Chapter 1627: Chapter 1929: Lin Zi Yang (1)
Being in the Zhu Family meant there were countless rules, including how you used your phone. When he first entered the Zhu Family, Zhu Qing had taken his phone away, and only after the Zhu Family’s tech people had checked it and installed an encryption device did they give it back to him. That way, even if he used his phone inside the Zhu Family, no one could lock onto his location through the signal.
Besides catching up on what had happened over the past few days, Ling Chen had specifically told Hu Fei to look into something for him.
After hanging up, Ling Chen took out the file Zhu Qing had given him and carefully read it through. It was a record about the Netherworld Snake from several hundred years ago, every incident clearly documented in great detail. Unfortunately, Ling Chen read from beginning to end without finding any particularly valuable intel or clues; what he did learn were the locations of the Netherworld Snake’s former headquarters and several strongholds.
Right then, Ling Chen used his phone to send all those locations to Hu Fei, telling him to send people to investigate.
After a short rest, when it was time for dinner, Zhu Houchang appeared outside Ling Chen’s room, which struck Ling Chen as a bit strange. Usually, it was Zhu Qing who handled him; why was it Zhu Houchang tonight?
"Mr. Zhu, where’s Zhu Qing?" Walking along the corridor, Ling Chen asked curiously.
"Qing has other matters to attend to." Zhu Houchang didn’t explain much, and Ling Chen tactfully dropped the subject, figuring the Zhu Family had given her some task.
"Mr. Ling, after we finish dinner, I’ll have someone take you to the Dengzhou City night market for a stroll. How about it?"
"Sure." Ling Chen smiled and nodded. "I’m a guest anyway, so I’ll just follow Mr. Zhu’s arrangements."
At dusk, right after dinner, Ling Chen had just taken a seat, planning to have some tea and chat with Zhu Houchang for a bit, when his phone suddenly received a text. It was from Zhu Qing, with only two short words: Help me! Looking at the content on the screen, Ling Chen’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"Mr. Ling, what’s wrong?"
"Nothing." Ling Chen took a sip of hot tea and said, "Didn’t Mr. Zhu say you’d arrange for me to stroll around the night market? Why don’t we head out now? I’m idle anyway."
"Since Mr. Ling is interested, I’ll have them get the car ready at once."
A short while later, Ling Chen was sitting alone in a Mercedes sedan, slowly driving out of the Zhu Family compound. Once they were on the road, he glanced at the message on his phone and said, "Driver, please take me to Desheng Western Restaurant in the north of the city."
The driver turned his head, looking at Ling Chen as he asked, "Mr. Ling, we’re not going to the night market?"
"Go to the north side first. I’m meeting a friend, and then we’ll hit the night market. What? Do I need to report to the Zhu Family in advance wherever I want to go?"
"Of course not." The driver didn’t dare ask further and immediately drove the Mercedes toward the north side of the city.
More than twenty minutes later, the car stopped at the entrance of Desheng Western Restaurant. Ling Chen got out, thinking to himself: This should be the place! Previously, he’d texted with Zhu Qing, and she had given him this restaurant name.
With one sweep of his eyes, Ling Chen immediately saw a red Ferrari parked by the curb outside the restaurant. When he’d had lunch with Zhu Qing earlier that day, he’d seen this car as well and knew it was Lin Ziyang’s ride. Looks like my guess was right! Ling Chen thought to himself. After Lin Ziyang ran into Zhu Qing today, once they got back to the Zhu Family, Zhu Houchang had called Zhu Qing in for a talk, most likely to persuade her to come to this meeting.
Walking into Desheng Western Restaurant, Ling Chen declined the waiter’s assistance. His eyes swept the place and he saw a man and a woman sitting in a corner of the first-floor hall—it was Zhu Qing and Lin Ziyang. Next to their table, several security personnel in suits were standing in a row like a human screen, blocking outsiders’ line of sight.
At the moment, Lin Ziyang was chatting with Zhu Qing with a smile, but Zhu Qing’s face stayed cold the entire time, showing no reaction at all to what he was saying.
Seeing that they hadn’t noticed him, Ling Chen walked straight to a booth by the window and sat with his back to Zhu Qing and Lin Ziyang. It was a good spot: he could hear their conversation without being seen.
Meanwhile, in a bedroom back at the Zhu Family estate, Zhu Houchang had just sat down when he saw a Zhu Family disciple run in from outside.
"What is it?"
"We just got word from the driver—Ling Chen didn’t go to the night market, he went to Desheng Western Restaurant instead." Although Ling Chen was an honored guest, his every move was under the Zhu Family’s watch. On the one hand, it was to protect his safety; on the other, it was just in case.
"Desheng Western Restaurant?" Zhu Houchang’s expression shifted slightly; of course he knew what that place was. For Ling Chen to suddenly go there, could it be because of...? At that thought, his brows involuntarily furrowed.
The Zhu Family disciple beside him read his expression and said, "Should I go bring him back?"
After thinking for a moment, Zhu Houchang shook his head. "No need, let him be. If he can really help, that would be a good thing."
After sitting in the restaurant for a few minutes, a waiter brought a cup of coffee over and set it in front of Ling Chen. Ling Chen responded with a smile, placed the tip he’d prepared in advance on the waiter’s tray, and then shifted the corner of his gaze toward Zhu Qing’s table.
"Qing, I really like you. Why won’t you believe me? Give me a chance, I promise I’ll treat you well from now on and never do anything to wrong you again." As Lin Ziyang spoke, he reached out with both hands, trying to grab Zhu Qing’s hand, but she pulled back with a look of disgust.
"Lin Ziyang, people like you don’t change your nature. If it happens once, it’ll happen again. How do you expect me to trust you? Do you want to hurt me one more time?" Zhu Qing replied coldly.
Lin Ziyang hurried to explain, "I admit I was wrong before, but I’ll definitely change. Besides, it’s not like you don’t know—this kind of thing is pretty normal in the Lin Family. I... I was just influenced by others."
"To me, loyalty is the most important thing. If you had only betrayed me once, I could forgive you and give you another chance. But you betrayed me twice in a row. Do you really think I’d still forgive you?" Zhu Qing shook her head. "Lin Ziyang, let it go. There’s no way for us. Besides, I’m currently on assignment, a lifelong service assignment, so there’s no way I can spend my life with you."
"The Zhu Family has so many people, why do they have to send you? Don’t worry, I’ll go talk to your Family Head about this, have him assign someone else to that bullshit mission."
Hearing that, Zhu Qing frowned, her face darkening. "You’d better show some respect. Carrying out missions is the Zhu Family’s duty. For us, every mission is a responsibility and a matter of family honor."
"Sorry, that was my mistake. Qing, I’m serious—marry me. I promise I won’t mess around with other women anymore and will devote myself entirely to you and you alone." Lin Ziyang said with deep feeling, doing his best to show his sincerity.
