Chapter 1110: Unexpected Conflict

After a week, more details about Li Xun were exposed online, ranging from minor incidents to major scandals.

In modern society, apart from matters concerning state organs, almost everything else that seems unknown is only so relative to the unrelated public; secrets merely mean they have not been made public.

As the saying goes, when a drum is broken, ten thousand people beat it; moreover, with busybodies stirring the pot and adding new ingredients, whether true or fabricated, it was all attributed to Li Xun. This included, but was not limited to, raping a sow in his early years, peeping on widows bathing, and stealing money from classmates—in short, Li Xun was no good person.

Seeing that Li Xun had fallen, some of the women he had previously harassed or subjected to unspoken rules agreed to Lucy's proposal to publicly disclose their victimization. In the original drama, there were nine people, with a list detailing their information; however, this time there were only four, including Fang Zhiheng.

The thoughts of the other five were not hard to understand: since Li Xun had already been taken down and seemed unable to recover, exposing their stories would serve no purpose and might only subject them to a new round of criticism, making them feel even worse. This was a foreseeable situation, as in many matters between men and women, the outcome is often unfavorable for women.

Nevertheless, Lucy still included the numbers and added some speculations about the women who were willing or unwilling to come forward, writing a lengthy article in great detail.

Wang Yan deleted those subjective accusations, retaining only the facts and related condemnations, and had someone post them anonymously online.

Lihu Qixing naturally saw it too, and then he figured it out. He immediately called Lucy, but she had blocked his number; he then tried calling from an unfamiliar number to verify.

At this point, Lucy naturally hid nothing anymore and even took the opportunity to scold Lihu Qixing thoroughly.

"Feeling satisfied?"

In the restaurant, Wang Yan ate heartily, smiling as he watched Lucy return and sit down.

"Of course I'm happy," Lucy said with a brilliant smile, "but I'll be even happier once Li Xun is convicted."

Wang Yan smiled and said, "Actually, it's pretty much settled already. It involves some people from our company, others from different companies, and even a few officials. Their family accounts have been frozen, and their assets are under investigation. They will definitely retain some money in the end, better off than most, but dreaming of maintaining their current lifestyle is impossible."

"They had no real skills, got into the company through connections, did virtually no work, and were treated like honored elders. Living in an apartment by the Huangpu River and driving cars worth hundreds of thousands—that era is likely over."

Wang Yan didn't know how assets were preserved in the original drama, but now, Li Xun would definitely not be able to save his, given the sheer volume of incidents Wang Yan had exposed.

"That's good enough. Regardless of whether Lihu Qixing and his mother are good or bad, they are innocent in this matter. This way, at least we can feel at ease."

Wang Yan smiled, not arguing with her on this point, and raised his glass: "Let's have a drink."

"To you," Lucy said sweetly, tilting her head back to gulp down a large mouthful of red wine.

"Oh, what a coincidence, Lucy."

Just as the two finished their drinks, a man dressed in a suit and leather shoes, with a square face, thick eyebrows, and big eyes, walked over, pulled up a chair, and sat down.

Lucy froze for a moment, then looked at Wang Yan, then at the man, somewhat at a loss.

The man seemed not to notice, slightly adjusted his tie, and smiled at Lucy: "Lucy, aren't you going to introduce me?"

Lucy let out a long breath and said, "This is Jin Baorui, the big shot I told you about whom I met abroad. Mr. Jin, this is Wang Yan, who lives upstairs from me."

Jin Baorui ignored the nervous Lucy and stared at Wang Yan: "Speaking of which, the apartment she lives in at Ode to Joy was rented by me. Of course, she paid the rent with the commission she earned working for me, but that wasn't because I was stingy; rather, I believed she wouldn't want to accept my money. Lucy, it seems I misjudged you."

"Why say it so nicely? You might as well be direct: if she was willing to be your mistress, then where the rent money came from wouldn't matter; if she wasn't willing to be your mistress, then it was simply the commission you owed her for her work."

"Don't try to talk your way out of this with me. I know who you are; Long Teng Private Equity belongs to you, and you have some reputation in the industry. It's also a coincidence that I learned about you because Lucy asked me to investigate, which is how I discovered such a financial elite as you."

