Chapter 39

Be At My Beck And Call

“I want the child!”

Lin Hanxing withdrew her gaze and lifted her head to look at the wide expanse of the sky. The night sky was scattered with immeasurable stars, completely unfettered by the mundane happenings below them. The heavens were so unfeeling!

Lin Hanxing had never understood why people always prayed to God when bad things happened to them? There were a different set of rules for the heavens and for those who lived on earth. The suffering among humans was a unique path. How could one wait for God to intervene?

“Are you sure?” she gave a low chuckle that carried the hint of a sneer. As she stood on high looking down upon Tan Bide who knelt on the ground, Lin Hanxing asked a question. It would not be repeated. If Tan Bide regretted his choice after, fire waited for no man!

“I’m sure!” Tan Bide roared in response, so forcefully that even his veins popped out. That along with the blood on his forehead made for a terrifying sight!

“As you wish.”

Lin Hanxing raised her bare hands and softly clapped twice. In the dark, it looked as though a shadow flashed past.

“Now we should discuss our joint venture!”

…

The back courtyard of the teahouse.

Tan Bide held his son—who was sleeping soundly—tightly to his chest. With a shocked expression, he stared at the decorations and furnishings around him that looked exactly the same as those in the investigation report. This tea house looked just like a perfect replica of the one that was burned down before!

“The one that you burned down was merely the area that was open for the tourists to visit.”

Lin Hanxing’s personality made her both enjoy and prioritize privacy so when she built the teahouse, she particularly focused on separating it into two separate areas; one front courtyard and one back courtyard. The front courtyard was open to the public while the back courtyard was for her personal enjoyment.

Many people had assumed that the front courtyard was the only teahouse on the entire Tea hill. This was why it was understandable that Tan Bide’s subordinates had missed out on certain details during their investigations.

Uncle Dumb who had been gone for quite some time finally appeared. In his hands, he carried a calculator.

“Before we discuss our joint venture, I want to demand a repayment for the losses that I have suffered tonight.”

Lin Hanxing fingers, dainty like jasmine flower petals, lightly tapped on the surface of the table, making pattering sounds.

Uncle Dumb’s fingers repeatedly tapped across the calculator, the entire process took a full four minutes.

Tan Bide in his current state, no longer had his previous air of bravado and superiority. He hung his head and it was difficult to tell what he was thinking.

“The building that was burnt down contained some plants that I’ve spent many years to specially cultivate. That and the compensation for my mental distress from the shock adds up to thirteen million. You can choose to settle the debt with an online transfer or in cash. I don’t accept checks!”

Lin Hanxing purposefully kept her voice down. The fierceness that seemed to emanate from her bones made it impossible for one to look directly at her! If she was unwilling, no one could make her lose out. Not even a fraction would be tolerated!

Thirteen million?

Tan Bide abruptly raised his head. That was the exact amount of all the liquid funds that he possessed. Was that number a coincidence or was it a number specially conjured by the other party…

He glanced at Lin Hanxing and looked away instantly in terror! How dare she say that she suffered a shock when clearly the person who suffered the biggest fright was himself…

Tan Bide suddenly concluded that he was no match for this woman! From the beginning right up to the end, everything was connected. Tan Bide could not help but suspect that from the moment she bought the ancient tea tree which should have been his boss’s, she had begun to set up the trap.

She wanted to pique the interest of the people in Jiang City on purpose! This included getting rid of those little ones, even his own arrival there… She was clearly prepared from the start and even did nothing as she waited patiently for his people to act, setting fire to her teahouse’s front courtyard!

This level of boldness, this level of patience, this level of calculated scheming… He had no chance of victory from the very start!

“Give me three days, I’ll transfer the money to you.” Tan Bide was like a defeated cockerel, even his voice was hoarse.

“I like how easy it is to do business with you, Mr. Tan.” Once Lin Hanxing spoke, Uncle Dumb left silently just as he also appeared without a sound.

Lei Xiao had not entered the house, hence there were only three of them inside: Lin Hanxing, Tan Bide, and his son.

“Who are you, really?” Even if he died, Tan Bide wanted to die knowing the truth.

Lin Hanxing smiled as soon as she heard him. Her smile made her seem familiar to Tan Bide.

“Who I am isn’t important. The important thing is what on earth are you planning to do now?” She took a sip of tea to moisten her throat. Her deep gaze carried not even a trace of warmth and it made for a sharp contrast with the smile on her face.

“Before the sun rises, I want to know… if this child… is of my blood or not!”

Tan Bide changed the topic and did not answer her directly.

“Fine, I promise that you’ll know the result before the sun rises. However, you must be clear about one thing!”  Lin Hanxing’s expression abruptly changed—so quickly that Tan Bide was unprepared.

“There are only two options left for you to take, one is to work with me and be at my beck and call. As for the second option…”

Tan Bide stared at her apprehensively. Even though he had an inkling of what was coming, as soon as he heard what she said his entire body still trembled violently!

“Think carefully!”

…

At that moment, Lei Xiao was with Yan Beixiao. His deep gaze was directed at a distance.

“At the most, you have four days left before you must return to Jiang City to assume command!”

Yan Beixiao still had his usual foolish appearance but his tone was solemn. Lei Xiao glanced at him but did not speak.

“What is it about her that you like?” Yan Beixiao was extremely curious to know the answer to this question, which was why he asked one of his rare questions. A woman like Lin Hanxing would make a fine friend or work colleague. Yet, as a wife… Would that not be a little too much to stomach?

“What did Father say?”

“Your father did not say anything. Your mother—” Yan Beixiao stuffed both his hands into his jean pockets. His attractive peach-blossom like eyes were full of concealed amusement.

“—thought that this was your father’s idea and made him sleep in the study for three days!”

It could be said that Lei Xiao’s father—Lei Kangnian was an extremely well-known figure in Jiang City when he was young. It did not matter who you were, as long as one mentioned his name, everyone would be so frightened and become extremely respectful.

There was a famous saying in Jiang City long ago which was ‘If you have to marry, don’t marry Lei Kangnian; if you have to marry, marry Lei Kangnian.’

It was said to not marry him all those years ago because even though the Lei family built their family business through the shipping industry, yet once one became more involved, it became a gray area. The background of the matter was too complicated, hence no one would want to send their daughter into the swirling mess.

As for the reason to marry him, that was extremely straightforward; it was because he had both power and riches… Even his appearance was the type to make any woman who saw him fall in love right away!

Who would not want this kind of man? In the end, the person he ended up marrying was a nobody, the second daughter of the Zhong family. Once she married into the family, she ended up being treasured for almost several decades!

“I am reasonable.” Perhaps he recalled his father and mother as Lei Xiao’s features seemed to soften.

“I say, since you want to see your family so much, you might as well hurry back to Jiang City!” Yan Beixiao elbowed him as he spoke.

“What era is this now, yet you’re still playing such childish tricks. It’s too outdated!”

Yan Beixiao was stunned silent by Lei Xiao’s words. He had no retort for the longest time!

“Hey Mr. Lei, you’re pretty savage!”

In the dark, a thin shadow stood and there was no telling how long it had been there listening with no expression…