The Rolls-Royce Phantom came to a halt beside Xia Lei. Shentu Tianyin rolled the windows down and greeted him. âI was just about to visit you at your office. What are you doing out here by the road?â
âI was just checking on the progress of the church,â answered Xia Lei. His gaze landed on the empty backseat of the vehicle. âWhat are you doing here all alone? Itâs dangerous for you.â
âAre you worried that Iâll get kidnapped?â Her lips curled into a lovely curve.
Xia Lei responded, âYouâre the richest woman in the country. It wouldnât kill you to be a little cautious.â
Shentu Tianyinâs next words came out of nowhere. âIf I got kidnapped someday, would you come to rescue me?â
Xia Lei could only smile bitterly at that. âYou know I would but I wouldnât want that to happen to you. Please bring along two bodyguards the next time you head out.â
âAlright, Iâll make sure to do that next time,â said Shentu Tianyin.
Xia Lei was reminded of something. âWhy are you visiting me today?â
âHop in and weâll talk.â Shentu Tianyin unlocked the doors.
Xia Lei couldnât help but glance at the Thunder Horse office block once again.
Noticing that, a glint of resentment flashed across her glossy eyes. âAre you afraid that Liang Siyao might see us?â
Xia Lei returned her a sheepish smile. âNah, thatâs not it.â He went across the front of the car and got into the passenger seat.
Shentu Tianyin sighed. âThereâs no way you can trick me. Youâre terrified of her seeing us together. Weâre just talking to each other, not entangling our limbs in the sheets. Plus, itâs not like we hadnât slept with each other in the past.â
Xia Lei was speechless.
To hear words like that from Shentu Tianyin was rich. This was something no other man could hear for the rest of his life.
Shentu Tianyin turned the car around and drove towards Bailu town, which was also the direction to go into the city.
âWhere are you bringing me?â questioned Xia Lei.
Shentu Tianyin answered, âIâm about to head to America soon. I just want to treat you a meal before I leave. Is that alright?â
His seatbelts were already strapped in. It was a little too late for anything else.
Xia Lei affirmed, âOf course, but Iâll still like to offer you a piece of advice.â
âWhat is it?â Shentu Tianyin glanced over briefly.
âDonât go to America,â said Xia Lei.
Shentu Tianyin uttered, âItâs major that Vientiane Group is entering the American market. This is our first step into the Western market and as the Chairman of the group, how can I not attend the officiating ceremony?â
Xia Lei fell silent. âYou should be clear about Americaâs standing about me. They see me as an enemy and youâre myâŚâ
Shentu Tianyin slammed on the brakes to stare deeply into Xia Leiâs eyes. âCome on, say it. What am I to you?â
Xia Lei could only smile meekly. âYouâre my ex-wife. They might try to attack you in America and take you as a hostage to threaten me. Itâs not safe for you to be there.â
âEx-wife⌠Do people use ex-wives to threaten their ex-husbands?â Shentu Tianyinâs voice was growing meek with each word. Sadness and regret overflowing through her sentence.
âTianyin, please donât misunderstand my intention. Iâm not afraid of threats but itâs really dangerous for you to go to America. Have you forgotten all about that time you were kidnapped by the CIA?â
âHow could I forget that? Thereâs no way I could erase that memory for life? I wasnât scared at all during then, because the man who saved me was a handsome hero.â Shentu Tianyinâs attention returned onto Xia Lei, her eyes glimmering with hope.
âPlease promise me that you wonât go to America.â
âWhy should I? Iâm just an ex-wife,â muttered Shentu Tianyin.
Xia Lei was rendered speechless.
Though she was no longer his wife, he would still rush to her aid if something were to happen to her. If she was kidnapped by the CIA, Xia Lei would most definitely rescue her. BUt prevention was better than cure. That way, all the fuss and danger could be prevented. Why was she so stubborn? Why did she have to complicate things further?â
The vehicle carriage became oddly silent.
