Returning - Chapter 167
Chapter 167: Confrontation
Early the next morning, news that Zhuang Yiqing had been abandoned by Xu Chengyan at the wedding was, unsurprisingly, blazing across the internet.
Although the Zhuang family had already contacted various media outlets, this wedding had garnered too much attention, with an especially large number of participants. Even if the media, having accepted the Zhuang family's benefits, didn't report on it, the vast army of eager onlookers online wouldn't pass up such a prime opportunity for spectacle.
A lavish high-society wedding hyped online half a month in advance, a grand, high-profile, momentum-fueled commercial feast, suddenly turning into such a colossal joke—how could netizens possibly not reach a fever pitch? Particularly certain low-quality netizens harboring resentment against the rich and women, the words they uttered were each more vile than the last.
The Zhuang family had naturally made special efforts to suppress the news, but unfortunately, at times like this, it was very common for competitors to deliberately fan the flames from behind the scenes. So this time, ultimately, it couldn't be contained.
Becoming a nationwide laughingstock, the sole topic of conversation in social circles—of course, Zhuang Yiqing was furious, yet this was not the only focal point of her attention.
She hadn't slept well all night. What her mind dwelled on more was the look in Xu Chengyan's eyes as he left the wedding venue. What exactly was the source of that fury?
Although she had her own pride, disdaining to chase after Xu Chengyan to demand an explanation after being discarded, she truly needed to understand the reasons behind it. But Zhuang Ye had been incommunicado since leaving yesterday, and when she called this morning, his phone was still switched off. She simply had no way of knowing the truth.
"The young miss is up." Auntie Sun hurried to prepare a late breakfast for her. "Last night, Young Master Ji Sui called to say that he and the eldest young master had urgent business and had to travel far away. They might not return for a few days. He asked me to inform you."
"Traveled far away?" Zhuang Yiqing frowned. "What urgent business requires traveling far away at a time like this? Didn't Zhuang Ye go to find Xu Chengyan?"
"That, I don't know. Young Master Ji Sui didn't say where."
Not only did he not mention their destination, Ji Sui had also specifically instructed Auntie Sun and the driver, Lao Chen, not to tell anyone in the family about Zhuang Ye going to the United States, especially not Zhuang Yiqing.
Based on his deepening understanding of Zhuang Yiqing over the past few years, he was now almost certain that what Ling Jianwei had said was the truth. What if Zhuang Yiqing became suspicious and sent people to the United States to target Tang Xi again?
After a couple of bites of breakfast, Zhuang Yiqing dialed Ji Sui's and Zhuang Ye's numbers again. Both were switched off.
Just as she was seething with anger, her phone rang again. It was a call from a manager working under her.
"President Zhuang, that entrusted loan from Yicheng didn't arrive on schedule."
The spoon clanged sharply against the plate. Zhuang Yiqing's expression shifted slightly: "Are you certain?"
"Yes, I personally called the bank to inquire. Manager Zhai said Yicheng withdrew their capital."
"Xu Chengyan." Clenching the spoon tightly in her hand, rage burned within Zhuang Yiqing. She had assumed that even if the wedding cancellation was a private matter, it wouldn't affect already agreed-upon business dealings. Besides, the Xu family owed the Zhuang family. Those already signed contracts shouldn't have been subject to change. She hadn't expected him to be so ruthless, willing to breach the contract and pull out.
Losing all appetite for breakfast, she went upstairs, changed clothes, applied makeup, and headed out, intending to go directly to Yicheng to demand an explanation from Xu Chengyan. Unexpectedly, midway there, another call came in.
"President Zhuang, there's a problem with that financing deal we negotiated with Wanyuan. Vice President Wang just called to say they need to recalculate, possibly..."
Zhuang Yiqing pulled the car over at a red light intersection, hung up, and dialed another number: "That financing deal. Is there a problem?"
"President Zhuang, I was just about to call you. President Qian said their board has raised disputes..."
"Xu Chengyan!" Slamming her palm furiously against the steering wheel, Zhuang Yiqing threw down her phone, started the car, and sped all the way to Yicheng.
As if he'd known she would come, Xu Chengyan's secretary led her straight to his office. The man inside also had the posture of someone who had been waiting for her arrival for quite some time.
"Xu Chengyan, what's the meaning of this?" The wedding was ruined, and she had no intention of having anything further to do with a man who had humiliated her so thoroughly. So, discarding all concern for appearances, she simply glared at him indignantly. "I haven't even settled last night's score with you yet. Don't push it."
"I'm pushing it?" Xu Chengyan chuckled softly, leaning back in his CEO chair and taking a leisurely sip of coffee. "I'd call this... an eye for an eye."
Understanding there was indeed something fishy going on, Zhuang Yiqing pulled over a chair and sat down across from him, staring at him expressionlessly: "Speak. Why did you do that last night? How did our Zhuang family offend you?"
"Still playing dumb with me?" Xu Chengyan scoffed, his gaze turning slightly cold. "Zhuang Yiqing, do you really see yourself as the lady of the Xu household now? Since when did my personal affairs become your business to meddle in?"
Zhuang Yiqing sneered back: "As if you're so noble. You think I want to concern myself with your trivial affairs? Xu Chengyan, you make things clear right now."
"Won't admit it? Fine, then let me ask you. Did Manager Ming tell you that I had my secretary ask him to purchase jewelry? Did you instruct him to thoroughly investigate who I planned to give that jewelry set to?"
Zhuang Yiqing paused, nodded in admission, then immediately demanded: "You dare investigate my people?"
"You can investigate mine, so why can't I?" Xu Chengyan straightened up, slowly placing his cup on the desk. The look he gave her held added viciousness. "I warned you long ago. You and I, we each play our own games. My affairs, you keep your hands off."
On this matter, Zhuang Yiqing was indeed in the wrong. When Manager Ming told her about it the night before last, she had been rather curious. A playboy like Xu Chengyan, flitting through the flowers, actually going to such lengths to buy a set of jewelry intended for a younger woman—it clearly indicated he was quite serious about some woman. That's why she had instructed Manager Ming to help her find out which woman.
She hadn't expected that Manager Ming hadn't even produced results before Xu Chengyan found out. And his fury was so immense that he even went as far as ruining the wedding.
"Xu Chengyan, what's your malfunction? For a woman, is it worth all this?"
"As long as she's my woman, you have no right to interfere, let alone touch a single hair on her head." Xu Chengyan stared at her coldly, enunciating each word deliberately. "My affairs—even if we were truly married—would still not be any of your business."
Realizing his anger went beyond just this, Zhuang Yiqing said, "I was merely curious and inquired casually. I never touched your woman."
Xu Chengyan was almost amused into laughter by her shamelessness. Chuckling lowly, he shook his head, took out his phone, placed it before her, and played that audio clip.
"Name your price. Must be done clean and efficient. Don't drag things out messily like last time, nearly getting yourself thrown in jail." This was "Yao Qian's" voice.
"Was last time my fault too? Wasn't it that sugar daddy's own family infighting that exposed it?" This was Miao San's voice.
"You know too much. Best keep this mouth of yours shut. Otherwise, just as we could keep you safe last time, next time we can make you disappear."
The recording continued, but Zhuang Yiqing's expression had visibly changed.
OOO can't wait for the next chp
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