Chapter 232
“You accomplished nothing, yet you want over twenty million. Do you think I’ll give it to you? Do you think you’re worth it?” the man on the other side scoffed coldly before speaking with an icy voice.
“What do you think Xu Ke would pick up from the voice changer recording?” the person on the other side laughed coldly twice, speaking in a chilling and dangerous tone.
“True, a voice changer can disguise your voice so people don’t recognize you, but everyone has their own speaking style and mannerisms. As long as someone knows your speech habits, they can figure out who you are. Do you not think you’re worth that twenty million? This isn’t just some small amount—it’s your life-or-death money.”
Oddly enough, during this conversation, Liao Yanyan seemed to experience a brief moment of clarity and sanity. “Think about it carefully. I’m about to be driven insane. If I don’t receive the money by two o’clock this afternoon, I will hand over our recordings to Xu Ke and tell him everything I know. If you have the guts, let’s go down together. I’m quite willing to use my worthless life to drag you all down.”
“What exactly do you know?” The man on the other end of the line kept recalling every detail of his interactions with Liao Yanyan, his eyebrows furrowed tightly, his eyes gleaming with murderous intent.
“I know far more than you could ever imagine. Think carefully,” Liao Yanyan said resolutely before hanging up the phone.
Pressing the phone against her chest, Liao Yanyan became aware of a lingering fear, and her anger-clouded mind returned to clarity.
Liao Yanyan’s teeth were chattering uncontrollably, her heart gripped with fear, but now she had no way back.
“Boss, that stupid woman can’t be left alone.” The man hung up the phone, looking at Jin Zhengxiong, who was sitting on the sofa using his computer. It turned out the caller was Jin Zhengxiong’s assistant.
The computer was playing footage from that day at the cafe. Watching the slightly distorted face of the woman in it, Jin Zhengxiong’s eyes gleamed with hard resolve. “Useless creature, more trouble than you’re worth. Get rid of her—I don’t want to see her again. If she can’t even handle such a trivial task, there’s no point in her continuing,” Jin Zhengxiong said as he flung the computer to the ground, the loud crash echoing as he panted in rage.
“What’s happening here?”
As the noise broke out, the door to Jin Zhengxiong’s room suddenly opened, and a panicked Jin Yuyan appeared inside.
Her eyes scanned the room, glancing at the shattered computer on the floor. Jin Yuyan’s eyes flashed with a dark glint, her lips curled slightly upward, but the small arc quickly vanished.
“I heard a loud noise from outside and was afraid something happened, so I came in. Are you alright, granduncle?” Jin Yuyan asked, looking at Jin Zhengxiong with concerned eyes.
“Are you hoping something happens to me?” Jin Zhengxiong, looking for an outlet for his anger, immediately targeted Jin Yuyan as a convenient scapegoat.
“In your heart, are you wishing for something to happen to me, wishing I would die soon? For someone so young, how could you have such a venomous heart? Your grandfather having a granddaughter like you is really an eight-generations bad luck. Creatures like you, with hearts as ruthless as yours, should have been drowned at birth to spare the effort of raising you.”
Jin Zhengxiong’s accusations were ruthless, words piercing like swords. Jin Yuyan’s breathing grew heavy instantly, her eyes turning red at once. “You’ve misunderstood me, granduncle,” Jin Yuyan said, tears welling up as she looked at Jin Zhengxiong.
“Putting on this sob show for whom? I’m your elder; can I not speak to you like this? How unlucky. Get out of my sight, don’t be an eyesore,” Jin Zhengxiong said with obvious disdain, swatting Jin Yuyan away like an annoying fly.
Though furious, he still maintained a mental balance. He could chastise or oppress Jin Yuyan to avenge his grandchildren, but he couldn’t push too far; otherwise, the backlash from them could be problematic. This is Los City, not Bai City, where Jin Zhengying rules, not Jin Zhengxiong. Who knows what could happen if pushed to the extreme?
Jin Yuyan maintained a look of grievance as she left Jin Zhengxiong’s room, thoughtfully closing the door behind her, like a gentle, docile girl.
Once outside, any tears on Jin Yuyan’s face vanished instantly, and a mocking smile appeared at the corners of her mouth.
“You can enjoy your days for now, but sooner or later, I’ll make you pay for what you said today,” Jin Yuyan whispered coldly as she stared at the tightly closed door.
Meanwhile, Lin Mengyao, dragged away by Xu Ke, didn’t look pleased. Her face remained upset even after sitting in the car.
“Still angry? I really have nothing to do with her. This is all just a conspiracy against me, designed to drive a wedge between us. You must trust my loyalty to you,” Xu Ke said, raising three fingers in a vow, finally drawing Lin Mengyao’s eyes to him.
“Do you think with someone as precious as you before me, I would be interested in those dull fakes? My eye would have to be blind,” Xu Ke joked, making a funny face at Lin Mengyao, his expression one of exaggerated need for a comforting hug.
“Pfft!”
Facing Xu Ke’s antics meant to cheer her up, Lin Mengyao could no longer maintain her cold demeanor. No matter how cold an ice mountain she was, encountering such a volcano as Xu Ke, she couldn’t help but be warmed.
“That incident was terrifying, even knowing those photos were taken at specific angles. I don’t like it. I don’t want you too close to other women, even if it’s fake. Just seeing it is like a crucial string in my mind has snapped, making it impossible to think, and my heart aches to the point of exploding.”
Lin Mengyao punched Xu Ke hard with her fist, feeling a moment of grievance. When Xu Ke grabbed her wrist, she couldn’t hold back her tears any longer. She pounded on Xu Ke’s shoulder, her hot tears soaking through his clothes to his skin.