Chapter 1099: There Is a Price

With everything out in the open, Lucy and Wang Yan interacted more naturally; she no longer put on airs. Even during their morning exercises, when Wang Yan taught her the Body-Strengthening Routine, she let go completely, unlike her previous demeanor.

"How am I doing?"

"Not bad; you're picking it up quite fast."

After finishing their workout, the two walked side by side toward the breakfast shop.

"Does this mean I have talent too? A martial arts prodigy?"

"I hadn't noticed before that you're quite narcissistic," Wang Yan said with amusement. "A martial arts prodigy? Those movements are symmetrical, which cuts the difficulty in half. Moreover, the moves are interconnected and align with natural human thinking patterns, almost like muscle memory; anyone who isn't a fool can roughly master them after a few repetitions. The key is executing the movements correctly; otherwise, the effects will be diminished."

Lucy felt not the slightest embarrassment and laughed, saying, "Your martial art is truly impressive. These past few days, I've eaten far more than usual, yet not only has my weight not increased, I've actually lost two jin. Although I'm quite exhausted every day, once I get home, take a shower, and lie in bed, I fall asleep immediately. Yet, I feel my spirit is in good shape. Especially in the mornings, I don't have that usual grogginess of being unable to wake up."

"This is about conserving energy and building strength. Once this week passes and your detoxification and beauty-enhancing phase is over, things will start improving. Persist for about a month, and you'll have mastered it."

Chatting and laughing, they arrived at the breakfast shop, exchanged cheerful greetings with the owner, and found a place to eat.

Lucy said, "Lihu Qixing messaged me yesterday; his mother has flown over. From the look of it, she doesn't intend to let this go quietly."

"Then haven't you gotten your wish? It saves you from using your beauty trap to deal with such a worthless second-generation heir," Wang Yan said cheerfully, then asked, "What do you think he likes about you?"

"That I'm beautiful, of course. Isn't that what you think too?" Lucy smiled brightly and even winked at Wang Yan.

"If you're not that kind of person, don't pretend to be; affected behavior doesn't look good."

"I truly hadn't seen it before; I thought Lihu Qixing was a proper rich second-generation heir. After you beat him up at the boxing gym last time, I finally saw his true colors. He's probably just like those other hedonistic Young Masters: once he's tired of what's easily within reach, he wants to try a different flavor..."

"Why does it sound like you're talking about me?"

"Aren't you?"

"Have I ever pursued you?" Wang Yan shook his head with amusement. "See? That's what I mean by you being narcissistic."

"Then why aren't you married? Why don't you have children? You're the only one left in your family."

"He Minhong asked me that very question during dinner with Ye Zhenzhen and the others last Saturday night. At the time, I said... We bring nothing when we are born and take nothing when we die. If there's fate, let it be; if not, so be it. For a person living, happiness is naturally the most important. I'm not some fool who can't walk away from a beautiful woman, can't sleep at night, and thinks only with his lower body. Your understanding of me is still insufficient; there are still some misunderstandings."

Lucy smiled and said nothing more. Of course, she believed him, because Wang Yan had absolutely no reason to lie to her.

At that moment, Wang Yan's mobile phone on the table rang. He glanced at it and laughed, saying, "It's from Beijing; an unknown number."

He immediately answered the call and put it on speaker. Lucy also stopped eating, focusing her attention to listen.

"Hello."

"Is this Wang Yan?" A mature, deep voice came through the phone.

"It is. Who is this?"

"I am Li Xun, Lihu Qixing's father."

"Oh." Wang Yan smiled. "What's your point?"

"I should be asking you what your point is. We have no grudges and no enmity; beating my son so badly is hardly justifiable, is it?"

"Do you know why I beat him?"

"All I know is that my son is lying in a hospital."

Wang Yan raised an eyebrow at Lucy, his face saying, 'See? What did I tell you?'

"Just say directly what you want to do."

"I want to tell you that it's better for people to keep a low profile; otherwise, inviting trouble could endanger your life and family, which would be unfortunate." His voice was very steady, full of confidence.

"A dog that bites doesn't bark; don't you even know such a simple principle? You damn thing, are you trying to scare your daddy? Have you lived in wealth and comfort for so long that you truly think you're somebody? Do you even deserve it? Just wait and see who dies first."

