Chapter 644 - 647: The Suspect

Chapter 644: Chapter 647: The Suspect

The Cai family's courtyard was much quieter than Yang Chen had imagined, and the place was not very large. Only two or three maids were helping with daily chores, and there were no soldiers guarding the premises. Given Cai Yuncheng's military rank, the setup was rather modest.

Cai Yan was very excited to see her sister and grabbed Cai Ning's arm, leading her into the living room while chattering about the interrogations and cases she had resolved in Zhonghai over the past few days, as if seeking praise.

Cai Ning just smiled and listened to her sister's chatter, occasionally responding with a word or two. This indifferent response seemed to be well-received.

In the living room, Cai Yuncheng, dressed in a casual white shirt, was sitting on a rosewood chair reading a military newspaper. When he saw Cai Ning bringing Yang Chen in, he slowly got up and smiled, saying, "You're right on time. We were just about to have dinner."

"Dad! I missed you so much!"

Cai Yan let go of her sister and threw herself into Cai Yuncheng's arms, hugging him tightly like a little girl.

Cai Yuncheng seemed a bit helpless, standing there like a wooden stake while his daughter hugged him. He gave a wry smile to Yang Chen, who was no stranger to the family. This meeting was more of a formality.

Yang Chen was a bit stunned; he had never seen Cai Yan act so spoiled. He momentarily forgot to greet Cai Yuncheng, his soon-to-be father-in-law.

Noticing Yang Chen's reaction, Cai Ning said softly, "Surprised, aren't you? Yan Yan has always been like a child who never grows up."

Yang Chen's mind snapped back to the present. Looking at the woman beside him, who was as calm as a gentle breeze, he felt a bit lost in thought. From the moment they met, the thought of her being forced to marry Yong Ye because of him weighed heavily on his mind.

"Are you alright?" Yang Chen hesitated before asking.

Cai Ning was momentarily taken aback but then smiled lightly. "What do you mean?"

"I heard from Yan Yan. I know you don't like Yong Ye. You didn't have to go to such lengths. I could have taken all the responsibility. They can't do anything to me," Yang Chen said seriously.

Cai Ning shook her head. "Why make things complicated? It's just a marriage. This way, everyone can be at peace. Even if we marry, I'll still be doing my job in the Yellow Flame Iron Brigade. Whether I like him or not doesn't matter to me."

Yang Chen was speechless, not expecting Cai Ning to take everything so lightly. He felt uneasy, though he couldn't pinpoint why it bothered him so much.

"Can you tell me why you helped me?" Yang Chen finally asked.

Cai Ning laughed nonchalantly. "I told you before; you saved my life. I owe you. And since Yan Yan has decided to be with you, you're part of our family. I only have one sister. I haven't taken care of her much growing up. Helping the person she loves, who also saved my life, seems worth it. It's nothing."

Yang Chen felt a pang of emotion in his heart. He was contemplating how to persuade Cai Ning to abandon the idea when he heard footsteps from inside.

"Stop chattering and come eat."

Yang Chen asked puzzledly, "Have I done anything to trouble you?"

"The matter with the Azure Dragon Society should be settled by now," Cai Yuncheng asked directly.

Yang Chen squinted. As expected, everything he did was still under the Yellow Flame Iron Brigade's surveillance. He smiled and said, "Does General Cai think I would help the Azure Dragon Society expand or something?"

Cai Yuncheng didn't deny it. "Although your nature wouldn't allow that, Liu Qingshan's daughter is one of your lovers. You're not as straightforward with women as you are with men. I just want to confirm. Liu Qingshan is a formidable figure, and you should already be aware of that. I hope you don't interfere with Yan Capital's mundane affairs. You should know you're a sensitive figure now. If you do anything reckless, attracting attention from certain quarters, no one can help you. On a personal note, I don't want my daughter's man to get into trouble."

Yang Chen shrugged. "Thanks for your honesty, but some things are unavoidable. Even if I don't provoke certain people, certain things will come to me. I'll just do my best not to involve those around me."

Cai Yuncheng sighed. "That's not a reassuring answer."

"Let's not talk about this. Let's discuss something more relevant," Yang Chen said with a laugh. "General Cai, your wife seems to have quite an issue with me. This isn't going to work if we're going to be a family. We need to get along, right?"

Cai Yuncheng smiled. "Your aunt is just like that. She always hoped her daughters would marry well. Now, you've made Yan Yan your secret lover, and she can't reject it, so of course, she's not going to be friendly with you. Actually, her attitude towards Yong Ye is much better. After all, Yong Ye is from the Li family. His parents, Li Xin and Guo Yali, come from prominent families and are high-ranking officials. So, even though Ning'er is being forced to marry him, your aunt is somewhat satisfied with this match."

"What are you trying to say?" Yang Chen asked, frowning.

Cai Yuncheng smiled and said, "It's quite simple. The reason she doesn't treat you well is because, in her eyes, you're just a rogue. Due to my position, I can't tell her your real background. If you want her to stop targeting you, the most direct way is to solidify your identity as the eldest grandson of the Yang family. If you do that, she will like you even more than Yong Ye. Even as a lover, being the lover of the future heir of the Yang family is a very respectable status."

Yang Chen decisively waved his hand, "Forget it. Such a proposal is completely meaningless. Anyway, I won't blush about it. Let's just leave it as it is."

Cai Yuncheng shook his head helplessly. He still very much hoped Yang Chen would return to the Yang family. After all, if Yang Chen became a central figure in Yanxia, Hongmeng would trust him more, and the safety of Yang Chen and those around him would be well ensured. Unfortunately, this young man's stubbornness far exceeded his expectations.

Cai Yuncheng had to change the subject, "Have you made any progress on the Tang family's poisoning incident?"

Yang Chen raised his head in confusion, "You're the head of an intelligence organization. Why are you asking me?"

Cai Yuncheng smiled wryly, "Although we have an intelligence network, circles like the four major families are not easy to infiltrate. If we knew who poisoned Tang Zhechen and Tang Wan, we would have caught them already. Letting the culprit continue to operate only causes more problems. If the Tang family is destabilized, many important industries in Yanxia will suffer greatly."

"Surely you have some suspects," Yang Chen said knowingly.

Cai Yuncheng tapped the table with his hand, "Without evidence, we can only speculate."

"I'm in the same boat. I'm waiting for evidence or, rather, I need a genuine background," Yang Chen replied.

Just as Cai Yuncheng was about to ask something, a servant's voice came from outside the study.

"General Cai, Young Master Yong Ye from the Li family is here. He says he's taking the eldest lady to take wedding photos and is already in the main hall."