Wang Yan nodded with a smile: "Thank you for the recognition. May I ask what instructions Mr. Jin has for me?"

"Playing dumb?"

"I'm telling you to speak up."

Jin Baorui's expression turned ugly; the air of a big shot he had just displayed vanished completely. He said, "Do you know that there are some people you cannot offend? Some women you cannot touch?"

In the original drama, Jin Baorui and Lucy had parted ways peacefully; although later, when Lucy was job hunting, Jin Baorui obstructed her again, it was likely because he still harbored ill intentions and couldn't accept that something he thought was a sure thing ultimately slipped away, so he just wanted to make things difficult for Lucy.

Lucy must have clearly explained the situation to Jin Baorui before, but the variable was Wang Yan's appearance. Perhaps after investigating, Jin Baorui became so furious that his face distorted, prompting him to come and cause trouble for Wang Yan.

"You really know how to put on airs," Wang Yan responded simply and directly, raising his hand to slap Jin Baorui hard across the face, first one way, then the other.

Lucy was stunned, as the two slaps came too suddenly.

Even the onlookers were stunned, let alone Jin Baorui, whose face burned like fire and whose head buzzed; without thinking, he tried to flip the table and roll up his sleeves to fight Wang Yan.

As a result, Wang Yan slapped him hard across the face again, twice more, then struck his chest with a palm, forcing him back into his seat, where he coughed incessantly.

Before Jin Baorui could utter any threats, Wang Yan picked up his phone and swiped through it, saying, "You investigated me, so I investigated you. I don't know if you found anything on me, but I did uncover some information about you. Why don't you take a look first?"

Having said this, Wang Yan placed the phone in front of him.

Jin Baorui endured the pain but still picked up the phone to look. His hands trembling, he stared at it for a full two minutes before putting it down, looking at Wang Yan with shock and suspicion: "Where did you find this?"

"You meddle in quite a lot, Mr. Jin~"

Ignoring Wang Yan's mockery and humiliation, Jin Baorui said, "How can this matter be ended?"

"There was no such matter to begin with; you created this trouble, yet you ask me how to end it?"

"Mr. Wang, I was indeed wrong today; I apologize." Jin Baorui picked up the bottle of red wine and drank directly from it, spilling it all over himself, staining his white shirt red.

Wiping the wine from the corner of his mouth, he looked sincere: "Mr. Wang, please point me to a clear path. What should I do?"

"I feel that deep down, you have a desire to spend money."

Jin Baorui asked sincerely, "Then how much money do I need to spend?"

"As the saying goes, start well and end well. Since you rented the apartment at Ode to Joy for Lucy, transfer the ownership to her name. What do you think?"

"I think that's excellent; it should be done that way. So, Mr. Wang, what other money do I need to spend?"

"I'm not extorting you; you brought this trouble upon yourself, and I haven't suffered any loss, so let's leave it at that this time. If you're not convinced, then I'll wait for you. Whether openly or secretly, legally or illegally, remember, you only have one chance. If you fail to seize it, rest assured, I will ensure your entire family dies. Do you understand?"

"Rest assured, Mr. Wang. When we go out to do business, harmony is most important. Today was indeed my fault; I admit defeat. After all, I did help Lucy somewhat. Let us part on good terms, starting and ending well. From now on, I will stay as far away as possible and not appear before you and Lucy to spoil your moods."

Wang Yan nodded satisfactorily: "Go ahead. Since you've drunk the wine, bring me another bottle."

"Goodbye, Mr. Wang."

Jin Baorui's eyes were clear, his attitude good, and his demeanor respectful; he truly looked like a good person now. He nodded to Wang Yan, glanced at Lucy who was still in a daze, and politely took his leave.

It wasn't until the waiter came to handle the wine decanting that Lucy came to her senses.

She just watched Wang Yan eat and drink until the waiter left, then leaned over the table and asked softly, "What did you show him?"

"You can see for yourself; it's quite interesting." Wang Yan unlocked his phone and handed it over.

