Chapter 266 I'll trade her life for my freedom for the rest of my life.

Fu Beichen stared at the unfamiliar text message on his phone screen, his eyes so dark they seemed to drip ink.

He did not reply.

Fingers flew across the screen, sending out a command to track the number.

He had a premonition that this trip to country F to receive the award was destined to be anything but peaceful.

But whoever wants to harm her, they'll have to step over his dead body first.

If he wants to protect her, he must bring her back unharmed.

Fu Beichen walked to the balcony and lit a cigarette.

The crimson flames flickered in the night, and the smoke blurred his cold, stern face.

He made two phone calls in quick succession, his voice low but carrying an undeniable command.

When they returned to the room, Gu Xingnian was already fast asleep.

He took a shower and lay down on the bed, still damp from the water.

The woman beside him slept soundly, completely unsuspecting, one hand still outstretched, claiming his space.

He leaned down, gently grasped her wrist, and placed a kiss on the three faint scars.

This is the mark of her using her own blood to prolong his life in Maduri.

Their lives were already intertwined.

He pulled her into his arms, kissed her warm cheek, and gently patted her back with his large hand.

But he was wide awake.

the next day.

When Fu Beichen woke up, there was no one beside him.

He stepped out of the room and immediately saw Gu Xingnian holding Yu Yu on the balcony, the morning light gently shining on her.

His favorite breakfast was laid out on the table, still steaming hot.

He walked over, wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, rested his chin on her shoulder, and turned his head to kiss her cheek.

"morning."

"Good morning," she replied with a gentle smile.

Fu Beichen lowered his head again and kissed the little guy's sweet-smelling face.

Yu Yu chuckled, revealing his bare gums.

Fu Beichen was stunned for a moment, then reached out and pinched his son's chubby little face.

Well, you're smiling so brightly, trying to bribe your dad?

Gu Xingnian smiled and handed the little baby in her arms to him.

Fu Beichen caught it steadily and kissed the cute little face several times, making the little guy giggle non-stop.

Gu Xingnian said, "Grandpa just called and asked us to come back to the old house for dinner tonight. He also bought a bunch of things for Yuyu."

“By the time we get back from Country F, it will be around Yu Yu’s 100-day celebration. I need to start preparing in advance.”

Fu Beichen nodded, "Okay. I'll pick you up after get off work."

He added, "I've ordered three dresses and jewelry for you. Someone will deliver them to your door this afternoon. Just wait at home to sign for them."

Her trip to country F to receive the award is a top priority.

Gu Xingnian was scooping meat porridge from a small bowl when she heard this and looked up at him. "How can I wear all this by myself? Let's keep a low profile. I don't want to be too flashy."

Fu Beichen held his son, turned to look at her, and spoke in a domineering yet doting tone.

“I can’t keep a low profile. You are my wife, Fu Beichen’s wife, and you are N Goddess. If you go, you must be the most noble and beautiful princess in the entire room.”

"You don't need to worry about anything, just focus on thinking up your acceptance speech. Leave the rest to your husband."

Gu Xingnian was amused by him and didn't say anything more. She sat down and ate her breakfast quietly.

Fu Beichen sat down beside her, holding his son, enjoying this rare morning.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated in my pocket.

It was still that unfamiliar number.

He swiped the screen, and a line of text unexpectedly caught his eye.

"Brother Beichen, Gu Xingnian is in danger. Can I exchange her life for my freedom for the rest of my life?"

With a "buzz".

Something exploded in Fu Beichen's mind.

My relaxed and carefree mood was completely shattered by those words. My stomach churned, and I instantly lost all appetite.

He remained outwardly calm, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in his heart.

He casually put down his chopsticks and stood up.

"I'll go to the company first."

The moment the door closed, all the warmth on Fu Beichen's face vanished, leaving only a cold, ruthless aura.

He immediately dialed the phone and gave the order, each word sharp and icy.

