Chapter 155: Someone Else Behind the Scenes?

Chapter 155: Chapter 155: Someone Else Behind the Scenes?

After leaving Coco and the others, Ouyang Mingruo was consumed by guilt. "Why didn’t I believe Zhang Yun?" she wondered.

Even when she had taken the initiative, he had restrained himself and behaved perfectly. Would he really go looking for a 1,200-yuan hooker? Taking a step back, Zhang Yun had been living in Tianxin Village before this. How could he possibly have had the opportunity to come here and spend money? How could he be a seasoned regular at brothels?

Remembering how he had followed her to explain and how she had refused to listen, Mingruo knocked hard on her own head.

She didn’t even know why she had been so angry earlier. Was it a desire for purity? Disappointment? Or... had she subconsciously started caring too much? She couldn’t explain it herself. Perhaps, in that moment, she was just like any other girl—instinctively throwing a little petulant tantrum, waiting for him to explain and coax her.

"Why didn’t you explain?" Mingruo muttered as she picked up her phone. "Even if I wouldn’t listen, you could have just said a few words, you petty guy..."

Zhang Yun still hadn’t replied to her messages.

"Could he be... too disappointed in me?" she thought. "He saved me so many times, and even when we lay in bed together, he treated me with the utmost respect. Yet, I didn’t believe him. I misunderstood him based on just a few words, and I even got angry... He must be disappointed!"

At this thought, Ouyang Mingruo couldn’t bear it anymore. She immediately called him on video. Unfortunately, after ringing for a long time, Zhang Yun didn’t answer. WeChat prompted, "The recipient’s phone may not be with them at the moment. Please try again later."

"Answer the phone!" she yelled, stomping her feet.

However, she wasn’t an ordinary girl. Although she had momentarily lost her composure, she forced herself to calm down and analyze the situation rationally. He had said that since he was already here, he would wander around for a bit. This meant he wasn’t in a hurry to go back!

But where would he wander? Men usually had little interest in strolling through shopping malls, so he was probably going to check out some famous tourist attractions. Since he hadn’t even eaten breakfast yet, it was unlikely that he would head straight there.

Where would he choose if he were to eat breakfast right now?

Zhang Yun was alone, so naturally, he wouldn’t go to a traditional tea house or restaurant. It would probably be an affordable fast-food joint! Since he was unfamiliar with the area, it wouldn’t be easy to find a small local breakfast stall nearby. The easiest ones to spot would naturally be KFC or McDonald’s.

Having filtered out this information, Ouyang Mingruo quickly recalled the specific locations of the two restaurants nearby and hurried over.

Before she even reached KFC, Mingruo’s phone rang. She was thrilled, almost blurting out Zhang Yun’s name, but the caller turned out to be her father.

"Dad, is something wrong?" she asked.

Ouyang Kunpeng immediately sensed his daughter’s lack of enthusiasm and quickly asked, "You’re okay, right?"

"I’m fine. Why are you calling...?"

Ouyang Kunpeng’s tone instantly grew serious. "The investigation results are in. Qilin’s children, who were studying abroad, suddenly disappeared yesterday. His wife has also vanished without a trace, with no trackable records of any kind left behind."

Ouyang Mingruo frowned. "It seems this was arranged in advance. Aunt Lvniang and the others... they must have known about this too."

The promise to spare Ouyang Qilin’s wife and children last night was based on the principle of targeting only the actual culprit and not letting misfortune fall on innocent families. If they had been unaware, they naturally could have lived the rest of their lives in peace and prosperity. But the moment Ouyang Qilin died, the overnight investigation revealed that his children overseas had immediately gone into hiding, and his wife at home had vanished!

This proved that Ouyang Qilin had arranged a contingency plan and that someone was helping him handle the aftermath. Even if his family hadn’t known the cause, they now definitely knew that Ouyang Kunpeng was responsible for his death!

Both fell silent. Logically speaking, Ouyang Qilin shouldn’t have taken this step. It completely blocked his wife and children’s way out, forcing the other side to wipe them all out to prevent future revenge.

