CHAPTER 252: 231: SHI WEI DISCOVERED WEN RENCHE’S AFFECTION

At the moment when Wen Renche thought he would lose control of his suppressed rage and burst forth, the icy aura around him abruptly dissipated.

Shi Wei let out a laugh, his expression restoring to its usual calm, as if the previous scene was merely the other’s illusion: "Zhizhi is my girlfriend. Naturally, I’ll take good care of her."

He held the girl’s hand, his deep voice carrying a barely perceptible edge of threat: "No need for Mr. Wen to concern himself."

"Concerned? Not quite. It’s just that it makes sleeping at night a bit difficult." Wen Renche idly picked up his cup.

As his gaze shifted, the phoenix eyes hidden behind golden-rimmed glasses lowered slightly, thick lashes brushing past the tear mole at the corner of his eye, leaving him looking surprisingly seductive.

Shi Wei raised his brows with a faint smile: "Mr. Wen should avoid staying up late too often; you wouldn’t want to develop kidney problems."

Realizing the other’s deliberate provocation, he was no longer foolish enough to fall into the trap laid for him.

Want him to lose his temper at the young girl?

Want him to question the young girl because of it?

Impossible.

"My kidneys are perfectly fine." Wen Renche glanced sideways, fixing his gaze intently on the girl’s profile, his voice as gentle as a breeze: "Right, Ah-Shi?"

"Mm, they’re fine." Yu Zhi nodded reflexively, oblivious to anything out of the ordinary as she was deceived by the smiles on both men’s faces.

Previously, they’d gone for medical check-ups together. Ah-Che’s indicators had all been normal, and he didn’t have any hereditary health conditions.

If he could continue maintaining a healthy lifestyle, he likely wouldn’t face any major issues.

Shi Wei’s smile froze for a moment as he scrutinized the young girl’s expression.

Once certain there was no trace of romantic ambiguity, he finally felt at ease.

"Zhizhi, drink some juice first." Shi Wei noticed her lips had been reddened by the spice and quickly handed her the glass.

All his attention was focused on her, leaving him disinclined to engage with the man who kept making provocative remarks.

Wen Renche had also lost any interest in stirring things up further. He pulled a tissue from the box and handed it to the girl: "Ah-Shi, take a break before eating more."

She was always unrestrained, indulging in the things she liked without stopping. Even when her stomach was full to the point of discomfort, it was as though she couldn’t feel it.

Yu Zhi accepted the glass while putting down her chopsticks.

She took a light sip of the juice, her gaze never leaving the diverse array of dishes on the table.

"Little Zhi, are you done eating?" Ruan Yuan wiped her mouth and looked at her with a smile in her eyes.

But that smile wasn’t quite the same as usual.

Yu Zhi met her gaze for a few seconds, then tilted her chin toward the stairs, her clear voice devoid of emotion: "Shall we talk?"

"Alright." Ruan Yuan kissed Shi Yin’s cheek, leaning over to whisper in his ear: "Wait for me."

After leaving those words, she quickly walked to the opposite side, linking arms with the girl as soon as she stood.

Their figures ascended the stairs together.

Shi Wei’s faintly tender expression evaporated entirely, replaced by cold detachment.

Leaning back casually, he withdrew a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, pulling one out and lighting it.

Seated across an empty chair, Wen Renche struck a match, the orange-red gleam illuminating the cigar below.

On both sides, tendrils of smoke rose simultaneously, entwining in the surrounding air and even overshadowing the steam from the hotpot.

The study.

The atmosphere suddenly turned still after the woman’s voice faded away.

The girl absentmindedly toyed with the firearm she’d retrieved from the bookshelf, her delicate brows slightly furrowed: "What do you need me to do?"

"Kill him?" Ruan Yuan’s smile never reached her eyes.

She had never hidden her malice, nor did she attempt to conceal her truest thoughts in front of the girl.

She genuinely, wholeheartedly wanted that person dead.

A sharp metallic click sounded.

Yu Zhi sternly reminded her: "This is the Imperial City."

She unloaded the bullets from the magazine and painstakingly reloaded them, one by one.

"The Imperial City? So what? They can’t catch me." Ruan Yuan’s voice brimmed with arrogance, displaying utter disregard for the authorities.

Or perhaps she had already planned her escape route.

"No." Yu Zhi slammed the assembled firearm heavily onto the table, meeting the woman’s gaze head-on: "Think of Shi Yin. Don’t do something foolish."

"Little Zhi, he must die." Ruan Yuan suddenly choked up.

If it weren’t for Meng Zheng, her mother wouldn’t have suffered relentless torment through the endless years.

Whenever she recalled her mother’s state before passing, her heart ached unbearably, her eyes growing red with suppressed emotions.

She couldn’t let this grudge go unavenged.

Yu Zhi paused thoughtfully, her fingers instinctively curling as she tapped repeatedly on the tabletop: "I can help you come up with a plan, but using a gun is not an option."

Once a firearm was involved, everything changed.

Never mind whether the authorities would trace it back; even if that weren’t the case, the act itself would haunt her peace of mind.

She would never be able to erase the image from memory.

Ruan Yuan extended her hand, gripping the gun and aiming it at the white wall behind the girl: "Little Zhi, tell me, if I fired a shot, would Xu Linchuan suspect anything?"

"He would." He’s not stupid.

Yu Zhi pressed her fingers to her temple, finding herself somewhat exasperated at this unprecedented confrontation with the completely irrational Ruan Yuan.

"But he would pretend not to see it." Ruan Yuan’s index finger on the trigger pressed down slightly.

A crazed gleam flickered in her eyes: "Do you believe me?"

"I—"

"Bang—"

The gunshot, absent a silencer, thundered through the air.

As the sound reverberated through the entire villa, it naturally startled everyone still eating hotpot downstairs.

Having spent years surrounded by gunfire, Wen Renche was the first among them to react.

He shot to his feet, tossing the cigar between his fingers into a bowl without a second thought.

"Ah-Shi?"

Wen Renche called out her name as he sprinted toward her.

Upon reaching the study door, he kicked it open without hesitation, scanning for her figure.

When he saw the girl unharmed and standing nearby, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Wen Renche pulled her into his arms, his trembling hands gently resting against the back of her head, stroking her hair softly: "Don’t be afraid."

The sight of the two tightly embracing stabbed Shi Wei deeply.

At this point, claiming Wen Renche harbored no feelings for her would be nothing short of absurd.

Shoving all other thoughts aside, Shi Wei, radiating cold anger, forcefully pushed him away and wrapped an arm around the girl’s waist, leading her aside.

For a fleeting moment, as he raised his eyes, the fury he could no longer suppress burned openly in his gaze, glaring at Wen Renche.

The loss of her warmth left Wen Renche momentarily stunned, only to return his attention to Shi Wei’s shadowed, oppressive stare.

He responded with a careless smirk, his posture relaxed as he leaned against the edge of the table, focusing his gaze on the girl: "Ah-Shi, what happened?"

Yu Zhi parted her lips slightly, but before she could answer, another elegant yet commanding male voice cut her off: "Ruan Yuan, where did you get that gun?"