"I'll f*** your..."

This time, he wasn't steady; there was a hint of frantic rage in his voice.

But unfortunately, he didn't finish his sentence; Wang Yan simply hung up the phone decisively and then blocked the number immediately.

Li Xun was still a somewhat decent person; naturally, he wouldn't call again just to be cursed. Instead, he began preparing to use his own methods to cause trouble for Wang Yan, making Wang Yan regret his actions.

Lucy was somewhat dazed, unable to react immediately. It wasn't until Wang Yan waved his hand in front of her, urging her to eat, that she came back to her senses.

"Are you always this direct?"

"You're only just finding out?"

"No, I mean, shouldn't you have been a bit more tactful, offered some explanation? After all, this matter could actually be reasoned through; it doesn't necessarily have to come down to life-and-death struggles. You still had room for maneuver."

"I dislike that damn thing's face. It's only because I still have some status that he was able to make this call to me. If I were just an ordinary office worker earning a pittance, he wouldn't even need to lift a finger as the father; Lihu Qixing could make a few calls and have me dealt with."

"Although this is a cruel reality, and although I am someone who controls a certain amount of wealth, I still dislike such damn things. If they hadn't provoked me, it would be one thing, but since we've crossed paths, I'm going to see just how awesome he really is."

Lucy said, "Thank you."

"What, do you want to offer yourself to me in return? I'm always welcome to it."

She shot him an annoyed glare and said, "You know nothing about Li Xun's situation. Is there anything you need my help with?"

"Lucy, my understanding of your shamelessness has deepened further. Clearly, I was an innocent bystander whom you tricked into this, unnecessarily adding trouble to my life, yet now you actually have the nerve to say 'help'?"

"Anyway, you're already dragged into this; that damn thing Li Xun is definitely plotting ways to scheme against you. What we should do now is take down that damn thing Li Xun. At a time like this, is there any point in quibbling over words?"

"Arguing unreasonably still claims three points of justification," Wang Yan said, shaking his head with amusement. "From head to toe, only your mouth is stubborn."

Lucy made a finger-gun gesture, pointing it at Wang Yan: "I'm pointing a gun at you right now."

"Then you'd better be careful; it might accidentally discharge."

"You truly don't have an ounce of a big shot's demeanor."

No sooner had Lucy finished speaking than she felt an immense pressure emanating from Wang Yan before her, yet he clearly remained the same, still looking at her with a smile while chewing his food.

She found the key; all the difference lay in those eyes. Previously, his gaze had been deep and peaceful; now, it was as still as a deep pool and as majestic as a towering mountain, imposing and dignified. Coupled with the subtle changes in the corners of his eyes, it altered the entire aura he emitted.

"Have you felt what is known as a big shot's demeanor?" After maintaining it for only a few seconds, Wang Yan withdrew his power. "I was going easy on you; if I had truly brought out my big shot's demeanor, you wouldn't even be able to speak clearly."

"You should have been an actor; you'd be in the method-acting school."

"Are you insulting me?"

"I'm genuinely praising you." Lucy's facial expressions became increasingly varied. She then shifted topics, saying, "Let's get down to business. What do you need me to do? I will absolutely obey orders and follow commands."

"I remember you mentioning that big shot surnamed Jin last time; his sincerity was lacking. He wanted to chase women but took no real action, merely throwing out some money—oh, and helping arrange an identity as 'Lucy Cai.' But when it came to actually offending people, he absolutely wouldn't do it. Look at me: I had no intention of chasing women, yet I was dragged into a ditch by a woman. Truly, I'm more wronged than Dou E."

Lucy blushed a little, but still made a finger-gun gesture: "Spit it out, or I'll shoot."

That counts as flirting… Wang Yan gave her a long look, then said between bites: "I'm a law-abiding citizen. If I want to deal with Li Xun, I'll definitely go through legal channels.

He used his position to sleep with female subordinates under the table. That's the kind of thing where if the people don't report it, the authorities don't investigate. If the people do report it, they need evidence, and the damage is limited. At the time, no one called the police, no evidence was collected. Saying anything now is useless—it won't work on a guy like him.

