Chapter 83

Chapter 83

In order to go out with Ye Mingzhao, Chu Hengyi, who insisted that he had already recovered from his illness, had to take another fever medication under Ye Mingzhao's piercing gaze.

"I'm really fine now," Chu Hengyi grumbled. "I wasn't even running a fever when I woke up this morning. That's why I went for a run."

"I'm completely clear-headed. If you don't believe me, quiz me," Chu Hengyi suggested.

Ye Mingzhao glanced at Chu Hengyi, clearly not very interested in the proposal. Amid Chu Hengyi's constant muttering, he went to the garage and picked an unassuming business sedan to go out.

Chu Hengyi originally wanted to fulfill his duty as a driver, but Ye Mingzhao, who valued his safety, wouldn't risk riding with a sick driver—especially one with a feverish brain. So he insisted on driving himself.

Forced to sit in the passenger seat, Chu Hengyi reflected nostalgically, "After knowing each other for so long, this might be the first time I've ridden in a car you're driving."

Ye Mingzhao asked skeptically, "Is that so?"

"Of course," Chu Hengyi nodded confidently. "Even though I have a fever, my memory is still sharp."

Before Ye Mingzhao could respond, Chu Hengyi suddenly added, "You know, men always have a special feeling about their first experience."

Ye Mingzhao chuckled and casually asked, "So how do you feel now?"

Chu Hengyi: "Dizzy, like I'm dreaming."

Ye Mingzhao joked, "Are you sure it's not just the fever coming back?"

The car slowly drove out of the gated community. Since it was still early, they could see people exercising and walking their dogs in the neighborhood.

While waiting at the red light, Chu Hengyi suddenly leaned his head close to Ye Mingzhao: "I don't have a fever anymore. If you don't believe me, feel it."

Ye Mingzhao kept his eyes fixed on the counting-down red light: "Not interested!"

"So heartless," Chu Hengyi sat back, annoyed.

Not even a second later, Chu Hengyi, sitting in the passenger seat, started fidgeting again: "My head is so dizzy. Am I getting a fever again?"

He leaned his head toward Ye Mingzhao again: "Check for me?"

Ye Mingzhao, counting the remaining twenty-something seconds of the red light, snapped, "Yes, and it's quite severe. You're already delirious."

After that, he scolded, "I'm driving, stop fooling around!"

Chu Hengyi obediently returned to his seat. When the light turned green, Ye Mingzhao stepped on the gas, and the black business sedan shot out like an arrow.

Half an hour later, the two arrived at the meeting spot. It was still the coffee shop across from the Ye family business. Chu Hengyi noticed that when it came to matters of life and death, Ye Mingzhao was always cautious. He would never agree to meet someone in an unfamiliar place, especially someone like Mark Brown, whose stance was unclear.

As soon as they entered, they saw Mark Brown sitting in the corner.

Unlike the last time they met, when he appeared confident and well-dressed in a suit, Mark Brown now looked quite disheveled. His suit was wrinkled, his face had stubble, and his hair, without gel, was soft and messy. He sat there, staring blankly at the cup of coffee in front of him that had long stopped steaming.

It seemed like he had been waiting there for a long time.

Ye Mingzhao and Chu Hengyi exchanged a glance. They walked over to Mark Brown.

Only when the light in front of him was blocked by a shadow did Mark Brown snap out of his daze. He blinked his dry eyes and looked up at Ye Mingzhao and Chu Hengyi standing side by side across the table: "You're here."

Ye Mingzhao smiled slightly, maintaining his meticulous and almost overly polite social etiquette: "Sorry to keep you waiting."

Mark Brown slowly shook his head: "You're right on time. I was the one who came early."

Without waiting for Ye Mingzhao's response, he continued, "I came early to sit here and think things through."

Think through what?

Ye Mingzhao didn't press further. He and Chu Hengyi sat down, and a uniformed waiter immediately approached with a menu.

Ye Mingzhao casually ordered two cups of coffee. After the waiter left with the menu, Mark Brown spoke again with a strained expression, "I know why you're looking for me."

He hesitated for a moment, then dropped a bombshell: "I know where Hua Rui is! She even instructed me over the phone to drug you both during this meeting and knock you out. She plans to have someone take you away!"

Ye Mingzhao and Chu Hengyi exchanged glances, and Chu Hengyi immediately said, "How is that possible? Doesn't she know that we always bring three cars of bodyguards whenever we go out?"

Moreover, given Ye Mingzhao's meticulous nature, how could he possibly give Mark Brown the opportunity to drug them?

Mark Brown shook his head, hesitating to speak further.

Ye Mingzhao, quick-witted, immediately thought of something: "Did you bribe the café staff?"

At the same time, Chu Hengyi asked, "Has Hua Rui fled back to the country?"

