I won’t be taken down that easily... Hua Xiaomo muttered, pulling out a cell phone. Looking at the familiar number, her voice choked, yet she forced a smile to her lips. "Xiao You, you haven’t gone to bed yet, right? I’ll co over and keep you company, is that okay?"
"It’s Xiao Mo, huh? Co on over... Eh, sothing’s wrong with your voice! What happened to you?" A lazy yet concerned voice ca from the other end of the phone.
"It’s nothing, I’ll be there in a bit." After hearing the agreent over the phone, Hua Xiaomo clutched the cell phone and smiled faintly. Her gaze lowered, her lashes quivering slightly, casting a row of gentle shadows on her still-damp cheeks.
In City A’s bustling comrcial street, a pagoda-like skyscraper towered, exuding an extraordinary presence. This was the kingdom of the Qi Imperial Court.
The extrely luxurious office on the top floor belonged to the president.
Suddenly, the ornate phone on the desk rang and was quickly answered automatically. "President Qi, Hua Renda of the Hua Clan wants to see you."
"Say I’m not here."
Qi Longbing, dressed in a tailored suit, stood up. With one hand casually tucked into his trouser pocket, he walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows, overlooking the view outside. A faint, gentle smile played at the corners of his mouth.
Shortly after, his cell phone rang.
Qi Longbing answered, his deep voice carrying a hint of magnetism, "Hello..."
"President Qi, everything has been done according to your instructions." A low, sowhat mysterious voice ca through the phone.
"Moreover, I’ve secretly investigated and confird that the behind-the-scenes owner of the company ’Tengfeng Century’ is a woman nad Leng Lan. She has a son nad Yin Chenbai. They used to do business overseas and only ca to City A in the past year. Their main business was all targeted at Hua Renda’s Hua Clan, and in just six short months, they’ve pushed Hua Renda to the brink."
"Anything else?" Qi Longbing’s voice was very calm, with a trace of impatience. Stray hairs on his forehead partly obscured his eyes, revealing a hint of cold, subtle nace and an inexplicable predatory aura.
"President Qi, we’ve uncovered another secret. It turned out that when Hua Renda was young, he was quite the playboy and had accumulated nurous romantic debts. Leng Lan of ’Tengfeng Century’ was one of his forr lovers," Yu Bao continued.
"One of his lovers..." Qi Longbing mused over these words.
"Yes, because he had another lover nad Su Ronghua, who is also the biological mother of Hua’s Ho’s third daughter, Hua Xiaomo," Yu Bao finished.
"...This relationship is quite interesting..." Qi Longbing raised an eyebrow with a cold sneer, saying dismissively, "One is her biological mother, the other a stepmother. Presumably, the biological mother offers more love, but dear old dad has more money. Compared to money, everything else is worthless. Naturally, the girl would stick with Hua Renda!"
However, the voice on the other end soon contradicted him. "President Qi, according to my information, Hua Xiaomo has always lived with her mother in Chaohu Alley..." At this, Yu Bao paused, then changed the subject. "It seems Leng Lan won’t rest until she brings down Hua Renda. Shall we continue, President Qi?"
"Of course... Continue," Qi Longbing said with a smile. His eyes held a subtle hint of cunning.
Watching tigers fight from a mountaintop had always been his preferred amusent. However, sotis, striking first to devour the prey whole, leaving not even scraps, was more to his liking!
Simultaneously, a place na surfaced in his mind: Chaohu Alley.
"Yes," Yu Bao responded, quickly lowering his voice deliberately. "President Qi, we’ve found out that ’Blue Moon’ will be holding an auction at Gasia Liquor on October 1st."
Qi Longbing’s pupils constricted. His fingers tapped twice on the polished, ornate Osaka Platform as he thoughtfully replied, "I understand."
Qi Longbing quickly hung up the phone, a profound and inscrutable smile in his eyes.
With one hand in his suit trouser pocket, Qi Longbing walked over to the lavish desk and pressed the intercom. "Is Hua Renda still here?"
"He’s still here, President Qi," replied Secretary Zhang.
"Good..." A cold smile played on Qi Longbing’s handso face, exuding an air of nobility and haughtiness.
"Then President Qi, please wait a mont, I’ll have him co over," Secretary Zhang had barely finished speaking.
Qi Longbing impatiently interrupted, his tone rising strangely. "Did I say I wanted to see him? Let him continue to wait!" After a few seconds’ pause, he added, "Just as he’s about to leave, tell him to co see tomorrow morning at ten."
"Yes, President Qi."
Qi Longbing had no sooner hung up the phone than another one rang. The voice on the other end sounded rather cautious, "President Qi, Miss Gong would like to have lunch with you. Your response...?"
"Decline." Just one word, not even half a word wasted. Qi Longbing’s handso features instantly beca colder as he ordered, "From now on, block all calls from this woman. Don’t let any more co through."
