Chapter 200

Chapter 200

Liu Ye stared at him.

All right. That truly was a simple and direct solution.

“So do you want us to save your grandfather or harm him?” the Driver asked.

“Neither. I simply suspect my grandfather may no longer be alive.”

John’s expression darkened. He had always doubted his family’s method of raising children. What kind of family deliberately severed all affection between children and their parents?

Some relatives barely saw their parents after birth. Then there were the increasingly frequent grave-relocation ceremonies. The ancestral grave had originally been moved only once every several years, but in recent years, the family had moved it nearly every year.

John had sent people to investigate but found nothing.

This mission, however, had given him an idea.

Liu Ye didn’t think nearly so deeply. He thumped his chest and promised John, “Don’t worry. Leave this to me. I guarantee I’ll save your grandfather and bring him back to life!”

The Driver fell silent.

That settled it. The man was essentially guaranteed to die.

Then another idea occurred to the Driver. Perhaps they could use this opportunity to short the Zhao Group’s stock and make Liu Ye a fortune.

“Liu Ye, how much money do you have right now?”

“A hundred and thirty yuan. Why?”

“Never mind.”

The Driver covered his face. That wasn’t even enough to enter the market.

Before long, the car turned into an enormous estate. Liu Ye had thought Zhao Hui’s villa was already huge, but compared with this place, it was nothing.

John led Liu Ye and the others out of the car and into the house. A man dressed as a steward immediately came over.

“Young Master John, you’ve returned.”

John nodded.

“Where is Second Uncle?”

“The Second Master is inside receiving guests.”

The words had barely left his mouth when a seasoned-looking man approached. This was John’s Second Uncle, Zhao Teng.

“John, you’re finally here. Your grandfather has been missing you terribly.”

“I’ve missed Grandfather too, but problems arose with a recent investment by the group, and I couldn’t get away. I hope Second Uncle will continue taking good care of him. After all, with Grandfather in your care, I have complete peace of mind.”

While the two exchanged pleasantries, Liu Ye whispered to the Driver, “Big Brother, why does their conversation feel so strange?”

They were only exchanging simple greetings, yet something felt wrong.

“They’re talking in circles. When Second Uncle says that, he means, ‘You unfilial brat. Your grandfather has been sick for so long, and you never came to visit.’ John responded by mentioning the hospital incident. Then he reminded Second Uncle that he has always been responsible for Grandfather, which means Grandfather’s illness is primarily his fault.”

The Driver seized the opportunity to educate Liu Ye.

“Watch how they speak. Clever people can’t be too direct with one another. If they say everything plainly, both sides lose face. Speaking this way leaves everyone room to maneuver. In our line of work, that matters even more. Never say anything too clearly. Let people guess. If they guess right, the credit belongs to us. If they guess wrong, they simply failed to understand.”

Enlightenment dawned on Liu Ye. He hurriedly committed the lesson to memory. Knowledge truly could be found everywhere in life.

Second Uncle’s hearty laughter sounded ahead.

“Hahaha! We’re all family. There’s no need for such courtesy. Come inside. I had the kitchen prepare the food, and we’ve all been waiting for you.”

Then he looked at Liu Ye and the other two.
“By the way, who are these gentlemen?”

“Allow me to introduce them. This is the fortune-teller I invited, Master Liu Ye. The other two are unimportant attendants.”

Xiaoshuai and the Driver fell silent.

“Liu Ye?”

The moment Second Uncle heard the name, alarm flashed through his heart. He instantly widened the distance between himself and John.

The Driver covered his face. The kid’s reputation had spread across the entire galaxy.

Second Uncle had clearly heard of Liu Ye.

He desperately wanted to ask why John had brought the man here. Had John truly decided there was no room for Second Uncle and intended to perish together with him? Surely that wasn’t necessary. Second Uncle plainly held the advantage at present. Or had John discovered something?

“Second Uncle, you’re being rude,” John said coolly.

What a joke. Put Liu Ye in front of any member of Huicheng’s upper class and see whether they remembered their manners.

Still, members of the Zhao family could not abandon basic etiquette.

“So this is Master Liu! I’ve long looked up to you! I’ve long looked up to you!”

Second Uncle extended a trembling hand. Liu Ye didn’t respond. He merely stared fixedly at the man’s neck.

Second Uncle’s heart lurched. His hand instinctively covered his neck. Had Liu Ye seen through him?

Rumor said that although Liu Ye often sent his fortune-telling clients to prison, his predictions were remarkably accurate. Had he detected something at a glance?

Liu Ye smiled calmly.

“Mr. Zhao, be careful.”

With that, he walked inside, leaving Second Uncle rooted to the spot and drenched in sweat.

What did those words mean? Be careful? Careful of what? Had Liu Ye discovered that secret?

As they followed John inside, the Driver asked curiously, “What did you say to him? You scared him half to death.”

“Nothing. We just had a brief exchange about his condition.”

The Driver stared.

“His condition?”

“That’s right. You taught me not to take people’s words at face value. When he said he had ‘long looked up to me,’ it couldn’t have been a simple greeting. So I thought about what else he might mean. His neck looked stiff, and then there were those words about looking up for a long time. I understood. He had been tilting his head back for too long and was telling me his neck hurt. So I warned him to be careful. If that goes on too long, he could end up with a herniated disc.”

The Driver had no words.

“But if that’s all you said, could he possibly understand you?”

“You said understanding was their problem.”

The Driver fell silent again.

The kid was getting more cunning by the day. Why did the Driver suddenly have a terrible feeling about this?

John and Xiaoshuai, walking ahead, remained perfectly calm. What sort of man was Liu Ye? What sort of man was Second Uncle? The two weren’t remotely comparable. Of course Liu Ye could control him with ease.

They soon reached the reception hall, where many people were already waiting. The adjoining dining room had been arranged as a European-style buffet, and the tables were covered with delicacies.

“John, you’re finally back.”

An elegant middle-aged man approached.

“Third Uncle.”

John greeted him courteously.

This was his Third Uncle, Zhao Jianghe, the principal of a high school in Huicheng.

He was one of the few family members who stayed out of the Zhao family business.

“John, your Fourth Uncle…”