Mark Brown hung his head in silence. Clearly, he still hadn't made up his mind to betray Hua Rui—or rather, to fully betray her.

Ye Mingzhao smiled gently, "Don't overcomplicate things. You should have some idea of how influential the Ye family is. Hua Rui is now at the end of her rope, only seeking revenge. But this isn't twenty years ago, and the Ye family isn't the same as it was back then. Even twenty years ago, Hua Rui's crimes were exposed to the world. If it weren't for my father's sympathy for her family, who had just held a funeral, do you think she would have had the chance to flee abroad and torment Chu Hengyi for so many years?"

Mark Brown remained silent, but his breathing grew noticeably heavier.

Ye Mingzhao continued, "By revealing her plot now, you're actually saving her. I can tell you clearly that Hua Rui won't escape this time. If I wanted, I could even offer a bounty of several hundred million dollars worldwide for her life. In Chinese, there's an old saying: 'Wealth moves hearts.' Do you think she would still have a chance to survive then?"

Mark Brown's expression grew darker. He kept rubbing his hands under the table, his eyes darting around.

After saying this, Ye Mingzhao fell silent. A uniformed waitress timely brought the coffee, and Ye Mingzhao politely asked, "Is there anything added to this coffee?"

The waitress blinked, holding the tray, "No! The part-timer who wanted to add something to the coffee has already been detained by us. Should we call the police now?"

Hearing this, Mark Brown turned pale, his body going limp as if he had lost all strength, slumping into the booth.

Ye Mingzhao glanced at Mark Brown with a smile and waved his hand, signaling the waitress to leave.

"I heard that the 'Westward Journey' movie has started filming, and the special effects company you hired will be on set throughout the shoot," Ye Mingzhao paused slightly, "I hope our collaboration this time will result in a classic."

Mark Brown looked at Ye Mingzhao in confusion, unsure why he suddenly brought up this topic. His reaction was delayed.

In the original story, this movie was a global success after its release. As the CEO of Paramount Pictures and the person who pushed for this project despite opposition, Mark Brown naturally reaped huge rewards. His career soared, and he quickly became one of Hollywood's top producers.

Now, Ye Mingzhao was using this upcoming event from the original story to guide Mark Brown: "If this movie receives positive feedback after its release, it should be beneficial for your career, right?"

Mark Brown suddenly snapped back to reality.

Yes! Lately, he had been so consumed by Hua Rui's old grievances that he had neglected his professional responsibilities.

But for Mark Brown now, his job was the key to completely changing his life. Without it...

Mark Brown shuddered.

He hadn't forgotten how he had convinced the shareholders, who were skeptical of the Chinese film market and reluctant to let Paramount Pictures co-produce the 'Westward Journey' movie with a Chinese film company, to support the project in order to fulfill Hua Rui's task.

If the movie performed well at the box office, that would be one thing. But if it flopped, he, as the CEO who had pushed for it against all odds, would bear full responsibility. Would he still be able to convince the shareholders to keep him as CEO then?

Mark Brown broke out in a cold sweat.

Hua Rui is done for. She has offended the Ye family, and all her crimes over the years have been exposed. Even if she manages to escape police pursuit, she will never have the chance to stand in the sunlight openly again. But Mark Brown is different. He is in his prime, with a successful life and a promising career. He doesn't need to follow Hua Rui into the shadows.

Ye Mingzhao slightly smirked and continued to persuade, "Actually, exposing Hua Rui now is for her own good. Serving a few years in prison peacefully is better than being a fugitive for life. Don't you think so?"

The scales in Mark Brown's heart gradually shifted: "Of course! Of course! I mean, what you're saying makes sense..."

Mark Brown was distracted, his words rambling, clearly struggling internally.

Ye Mingzhao didn't push him further but instead took out his phone and started playing a game.

The sound effects filled the quiet private booth. Chu Hengyi noticed that the coffee in front of Ye Mingzhao was untouched.

Chu Hengyi blinked and, following Ye Mingzhao's lead, also took out his phone and started playing a game.

Mark Brown zoned out for a while, and when he came back to his senses, he saw the two men engrossed in their games and felt temporarily at a loss for words.

He knew Ye Mingzhao was keen to find out Hua Rui's whereabouts; otherwise, he could have left earlier instead of sitting here playing games.

But Ye Mingzhao didn't say anything, and neither did Chu Hengyi. They wanted Mark Brown to speak up voluntarily.

Mark Brown was fully aware of this, which made him even more conflicted.

"I actually don't know where Hua Rui is," Mark Brown finally spoke after considering all the options, "I just received a call from her yesterday."

Both Ye Mingzhao and Chu Hengyi noticed that Mark Brown's way of referring to Hua Rui had quietly changed.

