31: I just miss you.

It took Shang Zhi a while to get into the car, and Pei Yanxiu immediately noticed the bracelet she had just put on.

"Aren't you going to explain this to me?" As he turned to face her, she turned her head to the side.

"Explain what?"

Explain why you are here.

"Yu Qing is injured."

Didn't I tell you not to run around?

"Uncle Pei, please don't be angry. I just came to see Yu Qing as a friend, and I didn't mean anything by it."

"He's an adult, he's sick and has a doctor with him, what's there to see?"

"Isn't it a bit cold-blooded of you to talk like that?"

"I'm cold-blooded?"

Pei Yanxiu chuckled softly. The atmosphere inside the car was tense, and neither of them spoke again until they arrived home.

"Didn't I tell you to keep an eye on the girls? What kind of work are you doing? If you don't want to work here, get out of here!"

After finally arriving home, Pei Yanxiu unleashed a torrent of anger on the servants in the house.

"It has nothing to do with them. I sneaked out when no one was looking. If you're angry, take it out on me, not innocent people."

"Coming after you? Fine."

"I told you not to run around anymore, can't you even stay still for a day? Xixi, do you think I have a good temper? You just don't take my words seriously at all?"

"I just heard that Yu Qing had an accident at the bar, so I'm going to check on him. Besides, he's leaving soon..."

"So, you're ignoring me because of him, right?"

"I've already explained it to you, this is a special case!"

"Xixi, you should know that I've already been very lenient by not breaking his hand. You should be more mindful of how you talk to me now."

"I can allow you to go out, on the condition that you report to me wherever you go and you can no longer act on your own."

"What gives you the right to make such a demand of me? Can you even do it?"

“Of course, I can definitely do that. You can just locate me directly. I’ve always been honest with you.” Pei Yanxiu’s words left Shang Zhi speechless. He did indeed tell her in advance wherever he was going, and he would keep sending her messages when he arrived at his location, which was quite annoying.

"sorry."

"Uncle Pei, I'm sorry." Shang Zhi repeated herself, sat down beside him, and hooked her arm around his waist.

Shang Zhi is not someone who is used to bowing her head, but her relationship with Pei Yanxiu is now much more complicated than that of an ordinary couple. She needs his money, so she has to learn to bow her head.

"I think we should all calm down. I'll sleep in the guest room tonight."

Calm down? Whatever, I'm happy to have some peace and quiet. Shang Zhi was initially quite happy when she heard Pei Yanxiu say that, but her smile quickly faded.

The company's finance manager told her that Wan Jia's expected capital injection into Ruikang should have arrived yesterday, but it was already a day late.

Did they say why they were late?

“We asked, but their answers were vague and they didn’t give any specific reasons.”

"I see."

Shang Zhi sat up from her chair, took a deep breath. Asking for favors was never easy, but asking someone she had just argued with was even harder. She was conflicted. But she still had to go; Tian Cui needed to be fed, and she had to ask him what had happened.

Shang Zhi bought a serving of his favorite sushi downstairs at the company and brought it with her.

"Ms. Shang, Mr. Pei is in a meeting in the conference room. Please wait in your office."

"Okay." Shang Zhi felt she had come at the wrong time; she didn't know when the meeting would end. Bored in her office, she wanted to go for a walk, and was drawn to the sounds coming from the conference room as she passed through the corridor.

"President Pei, the risk of continuously investing such a large amount of funds is simply uncontrollable. Why should we do something that is not in the best interests of the group? Even if Tiancui can make a profit later, the payback period will be very long. I think we should cut our losses in time!"

"Yes, they say Wan Jia will get half of the profits later, but how much is half of the profits? Is it worth taking such a big risk?"

"Finished?" The person at the end of the conference table smiled, and the executive who had just spoken was taken aback.

“I have already reviewed Tiancui’s risk assessment report and various data. I believe that cooperating with a company like Ruikang will be beneficial to Wanjia in the long run. I have also discussed this with Ruikang’s chairman before. Ruikang’s long-term strategic plan goes far beyond this. Tiancui is just the beginning. After overcoming this difficulty, I believe that Ruikang will be the one to benefit in the future.”

