Chapter 289: Chapter 287: You think you’re filming a TV drama?
"No, that’s not it! Don’t misunderstand!" Jian Xi hurriedly apologized.
"I know. You’re afraid I’ll be affected and it’ll impact my income. But really, it doesn’t matter. From the moment I knew your identity, I’ve known what I would face. It’s all the same to me."
For someone to speak of financial gains so lightly, as if it had nothing to do with emotions, made Jian Xi feel that Zhang Yaxuan must be a good person.
"I should pay whatever compensation is due," Jian Xi said firmly.
Zhang Yaxuan was even more adamant. "Then we can’t work together anymore."
"You’re too stubborn."
"Are you worried my reputation will be ruined and no one will want my paintings in the future?"
Jian Xi gave a wry smile. She didn’t know Fu Shengyuan well enough, but Si Yuhuan would definitely do something like that. He was a man who ensured those who followed him thrived and those who opposed him perished.
"It’s okay. If it comes to that, I just won’t sell my paintings anymore. The money I’ve made is already enough."
Jian Xi utterly admired Zhang Yaxuan’s elegance, indifference, and his go-with-the-flow attitude. Having grown up in a merchant family, Jian Xi had been taught to always approach external dealings with an eye for profit. Yet, towards her, a stranger, he was without desire or demand. His detached demeanor seemed to exude a kind of transcendent quality that left her speechless. It was amazing that someone so pure and unmaterialistic could exist in the world; it felt almost magical.
After hanging up the phone, Jian Xi couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement. She would repay Zhang Yaxuan’s kindness many times over in the future. Such a person shouldn’t be overlooked. When the opportunity arose, she would definitely make Zhang Yaxuan a global sensation.
「」
The night was dark and windy.
A man dressed in black slipped into an inconspicuous SUV at the street corner.
The vehicle moved steadily, quickly merging into the flow of traffic.
Si Junyan removed his hat and looked outside, clenching his molars. "Damn the Si family! To think they’d actually conspire against me! I won’t let them get away with this!"
The man in the driver’s seat turned back with a cold laugh, revealing a long, hideous, and menacing scar across his face.
"Don’t rush. There’ll be a chance for you to play your part."
Si Junyan snorted coldly. "Don’t think I don’t know why you rescued me. If you’re going to oppose Si Yuhuan, you better be prepared."
"You need not concern yourself with that, Second Young Master. Just focus on your own affairs," the man replied.
Si Junyan gave the man a cold glare but, being under someone else’s roof, refrained from saying anything more.
Beyond Si Yuhuan, he also needed to catch that wretch Xiaoli! His USB drive was gone! It contained all the leverage he had against several minor shareholders of Haohan Group. No wonder they had all suddenly switched sides and aligned with Si Yuhuan! That wretch Xiaoli had actually stolen the USB drive and given it to Si Yuhuan! Daring to betray him... he wanted her dead!
Looking at the passing scenery outside, he realized, They were actually in a mountainous area!
Si Junyan’s eyebrows knitted together nervously. "This isn’t the place we talked about. Where are you taking me?"
The driver gave a sinister smile. "Second Young Master, surely you don’t think you still have a chance of survival?"
"You’re trying to silence me!" Si Junyan’s internal alarm bells blared, and he immediately tried to open the door.
The car door wouldn’t budge.
The driver said, "No need to waste your strength. When we arrive, our brothers will greet you. If we hadn’t tricked you, do you think you would have so readily helped us evade the bodyguards Si Yuhuan stationed around you and come out with us?"
"You goddamn bastards! How dare you screw me over! You bunch of ungrateful dogs, burning bridges after crossing them!"
Si Junyan wasn’t a pushover. He furiously started elbowing the car window.
There was a button on his sleeve, and using a focused burst of strength, he managed to shatter the car window.
He then jumped out through the opening.
"Dammit! You’re looking for death!"
The driver never expected such a wealthy young master would dare to risk his life like this. He immediately stopped the car and got out.
The mountain road was rugged and winding, with no end in sight. It was getting dark, pitch black, and nothing on the road could be seen clearly.
Suddenly, a figure lunged from behind the driver. Si Junyan wrapped his belt tightly around the driver’s neck, cursing venomously through gritted teeth, "I’ll send you to meet the King of Hell first!"
After being beaten up by Jian Xi and Si Yuhuan a few times, he had hired a private Sanda coach. He hadn’t learned much, but he did acquire some life-saving counterattack skills.
But he had still underestimated the driver. The big man was a retired mercenary. Against absolute strength, all of Si Junyan’s techniques were like child’s play.
Grabbing Si Junyan by the scruff of his neck, the driver violently flipped him over, pinned him to the ground, and applied a chokehold.
The driver’s hands gradually tightened their grip, his veins bulging, a bloodthirsty sneer spreading across his face.
"Second Young Master, trying to show off your skills in front of an expert? You’re really courting death!"
Si Junyan’s handsome face turned bright red. His elbows felt like they were about to be crushed, the pain so intense his veins nearly burst. "Let me go! I can give you lots and lots of money!"
"Once you’re dead, we can still get all the money from your accounts!" the man said with a cold laugh.
Si Junyan’s eyes widened. "Who the hell are you people?"
The mysterious people he was working with had never revealed a shred of information about themselves. Si Junyan trembled with fear. He had no time to think. Risking a broken arm, he kicked out fiercely.
CRACK!
THUD!
Two sounds rang out.
The driver’s eyes widened as he watched Si Junyan fall off the cliff.
He took out his phone and dialed a number. "He fell off the cliff. He’s undoubtedly dead."
"Mm, come back then," the other party responded in a low, indifferent voice.
「Yaowang Group.」
Li Bin knocked on the door. "CEO Jian, someone from Haohan Group just arrived. They said the Silicon Crystal Agreement you signed has been delivered and is waiting in the conference room."
"Good, let him come over."
Yan Qing came in holding a bouquet of roses.
"Madam, Director Si specifically asked me to bring these to you."
Jian Xi’s face instantly flushed. "Come in quickly."
She took the flowers and hastily tossed them into the trash bin. Doesn’t Si Yuhuan feel any shame at all!
"Director Si said that if you throw this bouquet away, he’ll send a truckload more. In any case, he wants your office to have a bouquet from him every day to ensure you’re in a good mood. Most importantly, seeing the flowers is like seeing him."
Jian Xi shot Yan Qing a death glare.
"Madam, these are Director Si’s words, not mine."
"Ha!" Jian Xi scoffed. "Si Yuhuan would say something like that? Only if the sun rose from the west!"
"Did Baidu tell you to say that?" Jian Xi folded her arms. "Do you find this amusing?"
Yan Qing scratched the back of his head awkwardly. It seemed Director Si really needed to hire a relationship expert. Director Si was so cold and aloof he had few friends. Faced with such a situation, Yan Qing, his perennially single personal secretary, had no good ideas and had resorted to randomly searching Baidu. Don’t most women like to hear sweet talk like this? Or was Madam immune to it? He was already planning to sign up for a relationship course so he could provide Director Si with better wife-wooing services in the future.
"Madam, Director Si’s feelings for you are absolutely sincere."
"Sincerely wanting to divorce me, sincerely wanting to be with his ’true love,’ sincerely watching his ’true love’ turn out to be a black-hearted schemer, and then sincerely deciding he wants me back? Do I look that lovesick to you? Am I supposed to just wait around for him, like this is some cheesy TV drama? How utterly melodramatic!"
She slapped the signed documents down and pointed toward the door. "Get out."