Chapter 398: The Conditions Offered by Xu Ke
The man I have to deal with is on the phone with me, using my sister's cellphone... No matter who found themselves in this situation, they would never think it was a good thing.
"I have a few questions for you, Young Master Fong," Xu Ke said.
"What is it?" Ye Feng became instantly alert.
"Don't worry," Xu Ke said. "It's nothing confidential."
Ye Feng didn't respond, simply waiting quietly for Xu Ke's question.
At this, Qin Yu and Feng Wei, standing beside Xu Ke, grew uneasy. Qin Yu was especially worried that her brother and Xu Ke would get into a violent conflict.
"I'm curious," Xu Ke chuckled. "What is the Ye Family planning against me now?"
Ye Feng's expression froze. He gritted his teeth. "Xu Ke..."
"How do you expect me to answer a question like that?"
He wasn't unprepared for Xu Ke to use Qin Yu as leverage to make him betray the Ye Family, but hearing the question asked so bluntly left him speechless. Even though Ye Feng knew that Ye Chong and his two brothers were prejudiced against him, his loyalty to the Ye Family remained unshaken.
The reason was simple: Ye Yunfeng.
Ye Yunfeng had taken him in from his impoverished parents, raising him and seeing him to adulthood. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he saw Ye Yunfeng as a second father.
To betray the Ye Family now would be to betray Ye Yunfeng. How could I possibly do that?
"Don't be so tense." Seeing Ye Feng grit his teeth, Xu Ke laughed heartily. "I was just joking."
Ye Feng didn't find the joke funny in the slightest.
Then, Xu Ke added, "However, I can tell you this: I'm planning to ambush and kill Ye Yunfeng soon. You should tell him to be careful when he goes out."
Beside Xu Ke, the color drained from Qin Yu's and Feng Wei's faces.
They knew all too well how Ye Feng felt about Ye Yunfeng. Wasn't Xu Ke just blatantly provoking him?
As expected, Ye Feng exploded. "Xu Ke, what the hell are you trying to do?!"
Ye Feng was already on edge because of Qin Yu; how could he withstand such taunting from Xu Ke?
A slight smile touched Xu Ke's lips. "Nothing much. I just wanted you to experience what it feels like to have a loved one threatened."
Xu Ke spoke this way because of Xu Yi's kidnapping; he harbored immense malice toward every member of the Ye, Huang, and other families involved. Ye Feng was no exception.
He wouldn't threaten Ye Feng with Qin Yu's life—she was innocent, and he also had to consider Feng Wei. But using Ye Yunfeng to get a rise out of him? Xu Ke was more than willing to do that.
Ye Feng took a deep breath, struggling to suppress the rage about to erupt from his chest. "If you have a problem, just come at me."
Xu Ke laughed. "Does your father think so too?"
Ye Feng wisely chose to shut his mouth and not argue.
Seeing that Ye Feng had fallen silent, Xu Ke changed the subject. "Since you're unwilling to discuss that, let's talk about something we both know. Do you know who harmed your sister a year ago?"
At his words, Qin Yu's expression changed in a flash.
On the other end of the line, Ye Feng took a sharp breath. "I don't know."
In truth, neither Qin Yu nor Ye Feng had a definite suspect. After Qin Yu told him what happened a year ago, Ye Feng had suspected Ye Fan and his two brothers at different times, but he never found any definitive evidence.
"Answer two questions for me, and I'll tell you who went after your sister. How about it?" Xu Ke said blandly. "Don't worry, they won't be difficult questions for you."
If Qin Yu wanted to live out in the open and reunite with Ye Feng, they had to eliminate the culprit from that year. If the attacker wasn't dealt with, Qin Yu and Ye Feng would be forced to live in constant fear. Therefore, Xu Ke was confident that by dangling this offer, Ye Feng would be easily tempted.
And sure enough, Ye Feng's breathing hitched. "You... What do you want to ask?"
He agreed without much hesitation. Firstly, Xu Ke's phrasing made him think the questions might be something he could actually answer. Secondly, the offer itself was just too tempting to resist.
"First question: Is Ye Chong planning to move against me soon?" Xu Ke asked lightly.
Hearing this, Ye Feng's pupils contracted. He had suspected this was why Xu Ke had sought him out. It made sense; Ye Chong had just called Xu Ke, so of course Xu Ke would come asking him about it. At that, Ye Feng hesitated.
Seeing his hesitation, Xu Ke didn't press him. Instead, he said, "Just tell me what he wants me to ask Lin Zhongtian to do for him. I'll just be finding out a little ahead of schedule. If you don't tell me, I'll find out when I meet with him tomorrow anyway. But if you tell me now, you can get the identity of Qin Yu's would-be killer in exchange for information I'm going to find out tomorrow anyway."
What he was most curious about was what Ye Chong really wanted him to ask Lin Zhongtian. In Xu Ke's eyes, that was the key. As for Qian Jun's intelligence and Ye Dexian's whereabouts, he would ask about those later.
But hearing Xu Ke's words, Ye Feng actually laughed. "...So you really thought my second brother wanted you to ask Lin Zhongtian for a favor?"
Hearing this, Xu Ke's gaze sharpened. "What?"
Wasn't that it?
Ye Feng paused before saying, "I'll tell you. My second brother isn't looking for you to ask Lin Zhongtian for a favor."
After a long moment of deliberation, Ye Feng decided to reveal Ye Chong's plot. As he saw it, the best-case scenario for Ye Chong's scheme was that Xu Ke's interests would be damaged, and Ye Chong himself would gain control over Qinghai Bay. If Xu Ke knew about it, the plan would certainly fail. However, the only person who stood to truly suffer and lose out would be Wang Yu, and Ye Chong would simply fail to get control of Qinghai Bay. Therefore, the brunt of the damage would not be borne by the Ye Family and wouldn't affect Ye Yunfeng. Adding that to his desire to help Qin Yu, Ye Feng was willing to tell Xu Ke the truth.
"Then what is he trying to do?" Xu Ke's gaze narrowed.
"It's simple," Ye Feng continued. "He wants to invite you to a meal, and he'll have a photographer secretly taking pictures of the two of you. Then, someone will go to the Wang Family and use those pictures to frame you, alleging a secret partnership between you and Ye Chong. As for how things will unfold after that, I'm sure you can imagine."
The moment he finished speaking, Xu Ke's expression turned grim. "Who is it?"
Only someone from inside the Wang Family could pull something like this off. Several names immediately flashed through Xu Ke's mind.
But Ye Feng didn't answer right away. Instead, he countered, "Does this count as the second question?"
"Of course not."
"Then I won't answer," Ye Feng said evasively.
Xu Ke laughed. "If you don't answer, I'll consider your first question unanswered."
Trying to play games with me? Who does he think has the upper hand here?
Ye Feng's face turned ashen. "You..."
"Are you going to tell me or not?" Xu Ke asked coolly.
Ye Feng gritted his teeth. "Fine, I'll talk!"
"It's Wang Yu! She approached my second brother out of nowhere and asked him to stage this act with you."
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