The Art of Teasing - Chapter 149

Chapter 149

Wen Zhengyu spent her days in a groggy haze. Ye Ling never left her side, and nothing was kept from her. In bits and pieces, she knew something of what was going on.

She understood that they were all doing this for her good, which was why they were willing to go to such lengths to protect her.

Ye Ling had sent Dong Yuan out to find the account books, hiring foreign criminal syndicates and people who made their living doing dirty work for money. The other side, wanting to stay alive, had fought back desperately. Quite a few people had been injured, and she'd heard some had even been killed.

When it came down to it, she had only taken a beating. A few days in the hospital followed by a few months of rest and she'd be fine. If it were only a matter of spending money, that would be one thing. But having others risk their lives, with people dying and getting hurt—it left her deeply uneasy.

In the family, the old matriarch still had the final say.

She told her worries to her maternal grandmother.

The old lady said: "Our country bans guns. So even when so-called underworld gangs clash, it's just some local thugs and riffraff going at each other with knives and clubs. But plenty of countries and regions don't ban guns, and what's at stake isn't some piddling scraps either. When they fight, it's naturally on a whole different level."

"Criminal syndicates have their own territories and spheres of influence. What they do is crooked by nature, inherently criminal in character. They fight turf wars with others on the same ground, which is the same principle as competition between businesses in the same trade. Find their rivals, provide funding, arrange for some weapons through an arms dealer, and the matter is settled."

"There's an art to providing the money as well. If it's given the wrong way, it becomes paying to have someone killed."

"This is also just business and trade. One side buys, the other sells, each taking what they need."

The old lady said: "Some women regard their chastity as life itself, but other women—if you try to keep them from working in the pleasure trade, they'll fight you to the death, saying cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents. You feel uneasy thinking you're making people risk their lives, but the skills they've learned, or their natural temperament, are only suited for this line of work. Telling them to change professions is like cutting off their future prospects. Go ask Ma Lu if he'd be willing to switch careers, and see if he'd be happy about it."

Wen Zhengyu watched how, despite being frantically busy, Ma Lu had still found time to set up a security company. The old lady had left her with absolutely no comeback.

The matriarch swept a disdainful glance over Wen Zhengyu and said: "The way you are—not returning blows when hit, not answering back when cursed—anyone could bully you. Let that Cen girl try smashing my head. See if I don't slap her flat against the wall."

Wen Zhengyu silently held her tongue.

Ye Ling couldn't hold back and let out a puff of laughter.

Old Madam Zhang was thoroughly exasperated with her. If she didn't come to visit, she couldn't stop worrying—she couldn't even sleep soundly, couldn't settle her mind. But when they came to see her, she always left in a huff. After giving Wen Zhengyu her scolding, she tossed her a white-eyed glare and dragged Old Master Lian away.

Ye Ling, who had been sitting to the side listening the whole time, was thoroughly amused. She even gloated: "Serves you right. You had things bottled up inside, brooding on your own and not talking to me, so you ran off to your grandmother. Got scolded, didn't you?"

Wen Zhengyu swept a speechless glance at Ye Ling, then went back to staring at the ceiling. Talking to Ye Ling was worse than talking to her grandmother. Her grandmother scolded her and then left. Ye Ling wouldn't scold her—she'd carefully break everything down into tiny pieces, mull it over, teach her, and then laugh at her.

She couldn't get up and move around for long before the dizziness and nausea hit again. All she could do was lie in bed day after day.

Inside her head, countless voices echoed back and forth every day. When she zoned out or stared blankly into space, she would often "see" images flicker by. She didn't know if it was her optic nerves acting up, or her brain, or if it was just hallucinations like the dreams she used to have. She saw many images and heard many sounds, but afterward she could never remember what she had heard or seen.

Ye Ling stayed by Wen Zhengyu's side. She delegated everything she could, but with year-end matters piling up, she was still busy with all sorts of things.

When Ye Ling wasn't there, Lian Xin, Old Madam Zhang, and Old Master Lian kept Wen Zhengyu company.

Word of Wen Zhengyu's hospitalization had spread, and many more people came to visit.

With Ye Ling absent, Lian Xin took over reception duties.

Lian Xin had heard rumors about Wen Zhengyu's close friendships with many elderly gentlemen and ladies, but it wasn't until others came to visit her in the hospital that he truly understood—hearing about it a hundred times was nothing compared to seeing it once. A sixty-year-old man counted as nothing more than a youngster among these old folks. There were even gentlemen in their eighties, supported by their children and grandchildren, coming to visit the patient. Watching them totter along, some even in wheelchairs, Lian Xin worried on their behalf.

When it came to building social circles, few young people ever deliberately sought out the company of these elderly folk. Even if they did make the approach, it was usually to show face to their children and grandchildren. For one, the gap of several decades made it difficult to find common ground. For another, there was the problem that after all the effort and care poured into cultivating connections with such elderly people, if the old person fell ill and passed away, the investment risk was simply too great, and the rate of return was pitifully low. They were too old to get anything done anyway—everything was handled by their children and grandchildren. If something really came up, you'd still have to go to the younger generation. Why take that roundabout detour?

