Ye Qiu knew that there were likely people nearby observing their fight, but he had no interest in waiting for them to reveal themselves. The skill and determination of the Japanese woman, who would rather take her own life than answer his questions, made it clear that the organization behind her was not to be trifled with. If he stayed, those watching would never make a move.
As the taxi driver had predicted, it was impossible to hail a cab near Langshan. Ye Qiu had to walk about ten miles before he could find one. Fortunately, this distance was nothing for Ye Qiu; however, he figured someone like Lin Bao'er would probably struggle, given the weight she carried on her chest.
Half an hour later, Ye Qiu finally flagged down a taxi. As soon as he opened the door, his phone rang.
Glancing at the screen, he saw it was another call from Tang Buyi. Ye Qiu sighed and rubbed his forehead, thinking that he should have called Tang Buyi earlier to send a car for him. But then again, he had deliberately chosen not to involve Tang Buyi too much in his affairs.
"Uncle Tang, what's up?" Ye Qiu asked as he closed the car door and gave the driver an address.
"Ha! Ye Qiu, where are you now?" Tang Buyi's cheerful voice came through the phone.
"On my way back to school," Ye Qiu replied.
"Well, I've already sent Uncle Wang to pick up Guoguo and Bao'er. If you don't have anything urgent, don't bother going back to school—just head straight to the apartment," Tang Buyi suggested with a laugh. "By the way, Ye Qiu, did you get a chance to talk to Jin Haili?"
"Not yet," Ye Qiu admitted. He had intended to, but it was getting late, and Jin Haili had probably left his office by now. Ye Qiu was confident that Jin Haili wouldn't take any reckless actions—Ye Qiu's previous show of force and the secrets he held over Jin Haili were more than enough to keep him in line.
"Haha, no need to anymore. Jin Haili just called me. He was very straightforward—told me someone tried to recruit him to go against the Tang Group, but he refused. I could tell he was sincere," Tang Buyi said, clearly relieved that his worries hadn't come to pass.
"Mm," Ye Qiu responded calmly, unsurprised by the outcome.
No sooner had he hung up with Tang Buyi than his phone rang again. Ye Qiu couldn't help but wonder at the sudden influx of calls—usually, his phone stayed silent for months on end. Why was today so busy?
This time, the caller ID showed Tang Guo's number, which made Ye Qiu a little curious. Hadn't Uncle Wang picked her up?
"Hello, this is Ye Qiu," he answered.
"Where are you?" Tang Guo's crisp, clear voice came through, the background quiet—she was likely in a well-insulated car or room.
"Out taking care of some things."
"I'm calling to let you know you don't need to wait for us. Someone's already picked us up," Tang Guo said, and before Ye Qiu could respond, she hung up.
Ye Qiu smiled to himself. Despite her tough exterior, Tang Guo's call revealed her true, kind-hearted nature. She might try to act fierce, but she wasn't fooling anyone.
Some people simply aren't cut out to be actors.
Since there was no need to return to the school, Ye Qiu directed the taxi to take him to the Blue Apartment instead. When he arrived at the gate, he noticed a visitor—a black Mercedes S600 with Suhang plates parked out front.
Entering the courtyard, Ye Qiu heard voices coming from inside the villa.
"—This matter is already decided. How can you just refuse to come back? Our Shen family is a respected name in Suhang. We can't afford to break our word like this," a sharp female voice said.
"Who decided this? You all made these arrangements; what does it have to do with me?" came Shen Monong's voice.
"Monong, that's not fair. You're still a part of the Shen family—how can you shirk your responsibilities? The eldest son of the Bei family is an excellent match. He's got the looks, the pedigree, and the Bei family patriarch likes you. Marrying into the Bei family would give you control over half their fortune—something many women dream of," a man's voice said, trying to reason with her.
"Uncle, there's no point in persuading me. I'm not going back with you," Shen Monong replied, sounding tired.
"Hmph, you ungrateful girl. How are we supposed to explain this to the Bei family patriarch if you back out now?"
"That's your problem."
"Hey, watch your tone!" The woman's voice became shrill. Ye Qiu hesitated, unsure whether to intervene.
"You were the ones who arranged this marriage. Shouldn't you be the ones to deal with the fallout?" Shen Monong's voice was rising, clearly nearing the end of her patience.
"We're doing this for your own good!"
"And you know better than anyone else what this is really about."
"Don't get too full of yourself, Shen Monong. Just because the family treats you well doesn't mean you can give us attitude. You're not some untouchable goddess, no matter how much you pretend to be. Without that pretty face of yours, no one would care about you!"
"Hey, who are you calling names?" Tang Guo's voice cut in, displeased. Ye Qiu smiled—if Tang Guo and Lin Bao'er were back, Shen Monong would be fine. Still, it seemed like he should step in.
"Who am I calling names? This is a family matter—what are you sticking your nose in for?"
"Fine, I won't. But get out of my house."
"You—how uncultured! And you call yourself the eldest daughter of the Tang family? You've got no manners!"
"I treat people the way they deserve. And for someone like you, this is how it's done. Ye Qiu! Ye Qiu!" Tang Guo called out.
Ye Qiu smiled wryly—had Tang Guo known he was back?
"Coming," Ye Qiu replied, quickly making his way to the living room.
Tang Guo had called his name offhandedly, not expecting him to actually show up. When she saw him enter, her face lit up, and she pointed at the two visitors standing in the center of the room. "Get them out of here."
The man looked to be in his thirties, dressed in a well-tailored suit, with short hair and a black bow tie on a crisp shirt—clearly a well-bred gentleman. The woman appeared younger, perhaps in her twenties, with delicate features, almond-shaped eyes, and a small, cherry-red mouth. She wore a popular Suhang-style purple cheongsam, but her thin face gave her a sharp, unkind appearance.
"Please leave," Ye Qiu said as he approached the pair.
"And who are you?" the woman asked, giving Ye Qiu a disdainful glance.
"I'm Miss Tang's bodyguard," Ye Qiu answered frankly.
"No understanding of rules," the woman sneered. She swung her hand, aiming a slap at Ye Qiu's face.
To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/GnU613H6xm8