"Don't hang up! Ye Tiancheng, don't you realize by now? You're finished. I heard you got involved with the Su family in some horticultural center, and ended up getting screwed. Now you need a huge amount of liquidated damages, and your pears won't sell either. All those saplings might have to be sold at a discount. It's not just bankruptcy; I suspect you'll be in debt after all this. With your situation, why are you so arrogant? Shouldn't you be begging me for help with tears streaming down your face?"
Hou Mingzhu was truly venomous with her words, but on second thought, there was some truth to it. Ye Tiancheng was indeed a bit too ambitious and was currently facing an insurmountable predicament.
Otherwise, how could he have gotten into any dispute with someone of Hou Damao's caliber? It was precisely because he was short of money and went to buy a used pickup truck that he crossed paths with Hou Damao.
"Would it be useful if I begged you? I'm sure it wouldn't be, so I'll just not beg and figure it out myself. At worst, I'll just go back to wielding a hoe and farming."
Ye Tiancheng was quite clear-headed, which left a good impression on Hou Mingzhu. She liked dealing with intelligent people, and another thing Hou Mingzhu found particularly good about Ye Tiancheng was that he wasn't clingy.
If it were anyone else with Hou Mingzhu as their fiancée, facing difficulties now, they would be glued to Hou Mingzhu, trying every possible way to please their fiancée daily to resolve their business problems. Yet, Ye Tiancheng went against the norm, acting aloof and arrogant, as if he were the one in power. It was unclear who was begging whom, or where his confidence came from.
But it was precisely this trait that made Hou Mingzhu, like many women, fall into the vortex of human nature. She found Ye Tiancheng possessed a quality that made her want to conquer him. The colder Ye Tiancheng became, the more Hou Mingzhu wanted him to be her devoted follower, much like the thrill of chasing prey during a hunt.
"Ye Tiancheng, you don't have to be so pessimistic. Don't forget you're still my fiancé. You probably don't have a clear understanding of the Hou family's strength. All the problems you're facing can be easily resolved with a little effort from me."
Ye Tiancheng knew very well that the eldest daughter of the wealthy Hou family wasn't boasting. Her father, Mr. Hou, who was both rich and powerful, could easily throw a few hundred million yuan at Ye Tiancheng to play with, as if it were a game with a puppy. They simply didn't care.
"So you want to help me?"
"If you listen to me, I'll consider it. My standard for judging whether someone is good to me is whether they can amuse me. If you make me happy, then other things can be discussed."
Hou Mingzhu spoke with a smile. In her eyes, Ye Tiancheng was now just a pet dog, as only pets were valued for their ability to amuse. Ye Tiancheng understood this, and felt a surge of annoyance.
"No need. I'm afraid I'll only annoy you."
"You're unwilling to even come and watch a play with me?"
Fearing that Ye Tiancheng might hang up abruptly, Hou Mingzhu retreated and offered a compromise. Her words were intended to give Ye Tiancheng an out, and her tone softened, even carrying a hint of coquetry.
"Watch what play?"
"Hou Damao's!"
Ye Tiancheng would rather sleep than watch a play, and he didn't think it would be interesting.
"Hou Damao is a grown man, I really don't want to watch him. If there are beautiful women, then call me."
Hou Mingzhu felt like she had worn out her lips, but she still couldn't make any headway with Ye Tiancheng. Why was it that a man, and one who was previously just a farmer who only knew how to farm, could be so unyielding to a cold and elegant rich young lady like herself?
"Alright, I'm truly convinced. I know you don't want to come over, but that's fine. I can come find you."
Thinking of Hou Qing'er inside the house, Hou Mingzhu was, after all, his fiancée. Although their relationship was nominal, they were still connected. If Hou Mingzhu found out about Hou Qing'er's existence, given that woman's vicious nature, Ye Tiancheng seriously doubted Hou Qing'er would be safe.
In this situation, Ye Tiancheng suddenly became clear-headed.
"You don't need to come find me. Send me an address, and I'll come over now."
Ye Tiancheng's attitude changed too quickly. Hou Mingzhu was an expert at manipulating men and had experienced a lot. She was also intelligent and resourceful, adept at probing people's hearts.
Hou Mingzhu's eyes changed instantly, filled with disbelief and suspicion.
"Ye Tiancheng, something's not right. Is someone really hiding at home? Otherwise, why would you be so scared?"
In fact, Hou Mingzhu had already heard some rumors about Hou Qing'er and Ye Tiancheng. She hadn't taken them seriously. After all, Hou Qing'er wasn't a stunning beauty and had lived in the village her whole life, so she might have been a bit rustic. Hou Mingzhu didn't consider her a rival, always feeling that Hou Qing'er wasn't good enough.
"Don't overthink it, nothing like that is happening."
Ye Tiancheng's firm denial did not dispel Hou Mingzhu's suspicion; instead, it fueled her curiosity to investigate further.
"I don't care if it is or isn't. I need to see it with my own eyes before I can conclude. Ye Tiancheng, I'm not like other women who just overthink things. Perhaps you don't know me well enough; my methods are far beyond your imagination."
Ye Tiancheng was about to say something more, but Hou Mingzhu had already hung up the phone. Suddenly, a clap of thunder sounded, startling Ye Tiancheng so much that he almost dropped his phone.