These old gentlemen who came were all cultured people, and all were Wen Zhengyu's friends despite the age gap. They had come to see the child, and since Wen Zhengyu was lying in bed, barely able to get up, he, as her older brother, naturally had to receive them properly. But once he started interacting with them, he discovered there was nothing for him to do.

These elderly people were as familiar with Wen Zhengyu as if they were family. No hospitality was needed—they looked after themselves. Bringing food and drink was one thing, but they also asked everywhere about how to treat concussions and from time to time sent over folk remedies and tonics. Some elderly people lived in other provinces or cities and dispatched their children, grandchildren, or relatives living in the capital to bring get-well gifts. Some old folks, perhaps having nothing better to do, or perhaps genuinely worried, came every single day.

Lian Xin crouched off to the side watching, and it felt as if Wen Zhengyu had suddenly acquired a whole extra set of grandparents.

Wen Zhengyu obediently accepted everyone's affection. After they left, she would have Lian Xin help her look over the gifts they brought. If they were pastry or food items, she had them distributed and eaten so nothing would spoil. If they were expensive tonics or similar items, it was necessary to check who had sent them. Some of these elderly people were not well off, scrimping and saving in daily life, only to set aside good things to bring to her. Others had stingy children or grandchildren at home—when the old person sent gifts, the younger generation would complain. Such cases existed too. Wen Zhengyu remembered every one of those households, and had Lian Xin help her convert the value into money, add a little extra, and quietly return it to the hands of their children and grandchildren. At the very least, the old folks shouldn't come visit her and then go home to their children's complaints.

Lian Xin asked: "Aren't you afraid their families will take you for a sucker?" He noted that she also wanted him to pay attention to whether anyone's family had difficulties, and if there were troubles, to lend a hand where possible. If she hadn't casually helped Old Man Lu, she wouldn't have taken this beating on Zhao Si's fabricated pretext, stirring up so much trouble.

Wen Zhengyu said: "Whether they take advantage or not is just a matter of some daily gift exchanges and a bit of back-and-forth spending. But for some families, their monthly income is only so much—a little more or a little less makes a world of difference in their lives. Families that are well off won't quibble over such things. The ones who do are those for whom it genuinely affects their livelihood."

Lian Xin didn't know what to say to Wen Zhengyu. He gently tousled her hair and asked: "Anything else needs doing?"

Wen Zhengyu said: "Nothing else. Brother Xin, do it very quietly—don't let them find out."

Lian Xin teased her: "Here you are, practically shoving money at people, and you act like a thief about it."

Wen Zhengyu said: "If they find out, they'll get angry. Especially Grandpa Qian—he has a huge temper. He'd curse me out and break off the friendship. That daughter-in-law of his has a personality where she can nag for an entire day over a missing needle. He sent a gift over. Quietly making it up to his family helps with domestic harmony. You can't blame his daughter-in-law for being stingy either. To buy apartments for her two sons to get married, that auntie sold their old house to cobble together down payments and borrowed quite a bit of money. They have debts to repay and rent to pay, so the couple works from dawn to dusk. Grandpa Qian's grandsons have their own monthly mortgage payments and small families to support—they can't help their parents."

Lian Xin chuckled and asked: "How do you know so much about other people's family affairs?"

Wen Zhengyu said: "When old people get together, they inevitably talk about the situations in their various families. You just naturally come to know."

Lian Xin said: "Alright, I'll get it handled properly."

Ye Ling was tied up because of Wen Zhengyu's hospitalization. Lian Xin, for his part, had to keep his eye on the Zhao and Cen families. All the matters related to attacking and acquiring the loan-sharking companies' affiliated industries through business maneuvers fell to Wen Li to execute. Wen Li was so busy she barely touched the ground, with no time even to sleep. She happened to be in the capital on a business trip and squeezed out the time for a meal to stop by the hospital for a look at Wen Zhengyu, before rushing off again in a flurry.

At the very beginning, Wen Zhengyu had been so worn down by the dizziness, the tinnitus, and the bustle of people and events around her that she had no energy to think much. Only after many days did she sense that something was off. She thought about it all day and still couldn't place what was wrong, until she fell asleep that night and dreamed of her grandfather, and suddenly jolted awake.

She had been in the hospital so long. Her grandfather's old friends had all come—but her grandfather had not.

Wen Zhengyu's mind went "buzz," and darkness flashed before her eyes. It took several seconds before she came back to herself. She found her phone and called her second paternal aunt, asking with trepidation why the old gentleman hadn't come to see her.

Wen Shishu said: "What are you thinking? At his age, how could we dare tell him? We're keeping it from him."

Wen Zhengyu was deeply suspicious of Wen Shishu's words. Old Master Wen was sociable by nature and always exceptionally well-informed about all sorts of gossip and news. She called Old Master Wen directly.