—Before, he called her "Madam," but now he was using her name directly.

Having spoken the first sentence, Mark Brown's defenses quietly fell.

After hesitating, Mark Brown took out a USB drive from his briefcase and slowly pushed it toward Ye Mingzhao: "This is a recording of the calls Hua Rui has made to me recently."

Chu Hengyi glanced at Mark Brown without a hint of emotion.

Ye Mingzhao smiled gently and said, "Thank you for the information. You've been a great help."

Before Mark Brown could respond, Ye Mingzhao abruptly changed the topic and asked, "How long will you be staying in Xinhai? What are your plans next?"

Mark Brown was a bit surprised.

Ye Mingzhao continued, "Starjoy Media hopes to forge a long-term partnership with Paramount Pictures. For various reasons, I hope you will continue to be the one handling communications with Starjoy Media. After all, our previous collaboration was quite successful."

Ye Mingzhao smiled at Mark Brown: "Don't you agree?"

Mark Brown quickly realized. He clearly understood that this was likely Ye Mingzhao's way of offering him a sweetener.

As expected of the Ye family, always generous.

Mark Brown smirked inwardly. It seemed Hua Rui was still quite valuable. At least she could ensure his career prospects would continue to rise.

Ye Mingzhao rang the bell, and a black-uniformed waiter quickly approached.

"Bring me a computer," Ye Mingzhao said calmly.

The waiter glanced at Mark Brown, who looked downcast on the other side, and softly asked, "Will a laptop suffice?"

"Yes," Ye Mingzhao paused, then added, "And order a red velvet cake for this gentleman."

Ye Mingzhao smiled at Mark Brown: "I think you need it. A little dessert can help you relax."

Mark Brown managed a smile that looked more like a grimace.

Once the waiter brought the laptop, Ye Mingzhao plugged in the USB drive Mark Brown had given him.

The drive contained not only the phone recordings between Hua Rui and Mark Brown but also several documents.

Ye Mingzhao glanced at Mark Brown and, after receiving his permission, opened the documents. Inside were all the records of Hua Rui ordering Mark Brown to contact the Zhou family.

Ye Mingzhao raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

Mark Brown volunteered, "I also have recordings of my phone calls with Zhou Yueze, but those are saved on another USB drive. If you need them..."

Chu Hengyi smiled, "We definitely need them."

Mark Brown let out a slight sigh of relief.

Ye Mingzhao suddenly asked, "Do you know that Zhou Yueze has a boyfriend named Chu Qingyi?"

An indescribable expression flashed across Mark Brown's face. "I've heard something about it."

Chu Qingyi's death had caused quite a stir online, and Mark Brown, naturally, had heard about it. He also knew that before his death, Chu Qingyi had mailed all the evidence he had gathered about Zhou Yueze's money laundering through films to his parents. This act had pushed Zhou Yueze into an abyss.

When Mark Brown heard the news, he felt a wave of relief wash over him. Thankfully, Paramount Pictures and Zhou's Film Company were only in their first collaboration—or rather, it hadn't even started before it fell through. Otherwise, with Zhou's Film Company being dragged into bankruptcy and so many scandals coming to light, he would have had a hard time explaining it to the shareholders.

Ye Mingzhao carefully observed Mark Brown's expression and noted that he seemed genuinely unaware of the details surrounding Chu Qingyi's death. He decided not to press further.

After listening to the phone recordings between Mark Brown and Hua Rui, Ye Mingzhao turned to Chu Hengyi, smiling. "Now we have solid evidence that Hua Rui hired someone to commit murder."

As they spoke, a commotion broke out at the entrance of the café.

Chu Hengyi turned his head and saw two uniformed police officers pushing the door open—they must have been responding to a report.

The manager, along with two waiters, went to the kitchen and handed over the part-time employee who had attempted the poisoning to the police, along with a statement.

As the victim of the poisoning and the intermediary who had orchestrated it, Mark Brown, along with Ye Mingzhao and Chu Hengyi, were also questioned by the police.

During the interrogation, Mark Brown's expression visibly tightened, his nerves on edge. He hadn't expected the café to actually call the police—didn't they worry about the incident affecting the café's reputation and deterring future customers?

And then there was Ye Mingzhao, who just half an hour ago had offered the prospect of a long-term collaboration between Starjoy Media and Paramount Pictures in front of him, subtly hinting that as long as he betrayed Hua Rui, he could secure a brighter future. But now, with the evidence in hand, Ye Mingzhao appeared to have turned his back on him.

Seeing Mark Brown's ashen face, Ye Mingzhao offered a reassuring smile. "Cooperate fully with the police investigation, and everything will be fine."