"Find her and bring her back to me."

...

Shengshi Group, conference room.

Sheng Weiwei rested her chin on her hand, her fingertips tapping the table unconsciously, her whole being exuding a listless exhaustion.

The meeting ended, and everyone left one after another.

"Weiwei." Director Lu called out to her, his face showing a mixture of gossip and lingering fear. "What happened to General Manager Zhang? How did he end up in jail?"

Sheng Weiwei didn't even lift her eyelids, her voice light and airy.

"I heard that she was in a restaurant with a man... behaving inappropriately and was caught on the spot."

"A man?!" Director Lu was so shocked his eyes almost popped out. He patted his chest.

Good heavens, thank goodness he didn't go on a business trip to Ningcheng, otherwise that old bastard would have made a move on him!

The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became. Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed Sheng Weiwei's hand, overwhelmed with gratitude.

"Weiwei, thank you so much, you're truly my savior!"

Sheng Weiwei pulled her hand away abruptly, and then there was a knock on the office door.

Lin Xiaoli poked her head in, "Sister Weiwei, there's been a problem with the science museum project. Mr. Bai from Shengchuang... specifically requests to see you."

Sheng Weiwei's heart skipped a beat.

She looked at Director Lu with pleading eyes, "Director Lu, what do you think about this..."

"Don't look at me!" Director Lu pulled his hand back and slipped away faster than anyone else. "That project was entirely under your control, and President Bai gave the order not to touch it. Weiwei, you... good luck."

Before he finished speaking, he had already disappeared through the doorway.

Sheng Weiwei rolled her eyes at the air, stood up listlessly, and said, "Let's go, you'll come with me to Shengchuang."

"Okay." Lin Xiaoli quickly followed.

This is Sheng Weiwei's second time stepping into the doors of Shengchuang Financial.

As soon as she walked to the front desk, a well-dressed man came up to her with a standard professional smile on his face.

"Miss Sheng, welcome. I am Yang Fan, Mr. Bai's assistant."

"Hello, Assistant Yang." Sheng Weiwei nodded.

"Please follow me, Mr. Bai is waiting for you upstairs." Yang Fan gestured for her to follow and led her to the private elevator.

The elevator goes directly to the top floor.

Yang Fan led Sheng Weiwei to the door of the president's office, and then said to Lin Xiaoli, "Assistant Lin, please wait in the reception room for a moment. I will tell you about the specific details of the science museum project."

After saying that, he led Lin Xiaoli to the other side.

Sheng Weiwei pushed open the office door and walked in; the office was empty.

The entire space was surprisingly spacious, with a cool color scheme of black, white, and gray, understated yet luxurious, perfectly matching his preferred style.

She walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, where the view was excellent.

From here, you can see the entire Fu Group building, as well as the Sheng Group and Fanxing Hotel not far away.

She never imagined that Bai Yu was actually the legendary mysterious tycoon of Shengchuang Financial.

That dark horse king who can turn the tide in the overseas capital market, any one of his investment projects is enough to make other listed companies struggle for a whole year.

That's really... well hidden.

She stood there for a moment, then turned and walked back to the sofa area, her gaze inadvertently sweeping over the huge desk.

One of the drawers on the table wasn't closed properly, leaving a gap.

In the gap, there was a familiar blue hue.

That color...

A thought stirred within her, and she took two steps forward as if possessed, wanting to see more clearly.

"Miss Sheng, please have a seat."

A deep, familiar voice suddenly rang out from behind her.

Sheng Weiwei stopped in her tracks and turned around.

Bai Yu had walked in at some point. He was wearing a well-tailored dark suit, and his hair was neatly combed. He looked like a domineering CEO who had stepped out of the cover of a financial magazine.

He just stood there, and his powerful aura was overwhelming, making it hard to breathe.

Sheng Weiwei walked to the single sofa and sat down as if nothing had happened.

