Chapter 144

Author: Qin Ruoxu MACHINE TRANSLATION

At 7 pm, the production crew finished their work.

Under Tang Xiu’s suggestion, the group came to a very famous French restaurant in Baltimore. The per capita consumption was around four digits RMB.

Inside the box on the seventh floor, a long row of tables was filled with all kinds of French food. Qiao man twisted her ankle and was carried by Ji Yunshen the whole time. After sitting down, she felt that the entire production crew looked at her with a profound meaning.

The assistant director and the live director were people who had been in the entertainment circle for many years. They first toasted Ji Yunshen and said the same polite words, “President Ji, please make yourself at home. I’ll drink to you. ”

Ji Yunshen was very drunk last night and his stomach was still uncomfortable. When the two of them toasted, he only lifted the cup and took a sip. It didn’t hurt the other party’s face, nor did he overdo it.

Tang Xiu was a shrewd person. He quickly frowned and shouted, “what kind of blind toasting are you doing? Didn’t you see president JI following the family? If you drink too much, the family will investigate and you will be responsible for it? ”

The joke seemed to be both true and false, and almost all the people who wanted to get close to him were cut off.

Seeing that the results were good, Tang Xiu glanced at Ji Yunshen and looked at him as if he was looking at how smart and intelligent he was. It was simply wonderful.

Ji Yunshen sat quietly and didn’t even glance at Tang Xiu from the corner of his eyes. Tang Xiu touched his nose and felt disheartened. He then drank a glass of wine in a very forthright manner to vent the frustration in his chest.

Qiao man felt that after Tang Xiu said this, the eyes of the entire production crew looked at her with a deeper meaning.

It was as though she was a zoo animal surrounded by onlookers, making her very uncomfortable.

Ji Yunshen saw that she ate very little, so he gave her a few French dishes that he thought had a decent texture. However, she tasted like wax as she ate every bite.

At this time, the cell phone in her pocket vibrated. Qiao man glanced at the caller ID and said to the man next to her, “I’m going to take a call and also go to the WASHROOM. ”

Ji Yunshen didn’t say anything and nodded, indicating that he understood.

Qiao man went out of the private room and pressed the answer button. Gu Dongfeng’s clear voice came from the other end of the radio, “SIS, I’m on vacation these two days and came to Baltimore. Where are you? I’ll go look for you. ”

He probably saw her post on Wechat and came from England alone.

Qiao man immediately frowned and could not help but scold him, “Gu Dongfeng, how old are you? Why are you still acting like this? Where are you now? I’ll go look for you. ”

He was a teenager, but he came alone to an unfamiliar country, an Unfamiliar City. What if something happened to him… …

Qiao man did not dare to think too deeply about it.

Gu Dongfeng scratched his head and looked around. He said slowly, “I’m near the Inner Harbor Browsing area. I don’t know the exact location. ”

Qiao man took a deep breath and said in a serious tone, “send me a location on the Baidu map. Stand there and don’t move. I’ll go look for you. ”

“Okay! ”

Gu Dongfeng answered obediently and hung up the phone.

Qiao man was upset. She wanted to find Gu Dongfeng, but she did not tell anyone and left the French restaurant.

…

The Sea breeze blew, making the boy’s white shirt rustle. It was a little cold, and he could not help but hug his chest to keep warm.

There was a French restaurant nearby. He had taken a plane for a few hours and had taken a bus from Washington to Baltimore. He was already hungry. After hesitating for a moment, he decided to go in and pack some food. Then, he would eat while waiting for Qiao Man.

Just as he walked in, he bumped into a black-haired, black-eyed girl who ran towards him.

“Stop, don’t run. ”

In the next second, a few men in black suits and sunglasses chased after the girl. Judging from their attire, they looked like the bodyguards of the Mafia boss.

The girl screamed and pulled Gu Dongfeng, who had yet to recover from the pain, out with her.

