Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Madam Chi in the banquet hall felt her legs give way, barely managing to stand with the support of the servants beside her.

She had known about her son’s plan to target the Ye family and had approved of it—otherwise, she wouldn’t have worked with Chi Li to orchestrate this birthday banquet.

Her son had confidently claimed that this time, he would thoroughly defeat the Ye family. Yet the opposite happened. Now, the Chi family was likely in serious trouble…

Chi Li paced back and forth furiously, shouting at the servants, “Hurry up and remove the cameras! Get them down here!”

If he couldn’t shut down the monitoring, the only option was to stop Ye Weian and Lin Chang.

Soon, a group of bodyguards rushed noisily up to the second floor.

Zhou Huaichen glanced at Chi Li but made no move to intervene. Instead, he quickly headed toward the staircase.

Zhu Hongke and a few other close friends immediately followed suit.

After a moment’s hesitation, Qi Zhangbai also hurried upstairs.

Chi Li wanted to stop them, but Zhou Huaichen had brought plenty of bodyguards, who swiftly surrounded him.

The two sides stood in a tense standoff.

Although this was the Chi family’s territory, Zhou Huaichen and Ye Weian had come prepared with ample manpower. Chi Li did not have the upper hand.

The guests, witnessing the scene, fell into a terrified silence, not daring to voice any opinions.

In contrast to the hushed atmosphere among the Chi family’s guests, netizens were buzzing with heated discussions.

“I said it last time—that assistant was definitely a scapegoat. Looks like I was right!”

“A company that treats human life so recklessly is terrifying! Does Chi Li think just because he’s rich, he can do whatever he wants? Two lives! He actually caused the deaths of two people just to crush a rival!”

“He’s utterly heartless!”

Netizens also recalled the recording Ye Weian had played.

“Did I hear correctly? Is Yan Qing involved in this? In the recording, was he giving Chi Li advice on how to frame CEO Ye?”

“How does Yan Qing even know the CEO of Boqing? His social circle is really something.”

“I have a wild theory—could it be that Chi Li targeted CEO Ye not to crush a rival, but to help Yan Qing get revenge?”

Of course, this theory was quickly rebutted by other netizens: “Do you really think Yan Qing is some Mary Sue heartthrob? No matter how charming he is, he couldn’t possibly make Chi Li kill two people, right?!”

Still, everyone grew curious about the relationship between Chi Li and Yan Qing, and discussions ran rampant.

The system chirped happily, “Host, I’ve been denouncing Chi Li and Yan Qing online. Did I do a good job?”

It was incredibly efficient, wielding multiple accounts like an octopus, its online activity rivaling that of several water army companies.

Seeing how much fun it was having, Ye Weian let it continue: “Yes, well done. Thanks for your hard work.”

The system: “Happy (*^▽^*)”

It then eagerly reported to Ye Weian: “Progress on humbling Yan Qing: 85%. Progress on humbling Chi Li: 25%. Charge ahead!”

Ye Weian gave a faint hum.

He turned his gaze to the camera and said expressionlessly, “Yan Qing, you’re watching this livestream too, aren’t you?”

“You’ve already harmed Bai Yuan and Xie Siming, and now you’ve harmed Chi Li as well. You should really take some time to reflect.”

At that moment, Yan Qing was watching the livestream in the room next to the lounge.

He had originally intended to watch the drama unfold with Ye Weian and Lin Chang, hoping to swoop in and mock them once they were caught red-handed on livestream.

But he never expected that he would become the spectacle instead.

Comments from the livestream flooded into his view.

“Is CEO Ye implying that Yan Qing is really involved? Did Chi Li target CEO Ye because of Yan Qing?”

“Wow, looking at it this way, Yan Qing really has some skills!”

“Am I the only one who finds him creepy? Why are Bai Yuan and Xie Siming so devoted to him? Even the CEO of Boqing is obsessed with him?”

“Just throwing this out there… could he have summoned some dark spirit to enchant people?”

Netizens’ imaginations ran wild.