While poisoning was indeed a crime, since Mark Brown had confessed beforehand and Ye Mingzhao hadn't actually been harmed, the situation could be handled with some leniency.

Ye Mingzhao aimed to win Mark Brown over and had no intention of pressing charges. However, he also wanted to remind Mark Brown that handing over a USB drive wouldn't solve everything. If Mark Brown dared to play both sides, thinking he could switch allegiances between him and Hua Rui, Ye Mingzhao had plenty of ways to deal with him.

For example, he could accuse Mark Brown of attempted murder and send him to prison.

With this in mind, Ye Mingzhao casually asked the police, "Can you tell me what kind of poison was used on me? Was it something that could kill me instantly?"

Hearing Ye Mingzhao's question, Mark Brown's breath caught, and he nearly fainted from fear.

He looked at Ye Mingzhao, trembling with fear, his back drenched in cold sweat. Before the police could respond, he blurted out, "Of course not! It wasn't a lethal poison. It was just a sedative, something that would make you lose consciousness temporarily."

Ye Mingzhao sharply retorted, "So, Hua Rui also arranged for someone to be nearby to take over?"

Mark Brown: "..."

Chu Hengyi, who had been sitting nearby watching the drama unfold while taking notes, chuckled softly and kindly reminded, "Perhaps you should proactively tell the police how many people Hua Rui hired to hide nearby?"

Mark Brown: "..."

Mark Brown looked at Ye Mingzhao and Chu Hengyi with a face like thunder, and under the suspicious gazes of the two police officers, he reluctantly disclosed all the information he knew.

As the incident escalated from poisoning to contracting a kidnapping, the police had no choice but to take Mark Brown, the informant and accomplice, back to the police station.

Ye Mingzhao had the waiter pack up the red velvet cake and handed it to Mark Brown: "Cooperate fully with the police investigation. As long as you actively turn into a state's witness and help the police catch Hua Rui as soon as possible, you will be fine."

Mark Brown's face fell. He never expected Ye Mingzhao to be so ruthless and decisive. Not only did he not thank him for the evidence, but he also pushed him into the abyss.

Chu Hengyi sneered. "What abyss? At most, it's just karma."

Mark Brown couldn't argue and could only admit his bad luck. If he had known this would happen, he shouldn't have agreed to meet Ye Mingzhao.

"If I hadn't spoken up, both of you might have been drugged and abducted by now. You're biting the hand that feeds you," Mark Brown said indignantly.

Chu Hengyi smiled and said, "We're saving your future. Poisoning, murder, kidnapping—any one of these is enough to land you in prison for half a lifetime."

Mark Brown glared at Chu Hengyi, filled with regret and resentment. He had thought Hua Rui was a snake hiding in the shadows, waiting to strike, but he never expected Ye Mingzhao and Chu Hengyi to be equally ruthless predators.

Cooperating with Ye Mingzhao was like making a deal with the devil.

How could he have been so stupid!

As Mark Brown was silently lamenting and reflecting, Chu Hengyi suddenly remembered something and slapped his forehead: "Oh no, if Paramount Pictures' shareholders find out their CEO is involved in a poisoning and kidnapping case, I wonder how they will react?"

Hearing this, Mark Brown was stunned, his face turning pale.

Ye Mingzhao gave Mark Brown a reassuring pat on the shoulder: "Don't worry. As long as you sincerely help me, even if Paramount Pictures comes after you, you can come work at Starjoy Media."

Mark Brown pressed his lips into a thin line and glared at Ye Mingzhao.

Ye Mingzhao still maintained his harmless smile.

Mark Brown used to find his smile warm and comforting. But now, it felt like a cold, biting wind that chilled him to the core.

*

After leaving the coffee shop, Chu Hengyi played with another backup USB drive and sneered: "This Mark Brown, betraying his benefactor without hesitation."

To think of recording phone calls and saving all the clues and evidence on a USB drive, one could imagine how meticulous Mark Brown's betrayal plan was. But after doing all that, he still put on an unwilling and forced act, which was truly nauseating.

However, Mark Brown probably never expected that after betraying Hua Rui, not only would he not achieve the success he desired, but he would also face the prospect of prison.

Thinking of this, Chu Hengyi instinctively glanced at Ye Mingzhao. This man's methods were as precise and ruthless as ever.

Ye Mingzhao noticed Chu Hengyi's glance but didn't care. He even had the leisure to joke: "This is human nature. There's an old Chinese saying: 'A wise man knows when to yield.' Mark Brown is at least a wise man who knows when to yield, so of course he wouldn't stay on Hua Rui's sinking ship. His actions have also reduced our workload."

Chu Hengyi disagreed: "This kind of person never does anything straightforward. Since he had already planned to betray Hua Rui, why did he agree to her instigation and hire someone to poison your coffee?"

