The waiter came in to brew tea.
The embossed teacups were luxurious and exquisite, the fragrance of tea spilling from within.
Arthur took a sip of hot tea and asked, “How has your maternal grandfather’s health been lately?”
“Everything is well.” Pei Yuzhou toyed with the cup handle between his fingers. “I shouldn’t have disturbed you, but there is something I thought it necessary to inform you of.”
“What is it?” Arthur had a rather bad premonition.
Pei Yuzhou gave Mark a look.
Understanding, Mark had the bodyguards bring the man in.
The man’s hands were bound with hemp rope. He knelt in a sorry state before the coffee table, his face haggard, his cheeks covered in stubble, his hair a mess.
Meng Shuyao suddenly remembered—wasn’t this the man who had been taken away from the bar that night?
Arthur frowned in confusion. “What is the meaning of this? I don’t know him.”
Pei Yuzhou gave a soft scoff. “This man didn’t know his place. He stole my company’s secrets and worked for someone else.”
Arthur expressed sympathy. “How could such a thing happen? How chilling.”
Pei Yuzhou’s smile was faint. “Don’t you want to know whose man he is?”
Arthur grew wary. Since Pei Yuzhou had asked that, it meant the matter had something to do with him.
Mark looked at the man kneeling on the floor. “Say it yourself. Whose man are you?”
He was stubborn. “I’m no one’s man. It was my own mistake.”
“Is that so.” Pei Yuzhou uttered the two words lightly. As he spoke, he picked up the fruit knife from the coffee table, removed its sheath, and the light refracted off the sharp blade. “If you don’t talk, I’ll cut off one finger. I’ll give you ten chances. Let’s see just how hard that mouth of yours is.”
His tone was so淡 it was as if he were discussing the weather today.
An image formed in Meng Shuyao’s mind. It was too bloody; her whole body prickled with horror.
Was it too late for her to leave now? If she watched this kind of scene, she would have nightmares.
The bodyguard seized the man’s hand and pressed it onto the table.
Pei Yuzhou gripped the knife handle, smiling without quite smiling. “In a casino, losing a few fingers is the most ordinary thing in the world.”
The icy blade touched his fingertip.
The man’s face turned white with fright. His breathing grew rapid as he desperately tried to shrink backward. “No, I’ll talk!”
Fear occupied his mind. He could no longer care about anything and spilled everything. “It was Mr. Yaxi who told me to do it! I have recorded evidence! I’m sorry, Boss, I know I was wrong…”
Arthur was shocked. “How is that possible?”
Pei Yuzhou put away the fruit knife. “Your precious son has set his sights on me. On account of my maternal grandfather’s friendship with you, I came specially to inform you.”
Arthur had witnessed Pei Yuzhou’s methods in the business world. He never gave anyone a chance to turn things around; once he acted, he left no room for mercy. There was no one who did not fear him. Of all people, that rebellious son had to provoke him. “Don’t worry. I will certainly handle this matter.”
“Good. I hope you’ll give me a satisfactory answer.” Pei Yuzhou leaned back against the sofa, resuming his usual careless indolence. “Mark, see our guest out.”
“Yes, sir.” Mark did as instructed and invited the man out.
Meng Shuyao still had not recovered. Her little heart was thumping wildly.
Only she and Pei Yuzhou were left in the private room.
“Scared?” The end of his sentence lifted slightly. “If you’re scared, keep your distance. Go back and obediently study at your university. This is not a place you should come to.”
Meng Shuyao instantly understood why he had let her stay and watch. He wanted her to retreat in the face of difficulty.
Little did he know, she had no way to retreat at all.
“I’m not scared.” She feigned composure. “That man betrayed you, Mr. Pei. He deserved it.”
Pei Yuzhou’s gaze fell on her, silently scrutinizing her.
Meng Shuyao changed the subject. “I’m hungry. Can we eat together?”
Pei Yuzhou lowered his head to look at his phone. “Have Mark take you.”
Meng Shuyao was unwilling. “Can’t I eat with you?”
“Miss Meng, I still have matters to attend to.”
“No matter how busy you are, you still have to eat. Your health is more important than work.”
