.
The forr young master of the Chen family had now beco sothing neither human nor ghost, truly a plaything of fate.
However, Yang Chen didn't pity him. Actions have consequences, and Chen Feng's current state was the result of his past bullying.
Zhang Ying's gaze at Chen Feng was filled with venom. Chen Feng had ruined her life, so she had every reason to despise him.
"That's right, but he's not called Chen Feng anymore. He's just a dog I'm raising!" Zhang Ying said, then suddenly yanked the rope in her hand!
Chen Feng, who had been struggling to assault Lin Kun just monts ago, suddenly hoarsely cried out as he was dragged to the ground. Like a dog, he swiftly crawled to Zhang Ying's feet and began licking her exposed toes through her sandals.
It was only then that Yang Chen noticed the pet collar around Chen Feng's neck, the rope held tightly in Zhang Ying's hand!
Chen Feng's actions had completely lost any semblance of rationality, clearly driven mad by excessive stimulation.
"Every ti I see this beast, I want to shoot him dead, but my sister won't allow it," Zhang Hu said fiercely.
"Killing him would be too easy. I want to torture him. He used to play with , so now I'll let other n play with him. Every night, the brothers and sisters who used to be bullied by him play with him, and when they're tired of playing, we'll kill him," Zhang Ying said matter-of-factly. "Mr. Yang, do you still need my pet to serve that old man?"
Yang Chen looked at the now unconscious Lin Kun without expression and said, "You handle it yourselves. As I said, as long as he doesn't die, everything else doesn't matter."
With that, Yang Chen turned and left. He had no interest in these people before him anymore. Whether it was Lin Kun or Chen Feng, their fates no longer mattered.
But things in the world always change faster than plans can keep up.
As Yang Chen was driving back to the hospital, Zhang Hu called again, delivering news that montarily stunned him—Lin Kun had gone mad!
Despite multiple attempts at revenge failing, being thrown into the trash, then kidnapped and bound by rcenaries, Lin Kun had lost his last bit of dignity as a man, courtesy of soone like Chen Feng, akin to a beast. Add to that the loss of his only stake in Yulei International, Lin Kun, who already had little left, was now left despondent.
Originally born into wealth, living a carefree life for half his life, only to et such a tragic end.
Perhaps going insane was a kind of liberation for Lin Kun.
Yang Chen instructed Zhang Hu to take Lin Kun to the Zhonghai ntal Hospital, and as for the rest, Zhang Hu understood what to do. Just as Yang Chen felt a twinge of regret for Lin Kun's descent into madness, he suddenly received a call from Mo Qianni. This beautiful superior had never given him a good look, and even now, despite saving her life, she still wore the expression of soone who was owed money, leaving Yang Chen feeling helpless.
"Hello, Miss Mo, what can I do for you?" Yang Chen spoke with a hint of fatigue.
Mo Qianni on the other end sounded a bit annoyed, "What's wrong? From your tone, it sounds like talking to is a grievance for you?"
"Not at all, I'm honored," Yang Chen frowned, this woman always seed to find fault for no reason.
Mo Qianni snorted on the other end, "I'm telling you, I'm treating you to dinner tonight, don't be ungrateful."
Yang Chen was suspicious, asking cautiously, "Miss Mo, are you not going to drag to so restaurant to collect debts again?"
"Go to hell, Yang Chen! I'm graciously thanking you for saving , so I'm treating you to a al. Do you think I'm the kind of woman who picks fights for no reason and is heartless?"
She definitely is... Yang Chen thought inwardly, but he just agreed; after all, there was no reason to refuse, and he was quite hungry himself.
"Then co to the company's parking lot, I'll drive and we can go together," Mo Qianni said before hanging up decisively.
Hungry and impatient, Yang Chen hastened his pace and soon arrived at the underground parking lot of Yulei International. It was already after work hours, so there were hardly any cars in the parking lot.
Mo Qianni's red Audi A4 stood out conspicuously in a small corner, and its owner was watching her watch, waiting for him.
Mo Qianni had changed into casual attire, a black chiffon dress that perfectly accentuated her slender waist and shapely hips, with a pair of crystal-colored high heels below her white, jade-like, long and slender legs. Her black, smooth, long hair cascaded down, complenting her whole ensemble. Despite the subtle makeup, her beautiful face still exuded an intellectual charm, fitting the traditional beauty of the East.
