Chapter 23: Emerging from the tiger's den, only to fall into the wolf's lair again.

Xie Nanzhi didn't want to get entangled with women, or more accurately, she didn't want to get entangled with anyone related to Pei Jingchuan. A hint of impatience flashed across her fair face.

“Manager, if this young lady offends other customers, not everyone is as easy to talk to as I am. If I were you, I would have her kicked out immediately.”

Seeing the manager hesitate, it was probably because he was wary of Pei Jingchuan's tyranny.

Xie Nanzhi raised an eyebrow and looked the woman up and down carefully again. "If President Pei really cared about her, she wouldn't be so clueless as to not even know which private room he was in."

The manager instantly understood, his eyes filled with gratitude, and immediately called over a waiter, "Please escort this young lady out."

Xie Nanzhi wasn't in the mood to follow up. She was exhausted from the journey and just wanted to go back and get a good night's sleep.

Xie Nanzhi picked up her bag from the hanger, put her phone inside, and left the private room.

Just as Xie Nanzhi was turning a corner, she heard a familiar voice.

He wasn't speaking Mandarin, but a minor language from Southeast Asia.

In Xie Nanzhi's memory, this person must have come to Yunding Villa to see Pei Jingchuan, and they always communicated in this language.

Xie Nanzhi had a roommate in college who was an exchange student from a Southeast Asian country and spoke this language, which is how she learned a little about it.

Although the meaning cannot be fully translated, it is somewhat understandable. This is why Xie Nanzhi knew that Pei Jingchuan had some clandestine businesses.

Xie Nanzhi leaned against the wall and quietly took out her phone to take pictures of the direction of the sound, trying to determine if the other person was Pei Jingchuan.

The camera focused, and a handsome profile appeared on the screen. Xie Nanzhi's pupils dilated and she held her breath.

It is indeed Pei Jingchuan.

Wearing a black suit, Pei Jingchuan looked much thinner than he had three months ago, with his sharp features appearing somewhat sunken.

Xie Nanzhi had seen the trending topics in China. Pei Jingchuan attempted suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills due to his divorce and was in a coma for nearly three months before waking up. Presumably, his body has not yet fully recovered.

Looking at the man so close to her, Xie Nanzhi felt no more excitement. All the past events seemed like a distant memory, but her hatred for him remained deeply rooted.

He held a cigarette between his fingers, his expression cold and aloof. "Is there any news about the ledger?"

Upon hearing this, Xie Nanzhi's pupils dilated and she pricked up her ears.

The ledger is lost?

The ledger she was looking for wasn't in Pei Jingchuan's possession?

The man lowered his head. "There's no news yet."

Pei Jingchuan's expression was gloomy. "I've been in a coma for three months, not dead for three months. If you can't even handle this small matter, what use are you to me?"

The men didn't dare to breathe loudly.

Pei Jingchuan gritted his teeth and said coldly, "The ledger records all the shady dealings. If we can't find them, we'll all die."

Suddenly, Xie Nanzhi's phone rang.

A WeChat message popped up from Zhou Mubin, and at the same time, Pei Jingchuan's eyes narrowed. "Who?"

He strolled over, but the corner was deserted.

At that moment, Xie Nanzhi quickly slipped into a private room on the side.

She was so nervous that her mouth was watering. If Pei Jingchuan found her, would he kill her to silence her?

Based on Xie Nanzhi's understanding of him, even if she were to live a wretched life, he would most likely imprison her until she dies.

Therefore, Pei Jingchuan absolutely cannot see her, at least not this time.

Xie Nanzhi took a deep breath and quietly waited for Pei Jingchuan to leave.

She slowly turned around and took a deep breath.

Is this private room not empty?

There was actually someone...

Not only are there people, but it seems they're doing something shady.

At this moment, the private room was as quiet as a chicken's nest.

The people sitting around the round table all turned their attention to Xie Nanzhi.

Xie Nanzhi stood there, her first instinct was to run away, but her legs felt like they were made of lead, and she couldn't take a step.

She tried her best to calm herself down, pretending not to see anything, and reached for the doorknob.

However, Xie Nanzhi was a step too slow. She was grabbed by the back of the neck and roughly thrown onto the round table.

After Xie Nanzhi staggered to her feet, she was facing a man kneeling on the ground with all his teeth knocked out.