But since he has that kind of hobby, you don't have to think twice—he definitely has dirty hands, definitely has other corruption going on. That kind of evidence is hard for outsiders to find; it has to be someone inside his company.

He definitely didn't just sleep with you alone—oh, you're the exception, he didn't get what he wanted. So before you and after you, there must have been plenty of other women, all considered people close to him. No matter how careful, they should have come into contact with some things. Try to reach out, see if you can find evidence. I'll pay for it. Send me a card number, I'll transfer money to you first. You said last time you didn't have much money either, so use it for now. If it's not enough, tell me.

I'll also arrange for people to investigate on my end, see if we can find any evidence. Once we have evidence, we'll go straight to Beijing to report him, have him arrested, confiscate his property—basically get our revenge. If you're not satisfied, then post the thing about you and the other women online. Netizens will judge them."

Lucy shook her head: "I don't need your money. I'll try to convince them."

"Pretty words are never as real as money in hand. How long would it take you to convince them? A problem that can be solved with some money—why waste all that breath? As long as the money is enough, what people know can become what they don't know, and what they don't know can become what they know. Get it done early and it's clean, solve it early and your heart is at ease."

"Then you don't need to give me money either. I'll come find you after I've talked to them."

"Just say outright you won't spend my money."

Wang Yan shook his head with amusement. "Everything has a price. For example, you growing up—the price is your parents spending money. You getting into a good university—the price is your days and nights of hard study. You getting a raise and promotion, setting aside all the messy factors, is because you put in the effort to work and made the company more money.

You got that help from the guy surnamed Jin because you did things for him abroad, probably beyond what he paid you. And he coveted your looks, wanted to play the gentleman, figured it was no big deal but couldn't bring himself to lose face, maintaining his so-called big-shot dignity.

Now, after only knowing me for a few days, you're scheming to make me get into a conflict with a powerful and wealthy person, and the better if we fight to the death. At the time you probably didn't think about what price you'd pay, because you were playing me for a fool. But that price exists. Even if I really were a fool, I'd figure it out afterward.

Then conversely, the price I have to pay is making trouble for Li Xun, or having him make trouble for me. As for what I get—do I need to spell it out that clearly? Even the best person doesn't help others for nothing. Even if I'm spending money on charity, either I'm avoiding taxes or buying a reputation, and I still need to ease my own conscience, lest my virtue not match my position.

You work in finance too, you understand equivalent exchange. I'm not objectifying you, but the fact is it's not equal. Given all this, if you're still hung up on whether to spend that little bit of money, that's a bit pointless. If the two of us swapped places, and you stood in my shoes and thought about it—what attitude should I have toward you? You'd count yourself lucky even in your dreams."

Lucy said nothing. She had nothing to say, because Wang Yan was right. She was the one who played dirty first, yet she was still acting shameless. If they really did swap places, she really wouldn't have Wang Yan's good temper.

But it was precisely Wang Yan's good temper that made her overlook his dangerousness for a time, so she had the nerve to study Wang Yan…

"Card number."

Wang Yan's tone brooked no argument.

Lucy sighed, picked up her phone, worked it for a bit, and sent it to Wang Yan.

Wang Yan was even more decisive—he called the bank directly and transferred five million over.

Watching Wang Yan hang up the phone, Lucy stared wide-eyed: "That's way too much, isn't it?"

"Use it for now."

A woman not loving money doesn't mean she doesn't need money. But money is money. A large sum can always daze a person. Make them feel valued.

Besides, how could Lucy not love money? She just knew better what she wanted, and could restrain material desire. But to say she felt nothing—that would be a lie. A few hundred thousand definitely wouldn't work; she's a woman who's seen the world. But once it gets to a few million, that's different—that's sincerity.

The same would apply to Ye Zhenzhen, even though she's a richer second-generation rich kid. Slam a few tens of millions in cash down in front of her, and not only would she be shaking, her parents would be shaking too.

This actually has nothing to do with loving money or not. It's a mentally normal person, based on a correct understanding of money, feeling the weight those numbers represent—that is, 'attitude.'

Of course, this needs to be viewed dialectically. The classic line 'I just want an attitude' is classic because of double standards. Because the person saying it usually doesn't want 'attitude'—they're looking for an excuse to ask for money.