If it weren't for knowing about this woman's ruthlessness, Yang Chen might have fallen for her mature charm like any other man.
"Get in," Mo Qianni didn't waste any ti with pleasantries; seeing Yang Chen approach, she imdiately opened the car door and sat in the driver's seat.
After Yang Chen got into the car, Mo Qianni turned on the stereo, with an aux mode connected to a sleek silver iPod. The lodic tune of Chen Shuhua's old song "Waking from a Dream" gently drifted through the car cabin.
Mo Qianni didn't initiate any conversation with Yang Chen, focusing solely on driving.
As the car rged onto the highway, Yang Chen couldn't help but notice, sowhat surprised, that Mo Qianni's iPod was filled with classic old songs, including works from renowned Western bands like The Rolling Stones and The Beatles.
"It seems you're quite nostalgic," Yang Chen couldn't help but remark, feeling a sense of nostalgia himself. It was unexpected to discover this side of the young urban woman.
Mo Qianni shot Yang Chen a glance, "New things are always easily forgotten; only those that aren't forgotten are worth reminiscing about..." She paused for a mont before adding, "But telling soone as crude as you is probably pointless."
"I understand," Yang Chen said earnestly. "A couple of years ago, I thought Jessica Alba from Hollywood was stunningly beautiful and sexy enough, but after she got pregnant, I realized Marilyn Monroe, who had died many years ago, had more charm."
Mo Qianni nearly spat blood on the steering wheel. If she didn't need to press the gas, she would've kicked this shaless guy out of the car!
The rest of the journey was unusually quiet, with only the soothing rhythm of British rock playing in the car.
When the car finally stopped, Mo Qianni spoke up, "We're here. Get out."
Yang Chen glanced outside the window, wondering if he had misread the situation. He pointed to the neon sign ahead and asked, "Are you sure we're eating here?"
"Is there a problem?" Mo Qianni asked with a displeased expression.
Yang Chen shook his head, "I'm just surprised why you'd choose to eat here. I thought you'd take to so upscale and elegant restaurant for Western or French cuisine, given your status."
"I like eating at food stalls and roadside snacks, so unfortunately, you guessed wrong," Mo Qianni glared at Yang Chen. "Get out!"
Let it be a food stall then, Yang Chen didn't mind at all, as long as soone else was footing the bill since he hadn't brought his wallet.
Along the riverbank in the outskirts of Zhonghai, the food stalls thrived like a winding dragon, stretching endlessly. Various tents of all sizes were supported by bamboo or tal poles.
The colorful neon lights illuminated the food stalls brightly, while streams of people flowed continuously along the street. To Yang Chen's surprise, most of them were white-collar workers from the downtown area of Zhonghai. So wore suits, while others, feeling the heat, draped their suit jackets and ties over their arms, chatting and laughing as they walked along the street.
The breeze from the river at this ti provided so relief from the heat, making the air in this area much more pleasant. However, the sll of seafood and fresh produce gave this place a rustic atmosphere, perhaps sothing the city dwellers needed.
Despite the lively atmosphere, Mo Qianni, dressed in a black chiffon dress, remained a stunning sight among the crowd. When she wasn't glaring accusingly at soone, Mo Qianni truly was a captivating beauty, with a graceful and elegant deanor that turned heads.
Walking with such a woman easily attracted jealous looks from many n.
"Do you co here often?" Yang Chen, unaware of such places in Zhonghai, looked around curiously and asked.
Mo Qianni nodded, "Not in a while."
"With so many stalls, which one do we choose?" Yang Chen noticed the multitude of food stalls around them, all seeming sowhat similar but likely varying in the quality of their dishes. Mo Qianni glanced at him and replied, "Just follow ."
Yang Chen stopped questioning further. He noticed that Mo Qianni seed unusually quiet since they arrived, not the typical silence but rather lost in thought, imrsed in so sort of reminiscence.
After walking for seven or eight minutes under Mo Qianni's guidance, Yang Chen arrived at a moderately busy stall nad "Chuanxiang Food Stall," indicating Sichuan-style cuisine without needing to ask.
