Chapter Twenty-Eight: Wang Yu

Chapter 28: Wang Yu

"Hello? Who is this?" The call connected, and a puzzled voice came from the other end. Hearing the tone, Lin Zheng erupted in fury once more: "Wang Yu, look at the mess you've made for me!"

A loud "Bang!" echoed through the phone, signaling just how stunned the person on the other end was.

"B-b-boss?!"

"So you still remember I'm your boss?! Look at what you've done with the task I entrusted to you!"

"Please, calm down! Just calm down! You have to tell me what I did wrong! You're losing your temper like this, and I don't even know what happened!"

"You're blaming me for losing my temper?!" Lin Zheng’s anger flared even hotter. "I told you to look after Longyuan, but what have you turned it into? Have you turned my Longyuan into a high-end brothel?!"

"A-a high-end brothel?!" Wang Yu froze. His boss never spoke without reason; if not for a serious cause, nothing could provoke his usually calm temperament to such rage. The fact that the world's premier institution was associated with the word "brothel" made Wang Yu’s heart race. He had assumed no one would dare touch Longyuan—being under the Emperor’s feet and having given warnings when he took charge, he had felt secure and hadn't paid much attention. Who would have thought such a massive disaster had been brewing!

At that thought, an unnameable rage surged within Wang Yu. How dare they! Treating his words as wind! Creating such a catastrophe and getting him chewed out by the boss—what face would he have left if this got out? And face was a small matter; if this reached the ears of certain feminists, Wang Yu’s face twitched at the thought, and his rage burned even brighter.

Taking a deep breath, Lin Zheng suppressed his explosive emotions and said in a deep voice: "I'll settle this account with you later. If you don't clean up this mess right now, don't ever call me boss again!"

"Don't say that! Rest assured, I will handle this perfectly!" Wang Yu shouted in a panic. "Just! Just stop being angry!"

"I'm about to explode and you're telling me not to be angry!" Lin Zheng roared, terrifying Wang Yu on the other end of the line.

"Forget it. If you agree to one thing, I’ll let you off," Lin Zheng exhaled. Wang Yu was overjoyed and hurriedly asked: "What is it? Tell me!"

"I’ve got some trouble lately, so don't let it slip that I’ve appeared."

"Ah?!" Wang Yu was stunned, then cried out: "That’s impossible! If the Big Sister finds out, I'm dead!"

"You fear her, but do you not fear me?!" Lin Zheng threatened.

"I fear her more!"

"Damn it!"

...

After a round of threats and inducements, Lin Zheng finally subdued Wang Yu. Hanging up, Lin Zheng glanced casually at the four security guards and Zhang Ting; they were all deathly pale. Anyone could guess that this seemingly young man had a terrifying background. Otherwise, who would dare to beat a vice-ministerial level official and then make a phone call as if nothing had happened? And clearly, he wasn't just some "princeling"—he was part of the true power structure.

"Keep a close watch. If he escapes when people arrive, you'll be in deep trouble," Lin Zheng said coldly. The guards stood straight, ignoring Zhang Ting’s cursing, and hauled him up. Lin Zheng looked back at the girl Zhang Ting had injured. She must be one of the "Young Ladies" cultivated by the Lady’s Foundation, he thought. Examining her closely, even though half her face was swollen, her beauty was striking, and even in her shock, she exuded an incomparable nobility. Thinking of her dialogue with Zhang Ting earlier, Lin Zheng felt certain of her character. Very good! The ladies cultivated by the foundation were truly impressive.

"What is your name?" Lin Zheng asked.

"Me?" The girl blinked, then replied gracefully: "My name is Bai Ling! I am the last 'Young Lady' of Longyuan!"

Seeing Bai Ling’s melancholy, Lin Zheng couldn't help but gently touch her injured cheek. "Does it hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt! My heart hurts!"

"Good girl." Lin Zheng pulled her into his arms, stroking her long hair with affection. "You are all my Young Ladies; no one is allowed to bully you. Those who do, I will make them pay ten, a hundred times over!" By the end, Lin Zheng was gritting his teeth. He turned and glared at Zhang Ting, scaring the man so much his legs went weak. This idiot had turned a perfectly good Longyuan into a den of filth!

"I'm leaving first. Someone will come to resolve the issues at Longyuan shortly," Lin Zheng said, gently rubbing Bai Ling’s injured cheek. A miraculous thing happened: the red, swollen cheek rapidly subsided, becoming as smooth and flawless as snow in the blink of an eye! Bai Ling felt the pain vanish, though she didn't realize the injury was gone. She only felt that this man was incredibly gentle, like an older brother standing up for his sister, making her feel a sense of reliance.

"When a man named Wang Yu arrives, tell him that I no longer need a principal for this Longyuan!"

"No principal?" Bai Ling was surprised. "Then how will the school run? Many things cannot be done without a principal."

"For a principal like this, I’d rather have none!" Lin Zheng sneered at Zhang Ting. "Tell Wang Yu that: Longyuan is my territory. Any official who dares to stretch their claws over here—I don't care who they are—cut them off! As for the management, tell him to bring all the Young Ladies back. I don't believe the elites I’ve cultivated can't manage this school!"