If it weren't for Mark Brown's unnecessary actions, even if Ye Mingzhao wanted to scheme against him, there wouldn't have been an opportunity.

"You almost drank that coffee!" The thought that he and Ye Mingzhao had brushed shoulders with death made Chu Hengyi shudder.

Fortunately, Mark Brown had a change of heart at the critical moment, or else they might have really fallen into the trap.

Ye Mingzhao's eyes were cold and sharp, staring straight ahead at the road: "Do you know why I always choose that coffee shop for meetings?"

Chu Hengyi looked at Ye Mingzhao.

"Because I am the owner behind that shop," Ye Mingzhao said lightly.

Even so, after hearing Mark Brown's words, Ye Mingzhao refrained from drinking that cup of coffee. This was because he couldn't be sure whether Mark Brown had only hired one person to poison it, or if Hua Rui had secretly hired someone else behind Mark Brown's back.

After all, Hua Rui already knew the location of his meeting with Mark Brown. She could easily bypass Mark Brown and hire someone else to do the job. Even if Mark Brown betrayed her at the critical moment, she would still have a fighting chance.

This is what’s known as double insurance. If Ye Mingzhao were Hua Rui, he’d do the same.

"No way?" Chu Hengyi was stunned by Ye Mingzhao's analysis, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Ye Mingzhao stayed quiet. He had known since childhood that people could be deceitful and could not be judged by common sense. Hua Rui was driven and cutthroat. Even before her downfall, she might not have fully trusted Mark Brown, let alone now when she was a fugitive. How could she trust Mark Brown's loyalty?

As it turned out, Mark Brown was indeed untrustworthy!

"But this is human nature. Even one's own parents can’t always be trusted. Anyone can betray. As long as the benefits are great enough, betrayal is the smartest move."

Mark Brown's betrayal was something Ye Mingzhao had anticipated.

Chu Hengyi pondered for a moment: "So even though the coffee shop staff had caught the part-time student who poisoned the drink, you still wouldn’t touch that cup of coffee?"

"Why should I risk my life for whether someone else is loyal to me?" Ye Mingzhao chuckled and retorted, "A monthly salary of tens of thousands of yuan—how could I expect someone to go all out for me? I'm not a capitalist."

Of course, this wasn’t on the coffee shop employees. They were only paid for their work, so they didn’t have to care about anything beyond their job.

Ye Mingzhao had never expected to earn undying loyalty with a salary meant to support a family, even though he had offered far above the industry standard. He still clearly understood that one should not expect too much from others.

Chu Hengyi was silent for a moment. "Don't worry, the person who poisoned the drink has already been arrested. I believe Hua Rui will soon be brought to justice."

After a pause, Chu Hengyi asked, "You're not really going to offer a fortune for Hua Rui's life, are you?"

Ye Mingzhao chuckled, "Of course not. I'm not a criminal; I wouldn't issue a private bounty."

This was clearly a joke.

It seemed Ye Mingzhao's nerves were steady, as he still had the mood to joke with Chu Hengyi at such a time.

Chu Hengyi, however, was in no mood for jokes. He looked at Ye Mingzhao quietly, "You just said you don't expect too much from anyone. Does that include the Ye family?" Did it include him?

Ye Mingzhao glanced at Chu Hengyi with slight surprise, smiled, and said nothing.

The golden autumn sunlight filtered through the window, and tiny specks of dust floated in the air. Ye Mingzhao's deep eyes shimmered with flecks of gold under the sunlight. The light was too dazzling, making it impossible to see the dark, obscure emotions hidden in his eyes.

In truth, he had never dared to expect too much from the Ye family—not since the day he inexplicably learned about the original plot.

The Buddhist scriptures say, "From love comes worry, from love comes fear. If one is free from love, there is no worry or fear."

Ye Mingzhao believed that the reason the original version of himself had fallen into such a tragic and pitiful state was because his expectations of his family were too unrealistic. He had actually expected the Ye family to love him more than their own flesh and blood.

But how could that ever be possible?

Apart from a small number of naturally cold-hearted individuals, who wouldn't love their own child?

Ye Mingzhao knew this well, but unfortunately, he had encountered both types of people. His biological parents could collude for their own interests, and his adoptive parents could spend years searching for their own bloodline.

Ye Mingzhao had grown up in the Ye family, and no one understood better than him the longing and guilt Ye Linyuan and his wife felt for their biological son. This subtle, unspoken affection surrounded Ye Mingzhao like air.

Though invisible and intangible, it was undeniably real. It was even the oxygen that sustained his survival.

This was why, in the original story, after Chu Hengyi returned to the Ye family, Ye Mingzhao had recklessly framed Chu Hengyi, fearing that Chu Hengyi's presence would gradually encroach on his place in the Ye family and replace him in the hearts of the Ye family members.

