28: You'd better find a reasonable excuse for your excessive behavior before we return to Hong Kong.
Pei Yanxiu had already returned home and was looking at Shang Zhi's location on his phone, which started from the airport and became increasingly outlandish.
He almost thought there was something wrong with the phone's software.
As Shang Zhi walked on the fine white sand, facing the endless blue sky, a long-lost sense of freedom and joy filled her entire being. They had stayed there for three days, and everything was very comfortable for both of them. The services she paid for from the man at home were completely different from the free services her husband provided—attentive and warm. Back home, not a single word Shang Zhi wanted to hear.
"When we return from sea fishing, we will arrange a Thai massage for the two esteemed ladies."
"Don't worry, you two, I'll take plenty of photos for you! Since you're out having fun, please make the most of it and feel free to use me if you need anything!"
“That’s not called using it, Alang.” Shang Zhi and Lu Xingqi were amused by their guide Alang’s somewhat broken Chinese.
Alan scratched his head, a little embarrassed, and brought over two glasses of slightly sweet sparkling wine.
The three of them went out to sea for a spin, and Shang Zhi and Lu Xingqi took a lot of photos. Actually, Shang Zhi was more interested in Thai massage than sea fishing.
She was really exhausted lately and needed to relax. The scent of essential oils filled the air as Shang Zhi lay on the massage bed, enjoying the sound of waves crashing in her ears. She was almost asleep within minutes.
In a daze, the beaded curtain at the door seemed to move slightly.
Shang Zhi instantly sensed that the hands covering her back had changed hands. That familiar, cold, tense, and oppressive touch made her body tense.
Shang Zhi tried to turn around, but he forcefully pushed her back into the breathing hole of the massage bed.
"Don't move."
Pei Yanxiu's deep voice startled Shang Zhi, and his cold palm instantly transported her from Koh Samui to Siberia.
What are you doing here?
Pei Yanxiu slowly bent down and applied the essential oil to her back. He pushed very slowly, and her skin turned red under his fingers.
The pressure of his fingertips seemed to be punishing her for leaving without saying goodbye.
“Miss Xixi, it’s time to watch the sunset… Who are you? A new technician?” Taking advantage of his pause, Shang Zhi climbed off the massage bed and walked towards A Lang. Pei Yanxiu gently hooked her finger and pulled her into his arms.
"I am her husband." The languid voice exuded the aura of an absolute superior.
"I don't have a husband, he's a human trafficker, Alang, let's go!" Shang Zhi was furious. Did he have to take away even her last bit of freedom? She just wanted a few days of peace and quiet.
Pei Yanxiu looked at her quietly; he hadn't seen her for several days, and her temper had grown worse.
It was his fault, he was terribly wrong. He had spoiled her too much over the years. He should have disciplined her strictly from the beginning and not given her too many choices.
He shouldn't have let her go four years ago; he should have kept everything about her under his control.
"The payment from Wanjia to Ruikang for this quarter will arrive at noon tomorrow, Shang Zhi. But if you dare to step out of this door now, don't ever come looking for me again."
"I won't give you another chance."
Shang Zhi hadn't expected him to get so angry.
Her real intention was simply to get some freedom from him, and she didn't want to really mess things up. She knew that at this stage, only Pei Yanxiu could help him.
She still can't do without her for now, at least not until Tiancui is completed. By then, Ruikang will have overcome the difficulties, and he will have received his due profits, and they will be even.
"What is he saying? Miss Xixi, is he threatening you? Does he want me to call the police for you?"
"No need." Shang Zhi's lips turned pale. She secretly glanced at him. His face was expressionless, even calm, as if he wasn't the one who had just threatened her with a cold face.
"Miss Xixi, are you really alright?"
"Get out." Pei Yanxiu had long disliked Alang, and finally spoke up to kick him out when he spoke again. Only the two of them remained in the room.
"Uncle Pei, are you... hungry? Would you like to eat something first?"
Shang Zhi picked up the coconut she had half-finished drinking from and inserted the straw into his mouth, her tone and voice softening.
Would you like some coconut water?
Pei Yanxiu took a deep breath; he knew she was backing down. But this time, he wasn't going to let her off so easily.
“XiXi, you’d better come up with a reasonable excuse for your outrageous behavior before we get back to Hong Kong, or you won’t be able to leave the house for a while,” he said slowly, gently lifting her chin with his fingertips.
"You can't!" Shang Zhi's voice trembled slightly.