That's true, but there are risks...

“I decide the group’s investment direction. What I need to know now is when the payment that was due yesterday will arrive? Is there a problem with the procedure or with the people involved?”

After Pei Yanxiu said this, the conference room fell silent. After a long while, an executive in the corner finally spoke.

"There's a problem with the procedure, Mr. Pei. It should be processed and the money will be credited today."

"Very good. Please let me know promptly if there are any problems with the program next time, and don't delay."

Meeting adjourned.

The sound of chairs being moved echoed in the conference room. Shang Zhi quickly moved aside, feeling a mix of emotions she couldn't quite put into words. She often blamed him for putting too much pressure on her, but she never considered that he had been under immense pressure from the very beginning when he started this project.

He hadn't told her any of this.

He didn't say anything, so she genuinely assumed he was doing very well. She never considered how he was doing everything in his power to protect her behind her back.

She suddenly felt that some of her actions were really willful, and that some of her stubborn and entangled points seemed to be really meaningless.

She walked to his office door, where he was sitting with his brows furrowed, staring at something on his computer.

She locked the door to his office, opened the sushi she had bought, and handed it to him: "Uncle Pei, have you eaten?"

"Why are you here?" He looked at her, his gaze much gentler than before.

Over the years, Shang Zhi always felt that he was fierce, both in his speech and his actions. But just now, she suddenly realized that when he was facing her, he was already in the gentlest form he had evolved to be.

"It's nothing, I just missed you." Shang Zhi tucked her wavy hair behind her ear. She had originally wanted to ask him about Tian Cui, but now she didn't want to say anything.

"The money will arrive soon, don't worry, just wait a little longer." He seemed to be able to read her mind, looking at her and speaking softly.

"Uncle Pei, I'm sorry." She put down the sushi in her hand, a surge of indescribable emotions welling up inside her.

“I shouldn’t have argued with you. You already have enough of a headache with Tiancui’s situation. You could have just ignored me.”

Shang Zhi had always considered Wan Jia's investment in Ruikang a purely commercial transaction, believing that if he wanted to profit from it, there was no need to discuss anything else. But the executive was right; he had taken such a huge risk for an unknown amount of profit.

This deal is simply not worthwhile.

Ultimately, he still wanted to help her. He didn't watch her die, nor did he mock or kick her when she was down. Instead, he reached out a warm hand and pulled her out of the abyss.

For those reasons alone, she should thank him.

"What happened last night was my fault. I'm reflecting on it. From now on, I'll remember to let you know when I go out, just like you do, okay?"

She looked at him, her tone sincere, a little shy, a blush rising to her ears.

Revealing one's true feelings is a very touching thing. Even a seasoned old fox like him would feel both moved and heartbroken at this moment.

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer.

"Xixi, did I scare you? Why are you suddenly telling me all this?"

"No." Shang Zhi wanted to laugh a little. This crazy guy, if she went against him he would get angry, if she went along with him he would suspect that something was wrong.

What an idiot who can't even eat a little bit of fine chaff.

"I wasn't scared, Uncle Pei. I just missed you a bit while I was eating today. I thought you might not be able to eat after our argument yesterday, and I was worried I'd make you angry, so I came here. After all, if I made you angry to death, who would be willing to let me use their card so freely?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Pei Yanxiu reached out and put his arm around her waist, then slapped her on the bottom.

Shang Zhi didn't resist. Today she was wearing a matching suit, the fabric of which was quite thick, so his slap didn't hurt much. She turned her head and continued to say to him in a serious tone, "It's okay, hit me. After that, we'll put the past behind us and call it even."

"You wish." Pei Yanxiu pinched the back of her neck and led her to the box of sushi.

"Eat up, then go home first. I still have some things to take care of. I don't want to settle the bill with you in one go; I want to put it on the books and settle it with you slowly when I get home tonight."

"A stingy and scheming man has no magnanimity at all," Shang Zhi thought to herself.