Qian Guang nodded. Boss Wei and Kun Sang had been friends for over a decade, and Myanmar was Kun Sang's territory. We were merely investors, and in a place like that, going without our own means of protection was no different from leading lambs loaded with millions straight into a den of wolves. Both Qian Guang and I understood—we could not entirely rely on others.
Malan looked at me and said, "If I could get my father's people on board, hell, forget Myanmar—we could dominate all of Southeast Asia."
We glanced at her. Lighting a cigarette in frustration, she added, "Damn it, if only."
Qian Guang, ever composed, remarked, "Miss Ma, the Ma clan doesn't operate on your word. Even Qi Ye never intended for you to take charge."
"Shut up, damn it! Must you always undermine me?" Malan snapped in irritation.
Without further comment, Qian Guang got into the car and left the Da Chang Jadeite Shop. I followed, and as soon as I started driving, Malan demanded, "Head to the Jade Market. I'm opening for business today."
Arriving at the market, the bustling flow of people was immediately apparent. Malan and I entered her shop—a spacious 100-square-meter store with eight counters. Inside, a group of beautiful women greeted Malan with polite nods. "Good day, President Ma," one of them said.
Malan waved her hand dismissively. "How's business today?"
A sweet-faced young woman stepped forward. "President Ma, we haven't made any sales today. The day before yesterday, we sold two pairs, and yesterday, one. In total, that's 3.81 million in revenue."
Malan smiled. "Not bad. I'll hand out bonuses at the end of the month. But I expect you all to work harder—there are still dozens of pairs left unsold."
The girl hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back. She was strikingly beautiful, with almond-shaped features, a high ponytail, and a slender figure that looked even more elegant in heels.
Seeing me looking at her, Malan slapped my arm. "What are you staring at?"
Startled, I averted my gaze with a faint smile. "Your inventory is too uniform," I said, trying to shift the topic. "Everything is lavender jadeite. Only those who love lavender would come here to buy. If you diversify, sales might improve."
The girl nodded in agreement. "He's right, President Ma. Our product range is too limited."
Malan frowned. "Why the hell didn't you say that earlier?"
Chastised, the girl lowered her head, her expression uneasy. I interjected, "Why blame her? You're the one who's been absent."
Malan turned to me with a fiery glare. "Do you know her? Defending her over me now? Funny how last night you didn't seem so considerate!"
Her bluntness caught me off guard, leaving me slightly embarrassed. The girl hurriedly apologized, "I'm sorry, President Ma. I'll make sure to report issues promptly in the future."
"Get back to work," Malan said curtly, lighting another cigarette with visible irritation.
I turned to leave, unwilling to prolong the awkwardness, but she grabbed my arm. "Where do you think you're going? I didn't say you could leave."
"You need a moment to clear your head," I replied, exasperated.
Her eyes narrowed. "Stop eyeing other women in front of me. I'm right here, yet you look at her like that..."
"I only looked, nothing more. Is that a crime?" I sighed. "Fine, I'm sorry. I'll be more careful. But I never thought you'd be so controlling."
Malan smirked. "I'm not controlling. I just don't want you messing around with my staff. That would make things awkward. Should we discuss how good you were last night instead?"
I chuckled, caught off guard by her brazen teasing. "Relax. I just thought she was pretty and glanced at her. That's all. Don't overreact."
"Sure," she said with a knowing grin, "but I still don't buy it."
Dealing with her was exhausting. No matter how bold or carefree a woman might appear, when it came to jealousy, they were all the same—troublesome.
Pointing at one of the displays, I said, "Give me a pair of those."
"One million a pair," she retorted without hesitation.
"Come on, given our relationship..."
She cut me off. "Our relationship? Don't push it. Did I ever charge you for anything else?"
Resigned, I handed her a card. "Fine, Malan. Out of all the women I've met, you're the one I truly admire."
Taking the card, she laughed. "Sang Ling, package a pair of bangles for this gentleman."
Hearing the name, I realized it belonged to the stunning girl from earlier. As she brought over the package, Malan nudged me toward the exit. "Now go, and wait for my call."
Smiling, I left the shop, glancing back at Sang Ling one last time. The more Malan tried to stop me from noticing someone, the harder it was to resist.
The Jade Market was a sea of people, with tourists crowding every corner of its vast halls, each hoping to uncover a priceless treasure among the jadeite stalls.
Clutching the million-yuan bangles, I decided to give one to my mother and the other to Xuan Ling. I'd never bought Xuan Ling a gift before, and I wanted the first to be truly special.
Dialing Zhao Kui, I asked him to pick me up. Soon, a Buick arrived, with Wang Gui inside, nursing a bandaged hand—he always seemed to be the one injured.
Lighting a cigarette, Wang Gui asked, "Brother Fei, where to?"
"Take me to Xiao Mi's place," I said after a moment's thought.
I needed to see her. Even though I knew she might despise me now, I couldn't stay away. She needed me, no matter how she felt.
As Zhao Kui drove, I handed him a card. "Here, take this. I've prepared red envelopes—50,000 each for you and the others. Don't think it's too little."
Wang Gui chuckled, taking the card. "Brother, 50,000 is no small sum."
Zhao Kui joked, "Still, we wouldn't complain about 500,000."
We all laughed, and I promised, "Stick with me, and 500,000 won't be far off."
Both nodded earnestly.
Arriving at Xiao Mi's villa, I stepped out of the car. "Wait for me," I instructed Zhao Kui.
Upstairs, Xiao Mi opened the door. Bruises marred her face, and she moved with a haunting detachment. Inside, she injected herself with detox medication, curling up on the couch like a fragile kitten.
I sat on the floor beside her, stroking her hair. She flinched at my touch. "Does it hurt?" I asked softly.
"Not really. He just whipped me, locked me in a cage, poured cold water on me, and burned me with cigarette butts. It's nothing. The worst part was the dog. I was terrified it would bite me," she said in an unnervingly calm tone.
Her indifference chilled me. This casual recounting of torment was far more unsettling than the acts themselves.
I gently cupped her face. "He's dead. Ground into pieces, mixed with cement, and poured into a construction site. No one will ever hurt you like that again."
"There will always be someone," she said flatly. "Your ambitions will never stop, and neither will my suffering."
Her words hit me harder than I expected. She was right—our insatiable greed was the root of her torment. We had destroyed her.