Lucy took the phone and looked, but after only a few glances, she gave up: "Disgusting."

"That's just his hobby; he likes being the male lead." Wang Yan took the phone back and smiled, "Actually, it's not just that; there's also information about rigged government bidding and stock price manipulation. If truly exposed, it would be enough to nail him shut."

"Then the apartment..."

"It's my gift to you; live there peacefully. Do you think he has the guts to seek revenge? From today onward, I'm afraid it will be difficult for him to even sleep well. Don't be afraid of him."

"That's over ten million..."

"It's nothing to Jin Jin Yichuan, and nothing to me either. It's for you, so just take it. Moved again? It's fine; eat more, and tonight, put in some effort."

Lucy shot him a coquettish glare but voiced no objection. Of course she was moved; a house worth over ten million given just like that—even if Wang Yan hadn't paid for it himself, it was still given by him, a logic she understood clearly. A tangible house and a string of digits on a card obviously evoke very different feelings.

Let alone putting in some effort; at this moment, Lucy would willingly give her heart and soul for Wang Yan, finding sweetness in the bitterness...

Jin Jin Yichuan acted with high efficiency; he was genuinely afraid. He didn't ask for evidence; even though Wang Yan said there was only that one copy, he didn't believe it anyway. If it could be found, how could there be talk of one copy or two? Thus, he only wanted to quickly quell the conflict and then get as far away as possible; as for retaliation, that was a separate matter.

So the next day, Jin Jin Yichuan contacted the homeowner, purchased the house at a price higher than the market value, handled the transfer of title at the housing administration office that same afternoon, then asked Lucy to put in a good word for him before wisely disappearing.

In unit 2201, on the sofa, Lucy lay in Wang Yan's arms. Looking at the property deed bearing her own name, she let out a long sigh and said, "I still feel a bit dizzy; it feels very unreal."

"That must be because you didn't put in enough effort last night." As he spoke, Wang Yan's hand slipped inside her collar...

"Stop it; we haven't eaten yet."

"Doesn't eating require doing 'it' first?"

"Oh my~" Lucy actively responded.

After that session, dinner consisted of takeout; the ingredients Lucy had specially bought remained uncooked...

After eating, Wang Yan left Lucy alone to rest and enjoy the pleasure of owning a large house in Shanghai, while he went upstairs to stay in his own room.

Around eight o'clock, his phone rang; Wang Yan came downstairs from the upper floor and opened the door.

The moment the door opened, Ye Zhenzhen walked in and asked, "Where did you go yesterday?"

"A smart woman doesn't ask questions where she knows the only answer will break her heart." Wang Yan closed the door, directly lifted Ye Zhenzhen horizontally into his arms, sat down on the sofa, and naturally began toying with her precious assets.

When a relationship grows closer, especially in the initial stages, if there's no touching and exploring, it always feels like something is missing. Of course, this wasn't Wang Yan's idea; whether he touched or not mattered little to him, but he knew Ye Zhenzhen needed it.

Ye Zhenzhen instantly went limp; she hummed and said, "You heartless scoundrel; I shouldn't have let you take advantage of me."

"If you shouldn't have let me take advantage, why did you voluntarily deliver yourself to my door?"

"Pah..."

Just then, Wang Yan's phone, placed aside, emitted a new message notification sound. He casually picked it up, held it before his eyes, and read it; it was from He Minhong, asking if he had time, as she had some questions to consult him on, and also wanted to return and borrow books.

"Sigh..." Ye Zhenzhen helplessly let out a long breath, propped herself up to leave Wang Yan's embrace, sat to the side covering her face, and asked Wang Yan, "Do I look okay?"

"Quite something; brimming with spring vitality." While speaking, Wang Yan also replied to He Minhong, telling her to come up.

"Then I'll go up and hide."

"What's there to be afraid of?"

"Get out, get out, get out." Ye Zhenzhen waved her hand somewhat irritably, then turned and went upstairs. They were about to start the next step; she had prepared to practice well with Wang Yan tonight, her emotions gradually rising. Being interrupted midway like this naturally didn't feel very good.

