Chapter 38 Survival of the Fittest
Linglan’s face darkened.
It was a call from the owner of the teahouse, likely regarding what had happened the previous night. Linglan didn’t have time to change her clothes; she headed straight to the teahouse after work.
***
“It’s settled!” Bai Yuchen hung up and glanced listlessly at Ye Shenghan, who was sitting at the desk. That girl was at it with him again; for all his words, none could match her sharp tongue.
Ye Shenghan set down his documents, pressed his temples lightly, closed his eyes, and smiled faintly. “Arguing with her again?” Bai Yuchen said nothing. Ye Shenghan continued, “The two of you never have a moment’s peace together. You’re already thirty, yet you’re always bickering with that young girl. If you have time for that, you’d do better to help me review these files. If Linglan can make it into the upper ranks of ‘Sky City,’ it’ll make our inside-outside coordination much easier.”
Hearing this, Bai Yuchen grabbed a stack of files from the desk. “What’s your next move?”
Ye Shenghan’s expression grew somber, a wildness he couldn’t quite hide flickering between his candid brows. With a nonchalant air, he leaned back in his chair. “I plan to visit each of the former elders of the Ye Corporation, one by one.”
“When the Ye family was at its peak, their doors were always crowded with visitors. But after the company changed hands, those old foxes only cared for their own little domains and fled faster than anyone. They act like they’re the old guard, the great contributors to Ye Corporation. Bah—!” Bai Yuchen spat out the words, then seemed to remember something. “Except for my old man, of course,” he added. “I swear by the heavens, Bai Yuchen has always been loyal to the Ye family.”
Ye Shenghan gave a quiet nod. “Yuchen, the law of the jungle has always ruled this world. If you want a foothold here, there’s only one way—be strong. The Ye Corporation was founded by my father. It rose and fell with the tides. He witnessed its glory and decline, and in the end, saw it destroyed by his own hands. He died with regrets. Taking Ye Corporation back was his final wish before he passed. So—” The man’s voice grew lower, his handsome brows drawn tight, a shadow crossing his face. “I must take back everything from Mo Zhicheng.” His gaze drifted toward the mist-shrouded night beyond the window.
Bai Yuchen followed his gaze, sighing pensively.
“Yuchen, through all these years in the business world, through life and death, you and Linglan are the only ones I truly trust. If the whole world betrays me, you and Linglan must not.”
Looking out at the changing night, the sparse stars, the city ablaze with lights and music, its fireworks unextinguished, Ye Shenghan finally smiled calmly. “Enough. I have to go out for a bit.”
“Where to?”
Ye Shenghan only smiled, saying nothing.
***
Neon lights curled around the street corners, painting the night in color. Crowds and traffic hurried past in a fleeting blur. Linglan arrived at the teahouse, where the owner pushed an exquisite gift box in front of her. Linglan nodded in confusion. “Boss, this is…”
“Open it and see.”
Linglan gently lifted the lid. Inside lay a lotus-pink cheongsam, its edges piped, the collar upright, the buttons intricate, the craftsmanship superb—a single glance revealed its considerable value. As she hesitated, the owner spoke. “Go and change into it. There’s a guest who specifically requested you.”
Requested her by name?
But she had an appointment with Young Master Ye tonight—how could this happen by coincidence? “Boss, but tonight—”
“No buts. You’ve worked part-time for me long enough to know how I treat you. I value your talent on the zither, that’s why I pay you so well and try not to restrict your hours. But tonight, a guest has asked for you, and it’s not our place to refuse.”
“But—” Linglan was at a loss, clutching the fabric of the cheongsam, a hint of helplessness in her eyes.