Perhaps it was his guilty conscience, but even the slightest disturbance made Ye Tiancheng feel like his end was near, causing him to panic.
He stood still for two minutes, pondering Hou Mingzhu's words. He couldn't let Hou Qing'er be in danger. After a brief consideration, Ye Tiancheng decided to be cautious. After all, Hou Mingzhu was not an ordinary well-behaved young lady; she was very difficult to deal with.
"Hou Qing'er."
Fearing Hou Qing'er would suffer, Ye Tiancheng rushed to call her. Although Hou Qing'er usually woke up early to make breakfast for Ye Tiancheng and Fatty, she had stayed up late last night and had only slept for three or four hours. That's why she was uncharacteristically sleeping in.
Hou Qing'er grunted and turned over, wanting to continue sleeping. Ye Tiancheng felt the urgency and had to pull Hou Qing'er's hand, urging her to wake up quickly.
"Hou Qing'er, hurry up and get up. Go home and hide for a while. I have something to deal with here."
"Oh, okay, Brother Ye, I'll get up right away."
At this critical moment, Hou Qing'er was quite reliable. Although she was still groggy, she quickly got up and tidied herself. The thing Ye Tiancheng was most satisfied with about her was that she never asked too many questions. Whatever Ye Tiancheng said, she would do it. Her trust in Ye Tiancheng was absolute.
"Ye Tiancheng, I'll go back and rest now."
Even as she was leaving, Hou Qing'er didn't ask any further questions. This filled Ye Tiancheng with guilt. He quickly hugged her and patted her back.
"I'll call you after I've dealt with things here."
Still sleepy, Hou Qing'er's face was a little puffy. She managed a smile for Ye Tiancheng.
"I see it's raining outside. I have nothing to do today, so I'll rest at home. I was planning to sleep all day. Remember to contact me when you're done."
Ye Tiancheng kissed her on the cheek. "Got it. I'll definitely contact you after I'm done."
It was indeed raining, with thunder and lightning. Ye Tiancheng was a bit worried, so he quickly woke Fatty up.
"Fatty, you're responsible for taking Hou Qing'er home."
Fatty was still dreaming of eating roast chicken. Coupled with the rain outside, it made him want to sleep and do nothing. Being forcefully woken up by Ye Tiancheng was indeed a bit tragic.
"Brother Ye, isn't Hou Qing'er's house very close? It's in the same village anyway. Besides, why are you asking me to escort your girlfriend? I haven't even finished my roast chicken, and you've woken me up. I feel so upset right now."
Fatty's complaints were understandable, but Ye Tiancheng couldn't afford to be careless. Miss Hou Mingzhu could arrive at any moment. If she saw him entangled with another woman, not only would Hou Qing'er be in trouble, but Ye Tiancheng seriously suspected he would be assassinated by that spoiled young lady.
"It's urgent, Fatty. Hurry up and take her away. Tell me immediately after you've taken her there."
Normally, if it weren't a big deal, Ye Tiancheng wouldn't be so serious and would often banter with Fatty. However, Ye Tiancheng's behavior today made Fatty feel that something was very unusual.
"Brother Ye, I understand. I'll get up now."
Fatty got ready quickly, threw on some clothes, grabbed a large black umbrella, and took Hou Qing'er away.
Watching their backs disappear into the rain, Ye Tiancheng finally breathed a sigh of relief. He hoped Hou Mingzhu wouldn't really come to cause trouble. What Ye Tiancheng feared might have been just his overthinking.
Fatty finished the task in about ten minutes and returned to his bed to sleep. About an hour later, Ye Tiancheng kept watching the movements outside, but everything was still. Hou Mingzhu hadn't come.
"Hou Mingzhu, you damn woman, you're too much. You're harassing me first thing in the morning, disturbing my peace."
If Hou Qing'er had been here, Ye Tiancheng could have slept holding her, and there would have been a sumptuous breakfast waiting for him when he woke up. But now, there was nothing. He was alone in the room. It wasn't even fully daylight, and the rain was getting heavier, with the wind howling incessantly. What could he do at this time? He could only lie in bed and sleep.
"Hou Mingzhu, you just wait. I'll definitely beat you next time I see you."
After muttering a few times, Ye Tiancheng, bored, crawled back into bed to sleep. He would deal with things after he woke up refreshed. It was too early to do anything now.
He fell asleep in a daze, and when he woke up, he saw a beautiful face, exquisitely perfect, like a movie star.
"Hou Mingzhu?"
"You're awake!"
Hou Mingzhu was wearing a leather outfit and gloves, looking rather stylish. This wasn't the time to be infatuated. Her sudden appearance was too abnormal.
After coming to his senses, Ye Tiancheng sat up abruptly.
"How did you get here?"
Ye Tiancheng quickly saw Fatty kneeling on the ground. Fatty had been subdued by Hou Mingzhu's subordinates, kneeling on the ground with his hands tied behind his back and bound with rope, looking like a pig ready for slaughter.
"Hou Mingzhu, what do you want? Fatty is my subordinate, and more importantly, my friend. Why are you treating him like this?"
Seeing that Fatty's mouth was stuffed with cloth and he couldn't even speak, Ye Tiancheng panicked slightly and quickly warned Hou Mingzhu not to do anything rash.