Chapter 2625

The concern and question from the taxi driver made Hong Changqing feel even more wronged in his heart.

In the North American Chinese community, he was truly a prominent figure, and he didn't know how many people would bow down in reverence upon seeing him, including many officials and nobles.

But he never imagined that after coming to Jin Ling, he would be bullied by Ye Chen to the point of feeling wronged and tearing up, and this contrast made him feel extremely sorrowful.

What hurt him the most wasn't just the injustice he had just suffered, but that even after enduring so much injustice, he still had to grit his teeth, tears streaming down his face, and take a taxi to find Ye Chen to make amends.

This is the consequence and outcome one must bear after offending someone who shouldn't be offended.

Hong Changqing also understood in his heart that Ye Chen treated him this way mainly because his own little thoughts had provoked Ye Chen's anger.

Now, thinking back carefully, the pill Ye Chen gave him was worth a fortune, even priceless, and the reason he gave it to him was very clear: to make him wholeheartedly serve him.

But although he had agreed superficially, deep down he still harbored many ulterior motives, even foolishly dreaming of parting ways with Ye Chen and returning to America to continue being his own Hong Tianshi.

Thinking of this, Hong Changqing couldn't help but silently curse himself in his heart: "Hong Changqing, Hong Changqing, you truly have a heart too small to swallow an elephant—how could Ye Chen, with such strength, possibly suffer a loss at your hands? You flatter him superficially while being half-hearted, and yet you expect him to let you return to America? That's truly strange! Under heaven, where could such a good thing exist?"

After realizing how shameless and foolish he had just been, Hong Changqing felt deep regret in his heart.

He had thought that since Ye Chen had already given him the pill, and he couldn't possibly spit it out and return it, and besides, he was an old friend of Ye Chen's grandmother, with that connection, Ye Chen couldn't possibly imprison him in Jin Ling.

Moreover, Ye Chen had personally said to let him go, so regardless of whether Ye Chen meant it sincerely, he could go along with it and take the easy way out. Read book

But who could have imagined that going with the flow led to a waterfall, and taking the easy way led to a cliff?

So, he silently made up his mind in his heart: when he arrived at the Xiangxieli Hot Spring Hotel later, no matter Ye Chen's attitude toward him, he would be steadfast from now on, loyal and unwavering, let himself understand himself, never go west, let himself go south, and never go north! Only this way could he possibly get Ye Chen to show leniency and restore his cultivation.

At this very moment.

Ye Chen, who had set out earlier, had already arrived at the mountain entrance of the Xiangxieli Hot Spring.

At the center of the road at the mountain entrance stood a very conspicuous sign, which read: Hotel closed for renovation, temporarily ceased operations, please excuse any inconvenience.

Besides that, two sedans were parked by the roadside, with several security guards in uniform sitting inside.

When Ye Chen's car turned from the main road, a security guard immediately got out of the car and stood in front of it. After the car stopped steadily, he walked to the driver's window and said: "Sorry, sir, our hotel is currently undergoing upgrades and has ceased external operations for now. Really sorry, please turn around and go back here."

Ye Chen casually laughed and said: "How so, your hotel doesn't operate externally, and you won't even let me pass through the road?"

The man immediately explained: "Sir, this road is not a municipal road; it was built with funds from our hotel, and the land it occupies was also purchased by our hotel, so after the hotel ceases operations, we also have the right to close this road."

As he spoke, he took out a document from behind the blocking sign, showed it through the window to Ye Chen, and said: "Please take a look first—this is our document regarding the road rights of this road, approved and stamped by the city."

Now, Xiangxieli has completely ceased external operations, and since this is originally a dead-end road at the mountain base, once it stops being open to the outside, no one will be able to come this way anymore.

The hot spring hotel at the mountain base has already been closed, let alone the hot spring villas halfway up the mountain—this hotel, with over two hundred guest rooms, vast land area, and naturally enclosed terrain, has naturally become Ye Chen's best choice for cultivating experts.

After the hot spring hotel ceased external operations, Chen Zekai replaced everyone here with his own confidants, and Hong Wu also sent many trusted subordinates from his own team to handle security and patrol duties here, to ensure no outsiders could approach.

At this moment, the security guard speaking with Ye Chen is one of Hong Wu's subordinates.

Ye Chen lowered the window, smiling and asked him: "This entire hotel is mine—don't I even have the right to enter?"

Since Ye Chen had initially only opened the window a crack, he hadn't seen Ye Chen's face clearly, but when Ye Chen lowered the window, the guard immediately stared in shock, trembling with fear and said: "Master Ye, how could it be you…… I didn't know the driver was you, I offended you rudely just now, really sorry, please forgive me……"

Ye Chen laughed and said: "It's fine, you're just doing your job, and you're doing it well."

The man immediately breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said respectfully: "Master Ye, our Fifth Master is currently busy inside—should I report to him?"

Ye Chen casually said: "No need, I'll go in myself to find him."

The man quickly replied: "Okay, Master Ye! I'll move the sign for you!"

After saying that, he hurriedly moved the warning sign to the side and respectfully gestured for Ye Chen to proceed.

Ye Chen instructed him: "By the way, later if an old man surnamed Hong comes, saying he knows you and wants to come in to find you, you must absolutely not let him in."

The man immediately said: "Master Ye, you can rest assured—I will definitely not let him in."

Ye Chen laughed and said: "Good, thank you for your hard work."

After saying that, Ye Chen drove the car toward the hot spring hotel.

Inside the hotel, Hong Wu was directing a group of subordinates to dismantle and renovate some public facilities of the hot spring hotel.

He roughly knew Ye Chen wanted to train some martial arts masters here, so he discussed with Chen Zekai and had the entire large conference hall inside the hot spring hotel—originally for guest team-building and meetings—demolished and rebuilt into a large indoor training facility, then upgraded the fitness equipment to suit the needs of martial artists.

Another massive project was to replace all outward-opening doors and windows with one-way glass that absolutely guarantees privacy, further ensuring no one would know the actual use of this place.

Besides that, Hong Wu also set up an area outside the hotel piled with building materials—not only preparing large amounts of cement, yellow sand, and other construction materials, but also many scaffolds and decorative raw materials, clearly creating the illusion of a large-scale renovation of this place.

When Ye Chen arrived at the hotel entrance and saw this scene, he genuinely felt moved by the dedication of Hong Wu and Chen Zekai—these two, though not martial artists themselves and lacking real combat ability, were truly competent as his left and right arms.

Although Hong Wu's subordinates had promised Ye Chen not to inform Hong Wu, since Hong Wu was still their boss, as soon as Ye Chen arrived at the door, Hong Wu happily and quickly stepped forward to greet him.

Seeing Ye Chen, Hong Wu was very pleased, smiling respectfully and said: "Master Ye, why did you come today without giving prior notice?"

Ye Chen laughed and said: "I've selected a trainer for this place and plan to bring him here to familiarize himself with the work environment."

"Oh!" Hong Wu nodded, seeing Ye Chen himself, somewhat puzzled and asked: "Mr. Ye, what about that trainer you mentioned?"

Ye Chen let out a nasal laugh and casually said: "He's behind—today I won't let him come in first!"