Round and round, you still can't escape talking money with poor people and talking feelings with rich people. Of course, people who believe this line probably won't meet rich people either, so they can only make things hard for honest folks…

Wang Yan raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm definitely not a good person, but I don't have the habit of toying with women. Overall, I'm still not bad. We don't know each other well enough yet—you'll find out later. This doesn't break your principles, it's not like escaping the wolf's den only to fall into a hukou. Don't feel sorry for yourself. Take some time to think it over and you'll understand.

Actually, you have some feelings for me too, at least you're not averse to it. Otherwise, you're not really stupid—why would you bring such big trouble on yourself? I'm the type who doesn't refuse what comes my way. Captured by your beauty, I grudgingly accepted such a thankless thing. Alright, let's eat. I don't bite. What, you're scared now? Too late—no regrets for you."

"You're pretty narcissistic," Lucy managed after holding it in for a long time.

"That's called confidence."

"Heh…" Lucy let out a slightly mocking laugh.

Wang Yan didn't mind, and asked with a smile: "Know Biao-ge?"

"Ma Dashuai, right? I've seen him when I was scrolling short videos. Pretty funny."

"Biao-ge's famous line: I'll allow you to have some misunderstandings about me, but I assure you, my reputation is still pretty good. Just take your time getting to know me. If it doesn't work out, find the reason yourself." Wang Yan even mimicked Biao-ge's tone.

Lucy laughed: "I'll search for it now. Sounds pretty interesting hearing you talk about it."

The breakfast ended amid Lucy's constantly fluctuating emotions. She went to work with high fighting spirit. She hadn't been exposed yet, and she still needed to keep Lihu Qixing as a backup—just in case Wang Yan didn't work out…

As for Li Xun, Wang Yan didn't take him seriously either—it was just an arrangement following the original development. He just put up the money, accelerated the process, and was also seeking to confiscate Li Xun's family property. The original Lihu Qixing actually still had a big house in Shanghai, drove a car, and didn't have to work—that clearly shouldn't be.

But this breakfast, he and Lucy had spoken more clearly, and there was actual exchange between them, completely unifying the front. Whether Lucy had faced the facts was unknown, but in any case, she didn't run, and she kept doing morning exercises with Wang Yan, chatting and laughing more intimately than before…

Several days passed like this, and in the blink of an eye it was the next Saturday.

That morning, Wang Yan woke up naturally as usual, washed up and put on his tracksuit, but today he additionally equipped a sports watch, then put on his cap and went out, pressing the doorbell of 2203 on the 22nd floor.

Because today he had an appointment with Ye Zhenzhen to attend a half-marathon event organized by a marathon enthusiasts' club. Half-marathon, as the name suggests, is half a marathon, a bit over 21 kilometers in total.

The doorbell rang for a while before Ye Zhenzhen opened the door, still in her pajamas.

She sleepily greeted Wang Yan: "Morning."

Wang Yan asked uncertainly: "Still going?"

"Absolutely going." Ye Zhenzhen let out a big yawn. "Come in first. Let me wash up and change."

"Forget it. You said your place doesn't have many doors either, so we should be careful. I'll go downstairs to grab breakfast. By the time I get back, you should be about done getting ready. We'll eat and go."

"I want youtiao. I'll leave the door open for you. If you change your mind, just sneak in…" Ye Zhenzhen teased Wang Yan.

"Not really in the mood. There's still eye crust on you. Hurry up and go."

"Even if there's eye crust, it's beautiful eye crust. Hmph~"

Now wide awake, Ye Zhenzhen gave him a look, and gently left the door ajar.

Wang Yan shook his head with amusement, then went downstairs to the breakfast shop at the entrance to buy breakfast. When he came back, Ye Zhenzhen had already finished washing up and getting dressed. The door that had been ajar was now wide open, and she was sitting at the kitchen island visible at a glance, scrolling through her phone.

"How about that, my speed?"

"Born beautiful without makeup—of course you're fast."

"You know how to talk, but my beauty is destined not to belong to you. Give up on that thought."

A bit chuunibyou… Wang Yan didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Is your brain fried? Or are you sleepwalking?"

"You're the one who's fried. This is called confidence. Beauty invincible, got it?"