âAh-hem.â In the end, it was Xia Lei who broke the awkward silence. âArenât we heading out for a meal? We wonât be eating anything if we go on like this.â
Shentu Tianyin giggled, then turned the keys to ignite the engine once again.
âUh, Iâll take it that you promised me. Okay?â Xia Lei uttered softly.
Shentu Tianyinâs lips were pulled into a tight line. âI can promise you that but you need to convince me better.â
âAlright, hereâs what I think about it.â Xia Lei began, âThough America claims to be the most lucrative, fair and free market on the planet, the statement only applies to Americans and European capitalists. Chinese capitals are excluded from all fairness and freedom. Vientianeâs entry is bound to face exclusion from the local American capitalists as well as the trade barriers set up by the government. Theyâre able to come up with any reason to investigate you and issue you an incredibly hefty penalty. They can even frame you for stealing sensitive technology or equipment and toss you into prison.â
âIs it really that bad?â Shentu Tianyin found it hard to believe.
Xia Lei responded, âI might have exaggerated my words but you have to admit that it is the reality. Theyâve been known to hold something against the Blacks, Middle Easterners and Chinese. That is what their society is like.â
âBut arenât there a lot of capitalists from our country investing in their market?â
âI understand itâs difficult for you to be convinced but I do hope that youâll think this through carefully,â said Xia Lei.
âI will think about it, butâŚâ
âBut what?â
âJust convincing is not sufficient, you need to offer me some benefit.â
âWhat kind of benefit do you want?â Xia Leiâs temples were beginning to throb.
âIâll tell you after I have an idea,â said Shentu Tianyin.
What would she want from him? Xia Lei didnât dare to guess.
Half an hour later, the two of them found themselves in Jingdu city centre. Shentu Tianyin had already booked a restaurant earlier. It was a famous Western restaurant in the city and it was opening its doors today to only two guests. Shentu Tianyin and Xia Lei.
As they dined, Shentu Tianyin made no mention of the benefit she wanted. Her eyes were fully glued on Xia Leiâs profile, never once letting it stray away from her line of sight.
Before the queen was a wonderful smelling Tomahawk Steak and a sleek glass of 82â Lafite. Despite that, her attention wasnât in the scrumptious steak nor was it in the fragrant wine. Today, Xia Lei was her focus.
âPlease, just promise me to not go to America.â Xia Lei had not given up yet.
âThen offer me a benefit to make me stay.â Shentu Tianyin sipped on her red wine elegantly.
Xia Lei huffed helplessly. âAlright then. Tell me, what do you want?â
âI wantâŚâ Truthfully, she had already settled on an answer long ago. But the request was difficult to utter.
At this moment, a woman entered the restaurant. Upon noticing Shentu Tianyin and Xia Leiâs table, she immediately began to stride over. The waiters quickly came forward in an attempt to halt her but she ignored them completely.
Hearing the waiterâs panicked voice, Xia Lei and Shentu Tianyin turned their face towards the source of the sound at the same time. The sight that entered their sight had them frozen.
The woman who had entered was not a wrathful Liang Siyao but Tang Yuyan.
Shentu Tianyinâs brows were already furrowed before the other woman had even come close to their table. âWhat is she doing here?â It was not easy to get her ex-husband for a meal together. Now that Liang Siyao hadnât chased them over, Tang Yuyan was here instead. The sudden turn of events had twisted Shentu Tianyinâs heart violently.
âWow, you guys sure do know how to enjoy life. You booked an entire restaurant to bask in some privacy,â commented Tang Yuyan with a smirk.
Xia Lei said to the nervous waiter, âItâs alright. We know her, you can resume back to work.â
The waiter nodded in response.
âWait, Iâd like a steak with a sprinkle of truffle and a little bit of foie gras. Everything completed the French way, capiche?â orders Tang Yuyan.
âUnderstood. Please take a seat, miss.â The waiter left them behind.