A slightly overweight woman with graying hair saw Mo Qianni and approached with a joyful expression, "Nizi, it's been so long! I've missed you, my dear!"
Mo Qianni returned a genuine, gentle smile, embracing the woman warmly without minding the possibility of oil stains on her clothes.
"Xiang Sao, I've been busy with work lately, so I brought a friend to have dinner today and happened to have so ti to co and see you," Mo Qianni smiled, holding Xiang Sao's hand.
Xiang Sao glanced at Yang Chen behind Mo Qianni, a strange smile appearing on her face, as if she understood everything. "This must be your little girl's boyfriend, huh? What's with the pretense of inviting a friend for dinner? And you didn't even tell Xiang Sao about getting yourself a boyfriend!"
Mo Qianni blushed, hastily shaking her head. "No, Xiang Sao, he's not. He's a good friend's husband, and also my colleague. I just invited him for a al because he helped out today."
"I see..." Xiang Sao smiled with a hint of regret. "Nizi's friend, don't be polite. Sit down quickly. It's your first ti here, and Auntie will make delicious food for you, free of charge!"
Yang Chen thanked her, and after finding a small table with Mo Qianni, Xiang Sao served them tea before busying herself in the kitchen.
"You seem to be quite close to the proprietress. Is she your relative?" Yang Chen asked curiously.
Mo Qianni took a sip of tea, wiped the delicate beads of sweat from her forehead, and replied, "Xiang Sao is my fellow townsfolk. When I first arrived in Zhonghai a few years ago, I didn't know anyone, and she helped a lot. She's a good person."
"So, you're from Sichuan Province," Yang Chen said sowhat surprised. "Earlier at the hospital, you ntioned knowing Ruo Xi for several years. Does that an you ca to Zhonghai when you were thirteen or fourteen?"
"Is that so strange?" Mo Qianni retorted.
Yang Chen shook his head. "I'm just impressed. You were a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl who ca to such a big city alone, and yet you've achieved your current position over the years. But why would your parents let you co here alone?"
Mo Qianni's gaze dimd slightly as she spoke softly, "My hotown is in the mountains, very poor, relying on a few acres of terraced fields to make a living year-round. My father fell ill and died when I was thirteen, and I didn't even know what illness he had. My mother struggled to raise alone, so she remarried another man in the village."
Yang Chen fell silent, unable to find the right words. He hadn't expected such a dark past behind Mo Qianni's glamorous facade.
"You didn't agree to your mother's remarriage, so you left your hotown alone?" After a mont of silence, Yang Chen finally asked.
"No," Mo Qianni turned her head away, wiping her eyes with her hand. "Anyway, I had reasons to leave there. Besides, there was no junior high, no high school, let alone college. I didn't want to waste my life there."
Yang Chen noticed that Mo Qianni's eyes were reddening, so he knew she didn't want to dwell on these mories. He changed the subject, "You brought here for dinner, but I assu it's not just to catch up with your fellow townsfolk."
Mo Qianni shot Yang Chen a glance, "The food Xiang Sao makes is really good. I brought you here not only to see her but also to thank you for saving today."
"Saving soone in need is everyone's duty. Besides, you're both my wife and my boss. I couldn't just stand by and do nothing," Yang Chen admitted.
"It's your business to save, and it's my business to thank you. As for Ruo Xi, she's suffered enough to end up marrying you. There's no need for to treat you to dinner like this," Mo Qianni said matter-of-factly.
"Hey, stop it. What do you an 'end up marrying '?" Yang Chen complained, "Is it so terrible to marry ? Look at how I risked my life to save her. What a noble husband!"
Mo Qianni retorted, "Saving her is what you should do, but whether you're worthy of her is another matter. Besides playing gas, acting like a hooligan, and being a scoundrel, what else do you do in your spare ti? You lack ambition, you lack professionalism, and you lack basic qualities. It's a disgrace that you're a Harvard graduate with proficiency in so many foreign languages. The most shaful thing in this world is not being incapable, but having the ability yet refusing to act!"
Yang Chen was taken aback by her words, feeling a bit embarrassed. No wonder she could lead the PR departnt; she was quite eloquent!
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