Manipulative Harem God

Chapter 387 Gift: Coffin and Red Envelope?

?Zhang Wei's expression, a canvas of bewilderment and slight annoyance, was framed perfectly by the car window he had just rolled down. "Because she wants to sleep, Brother Dong. Do you lack common sense?" His words were sharp, slicing Chen Dong like a sharp knife.

"You!?" Chen Dong's face turned a shade of crimson, a storm of embarrassment and anger brewing within him. He took a deep, steadying breath, his chest rising and falling visibly.

A laugh, tinged with a mix of sarcasm and bitterness, escaped his lips. It was a sound that seemed to dance on the edge of sanity.

Zhang Wei's frown deepened, his eyes narrowing. "Keep that demonic laughter to yourself. Don't wake her up. She's exhausted."

System, [Her exhaustion is your doing, Host.]

Chen Dong exhaled slowly, nodding in acknowledgment, "But what exactly happened? Where did you all vanish to?"

As Zhang Wei stepped out of the SUV, his tall figure casting a long shadow on the ground, he was met with the sight of the four women lined up, an unusual tableau of anticipation and unease. "What's this? What are you all plotting now?" His gaze swept over them, sharp and probing.

Xie Meirong, seizing the chance to escape the growing tension, promptly volunteered, "I'll take Yulan inside." Her voice was a blend of concern and relief, eager to be away from the brewing storm.

As Chen Dong moved to help, Xie Meirong intervened, stopping him. Chen Dong instinctively maintained a distance from her. There was something about her smile that felt threatening, as if it concealed a hidden blade.

Yu Lei followed suit, offering her help. "I'll aid her as well."

Meanwhile, Feng Xinyue casually strolled over and took Zhang Wei's hand, a silent gesture of solidarity in the midst of the awkwardness. Both of them turned to look at Lin Ruoxi, who stood awkwardly apart from the group.

"Uh... Welcome back?" Lin Ruoxi's voice was a soft, awkward whisper. She let out a sigh as Zhang Wei gave her a peculiar, somewhat judgmental glance, further deepening the oddity of the moment.

_______

Under a canopy of stars, Zhang Wei stood apart from the others, the soft orange glow of his cigarette casting a solitary light in the darkness. He was a picture of contemplation, the smoke curling upwards like a slow, sinister dance.

Meanwhile, Chen Dong, a few steps away, exhaled a deep sigh of relief, his body visibly relaxing after learning they hadn't been ambushed on their journey.

Zhang Wei's eyes, reflecting the faint glow of his cigarette, caught the shift in Chen Dong's demeanor. His eyebrows arched in intrigue. "Why do you look as though you were expecting an attack? And who is this councilman?" His voice was tinged with a mocking tone, the chuckle that followed resonating with a note of contempt.

Chen Dong, momentarily taken aback by Zhang Wei's insight, quickly regained his composure. "I can't understand how that bastard Fan Jun managed to get his eyes on Yulan, but his obsession is too much." As he spoke, his eyes blazed with a fury that seemed to burn brighter than the cigarette's ember.

Zhang Wei's brow rose further, he shook his head in amusement, "Obsessed? Doesn't he know that such fires of obsession only lead to the pits of hell?"

Chen Dong's expression turned serious, laced with a hint of concern. "Don't get involved, Zhang Wei. If something were to happen to you, I could never face the aunt. These people, they don't abide by the law; they make their own rules. It's better to let Liu Ming handle it. They're more adept at dealing with such villains."

A smile, half-cynical, half-amused, played on Zhang Wei's lips. "And you? Are you so frightened that you need to hide behind another man?"

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Chen Dong was visibly stunned, his mouth agape, but before he could formulate a response, Zhang Wei continued, his tone laced with a probing curiosity. "What do you think? Is it a mere coincidence that after five years of ignoring this Liu Ming's efforts, Yulan suddenly agrees to marry him?"

Chen Dong's frown deepened, a storm of thoughts making chaos in his mind. "What... do you mean?"

Zhang Wei's sneer cut through Chen Dong's confusion, as sharp and cold as the blade of a knife. "If it isn't because of you? What have you been hiding from her?"

His words, casual in tone but razor-edged in implication, causing Chen Dong to fall into a deep contemplation.

Zhang Wei knew there was more to the story, more layers beneath the surface.

To Wu Xue, Chen Yulan had expressed a reluctance to be a burden to Chen Dong. In the past, such an excuse might have held water, but now, with Chen Dong residing in a lavish villa, the idea of her being a burden was laughable.

The pieces of the puzzle were coming together in Zhang Wei's mind, each one fitting into place with a near-perfect precision.

System, impressed by Zhang Wei's acumen, praised, [Host, you're quite the genius. It seems you just need to employ your intellect more often.]

Even the system, always an observer, was taken aback. Zhang Wei had been a silent calculator, revealing nothing until this very moment, his deductions as sharp as they were silent.

As Zhang Wei laid out his deductions, Chen Dong's face turned an ashen shade. His sigh, when it came, was heavy with unspoken burdens. "You're right... Earlier this year... I received a coffin as a 'gift' with a note inside. I thought Yulan hadn't seen it, but it seems she knew."

Zhang Wei's nod was slow, contemplative. "Was there anything before that?"

Chen Dong's face twisted into a contemplative frown. "Before that, there was a red envelope with a cheque and a demand to marry Yulan to the Councilman's son, Fan Jun. I never imagined they'd escalate to sending a coffin as a warning." Reaching for a cigarette, his hands trembled slightly, the realization dawning on him like a slow, cruel sunrise.

As he lit the cigarette, the flame briefly illuminated his face, revealing a mosaic of emotions - fear, anger, and a increasing disgust.

Zhang Wei nodded, slow and deliberate, "Have you received any more threats since the coffin?"

Chen Dong shook his head, a shadow of worry crossing his features. "Nothing after that coffin. Except for the last attack on Yulan."

Zhang Wei continued, "And when did Chen Yulan decide to accept Liu Ming's marriage proposal? Was it before or after these threats?"

The question seemed to strike Chen Dong like a physical blow.

His eyes trembled, revealing a storm of emotions. "T-Thats..."