Pei Yuzhou’s fingertips paused slightly.
Once, his mother had admonished him in the same way.
“Ah Zhou, no matter how busy you are, remember to eat on time. Your health is more important than anything.”
In an instant, he turned off his phone and walked out.
Meng Shuyao was still standing in place.
Pei Yuzhou stopped for a moment. “Aren’t you coming?”
“Oh, oh, I’m coming.” The corners of Meng Shuyao’s lips lifted, and she followed with quick little steps.
There was a separate elevator on the private-room side that led to the upstairs restaurant, so there was no need to pass through the lobby outside.
Pei Yuzhou reached out and pressed the floor button.
Meng Shuyao stood in the corner and took the initiative to find something to say. “Mr. Pei, do you usually prefer Chinese food or Western food?”
“I eat both.”
A rather perfunctory answer.
She asked again, “Then what are we eating in a bit?”
Pei Yuzhou threw the question back to her. “What do you want to eat?”
Meng Shuyao thought for a moment. “I wonder if the Chinese food here is authentic.”
The elevator arrived at the floor, and the doors opened automatically.
Pei Yuzhou stepped out of the elevator.
Meng Shuyao followed closely behind him.
The man’s legs were truly long. Her foot injury had not fully healed yet, so keeping up was somewhat strenuous. She muttered to herself, “Can’t he walk a little slower? It’s not like everyone has legs that long.”
Pei Yuzhou turned his head. “What did you say?”
Meng Shuyao instantly chickened out. “Nothing.”
They entered the restaurant.
She did not know if it was her imagination, but the man’s steps seemed to have slowed a little.
The server arranged a private room for them and waited at the side for their order.
As Meng Shuyao looked through the menu, she did not forget to ask, “Mr. Pei, is there anything you don’t eat?”
He only said, “Order whatever you like.”
“All right.” Meng Shuyao ordered cream prawns, seafood tofu, and stir-fried broccoli.
Pei Yuzhou added steamed grouper and a serving of soup.
“Please wait a moment.” The server left the private room.
The atmosphere was quiet.
He was replying to messages, and Meng Shuyao did not make a sound to disturb him. She turned her head to look out the window.
From here, one could overlook the bustling nightscape of the city. Neon lights flowed among the high-rise buildings.
Some people were born at the top of the pyramid, used to seeing brilliant, magnificent sights, living in a world interwoven with money and power—people like Pei Yuzhou.
People like them probably had no worries.
And what about her? Even her own future was controlled by someone else.
Pei Yuzhou lifted his eyes and caught sight of the melancholy sorrow in the girl’s eyes, a sorrow that did not belong to her age. When she turned back, it vanished without a trace.
Meng Shuyao met his gaze and curved her lips into a smile. “Chicago’s night view is so beautiful.”
“Mr. Pei, do you often stay here?” she asked.
“Not often,” Pei Yuzhou said.
Meng Shuyao held her water glass and murmured softly, “Then when will I be able to see you next time?”
After that, the dishes were brought to the table one after another.
She was truly hungry and focused on eating with her head lowered.
To her surprise, the Chinese food here tasted very authentic.
In her three years in Chicago, none of the Chinese restaurants she had tried had been very genuine.
She ate quietly, her peripheral vision occasionally drifting toward the man opposite her.
There really were people who made even eating look pleasing to the eye—proper in manners, elegant to the extreme in every movement.
The man took in all her little furtive glances, but pretended not to notice.
After the meal, Pei Yuzhou instructed Mark to send her back to school.
It was getting late, and she still had class tomorrow. Meng Shuyao said goodbye to him and left the club.
The business car took her to the school gate.
Before getting out, she remembered that she did not have Mr. Pei’s phone number. How would she find him in the future? So she could only ask Mark, “Can I add your contact information?”
Mark hesitated, unsure of what Mr. Pei’s stance would be.
Meng Shuyao promised, “Don’t worry. If there’s nothing important, I won’t bother you.”
Mark compromised and took out his phone.
After successfully adding his contact information, Meng Shuyao returned to her dormitory in satisfaction.