An Yiqing saw the situation and immediately coaxed the elders to return to their rooms to rest.
Under the enthusiastic persuasions of the An family members, Ye Chenghong also decided to stay.
In the guest room, An Yiqing took out a clean set of bedding from the closet and carefully spread it out on the bed.
She patted the sheets, then stood up straight, turned her head toward Ye Chenghong, and said, "Master, it’s ready. There’s a bathroom in the room. You can take a quick shower and get to bed early."
Ye Chenghong nodded his head and patted the sofa beside him, saying to An Yiqing, "Girl, come, sit down and talk with your master for a while."
An Yiqing nodded obediently and sat down.
"Master, you really do worry me! Getting up there in age and still thinking about surprises. What if something happened on the plane, where would I even go to cry!" An Yiqing pouted cutely, complaining in a spoiled tone.
"Tsk tsk, silly girl, what nonsense!" Ye Chenghong reached out and flicked An Yiqing’s forehead, saying irritatedly, "Your master here will live a long life! As if a little plane could cause me any trouble! I’m not even seventy yet, still as hearty as ever!"
An Yiqing was both amused and exasperated by Ye Chenghong’s childish words. She nodded helplessly and responded, "Yes, yes, yes! Master, you’re the youngest! Always eighteen in spirit!"
"Hmph! That’s more like it!"
Seeing his disciple speak this way, Ye Chenghong finally let his prideful self give in.
For a moment, under the warm light, the atmosphere between master and disciple was incredibly tender.
Ye Chenghong thought about the several black-clothed men from earlier and furrowed his brows, his expression turning somewhat grave as he asked, "Girl, those people just now, what do you make of them?"
An Yiqing pondered for a moment and shook her head, "I can’t figure it out yet. Master, do you have any ideas?"
"When I fought with the men in black, I felt something was off about them," Ye Chenghong carefully recalled the earlier scene, trying his best to describe in detail, "They were like marionettes, oblivious to pain, tirelessly energetic."
"Tirelessly energetic?"
An Yiqing’s eyes flashed, slightly dazed. Ye Chenghong’s description suddenly reminded her of the incident when she was ambushed after dining with Duan Tang. Those men in black were also inexhaustible, like robots.
—Could there be a necessary connection between the two?
Seeing An Yiqing lost in thought, Ye Chenghong asked curiously, "Girl, do you have a clue?"
An Yiqing snapped out of her reflections and chuckled, shaking her head, "Not yet, just some conjectures. After I carry out an interrogation tomorrow, the truth will come to light."
The next day, An Yiqing and Gu Yelin went to the "Red Thorn" Base together.
Inside the base, Tan Yulin was already waiting early at the office door. As soon as he saw Gu Yelin and An Yiqing come in, he immediately strode forward to greet them.
"Boss, Xiao Qing!" Tan Yulin greeted them cheerfully, "Those guys were locked up in the interrogation room last night. The brothers in charge of the interrogation probably didn’t go easy on them. But those folks are tough, stubbornly not saying a word."
An Yiqing nodded, not surprised at all. It was clear that the black-clothed men were professionally trained. Although "Red Thorn’s" interrogation methods were nothing to scoff at, in her view, they were still too gentle.
Tan Yulin turned his head just in time to catch An Yiqing’s wicked smile, which made him shudder suddenly.
Outside the interrogation room
Ye Hong sat on the sofa in the corridor, utterly bored. Looking at Ye Feng standing rigidly at attention, he shook his head helplessly.