He followed and casually sat down on the main sofa, crossing his legs and leaning back slightly in a languid posture.

But those deep eyes stared straight at her, with a scrutinizing look.

"I wonder what brings you here today, Mr. Bai?" Sheng Weiwei spoke first.

He spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice devoid of warmth.

"The contractor of the science and technology museum has a shady past. If it goes bankrupt in the future, the entire 2 billion yuan investment in this project will be wasted."

He spoke casually, yet every word carried immense weight.

"How could this be?" Sheng Weiwei was shocked. "Our legal department and project department have carefully reviewed the contractor's qualifications. There can't be any problem."

Could it be... that there are corrupt officials within the company?

"So what should we do now?" she asked, trying to calm herself down.

“Replace the person,” Bai Yu proposed. “But the project schedule will be delayed by at least two months. Miss Sheng can go back and calculate the losses during this period.”

Sheng Weiwei's brows furrowed instantly.

The two-month delay will result in an astronomical sum of additional construction costs and penalties for both parties, not to mention the fact that the science museum will not be able to open on time, which will trigger a whole host of chain reactions.

This is a dead end.

“However,” he changed the subject, looking intently at her with a hint of amusement, “you could also ask your husband for help.”

"The problem can be solved in just three days."

She looked up at him, her face full of confusion.

Where did this husband come from? How come she doesn't know?

"I don't have a husband."

Bai Yu looked at her, a very slight smile curving his lips. "You can have one. Just bring your ID and come with me."

Sheng Weiwei understood.

So that's where the pit was dug, just waiting for her to jump in.

"Mr. Bai, I will find a suitable replacement company as soon as possible, so you don't need to worry about it." Her face turned cold, and she stood up to leave.

Bai Yu also stood up, walked to her side, stretched out his long arm, hooked her slender waist, and pulled her towards him.

Are you sure you can solve this?

The man's warm palms pressed against her waist, their heat making her skin tingle even through the thin fabric of her clothes.

Sheng Weiwei reached out to pry his hand away, both angry and anxious, "Bai Yu, let go of me! Don't mix business with personal matters!"

"Can't distinguish between public and private matters?" He chuckled, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe. "Are you sure you don't want me, this 'private' thing, to solve your 'public' thing?"

He lowered his head slightly, getting closer to her, and the refreshing, pleasant woody scent emanating from him instantly enveloped her.

His eyes were unfathomable.

"I don't need it!" She pushed him away forcefully and walked quickly towards the door.

As she reached the door, she seemed to suddenly remember something, abruptly turned around, and facing the man in the office, spat out a sentence sharply and clearly:

"I lost my ID card."

"Permanently reported lost!"

Bai Yu watched her almost fleeing figure, the coldness in his eyes dissipated, and the corners of his lips couldn't help but turn up.

This little firecracker is really hard to appease.

...

As night fell, Fu Beichen's car smoothly drove into the old house.

As soon as Fu Shihong heard the car, he came out of the house to greet him. When he saw Fu Beichen taking the swaddled baby out of the car, his eyes narrowed into slits with laughter, and he quickly reached out to take the baby.

"My little darling, let great-grandpa hold you."

He held his great-grandson, his mouth agape, and weighed him in his hand. "He's a little heavy, but that's good. He's raised him so well."

The little one didn't cry or fuss in his arms, but stared at him curiously with his big, dark, grape-like eyes.

Fu Shihong's heart melted.

The atmosphere in the restaurant was wonderful; there were no extra people and nothing unpleasant to do.

On the long dining table sat Gu Xingnian's favorite orange-flavored spare ribs, their color incredibly tempting. Two bowls of nourishing soup, specially prepared in the kitchen, were also placed securely beside her, steaming gently.

Murong Lan picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks, then looked at Gu Xingnian as if she had suddenly remembered something.

"Niannian, you're an expert in genetics. I have a question for you. Recently, that guy Kavan, the one who makes anti-aging injections, does he really work?"

