Chapter Eighty-Eight: Trouble Again

Ye Cheng and Cao Hui both froze at the sight of the woman before them.

Ye Cheng’s expression shifted. Cao Hui, however, was already somewhat familiar with her.

It had been impossible to say when it started, but this woman had always been by Young Master Ye Gang’s side.

Her name was Scorpion, and Cao Hui had no idea where she came from.

On many occasions when he reported matters to Ye Gang, it was this woman who stepped forward to handle things on Ye Gang’s behalf.

Cao Hui had once asked Ye Cheng about her background, but Ye Cheng had only said she was someone he had found himself, brushing the question aside in a few careless words and offering no further explanation.

Yet after so many years as a steward, Cao Hui had long since formed his own judgment. He always felt that this woman had an unusual identity and must have some purpose of her own.

Now that she had appeared again, Cao Hui’s natural wariness immediately returned.

But Ye Cheng suddenly said, “Xiao Ye? I’ve never heard that name before. Is he some new power rising in Jianghai City?”

A chill flashed in Ye Cheng’s eyes, his lips as sharp as if carved by blade and chisel.

“This man’s background is a mystery. We’ve been in Jianghai City for so long, and still haven’t uncovered his true identity. All we know is that he belongs to the local Xiao family.”

Scorpion sat down beside Ye Cheng with effortless composure. Ye Cheng’s face changed, and he quickly waved Cao Hui outside first.

Cao Hui nodded. In the study, which had been left in disarray, only Ye Cheng and Scorpion remained.

Scorpion’s bearing was enchanting, while Ye Cheng looked somewhat dazed by comparison.

“Since you can’t go to Jianghai City for the moment, why not let me handle Ye Gang’s affairs? There are still many matters in the Jiangnan District. And haven’t we heard that the chairman of the Jianghai Business Alliance has fled here? Perhaps meeting him would bring unexpected gains.”

At her words, Ye Cheng’s eyes lit up at once.

After a moment’s thought, he finally nodded and said, “This so-called Xiao family—I’ve never even heard of them. They must be some nobody that crawled out of nowhere.”

“As for the matters in Jianghai City, I’ll leave them entirely to you. And that chairman of the Jianghai Business Alliance—find him for me.”

Ye Cheng’s voice was resolute.

Scorpion smiled in satisfaction, then rose to her feet and left the study without another word.

What Ye Cheng did not notice, however, was the strange glimmer that had flashed through Scorpion’s eyes.

...

In the hospital, Xiao Ye was keeping Qin Xue’er company.

He was peeling an apple with a small knife when the door to the ward was pushed open and Shu Ran walked in from outside.

“Xue’er, what happened to you? How did you end up in the hospital?”

Shu Ran entered with a face full of concern.

The two of them had originally planned to go shopping together today, but no one had expected Qin Xue’er to run into such a mishap.

After Shu Ran pressed her for an explanation, Qin Xue’er finally told her how she had ended up in the hospital.

A little embarrassed, Qin Xue’er could not bring herself to speak of meeting Ye Gang, so she made up an excuse about having eaten something bad and let it go at that.

Shu Ran said a few more things about taking care of her health, and after the two chatted for a while, Shu Ran spoke again.

“I still have some things to take care of today. Get some rest, and I’ll come see you again in a few days.”

With that, Shu Ran left the ward.

Qin Xue’er gave Xiao Ye a look. Xiao Ye immediately understood and hurried after the direction in which Shu Ran had gone.

“I feel much more at ease knowing Xue’er has a man as reliable as you by her side.”

Once they had walked out of the hospital entrance, Shu Ran spoke to Xiao Ye.

Xiao Ye smiled, intending to have someone send Shu Ran home.

Just then, the roar of an engine came from down the street, drawing both their attention.

But the instant Shu Ran saw the vehicle, her expression changed drastically. After a few hurried words, she quickly took her leave.

Xiao Ye found it odd. When the van passed by the hospital entrance, he clearly saw at least five or six broad-shouldered men inside.

There was nothing unusual about the van itself, yet Shu Ran had reacted like a startled bird.

Something abnormal was clearly afoot. Xiao Ye did not think twice and followed after her.

Shu Ran deliberately chose a secluded side street. Listening uneasily to the sound of the engine behind her, she finally let out a breath of relief only after it had completely faded away.

The surroundings made her skin crawl. Clearing her throat, Shu Ran quickened her pace, eager to get out of the alley.

But just as she reached the intersection, a piercing screech of brakes suddenly rang out beside her.

Before Shu Ran could react, a deep male voice sounded.

“Isn’t this our beautiful Miss Shu? Our boss said he’d like to invite you over for a chat. Everything that happened before can be wiped clean.”

The man jumped down from the roof of the vehicle, grinning obscenely as he spoke.

“Don’t come any closer. If you do, I’ll scream for help!”

In her heart, Shu Ran cursed them. She knew perfectly well that there was no reasoning with these people, so she had no intention of wasting breath. She immediately pulled out her phone and warned the man.

“If Miss Shu won’t accept our kindness, then we’ll have no choice but to offend you. Move!”

