Chapter 50

“Good, as long as you got home safely…”

When Wen Hebai came to the study after showering, Yan Qingwen had just ended a call. She felt a little jealous. “When we were long-distance, you never took the initiative to care about me when we called.”

Yan Qingwen casually used an internet meme. “Definitely next time.”

Wen Hebai: “…”

She suspected Yan Qingwen had secretly been surfing the internet behind her back.

“Who was it?” Wen Hebai asked.

“Xiao Chen and… Xiao Qi.” Yan Qingwen was not sure whether the voice she had heard on Chen Zhien’s end of the call just now had been Qi Zange’s.

In truth, when Zhuang Yi sought out Qi Zange, Yan Qingwen and Zhuang Mei already knew.

Yan Qingwen originally had no intention of acting along with Zhuang Yi, but Zhuang Mei had investigated for so long and had only dug out hidden stakes like Qiu Fu and Asu Company. As for whether there were even more forces behind Zhuang Yi and Zhuang Xing, she knew nothing. So she wanted to draw out more of the forces secretly supporting Zhuang Yi, lest she cut off his wings now, only for him to change his name and return again later.

Zhuang Mei hoped Yan Qingwen could cooperate with Qi Zange.

“This is too risky, and it may harm the people around me,” Yan Qingwen said.

“I’ll owe you a favor.”

A favor from the Deputy Sect Master of Shenji Sect was not something just anyone could obtain. Yan Qingwen might not know the weight of this favor, but Qi Zange knew very well. If one day President Yan wanted a rival family’s company to go bankrupt, and she used this favor, Shenji Sect would find a way to do it for her.

Zhuang Mei then said, “If you feel there’s no guarantee, you can go to Lin Yixiao. She wants to punish Zhuang Yi—and even our Zhuang family—more than I do.”

Yan Qingwen remembered that time at Yiqi Bar, when Lin Yixiao had heard that she was cooperating with the Zhuang family. The disgust in her eyes had almost become tangible; even a blind person could have felt it. Yan Qingwen had guessed that Lin Yixiao had some entanglement with the Zhuang family, and now it was confirmed.

Lin Yixiao’s investigation into the Zhuang family naturally could not be hidden from Zhuang Mei. So [bailiantales.com]even though being watched by the authorities would be somewhat troublesome, after weighing things, she felt cooperating with the authorities would be more worthwhile.

Cooperating with two people who were suspected not to be minor passersby in The Dragon King Returns meant they were destined to face more challenges, but Yan Qingwen currently had no other choice.

According to Zhuang Yi’s demands toward Qi Zange, she needed to gain Yan Qingwen’s trust, then push the smart and capable Chen Zhien out of the inner circle, rise to power herself, and preferably plant Zhuang Yi’s trusted people beside Yan Qingwen. That way, Yan Qingwen’s actions would fall under his control.

Of course, Zhuang Yi would not immediately believe Qi Zange’s surrender. Therefore, they still needed to put on some show for him, letting him slowly lower his guard and believe that things were developing in the direction he had imagined.

This matter was somewhat dangerous, so Yan Qingwen naturally did not hide it from Chen Zhien. The latter also agreed to cooperate with the act. After all, she was already going to be transferred and promoted, so they could use this opportunity to make Zhuang Yi think his scheme to sow discord had succeeded.

Wen Hebai seemed to understand something. The vinegar she had just begun brewing had disappeared before she even got the chance to drink it.

Yan Qingwen had originally been waiting for her to ask questions to the very end, so she could use the opportunity to tell her about Zhuang Yi setting his sights on them. Unexpectedly, Wen Hebai did not ask further at all, as if she had no awareness of the surrounding danger.

Yan Qingwen did not know whether she truly did not know, or was pretending not to. However, Wen Hebai had been protected very well by the Wen family since childhood. Although after the incident where she had been used by the street-racing gang, she appeared to have become more scheming, in truth, only those around her knew she still had a naive side.

“Do you have plans to go anywhere recently?” Yan Qingwen asked.

Wen Hebai sat down on Yan Qingwen’s desk. Her already short nightdress immediately shrank up to the root of her thighs. Yan Qingwen’s gaze inevitably swept over it, and she wondered whether the heating was too strong, because her body was beginning to warm slightly.

The little temptress currently seducing her seemed completely unaware of it. Wen Hebai thought carefully and said, “There are a few gatherings. I also need to prepare for joining the production team next, including communicating with the director, the actors I have scenes with, and the styling team. That way, we can avoid only discovering problems after joining the crew, because making adjustments then would delay things.”