Just as Ye Zhenzhen went upstairs, the doorbell rang on the other side.

Wang Yan got up and opened the door; He Minhong blinked her big eyes innocently: "Disturbing you again, Brother Yan."

"Come in."

"Thank you, Brother Yan." He Minhong was very polite; she trotted in and sat on the sofa.

Wang Yan closed the door, returned, poured her a glass of water, and said, "Tell me, what's the matter this time?"

"It's like this, Brother Yan: Yu Chuhui's mother works as a nanny in another household in our residential complex, earning eight thousand yuan a month. Last night, Yu Chuhui tearfully complained to Zhenzhen, saying her mother was being mistreated there. When eating hairy crabs, she was watched by the elderly family members and even had to call and report, as if it were some great work achievement. Moreover, before she started working as a nanny, it was already agreed that tasks like bathing and wiping the body would be handled by community service personnel.

But that family didn't honor the agreement and still made Yu Chuhui's mother do it. Yesterday, when Yu Chuhui learned of this, she was extremely heartbroken, which is why she ran to Zhenzhen to vent. Then, leveraging Zhenzhen's sympathy, she asked Zhenzhen to help find a job for her mother. Zhenzhen is a good person; she certainly couldn't refuse easily. So she said she would ask the professors at their research institute; coincidentally, one professor's father is getting on in years and fell a few days ago, resulting in hospitalization.

Since Zhenzhen had already spoken up, the matter was surely settled. Therefore, Yu Chuhui immediately went to the household where her mother worked, disregarded whether the family could cope or not, and directly brought her mother back.

I feel Yu Chuhui acted poorly. Although that family didn't honor the agreement, emotionally and reasonably, waiting one more night wouldn't have hurt, right? Everyone has to work during the day and rest at night; moreover, I heard that family has a lot on their plate recently: one elderly person is bedridden and paralyzed, another is in a wheelchair, the daughter is due to give birth soon, and there's also the husband to care for.

It was so late yesterday, yet Yu Chuhui still took her mother away; she's simply a cold-blooded animal. After all, she had already worked there for a while; what urgency could there be in these one or two days? Yes, that family was indeed wrong, but one cannot simply abandon elderly people who cannot care for themselves like that.

Furthermore, she is extremely double-standard; previously she kept saying she wouldn't let her mother work as a nanny for others, yet didn't she sell her mother's labor at a high price? Now, not letting her mother work at that house, she resorts to playing the victim card with Zhenzhen; her expression is truly utterly ugly."

Wang Yan nodded and asked, "What did you say?"

"At the time, I wanted to condemn Yu Chuhui, but I remembered you telling me to shut up, speak less, listen more, observe more, and think more, so I didn't say anything. However, I did glare at Yu Chuhui; I glared at her fiercely. I wanted to come find you yesterday, but I felt I should think about it myself first; today, still unable to figure it out, I came to get scolded by Brother Yan."

"Why would I scold you?"

"Right, right, right; not scold, but constructive criticism."

Wang Yan shook his head with amusement: "Regarding Yu Chuhui taking her mother away in the middle of the night, I think your reasoning is correct."

"See? I felt there was no problem; then I'll go back and condemn Yu Chuhui. I'll write her a long essay and criticize her severely."

"What use is your criticizing her? The two of you already can't stand the sight of each other; you send over a long essay, she blocks your doorway and curses loudly, and then what? Besides making your relationship even more strained, what other purpose does it serve?"

"I want her to realize her mistakes, so she stops spending all day pointing out what's wrong with me and what I can't do."

"Revenge?"

"At most, this counts as tit-for-tat, an eye for an eye."

"And then?"

"No 'and then'; if she curses, let her curse; anyway, she's just frantic with rage." He Minhong looked very proud.

Wang Yan nodded with understanding: "Understood; you just want the satisfaction. But dare you curse your boss, or your leaders, or your colleagues?"

"Brother Yan, you're conflating concepts; this isn't the same thing."