Blood was everywhere, his clothes were soaked in blood, and he was no longer recognizable. He was trembling all over from the pain.

The smell of blood was too strong, and Xie Nanzhi couldn't bear to look at the scene, so she couldn't help but gag.

Upon seeing this, the man in the main seat frowned and ordered sternly, "Drag him to the bathroom."

Tie Tou was taken aback, then headed straight for Xie Nanzhi.

Another subordinate, Mu Lin, was speechless. He kicked Tie Tou and said, "Second Master told you to drag that one off the ground."

Iron Head: "Huh? Oh!"

Tie Tou grabbed the man, who was in a terrible state, and dragged him into the bathroom.

Xie Nanzhi's stomach was churning. Just then, a long, slender hand with distinct knuckles handed her a glass of water. "Rinse your mouth."

Xie Nanzhi looked at the owner of the hand.

The man has broad shoulders and a large build. Even in a half-bent-over posture, his physical advantages beyond those of an ordinary man are still evident.

He wore a black shirt with the cuffs rolled up several times, revealing a small section of skin that seemed incongruous with the fabric. His tanned complexion suited him better, making his fair skin appear somewhat out of place.

The red hair tie on his wrist was even more jarring.

It must have been a love token given to him by the woman he loved, which is why he cherishes it and carries it with him at all times.

Xie Nanzhi remained vigilant, her dark eyes meeting the man's gaze, but she never took the glass of water.

Wei Chizheng laughed. "Afraid I'll drug you?"

Xie Nanzhi's silence is the best answer.

He wasn't angry. He straightened up and put the water glass on the table. Xie Nanzhi wondered if it was just her imagination, but she actually felt that this man was a little gentle.

Wei Chi sat down, one hand resting on the edge of the table, the other casually placed on his knee. "Hiding from people?"

Xie Nanzhi had no habit of chatting with strangers, let alone such a dangerous person. She was unwilling to engage in further communication and only wanted to make a clean getaway.

Xie Nanzhi couldn't hide her nervousness, but she couldn't afford to get hurt, at least not lose her life so carelessly. She tried her best to calm herself down.

"I swear I will keep what I saw today to myself for the rest of my life and never tell anyone."

Wei Chizheng raised an eyebrow. "You haven't answered my question yet."

Xie Nanzhi was on tenterhooks, unsure of what the man was planning, and told the truth, "Yeah, hiding from people."

Mu Lin had already cleaned up the bloodstains on the ground and, quite considerately, went to the bathroom to keep Tie Tou company.

Only Wei Chizheng and Xie Nanzhi remained in the spacious private room. Xie Nanzhi tentatively stood up and said, "Sir, if there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now."

After calculating the time, Pei Jingchuan should be leaving soon.

Seeing that the man didn't say anything, Xie Nanzhi left immediately.

I had only taken two steps when I heard steady footsteps catching up behind me. "It's not safe for you to be alone. I'll walk you downstairs."

Xie Nanzhi, "..."

It's not safe to be with him.

The words of refusal were on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back down.

If she doesn't agree, she probably won't even be able to leave this room today.

Xie Nanzhi was forced to be escorted by a man, and the two walked out of the private room one after the other.

The tense atmosphere made it seem as if the very thread holding them together could snap with the slightest pressure.

As she walked, Xie Nanzhi slowly stopped.

Wei Chizheng, who was standing next to him, turned his head to look at him with a hint of doubt, "What's wrong?"

After thinking for a long time, Xie Nanzhi said in a steady voice, "Sir, since you helped me, I'd like to kindly remind you that it's necessary to remove the surveillance footage from this time period. Otherwise, it's always unsettling to leave something on your hands."

Upon hearing this, Wei Chizheng's dark eyes lit up with a smile. He stared straight at Xie Nanzhi's unchanging face. "Is this just for my sake?"

Undeniably, Xie Nanzhi was also acting in her own self-interest.

Given Pei Jingchuan's cautious nature, he will inevitably check the surveillance footage, which would be detrimental to her.

Xie Nanzhi said, "Sir, you are a wise man. Why ask a question you already know the answer to?"

Wei Chizheng smiled and said, "You're very smart."

As soon as she finished speaking, Xie Nanzhi's waist was suddenly encircled by his strong arms. His embrace, like him, was cold and devoid of warmth.