âSis, let me ask you something. Do you know any experts?â
âI know a few. What do you need them for? Doubting my professional skills?â
Cao Zijin replied, âNot quite. I just need someone to help me with something. I was thinking of finding someone to rough up Ye Aotian a bit.â
âYou ⦠while I do have connections with his family, itâs not really appropriate to discuss this in front of me.â
âAh, I forgot.â
Tao Xiaoyao chuckled.
âNo problem. Donât worry. As long as thereâs no danger to his life, itâs fine.â
Cao Zijin nodded. âGood. So, will you do it?â
âIâll do it, sure. Whatâs the plan?â
âNothing fancy. Once heâs drunk, just knock him out and get him to a hotel room. No need to stick around after that.â
Tao Xiaoyao was shocked.
âYou ⦠you canât actually like him, right?â
âSis, do you really think I have such poor taste? Falling for a dog?â
âSo, you just knock him out and leave the rest alone?â
âExactly. Just knock him out. Iâll handle the rest. By the way, introduce me to a few more people.â
âI donât really know any thugs. I mostly work solo. You could ask someone else.â
Cao Zijin nodded and sent Lin Qingyue a message.
âAre you that bored?â
âNot really. I just have something to ask you. Need a few people.â
â⦠What are you up to? Why are you asking me for people? Did I mishear, or are you about to do something big?â
âItâs important. Itâs not to harm Chen Fan, itâs for dealing with Ye Aotian.â
âTell me exactly, or I wonât help.â
Cao Zijin sighed, âFine, Iâll explain. Keep it quiet, though.â
After she explained briefly, Lin Qingyue was initially stunned, then shocked, and finally sent back a thumbs-up emoji.
âSo, how many people?â
âThree should be enough.â
âEnough? I can give you ten to be sure. Theyâre all fresh faces. Rest assured, theyâll be reliable.â
âNo, three will do. Iâll handle the rest. Donât worry.â
Lin Qingyue didnât question further.
After ending the call, Cao Zijin walked over to Fei Fei and said, âPlaying with your little boyfriend?â
âItâs alright. Why? You seem different today.â
âNothing. Just have a drink.â
âAlright.â
After downing over a dozen bottles, Fei Fei was reaching his limit.
The director, meanwhile, left with the girls, and Ye Aotian, feeling a bit dazed, yawned and urged everyone to head home.
Cao Zijin left early. But she didnât go far; instead, she waited quietly in the car.
Once Ye Aotian came out, Tao Xiaoyao ambushed him at the corner, knocking him unconscious.
Cao Zijin arrived and asked, âWill he wake up?â
âNo, if you donât want him to wake up tonight, just give him some meds.â
âHuh? Isnât that a bit much? And where would I even get that stuff?â
âI saw you slip something to Fei Fei. I donât know what youâre planning, but donât go too far. You can mess with someone, but donât humiliate them.â
âRight. I know. Itâs not humiliating if heâs unaware, right?â
Tao Xiaoyao nodded.
After taking a pill from Cao Zijin, she gave it to Ye Aotian.
âWhatâs next?â
âTake him to a specific room. Donât worry about anything else; just sit back and let things unfold.â
âAlright. Are you going home now, or â¦?â
âOf course, Iâm going home. Itâs so late. What would I do here, watch the show?â
Tao Xiaoyao didnât ask further.
The night was deep, and No. 7 watched everything with a sense of disbelief. She had underestimated how much of a villain Cao Zijin was. Compared to her, Chen Fan was practically a saint.
Just glancing at the scene made her shiver. She couldnât bear to look any further.
It was simple, really. In the room, Ye Aotian was unconscious. As for Fei Fei, he had been drugged by Cao Zijin.
And now, he seemed to have lost all rationality.
The gathering had ended around ten.
By midnight, Ling Xiaoyun, sensing something amiss, began investigating. He finally tracked down the hotel room, and when he opened the door, he was first shocked, then confused, and finally disgusted.
Quickly closing the door, he found a trash bin and vomited. He was utterly revolted. What should he do? How was he supposed to handle this?
This was just ⦠who could even think of something so malicious? Why so cruel? You could kill Ye Aotian, but not humiliate him.
After a while, Ling Xiaoyun checked the time. It was about 1:30 a.m.
He forced himself back into the room, suppressing his nausea, and wrapped a man in a bed sheet before carrying him out.
As for Ye Aotian, he didnât bother. He simply tossed a blanket over him and left.
Better to pretend nothing happened; this way, at least, heâd live on. He worried that if Ye Aotian ever discovered what had happened, he might never recover.
Or he might even end it all.
***
That night, Chen Fan sat in the living room with his legs crossed, watching Cao Zijin as she returned and asked, âWas it fun?â
Cao Zijin chuckled sheepishly. âUm, sorry, I came back a bit late. Got carried away having fun.â
Chen Fan immediately stood up, grabbed her by the neck, and said, âAre you looking to die? How many times have I told you to do your job right and not embarrass me? What did you do tonight?â
Cao Zijin looked distressed. âI ⦠it was just routine, just some drinks. You know how it is on set.â
âOh, you needed to, huh? Do you not understand that youâre going to marry me? And youâre already planning to disgrace the Chen family?â
âNo, I really didnât mean to. I just ⦠well, I wanted to help you, to make things difficult for Ye Aotian.â
Upstairs, Zhu Yeqing had already changed clothes, watching Cao Zijin in anger. Why couldnât she just stick to the script? The young masterâs angry outbursts were quite fun to watch, and now itâs ruinedâhow annoying.
But the young master was truly strong; he actually lifted her off the ground.
Chen Fan eventually let go. He could tell something was off with this woman.