48: To sink with you
Late at night, Shang Zhi was awakened by a series of urgent phone rings. She groggily picked up her phone and saw it was Lu Xingqi.
"Xingxing? What's wrong?" She had a bad feeling. Lu Xingqi was calling her so late, something difficult must have happened.
"Azhi, Pei Wang, something's happened to Pei Wang, something must have happened to him!" Lu Xingqi was very agitated, and Pei Yanxiu, who was fast asleep, was also awakened.
"Don't rush, tell me slowly."
“He just went to the mines in Myanmar and hasn’t replied to my messages for over ten hours. He was fine just a couple of days ago, so something must have happened if he hasn’t replied for so long.”
"Could it be that the phone is broken or something?"
"Impossible. He has three phones. It's impossible for all three to be broken. Ah Zhi, I know him. No matter how busy he is, he always replies to my messages promptly. He must have run into some trouble."
Pei Yanxiu recalled that someone had mentioned during the meeting that there seemed to be a problem with the mines in Myanmar. He took the phone from Shang Zhi and asked Lu Xingqi, "Do you remember where A-Wang was when he contacted you last time?"
“I’ll send you a location; it seems to be on a small island.”
"Xingxing, don't worry, I'll handle this. Don't worry, I've encountered this situation a few times before, I can handle it. You should rest and recover first, don't rush." Pei Yanxiu first comforted Lu Xingqi, then got up and made a few phone calls. While communicating, his face grew darker and his tone became somewhat anxious.
"What do you mean 'hard to find'? If I can't even find a single person, what am I supposed to do with you?"
"If you can't find it, get out! Get out, all of you, get out!"
"Get this straight, it's me paying you, not Pei Qing'an! Ignore him!"
Shang Zhi stood to the side, seemingly understanding but not quite, but she could clearly sense that this matter was not easy to handle.
Pei Yanxiu told her that the mine in Myanmar was problematic from the start, seemingly involving two local factions. He had already disagreed with Awang going, but Pei Qing'an insisted on going anyway.
"Xixi, I have a feeling something's not right this time. I'm a little worried. I think I might have to go there myself."
"I'll go with you," Shang Zhi said without hesitation.
"you go?"
“I caused Xingxing so much trouble last time, this time I want to help her.”
"Don't even think about it. You have no idea what kind of place that is. Xixi, can you give me a break?" Pei Yanxiu explained to her, suppressing his anger.
"I won't cause you any trouble. I can help you. I'll do whatever you ask me to do, but I won't interfere with anything you don't want me to do."
"If you say another word, I'll tie you up right here, Xixi. You're getting more and more outrageous, always doing whatever comes to mind. Do I have to prepare a cage to lock you up before you'll listen?" Pei Yanxiu's tone was harsh; he simply didn't have the energy to argue with her. He flew to Myanmar that very day, instructing Shang Zhi to stay put and wait for him, and not to cause any trouble.
-
"Ah Zhi, they messaged me saying that Ah Wang offended a local big shot, and they want me to pay ransom. Ah Zhi, I'm really worried about him. I want to go there, give them the money, and bring him back." Lu Xingqi cried as she made a video call to Shang Zhi.
"I can't wait any longer. I can't stay here for even a minute longer." Shang Zhi was somewhat shocked that Lu Xingqi and Pei Wang's relationship had reached such an inseparable point in such a short time. She had previously thought that their relationship was just a union of interests.
"I'll go with you, Xingxing." Shang Zhi was determined to help Lu Xingqi and didn't take Pei Yanxiu's threats seriously at all. Xingxing's miscarriage last time was her fault, and she had to help her this time no matter what. Besides, they were on the right path, and they would hide if they encountered danger. Shang Zhi and Lu Xingqi met up in Guangzhou and set off for Myanmar around the same time as Pei Yanxiu. Worried that Pei Yanxiu might try to stop them, she didn't inform him beforehand.
She had no idea that he had already figured out her location perfectly, and that her every move was under his watchful eye.
"They told us to come here tonight, Xixi." Before coming, someone from the mine contacted Lu Xingqi, but didn't say what they wanted to do, only sent her a location to go there.
"The location he posted is in a bar in the city center, so it should be fine. Xingxing, don't be nervous. We have more than a dozen bodyguards with us, so I don't think we need to worry too much. We just need to figure out what they want from you."
“I’ve asked them several times, but they won’t say anything. They say we need to meet in person first, but they haven’t mentioned asking for money or when we can meet. Ah Zhi, do you think Ah Wang will be okay?”
