Starting as the President of a Billionaire Group Chapter 1154: 1129: Poisoned Apple

“Are you alright?” Ye Chen asked while gazing at Princess Snow White.

“No, nothing…” Princess Snow White stuttered in response.

Physically, her body was perfectly fine; she had simply been stunned by the striking handsomeness of the man standing before her.

Relief washed over Ye Chen upon confirming that Princess Snow White remained unhurt.

Had the food he delivered poisoned her, it surely would have sparked terrible feedback, leaving no telling what punishment the system might inflict.

Suddenly, a knock echoed from the door outside.

Glancing through the slight gap in the door, Ye Chen spotted an elderly woman outside clutching a basket brimming with apples.

He recognized the old woman immediately as the wicked stepmother intent on ending Snow White’s life that very day with a poisoned apple.

“Princess Snow White, keep the door shut; danger lurks outside,” Ye Chen cautioned her.

Though Ye Chen’s warning startled Princess Snow White, she swung the door open anyway, since the visitor appeared to be a gentle-looking senior lady.

In no way did she connect this figure to her stepmother.

The moment the door parted, the old woman’s eyes ignited with envy upon beholding the stunning princess.

Princess Snow White overlooked the flash of malice, yet Ye Chen perceived it clearly.

“Young lady, my apples are large, vibrant red, incredibly sweet, and tasty. Care to sample one?” the old woman coaxed with a grin.

The alluring crimson apple caught Princess Snow White’s eye, making her mouth water uncontrollably.

That apple appeared irresistibly appetizing, too tempting to ignore.

“Alright, thank you, granny.” Princess Snow White accepted the apple and prepared to bite into it.

As the apple neared Snow White’s mouth, a wicked grin spread across the old woman’s face.

Prior efforts to assassinate Princess Snow White via hired killers had all fallen short.

On this occasion, she chose to handle the deed personally, resolute in slaying the realm’s most beautiful maiden.

Right when victory seemed at hand in her plot, Ye Chen swiftly grabbed the apple from Princess Snow White’s grasp.

“Granny, I’ve bought this apple. You taste it first, please; hand over the rest from your basket too,” he declared, extending it toward the old woman.

The abrupt twist left the old woman dumbfounded; she knew better than to consume the toxic fruit herself.

“No, no thanks. The young lady should sample it before any purchase,” she replied through a strained smile.

“Try this apple yourself first,” Ye Chen insisted, thrusting it at the old woman.

Both Princess Snow White and the seven dwarfs stood puzzled by Ye Chen’s conduct, unable to fathom his motives.

The old woman had generously proffered the apple for Princess Snow White to enjoy, but Ye Chen acted outright hostile.

A few even deemed Ye Chen’s behavior unjustified.

“I can’t; my age has weakened my teeth too much for biting apples,” the old woman declined with a wave.

Ye Chen anticipated her string of evasions perfectly.

“Without tasting your own apple, how can we trust it enough to buy? Unless it’s laced with poison?” Ye Chen shot back, eyes fixed sternly on the old woman.

“Ridiculous! I hold no ill will toward the girl, so why poison her apple? Young man, cease your groundless claims,” the old woman shot back.

Even as she defended herself, unease gnawed at her deeply.

This oddly attired young man before her had discerned the poison in the apple meant for Princess Snow White.

“Ye Chen, how could you act so harshly toward an elderly lady?” Princess Snow White fumed a little.

She had started warming to Ye Chen earlier, yet his current demeanor shattered that budding affection.

“Princess Snow White, stay out of it; I have solid grounds for this,” Ye Chen replied coolly.

Turning to Princess Snow White, he questioned, “Do you recognize her true identity?”

“She’s merely an old apple vendor, isn’t she?” Princess Snow White answered.

“No, she’s the Evil Empress, consumed by envy of your beauty and plotting your death,” Ye Chen stated, staring at the old woman.

At those words, panic seized the old woman, and she bolted away hastily.

The youth in yellow garb proved exceptionally sharp, detecting both the apple’s poison and her disguised self.

Watching the old woman scamper off in disarray convinced Princess Snow White of Ye Chen’s truth.

Multiple times, her stepmother had dispatched assassins after her, only for them to relent due to her compassionate nature.

Princess Snow White had assumed escape from the Imperial Palace meant an end to the threats, yet here the stepmother appeared at her very threshold.

Without Ye Chen’s presence that day, she likely would have perished at the Evil Empress’s hands.

“Ye Chen, I owe you my life; thank you,” Princess Snow White expressed with deep gratitude.

Earlier, she had viewed Ye Chen’s hassle of the old woman as rude.

Now, it was clear he had pierced her disguise from the start.

“No thanks needed, Princess Snow White. As your friend, I wouldn’t allow harm to befall you,” Ye Chen replied smilingly.

Princess Snow White frowned as she spoke. “I really don’t understand why my stepmother is treating me this way. She won’t stop at all until I’m dead.”

Her words rang completely true. The Evil Empress would never tolerate anyone surpassing her in beauty within this world.

“Princess Snow White, you managed to escape the peril this time thanks to my help, but next time? Can you count on such fortune again?” Ye Chen gazed at Princess Snow White and inquired.

This remark caused Princess Snow White’s brows to crease even deeper.

What options did she have, a girl lacking any fighting ability, even backed by the seven dwarfs?

Her stepmother stood in stark contrast, dwelling in the grand Imperial Palace amid countless guards. Most crucially, that woman commanded powerful magic.

Such an immense divide separated them—what could Princess Snow White possibly accomplish?

“Ye Chen, I simply can’t confront my stepmother,” Princess Snow White confessed straightforwardly.

“You might not have been able before, but now that fate brought us together, everything could shift,” Ye Chen said, flashing a grin.

Such a declaration from Ye Chen caught Princess Snow White off guard; they had met only once, after all.

No soul dared to challenge the Evil Empress, especially with Snow White possessing no rewards to give.

“Ye Chen, do you truly intend to aid me? You realize this journey brims with deadly risks,” Princess Snow White warned.

“Is that a problem? The riskier it gets, the more exciting it becomes,” Ye Chen replied with a smile.

Actually, Ye Chen’s true motive went beyond just assisting Princess Snow White—it benefited him personally as well.

After all, something vital to him existed at the Evil Empress’s lair.

His words touched Princess Snow White deeply, bringing tears to her eyes.