Ye Mingzhao had already been abandoned once by his biological parents. He was terrified of being abandoned again by his adoptive parents, who shared no blood ties with him.

But he was like prey that had already fallen into a trap. The more he struggled, the deeper the spikes at the bottom of the trap would pierce his flesh and bones, forcing him to confront the bloody reality even more starkly.

In the final outcome of the original story, Ye Mingzhao, the rightful villain, was caught by the reborn male protagonist exploiting the inherent flaws in his character. Step by step, he was eventually expelled from the Ye family by those he considered his own relatives. Betrayed by everyone and utterly disgraced.

Every time Ye Mingzhao recalled the plot of the original story, he couldn't help but sigh, what a pitiful depiction it was!

Thus, after awakening, Ye Mingzhao vowed never to repeat the same mistakes.

He still considered the Ye family his only kin, but he was no longer controlled by the inherent fear and worry, nor would he act on emotions in ways that could be used against him.

He knew no one would love him unconditionally once they saw his true nature.

They only cherished the image of the obedient and clever child they held in their minds. Even if they knew that Ye Mingzhao had a stubborn and obsessive side, as long as his actions didn't threaten their interests and could even help them gain greater benefits, their affection for him wouldn't easily wane.

Even if Chu Hengyi returned to the Ye family, Ye Mingzhao could still maintain his standing.

Although his biological parents were cunning, they also taught him one thing—affection that blood cannot awaken, money and interests can.

Even family bonds require careful management and upkeep. Anyone with business sense knows that managing and maintaining relationships requires financial backing.

This was something Ye Mingzhao, abandoned by his biological parents, understood all too well.

Seeing Ye Mingzhao's silent, dazed expression, Chu Hengyi blinked quietly.

He didn't know why he'd asked such a question—maybe his brain was fried!

Fortunately, Ye Mingzhao did not intend to answer him, and he hadn't asked the last question yet.

It must be the fever; his brain isn't functioning right.

He'd have to take more fever medicine when he got home.

For the rest of the ride, neither of them spoke.

The car raced home, and they returned to the Ye family in silence.

Ye Mingzhao had already given the USB drive from Mark Brown to the police as evidence. With that recording, Hua Rui's crime of hiring someone to poison and kidnap Ye Mingzhao and Chu Hengyi was solidly proven, and a case could be officially opened.

With the Chinese police's efficiency and the nationwide network of cameras and data collection, catching the fleeing Hua Rui was just a matter of time.

Ye Mingzhao was not worried about this.

*

"Knock! Knock!"

The soft knocking caught Ye Mingzhao's attention.

The door of the study was quietly pushed open, and Chu Hengyi's tall and robust figure appeared at the door: "You haven't eaten lunch, are you hungry?"

Hearing Chu Hengyi's question, Ye Mingzhao realized that he was already starving.

He looked up at the wall clock; it was already 2:35 in the afternoon.

Ye Mingzhao was a bit dazed: "Is it so late already?"

No wonder he felt so hungry.

Chu Hengyi smiled: "Everyone else has gone to work, only the two of us are at home. What do you want to eat?"

"Something convenient," Ye Mingzhao said casually: "I'm hungry."

Chu Hengyi said, "Then let's have instant noodles?"

Ye Mingzhao replied, "That works."

Although Chu Hengyi mentioned having instant noodles, he prepared a variety of toppings when cooking.

He took two eggs from the fridge, fried them into poached eggs, selected a piece of high-quality beef, sliced it into thin beef rolls using a slicer, and then grabbed a few lively prawns, deftly removing the veins and chopping the fresh, elastic prawn meat into shrimp balls.

Ye Mingzhao stood in front of the large aquarium for seafood and eyed a feisty king crab, planning to snip its claws to make crab meat sticks.

Chu Hengyi naturally didn't object. However, pressed for time, he couldn't prepare all the ingredients himself and had to ask Chef Zhang and other aunties for help—not only making crab meat sticks but also beef meatballs, slicing a few pieces of the stored Jinhua cured ham, and nearly completing the meat toppings.

Chu Hengyi also picked some enoki mushrooms and seasonal vegetables, and finally fished out two pig trotters and a few chicken feet from the pot of braised meat that Chef Zhang had prepared earlier in the morning.

Since Chu Hengyi returned to the Ye family, they had gradually gotten used to the bold-flavored but not very nutritious "junk food." There were even a few packs of instant noodles stored at home.

Chu Hengyi took out the noodle cakes and set them aside, heated oil in the pot, and quickly made a large bowl of sour soup enoki mushroom and fatty beef instant noodles.