"Ah?!" Bai Ling was completely shocked. A world-class institution, and he was so casually planning to hand it over to a group of young women to manage?

"Manage it well for me! If you need money, go ask that fellow Wang Yu!" Lin Zheng ruffled Bai Ling’s hair. Before she could recover, he had already turned and walked out of the principal's office. Seeing this, Bai Ling chased after him and shouted at his back: "Big brother, what is your name!?"

"I am the Charlatan!" With that, Lin Zheng stepped into the elevator. Watching the doors slowly close, Bai Ling stomped her foot and muttered, pouting: "Bad guy, won't even tell me his name!" She didn't know that inside the elevator, Lin Zheng was feeling slightly depressed himself, muttering: "Hell, I'm so used to being called that, I just called myself a charlatan! Whatever! Charlatan it is!"

Bai Ling returned to the office, feeling melancholy. Catching sight of the disheveled Zhang Ting, she frowned and stepped back out to wait for Wang Yu. Ten minutes passed. Inside the office, Zhang Ting’s eyes darted around; knowing his future was ruined, he plotted to escape. But with four guards watching, he couldn't run. He resorted to bribery: "You guys, you’re only security guards for the money, right? How about this: let me go, and I'll give you a hundred—no! Ten million! How about that!? Ten million! With ten million, you won't have to grovel for a living; you can live comfortably for the rest of your lives! You’ll never earn ten million in your lifetime! Let me go!"

The guards’ hearts skipped a beat! It was true; they were just here for the money. If they just let him go, they’d get ten million! It was impossible not to be tempted. Seeing the guards waver, Zhang Ting was overjoyed. Just as he prepared to continue his persuasion, Bai Ling rushed in and shouted righteously: "Don't listen to his nonsense! Where would you even get the money from him? And even if you got it, do you think you could escape from that man’s people?" The guards shuddered at her words. That was true; given that man’s aura, he was clearly someone with heaven-reaching influence. If they took the money, they wouldn't live to spend it.

Seeing the guards retreat, Zhang Ting cursed furiously: "You damn slut! If I wasn't supporting you, you wouldn't be where you are today, you ungrateful bitch!"

Bai Ling’s face turned pale, and she trembled with anger, retorting: "My parents raised and educated me, and it was the Big Brother’s Lady’s Foundation that nurtured my talent! I have never used a penny of your money, and I would rather die!"

"Well said!" A magnetic male voice sounded from the doorway. They turned in surprise to see a young man in a crisp suit standing there, looking remarkably handsome! Behind him were several armed police officers with live ammunition! Zhang Ting’s face turned deathly pale. It was over; he couldn't escape now!

The man was Wang Yu. He hadn't dared to delay Lin Zheng’s orders for a second. He had rushed over with his men as soon as the call ended, though he was disappointed that Lin Zheng had already left. Scanning the room, Wang Yu sighed and turned his gaze to Bai Ling. He was surprised by her outstanding temperament. Was this one of the ladies from the Foundation? Truly impressive; many socialites in the capital couldn't compare.

"Excuse me, young lady, could you tell me what happened? The boss was in a fit of rage, and I didn't dare ask him," Wang Yu said gently. His gentle tone won Bai Ling’s favor, and she recounted the humiliation suffered at the foundation. She didn't notice that as she spoke, Wang Yu’s face turned increasingly blue, and the veins on his clenched fists began to bulge!

"Enough!" Wang Yu stopped the tearful Bai Ling. He understood the gist of it now. Making this victimized girl continue was too cruel!

"Don't be sad. I will get justice for you all," Wang Yu comforted her. "By the way, did the boss give any instructions?"

"He said..." Bai Ling relayed Lin Zheng’s orders. "I see. Let the Young Ladies manage Longyuan? Fine, since it's the boss’s order, we don't need a principal!" Wang Yu said dismissively.

"You! You have no authority to do this! I am a principal appointed by the State Council! Even if I have faults, I must be tried by the Supreme Court. You cannot act recklessly!" Perhaps due to a mental lapse, Zhang Ting roared at Wang Yu’s words. He thought perhaps the mild-mannered, young-looking Wang Yu could be intimidated. Unfortunately, he had again underestimated the man.

"Oh? You're the principal, Zhang Ting, right?" Wang Yu looked with interest at the bloodied, pig-faced Zhang Ting. Zhang Ting hadn't been noticed much, but this outburst drew Wang Yu’s full attention.

Hearing this, Zhang Ting puffed out his chest and said arrogantly: "I am the Longyuan principal, Zhang Ting! Who are you, and who gave you the power to interfere in Longyuan's affairs!? Where are the rules?!"

"Interfere in Longyuan? Who gave the power? And you want to talk about rules?" Wang Yu laughed, but his mild smile slowly turned cold and savage. He kicked Zhang Ting flying! "Where did this idiot come from? How could an idiot like you be the principal of Longyuan! What the hell are those people doing!!" Wang Yu began to curse, then stepped up and gave him a brutal beating. "You bastard! Because of your stupid actions, I got chewed out! Who do you think you are, worth me taking the fall for you!? Talking to me about State Council appointments? Bah! Do you know that this principal position was something they begged my boss for? Do you even know what 'begging' means? Who are you to act arrogant with me!?"

