Chapter 164: Fifth Senior Sister

Ye Fei walked to the doorway, gently extending his left hand forward, and sure enough, he sensed someone hiding beneath the steps. The intruder seemed to harbor no malicious intent, yet why act so stealthily?

Stepping downward, Ye Fei allowed his vital energy to gradually circulate around his exterior.

"The hanging ghost is here! Will you surrender yourself now?"

A crisp, melodious female voice drifted up from beneath the steps, sounding exceptionally pleasant. Yet, there was surely no reason for a young woman to come and terrify others at this hour of the night.

Moreover, since this girl possessed the key to his senior sister's home, she ought to be one of his senior sisters. At this realization, Ye Fei's mood instantly brightened, and he decided to play a prank on her.

The three women behind him watched with bated breath. Ye Fei turned back with a smile, gesturing for them to remain calm.

He sidled toward the left doorframe to a spot where neither Lin Qingqing and the others nor the senior sister down the steps could see him.

Suppressing his laughter, a slight flick of his left hand caused his entire body to levitate.

Floating leisurely toward his senior sister, an ethereal voice echoed through the air, "I heard you were looking for the hanging ghost. Do you wish to keep me company?"

***

Fifth Senior Sister never dreamed that she would actually summon a ghost one day.

Frozen in place like an ice sculpture, she stared blankly at Ye Fei with dull eyes.

Hovering in mid-air, Ye Fei twitched the corners of his mouth and had to bite his lip to keep from laughing aloud.

"Come with me to the underworld," Ye Fei said, extending a friendly hand.

In terror, Fifth Senior Sister waved her hands frantically and shrank as far back into the steps as she could. "Please, I was just joking! I don't want to die yet!"

Hearing the commotion from inside, Lin Qingqing immediately understood. "Isn't that dead girl Jiang Yuning?"

The three of them rushed out together. Ye Fei hastily dropped to the ground, changing his expression as he asked, "Fifth Senior Sister, are you alright?"

Nearly scared out of her wits, Jiang Yuning trembled and asked, "What did you call me?"

***

As soon as Lin Qingqing and the others emerged, Jiang Yuning looked like a pitiful, rain-drenched little rabbit.

"Xiao Wu, what's wrong with you?" Bai Yaoyao helped Jiang Yuning up with a look of deep distress, as she was usually the closest to Jiang Yuning among them all.

Lin Qingqing was torn between laughter and tears, certain that this little girl had intended to scare Ye Fei only to be frightened half to death by him in return.

As a pop singer, Jiang Yuning shared a similar career path with Bai Yaoyao. Since they crossed paths frequently, they were naturally closer to each other than to the rest of the senior sisters.

"Alright, let's go inside," Zhou Danzhuang called out impatiently from the doorway. The group had been standing at the entrance for a full five minutes, staring at each other without saying a word.

Once inside, Jiang Yuning's emotions finally settled somewhat. Zhou Danzhuang teased, "Xiao Wu, this is what happens when you walk too often by the river—you're bound to get your shoes wet. Who told you to play supernatural pranks every chance you get? Now you've been taught a lesson by our little junior brother!"

Jiang Yuning had come today simply to catch a glimpse of their legendary junior brother, never expecting to be terrified by him upon their very first meeting.

"You were floating in mid-air just now. How did you do that?"

Lying back lazily on the sofa, Ye Fei waved a hand with feigned modesty. "A trivial trick. I can teach you when I have time. As Master's final closed-door disciple, what's a little cultivation like this?"

Zhou Danzhuang gently patted Ye Fei's shoulder and said with a serious expression, "Keep a low profile, or you'll get lectured by your Second Senior Sister." Turning her head, she asked, "Xiao Wu, what brings you here today?"

Sipping some tea to calm her nerves, Jiang Yuning replied, "Well, since Yaoyao has been away for so long, we have a music video that needs shooting, so I came to ask her to be the lead actress. By the way, I haven't seen the Eldest Senior Sister in ages. Have any of you seen her?"

Lin Qingqing's expression darkened. "Never mind about the Eldest Senior Sister. Just focus on your work."

The faces of the others grew dim as well, seemingly shadowed by unspeakable difficulties.

Just as Ye Fei was about to ask, a stern look from Lin Qingqing forced him to swallow his words, and he obediently retreated to his room to sleep.

Early the next morning, Bai Yaoyao was whisked away to the shooting location by Jiang Yuning, while Ye Fei, after many days of absence, stood before the towering building of the Gao family corporation. Having taken a prolonged leave on the grounds of indisposition, Ye Fei stretched his muscles and strode inside.

On the top floor, Xie Yanzi's brows were tightly knitted. Pacing anxiously like an ant on a hot pan, she watched as Situ Feng's ambitions gradually came to light within the Gao family conglomerate.

First, the various departments of the Gao family began slipping out of Xie Yanzi's control. When Situ Feng had first set foot in Hangcheng, his primary condition was that all departmental heads within the Gao family group had to be appointed by him.

At the time, Xie Yanzi had assumed that even his appointees would merely be veteran employees of the corporation and would never betray the family. Later, however, she discovered that the department heads had long since been replaced by unfamiliar faces, who turned out upon inquiry to be newly recruited staff.

***

Both the Gao family and Xie Yanzi had fallen into a common trap: failing to understand the grassroots employees while remembering only the general managers and secretaries.

By the time she realized the truth, every single department head belonged to Situ Feng's faction. The only recourse Xie Yanzi could think of was to breach the contract, but Situ Feng had flatly refused!

Now, her cries to heaven went unanswered, and her pleas to earth went unheard.

"Ye Fei is here," the assistant announced, stepping forward.

Xie Yanzi glanced toward the doorway without a trace of joy. The Gao family enterprise was already a hollowed-out shell awaiting bankruptcy, so she held no great expectations.

"Boss, are you unhappy to see me? I happen to be a bodyguard sought after by many," Ye Fei said as he walked in.

Xie Yanzi gave a bitter smile. "Before long, I won't even be able to afford your services. While you still have some reputation left, you'd better go find a better employer!"

Waving his hands repeatedly, Ye Fei said with an earnest expression, "I, Ye Fei, am loyal to only one person per industry. Since I chose you in the bodyguard profession, I must protect you at all times! If you're facing any trouble, feel free to share it and let's see if I can help."

Xie Yanzi remained silent, but the general manager and assistant standing nearby burst into laughter. "Ha, what gives you that confidence? How could you possibly help our president? Stop trying to be a hero and get out! Don't disrupt our meeting."

Those two buffoons had probably stood there all day without coming up with a single solution, yet they still had the leisure to mock others.

"If I can resolve your family's crisis, what reward will the Gao family give me?"

Having spent the greater part of her life as a president with a discerning eye for talent, Xie Yanzi was no exception here; the moment she laid eyes on Ye Fei, she sensed he was a man of extraordinary capability.

"Anything you want," she replied slowly.

Ye Fei snapped his fingers. "Nothing else. From now on, all offline businesses of the Gao family must be handed over to the Wangu Group."

"What assurance do you have?"