CHAPTER 353: CHAPTER 345 EARLY DEPARTURE, EARLY RETURN

The moment the call connected, a low and husky voice immediately reached Tang Xiaowan’s ears: "Xiao Wan, it’s me. Have you woken up?"

"Yeah, just woke up. What’s up?"

"Is what they’re saying online true?"

As soon as Tang Xiaowan heard Li Zishen was about to discuss that matter, she was rendered speechless.

Yet, she didn’t realize that Li Zishen was in a terrible state at the moment; he had drunk too much last night, and hadn’t closed his eyes for a day and a night.

"Didn’t I reply to your message yesterday?"

"I want to hear it from you. Can I? Is it true? Did you really get the certificate?"

Tang Xiaowan: "..."

Sigh, why can’t this guy just give up? How many more times do I have to say it before he’ll let go?

Thus, with a harden heart, Tang Xiaowan brought the phone close to her mouth and said loudly, "Yes, what’s online is true. Leng Lingxiao and I got the certificate, and moreover, we slept together last night, deeply in love, inseparable as glue."

Tang Xiaowan’s words were very straightforward, without a blush or a skip of a heartbeat, but on the other end of the phone, there was no response, the air deathly still.

What’s happening, did I mess up?

While she doubted herself, Li Zishen suddenly spoke: "Xiao Wan... I wish you happiness!"

"Good, thanks, goodbye."

After the words fell, Tang Xiaowan hurriedly hung up the phone, afraid she might give herself away.

She pondered that her words just now were indeed harsh, even a little bit explicit, but they should have been enough to cut off Li Zishen’s thoughts.

However, what she didn’t know was that 15 minutes later, 12 mercenaries in Li Garden were ready to move out.

Before the floor-to-ceiling window, Li Zishen stood with unfathomable phoenix eyes, the small wooden pig carving clenched tightly in his hand, veins bulging on the back of his hand.

"Go ahead, the sooner you leave, the sooner you return."

Li Zishen’s voice was soft, indifferent, but his surroundings were shrouded in an extremely gloomy chill.

Du Feng nodded: "Yes, Brother Shen."

But just as he lifted his foot to leave, Du Feng suddenly turned, wanting to ask Bai Long if he was aware, but seeing Li Zishen still turned his back towards him, he paused for a few seconds then went straight out of the study.

His mind was made up, persuasion would be futile.

...

Meanwhile, at Lingxiao Manor,

The kitchen was filled with the scent of happiness, having love in one’s heart is a very joyful thing.

Just that, Leng Lingxiao, in order to concentrate on preparing medicinal cuisine for Tang Xiaowan, ended up postponing the cross-national video conference that was scheduled in an hour.

He was clearly a man possessed by doting on his wife.

Ring ring ring, ring ring ring...

Ever since getting the certificate yesterday morning, Yang Aihua had started to worry incessantly, as though terrified that her son would neglect Tang Xiaowan due to some oversight.

The wedding gifts and various tonics were also sent from Huang City to Chicheng at the earliest opportunity.

Leng Lingxiao couldn’t remember how many calls it was from his mother anymore.

"Mom, what is it this time?"

Yang Aihua’s excited voice came through the phone: "Nothing, nothing, I just wanted to ask if Tangtang liked those two sets of jewelry? And those... wait, why are you up so early?"

Leng Lingxiao: "..."

I guess, even if I wasn’t awake, I’d have been tormented awake by your excessive concern.

Yesterday afternoon, it was fortunate he switched to vibrate mode, otherwise the persistent ringing would make it seem as though some major incident had occurred to outsiders.

Actually, it was just Yang Aihua being too excited, too fond of her daughter-in-law.

After all, she had waited so many years.

"Why aren’t you speaking? What are you busy with? Son, son, mom is asking you a question."

Although Leng Lingxiao felt sweet inside, he still shook his head helplessly: "I’m making soup, a medicinal dish. I have to let Tangtang try it while it’s fresh, otherwise, it would be such a waste of your and dad’s good intentions."