The moment the seasoning hit the pot, the distinctive sour and spicy aroma of the golden soup with fatty beef wafted out, making Ye Mingzhao's stomach growl. The chef and the aunties helping in the kitchen couldn't help but take a deep breath: "It smells so good!"

"Young Master Mingyi's cooking skills are excellent!"

Ye Mingzhao subconsciously nodded in agreement.

Chu Hengyi glanced lightly at Ye Mingzhao, who was firmly stationed by the stove, a hint of a smile in his eyes.

After the instant noodles were cooked, Chu Hengyi pan-fried the braised pig trotters and chicken feet, sprinkling them with his specially prepared secret sauce. The rich, spicy, and bold aroma instantly filled the kitchen.

Ye Mingzhao picked two large blue-and-white porcelain bowls, each as big as a child's head, ready to serve the noodles.

Worried that Ye Mingzhao might clumsily burn himself, Chu Hengyi took the bowls, scooped a portion of noodles for Ye Mingzhao, added a poached egg, and generously topped it with fatty beef, crab meat sticks, shrimp balls, beef meatballs, and seasonal vegetables. Finally, he poured in the golden, glistening sour soup.

The steaming golden sour soup poured like a small waterfall from the shiny silver ladle into the large blue-and-white porcelain bowl.

In an instant, it gave the rich sour soup with fatty beef noodles its finishing touch.

Smelling the mouth-watering aroma, Ye Mingzhao couldn't help but swallow his saliva.

When he came to his senses again, he was already seated at the dining table by Chu Hengyi, with a pan-fried pig trotter and a few chicken feet placed in front of him.

Ye Mingzhao picked up the spoon and took a sip of the soup. The rich, tangy, and spicy flavor exploded in his mouth, instantly conquering his taste buds and making his mouth water.

Next, he picked up a strand of noodles. The noodles were springy and fully soaked in the golden soup with fatty beef. Taking a bite of the poached egg, it was simply heavenly.

As for the other toppings, Ye Mingzhao wasn't in a hurry to eat them. Instead, he picked up the pan-fried pig trotter in front of him.

The braised pig trotter was full of rich sauce flavor, and after being pan-fried, it was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with distinct layers. The secret sauce specially prepared by Chu Hengyi, paired with the original flavor of the braised pig trotter, didn't make the dish taste mixed but instead blended the two flavors more harmoniously, creating an explosive flavor.

As for the braised chicken feet, which were soft and melted in your mouth, they were so delicious that one could almost chew and swallow the bones, with an exceptionally savory taste.

After finishing a chicken foot and half a pig trotter, Ye Mingzhao turned back to taste the shrimp balls, crab meat sticks, and other side dishes in the sour soup with fatty beef.

The springy shrimp balls had fully absorbed the soup, and the flavor was so fresh it could make one's eyebrows fall off. The crab meat sticks had a fibrous texture with the unique sweetness of seafood, enhanced by the rich sour and spicy soup, making it even more flavorful.

The only minor drawback was that the beef meatballs hadn't been pounded enough, so the meat wasn't as firm and chewy. However, the filling included fresh lotus root, giving it a crispy texture and a unique taste. Moreover, the beef was a perfect match for this bowl of golden sour soup with fatty beef noodles.

The slightly tender beef meatballs soaked in the sour and spicy soup made the texture even richer.

Ye Mingzhao unknowingly finished a whole bowl of golden sour soup with fatty beef noodles, even drinking most of the soup. By the time he realized it, his stomach was already full.

Reflecting on how he had gained two pounds this month without noticing—despite Ye Mingzhao's daily morning and evening exercise routine and even increasing his workout intensity—Ye Mingzhao went silent.

He was genuinely concerned that if this kept up, he might end up quite overweight.

"How could that be!"

Watching Ye Mingzhao finish a bowl of noodles, a pig's foot, and two chicken feet, Chu Hengyi comforted him with satisfaction, "Not only are you naturally resistant to gaining weight, but even if you did gain some, you'd still be a handsome chubby guy."

Ye Mingzhao chuckled, sensing a hint of mischief in Chu Hengyi's words.

But having eaten Chu Hengyi's food, he felt too sheepish to say anything.

Ye Mingzhao didn't notice his slip of the tongue, but Chu Hengyi did. He looked at Ye Mingzhao's lips, flushed and glossy from the spicy sour soup beef noodles, and couldn't help but think, "They really are pretty soft."

In the Ye family, it was customary to take a walk after meals instead of sitting down.

Having grown up in the Ye family, Ye Mingzhao was no exception.

So, Chu Hengyi trailed behind the well-fed Ye Mingzhao, swaying slightly as they stepped out of the villa.

The maid, who was clearing the table, glanced up and seemed to see, as if, a large, content tail swaying behind Chu Hengyi. She rubbed her eyes, doubting what she saw.