"Impossible. Pei Wang is Wan Jia's man after all. They definitely wouldn't dare to make a move easily unless things reach an irreconcilable point. Don't worry."
Shang Zhi's decision to accompany Lu Xingqi was not impulsive. After all, they had a reason for coming here. Doing business is not a real war, and there are very few truly reckless madmen. They also brought bodyguards with them, with dozens of people protecting them. She felt that everything was still under control.
"Xingxing, don't be afraid." Taking a deep breath, Shang Zhi held Lu Xingqi's hand tightly.
The two arrived at the agreed bar on time. The bar was dimly lit, as if the lights were reluctant to be turned on. With great trepidation, Shang Zhi pushed open the door and immediately saw a person sitting at the far end of the room. In the dim light, she could not see his face clearly.
When she reached his side, Shang Zhi was so shocked that she couldn't speak.
At this moment, the person slumped in the sofa was Pei Yanxiu. She almost didn't think twice before trying to run away, but the doorway was already blocked.
Shang Zhi knew that Pei Yanxiu probably wanted to kill her at this moment.
"Uncle Pei," Shang Zhi called out to him cautiously and softly.
"Xingxing, sit down." Pei Yanxiu ignored Shang Zhi and instead spoke kindly to Lu Xingqi, pulling her to sit down and pouring her a cup of tea.
“Don’t worry, there is indeed a problem with this mine. It may be worth much more than originally expected. They are raising the price arbitrarily. Ah Wang has a fiery temper and clashed with them. I have already paid the ransom and will see the person soon. Now they are trying to force us to sign the contract through various means, but their asking price is too high. The business is still under negotiation. Xingxing, don’t worry, I’m here.”
Pei Yanxiu tried his best to soothe Lu Xingqi's emotions.
Shang Zhi wasn't so lucky.
"As for you."
"I only have one question: do you want to get beaten up here, or go back to the hotel?"
Pei Yanxiu's two sentences immediately deflated Shang Zhi's spirits. The tears glistening in her eyes were of no use at this moment. He wouldn't even listen to her explanation and was determined to teach her a lesson. He didn't even bother to speak to her gently in front of Lu Xingqi.
"Is it hard to answer? I'll give you one minute. If you don't answer in one minute, I'll have someone bring you golf clubs."
Lu Xingqi was dumbfounded. She never expected that Shang Zhi, who usually acted like a tyrant, and President Pei would have such a way of getting along... No wonder she was sometimes as afraid of him as a mouse seeing a cat.
Looking at Shang Zhi's flushed face, she felt like laughing again.
"Let's go back to the hotel." Her face was terribly red. He glanced at her but said nothing.
Pei Yanxiu remained unusually silent on the way to the hotel with the two of them.
Back in the room, she went straight to his lap, her body trembling. Shang Zhi had her own ulterior motives; by clinging to him like this, he couldn't use any tools, and if he wanted to punish her, he couldn't punish her severely—just a few slaps to vent his anger would suffice.
Pei Yanxiu sneered, not falling for her trick at all. He picked her up and carried her to the corner of the wall, making her stand. He even cruelly placed a book on her head, telling her not to fall.
Not daring to look back, Shang Zhi heard him washing his hands in the sink. When he took off his watch and ring, it was as if he deliberately slowed down his movements, each second burning her heart.
"Uncle Pei, please listen to me."
“I didn’t mean to disobey you this time, it’s because…” After washing his hands, Pei Yanxiu seemed to have lost his patience and pulled her into his arms, causing the book on Shang Zhi’s head to fall to the ground.
This startled Shang Zhi.
"Lu Xingqi lost her judgment in a moment of panic, and you're joining in her commotion?"
"XiXi, can you please stop causing me trouble!"
"How did I cause trouble! Even without you, Xingxing and I could definitely rescue Awang! I didn't come looking for you, you came looking for me!" Pei Yanxiu was so angry with Shang Zhi that his heart ached. If he hadn't been keeping a close eye on her, he wouldn't know where she would be right now! He stopped arguing with her and directly pressed her against the wall, taking off his belt and beating her from behind.
The pressure was not light, and red marks quickly covered the originally fair skin.
"Uncle Pei, Uncle..."
"Shut up, I don't want to hear anymore. Since you won't listen to me, then I won't. Just bear with it." Pei Yanxiu wasn't actually that angry; he was more afraid. He could allow her to make mistakes, but he couldn't allow her to act so recklessly.
They even tried to cover it up.
He was determined to correct her bad habit today.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