She spoke in fluent English, “I’ve offended someone. These people want to take me to a nightclub to sleep with them. Can you help me? I’m only 18 years old. I don’t want to live such a miserable life. I beg you. ”

Gu Dongfeng rubbed his forehead and said in Chinese, “you’re just a little girl. Who Have you offended that you have to be sent to such a place? ”

The little girl saw that he was speaking Chinese and her eyes sparkled like stars. “A big brother from the underworld. He’s in his fifties. He saw that I’m pretty and wanted me to be his lover. I didn’t agree, so he got angry out of humiliation and wanted to take me back. ”

Gu Dongfeng frowned and said, “how dare you! ” Then he quickly sped up and dragged the girl forward, but he didn’t notice the sly smile on the girl’s Lips.

…

Qiao man quickly arrived according to the location Gu Dongfeng had posted on the Baidu map.

After searching around for a long time, she still did not see him, so she could only take out her phone and call him.

When a mechanical female voice came from the other end of the radio, indicating that the phone was turned off, Qiao man’s eyebrows twitched violently twice, and an uneasy feeling quickly spread in her heart.

She continued to search, but there was a vast sea of people, it was simply too difficult to find him.

Ten minutes later… …

Qiao Man’s phone rang. She thought that it was Gu Dongfeng calling, and without thinking, she swiped the answer button. “Dongfeng, where are you? I couldn’t find you! ”

The other end of the line seemed to be silent for two seconds before a sexy voice slowly came through the radio.

“where are you? Is Gu Dongfeng in Baltimore? ”

Qiao man nodded anxiously. Her voice was unstable, and it was trembling with sobs. “Well, I can’t find him. His phone is turned off. What should I do? Will He… get lost or be tricked by someone? ”

The man seemed to be walking. His steady breathing came through the microphone from time to time, giving people a sense of peace. He said, “send the address to my phone and wait for me there. I’ll be there soon. ”

After hanging up the phone, Qiao Man Sent Ji Yunshen the location.

More than ten minutes later, Qiao man watched his tall figure slowly walk over from the other side of the Sea of people. He looked handsome, gentle and elegant, like a God descending from the sky. He stepped on the wind and came, bringing with him the beautiful scenery of thousands of mountains and rivers.

So… … eye-catching …

Qiao man’s footsteps could not help but come closer. That floating heart of hers seemed to have fallen down in an instant.

“almost half an hour has passed. Where do you think he will go? ”

The man’s large hand gently pulled her into his embrace. “maybe his phone is out of battery. Don’t think too much. I’ve already asked my local friends to look for him. ”

Qiao man nodded. She knew that at this time, the worst thing to do was to panic.

From eight o’clock at night to three o’clock in the morning, there was no news of Gu Dongfeng at all.

Qiao Man’s foot was injured and it was inconvenient for her to walk. Ji Yunshen carried her for a long time, so long that Qiao man felt that he should be tired.

“Ji Yunshen, let’s call the police. This is too torturous. I can’t take it anymore. ”

Tears slid down the man’s shoulder one by one. At this moment, Qiao man was as fragile as a child who had lost her soul.

“okay, but… ” Ji Yunshen turned his head and looked at the woman whose face was full of tears. “You have to inform Gu Jinyu about this. You can’t make the decision on your own. After all… they are close relatives. ”

Qiao man nodded. “Yes, I understand. ”

What should come could not be avoided, so there was no need to hide.

…

Ten days had passed since the night they lost contact.

Qiao Man’s nerves were too tense. She could not sleep all day long. If there was even the slightest movement around her, she would be startled awake.

Just like at this moment, Ji Yunshen gently pushed open the door and walked out. She almost immediately opened her eyes.

Her foot injury had almost healed in these ten days, but it seemed to have left a heavy scar in her heart.

In these ten days, Ji Yunshen had asked her to wait at the hotel. He left early and returned late every day. It seemed that he had used a lot of connections and power, but there was no news at all.

Qiao man really could not stay any longer. She wanted to go out and look for him. Even if she could not find him, she did not want to stay here and suffer.

Just as she walked out of the room, a few bodyguards stopped her. “Miss Qiao, I’m sorry. Without CEO JI’s instructions, you can not leave the room. ”

She had been in a bad mood for the past few days. She only ate once a day and had not left the room for a long time. She did not expect that when she left the room, there would be so many bodyguards at the door.

Qiao man’s mind was muddled. She was not stupid enough to go head-to-head with the bodyguards. Instead, she dialed Ji Yunshen’s phone number.

