C6 Intimate Address

After Tang Ye settled into the car, he sent off a quick message before closing his eyes to recharge.

He didn't inquire about their destination, but it seemed they were headed to Spring Meadow, a top-tier restaurant in Zluftin owned by Lei Ming.

They arrived shortly.

As Tang Ye stepped out of the car, his phone began to ring.

The tall man was right beside him. Both he and his companion were Lei Ming's most trusted men, tasked with ensuring Tang Ye's attendance at the restaurant. To prevent any change of heart from Tang Ye, they consciously positioned themselves to his left and right. From this proximity, a glance was all it took to catch sight of Tang Ye's phone screen.

The number that flashed on the screen startled both men.

Was that really a call from Lyi Banruo?

"Should Mr. Tang take the call first?" the taller man suggested cautiously.

"No need, let's go." Tang Ye set his phone to vibrate and proceeded into Spring Meadow.

What did this mean? Ignoring a call from Lyi Banruo?

The two men had never interacted with Lyi Banruo, but her reputation for being cold and merciless was well-known throughout Zluftin. Anyone who crossed her was bound to face dire consequences. So, what was Tang Ye's story? What was his background, and who gave him the audacity not to take Lyi Banruo's call?

It was the peak of lunch hour.

Spring Meadow was bustling with patrons.

With its elegant Chinese decor, serene ambiance, and refined cuisine, the restaurant had become a prime spot for Zluftin's business community to convene. The clientele, all dignified figures, kept their conversations at a respectful volume, ensuring that even a full house on the ground floor wasn't overly noisy.

Upon entering, the taller man led Tang Ye directly to the Eternal Spring room on the second floor.

The room's doors were wide open, and Lei Ming, who had been seated, immediately rose and welcomed Tang Ye with a warm smile.

"Mr. Tang, please come in."

"Sure." Tang Ye nonchalantly chose a seat and sat down.

The tall and short duo approached Lei Ming and murmured a few words into his ear. Tang Ye didn't have to guess to know they were likely informing Lei Ming about his recent refusal to take Lyi Banruo's call downstairs. As the pair exited the private room, Lei Ming's gaze towards Tang Ye subtly shifted. Initially, his look was merely courteous, but after learning of Tang Ye's dismissal of Lyi Banruo's call, Lei Ming's eyes took on an eager intensity.

"Mr. Tang, please enjoy some tea," Lei Ming offered, presenting the freshly brewed cup to Tang Ye with both hands.

Tang Ye accepted the cup and sampled the tea, nodding in approval. "Quite good," he remarked.

Lei Ming's tense demeanor eased slightly at the compliment.

His subordinate had just informed him that Mr. Lyi had courteously escorted Tang Ye from the Oceanview Hall. Furthermore, before Tang Ye's arrival at Spring Meadow, Lyi Banruo had attempted to call him, but Tang Ye hadn't answered. Lei Ming interpreted these events to mean that following his departure from the Oceanview Hall, Mr. Lyi and Tang Ye must have engaged in a significant private discussion. The outcome appeared to be that Mr. Lyi treated Tang Ye with great respect, to the extent that Tang Ye felt no obligation to answer Lyi Banruo's calls.

What did this imply?

It suggested that if Tang Ye so much as mentioned the orphanage land, Mr. Lyi would be at his mercy.

Put simply, Tang Ye had Lei Ming's fate firmly in his grasp.

"Mr. Tang, this is a token of my sincerity. I insist you accept it," Lei Ming said, retrieving a document folder from the chair and opening it. He extracted a contract and slid it towards Tang Ye.

Tang Ye hesitated briefly before taking the contract and reviewing it.

It was a share transfer agreement for Lei Ming's own social media company.

Tang Ye was familiar with the company, which boasted an annual profit of about two hundred million. Lei Ming was offering thirty percent of his shares for the nominal sum of one yuan. This meant that by simply signing the contract, Tang Ye could effortlessly earn tens of millions each year.

"The orphanage land is worth far more than this, isn't it?" Tang Ye concluded, snapping the contract shut and tossing it back onto the table. He looked up at Lei Ming, whose forehead was now beaded with sweat.

Lei Ming was once the dominant force in Zluftin.

Despite being a decade older than Tang Ye, Lei Ming found himself sweating profusely due to Tang Ye's words.

"Mr. Tang..." Lei Ming stammered, nervously rubbing his hands together.

"I made a total of 1.5 billion from the orphanage land deal. If it pleases you, Mr. Tang, I'll transfer the funds to your account immediately. I implore you to show leniency and not inform Mr. Lyi about this matter!"

He was all too familiar with Mr. Lyi's methods. If Mr. Lyi discovered he had gone against his wishes, Lei Ming would vanish from Zluftin within a day. Lei Ming wasn't one to choose wealth over his life, especially at his stature where proving himself was paramount, and money was merely a number.

What good is money if you've lost your life?

"I haven't mentioned the land to Lyi Tianzhao yet," Tang Ye remarked casually, checking his buzzing phone. It was Lyi Banruo calling. Without allowing the kneeling Lei Ming to rise, he answered Lyi Banruo's call with a chuckle, "If I don't pick up, will you keep calling indefinitely?"

"I need to see you," Lyi Banruo stated firmly.

"So eager to meet? Cut it out, I'm in the middle of something. I'll call you back when I'm free, sweetheart."

Tang Ye hung up before Lyi Banruo could respond, leaving Lei Ming on the ground utterly astonished.

Even without speakerphone, Lei Ming could hear the conversation clearly from such a close distance, and having met Lyi Banruo before, he recognized the voice of Zluftin's most beautiful woman.

Tang Ye had just called Lyi Banruo 'sweetheart'?

Such intimacy and endearment in his tone...

"Sorry about that, women can be quite a handful. Now, where were we?" Tang Ye pocketed his phone, maintaining an air of nonchalance.

The timely call from Lyi Banruo had done its job. Tang Ye was confident that Lei Ming, still kneeling, wouldn't dare cross him now.

"I was just talking about the orphanage land..." Lei Ming's mental defenses were on the verge of collapse.

Could Tang Ye possibly be Lyi Banruo's boyfriend?

Was the reason Lyi Tianzhao didn't recognize him because Lyi Banruo hadn't gone public with their relationship?

The thought plunged Lei Ming into a state of extreme fear, but once the fear subsided, he was ecstatic!

Luckily, he had never made an enemy of Tang Ye. From what he could tell, Tang Ye didn't seem difficult to talk to. This was his chance to personally connect with Lyi Banruo's boyfriend.

"The situation with the orphanage land is quite complex. If Mr. Tang is interested, I assure you I'll disclose everything without reservation," Lei Ming offered.

"I'm not interested in how much money was made from the land," Tang Ye said, shaking his head and giving Lei Ming a smile. "You were at Oceanview Hall, so you must have heard Mr. Lyi mention it, right? I was raised in that orphanage, brought up by the director. I'm aware you weren't present during the forced demolition of the orphanage; it was Wang Hao who led the team, wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was Wang Hao," Lei Ming admitted, mopping his brow.

Tang Ye let out a smile, stood up, and straightened his suit collar before concluding, "You're familiar with the rules of Zluftin. I need this man, and I need him alive."