Chapter 42 [VIP]
"So it turns out Young Master wasn't just being presumptuous; Mr. Pei still cares about him." The man exaggeratedly covered his eyes and sobbed softly. The next second, Pei Xingzhi's right hand was grabbed and lifted by the person behind him, who turned him around like a chick. The communication device in his sleeve slid to the ground with his movement and fell right in front of the man.
The man composed himself, bent down to pick up the communication device from the ground, crushed it, and threw it into the nearby trash can.
“Mr. Pei, let’s stop playing these pointless tricks. I hope we can be honest with each other.”
With his last bargaining chip destroyed, Pei Xingzhi raised his hands in surrender, allowing the Xie family members to tie him up again.
He hadn't really held out any hope for this plea for help; he was just making a last-ditch effort. The only thing he was certain of now was that the Xie family indeed wielded immense power, and with his current abilities, he had no way to stand against them.
"If I agree, what can you do for me?"
"Whatever Mr. Pei desires," the man said with a confident smile, "we can make it happen for you."
Hearing the man's arrogant words, Pei Xingzhi couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.
The Xie family members all have the same pretentious manner.
"Did Xie Nanyi go to such great lengths to carry out this kidnapping just because of that mark?"
He was still on someone else's territory, and Pei Xingzhi suppressed his anger, but his words still carried a hint of emotion.
"If you're only after that mark, then unfortunately, you've been working in the wrong direction from the very beginning."
“Mr. Pei’s words are quite interesting. We have adopted your suggestion. As for whether it will be useful, that depends on your cooperation.” The man was completely unconcerned about the sarcasm in Pei Xingzhi’s words. He untied the ropes binding Pei Xingzhi and handed a contract to him.
"Since Mr. Pei has agreed, please sign this document."
"What is this? My sales contract?" Pei Xingzhi said through gritted teeth. He had been kidnapped without warning and was now being coerced into signing a "contract of servitude," his life decided in just a few words. He didn't even know who was sitting behind the screen, or who had forced him to sign this contract.
He had already denied that Xie Nanyi had planned the kidnapping during their earlier conversation.
Xie Nanyi would never do such a thing.
"Mr. Pei is joking. How could we possibly have such unfair terms? The terms of the contract are naturally in the best interests of both parties."
Pei Xingzhi didn't believe his nonsense. How could a rich person who was always high and mighty actually consider the interests of others?
Not a single word from these Celestial Dragons is true.
Pei Xingzhi took the contract from the man's hand with a disgruntled expression, and after flipping through two pages, he keenly sensed that something was wrong.
"How is it? Mr. Pei, are you satisfied with this contract?" The man naturally did not miss Pei Xingzhi's change in mood and added a question at the right time.
He frowned as he flipped through the contract in his hand, not answering the man's slightly provocative question.
The contract wasn't long, and after Pei Xingzhi finished reading it, he raised his head with a serious expression.
Anyone who sees this contract would probably rush to sign it.
All he had to do was spend each month with Xie Nanyi during her vulnerable period, and not only would his brother's problem be resolved smoothly, but he would also receive a generous monthly compensation and enjoy all of the Xie family's resources free of charge. He didn't know anything about the Xie family's background, but since they knew so much about the military, they must have had power as well as money.
If Pei Xingzhi hadn't known for certain that the contract-generating organization didn't support forgery, he would have almost suspected that the Xie family had created a dual contract for him.
"If I help Xie Nanyi get through her vulnerable period, can I enjoy all of this?"
“That’s right.” The man nodded, his gaze turning to the screen. “As long as you help the young master through his vulnerable period, the Xie family will grant you whatever your conditions.”
With a very confident answer, Pei Xingzhi curled his lips in a mocking smile.
But he had no doubt about the truthfulness of the man's words.
"Okay, I agree."
Now that things have come to this, they've brought him here, so naturally they can't allow him to refuse. If he doesn't agree, the Xie family has plenty of ways to make him agree. Resistance is pointless; he might as well obediently accept it. At least he can save himself a lot of unnecessary suffering.
"Mr. Pei is indeed intelligent." The man smiled and handed the equipment in his hand to Pei Xingzhi.
Pei Xingzhi registered his fingerprint, and the contract officially took effect.
He had rejected Xie Nanyi for so long, yet he only needed a few words to give himself completely to someone else. It seems Xie Nanyi was kind to him in the past.
Pei Xingzhi brushed the stray hairs from his forehead, sighed, and let go of his rambling thoughts.
Xie Nanyi also shares the surname "Xie," so who knows if he was involved in today's events?
"When...when can my brother come back?" After signing the document, Pei Xingzhi immediately made his request. "I want to receive news about him before next week."
"Just call me Assistant Yang. Mr. Pei, rest assured, you are now a member of the Xie family, so naturally we will take extra care of your brother." Assistant Yang walked to the screen, turned sideways, and bowed slightly, gesturing for Pei Xingzhi to come over.
“Mr. Pei, there are a few things I would like to tell you privately.”
Pei Xingzhi put his hands behind his back and narrowed his eyes almost imperceptibly.
Assistant Yang is also a Beta, so the Alpha pheromones she sensed when she entered must have come from the man behind the screen. The fact that Assistant Yang was so respectful suggests that he's most likely the father Xie Nanyi often mentions.
"I've already been so open with you, Mr. Xie, there's no point in maintaining this mystery."
Upon hearing Pei Xingzhi's words, Xie's father waved his hand and had the screen that had been covering the room opened.
"No wonder Nan Yi likes you so much, you really are a lovable child. I'm sorry to invite you over in this way, because if I had mentioned Nan Yi directly, you probably would have refused."