"You can see if I can."
"Besides, you've done so many things that have upset me. I'm just giving you a small punishment as a warning, a little lesson. What more could you possibly want?"
Pei Yanxiu was determined to punish her this time, wanting to take the opportunity to straighten out her rebellious nature and stop her from going against him in every way.
They could have just lived a peaceful life, run the company properly and followed the established procedures, but she insisted on making herself uncomfortable.
"Come here." Pei Yanxiu sat down on the sofa, patted the spot next to him, and gestured for Shang Zhi to come over.
Did you have fun?
"What exactly do you want to say? Say what you want to say, or curse me if you want to."
"What's the point of me scolding you? Have you ever truly cared about anything I've said to you over the years?"
"Can't you try to understand me?"
"Understand you? I think I understand you too well, which is why you've become so arrogant and ignorant."
Pei Yanxiu sighed softly.
I think back to four years ago.
-
She was still in school then, while he had just taken over Wanjia. She was sixteen and he was only twenty-four.
At that time, the company was in a critical period of transformation. Pei Qing'an's investments suffered repeated failures, and the public opinion storm was shaking Wan Jia to the brink of collapse. So he adjusted the company's business strategy, bringing his eldest son, who had always been an excellent student, to the forefront, while he and his younger son, who was universally disliked, stayed behind the scenes. The less shady things were left to the younger son, so that Wan Jia could be protected if anything went wrong.
At first, Pei Yanxiu did not agree with this strategy until he learned that Pei Wang was not Pei Qing'an's biological son.
The complicated relationship between Pei Qing'an and Liang Shuyin belonged to the previous generation, and he couldn't comment on it. He had fought for his younger brother, but his father said that he had already done more than enough by allowing A-Wang to continue in the family. What was wrong with providing him with top-notch resources, supporting him, and letting him do some work? He was speechless. He could only silently protect his brother behind the scenes, but later things became increasingly out of his control.
The family's shady cash flow, the competitor's sudden illness, the handling of company traitors—almost all the things that couldn't be discussed openly passed through Pei Wang's hands. His bloodthirsty instincts were awakened, and later, even without Pei Qing'an's instructions, he would still deal with those who disagreed with him until they were obedient and compliant.
They said he was cruel.
But in the beginning, he was just a somewhat mischievous teenager.
At that time, Pei Yanxiu was overwhelmed by company and family matters, and everyone around him was acting strangely. As the new leader of Wanjia, no one took him seriously, and he couldn't even integrate when he tried.
It was at that moment that Shang Zhi bumped into him. No one knows what she was looking at, but without noticing, the orange juice in her hand stained his white shirt completely.
"You bumped into me!"
Pei Yanxiu hadn't intended to pursue the matter; it was just a shirt. But seeing the girl's stubbornness made him laugh, and he wanted to tease her.
"Apologize."
"Impossible! I'll pay for the clothes! An apology is out of the question!" Unlike Pei Yan, who was trying to repair the clothes, Shang Zhi was an only child who had been spoiled and pampered since childhood. Apologizing was something she was never good at.
Later, Shang Zhi still took the clothes to apologize. She had no choice; her father forced her to do it. The Shang family and the Pei family had always had a good relationship. He usually indulged his daughter's willfulness and mischief, but he didn't allow her to do the same in public.
"Uncle Pei, this is the new shirt I bought for you. Please take it. Don't hold it against me for what happened last time, okay? I'll consider my mission accomplished by handing this shirt to you today. If my dad asks about it, please remember to say a good word for me."
"Stop." At the Pei family's house, Shang Zhi threw her clothes at his face and tried to leave, but Pei Yanxiu stopped her. He couldn't explain why, but watching this little girl in a red polka-dot dress jumping around in front of him like a fearless mountain king, he really, really wanted to smooth down all her frizzy hair.
"The apology lacked any sincerity. Say it again."
Say sorry.
“Tell me I was wrong.”
"Please forgive me."
"Isn't this the proper way to apologize?" He looked at her with a faint smile.
"It's just a piece of clothing, why are you making such a fuss!" Shang Zhi's face turned red from his words, she wanted to be angry but dared not.
"As for..."
"It's okay if you don't want to say. If your father asks, I will tell you the truth."
Shang Zhi eventually succumbed to his tyranny, and he forced her head down, making her reluctantly admit her mistake and apologize. At that time, their impression of each other was that of stubborn fools.
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