After a Beep, Ji Yunshen’s clear and warm voice was heard. “Man Man, what’s wrong? ”

“Why are there bodyguards? ”

Qiao man rubbed her temples that were getting more and more painful. Her voice was choked with sobs. “Ji Yunshen, tell me, what exactly happened? Did something happen in Dongfeng? You… tell me, okay? ”

“someone in the underworld released two pieces of news. I’m still investigating. Don’t be too nervous. ”

Ji Yunshen said it casually, but Qiao man knew that it was not that simple.

This was America, not China, and not forest city.

No matter how long his hands were, it was impossible for them to reach this place, so he must be hiding something from her!

“Ji Yunshen, can you tell me? Don’t make me worry here, I feel like an idiot, I can only wait foolishly, I can’t do anything… ”

The last two sentences made her sob.

These days, she had been desperately suppressing herself, suppressing herself to calm down, suppressing herself not to break down.

However, after seeing the few security guards, all of her calmness and collapse disappeared.

The man was silent for a long while before saying, “wait for me in the room. I’ll tell you when I get back. ”

Qiao man wiped the tears off her face and said in a very obedient tone, “okay. ”

After hanging up the phone, Qiao man curled up on the headboard of the bed and huddled together. It was a subconscious posture to protect herself.

Right now, she was very confused. She was so confused that she did not know who to believe.

Although Ji Yunshen was there, she knew that she could only rely on him.

And to lose her trust completely was really an extravagant hope for her.

Perhaps she had suffered too much from Jiang Yingdong and Xiao Meng, resulting in her being overly guarded against men. Even if JI yunshen treated her well and had all the advantages of being a husband.

But she knew that he did not have her in his heart.

How could a man who did not have her in his heart throw away his life for her matters?

Did he only rely on the love between husband and wife He did not seem to have such an obligation.

Qiao man smiled. She smiled at herself for being able to see so clearly at a time like this.

Twenty minutes later, the man rushed back, his clothes and shoes stained with a lot of rain. He was not as clean and handsome as he used to be. Instead, there was a hint of weariness and fatigue.

Qiao man heard the sound of the door opening and subconsciously looked over. When she saw that it was him, she hurriedly got off the bed and rushed over, her hands clutching the cuffs on both sides of his sleeves.

“Ji Yunshen, have you found Dongfeng? Did something happen to him? Can you tell me… can you? ”

She was not wearing slippers. She stood on the bed barefooted. Her eyes were red and her face was full of tears. The man frowned and bent down to carry her back to the bed.

Qiao man lay back down obediently and looked at him, who was standing by the bed.

Ji Yunshen seemed to hesitate for two seconds before he said slowly, “man man, I’ve found Gu Dongfeng… ”

“really? ” Qiao man stood up from the bed excitedly. She was only a little taller than him and was almost at eye level. “then why did you hide it from me? TAKE ME TO HIM QUICKLY! ”

The man’s thin lips lifted slightly, and his eyes and brows could not hide his fatigue. “But he’s not too good. He… was caught by someone and forced to inject drugs for a few days… in other words, whether he was subjective or passive, he became a drug addict. ”

Qiao man was stunned. It took her a long time to find her voice. “Ji Yunshen, don’t joke around. Dongfeng is only eighteen years old. His life has not yet begun… ”

“Man man, you know I’m not joking. ”

Qiao man shook her head. Her eyes were red, but there were no tears.

“I don’t believe it. I don’t believe it. ” She grabbed Ji Yunshen’s collar and shook him emotionally. “Ji Yunshen, he’s only 18 years old. He’s only 18 years old. Who is it? Who wants to hit an 18-year-old child? ”

Ji Yunshen’s frown deepened. His pair of iron arms wrapped around her tightly. “I wanted to tell you a few days later, but since you know, we’ll bring him back to the country first. As for the subsequent detoxification process, it might be very long. ”

Long How long would it be?

One year, two years, eight years, ten years?

Or perhaps this lifetime.

“Alright, I’ll pack up now and return to the country immediately. ”

Qiao man withdrew from Ji Yunshen’s embrace and raised her hand to wipe away the tears on her face.

