A marriage alliance? Was that surprising?
She had seen it coming, but their actions still plumbed new depths of depravity.
Meng Shuyao had lost count of how many times she doubted whether she was truly Meng Zhenhua’s biological daughter.
Even a tiger won’t devour its own cub, yet for the sake of profit, he would stop at nothing, shoving her straight into the fire.
As long as her sister remained in the Meng family’s clutches, she would never have a way out.
The only means of breaking free from the Meng family—Pei Yuzhou.
Meng Shuyao’s gaze gradually sharpened and focused.
No. She had to try again. She refused to resign herself to having her fate manipulated and controlled by others.
If she had known, she should have gone over to greet him that night.
Mr. Pei kept his whereabouts secret, never showing his face to the media. Chicago was vast; the odds of a chance encounter were next to nothing.
During those days, she had exhausted every means and channel to inquire about Pei Yuzhou’s schedule, all to no avail.
He had numerous business interests in the United States; perhaps he wasn’t even in Chicago.
Meng Shuyao didn’t know what to do.
On the last day of the holiday, Mia texted her: *“Babe, how’s your foot injury healing?”*
Meng Shuyao: *“Much better.”*
Mia: *“What a waste of a good holiday, stuck lying in your dorm. Tragic.”*
Meng Shuyao replied with a helpless emoji.
After a while, Mia sent another message: *“Ahhh! I just saw a drop-dead gorgeous guy with an absolutely transcendent aura. No exaggeration, he looked like a male lead straight out of a movie! I secretly snapped a photo. Check it out.”*
She hadn’t captured his full face; he walked too fast, flanked by bodyguards, and she had only managed to catch a glimpse of his profile.
Meng Shuyao hadn’t been interested, merely sweeping a cursory glance over it, when her gaze suddenly froze.
A familiar figure.
Even if it was only a profile shot, she was certain—the person in the photo was Mr. Pei.
He was the only one who could wear a dress shirt with such noble, effortless ease.
It seemed heaven itself was presenting her with an opportunity.
Meng Shuyao quickly typed: *“Where did you run into him?”*
Mia: *“At the private club where my cousin works. I came to deliver some documents.”*
Mia: *“So, isn’t he ridiculously handsome?”*
Mia: *“But that kind of man is only for admiring from afar, not for getting close to. The fact that he could bring bodyguards into the club means his identity is definitely no ordinary one.”*
Meng Shuyao put down her phone and quickly changed her clothes to head out.
Fortunately, she still had that membership card from last time.
Dusk was falling. The streetlights flickered on right on schedule, merging with the stream of traffic into a continuous river of light.
By seven o’clock, numerous luxury cars had already gathered before the club’s portico.
Meng Shuyao walked into the lobby and took the elevator straight to the third floor.
She had asked Mia’s brother, who had helped her find out that Mr. Pei was here.
“Ding—”
The elevator doors opened.
She passed through a European-style corridor. Two carved doors, over three meters high, stood wide open.
Beyond them lay a different world—truly resplendent with gold and jade, extraordinarily imposing.
Soaring arched ceilings. Looking up, one could see twelve exquisite murals. Hundreds of crystal chandeliers hung down, illuminating everything in bright light.
Here, one couldn’t tell day from night.
It was Meng Shuyao’s first time setting foot in such a place, and standing there, she felt somewhat out of place.
The hall was filled with all manner of people gathered around gambling tables, their expressions varied—some excited, some vexed.
Alcohol, chips, lights—a dizzying spectacle.
The air was permeated with the scent of white tea, masking the smells of tobacco and alcohol.
It was said that casinos maintained a 24-hour oxygen supply with air purification and circulation, keeping people in a state of constant excitement.
Meng Shuyao looked around but did not spot Mr. Pei.
Appearing here alone, with her pure and beautiful Asian features, she easily attracted attention.
A man with ill intentions fixed his sights on her and approached. “Beauty, why are you here all alone?”
He wore a floral shirt and had a stocky build. When he smiled, he revealed a mouthful of yellowed teeth.
Meng Shuyao took two steps back, putting distance between them. “I’m here to find someone.”
She tried to go around him, but he blocked her again. “Who are you looking for? Maybe I know them.”
Meng Shuyao frowned slightly. “No need. I can find them myself.”
“No need to be so polite. Let’s just be friends. How about I buy you a drink?” As the man spoke, he reached out and grabbed her wrist.
Meng Shuyao detested physical contact with strangers and reflexively shook him off. “Don’t touch me.”
This action somewhat provoked him.
“You came here to have fun, didn’t you? What are you pretending for?” The man looked her up and down, his gaze leering. “I’m offering to buy you a drink as a mark of respect.”
Meng Shuyao suppressed her psychological discomfort, knowing she was alone and had no chance of winning. She could only bring out Pei Yuzhou. “I’m Mr. Kerwin’s woman. If you dare touch me, he won’t let you off.”
“Kerwin? Which Kerwin? The only one I know is the one from Hers Group.” The man sneered. “But as far as I know, no woman has ever appeared by his side. If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable.”
Meng Shuyao did not show weakness. “I’m not lying. I’m here to find Mr. Kerwin.”
Some onlookers nearby chimed in, joining the spectacle.
“Mr. Kerwin isn’t someone you can just see whenever you want.”
“The number of people wanting to climb up to him is countless, but none of them end well. Don’t drag yourself down.”
“Mr. Kerwin is very busy. How would he have time to deal with her?”
Meng Shuyao ignored their chatter. “Move aside. The club doesn’t allow troublemaking.”
The man was completely unafraid, giving a lascivious smile. “I just want to buy you a drink. How is that causing trouble?”
Meng Shuyao refused to compromise. “I don’t want to drink. You have no right to force me.”
The man raised an eyebrow and took a step back in his demands. “If you don’t want to drink, then play a round. Let’s bet on something.”
He was deliberately trying to make things difficult for her today.
Meng Shuyao’s heart tightened. “I don’t know how.”
She didn’t understand any of it. How could she possibly outplay him? She wouldn’t even know if he was setting her up.
The man clearly didn’t believe her. “You come here but don’t drink or play cards? That doesn’t make sense.”
He threatened, “Choose one or the other. Otherwise, you won’t be leaving today.”
Meng Shuyao: “I choose neither.”
The man lost his patience. “Since you won’t choose, I’ll choose for you. One game decides the winner. If you win, I’ll let you go. If you lose, you’ll spend tonight with me.”
In a private room, isolated from the outside noise and commotion, the space was intimate and quiet.
The decor featured white and gold tones, paired with ink-wash marble flooring—elegant and luxurious.
In the center was a dark red gambling table, facing a curved sofa.
Pei Yuzhou reclined there, holding a tablet and browsing market trends.
Beside him, several elite men held laptops, reporting data and awaiting his word.
“Knock, knock—”
A soft rapping sounded at the door.
Mark went to open it.
A middle-aged man entered from outside, presenting a folder with both hands, utterly respectful. “Sir, I’ve brought the documents you requested. Please look them over.”
Pei Yuzhou reached out to take it and lowered his head to flip through the pages.
The middle-aged man thought of the scene he had just witnessed. After hesitating several times, he decided to mention it. “I just passed through the hall and saw a young lady being harassed. She claimed to be your person and was insisting that she wanted to find you.”
Pei Yuzhou’s page-turning motion paused slightly. He raised his eyes and glanced at Mark.
The latter caught his gaze, nodded, and left the private room.