Chapter 56: The Sudden Assault

Cao Weihua had heard Nie Yunyang mention Tan Weibo before. Anyone capable of being invited by Nie Yunyang all the way from Nanchang was definitely extraordinary.

In fact, Cao Weihua had caught wind of Hou Feipeng's affairs long ago, but he had simply chosen to feign ignorance. After all, Hou Feipeng was one of the founding veterans of Splendid Court, and for both public and private reasons, Cao Weihua had been willing to give him a chance to turn over a new leaf.

However, the fellow not only refused to repent but actually became even more audacious, proving utterly disappointing in the end. Eventually, Dai Zhenxuan proactively reported the matter, and Cao Weihua seized the opportunity to give Hou Feipeng a severe warning before smoothly dismissing him.

Yet, with Hou Feipeng gone, a vacancy opened up in the security department. If someone else were to take over as deputy manager, Cao Weihua would not feel entirely at ease. Therefore, Cao Weihua immediately thought of Tan Weibo and specifically dispatched people to investigate his background. The results left him very satisfied, which was why he brought the matter up with Nie Yunyang to discuss it.

Shen Hui showed no interest in their conversation and focused entirely on her meal. Her movements were extremely graceful, chewing her food slowly and carefully as if it were a form of art.

Nie Yunyang was slightly startled before realizing with a sudden flash of insight, "A weasel paying respects to a chicken—you've got ulterior motives!"

"Oh, come on, listen to you! What do I mean by ulterior motives? I'm just finding you a companion," Cao Weihua retorted.

Nie Yunyang picked up a duck leg, gnawing on it as he said, "You have no idea what I went through to drag that reinforcement all the way from Jiangxi!"

"Right now, Mu Qingyao's crisis hasn't been completely resolved, so I can't take that risk. Besides, Brother Tan and I are like brothers. Even if you want to invite him, you still have to ask for his personal opinion."

"Sun Yufan and Han Fucheng are both dead, and I've already handled Master Xue on your end. Who in the world would still want to make things difficult for Mu Qingyao? If you're genuinely worried, I can put the word out today: Mu Qingyao is my daughter-in-law, and whoever dares to lay a hand on her, I will destroy them! Although I, Cao Weihua, cannot command the winds and rains across the entire Southwest region, in this circle here in Mountain City, I still carry some weight. Mu Bolin's old enemies wouldn't dare provoke me," Cao Weihua declared with absolute confidence.

Nie Yunyang sneered and cursed, "Fuck your mother!"

The words slipped out, and he immediately regretted them. No matter how close he and Cao Weihua were, he still needed to be mindful of Shen Hui's presence.

Sure enough, Shen Hui's pretty face frosted over as she glared angrily at Nie Yunyang.

Nie Yunyang felt extremely awkward and offered a forced smile, saying, "Apologies, I'm just too used to talking like that on a daily basis."

Seeing him get put in his place caused Cao Weihua to burst into hearty laughter.

"Look at you, completely unwilling to take even the slightest disadvantage. That simply won't do. Don't you want Mu Qingyao to live in peace? Besides, this is merely an excuse; it's not like you're actually planning to marry Mu Qingyao," Cao Weihua said.

Nie Yunyang calmed down and pondered the matter carefully. Sun Yufan and Han Fucheng were already dead, and Master Xue had been pacified by Cao Weihua. As long as Cao Weihua also put out that statement, presumably nobody would truly dare to touch Mu Qingyao. Most importantly, Xinhai Technology Co., Ltd. had already gone bankrupt and reorganized, and the various forces involved were intricate and complex. Mu Qingyao was merely a woman; who would be bored enough to single her out for trouble?

At present, Chen Jiong had become Mu Qingyao's private driver, responsible for her safety. Keeping Tan Weibo stationed at Splendid Vision Corporation was indeed a bit of overqualification for someone of his talent. If he were brought over to Splendid Court, Nie Yunyang would have a reliable helper of his own.

"I'll chat with Brother Tan first and see what his thoughts are. If he's willing, I have no objections," Nie Yunyang said.

Cao Weihua smiled and said, "Rest assured, I won't treat Tan Weibo unfairly. His compensation and treatment will be identical to Hou Feipeng's. Splendid Court is a grand stage; it will never bury a talent like him."

Nie Yunyang did not dispute this statement.

"Fine then. Once I head back, I'll discuss it with Brother Tan."

With the major matter settled, Cao Weihua was in a pleasant mood and said, "I'll wait for your news."

After finishing lunch, Cao Weihua packed his luggage in preparation for a business trip to Shanghai. He spent more than half of every year away from home, and the closer it got to the end of the year, the busier he became.

Shen Hui headed out to the university since she had classes in the afternoon. Nie Yunyang accompanied her outside, as he had arrived by taxi.

Shen Hui owned a Jaguar XEL. This had not been bought by Cao Weihua; rather, it was earned entirely through her own abilities. Out of politeness, Shen Hui asked, "Would you like a ride?"

