Hades, the Urban Legend

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."

The speaker was a middle-aged woman, dressed simply but elegantly, with bright eyes that bore a resemblance to the Cai sisters. It was obvious she was the matriarch of the Cai family, Jiang Shan, whom Cai Yan had mentioned.

Jiang Shan, accompanied by two maids, brought the prepared dishes to the dining table in the living room. She then warmly hugged her younger daughter, Cai Yan, and said, "You must be tired from the flight. Sit down and eat."

Cai Yan shook her head. "Not at all, Mom. You know I've been through special forces training. Oh, by the way, this is my boyfriend, Yang Chen, whom I mentioned before." She finally remembered the main purpose and introduced Yang Chen.

Yang Chen was about to greet Jiang Shan when she turned her head and glared at him, not welcoming at all. She immediately asked, "So, you're Yang Chen?"

Yang Chen stiffened, awkwardly smiling. "Yes, that's me. Why does it seem like you have some misunderstanding about me, Auntie?"

"Misunderstanding?" Jiang Shan snorted. "If it weren't for you, why would our Ning'er be under house arrest in Yan Capital? Why would she have to beg everywhere? Now our eldest daughter is being pushed to marry someone she doesn't like. Are you happy now?"

"Oh, come on, don't talk about that now. It's in the past. Let it go." Cai Yuncheng seemed unable to stop his wife entirely and could only try to comfort her.

Jiang Shan stubbornly said, "How can you say it's in the past? This guy, who appeared out of nowhere, suddenly enchanted my younger daughter. Not only was it not a formal marriage, but it also made me furious. Now my elder daughter's happiness is ruined for life because of him. How can I not be angry?!"

Yang Chen touched his nose, feeling that he indeed had gone too far. If it weren't for Cai Yan leaving home to join special training because of him, making Jiang Shan heartbroken, she probably wouldn't have reluctantly agreed to let Cai Yan be with him. After all, even if they couldn't manage the younger daughter's life well, they still had the elder daughter to rely on. But now, the elder daughter's marriage was settled under such circumstances. How could Jiang Shan not be furious?

Yang Chen had nothing to say. Fortunately, he had a thick skin. Enduring Jiang Shan's killing gaze, he shamelessly sat down at the dining table and said with a grin, "The food looks quite sumptuous. I'm a bit hungry. Everyone, let's eat. It won't taste good if it gets cold."

Cai Yan was worried that Yang Chen would be embarrassed and was anxious for him. However, seeing Yang Chen's calm demeanor, as if nothing had happened, she found it both funny and infuriating and sat down as well.

Jiang Shan, like a newly ignited flame suddenly deprived of oxygen, had her anger extinguished and could only sit down sulking.

Cai Yuncheng, looking somewhat troubled, had someone bring a bottle of high-proof special Moutai, poured a cup for Yang Chen, and said, "Yang Chen, today's meeting is something we all understand. Don't blame your aunt for not giving you a good face. Any parents would be uneasy seeing both their children's lives deviating from their original paths because of one person."

Yang Chen self-deprecatingly said, "I've already taken advantage of the situation. Being scolded a bit is only fair."

"Hmph, you know it well," Jiang Shan said disdainfully. "I don't understand what Yan Yan sees in you. She almost lost her life out there because of you. If it weren't for her stubbornness, I would firmly oppose your relationship. It's nothing to be proud of. If you ever make my daughter suffer, I will not let you go!"

Yang Chen felt his face twitch as he looked at the fierce Jiang Shan. He quickly nodded in agreement.

Thanks to Cai Yuncheng mediating, the lunch went smoothly. Although Jiang Shan was very displeased with Yang Chen, she didn't make a fuss throughout the meal and eventually let it go after glaring at him a few times.

After lunch, Cai Yuncheng gestured for Yang Chen to join him in the study for a talk, while Cai Ning and Cai Yan, who hadn't seen each other in a long time, naturally went to the back garden to chat.

In Cai Yuncheng's study, Yang Chen casually dragged a chair over and sat down, crossing his legs and stretching lazily, yawning as he asked, "Why the secrecy? If this keeps up, Auntie might think I'm not only stealing her daughter but her husband too."

Cai Yuncheng just chuckled and didn't take Yang Chen's joke seriously. He sat down and said, "You've stirred up quite a bit in Yan Capital these past few days."

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."