Soon, everyone was discussing whether Yan Qing had really summoned dark spirits to attract admirers.

Ye Weian’s fans also joined in.

“I heard that for five years, CEO Ye was completely bewitched by Yan Qing. He only snapped out of it after getting together with CEO Zhou.”

“That makes sense! CEO Zhou has such a powerful aura—he seems like the type to ward off dark spirits.”

Yan Qing: “…”

He glared furiously at the comments, his chest heaving with rage. He nearly threw his phone.

Dark spirits?!

He didn’t need anything like that!

Whether it was Bai Yuan, Xie Siming, Chi Li, or any of his other admirers, they were all willingly devoted to him!

With his charm, why would he need to summon dark spirits?!

Ye Weian wasn’t reading the comments, but the system relayed them to him in real time.

“Yan Qing is being accused of keeping dark spirits?” Ye Weian mused, stroking his chin. “It does seem a bit like that.”

This world was created by the original author as a brainless, harem-filled universe. In the original work, wasn’t Yan Qing essentially portrayed like someone who relied on dark spirits?

Otherwise, why would so many people blindly adore Yan Qing? Even the original host had been deeply infatuated with him.

It was all rather eerie.

Ye Weian stared into the camera and said slowly, “Chi Li, Yan Qing, I’ve already called the police. If you have any remorse, you should come clean to the officers willingly.”

Just as he finished speaking, violent banging sounds came from outside the door.

Ye Weian had locked the door from the inside earlier, so the Chi family’s bodyguards could only ram against it repeatedly, trying to break in.

Lin Chang grew anxious. “It must be Chi Li trying to have us captured.”

Ye Weian calmly addressed the camera, "Everyone, that's all for the livestream. The rest will be handed over to the police. I believe a statement will be released soon."

After making the announcement, he told the system to turn off the camera.

The livestream quickly cut to black.

Netizens were stunned.

"Is that it?"

"What about Yan Qing? Where'd he go?"

"Ah, I wanted to see the police in action."

"Mr. Ye, don’t end the livestream! We still want to watch the drama!"

After ending the livestream, Ye Weian walked over and opened the door to the lounge.

Bodyguards from the Chi and Zhou families were confronting each other in the hallway.

Zhou Huaichen strode over to him, took his hand, and said, "Don’t worry."

Of course, Ye Weian wasn’t afraid, but seeing the concern and worry in Zhou Huaichen’s eyes, he nodded and said, "Mhm, with you here, I’m not afraid."

—*Zhou Zhou is so worried about me, I have to humor him a little.*

—*I’m definitely not going to tell him that I could take down the Chi family’s bodyguards all by myself!*

Zhou Huaichen: "..."

He remembered how Ye Weian had once used his leg to stop a car to save Lin Chang—he really had insane strength.

Ye Weian had many secrets, including why he had been so obsessed with Yan Qing before, why he had felt trapped, and why he had suddenly disappeared...

He thought that one day, Ye Weian would tell him the truth.

At that moment, Zhu Hongke and a few of his childhood friends rushed over. Ye Jia, who had been pulled upstairs by Zhu Hongke, immediately ran to Ye Weian, grabbed his hand, and said, "Brother, are you okay?"

Thankfully, his brother-in-law had brought so many bodyguards; otherwise, his brother would definitely have been hurt by the Chi family’s bodyguards.

Seeing his foolish younger brother so concerned about him, Ye Weian felt relieved.

But... his foolish brother had pushed A Chen aside and snatched his hand away from A Chen... Had his foolish brother not noticed A Chen glaring daggers at him?

Ye Weian sighed inwardly. To prevent his foolish brother from earning a black mark from A Chen, he pulled his hand back from his brother’s grasp and placed it back into Zhou Huaichen’s palm.

Ye Jia: "???"

Zhou Huaichen curled the corners of his lips slightly.

Ye Jia: "..."

At such a critical moment, is Brother-in-law really getting jealous of me?

...Brother, why are you so indulgent toward him?