“Do you need to travel far?” Yan Qingwen asked again.

Wen Hebai crossed her legs and said lightly, “Phone or video calls are enough for communication. As for those gatherings, they’re basically all in K City. At most, I’ll go out for a meal or afternoon tea.”

“Bring more people. You were there that night too, so you know Zhuang Yi isn’t simple. He’s deeply scheming and vengeful. I exposed Dawei Tianlong Group’s hundred-billion scam, so he and the people behind him definitely won’t let it go easily.”

Wen Hebai’s expression grew a little more solemn. “I know. I definitely won’t run around recklessly and cause trouble for you.”

Yan Qingwen’s gaze paused. The phrase “won’t cause trouble for you” made her heart feel somewhat uncomfortable, because it sounded too distant and polite.

After becoming used to Wen Hebai’s intimacy and the closeness of being treated like family, hearing such distant words again gave her the feeling of being excluded from an intimate relationship. Yet she herself had done plenty of things that kept Wen Hebai [unauthorized copy]a thousand miles away. So she refused to admit that she was unhappy because she had felt this contrast.

“Then, does that mean you’ll spend most of your time at home?” Yan Qingwen leaned against the back of the chair, her fingers resting on the armrest unconsciously digging at it.

Wen Hebai noticed, but pretended not to. She even put on an extremely motivated attitude and said, “Hard to say. Sometimes I need to rehearse scenes with the company’s artists. I made three rules with you, so I absolutely won’t let strangers into the house. That means I may spend more time going back to the media company.”

Yan Qingwen pursed her lips. The leather of the armrest was almost about to be picked through by her.

She did not like herself when she was surrounded by unease, but she also knew clearly that if she did not resolve this problem, it would affect her efficiency when handling work.

Thinking of this, she said, “Shengyan has space for you to rehearse.”

Shengyan Media’s headquarters were inside Yan Group Tower. Aside from the basic office areas, there were also livestream rooms, practice rooms, and clothing rooms. It was more than enough to satisfy artists’ needs for lessons, rehearsals, choreography, and other training.

Wen Hebai was overwhelmed by favor. “Then does this count as me running to a rival company and occupying their resources?”

Yan Qingwen’s pride would not allow her to lower herself again and again. She withdrew her gaze and said read the original at bailiantales.com lightly, “If that’s how you want to think about it, then rehearse wherever you like.”

Wen Hebai immediately said, “Then I’ll trouble Wife to arrange it. I want to commute to and from work with you.”

Yan Qingwen gave an “Mm.” The corners of her mouth visibly curved into a tiny arc, making Wen Hebai’s heart itch. Her body, which had not exercised for several days because of her period, felt much emptier.

“Wife, now that business is handled, isn’t it time to resolve our private matters?” Wen Hebai lifted one leg and stepped onto the chair beneath Yan Qingwen, while her other leg rubbed against Yan Qingwen’s smooth calf. Although the action was indecent, after her deliberate adjustment, the posture became extremely provocative.

Yan Qingwen felt the temperature on her face rise even higher. She stood up. The space was already narrow, and because their bodies drew close, they nearly collided face to face. Wen Hebai had no choice but to lean back slightly, both hands braced on the desk. Yan Qingwen’s hand covered those slender fingers, and she took the initiative to bite Wen Hebai’s lips.

Wen Hebai was kissed until her body grew increasingly hot. Just as she gradually sank into this pleasure, her gaze caught the scene reflected in the floor-to-ceiling window behind Yan Qingwen. She could not help being distracted and thinking that President Yan, who had always only been willing to do such things in bed, was now able to accept doing it in the study. This had to be credited to that time in the walk-in closet. It was precisely that time that broke through President Yan’s bottom line, which was why President Yan was no longer confined to the bed.

After thinking about it, this was still her credit.

On the other side, after Chen Zhien ended the call with Yan Qingwen, she let out a heavy sigh of relief.

She tilted her head to look at the person lying on her bed, drunk out of her mind, ​bailiantales.com​and said speechlessly, “You said you were worried about my safety and advised me to drink less, so what’s going on with you getting drunk yourself?”

When she had been on the phone with President Yan just now, Qi Zange had still been shouting, as if she were afraid others would not know she was drunk.

Chen Zhien did not know where Qi Zange lived, so she could only bring her back to her own apartment.

Although she earned a high salary and could live in a better place, in order to get to Yan Qingwen’s side in time to handle matters, Chen Zhien could only find a place in the city center, a twenty-minute drive from Jiangxin Island. There were many apartments in the city center, and the rent was not cheap, but the safety factor was high and transportation was convenient. The subway station was only two hundred meters away.