The man sneered. With a tilt of his head, four or five others got out of the vehicle and came at Shu Ran, clearly intending to surround her and drag her away.

In her panic, Shu Ran’s hand slipped and her phone fell straight to the ground. By the time she picked it up again, the others had already closed in on her.

“It’s over.”

Shu Ran knew that if she were taken away like this, she would likely lose her life.

Just as she was frozen in place, a figure suddenly appeared before her.

In the blink of an eye, the foremost man was sent crashing into a nearby garbage bin.

The deafening impact startled both Shu Ran and the others. Looking more closely, she saw that Xiao Ye had arrived.

“How did you know I was here?”

“I could tell something was wrong from your expression, so I knew something might happen. But how did you think of coming into a place like this? You’re practically handing them an opportunity on a silver platter.”

Xiao Ye’s words made Shu Ran blush slightly. She had only wanted to leave quickly and had not thought that far ahead.

“I didn’t expect some meddler to jump out halfway through. Sorry, but our boss didn’t prepare a teacup for you, so you’ll have to wait until next time.”

Veins bulged on the man’s forehead, though he still forced his tone to remain calm.

Xiao Ye’s face was stern as he looked coldly at the people before him.

He did not take the man leading them seriously at all. Taking Shu Ran by the hand, he was about to leave.

“What, you don’t know when to quit? What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and take them back. If you delay the boss’s business, can you afford the consequences?”

The man shouted at the stunned figures by the car. Only then did they come to their senses.

But recalling how the first man had just been thrown aside, they still hesitated.

“Take down the man, and I’ll reward you generously! Bring the woman back, and I’ll add another two hundred thousand!”

The man immediately upped the stakes. Hearing that there was money to be made, the others instantly grew restless.

Indeed, the old saying was true: where there was enough reward, brave men would appear.

Before Xiao Ye had taken more than a few steps, the group rushed toward them.

“Stay behind me!”

Before Shu Ran could even react, Xiao Ye’s body shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.

These men were nothing more than a little sturdier than ordinary people. When they really met a skilled fighter, they turned as soft as cotton.

In the blink of an eye, Xiao Ye reached the first man. The man tried to seize Xiao Ye by the throat.

But the moment his hand shot out, he felt his forearm go completely out of control.

Looking down, he saw that the arm had been broken into several pieces. Only then did an overwhelming agony rush into his mind.

He cried out and collapsed to the ground, clutching his arm.

The man behind him had not even seen what happened before he lost his footing and fell flat, his whole leg going limp.

Before he even realized it, Xiao Ye had kicked that leg cleanly in two.

The others fared no better. One had his ribs broken and driven into his lung, and he was coughing up bloody froth without stop.

The one in the best condition turned out to be the first man whose arm had been broken. He was writhing on the ground, screaming like a slaughtered pig.

The one-sided beating lasted only about three minutes before no one was left standing before Xiao Ye.

They were all ordinary men, with no ability to withstand Xiao Ye’s attacks with their bodies.

The leader was utterly stunned. These men were not his most elite thugs, but they were more than enough to deal with an ordinary person.

Yet this Xiao Ye was radiating something eerie from head to toe, and in just a few minutes he had settled them all. Cold sweat broke out all over the man’s body.

“This guy is definitely not someone I can handle. Better to run first!”

The man yanked open the car door, started the engine without a second thought, and ignored the men sprawled all over the ground. He floored the accelerator and fled in panic.

Shu Ran behind him was completely dumbfounded. When Xiao Ye had dealt with those two bodyguards for Tang Liyang, she had not seen it clearly. But now, she had witnessed everything with her own eyes.

The scene before her was so intense it left her breathing slightly unsteady.

“Let’s get out of here first. I’ll take you back myself.”

After leaving the alley, they had already been through too much. The man in front of her gave Shu Ran a strong sense of security, and she did not dare leave Xiao Ye’s side for even half a step, staying closely behind him.

...

When they arrived downstairs at Shu Ran’s apartment, she was just about to thank him when Xiao Ye spoke first.

“Tell me. What exactly happened just now?”

Shu Ran looked troubled. After thinking for a while, she finally spoke slowly.

It turned out she had returned to the country some time ago, planning to make a name for herself after coming back.

But unexpectedly, she had provoked Chen Ning. From that moment on, Shu Ran had begun living without a fixed home.

As for what came after, Xiao Ye already knew.

Those people from earlier, though Shu Ran had never seen them before, were likely still connected to Chen Ning in some way.

“Thank you for helping me deal with this today. But I’m begging you, please don’t tell Xue’er about it. She’s the only friend I have by my side. I don’t want her worrying about me, and I don’t want her to think badly of me.”

After she finished, Xiao Ye nodded.

“It’s late. Go upstairs and rest first. I’ll have someone handle the rest.”

Shu Ran nodded. She looked exhausted and drained, and only after the light in her room came on did Xiao Ye turn and leave.

Before long, he picked up his phone and called Red Dragon.

“Find out who came looking for Shu Ran today. I’m going to have a word with him.”