Chapter 138: Malicious Intent [Part Two]

"Your clothes are not suitable; they look too juvenile. Not good."

"Your trousers need to be changed too. They are way too baggy and look frivolous."

"You need a suit, and a pair of leather shoes..."

"Hmm, it still feels like something is missing. Ah, got it..."

After having his hair cut and receiving makeup, Yuan Yuqing took him to a clothing boutique where she picked out a deep blue suit, a purple tie, a pair of Crocodile leather shoes, and gold-rimmed glasses...

Dressed on the spot, Zhang Ye's entire appearance underwent a dramatic transformation. The original student vibe seemed to have been refined by the passage of time, exuding the unique, sophisticated aura of a mature man.

Although his youthful skin and vibrant energy could not be entirely concealed by makeup, his weary heart and wise disposition gave him a steady, natural composure with every move, adding even more charm.

"Alright, then." Yuan Yuqing nodded with satisfaction, linked her arm through Zhang Ye's, and then hopped into the car, driving straight to a café.

"Yuqing, you're finally... here." Just as they stepped into the café, a medium-height man wearing a black suit, with his hair heavily styled in gel and the quintessential look of a successful professional, stood up. He took two steps forward, only to freeze the moment he saw Zhang Ye standing beside Yuan Yuqing and holding her hand. The smile on his face instantly stiffened.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Let me make introductions. This is my boyfriend, Zhang Ye. And this is Deng Guxing, who grew up in the same neighborhood as me and took good care of me when we were kids." Yuan Yuqing introduced them, seemingly completely oblivious to the odd expression on Deng Guxing's face.

"Hello." Zhang Ye secretly forced a bitter smile, having no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward with a polite, smiling handshake.

"Yuqing, you still love making jokes." Deng Guxing's face remained somewhat rigid. As if completely ignoring Zhang Ye's outstretched hand, he directly motioned for Yuan Yuqing to sit down. "You didn't go back home for the New Year either. Blame my busy work schedule for not being able to come and see you. But it's fine now, things over there have basically come to an end, and I finally have some free time."

"I am not joking." Yuan Yuqing deftly sidestepped Deng Guxing's reaching hand and said with absolute seriousness, "He is my boyfriend. We have been dating for over three months now." She then affectionately grabbed Zhang Ye's still-outstretched hand, rescuing him from his awkwardness.

Zhang Ye offered a faint smile, wrapping his arm around Yuan Yuqing's waist so that she leaned completely against him. Only then did he raise his head and speak: "Mr. Deng, please have a seat." Taking the initiative, Zhang Ye didn't wait for Deng Guxing to respond, pulling Yuan Yuqing down to sit right beside him. The two sat very close together, presenting an intimate picture.

The smile on Deng Guxing's face grew even stiffer, his eyes fixed dead on Zhang Ye's hand resting around Yuan Yuqing's waist.

Sensitive by nature, Yuan Yuqing felt her heart skip a beat. Without a trace, she shot Zhang Ye a glare before slowly reaching out to wrap her arm around his waist as well. However, the moment her hand landed on his waist, it slid downward, pinching the soft flesh and giving it a slight twist.

Zhang Ye's expression flickered for a fraction of a second before he calmly smiled and waved at a nearby waiter. "Two lattes to start, please. Thank you." Only then did he add, with a slightly apologetic tone, "I wasn't sure what Mr. Deng preferred, so I didn't order for you."

"Just bring me a cup of black tea will do." After speaking to the departing waiter, Deng Guxing smiled and said, "No worries... May I ask what Mr. Zhang does for a living? You don't look very old." As the boss of a large company, he still possessed plenty of social poise and immediately launched a subtle probe and attack against Zhang Ye.

Despite the makeover, it was still impossible to completely mask the youthful trace on Zhang Ye's face. At the very least, he looked extremely young, seemingly only twenty-two or twenty-three years old.

Of course, Deng Guxing would never admit that Zhang Ye was more handsome than he was.

"Haha, I can't compare to a big boss like Mr. Deng, pulling in hundreds of thousands a day. I'm just a minor author, spending some time every day writing to earn meager royalties, barely scraping by. But the upside is that it's relaxed, leaving me with plenty of time to accompany Xiao Qing." Zhang Ye smiled faintly, deliberately emphasizing the diminutive "Xiao Qing" to sound even more intimate.

"Oh, well you better work hard then. Without a certain level of financial standing, you won't be stepping through the doors of the Yuan family." Deng Guxing laughed heartily, and then turned to Yuan Yuqing with a feigned expression of curiosity. "Yuan Hua probably doesn't know about you two yet, does he? That kid opened a construction engineering company in Longshui County, and I heard he's pulling in millions a year—he's really making something of himself. And what about your mother? The Lichuan Group seems to be expanding into Modu. Truly worthy of being the person I admire the most, building an enterprise of that scale in just over a decade..."

Zhang Ye's mouth stiffened slightly. Lichuan Group... This was one of the premier massive conglomerates in Guangyang City, dealing primarily in hotels, restaurants, tea, and even porcelain... And it was founded by Sister Yuan's mother?

As for that Yuan Hua, he was evidently related to Yuan Yuqing—her younger brother? A construction engineering company?

"Such a vicious mind," Zhang Ye muttered to himself. For Deng Guxing to explicitly drop Yuan Yuqing's background and family status like this was a move of profound malice.

If Yuan Yuqing had mentioned her background to Zhang Ye beforehand, then Zhang Ye's motives for pursuing her would inevitably be called into question. And if she hadn't clarified it beforehand, this revelation could plant a seed of distrust between the couple, or even directly use overwhelming power and influence to pressure Zhang Ye into backing down out of feelings of inferiority...

"Impressive," Zhang Ye had to admit.

However, Deng Guxing's remarks had clearly missed their mark. Or rather, for both Zhang Ye and Yuan Yuqing, they were utterly useless.

Because the two of them were in a fake relationship to begin with. No matter how formidable Yuan Yuqing's family background was, it didn't hold much personal consequence for Zhang Ye.

Having been reborn, he had never intended to rely on anyone else to achieve success. Compared to others who might have traveled a smoother path after rebirth, perhaps someone else could have done far better than him, but he possessed his own persistence and self-confidence. He would never fall behind others, and at the very least, his future was something he could forge himself.

With this thought, Zhang Ye relaxed his mind. Squinting slightly at Deng Guxing, he smiled and said, "There's no need for Mr. Deng to trouble yourself over that. We can handle our own affairs."

"Heh, perhaps," Deng Guxing retorted with a dry laugh before falling silent.

Naturally, this meal could no longer proceed normally. The mutual unwillingness to interact was one aspect, but Yuan Yuqing's almost blatant rejection was the direct catalyst that ruined Deng Guxing's good mood.

Naturally, he felt too embarrassed to linger any longer. Making up a flimsy excuse, he left without having eaten much at all.

Watching Deng Guxing depart, Zhang Ye let out a sigh of relief while simultaneously furrowing his brow.

Yuan Yuqing and her circle's judgment was flawed. This guy was definitely not a good person.