"If he arranged this in advance, there was no need for him to go to his death so readily last night; he could have fought to the bitter end. I now suspect there’s another major force pushing things from behind," Ouyang Kunpeng said.

Ouyang Mingruo had already provided her father with all the information she had. But if Ouyang Qilin had merely been using her as a blade, what she knew was only the surface. She likely had no idea about the deeper core or his allies.

However, it wasn’t hard to guess. "There aren’t many people Aunt Lvniang and the others would trust," she said softly.

"The most likely possibility is Liu Lvniang’s family," he replied. "The Liu Family might have played the role of adding fuel to the fire behind the scenes."

"Her brother, Liu Yandao, is not a simple man," Ouyang Mingruo added, further narrowing down the target.

"Qilin plotted for years," Ouyang Kunpeng said in a deep voice. "It’s hard to say if it’s just Liu Yandao alone; the Liu Family definitely has a huge influence. Since they’ve hidden his family away, their next step will be a counterattack. They will strike simultaneously on both the moral high ground and beneath the surface!"

"Understood."

Ouyang Qilin had been forced to jump into a sea of fire by Ouyang Kunpeng. If this information was exposed, no matter the justification, it would deal a heavy blow to Ouyang Kunpeng’s reputation! Of course, if he was powerful enough to weather the storm, he would be like Yong Zheng or Li Shimin.

But the underhanded tactics would be even harder to guard against! Even if all the Thugs and assassins raised by Ouyang Qilin were dead, what about the Liu Family’s? Liu Yandao could always hire unrelated professional assassins.

Now, the enemy was in the shadows while they were in the open. Ouyang Kunpeng’s entire family had become targets!

"I’ll arrange our defenses, but it’s impossible to guard against everything. Ask Zhang Yun to stay for a while. With him by your side, I can feel a bit more at ease..."

Ouyang Mingruo, who had been seriously discussing business, suddenly became depressed.

"What’s wrong?" Even though she hadn’t spoken, Ouyang Kunpeng sensed her mood.

"Zhang Yun... he left," Ouyang Mingruo said softly.

"Left? Weren’t you two just... Did something happen this morning?" Ouyang Kunpeng asked gently, having already figured out the reason behind his daughter’s low spirits.

While on the phone, Ouyang Mingruo had already walked outside KFC. She peered through the glass, scanning the inside over and over, but there was no sign of Zhang Yun. She wanted to head to McDonald’s instead, but she was afraid he might just be coming out of the restroom, and she would miss him.

She had no such Experience and didn’t have anyone convenient to discuss this with. After hesitating for a moment, she told her father what had happened.

"It’s fine, just a little misunderstanding. Just explain it to him clearly; Zhang Yun isn’t a petty person. I think..."

"Think what?" Ouyang Mingruo pressed eagerly.

Ouyang Kunpeng sighed. "There’s a vast difference in status between you two, and he understands this. He is more rational than you. Even if you’re passionate right now, it wouldn’t last long in the end. He seems like someone who values feelings deeply, so by avoiding the start, he can avoid future heartache. He took advantage of your misunderstanding to just leave."

Ouyang Mingruo said in annoyance, "What difference? Isn’t this just you stirring things up? You sought him out alone at the hospital, and you had Dong Junwu bring cash to his house. You know exactly what you were trying to do!"

"Don’t misunderstand; I don’t despise him for being poor. This kind of gap isn’t about money; it’s a comprehensive difference in childhood environment, values, habits, and social circles. Being from the same world seems to be about matching social status on the surface, but in reality, it’s about all these comprehensive aspects."

Ouyang Mingruo fell silent. She understood this logic too. Just as Zhang Yun had said that walking barefoot wouldn’t turn her into a village girl, even if Zhang Yun put on a designer suit, he would still be completely out of place in her social circle.

"You can either let go now, before anything has started, so you both can be well on your own. Or you can have a grand and passionate romance, and worry about the rest later... It’s up to you, and I’ll support you either way. I can arrange for someone else to protect you."

Ouyang Kunpeng offered his advice and expressed his support, but the final decision was still up to Ouyang Mingruo herself.

Should she really let Zhang Yun go?