"No way!" the maid muttered, thinking the steam must have messed with her vision.

Unnoticed, deep autumn had set in. Although the lawn in front of the villa was still lush and green, the surrounding trees and the distant mountains had been quietly painted in golden and deep red hues by the autumn. Bathed in sunlight, it resembled a vibrant oil painting.

Ye Mingzhao, who had been glued to his computer before the meal, deliberately looked out at the distant mountains and trees during the walk, occasionally glancing at the precious plants in the surrounding greenery.

Chu Hengyi, on the other hand, had no such worries. He even casually untied the dogs' leashes as they passed the doghouse, taking two wolfhounds for a stroll on the lawn.

But soon, Chu Hengyi got impatient and just let the dogs run free.

After all, they were on their own property, so no one around would be scared.

Ye Mingzhao then focused on the two dogs playing on the lawn. He suddenly recalled how people used to train their eyes by watching pigeons and goldfish.

Ye Mingzhao unconsciously smiled.

Chu Hengyi, who had been subtly watching Ye Mingzhao, suddenly asked, "What are you smiling about?"

After speaking, he realized what he had just said and added to his own comment, "It seems like you thought of something funny."

"Yeah, it's kind of funny," Ye Mingzhao replied casually.

After a pause, Ye Mingzhao glanced at Chu Hengyi, seeming to want to ask something but feeling too shy.

?

Chu Hengyi raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

Ye Mingzhao finally spoke up, "It's nothing, I just wanted to know when you got over your fear of dogs."

Chu Hengyi immediately understood what Ye Mingzhao was getting at.

Many people who were bitten by dogs in their childhood develop a fear of them, and Chu Hengyi was no exception.

Ye Mingzhao clearly remembered that when he was filming *Prince of Beggars*, Chu Hengyi accompanied the Ye family to visit the set. At that time, Chu Hengyi was still somewhat afraid of stray cats and dogs. Even when he first returned to the Ye family, Chu Hengyi maintained a respectful distance from the family's cats and dogs.

But at some point, Chu Hengyi stopped showing any fear around cats and dogs.

Ye Mingzhao couldn’t be sure whether Chu Hengyi had overcome his PTSD by himself or had forced himself to overcome his fear of cats and dogs to please the Ye family.

"Are you worried about me?" Chu Hengyi stared directly into Ye Mingzhao’s eyes and suddenly smiled.

Ye Mingzhao also looked directly into Chu Hengyi’s eyes in return. After being probed by Chu Hengyi several times, he responded positively for the first time, "Yes!"

"What’s wrong with me caring about you?" Ye Mingzhao retorted.

"Of course not," Chu Hengyi instinctively averted Ye Mingzhao’s piercing gaze. For some reason, he always felt that Ye Mingzhao’s eyes were almost too bright.

Like the autumn sun, dazzling and radiant.

But Chu Hengyi still liked the feeling of being bathed in the sun’s gaze. It made his whole body burn, as if his blood were boiling.

"You haven’t answered my question yet," Ye Mingzhao, seeing Chu Hengyi’s distracted look, pressed further. "When exactly did you stop being afraid of dogs?"

"I can’t remember clearly," Chu Hengyi blinked, thoughtfully recalling, and said in an uncertain tone, "It seems it started around the time I began cooking for the family."

Chu Hengyi remembered a period when he was obsessed with making snail noodles and other strongly flavored dishes, which caused the cats and dogs at home to scatter in panic, refusing to come home. Every time they spotted him, they’d steer clear from a distance.

But at some point, those cats and dogs oddly started to approach him during his morning runs. Occasionally, when Chu Hengyi couldn’t sleep at night, he would swim a few laps in the pool.

When he emerged from the water, he could see the family’s cats and dogs sitting by the pool, their eyes shining brightly as they watched him.

At first, Chu Hengyi was startled—it was unnerving to be watched by a group of cats and dogs late at night.

But over time, Chu Hengyi gradually got used to it.

After all, those cats and dogs just sat by the pool watching him or occasionally nudged his legs. They never bared their teeth or barked aggressively at him.

Chu Hengyi slowly began to accept these cats and dogs, and eventually, he would even start unleashing the dogs during his morning or night runs.

Or rather, letting the dogs join him on his runs.

Just as he had unknowingly accepted the cats and dogs, Chu Hengyi seemed to have also accepted the fact that he was part of the Ye family around the same time.

The regrets, tears, and deep-seated traumas from his past life were finally starting to heal.

Chu Hengyi gazed absently at the blazing sun overhead.

In his previous life, he had heard a saying that people who are truly happy will unknowingly let go of hatred. Chu Hengyi didn’t know if he had let go of his hatred, but he now felt that he was... probably happy.