Villain – Peeking at the Diary, the Female Leads’ Personas Collapse

She had fought Chen Changsheng before, and they’d been evenly matched. She knew that clearly.
But … the scene before her didn’t make sense. The look of terror in his eyes before death, the fractures in his bones … it seemed as though he’d simply watched as someone snapped his neck and resigned himself to his fate.
“Take my daughter to the infirmary. I’ll handle Chen Changsheng’s body,” Tao Xiaoyao instructed.
“I want them all dead!”
“Oh, stop yelling. Just get moving.”
Chen Fan groaned in acknowledgment, understanding that his performance had to end soon. He carried Mu Jinli and left the scene.
In truth, Chen Fan was still somewhat concerned—
Ling Xiaoyun brought Ye Aotian back to the Ling family home, where a few people were already tending to his injuries with urgency. The elder inspected Ye Aotian’s wounds and said, “Hmm, it shouldn’t be anything serious; no bones or tendons were damaged.”
“Good. I got there a bit late and didn’t expect so many people to show up.”
So many people?
“It’s certain that Chen Fan would find people to teach Ye Aotian a lesson. But where did he find so many experts? Isn’t the number of powerful people in Ye Aotian’s family in Qincheng well-known? Did Zhu Yeqing make a move?”
“No, I hadn’t seen them before; they all looked unfamiliar.”
“Did the butler bring them?”
“Not sure, but the butler isn’t as powerful as me. Each of these people was exceptionally strong, and they didn’t hold back at all. It was clear they aimed to cripple him.”
The elder sighed and said, “It’s hard to tell who they were. Could they have been sent by the Grand Duke? I remember Anna is supposed to be busy running her gym, without any contact with Ye Aotian?”
“I’m not sure, but there was still some benefit—Ye Aotian broke through.”
“A breakthrough is good, but he needs to slow down. If he keeps this up, he’s burning his life force; he won’t last long.”
That was indeed true; the situation with Xiao Lan had shown that Ye Aotian’s health was already deteriorating.
“Only, Chen Changsheng is dead.”
“What did you say? Chen Changsheng—the missing traitor of the Chen family?”
“You know?”
“Of course I know. Chen Changsheng belonged to another branch of the Chen family, and he was ruthless. He practiced a longevity cultivation method, which takes time but is very effective. Even I could barely match him. If we fought to the death, I’d surely be the one to die.”
“That … strong?”
“The core of his power is his endless internal energy, continuous and unending. Most of those who fought him died of exhaustion. But you said he died? That’s hard to believe. He could have escaped in time—even a first-grade practitioner could, unless faced with someone beyond first rank.”
“Beyond first rank? What level is that exactly? Elder, could you explain?”
“To put it simply, those beyond first rank are no longer human in terms of physical capabilities. A simple test would be if a person could pierce steel with their fingers.”
“But for Chen Changsheng to be involved doesn’t seem realistic. However, with the power of the Chen family, finding someone beyond first rank isn’t difficult. They likely stepped in to protect Chen Fan, as Chen Changsheng genuinely planned to kill him. It’s a pity that the longevity cultivation method won’t be passed down.”
Such a high-level figure, suddenly dead. And yet, there he was, entertaining thoughts of defying Chen Fan?
Thinking back, Ling Xiaoyun felt a lingering fear. This was the Chen family, such a colossal power. How could they not protect their own children?
Who would believe they wouldn’t protect their sole heir?
Before, he had foolishly believed that the Chen family would stick to the rules. But the Chen family wouldn’t break rules because
controlled the rules. Only those who control the rules are qualified to speak about following them or not.
Ye Aotian slowly opened his eyes, sat up, and said, “Thank you, Ling Xiaoyun. Thank you for saving me.”
“I was late; I missed a few things.”
“It’s fine. I was careless. But there was an upside—this breakthrough means I won’t be so helpless next time. And Chen Fan, I think, didn’t come out unscathed either.”
Ling Xiaoyun briefly recounted what had happened, and Ye Aotian pondered it for a long time before saying, “That old man likely wouldn’t have attacked me directly; otherwise, if he wanted to, none of us would have survived.”
Ling Xiaoyun was curious. What had happened to his sister to make her so hostile toward Ye Aotian?
“I’ve spent these past few days learning the basics. I think I can apply for my medical practitioner’s license early. I should be able to pass.”
“Really?”
Ye Aotian nodded and said, “Yes, Gao Zifeng was willing to help me. He told me that the Chinese Medicine Association’s exam content is relatively fixed, and he even gave me practice materials. I’ve already completed most of them. When the time comes, it’ll just be a formality. I didn’t expect to earn Gao Zifeng’s recognition.”
The elder commented, “Gao Zifeng is indeed impressive. With his help, your company should improve significantly. And your longevity soup is excellent. Many people need it, so making it your main product will not only help recover the company’s stock but may also take it to a higher level.”
“Absolutely. The only thing I’m not sure about is Chen Fan’s company.”
The elder responded, “In Qincheng, one pharmacy is enough. Two aren’t necessary. If you succeed, it’ll be difficult for Chen Fan to compete; stock drops are inevitable.”
“Hahaha, Chen Fan, just wait. I’ll slowly eat away at your business. Wait and see.”
The elder cautioned, “But be careful around the Chinese Medicine Association. They’re not easy to deal with; they’ve formed cliques, and many Chinese medicine practitioners look down on the association, especially the current vice president. Without money, you’re unlikely to get in.”
“Pay? No way. It’s just a small association. I’ll change it myself. Trust me; I’m in better shape than ever.”
Ling Xiaoyun wondered, could it be that this guy was really becoming a eunuch? Isn’t there a saying, “When the heart has no woman, the sword becomes divine”?
Honestly, Ling Xiaoyun felt a little sorry for Ye Aotian. He was the unluckiest person he’d ever seen, and he began to suspect that those thugs were sent by the woman Ye Aotian had his eye on.
After all, only women like that would go to such lengths.
But looking at Ye Aotian’s confident demeanor, he seemed to be saying, “All these women are mine. The ones I like naturally love me, so why would they harm me?”