"I call it shameless. Usually you're the one talking about me, but you're just as unreliable. Get moving? Acting like an empress dowager? Should I feed you?"

"Not a shred of consideration for others." Ye Zhenzhen rolled her eyes, yet still joined in to tear open the plastic bags.

"Your pretentious act is truly nauseating; give me back the Ye Zhenzhen I know."

"Pah! Why should I give her back to you, you deadbeat scumbag?"

Wang Yan smiled and said, "See? We've talked ourselves right back to the start. Did I prick you, that you call me a scumbag?"

"Only needles, toothpicks, and the like are used to 'prick'," Ye Zhenzhen arched her eyebrows, a hint of provocation in her tone.

"Well said; why didn't you say this back at the boxing gym?"

"Too many people; I am, after all, a Miss with a reputation to uphold. But now that I'm with someone shameless like you, naturally I don't care. Hey, wait—that's not right; why aren't you flying into a rage? Your reaction is off."

"Only those lacking confidence fly into a rage, because their sore spots have been hit. If we get a chance to spar, you'll understand everything."

"Pah! You filthy pervert." Ye Zhenzhen glared at Wang Yan, then turned back to fetch soy sauce for dipping her fried dough sticks; she had a soft spot for that.

When she turned around again, she admitted defeat and dropped the matter, holding out the soy sauce to Wang Yan: "Want some? It's delicious."

"No need; I prefer soaking it in soy milk."

"Then you've missed out on a delicacy," Ye Zhenzhen sighed as if in lament, then asked, "By the way, Zhu Zhe and the others were talking about you yesterday; we said we hadn't seen you in days. Only Honghong went to your place to borrow some books and chatted with you for a bit. What have you been up to these past few days? Why haven't we seen you at all?"

"Nothing much; just wandering around meeting major clients. Mostly, our schedules don't align; I rarely go to the office, and you leave early without a set return time, so it's normal we don't cross paths. Anything new with your group this week?"

"Something came up, though it's nothing fresh. Regarding A-Chu's family situation, she mentioned it last time we dined together. The day before yesterday, while we were chatting happily, her mother called; it seems her father beat her mother again, and A-Chu was heartbroken. Later, Honghong comforted her, suggesting she bring her mother to Shanghai. So last night, A-Chu pretended to be injured to trick her mother into coming to Shanghai, escaping her father's clutches.

Earlier, Jiji, to comfort A-Chu—and perhaps because the timing was right—went into detail again about her younger brother and sister, which you already know. She also said that in the next few days, her brother and sister are coming to Shanghai to discuss matters with her, and her brother will be taking his girlfriend's mother to the hospital for treatment. To prevent her brother and sister from discovering Jiji's true circumstances, Jiji has asked us not to reveal anything.

She's been packing these past two days, saying she'll store the boxes at my place. Hey, why not have Jiji put them at your place instead? Your home has more space. They need to move today; we don't know when her brother and sister will arrive, so we must prepare early. Besides, you're in good shape and can help carry some."

"A small matter; we'll move them after we finish our run and return."

"I've discovered a virtue of yours."

"How rare."

"You really have no airs; you get along with anyone. Even if you are a scumbag." Ye Zhenzhen shot him a look, denying Wang Yan any chance to retort, and immediately changed the subject: "Oh, right, I heard you've been teaching Wu Gong to the resident of 2201 recently?"

"She's willing to learn, and I have no rules against it; teaching the Jiao Sect is no trouble."

"Don't tell me you're up to no good..."

"Then tell me, what ulterior motive do you suppose I have?"

"The heart of Sima Zhao, obviously."

"By that logic, I harbor some designs on you too. In that case, let's skip this half-marathon; with that stamina and time, we might as well spar directly. I feel you misunderstand me; we need to have a thorough exchange."

"Get lost."

"See? You can't take a joke. You steered it there yourself, and now you're scolding me again. It's all my fault for being too honest; why did I bother saying so much to you lot?"

"Can we just coexist peacefully and drop it? Hurry up and eat, or we'll be late."

"So you've submitted, have you?"

"I'm merely granting you a temporary reprieve; you should be secretly rejoicing."

"Just stubborn." Wang Yan shook his head with amusement...