"Right, right, right, make sure to use a clay pot, don’t try to cut corners with those electric ones, and..."

"Okay, got it, we’ll talk later."

Leng Lingxiao decisively ended the call. If he didn’t hang up, Zhao Renjie was probably going to crush his own phone, clearly having some urgent matter to report.

"Early in the morning, what’s up?"

Seeing the situation, the others in the kitchen quickly put down their work and left.

The two bodyguards at the door now seemed like guardian deities.

That was when Zhao Renjie stepped forward and lowered his voice to respond: "Master, around one o’clock in the morning, Jiang Kexin went to ManQ Bar."

He briefly recounted Jiang Kexin’s visit to the bar, including chatting with a few men, inquiring about how to connect with the underworld, and the deal she struck with Qin Feng.

You should know, Chicheng is Leng Lingxiao’s territory, there was no way anything could be hidden from him.

After hearing Zhao Renjie’s report, Leng Lingxiao’s expression turned cold—it was no longer the smiling face from before. He wished he could make Jiang Kexin pay for her audacity in scheming against his Little Tangtang.

If it were that simple, he wouldn’t be Leng Lingxiao.

He was definitely going to make her pay back double.

Thus, Leng Lingxiao’s expression shifted inadvertently, and his thin lips curved slightly: "This Qin Feng... is quite interesting, not as simple as he seems!"

"He probably doesn’t want to invite trouble, so he deliberately leaked the news to us. People like them... have faster information than tabloid journalists, I’m afraid they already know about you and the lady’s certificate."

"No, it’s not that. There’s someone else behind him."

Zhao Renjie suddenly realized: "Do you suspect Qin Feng... works for Wang Junchen?"

"Before Tangtang came to Chicheng, how many times had you seen Shen Shiyi’s people? Recently... it seems to have become more frequent, from the beach resort to Huanhai Road’s villa district, didn’t they just go to the commercial street area yesterday?"

Zhao Renjie nodded: "Yes, indeed, those places... What about Jiang Kexin? How should we handle her?"

In fact, that was what he was most concerned about.

It would be best to deal with her once and for all.

"What’s the rush? They’ve set up a stage and exerted so much effort... they should finish the show, right? If we go later, wouldn’t everyone be happier?"

"Yes, I’ll make the arrangements now."

With that, Zhao Renjie quickly left, followed closely by the two bodyguards, and the others in the kitchen returned to their posts, some busy cleaning breakfast utensils, others preparing for lunch.

They all moved very quietly, even more so than before, wishing they could become invisible.

They weren’t clear about what had just happened, only noticing that Leng Lingxiao’s brows were furrowed as he stared at the clay pot without moving, seemingly in a bad mood.

It wasn’t until five minutes later that a resonant male voice broke the silence; Shen Yiming had arrived.

"Wow, you really are here!"

Leng Lingxiao glanced at him and casually picked up a cloth, lifting the lid of the clay pot: "What’s up?"

"Wow, that smells so good. So you skipped breakfast to save room for something better?" Shen Yiming deliberately leaned in to take a whiff and then sported a mischievous grin, "Look at you, already starting to nourish yourself?"

Leng Lingxiao turned off the heat, tossed the cloth aside, and raised an eyebrow: "Changed your mind about diving, have you?"

Oops, seems like he’s annoyed.

Shen Yiming quickly picked up the cloth, carefully transferred the clay pot to a tray that had been prepared in advance, and then inquired cheerfully: "The esteemed lady has agreed, is everything ready on that front?"

The topic was forcibly shifted; in truth, Leng Lingxiao wasn’t really angry, just teasing him.

He knew his own friend well.

"Hmm, that little fan of yours... should probably arrive by noon. If Tangtang, when the time comes..."

Who would have known, Leng Lingxiao only paused, but Shen Yiming suddenly took a half step back and blurted out loudly: "I am a good man, don’t you set me up!"

As soon as his words fell, the ears of everyone else in the kitchen perked up.