She said to Gu Dongfeng in her heart, “Dongfeng, don’t be afraid. With sister here, sister will definitely not let anything happen to you! ”

…

Returning to the country was using JI Yunshen’s private jet.

Until the plane landed, Ji Yunshen did not let her see Gu Dongfeng.

She knew that he was afraid that she would feel bad if she saw Gu Dongfeng, but he did not know that she would not feel good if she did not see Gu Dongfeng.

Gu Jinyu stood on the tarmac, her hair seemed to have turned a lot whiter.

When she heard about what happened to Gu Dongfeng, she did not go to the United States. She heard from Ji Yunshen that she had broken up with her brother, Gu Feng, and was in an internal conflict.

Qiao man looked at the woman who had been famous for most of her life and suddenly did not know whether to sympathize with her or to pity her.

Perhaps, fame and benefits were really important!

It was so important that if something happened to her only son, she could not leave those worldly possessions behind and rush over.

Before disembarking, the man draped his suit jacket over her body. “It’s cold outside. Be careful not to catch a cold. ”

It was raining in Lin city, and the sea breeze was a little cold.

Qiao Man’s long black hair was messed up by the wind. She felt the soft drizzle hitting her face, wisps of which were bone-chilling.

The man held her as they walked down. He did not stop when they passed Gu Jinyu. If it were not for Gu Jinyu’s voice, the two of them might not have greeted her.

Gu Jinyu did not hold an umbrella. Her entire body was drenched in the rain, and she looked extremely pathetic.

She said, “President Ji, I don’t believe that Gu Feng is so capable. You helped him behind his back, didn’t you? ”

Ji Yunshen frowned slightly. He held the woman in his arms and continued walking forward. However, he heard Gu Jinyu continue speaking “President Ji, don’t be afraid to admit it. I know that you have liked Ji Han for many years. For her new identity and for her father, it is not wrong for you to do this. However, can you not pretend to be Dongfeng’s brother-in-law and help him deal with those crises and troubles that should not have appeared? ”

These words successfully stopped the man’s footsteps, and the woman in his arms couldn’t help but stiffen up.

So, this was the truth?

Ji Yunshen looked at Gu Jinyu and smiled gently. “Ms. Gu, do you have evidence? Or were you forced into a corner by Gu Feng and needed to sow discord between US husband and wife so that I could remain neutral and not interfere? ”

“However, it can be said with certainty that I have no interest in the Gu family’s affairs, if you don’t have any obsessive-compulsive disorder. ”

After saying that, she held Qiao man and left.

…

Qiao man was too tired. The moment she got into the car, she fell asleep in a daze.

When she woke up, it was already very dark outside.

The door to the balcony was not closed, and the sound of rain could be heard. She sat up and turned on the light on the bedside table.

He had not returned yet?

She vaguely remembered that after he carried her to her room, he received a call and left in a hurry.

The only person who could make him so anxious was Ji Han, and there did not seem to be anyone else.

So, could she think that her husband was not coming home at night to accompany the woman he loved?

Although from the moment she entered this marriage, she had thought that there would be a day when she would have to bear the betrayal of thousands of arrows piercing through her heart, but when that moment arrived, she felt calm, a calmness that she had never felt before.

She was so hungry that she panicked. She could only get out of bed and prepare to find something to eat.

Zhang Sao was already asleep. Only the night lights in the corridor and the lights in the hall were still on.

She went downstairs and turned on all the lights. Then, she walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Just as she took out the ingredients and placed them on the counter, the door of the villa was opened.

A tall man walked in. The shoulders of his slim suit were covered with rain. The two of them looked at each other for more than ten seconds before Qiao man opened her mouth. “Have you eaten dinner? Do you want one? ”

“No, I’ve eaten outside. ”

Ji Yunshen changed into slippers, took off his suit jacket and hung it up. Then, he walked closer to her. “before I left, I asked Zhang Sao to prepare dinner for you. Didn’t she prepare it? ”

“Yes, but I was too sleepy to eat. ”

As Qiao man spoke, she put the vegetables she took out into the basin. Just as she was about to wash them, her wrist was grabbed by the man.