Gu Xingnian paused for a moment while holding the spoon.

She looked up, her tone calm, "That's just a marketing gimmick; there's no such thing as rejuvenation in the world."

“Oh…” Murong Lan nodded, then seemed to be talking to herself, “But Haicheng has already sold out.”

She put down her chopsticks, her interest piqued.

"I heard that Kavan has also started some kind of VIP Beauty Club, and the membership fee has been raised to 1 million."

"Only by joining the club can you get priority access to the injections. These days, in Haicheng's socialite circles, it's an honor to be able to squeeze into this 'Ultimate Beauty Club'."

She was speaking earnestly when Fu Beichen, sitting next to her, suddenly asked a question out of the blue.

"You've paid."

It is an affirmative sentence, not an interrogative sentence.

"Ah, I didn't!" Murong Lan immediately denied. "I don't need to pay. They gave me some prestigious spots, which were reserved for wealthy ladies of high status. They gave me one, and Madam Sheng also got one."

Gu Xingnian became interested. "What kind of services can I get for 1 million?"

Murong Lan replied without hesitation, "I heard that there is an opportunity to visit their headquarters and receive one-on-one service from a PhD at headquarters."

She lowered her voice, her tone filled with mystery and longing.

"But there are only 10 spots available at a time, and they all want to go with a 50-year-old face and bring back a 20-year-old face. You don't know, there are also quite a few male bosses who are scrambling for these spots."

Fu Beichen and Gu Xingnian exchanged a glance.

It seems that this Kavan is playing a long game, with considerable ambitions; selling injections is just the first step.

Fu Beichen lowered his eyes, his slender fingers carefully removing fish bones from Gu Xingnian's fish, and pushed a small plate of tender white fish meat in front of her before slowly speaking.

"Grandpa was wise; he didn't believe their tricks at all."

Fu Shihong glared at him.

"You brat, don't flatter me."

The old man's voice was full of energy.

"I'm just not old enough to lose my mind."

"Something unusual must be going on. If there really were a magic pill that could reverse aging, then what would be the point of birth, aging, sickness, and death? They're trying to break the laws of the universe; it's just wishful thinking."

Fu Shihong picked up his chopsticks and tapped the table.

"They're playing psychological warfare, exploiting the vulnerabilities of all wealthy people. When someone becomes incredibly rich, they start to dream of an ageless body and eternal life. It's blatant exploitation, and yet there are still people eager to be exploited."

Gu Xingnian couldn't help but give the old man a thumbs up.

"Grandpa, you are truly my idol. You see things so clearly."

Fu Shihong snorted, clearly pleased with the compliment.

Murong Lan didn't say anything more and silently drank her soup.

She was chosen, one of the ten spots. Should she... give it a try?

After dinner, everyone discussed Yu Yu's 100-day celebration in the hall.

The final decision was that, apart from a few close family members and particularly close friends from prominent families, no one else would be notified.

There were about ten tables, and the event was held directly in the old house, making it lively and warm.

Gu Xingnian had no objections; she had never liked extravagance.

Seeing that everything was settled, Fu Beichen stood up, glanced at his son who was sleeping soundly in Fu Shihong's arms, and put his arm around Gu Xingnian's shoulder.

"The child will stay at the old house tonight."

After saying that, he took Gu Xingnian away without giving anyone time to react.

Fu Beichen led Gu Xingnian to a private martial arts arena, where two female coaches in sportswear greeted them at the entrance.

"Mr. Fu, Mrs. Fu, good evening."

"What is this?" Gu Xingnian looked at him in confusion.

Fu Beichen smiled, took her hand and led her inside, stopping at the largest fighting arena.

"You'll be leaving for Country F in seven days, so here's your lesson plan for those seven days. I've arranged a personal coach for you."

He smiled and said, "If you can train until you can beat your husband, then you've passed."

Gu Xingnian's eyes widened.