Contrary to Pei Xingzhi's expectations of a stern and unsmiling businessman, Xie's father appeared much gentler than his behavior suggested.
Like most kind, middle-aged fathers with happy families and gentle temperaments, he had a faint smile in his eyes and brows. The fine lines at the corners of his eyes revealed his age, but also gave him a composed and dignified air. A few sparse strands of white hair were left untouched, adding to his approachable and humane appearance.
He sat in his wheelchair with a dark blanket draped over his legs, smiling as he looked at Pei Xingzhi in front of him.
"Are you Xie Nanyi's father?" Although he already knew the answer in his heart, it was not an easy task to match the kind middle-aged man in front of him with the "blue-faced and fanged" image Xie Nanyi had described.
"Yes, I am Nan Yi's father." Xie's father nodded and beckoned Pei Xingzhi to come to his side.
Pei Xingzhi obediently walked over and half-squatted in front of him, level with his gaze.
It could be said that his stereotypes were quite severe, but seeing Xie's father in this state, Pei Xingzhi's anger subsided considerably.
The father did this mostly because his son was too unfilial. In the end, it was Xie Nanyi's fault.
He couldn't win her over on his own, so he had to rely on his father's methods.
"I heard you lived with Nan Yi for a while?" Father Xie beckoned to the servant to bring a stool for Pei Xingzhi to sit down. Pei Xingzhi's heart stirred, and his impression of Father Xie changed considerably.
"Yes," Pei Xingzhi replied. They probably all knew about this, so there was no need to hide it.
“I see…” Mr. Xie looked up and exchanged a glance with Assistant Yang. Assistant Yang nodded and quietly left.
"So why did you break up again? Was it Nan Yi's problem?"
When asked about this topic by his elders again, Pei Xingzhi bit his lip, feeling somewhat embarrassed to speak.
How can he explain this to his elders?
"We both have problems."
“Since you two lived together before, you must have had feelings for each other. Nan Yi is a rather withdrawn person and doesn’t like to interact with people. You are the first friend he actively made. Although you may think it’s because of the mark, I can guarantee that even without the mark, he would definitely fall in love with you.”
As he spoke, Xie's father sighed, adopting the air of a butler remarking, "You are the first friend the young master has brought home."
Pei Xingzhi blushed slightly at his words and quickly waved his hand, saying that he was nothing special.
"Sigh, I've become more long-winded as I get older, and you young people probably don't like listening to me. Nan Yi and I... there's always been some distance between us. Even after all these years, this is the first time he's taken the initiative to talk to me about what he likes. You're a good girl, being with Nan Yi is really unfair to you."
As he spoke, Xie's father wiped away tears from the corners of his eyes with a handkerchief. Pei Xingzhi was most afraid of people playing the emotional card, and as soon as he did this, Pei Xingzhi immediately forgot about the "kidnapping threat" and promised to take good care of Xie Nanyi.
"Good boy, you've really worked hard." Mr. Xie sighed. Assistant Yang stepped forward to remind him that it was time for his medication. Mr. Xie patted Pei Xingzhi's hand, his eyes filled with unspoken words. "Good boy, you've worked hard."
"I need to take my medicine. Assistant Yang, please take Xingzhi back quickly."
Pei Xingzhi was kidnapped in a daze, signed a "contract of servitude" in a daze, and left in a daze. After all this, his head was still spinning.
After Pei Xingzhi left, Xie's father flipped through the things his assistant had brought. His gentle and refined expression vanished, replaced by eyes as sharp as a hawk's.
He got up and went to the French windows, watching the car Pei Xingzhi got into slowly disappear from sight, a look of determination on his face.
"Tell Nanyi that I have sent him the person he wanted."
The car arranged by Xie's father took Pei Xingzhi to Xie Nanyi's dormitory. He tried to refuse, as he wasn't ready to meet Xie Nanyi yet. Even if they were to be together, he needed a buffer period. However, the driver ignored him and simply packed up Pei Xingzhi and his belongings and brought them over.
When the car arrived at Xie Nanyi's dormitory building, Pei Xingzhi politely declined the driver's offer to take him up. Meeting Xie Nanyi was awkward enough; the thought of a third person watching filled Pei Xingzhi with unease.
Pei Xingzhi was no stranger to this place; in fact, he knew it all too well.
Returning to this place after being away for several months, Pei Xingzhi's discomfort intensified.
The environment here remains as extravagant as before; his departure hasn't changed anything. He never belonged here, yet he was forced in by others, and even though he tries to get used to it, he always feels somewhat alienated.
"I'll do it myself."
Pei Xingzhi forced a faint smile and took the things from the driver's hands. The Xie family never needed to consult the parties involved in their actions; Xie Nanyi was like that before, and now his father is doing the same thing.
He was like an object that could be manipulated at will, tossed around by them based entirely on their moods.
"Let me do it."
The Xie family's driver was not one to be trifled with. As soon as Pei Xingzhi opened his mouth, he nimbly avoided Pei Xingzhi's attempt to take the luggage, and stepped aside respectfully, saying, "Mr. Pei, let me do it."
"..." Pei Xingzhi missed his target and stood there helplessly, looking up at Xie Nanyi's dormitory.
He'd better not peek from up there.
"Fine, take it if you want." Pei Xingzhi finally realized that the most important thing when dealing with the Xie family was to always maintain a calm and easygoing attitude and go with the flow.
Otherwise, their egoism will drive me crazy.
A note from the author:
I feel like nobody's watching anymore.
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