“Go lie down. I’ll make it for you. ”

The two men’s hands were in a stalemate in the air for more than ten seconds. Qiao man was very hungry, so she did not continue the stalemate with him.

It could also be said that even if she continued to be in a stalemate with him, there would not be a second result.

She might as well have gone along with his wishes from the start, so as to avoid wasting her physical strength and tongue.

She said, “then I’ll have to trouble you. I’m quite hungry, I hope you can hurry up. ”

The man gave her a deep look and nodded. “Go sit on the SOFA and wait. It’ll be done soon. ”

Qiao man nodded and obediently walked to the Sofa to sit and wait.

Very soon, Qiao man was just about to fall asleep again when the food was ready.

It was a little exaggerated to say that it was food, but it was actually just a bowl of noodles with some vegetables added.

However, it looked quite appetizing. At least, it was very tempting to her, who was extremely hungry.

After eating a few mouthfuls, the taste was not bad. She smiled and said, “I didn’t expect Mr. Ji to know how to cook noodles! ”

“Nowadays, men can cook. It seems to be standard equipment. Otherwise, it would be difficult to get a wife. ”

The corners of Qiao Man’s lips curved. Her Pale face became even paler under the light of the restaurant. There was no color on her face.

“Even if Mr. Ji doesn’t know how to cook, I believe there will be a lot of women waiting in line. ”

The two words that sounded very calm actually had a tinge of sarcasm.

Of course, Ji Yunshen could also hear it. However, he was not angry. Instead, he smiled and said, “then, Mrs. Ji, did you wait for a long time? Did you wait for a long time too? ”

“I didn’t! ” Qiao man smiled at him brightly. “I just wanted to chase you on a whim, but I didn’t expect to succeed. Maybe I’m lucky! ”

The man’s smile froze bit by bit, and his gaze toward the woman seemed to be sharp.

“By the way, I’ve already seen the investment proposal sent by Secretary Yang. I’ll study it carefully, but… if there’s anything I don’t understand, can I ask you at any time? ”

It was no longer an unbridled tone, nor was it a deliberate attempt to curry favor. Instead, it was calm and emotionless.

It was as if the door to an open heart had been closed bit by bit.

“Did you take Gu Jinyu’s words seriously? ”

He finally asked. She thought that if she didn’t touch him, he wouldn’t take the initiative to bring it up.

“No, she’s just guessing. You’re indeed a suspect. You don’t have to test me. I’m not an idiot. It’s just… that one day will come, won’t it? ”

Even if he didn’t do anything this time and didn’t help her, it didn’t mean that he wouldn’t do it next time and wouldn’t help her.

Moreover, their relationship wasn’t so deep that he had to remain neutral.

Dongfeng was Gu Jinyu’s son and her half-brother. However, Gu Feng was the father of the little girl that he had loved for ten years. It was self-evident what he would choose between the two sides!

Perhaps in his heart, the weight of everyone added together wasn’t as important as the little girl’s finger.

“Mrs. Ji, you know me so well? ” Ji Yunshen stood up and smiled. “But… don’t say it next time, or it will be meaningless. ”

The face in his mouth suddenly became dull. Yes, what was the point of saying it out loud?

…

Early in the morning the next day, Qiao man went to the side room villa at the back to visit her mother.

After leaving the hospital, her complexion was much better, and her eyes were filled with the gentleness left behind by the years.

She accompanied her mother for a while and was about to leave when she received a call from Xie Zhiqian.

“My friend said that he had an appointment with that Southeast Asian arms dealer again. That Pearl Necklace, are you going to buy it back? ”

Qiao man smiled gently. “If I can buy it back, why wouldn’t I buy it? When do we meet? ”

The last time they met at the supermarket in Baltimore, she felt that the man was very gentle. At least in terms of appearance, he was very different from what she had seen on TV or imagined in her mind.

“In an hour, I will go with you. ”

The incident at the hotel last time had made Xie Zhiqian deeply understand what it meant to learn from one’s mistakes.

This time, there must be no more mistakes.

Otherwise, his career might really end here.

She nodded. “I understand. See you in an hour. ”

…

The other party had arranged to meet at a teahouse. As he walked in, the aroma of tea permeated the air, refreshing one’s mind.