"You! You all!" Zhang Ting spat blood, his face twisted. "As long as I haven't been convicted, I am still the vice-ministerial principal of Longyuan! You are beating a state official; even if I fall, I will make sure you suffer!"

"Oh? Still threatening me!" Wang Yu shook his head. "This guy is truly hopeless. My hands feel dirty just hitting him."

"Hmph! So you're afraid now!" Zhang Ting sneered. But as soon as he spoke, the armed police officers with Wang Yu burst into laughter.

"Alright, stop laughing, I’m truly terrified!" Wang Yu said mockingly. Then his tone changed, and he curled his lip: "Don't beat him to death—well, actually, it doesn't matter if you do! Drag him elsewhere; don't dirty this place!"

"Yes, sir!" An officer chuckled and walked menacingly toward Zhang Ting. Zhang Ting’s face drained of color as he screamed: "You can't do this! I'm a member of the Zhang family! If you touch me, the Zhang family will definitely come after you!"

"The Zhang family?" Wang Yu laughed with disdain. "What is that thing you call the Zhang family!? Go ahead and despair! No one can save you! Drag him away, he's an eyesore!"

"Yes, sir!" The officer saluted and carried out the order strictly—ignoring Zhang Ting's wails, he dragged him out.

"Next, it's time to find those Young Ladies," Wang Yu exhaled. "This is going to be difficult; who knows how many officials are involved!" Seeing the despair in Bai Ling’s eyes at his words, he realized she thought he was out of his depth.

"Hey—what’s with that look? I said it was difficult, not impossible!" Wang Yu widened his eyes. "This is the boss’s order; if I don't get it done, he’ll dismantle me! Don't you worry!" Seeing Bai Ling brighten, Wang Yu smiled. He took out his phone and gestured for silence. "I'm making a call, stay quiet!"

The call connected, and a cold, sharp voice came through: "What is it? If this is some trivial matter, hmph—"

Wang Yu couldn't help but shiver, leaving Bai Ling in awe. Who on the other end could make someone as imposing as Wang Yu this terrified?

"It's not a small matter! Absolutely not!" Wang Yu said hurriedly. "I was, uh, helping to look after Longyuan, and well, something happened!"

"Oh?" The woman on the other end frowned, clearly caring about Longyuan. "What happened? You can't solve it?"

"Someone messed with the boss’s Young Lady Foundation, and as a result..." Wang Yu described the situation carefully. He heard a faint "creak" from the phone, knowing the Big Sister was on the verge of exploding—the sound was clearly the phone itself groaning under her grip! He even worried if her phone could survive the rest of the conversation!

"So, regarding the Young Ladies taken away by those officials, it's a bit troublesome for me to find them alone, so I have to ask for your help, Big Sister!"

"Bang!" The Big Sister smashed her desk with a single palm and roared: "You idiot! I left you to watch Longyuan and you let something this big happen!"

"I! It's my fault! I admit it! But Big Sister, the key now is to get those ladies back!" Wang Yu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

"Do you think I don't know that!" The Big Sister gritted her teeth. Without a doubt, the Big Sister was the feminist Wang Yu feared! Regardless of Longyuan being their territory, the fact that the ladies had been harmed meant there was no way she would let this slide! She sneered to herself: "They dare to touch our people? Hmph! We’ve kept a low profile, and they think we’re easy to bully, is that it?"

"You idiot! Get over here immediately! Resolve this, and I’ll settle your account later!"

"Yes! Yes! I'm coming right away!" Wang Yu didn't dare delay. He hung up and let out a long breath. Thankfully, he wasn't caught on the spot. If he could redeem himself now, her temper might be slightly dampened, and his punishment might be lighter. What luck!

"I'll have some people come over to handle the school's affairs. Since you are one of the managers appointed by the boss, stay here and learn from them how to manage the school," Wang Yu said, returning to his refined, gentle demeanor. Bai Ling nodded, agreeing. It was unrealistic for them to run the school alone. Wang Yu was thoughtful to send people to teach them.

"I'll give you my number. If anything happens, call me. Don't feel like you're being a bother!" Wang Yu stressed. He couldn't afford another disaster; his reputation as the guardian of Longyuan was on the line! After giving her the number, he hurried off.

"Brother Wang!" Bai Ling called out.

"Yes?"

"That!" Bai Ling hesitated shyly. "What... what is the Big Brother's name?"

"What?" Wang Yu was slightly surprised. "You don't know his name?"

"I asked just now, and he told me his name was Charlatan!" Bai Ling puffed out her cheeks. Wang Yu burst into a fit of laughter. "Hahaha! Charlatan!? That nickname... is truly impressive!"

"Don't laugh!" Bai Ling said with a charming pout. Wang Yu was momentarily mesmerized. Coming to his senses, he grinned: "If the boss didn't tell you, I can't say either. Don't worry, you'll know eventually!" With that, he turned and sped off, ignoring the pouting Young Lady.