Just as the foolish younger brother was left bewildered by the display of affection, Chi Li rushed over.

Chi Li glared fiercely at Ye Weian and Zhou Huaichen, saying, "Don’t even think about leaving here today!"

Ye Weian clicked his tongue. "Your Chi family isn’t an impenetrable fortress. Why wouldn’t we be able to leave?"

Chi Li had placed great importance on this banquet, treating it as his final means of revenge against Ye Weian. But honestly, in the eyes of Ye Weian and Zhou Huaichen, the whole affair was nothing more than child’s play.

If Chi Li had truly wanted to crush Ye Weian, he should have imposed strict restrictions when the guests arrived—at the very least, not allowing bodyguards to enter.

But in reality, not only were the bodyguards from the Zhou and Ye families allowed in, but even the bodyguards accompanying Lin Chang had been permitted entry.

The reason Lin Chang hadn’t been drugged was precisely because he was protected by his bodyguards.

If Chi Li couldn’t even consider such details, how could he talk about revenge?

Ye Weian could only attribute it to Chi Li’s arrogance or the "intelligence-lowering halo" this absurd world had placed on him.

Chi Li ordered the servants to block all exits, preventing Ye Weian and Zhou Huaichen from leaving.

Ye Weian couldn’t help but shake his head. "Did you not watch the livestream? I’ve already called the police. Holding me and A Chen here won’t do you any good."

Chi Li: "..."

He had been too busy rushing upstairs earlier and indeed hadn’t seen the part where Ye Weian mentioned calling the police.

The words "called the police" hit Chi Li hard.

Furious and anxious, he paced back and forth in the hallway. "Ye Weian, what are you trying to do? Do you really intend to send me and Qing Qing to prison?"

"Even if you treat me like this, fine—but Qing Qing is someone you loved for five years. How could you do this to him?"

Ye Weian: "...I can bear it."

—*When did I ever like Yan Qing? I never liked him at all!*

Zhou Huaichen glanced at him and gently squeezed his hand.

Ye Weian inexplicably felt that Zhou Huaichen seemed to be in a good mood.

Ye Weian: "?"

—*Is A Chen smiling?*

Zhou Huaichen tickled his palm.

Ye Weian: "..."

—*Alright, I’m sure now—A Chen really is in a good mood!*

—*Flirting with me at a time like this? Just wait till I get him back when we get back!*

—*Hmph, prepare to be tied up!*

Zhou Huaichen couldn’t hold back any longer and raised a fist to his lips, hiding a smile.

Nearby, Chi Li, who was already fuming, saw the two of them being all lovey-dovey and nearly choked with anger.

...Do you two even see me as your opponent?!

Zhu Hongke and his friends, however, were delighted by the scene. Zhu Hongke even pulled the foolish younger brother back to prevent him from disturbing Ye Weian and Zhou Huaichen.

The scene in the hallway was somewhat bizarre: Ye Weian and Zhou Huaichen were absorbed in each other, Chi Li was having a meltdown, the bodyguards from the Zhou and Chi families were locked in a standoff, and Zhu Hongke’s friends were watching the drama unfold.

Amid this eerie scene, Yan Qing came out of the next room.

He stared daggers at Ye Weian, approaching step by step.

Ye Weian met his gaze, hesitated a little.

—"Should I act vulnerable in front of A Chen?"

—"A Chen seems to have a strong protective instinct. As a prime piece of cabbage, I should play along with my piggy."

—"Alright, I'll do it!"

He immediately hid behind Zhou Huaichen and, with what he thought was a cutesy, pleading look but was actually still expressionless, said, "A Chen, Yan Qing's really scaring me..."

The System: "????"

Zhou Huaichen: "..."

Author's Note: Sorry, my darlings, I wasn't feeling it today and only managed to finish writing now! Just barely got the update done!

Tomorrow! I'll try again to update at 9 a.m. tomorrow, sob...

I'll give red envelopes for every comment on this chapter~~~

Thank you all so much for your support. I'll keep working hard!