Chapter 42: Hidden Sides.
Hao Ren's phone rang and he said, "Lingshi, can you put the call on speaker?"
Han Lingshi nodded and picked up the call before she put it on speaker. Hymn Klaus spoke from the other side, "Boss, there are seventy people attacking us. I don't think we can defend and also, they are also trying to attack the users."
Hao Ren replied, "I will handle this, can you calm down? Also, tell Miss Carter to come to the location I am sending her in a few minutes. It is urgent."
Klaus wanted to say a few things but Hao Ren said, "Klaus, I know what I am doing and in the past six hours none of the attacks have succeeded, can you just take the day off as you are told?"
The other party took in a deep breath and the call came to an end. Hao Ren took a deep breath and said, "Xiao Mei, are you up?"
The AI replied, "I am up boss, but this device won't be able to last much longer."
Hao Ren clicked his tongue and said, "I will get a new device for you later, but for now, loop the systems of the hackers and let them break down one another. This will take the load off the users. Also, be sure to maintain secrecy."
Xiao Mei replied, "This strategy is quite cunning Boss. I did not expect you to be like this, I like it."
Hao Ren and Han Lingshi looked at each other with a funny expression. The lady put the phone aside and asked, "Do you need anything?"
Hao Ren nodded and said, "I will get something when I am healed."
Han Lingshi furrowed her brows for a second before she said, "Are you looking for a new phone? I will get you one."
Hao Ren shook his head as he replied calmly, "I am looking for the head of Han Yuntian, you cannot get me that, can you?"
Han Lingshi was shocked, she did not expect Hao Ren to say such a thing out loud. She hurriedly turned around to check if someone heard him. She heaved a sigh of relief and said, "Ren, I also do not like him but I cannot just go to the extreme can I?"
Hao Ren looked at her calmly and said, "The car was yours and the attack was meant for you. When the vehicle tipped over, I spotted a few people and one of them yelled that they got the wrong guy. I have been investigating Han Yuntian and since that guy can pay some foreigner to come and attack you, would he hesitate using the local resources?"
Han Lingshi shook her head and said, "I know he will not hesitate but I have told grandpa about this, don't worry."
Hao Ren clicked his tongue and said, "You are a bit too reliant on the support of an old tiger. I am not disrespecting him, but even your second uncle has long stopped caring about the Old Master's advise, what makes you think his words would effect Han Yuntian?
The power struggle in your house will end up with Han Yuntian on the throne and all of you in the grave if you did not take an extreme measure."
Han Lingshi was shocked, and Hao Ren went on to say, "Today it was you, tomorrow it could be your mother, your grandmother, your aunt. How many times would he miss? How many times do you think luck will favor us? I know that you cannot get to him on your own, but I can. Lingshi, look at me."
Han Lingshi looked in his eyes and Hao Ren asked, "Do you remember what I said to you in the study that day?"
The lady nodded, and Hao Ren said, "I meant every single syllable of that statement. Maria is aware of our marriage and I am sure that Han Yuntian is too. If he manages to find out about me, and goes after my family, what am I to do? You are my wife, and I will do my best by you, but I also have a responsibility toward my parents too."
Han Lingshi trembled as she realized what Hao Ren was worried about. Their fate was connected to each other and those connections led to other connections. She felt his fear and worries for the first time. It was true that she was hiding the status of their relationship from everyone, but only now did she realize that Hao Ren was not the only one who needed protection.
Her enemies could come after him and they can also go after his family, after all, the people who can stoop as low as to kill their own family members why will they break a sweat in killing someone else?
Even if she realized, it was not an easy thing for her to decide in a blink. She looked at Hao Ren, and said, "Give me a few days to think about it. I will assure that your parents are safe."
Hao Ren gazed at her for a few minutes before he nodded, and said, "I will rest now. Someone from the office will be coming over, and then I will get busy."
Han Lingshi frowned and complained, "Why are you working when you are in the bed? Your hand is fractured and also your ribs too. I did not expect you to be such a workaholic."
Hao Ren smiled and said, "It is what it is, you got to be more dedicated in the beginning of your business."
Han Lingshi shook her head and said, "Fine, do whatever you want, I will go and talk to grandma. She heard the car crash on call, she might be worried, I will inform her of your condition."
Hao Ren nodded and then he closed his eyes. Han Lingshi had left the room to make sure that her conversation does not disturb his rest. The young man said, "Xiao Mei, inform Manager Carter to come over, and also, tell her to keep it a secret and buy a phone on the way, tell her whichever suits you the best."
Xiao Mei said, "Alright boss."
A few moments later, Han Lingshi came and told him, "Ren, I will go and confront Maria. Will you be okay?"
Hao Ren winked at her and said, "I will be fine but it would be better if someone could wish me to get well soon with a kiss."