"Fu Beichen, are you serious?"

“Otherwise,” he patted her small hand. “A husband can’t be by your side 24 hours a day, and bodyguards can also make mistakes. If you know some self-defense techniques, you can protect yourself.”

Gu Xingnian frowned. "But I don't have that kind of talent."

"Show me the same spirit you had when you were making poison and trying to poison me." He reached out and ruffled her hair. "I believe you can do it."

"Let's go change your clothes." He led her towards the dressing room.

Gu Xingnian asked again, "Can I not practice?"

Fu Beichen paused for a moment and said, "Okay, then let's go home now and practice something else."

Gu Xingnian rolled her eyes at him.

"I'm going to change my clothes."

A moment later, Gu Xingnian, dressed in a white tracksuit, came out.

Fu Beichen's eyes lit up. She was exceptionally beautiful and exuded youthful energy. He thought that if he had seen her at school back then, she would have looked just like this.

One of the female instructors came over and said, "Mrs. Fu, I'll teach you some basic moves first. Then, I'll teach you the sixteen self-defense techniques for women within seven days."

"Please watch our demonstration."

The two coaches stepped forward together, one attacking and the other defending, their movements crisp and clean, quite impressive.

Gu Xingnian almost clapped her hands in admiration.

“Mrs. Fu, please stand here. Yes, I’m going to lock your neck…”

...

Two hours later, Fu Beichen and Gu Xingnian walked out of the venue.

Gu Xingnian felt that her body was no longer her own; she was in pain all over.

Seeing her weak appearance, Fu Beichen took the initiative to squat down in front of her.

"Come up."

Gu Xingnian didn't hold back at all and just pulled it down.

"Fu Beichen, did you fall and hurt this much during practice before?"

"We were a group of ten, and we were a bit better than you. At first, nine of us were against me, but later, I could take on nine of us, and that's when we graduated."

Fu Beichen spoke casually, but Gu Xingnian's eyes widened.

"Really? You're amazing."

“Little one, you’re praising me.” He gave a charming smile.

"Honey, thank you. I know it's for my own good. I'll definitely practice hard." Gu Xingnian hugged his neck tightly. "Anyway, I won't embarrass you or hold you back."

"Good boy/girl." Fu Beichen smiled. "I'll reward you properly tonight."

"No." Gu Xingnian immediately refused him.

"Don't you want to use that trick you just learned to pin your husband down?" He turned his head slightly and smiled at her.

Gu Xingnian patted his shoulder, "Stop talking, you're annoying."

Fu Beichen suddenly said seriously, "You probably don't know, but Madam Sheng is a master swordsman. When she won over Uncle Sheng, she relied not only on her beauty but also on her martial arts skills."

"Really? How come I didn't know?" Gu Xingnian looked surprised.

“The eldest daughter of the Gu family in Ningcheng, this Rouge Horse is not one that just anyone dares to ride. You can tell from Weiwei’s personality.” He smiled.

She added, "So, I'm helping you build up your soft power, so that if anyone bullies you in the future, you can fight back."

"What if you're the one bullying me?"

"We'll fight anyway," he replied earnestly.

"Hahaha, Fu Beichen, you're asking for trouble."

"In this life, I am already your defeated opponent." He turned around and smiled.

Hearing this, Gu Xingnian felt a sweet warmth in her heart.

Soon after, they arrived at the parking lot. Fu Beichen placed her in front of the car, pressed himself against her, and kissed her, trapping her between the car and himself.

Just as Gu Xingnian was lost in his passion, his sharp eyes slowly opened and he finally saw the black object and small red dot hovering dozens of meters away from the car in the sky.

His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly picked up his phone and sent a message.

A moment later, the little red dot flew away, and the two shadow team members quickly chased after it.

Fu Beichen carried Gu Xingnian into the car and quickly drove away from the place...

He knew that a force was already stirring, and they were going to race against each other.