bayedsolid Chapter 196: Something’s Very Wrong
Chapter 196: Something’s Very Wrong
She hid in a corner, her eyes fixed on the crack in the private room’s door, watching the people inside drink their soup, one mouthful after another.
"What are you grinning about?"
"Huh? N-Nothing."
She quickly lowered her head and started shoveling the rice in front of her into her mouth.
Ling Anxun sat across from her, his eyes flashing. A strange feeling suddenly stirred within him.
’Something’s not right. Something is very wrong!’
’This kid is usually full of mischievous ideas and loves playing pranks, but she never gets this smug look. She’s obviously been up to no good!’
He was frowning in thought, trying to figure out what trick she had pulled, when a strange noise suddenly came from the private room next door.
Shanshan’s ears perked up. She instantly put down her chopsticks and shot to her feet.
"Shanshan! You get back here!"
Ling Anxun jumped, scrambling to his feet and lunging to stop her.
But before he could grab her, he heard a commotion from inside—
Ling Anxun was completely bewildered. ’What are they doing in there? Washing their feet?’
When his curiosity got the better of him, he crept closer to the crack to peek inside, and his mind exploded.
Ling Anxun reacted in a flash, clapping a hand over Shanshan’s eyes. "Don’t look!"
"Hey! Dad, what are you doing!"
Shanshan whisper-shouted, her voice full of dissatisfaction, afraid of alerting the people inside.
But Ling Anxun didn’t say a word. He grabbed her wrist in a death grip and turned to leave.
The moment they were out the door, his face hardened and his gaze turned severe. "Talk. What have you done?"
"I... I just added a little something to their food."
Frightened by him, Shanshan shrank back and stammered out the truth.
"It’s meant for livestock, but the ingredients are pretty mild. It won’t hurt them."
"I don’t care if it hurts them or not!"
Ling Anxun was so angry he poked her hard on the forehead.
"Hand it over! If you ever dare pull a stunt like this again, I’ll break your legs!"
He stared into her eyes, his gaze as sharp as a knife, allowing no evasion.
His palm was outstretched, waiting for her to hand over the drug.
"Oh... okay."
She lowered her gaze, her fingers twitching slightly as she placed the remaining vial in his palm.
The lab wasn’t short on anything; she could whip up whatever she wanted with ease.
She just had to input a few parameters and press the start button, and the synthesis reaction would complete automatically.
This time, Shanshan had unintentionally done them a huge favor, instantly pushing Cao Daqiang and Yuan Zhihe’s relationship to a new level.
The other day, while helping in the kitchen, she had casually mentioned how well Cao Daqiang took care of Yuan Zhihe, rattling off one detail after another.
For instance, how he remembered she didn’t eat cilantro, always brought an extra umbrella on rainy days, and insisted on brewing ginger soup for her when she had a cold.
As she listed these trivial little things one by one, Mrs. Yuan found herself nodding frequently.
More importantly, Cao Daqiang’s response this time was perfect. He managed to strike just the right chord with Yuan Zhihe, and for some reason, he truly earned her heartfelt approval.
He didn’t whisper sweet nothings or pester her, but every step he took was steady and reliable, making Yuan Zhihe feel secure.
This sense of reliability was more powerful than any sweet talk.
With their feelings heating up, the two immediately decided to meet the parents. That very day, they went back to the Yuan Family home to lay their cards on the table with Mr. Yuan.
They sat on the living room sofa, shoulder to shoulder.
Yuan Zhihe’s hand clutched Cao Daqiang’s sleeve, her knuckles white.
She took a deep breath, lifted her head, and her voice carried clearly into the inner room. "Dad, Daqiang and I are together."
"What did you say? Say that again."
Mr. Yuan shot up from his chair, knocking over his teacup and spilling water all over the floor.
Mr. Yuan’s vision went black, and he nearly choked.
His precious daughter, whom he had doted on since she was a child, was dating a man old enough to be her father. How could he possibly swallow that?
He wanted to explode with anger but was afraid of scaring his daughter, so he could only grit his teeth.
"We’re together, Dad. I like Daqiang. Didn’t you used to say he was reliable? Why is it a problem now?"
Yuan Zhihe stood up, took a step forward, and stood before her father.
She looked at her father’s face, waiting for a response.
"You stay right there! Don’t you move. Cao Daqiang, you come with me to the study!"
Mr. Yuan finally roared, his voice making the windows buzz.
He grabbed Cao Daqiang’s arm, his grip so tight it nearly left fingerprints.
Yuan Zhihe opened her mouth, but in the end, she didn’t dare follow them.
She knew her father’s temper. Once he was truly angry, he wouldn’t listen to anyone.
All she could do was wait and pray that the man inside would come out unscathed.
"You just wait here quietly. It’s not like I’m going to eat him!"
Mr. Yuan’s voice squeezed through the crack in the door, tinged with a cold sneer.
The study door closed, and the atmosphere instantly grew tense.
But Cao Daqiang wasn’t flustered at all. He stood up straight, his posture confident. He knew what he was doing.
He knew what was about to happen, and he knew what his bargaining chips were.
He knew Mr. Yuan’s secret—Gu Jiajun had quietly told him about it long ago, before he retired.
So from the very beginning, he hadn’t come here to be scolded; he had come to negotiate.
That file was hidden in the bottom drawer of the archives, number 047.
He had seen the original and had also made a copy, which was locked in a safe.
This secret was lethal enough, and it was also enough to trade for a promotion.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have agreed without batting an eye when Yuan Zhihe said she was taking him home.
He knew what he wanted, and he knew how to get it.
Right now, there was an opportunity for a transfer at his work unit. Normally, since he had just been promoted, it wouldn’t be his turn.
But if he could leverage his connection to the Yuan Family, it would be a different story.
There was only one opening, but there were six competitors.
He didn’t have the upper hand in terms of seniority, performance, or peer evaluations.
But if he could get Mr. Yuan’s support, all the rules could be rewritten.
This wasn’t using backdoor connections; it was an exchange.
"We’re men. I know what you’re after."
Mr. Yuan said with a grim face, "I can give you the position, but on one condition—break up with my daughter immediately."
But Cao Daqiang just smiled, an unnervingly gentle smile.
"Please, sit down. Let’s talk this over slowly."
Then he slowly added, "Actually, before Leader Gu retired, he mentioned your situation to me."
After a pause of several seconds, he slowly raised his gaze to meet Mr. Yuan’s eyes.
At these words, the color drained from Mr. Yuan’s face. The facade of authority he had been struggling to maintain instantly cracked.
He knew the situation was no longer in his control.
He tried to steady his breathing, but his chest was heaving violently, a clear sign he had lost control of his emotions.
He finally realized that the other man knew far more than he had imagined.
The two of them spent over an hour in the study before coming out.
During that time, no sounds of arguing, table-slamming, or angry shouts were heard.
Only a few muffled whispers drifted out the door, leaving one to guess what was happening inside.
The seconds ticked by, and the hands on the wall clock seemed to move with agonizing slowness.
The people waiting outside had their hearts in their throats, but they didn’t dare to rashly knock on the door.
Outside, Yuan Zhihe had been waiting anxiously. The moment the door opened, she rushed forward and grabbed Cao Daqiang’s hand.
She didn’t even glance at her father’s expression; her eyes were filled with nothing but Cao Daqiang’s face.
Her palm was ice-cold, and her nails accidentally dug into his skin, but she didn’t even notice.