The only downside was that there was only one room and one bed. Chen Zhien had no choice but to consider sharing a bed with Qi Zange. But the problem was that Qi Zange was drunk, so she could not shower. Even more terrifying was that when drunk to a certain extent, one would vomit.

Chen Zhien rubbed her temples and felt that bringing Qi Zange back had been tonight’s biggest mistake. She should have directly dragged her to a hotel and opened a room. Even if Qi Zange threw up, the hotel housekeeping staff would clean it up.

“Wake up. Go shower.” Chen Zhien climbed onto the bed and patted Qi Zange’s face.

The drunk Qi Zange smelled entirely of alcohol, and her face was as red as if three layers of blush had been applied. However, because her skin was more wheat-colored, this flush was not obvious.

Qi Zange opened her eyes. Her vision could not focus, and even Chen Zhien, who was right in front of her, had a double image. Even so, she still tried hard to find Chen Zhien’s shoulder, then looped her arms around her [stolen content]neck, attempting to stop her from swaying back and forth. “You’re in danger. Go to bars less. Got it?”

Chen Zhien thought to herself that it was precisely because she knew there was danger that she had to run to Yiqi Bar. There was no place safer than there.

However, there was no way to communicate with a drunkard. She perfunctorily replied, “Ah, yes, yes, yes.”

Taking advantage of Qi Zange being awake, Chen Zhien quickly dragged her toward the bathroom to avoid her throwing up on the bed later.

Qi Zange directly hugged her neck and hung from her body. “Actually, I also don’t want you to get dragged into this.”

Chen Zhien froze, not quite sure whether Qi Zange was currently sober or still drunk.

In Qi Zange’s original idea, Zhuang Yi’s target was President Yan, so she only needed to cooperate with President Yan. But the Deputy Sect Master had rejected her idea, because everyone knew Chen Zhien had been President Yan’s assistant for many years and was also President Yan’s confidante. If certain things were not handed to Chen Zhien to handle, and were instead handed to Qi Zange, a newcomer who had joined only two months ago, even a blind person could see there was a problem.

Although Chen Zhien said she did not mind, Qi Zange still felt somewhat guilty. She had even used the excuse tonight that Chen Zhien could not get drunk to take her alcohol and drink it herself. In the end, that alcohol was too strong, and she accidentally got herself drunk.

As an intelligence spy, she should not have allowed herself to fall to the point of getting drunk, because once drunk, it would be ​read the original at bailiantales.com​easy for others to pry out some secrets and expose her identity. Perhaps because Chen Zhien knew her identity, or perhaps because of her trust in Chen Zhien, she indulged herself once.

Of course, she still maintained thirty percent of her rationality, ensuring she would not reveal secrets related to Shenji Sect or the Deputy Sect Master.

“It’s fine.” Chen Zhien felt somewhat helpless. She had pretended to be innocent and a little white rabbit for so long that she had not expected Qi Zange to see her as someone weak who needed protection.

Qi Zange, who was holding her neck, suddenly leaned close to Chen Zhien’s ear and whispered a few words. Then she kissed Chen Zhien’s ear. Chen Zhien froze, and her body stiffened slightly.

The next day, at Yan Group Tower, when the employees saw Chen Zhien and Qi Zange appear together, they greeted them one after another. “Chief Assistant Chen, Secretary Qi, what a coincidence that you two came to work together today.”

“Mm, yes.” Qi Zange was still that rigorous elite type.

Chen Zhien, who had clearly worked for many years in front of her colleagues but still had not lost her student-like air, took Qi Zange’s hand and smiled brightly at everyone. “It’s not a coincidence. We deliberately came to work together.”

The colleagues’ pupils shook.

What did that mean? These two were having an office romance right under President Yan’s nose?

Meanwhile, outside Yan Group Tower, an unremarkable passerby said into his phone, “Dragon King, the pigeon has succeeded.”

Zhuang Yi lowered his guard and said, “All right. No need to keep watching them. Have the people watching the Jiang family act. I want Jiang Yunhan dead—”

Dragon King: Get rid of Chen Zhien!

Secretary Qi: Wait, I have a better plan! I can seduce her with my beauty, then use this relationship to gain Yan Qingwen’s trust. Then I’ll backstab her. Isn’t that more killing the person and destroying the heart than getting rid of her?

Dragon King: Fine. Do her.

Chief Assistant Chen: Hm? Are you sure it’s me you’re doing?