"Why isn't it? Yu Chuhui bullies you; haven't your colleagues bullied you? Haven't your leaders bullied you? Hasn't your boss exploited you? They all have reasons to be cursed. Why don't you curse them? Because you fear affecting your job. Why curse Yu Chuhui? Because you know at most Yu Chuhui can't do anything too outrageous; even if she really tried to fight, someone would pull her back. But if you get fired by the company, no one will stop that. So it is the same thing."

Wang Yan continued, "You lack the ability to change things, nor the ability to challenge; complaining a few times to amuse yourself, or being a keyboard warrior online, is enough. If you intensify the conflict but have no way to resolve the aftermath, making things worse and worse until everyone is unhappy, how can you continue living here? Even if you said those things to Yu Chuhui before, so what? She wouldn't listen to you anyway. She might even drag you along to take over her mother's job and care for the elderly.

Don't feel aggrieved; if things get serious, you'll say your mind goes blank again. Did you try thinking from their perspective this time?"

"Of course, Brother Yan; I was just thinking that family has it hard."

"Then you didn't stand from Yu Chuhui's perspective?"

He Minhong shook her head, then puffed out her cheeks.

"Consider comprehensively," Wang Yan smiled. "Actually, if you think from Yu Chuhui's perspective, it's not incomprehensible. I've heard some things about her mother's situation; to summarize, she has a life of toil, always thinking of doing some work to earn money for her daughter so her daughter won't have to work too hard. Aren't your parents the same? Every month they send you many things, wash your clothes, and support your living expenses; it's all the painstaking effort of parents.

It's just that Yu Chuhui's mother lacks education and worldly experience, so she can only earn money through hard labor. Her pension is certainly not much; wages in Shanghai are naturally high. Staying at home means spending money; working means earning money, and earning even more. Moreover, for someone who has toiled for half a lifetime, if you make her stay idle, she won't be able to stay idle. Working more while she still can is her mindset.

Yu Chuhui is helpless too; if she doesn't let her mother work, her mother will clamor to go back home; if she lets her continue working, she will suffer pangs of conscience. At this moment, this incident occurred: having to be watched while cleaning hairy crabs, the previously agreed-upon community service unavailable, forcing her mother to do it instead. Naturally, she couldn't bear it. You have self-esteem; she certainly has self-esteem too, perhaps even more sensitive.

Therefore, as long as there was any way, she did not want her mother to stay there for even one more minute or endure one more minute of scornful glances. As for how their contract was signed or what exactly was agreed upon, I am not clear on that. However, it stands to reason that Yu Chuhui was in the right; otherwise, if she acted this way, the other party would surely have sued her.

This is just my personal opinion, offered for your reference. Next time, think a bit more; you have already made progress, at least you can now hold your tongue.

"I understand, Brother Yan, thank you," He Minhong exhaled deeply and sighed, "Indeed, I oversimplified things. Thinking about it carefully, Yu Chuhui has it quite difficult too."

"No one has it easy; everyone struggles to survive. Who doesn't have their own share of bitterness and sorrow? Tell me, isn't your work also full of troublesome matters? Nothing goes perfectly smoothly. There's no need to be depressed; your intentions this time were kind, after all."

Wang Yan said with a smile, "Alright, it's getting late. Put the books back, pick a few new ones, and then leave. You should rest early; after all, health is the capital of revolution."

He had been truly decent to He Minhong, explaining in detail and making everything clear; if she still didn't improve after this, it would truly be her own fault...

After He Minhong left, Ye Zhenzhen walked down and said, "You are so good to Honghong; don't tell me you're interested in her?"

"You make it sound as if I'm a wolf plotting with malice. I merely saw that she was foolish and would struggle to get by, so I offered some appropriate guidance, while also testing whether she is truly incorrigible. As for being interested in her, she isn't ugly; if she were willing to warm my bed, you know I have no resistance."

"Is it really true that you have no resistance?" Ye Zhenzhen suddenly changed the topic, already straddling Wang Yan's lap.

She reached out to lift Wang Yan's chin, her gaze upon him dripping with desire, exuding quite a bit of coquettish charm.

Wang Yan couldn't help but sigh with emotion again; although they were all quite familiar people, each possessed their own unique charm, evoking memories while making one enjoy the present moment...