Nonchalantly, Shentu Tianyin complained, âYour tastes are unexpectedly specific. Truffles and foie gras are not cheap at all.â
Tang Yuyan tossed a glance at Xia Lei. âYouâre paying for my meal, right?â
âYouâre free to eat anything you want.â Xia Lei let his gaze land on Tang Yuyan. âSpeak, what are you here for?â
In turn, Tang Yuyan let her eyes land on Shentu Tianyin briefly in complete silence.
Shentu Tianyin was getting irritated at her display. âTang Yuyan, Iâm treating my ex-husband to lunch and Iâm the one who booked this entire restaurant. You canât be serious about chasing me out?â
Tang Yuyan was unfriendly in her reply. âShentu Tianyin, I think you should direct your anger towards Liang Siyao and Fan Fan instead of me. Oh yeah, thereâs Long Bing and Jiang Ruyi too. The four of them are about to be mothers. Your ex-husband is bound to become the father of four children. I have literally nothing to do with your ex-husband, so why the grudge?â
Shentu Tianyin was stunned, eyes turning moist with unshed tears. Her information was never as updated. If Tang Yuyan had kept silent, she wouldâve never learnt that Xia Lei had made Liang Siyao, Fan Fan, Long Bing and Jiang Ruyi carry his children.
âIs that real?â Shentu Tianyinâs voice tremored.
Xia Lei nodded, confirming the news. He had nothing to hide and there was no need for that. Liang Siyao, Fan Fan, Jiang Ruyi and Long Bing were his lovers and they were all pregnant with his child. There were no differences and favouritism among them, he was willing to admit to it to anyone and anywhere.
âWe⌠Iâll see you some other day, Iâm full now.â Shentu Tianyin left her seat and rushed to the exit.
Xia Lei said nothing. He watched her leave silently before turning to meet Tang Yuyanâs gaze. âIs that what youâre here for?â
Tang Yuyan retorted, âDo I look like Iâve got time for that? Iâm here to talk about the spy issue with you.â
âYouâve heard about it already?â
âItâll be weird if the head of Bureau 101 would learn of this later than you. How long are you planning to keep it hidden from my knowledge?â questioned Tang Yuyan sharply.
Though she had not mentioned the source of her information, Xia Lei knew it was most definitely Long Bing who reported her finding to the bureau. The appearance of a spy in the Thunder Horse Organization had involved national interest. She wouldnât even think of keeping it a secret in the first place.
âWhat are you planning to do about that?â Tang Yuyan asked again.
Xia Lei replied, âIâm still thinking of a plan. Iâll tell you when I have a concrete idea.â
Tang Yuyan frowned deeply. âYouâve started your operation but refuse to tell me about it. Isnât that so?â
âIâm not lying to you. Itâs up to you to trust me or not.â
âI donât trust you at all.â
âThen thereâs nothing I can do about it.â Xia Lei continued, âSince you knew about the spy issue, you must know that Long Bing is in grave danger in Japan, right? What are you planning to do about that?â
âI canât send more agents to Japan. This operation was meant to be hushed. If we let the Japanese learn about this, our diplomatic relationship would be threatened. Itâs not up to my decision to send more agents as support or not,â said Tang Yuyan.
Xia Leiâs heart sighed pitifully. The Tang Yuyan before him felt so foreign.
âLong Bing is Bureau 101âs best agent. She can look after herself well. The more pressing concern now is the Thunder Horse spy issue. Iâll be looking into this case myself. Before I came over, Iâve already looked through all employees tied to your company. They all came up clean with nothing to report. I need to find them within this week,â said Tang Yuyan.
âThatâs your own business, you deal with it yourself. Also, I must remind you to keep your investigations out of the Thunder Horse Organization. Doing that will only draw attention and send the spy into hiding.â Xia Lei pushed the chair back and stood up. âYou can continue on with your meal, Iâm full. Goodbye.â
âYouâŚâ Tang Yuyan was taken aback.
The man headed for the exit, never once turning back.
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Tip: You can use left, right, A and D keyboard keys to browse between chapters.
Sponsored Content