The Sweetest Marriage Ch.339

Chapter 339 – Ill Intentions

Outside the restaurant door, Zhou Zhuoran stood somewhat uneasily. Though today’s matter didn’t concern him much, those who bothered Chen Li were, after all, his classmates. He knew somewhat about Chen Li’s health condition; although he wasn’t sure if his autism had improved, he knew that those classmates’ actions would distress Chen Li.

Zhou Zhuoran hesitated for a while. When he saw Chen Li and Wei Chen coming out, he gritted his teeth and stepped forward to apologize, saying, “Mr. Wei, Mr. Chen, I’m sorry. My classmates caused trouble for you.”

Chen Li shook his head and said, “It’s not your fault.”

“Indeed, Mr. Zhou, no need to apologize. This matter has nothing to do with you,” Wei Chen added. “Regarding the last time, I want to thank you. I haven’t had a chance to thank you properly. Today’s situation is special, but we’ll find an opportunity to express our gratitude to you.”

“Huh?” Zhou Zhuoran was a bit confused. After thinking for a while, he remembered what Wei Chen was thanking him for and said, “No need, really. Those things in my possession wouldn’t be of any use anyway.”

Wei Chen didn’t insist further with Zhou Zhuoran, just nodded at him, took Chen Li’s hand, and left.

Once out of the restaurant, Qiuqiu stopped crying. There wasn’t a single tear on his face, probably just wailing loudly inside the restaurant, the kind with a lot of noise but little actual distress.

Wei Chen gently patted Qiuqiu’s backside, and Qiuqiu giggled, rubbing his chubby face against Wei Chen’s.

Seeing Qiuqiu unaffected, Wei Chen naturally breathed a sigh of relief. His concern was for Chen Li.

Wrapping his arm around Chen Li’s waist, Wei Chen pulled him closer.

“Achen, I’m fine,” Chen Li shook his head in Wei Chen’s embrace.

At the beginning, he was indeed startled, but now everything was fine. He was no longer the Chen Li of the past who would retreat into his own dark world at the sight of strangers.

Around him, there was so much love, so much vibrancy. His life was no longer dark but colorful and rich.

Wei Chen’s hand around Chen Li’s waist tightened slightly, and he turned, lowering his head to leave a dragonfly kiss on Chen Li’s lips.

Chen Li’s smile deepened.

Qiuqiu made a few excited noises, and Wei Chen gave him a kiss, causing him to happily lean on Wei Chen’s broad shoulder.

This, probably, was what happiness looked like.

Near the restaurant entrance, on a car not far away, Feng Tianyang glared fiercely at his father.

“You hit me? You dared to hit me just now?” Feng Tianyang gritted his teeth, his gaze filled with malice, as if he wanted to tear into his own father.

The restaurant owner, looking frustrated, addressed Feng Tianyang, “Do you know who you’ve just provoked? If I don’t take action, this matter won’t end well!”

“I don’t give a damn who he is! Anyway, you hit me. I’ll go home and tell my mom you hit me!” Feng Tianyang spat back.

The restaurant owner, being a son-in-law, seemed to have a glamorous appearance but was completely dominated by his wife, who held the financial reins. She was also addicted to indulging their only son, Feng Tianyang. If his wife found out he hit Feng Tianyang, there’d likely be a huge uproar when he got home.

Just thinking about it gave the restaurant owner a headache. He got out of the car, slammed the door, lit a cigarette, and walked away, trying to make a clean break from the situation.

Feng Tianyang fiercely kicked the inside of the car and cursed incessantly.

Before long, someone knocked on the car window.

Thinking it was the restaurant owner, Feng Tianyang spat on the ground and barked, “If it’s you, get lost!”

He stopped midway through his sentence because the person standing outside the car wasn’t someone Feng Tianyang recognized.

“Who the hell are you?” Feng Tianyang asked with a heavy scowl, his eyes filled with hostility.

The person outside the car didn’t answer Feng Tianyang’s question but said, “Young Master Feng, how about we discuss a business proposition?”

Feng Tianyang furrowed his brow and asked, “What business?”

“A business that could give those two men who just caused you trouble a lesson,” the person replied.

“Why should I agree to your proposal?” Feng Tianyang demanded.

“Tsk tsk,” the person made a clicking sound. “Those two slaps on your face must hurt, right?”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Feng Tianyang didn’t hesitate. He pushed open the car door, intending to teach this person who had stepped on his sore spot a lesson.

“Young Master Feng, hold on, don’t rush,” the person took a few steps back. “They’ve been b*llying you. Aren’t you considering teaching them a lesson?”

Feng Tianyang hesitated for a moment and said, “Speak, what do you have in mind?”

“Well, how about I invite Young Master Feng for a cup of coffee nearby and discuss this in detail?” The person made a gesture of invitation.

“You better not waste my time!” Feng Tianyang demanded.

By the time the restaurant owner finished smoking and returned, Feng Tianyang was no longer in the car. He assumed Feng Tianyang had left with his classmates and didn’t pay it much mind.

