Chapter 1296: Chapter 1296: Zhao Zhongtian’s Killer Move

The Zhao Family banquet came to an end, and Li Chenggui and the others took their leave.

Ye Fan and Jian Tao with her daughter were also about to leave, and Zhao Feipeng walked them out.

"Mr. Ye, I really have to thank you this time. If it weren’t for you, my Zhao Family wouldn’t have the face to make the Patriarchs of the Five Great Families come here to celebrate the old man’s birthday. The old man was very happy—he woke up and was lucid for a while. As his son, I’m very grateful, and very happy." Zhao Feipeng said, eyes brimming with gratitude.

"It was just a lift of my hand, I didn’t really do anything." Ye Fan said mildly, "No need to see us off, we can get back on our own."

"No matter what, I’m still extremely grateful to you." Zhao Feipeng said seriously in thanks.

"If we’re not outsiders, then don’t say so much polite nonsense. Just treat it as me helping Zhao Hai fulfill a bit of his wish." Ye Fan said.

"We’re not outsiders, not outsiders at all." Zhao Feipeng turned to Jian Tao with a smile and said, "Tao, Mr. Ye’s been drinking, you drive."

"Dad, I know." Jian Tao agreed.

"Bye-bye, Grandpa." Xixi waved at Zhao Feipeng in farewell.

"Bye-bye, Xixi." Zhao Feipeng replied kindly.

Ye Fan and Jian Tao, mother and daughter, got in the car and left.

Watching the car drive away, Zhao Feipeng sighed with emotion, "Mr. Ye really is a good man, sentimental and righteous. Zhao Hai is dead, yet he still brought such great fortune to the Zhao Family. Son, you can rest in peace now."

In the car, Jian Tao glanced at Ye Fan and said with a smile, "You really worked hard today: first playing the grandson, then pushing the Patriarchs of the Five Great Families to give my Zhao Family plenty of face. This favor is way too big."

Playing the grandson naturally referred to him pretending to be Zhao Hai in front of the old man, posing as the grandson.

"Why do I feel like from the way you’re saying it, it doesn’t sound like you’re praising me, more like you’re putting me down?" Ye Fan straightened his face and asked.

"No, heh heh." Jian Tao gave a strange smile and said, "The way you acted like a grandson in front of the old man was really touching. Seriously, thank you."

"If you really want to thank me, do me a favor and don’t keep saying ’play grandson’ or ’pretend to be a grandson’ all the time. Look at your expression, then listen to what you’re saying—none of it sounds like you’re thanking me." Ye Fan felt indescribably speechless.

Jian Tao laughed even more happily and said cheerfully, "You still care about that? I thought your heart was like still water and you wouldn’t care about words like that. If other people knew how you behaved today, their jaws would definitely drop. The mighty Terminator actually has such a humane, sentimental side—there’s really nothing one can say to that."

"How is it that any good words coming out of your mouth get twisted?" Ye Fan gave Jian Tao a look and then let it go.

Xixi looked at her mom, then at her uncle. She realized they were talking about things she couldn’t understand, so she tilted her head and said, "Uncle, I want you and Mom to talk with me."

"Alright, I’ll tell you a story, okay?" Jian Tao turned her head to look at her daughter dotingly.

"Okay!" Xixi said, beaming.

...

At Zhao Zhongtian’s residence, Zhao Gui and Hei Pi were there as well.

"The way things are developing is beyond what we expected. Who would’ve thought that after killing Zhao Hai, Zhao Hai’s heart would end up forming a bond with Mr. Ye. That creates a layer of connection between Zhao Feipeng and Mr. Ye. Now even the Five Great Families have given him face and personally come to visit. If this keeps going, and if by any chance Zhao Feipeng builds a deep relationship with Ye Fan or someone from the Five Great Families, then it’ll be too late. At that point, all our efforts will go down the drain, and not only will we get nothing, once the truth comes out, we’re finished."

Zhao Zhongtian was extremely worried. After what happened today, claiming he wasn’t worried would be a lie.

He had originally planned to proceed step by step and gradually devour the Zhao Family, but this unexpected accident forced him into urgency.

If they kept waiting, the chances of failure would only increase. That was obvious.

"No one expected that Zhao Feipeng would end up having any overlap with Mr. Ye and the Five Great Families." Hei Pi said with a grim face, "I’ve always been against taking risks—any plan that isn’t perfect shouldn’t be put into action lightly. For absolute security, winning steadily has always been what I believe in. But now, it seems we have to change our strategy."

He continued, "In our eyes, Zhao Feipeng was in a situation of total isolation, with no one to rely on. As long as we had enough time and the timing was right, we could take him down and eliminate all hidden threats. But now it seems that Zhao Feipeng is showing signs of getting external support. Once he establishes some sort of cooperation with Mr. Ye or the Five Great Families, it’ll be incredibly hard to make a move."

"Looking at the current situation, Mr. Ye and the Five Great Families seem to have a very good relationship with Uncle. Is it really a good idea to act at this time?" Zhao Gui frowned.

"I asked Big Brother about it. Ye Fan came to the Zhao Family because Zhao Hai’s heart is in Ye Fan’s body and caused some side effects. Ye Fan wanted to do something for the Zhao Family to help Zhao Hai resolve his resentment, that’s why he came. With that, it’s no surprise the Patriarchs of the Five Great Families followed in his footsteps." Zhao Zhongtian said, "The ridiculous part is that the old man, smart his whole life, actually mistook him and really took Ye Fan as Zhao Hai. Truly laughable. Maybe it really is Zhao Hai’s heart acting up that led to this misrecognition."

"Zhao Hai’s death hasn’t made Uncle or Jian Tao and the others suspicious—at least they haven’t started suspecting us yet." Zhao Gui said, "I’ve observed Jian Tao and her daughter for quite a while. Jian Tao hasn’t shown anything unusual, and Xixi still doesn’t know that her father is already dead."

"I’m a piece of trash, a well-known good-for-nothing. Who would suspect a waste like me?" Zhao Zhongtian gave a strange smile and said, "If even a waste could be this ruthless and do something like this, that would be what’s truly unbelievable."

Zhao Zhongtian himself believed that Zhao Feipeng had no suspicions of him, which was why he dared to think this way.

"Dad, if we’re going to make a move, who should we target?" Zhao Gui said, "It’s not easy to go after Jian Tao and her daughter. After all, the two of them are now neighbors with Ye Fan. If we get caught, it’ll only end in failure. Even if we really manage to kidnap them and use them to threaten Uncle, it would take huge effort and cost. Only by using a surprise attack could we pull it off. If we lock onto Jian Tao and her daughter as the targets, I’m willing to step up, invite them out to meet, and then look for a chance to grab them."

"Looking at the whole Zhao Family, the only one who ever treated me politely was Jian Tao. I may be ruthless, but I don’t want to make that mother and daughter suffer again. Going after Jian Tao and her girl has too high a chance of failure." Zhao Zhongtian’s gaze hardened as he said decisively, "We go for Zhao Feipeng. That’s the simplest and most effective."

"Indeed, Zhao Feipeng is the most suitable target." Hei Pi agreed.

"Before Zhao Feipeng builds a deep relationship with Ye Fan or the Five Great Families, we cut the knot with a sharp blade, start from him." With a sinister glint in his eyes, Zhao Zhongtian issued the order.