"Sure, I'm heading to Splendid Court," Nie Yunyang replied.

Shen Hui paused for a moment, feeling somewhat amused and exasperated. This fellow really didn't treat himself as an outsider. Since the words had already left her mouth, she had no choice but to drive Nie Yunyang to Splendid Court.

"I heard Uncle Cao mention that you're a dance teacher at the Chongqing Art School?" Nie Yunyang asked casually along the way.

Shen Hui kept her eyes focused on driving and did not reply verbally, merely nodding slightly.

"What do you teach?" Nie Yunyang continued to inquire.

Shen Hui answered with cold indifference, "Popular dance."

"That's quite impressive," Nie Yunyang praised.

Shen Hui said nothing more, keeping her gaze fixed straight ahead as she drove smoothly enough. Seeing that Shen Hui had no inclination to chat, Nie Yunyang stopped talking as well. He had no intention of pursuing her romantically, so why bother putting a warm face against a cold backside?

Vanke Eling Peak was not far from Splendid Court, and they arrived shortly. After the car came to a halt, Nie Yunyang deliberately stayed put instead of getting out, staring instead at Shen Hui's profile.

Shen Hui furrowed her delicate brows and asked, "What is it?"

"I don't believe I owe you any money, so why do you always wear such a sour expression?"

With that, Nie Yunyang got out of the car.

"Lunatic!"

Shen Hui muttered under her breath before driving away briskly.

Nie Yunyang planned to head back to Splendid Court to rest for a bit before starting his afternoon duties. A member was hosting a banquet for friends, and He Lei had specifically designated Miao Ye to lead Nie Yunyang and the others in handling it.

Walking up to the entrance of Splendid Court, a man suddenly lunged out from behind a tree and kicked Nie Yunyang squarely in the back. Caught completely off guard, Nie Yunyang tumbled to the ground. Because it had just rained, he was covered in mud and water, looking utterly disheveled.

Ambushed out of nowhere, Nie Yunyang was consumed with fury. Turning his head around, he saw that the attacker was none other than Hou Feipeng.

Narrowing his eyes, Nie Yunyang slowly rose to his feet and said, "So it's you, you old hound. The taste of being swept out of Splendid Court through the front doors must not feel very pleasant, huh?"

"You bastard dog, daring to squeal! Let me tell you, this matter today is far from over—just you wait!" Hou Feipeng said viciously.

Had it been anyone else, they might have feared retaliation, but what hadn't Nie Yunyang witnessed? Would he ever be afraid of trash like this?

"If I were you, I wouldn't come back here just to make a fool of myself and spout empty threats. After a few days, find a way to track my movements, pick some dark and windy spot, and just slit my throat with a knife. People like you are mostly useless cowards who talk a big game but dare not actually do anything."

Instead of getting angry, Nie Yunyang laughed out loud, mercilessly mocking him.

Hou Feipeng had no desire to tangle with Nie Yunyang here and cursed, "You little punk, watch your step."

With that, Hou Feipeng prepared to leave. After all, this was the entrance to Splendid Court, and no matter what he wanted to do, he still had to consider the consequences.

"You think you can just walk away after launching a sneak attack? Does the world really have such cheap bargains?" Nie Yunyang called out.

Furious, Hou Feipeng cursed, "Little bastard, are you ever going to drop it?"

"I've always been someone who repays every grievance."

Before he finished speaking, Nie Yunyang had already lunged forward. What he loathed most were people who pulled dirty tricks behind his back. If he didn't settle the score and teach him a lesson, how could he swallow this anger?

Putting all his strength into it, Nie Yunyang delivered a flying kick directly toward Hou Feipeng's chest.

Hou Feipeng had been a retired armed police officer and was originally quite agile, but unfortunately, after falling into gambling, he had grown increasingly haggard. Lacking physical conditioning over a long period, he was simply no match for Nie Yunyang, though a lean camel was still bigger than a horse.

Hou Feipeng hurriedly retreated two steps. Nie Yunyang's kick landed right in front of him, shattering a brick on the ground and kicking up a spray of water.

Immediately following up, Nie Yunyang swung his fist toward Hou Feipeng's face. Failing to regain his footing in time, Hou Feipeng was met with Nie Yunyang's fierce onslaught and could only cross his arms in a panicky block.

To his surprise, Nie Yunyang retracted his punch, lifted his right leg, and drove his knee straight into Hou Feipeng's abdomen. In the blink of an eye, escape was utterly impossible.

The next second, Nie Yunyang's knee slammed heavily into Hou Feipeng's stomach, sending him flying backward through the air before crashing heavily onto the ground. His clothes were completely soaked by the stagnant water by the roadside.

"And you thought you could deal with me? Talk about biting off more than you can chew," Nie Yunyang said dismissively.

He turned and walked into Splendid Court, ignoring Hou Feipeng entirely on the ground, completely unaware that this entire scene had been fully captured by the security cameras of Splendid Court.