Ye Ling had been startled awake the moment Wen Zhengyu got up to retrieve her phone. She said to Wen Zhengyu: "Don't call. He came to see you before. You were sleeping so deeply we didn't wake you. After he went home, it was unavoidable that he brooded on things a bit, and he's felt somewhat unwell since. The doctor examined him—nothing serious, just told him to rest well at home. Your second aunt was afraid you'd worry and told us to keep it from you. Grandfather is at Second Aunt's place, with Second Aunt keeping him company. He's fine. Just give him a call tomorrow and that will do."

She gently soothed Wen Zhengyu, not daring to let her detect anything more amiss.

Wen Zhengyu hadn't recovered properly the last time. She should have rested well and recuperated, but she pretended she was fine and forced herself to act as if she was better, only to be smashed on the head by Cen Xun. Her condition was not good. When she was first admitted, she was only dizzy, had headaches, and threw up every day. Later on, she would sleep for over thirty hours straight, extremely difficult to wake. Even when woken, her consciousness was very unclear. She often called out for "Xiao Huang," "Nine-Tails," "the Abyss," and all sorts of strange, bizarre names. Occasionally she would say things no one could understand.

When her consciousness was "clear," she still thought she was fine, felt perfectly spirited, chatted and laughed with everyone, arranged all sorts of reciprocation for favors and social obligations, and even thought that since she wasn't throwing up much anymore, she was much better and could be discharged in another ten days or half a month. Among the elderly people she had asked Lian Xin to look after, some had already passed away, yet she still believed they had brought gifts to visit her.

By now, she had already been hospitalized for a full month.

Wen Zhengyu worried about Old Master Wen and couldn't quite fall asleep. She saw the faint bluish tint beneath Ye Ling's eyes and how haggard her complexion looked, and figured Ye Ling had been terribly worn out lately. She said: "Let's sleep then. I'll call tomorrow." She put down her phone and lay back down to rest.

She sensed Ye Ling watching her, as if uneasy, and said: "You sleep. Don't worry about me. Although I'm a bit worried about the old gentleman, it's nothing too serious. Second Aunt has always been meticulous, and the old gentleman's health is very good. If he keeps his blood pressure under control and avoids catching a cold, even if he's a bit unwell, a few days of rest will put him right."

Ye Ling gently patted Wen Zhengyu and asked: "Hungry?"

Wen Zhengyu thought to herself: "Sleep, wake up and eat, eat and go back to sleep. I'm almost being raised like a pig." She said: "Not hungry. I need the bathroom." Seeing Ye Ling get up to support her, she said: "You sleep. I'll go myself."

Ye Ling said: "During hospitalization, you listen to me in everything." Without allowing any argument, she had already thrown on a coat, gotten out of bed, and was supporting Wen Zhengyu. She asked: "Still dizzy?"

Wen Zhengyu couldn't in good conscience say she wasn't dizzy and said: "Just a little." She let Ye Ling help her to the door, then went into the bathroom by herself. When she was lying down, she didn't feel dizzy, but after a few movements, the world spun around her. The sensation was like spinning in place a dozen or more times. She reached out to steady herself on the toilet, but even though she was clearly looking right at it, her hand reached out and missed. She groped several more times, reaching a bit further forward, before she made contact. It felt as if the distance she saw and the actual distance differed by quite a bit. Wen Zhengyu guessed it might be because of the dizziness and her vision being somewhat blurred.

She still took her own health very seriously. She was afraid the old folks couldn't handle it and didn't dare tell them, but she couldn't hide it from Ye Ling. After she lay back down in bed and waited for the vertigo to settle, and saw that Ye Ling still hadn't fallen asleep, she said: "I feel like it's a bit… my eyes are a little blurry. I can't quite gauge things accurately. My sense of distance seems a bit off."

Ye Ling said: "That's why you need to rest quietly. Distance perception, memory, and logic are all affected."

Wen Zhengyu softly murmured "Mm." She had been resting very well lately, and she remembered every word of the doctor's instructions clearly.

She couldn't sleep and could only close her eyes and silently count sheep. After counting a dozen or so, she remembered that counting sheep wasn't as effective as reciting the Clarity Scripture, so she recited the Clarity Scripture. The more she recited, the more alert she became. She stole a glance at Ye Ling. Those eyelids were heavy, clearly exhausted. The moment Ye Ling saw her looking over, she widened her eyes, trying with all her might to look awake. The sight made Wen Zhengyu want to laugh and ache with tenderness at the same time. Just as Ye Ling soothed her, she gently patted Ye Ling and said: "Sleep, now."

Ye Ling shifted closer, wrapped her arms tightly around Wen Zhengyu's arm, and murmured: "I can see you've slept yourself into full energy. I have things to do tomorrow, so I'll sleep first. If anything comes up, or if you feel unwell, call me."

Wen Zhengyu agreed. Not long after, she heard the sound of Ye Ling's even breathing. Seeing Ye Ling like this, she knew Ye Ling was utterly worn out.

Get instant access to all chapters now.

Previous Table of Contents Next