Secretary Lin, responsible for the president’s personal affairs, drew in a sharp breath. "Yes, President Qi."
This woman was done for; it seed her dreams of becoming the Qi Family’s young madam were over. To think, Gong Fengjiao had been with him for three years, yet he’d cast her aside just like that, without the slightest hesitation. President Qi was truly ruthless.
Qi Longbing’s eyes narrowed slightly. He then pressed Secretary Zhang’s intercom. "Announce that we’ll have a group eting in five minutes."
"...Yes!" Secretary Zhang’s nerves tensed. He promptly hung up and practically sprinted into action. Alright, even though it was lunchti, if the boss wanted a group eting, we wage-earners could only sacrifice our stomachs to accompany the president.
As night fell, a black Porsche Cayenne sped along the road. It stopped at a red light at a crossroads.
Qi Longbing, sitting in the back seat, looked up at the road sign outside the window. The words ’Chaohu Road’ ca into view.
He stared thoughtfully for a mont. Just as the car began to move, he said, "Stop the car."
"President Qi?"
"Leave the keys. I want to walk alone."
After the driver, Xiao Wang, got out, Qi Longbing quickly slid into the driver’s seat and drove toward Chaohu Road.
The area at the end of Chaohu Road was a well-known slum in bustling City A. The wealthy usually stayed as far away as possible, never setting foot there. This was also Qi Longbing’s first visit.
Perhaps it was a whim, or perhaps so inner calling. In any case, a subtle impulse had driven him here.
The car traveled quite a distance before arriving at this isolated place. The old houses and low-rise buildings looked incongruous, a heavy wash of gray and dark tones dyeing the scene.
If not for its location in City A, one might think they had traveled back fifty years.
When Qi Longbing’s Porsche Cayenne entered Chaohu Alley, it unsurprisingly drew nurous astonished stares. Many residents peered out of their windows or stood by their doors, eyeing the luxury car with deep suspicion.
Qi Longbing stepped out of the car, his gaze held a trace of clear light. His attire of luxury brands inadvertently created an imposing aura. For a while, no one dared to approach him.
However, there was no shortage of onlookers watching from a distance. And yet, their gazes soon turned wary and fearful, as they all simultaneously thought of one particular concern.
"Could he be the developer coming for our houses?" soone speculated.
The crowd’s eyes grew even more anxious.
"We can’t sell our houses! If we sell, where will we live?"
"Yeah, does he expect us to survive?"
"If we leave City A, we’ll truly be holess..."
"We can’t sell, we just can’t!"
Many people began to clamor.
Qi Longbing watched the crowd silently, a certain understanding dawning deep within him.
Despite the murmurs, no one ultimately had the courage to confront Qi Longbing about the matter.
Finally, an eight-year-old child approached, standing before Qi Longbing, and pleaded pitifully, "Uncle, please don’t develop this area. My grandparents, my parents, and I all live here. If you develop it, we’ll have nowhere to stay."
Qi Longbing squatted down, looking at the child, whose eyes were full of apprehension and fear. This unintentionally struck a chord within him.
He gently placed his hands on the boy’s small shoulders and said with a faint smile, "Uncle isn’t here to develop your houses. I’m looking for soone."
"Uncle, who are you looking for? I know everyone who lives here; I can help you."
"Mm." Qi Longbing nodded, and then, effortlessly, he found the ho of Hua Xiaomo’s mother, Su Ronghua.
Stepping into the exceedingly simple two-bedroom apartnt, Qi Longbing suddenly felt that even finding a place to stand was awkward.
So this was what a slum was like. Though the outside might be dirty, chaotic, and shabby, this clean room exuded a peculiar atmosphere.
"Sir, you are..." Su Ronghua looked at the tall, handso man dressed in a business suit, sowhat puzzled.
"Auntie, hello. I’m a friend of Hua Xiaomo. I heard she lived here, so I ca to visit," Qi Longbing replied. Under Su Ronghua’s warm hospitality, Qi Longbing’s initial feeling of constraint began to fade.
He noticed several pots of daffodils in the small two-bedroom apartnt. Notably, at the head of Hua Xiaomo’s bed, there was a row of them. So had already blood with many small white flowers, bringing a burst of life to the simple room.
He hadn’t expected that girl to actually live here...
A peculiar feeling arose in Qi Longbing. After asking so inconsequential questions, he didn’t linger and drove off.
Unfortunately, just as his car rounded a corner,
suddenly, a bicycle sped rapidly towards him. BAM!
The instant the bicycle collided head-on with the luxury car, the person on it reacted swiftly. With a leap, they abandoned the bicycle. Their hands, like magnets, slapped onto the car’s hood. Their body was left almost hanging over it, legs spread wide. Though the posture was ungainly, in that split second, they avoided a direct impact from the heavy vehicle.
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