Hurriedly answering the phone, Jing Meng's worry was evident the moment she spoke. "Did Pei Cheng say anything about looking for you?"
"Sorry, my phone was on silent. Don't worry, Chengcheng is already home." Before Pei Shiyi received her call, he had already gotten a text from the boy. He had forgotten to turn his ringer back on after a meeting. As soon as he saw five missed calls from Jing Meng, he called back immediately.
Knowing the boy was safe, Jing Meng felt her heart settle. She set her phone on the table and stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, her thoughts racing. Pei Cheng's quiet departure was a stark reminder that work would always be there, but the people in her life could drift away due to neglect or misunderstandings.
Work was not everything. Having realized this, she shocked her colleagues by leaving the office exactly on time. She returned home bathed in the orange glow of the sunset, feeling a rare desire to cook a meal for herself. Donning an apron, she stood before the refrigerator, suddenly stumped.
Cooking for one seemed simple, but portion control was tricky. Too much was a waste, and too little left her hungry. More importantly, she had no idea what to make. As she hesitated, her phone buzzed on the coffee table. She turned away from her dilemma to check the message.
The message was brief, instructing her to go to a specific location alone. Since the place was unfamiliar to her, she dismissed it as spam and deleted it instantly. Setting her phone by the sink, Jing Meng took out a tomato and two eggs, planning to whip up a classic dish. The message was already forgotten.
Meanwhile, Pei Qing stared at his phone with a dark expression. He hadn't received a reply. Had his plan failed? The thought vanished as quickly as it came. He shook his head. "Impossible. My plans are always foolproof."
He continued his animated self-talk while Pei Cheng, who was sitting nearby watching cartoons, gave him a speechless side-eye. The boy secretly wondered if the man had been kicked in the head by a donkey to think this plan would succeed. Resigned to his fate, he went back to his cartoons, treating this ordeal as a boring character-building exercise.
While the boy was calm, Pei Qing's mind was racing. If a threatening text didn't work, he needed something more exciting. He gave a sly grin, his calculating gaze landing on the boy.
A chill ran down Pei Cheng's spine. He considered leaving immediately, but before his young mind could process the exit, he fell into the trap once more.
"Didn't you want Jing Meng to play with you? Well, now I need your cooperation." With a cunning smile, Pei Qing dug through his bag for the props he had prepared.
At the mention of Jing Meng, the boy hesitated. After some thought, he decided to go along with one last performance. If this didn't work, he would never trust the man again. Pei Qing was the director; the boy just had to play along. He allowed the man to paint purple "bruises" on his skin and sat with a sullen face as he was loosely tied up with hemp rope.
"Everything must be perfect. When she sees these photos, she'll come running to save you." Pei Qing snapped several photos, already lost in his vision of a successful outcome.
He chuckled foolishly. Pei Cheng's small face twisted in disgust as he tried to wiggle free, but to his surprise, he couldn't break the knots. He knit his brows in an imitation of maturity.
"Good, very good! Those photos really capture the feeling of being kidnapped. They'll cause quite a stir." Immersed in his own world, Pei Qing didn't send the photos immediately. He was waiting for the perfect moment.
In the business world, timing was everything. Though not as talented as Pei Shiyi, he considered himself far superior to Pei Gong. Now, he just needed patience.
He spoke Pei Gong's name with utter contempt. Little did he know that the man he looked down on was currently busy with his own "important" business. Compared to the Pei family, Jing Hong was nothing more than an ant they could crush at will.
Pei Gong could have dealt with him easily, but because of Mother Jing's past and the fear that the man might cause trouble with a rival company, he decided to call a truce. It was better to keep the man close before deciding how to dispose of him.
With his plan set, he intentionally invited the man to an exclusive restaurant to show him the gap between them and warn him not to be too arrogant. He checked his watch; it was five minutes until eleven. The quiet, elegant restaurant showed no sign of the out-of-place figure he was expecting.
At exactly eleven, the doors were pushed open. Jing Hong walked in, wearing a cheap-looking short-sleeved hoodie. Led by a waiter, he sat down roughly. "Did you call me here because you felt I didn't hit you hard enough last time?"
At the mention of the beating, Pei Gong's face darkened for a moment before he regained his polite composure. "Just a misunderstanding. I wouldn't take it to heart. However, I did bring you here for a reason."
Knowing the man wouldn't treat him to a meal for no reason, Jing Hong tilted his chin, signaling him to continue.
"I hope we can reach a settlement. Regardless of past unpleasantness or future uncertainties, I hope we can be friends again, like before."
Jing Hong gave a disdainful sneer. Calling them friends was a stretch; they were just pawns using each other. His lips curled into a cold arc. "Past or future, I only hope we stay out of each other's way."
Pei Gong could agree to those terms, but he couldn't cut ties completely just yet. As he was trying to figure out how to break the awkward silence, a familiar voice rang out, saving him from the tension.
"Long time no see, President Pei." It was Jennifer. She was followed by several successful-looking men in suits; she was clearly there to finalize a deal over lunch. She smiled slightly. "It seems you have business to discuss. I won't disturb you. See you later."
With that, she capably led her clients toward a private room in the back. She seemed to possess a unique magic. Jing Hong was deeply captivated, his eyes following her as she left. A faint trace of adoration flickered in his gaze until a hand waved in front of his face, snapping him back to reality.
"What is it?"
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