*

L Prison was located in the outskirts of Shanghai, housing the most vicious criminals, including those with life sentences and death row inmates. After Chen Qing’s sentence, he was imprisoned here, with no hope left in his life.

It had been over a year, and Chen Qing hadn’t had any contact with the outside world. He thought he was being kept isolated, preventing anyone from visiting him.

However, soon enough, Chen Qing realized he was mistaken. It wasn’t that visits were prohibited; it was that no one had come to visit him. But today, someone finally did.

Chen Qing hadn’t expected the first person to visit him to be this individual. Not his close relatives, not Chen Li who he thought might mock him, but Lu Xiuran, someone he wasn’t particularly close to.

With shackles on, Chen Qing walked out of the prison, took a seat, and looked at Lu Xiuran, picking up the phone. “You’re back.”

“Yes, cousin, I’m back from overseas,” Lu Xiuran sounded somewhat excited. Finally, after being forced to leave that year, he could return!

Chen Qing didn’t empathize. His tone was calm. “And then? Are you here just to see me today?”

“Cousin, don’t you hate it?” Lu Xiuran retorted.

He didn’t know if Chen Qing hated it, but he did. He had a bright future in the field of fine arts, but because of Chen Li, he had to give up that path and evade his homeland.

He hated it. Why wouldn’t he?

Chen Qing tightly held the phone, his face displaying a calm demeanor. “So what if I hate it or not?”

“Cousin, aren’t you curious why no one from the Chen family has come to visit you?”

“Why?” When it came to family, Chen Qing’s emotions fluctuated.

“Because there’s no more Chen family in Shanghai! Cousin, do you know that after you entered, the entire Chen family in Shanghai was dismantled? Uncle and Grandpa Chen are living low-profile lives now. Aunt has been driven insane and is now locked up in a mental institution! Cousin, how can you not hate this?” Lu Xiuran stood up abruptly, staring at Chen Qing.

“How… how is that possible?” Chen Qing slumped onto the chair, his eyes filled with panic and disbelief. “Lu Xiuran, are you lying to me? How could my Chen family cease to exist?”

“Ha?” Lu Xiuran sneered, “Cousin, why would I lie to you? The Chen family in the capital has abandoned us. Chen Li and Wei Chen are living well, living freely. I refuse to accept it! They caused us this much harm, everything they have now was taken from us. Cousin, we have to take it back!”

Lu Xiuran’s eyes bulged in anger, the intensity causing them to almost pop out.

Chen Qing hated it, desperately wanting to get out of prison right now, to grab a knife and thrust it into the hearts of Wei Chen and Chen Li, as an offering for his Chen family’s burial.

But…

“I’m not resigned either! But what can I do?” Tears streamed down Chen Qing’s face, his anguish evident. Sentenced to life imprisonment, trapped in this prison, what could he possibly do? What?

“Cousin, calm down first,” Lu Xiuran suppressed the fire of vengeance within him. He scanned the surroundings, noticing the distance between him and the guards, then leaned in and spoke softly, “Cousin, as they say, the enemy of your enemy is your friend. Even though the Chen family has abandoned us, they desperately want Wei Chen to disappear from this world. So, if we align with the Chen family…”

“Impossible!” Chen Qing immediately rejected Lu Xiuran’s proposal. “Will the Chen family in the capital really join forces with us? When trouble arises, they’ll flee faster than anyone, and in the end, we’ll be the scapegoats!” Teaming up with the Chen family from the capital would undoubtedly be like making a deal with the devil.

“It is dangerous, but what else can we do?” Lu Xiuran said, “This is our last resort. If successful, we’ll seek revenge and regain what’s rightfully ours. If we fail, can there be a worse outcome than now?”

Seeing Chen Qing’s expression softening, Lu Xiuran continued, “Moreover, with the Chen family’s resources, rescuing you would be easily achievable. Cousin, do you really want to spend your whole life in here? Without any hope?”

Chen Qing closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and made a decision.

As Lu Xiuran had said, if they took a chance, they might have an opportunity to turn the tables. The worst-case scenario was what they were experiencing now.

“Fine, I agree,” Chen Qing nodded.

Lu Xiuran smiled. “Cousin, I’ll be waiting for you outside.”

As the visitation time ended, the guard came to take Chen Qing back to his cell. Lu Xiuran watched his departing figure with a chilling smile. Lu Xiuran left L Prison and the signal-blocking area, then his phone immediately chimed with a text message.

[Found a mad dog, the plan can start with this mad dog.]

Lu Xiuran tapped away on his phone, responding to the message.

[Good, let’s begin.]

Once the message displayed as sent, Lu Xiuran casually deleted it.

He opened the car door, and got in, humming a tune happily. He was leaving.

Just wait. He would surely retrieve everything he lost! He would help the Chen family settle scores and reclaim what was owed from Wei Chen and Chen Li!

This winter seemed unbearably long. The Lunar New Year had passed, but the temperature hadn’t risen; a chilling cold swept through, bone-deep and relentless.

<< _ >>