Han Lingshi raised her brow and asked, "Aren't you getting a bit too shameless with me?"
Hao Ren rolled his eyes and said, "Who made you so beautiful that I can never get enough?"
The lady rolled her eyes and said, "You might get one when you are discharged from the hospital, till then, stay here and rest. I will come back in the evening, and there is a guy outside to manage the security."
Hao Ren nodded and bade her farewell. He could see her cold expression when she told the guy to be attentive of his job. He closed his eyes and focused on resting, the more he rested the quicker his body would heal under the effect of the herbs he had consumed in the medicinal dose earlier.
After almost an hour, Lynn Carter appeared at the door of the ward with a kraft paper bag in her hand. However, the guard outside stopped her. She sighed and called Hao Ren. The young man had fallen asleep while waiting and woke up when phone rang. He opened his eyes and saw the guard engaged in a stand-off with Lynn Carter.
He said, "Excuse me, let her come in."
The guard looked at Hao Ren and then made way for Lynn Carter to come in. The lady was shocked instantly when she saw her boss laying in the bed with his body covered in gauze. She asked with concern, "President, are you okay?"
Hao Ren raised his right arm and said, "I am fine, can you calm down?"
Lynn Carter nodded and asked, "What happened?"
Hao Ren only commented that a truck driver ran into his car while driving. The lady sighed and said, "You need to be careful when on the road. By the way, here, this is your phone. Also, why do you have a dedicated guard on the door?"
Hao Ren replied, "My wife is rich and paranoid she thinks someone will kill me."
Lynn Carter nodded, and then she froze upon recalling the statement just now. She opened her eyes wide and Hao Ren said, "Can you calm down? I have a task for you."
Lynn Carter immediately switched gears and Hao Ren began to delegate the work to her. The two planned for a couple of hours before Lynn Carter left the place. She was going to get the people to kick off.
...
Han Lingshi drove her car to a secluded mansion in the capital. Not many people dared to come here, because this was a restricted place. She had the access to this place because this estate was owned by her maternal family, Yue Family.
They were richer, and better than Han Family, and to keep things simple, the family has always advocated on single son philosophy. Han Lingshi's mother was the first daughter, and the person Han Lingshi asked to take care of Maria was her cousin brother.
He cared a lot for Han Lingshi, and although the relationship between the two families was good, they did not meddle much with Han Family and their affairs. Han Lingshi even said that the aloof manner of her personality was inherited from her maternal family side.
The car drove inside the manor unbothered, everyone had been instructed to not hinder the vehicle. Han Lingshi got off the car and soon she found a dashing young man with a silly grin on his face walking over.
This person was her younger cousin, about the age of twenty five, however, he was already managing the business fronts of the Yue Family. He wore a white shirt and gray pants, looking handsome. He greeted Han Lingshi with a hug and asked, "I wonder if not for that woman would you have come to meet me?"
Han Lingshi nodded and said, "I would definitely come to see you all that bitch has nothing on it."
The man raised his brow and asked, "What happened that made you so pissed over her?"
Han Lingshi sighed and said, "That woman was my best friend, and yet she betrayed me for Han Yuntian. The work I put in Empress International, she wanted to hog over it by hooking up with that guy. Hmph, and not only that, they even tried to harm my life."
The young man frowned and asked, "Then why are you not killing them already?"
Han Lingshi shook her head and said, "Grandpa said that he will talk to Han Yuntian, and I need more time to come up with a plan that does not lead back to me. However, this woman needs to be taken off the streets. She is a gift for someone."
The young man clicked his tongue and said, "Although she looks decent, but who would take an interest in such a used good?"
Han Lingshi smacked the back of his head uncaring toward the security guards and scolded him, "Mind your language. She is not that sort of a gift, her life will be a gift."
The young man asked, "Sister, are you sure Hao Ren would be able to do it?"
Han Lingshi gazed at him and then her gaze turned cold. She asked, "Did you look into my life, Yue Shenlong?"
Yue Shenlong shook his head and said, "No matter how arrogant I am outside and how people revere me, don't I know that in this place I am a bottom feeder? How dare I look into you? However, when I heard that you wanted me to deal with someone, and I looked into that people, I realized that Hao Ren was a common link, and another thing that made me figure it out was the accident in the noon.
Hao Ren was driving your car."
Han Lingshi nodded and said, "That's right. Also, if you dared to look into things again, then don't ask for mercy. I will tell Uncle that you have been frolicking around and not care about the business. I have the pictures from last month when you were sneaking through the airport."
Yue Shenlong shivered and said, "I beg of you, forgive me. I will never look into anything you do. But do not tell father, that grumpy old man will beat me with his cane."
Han Lingshi nodded and said, "Bring me to see that bitch."