Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Ever since Xie Qiyan returned to the country, no one knew exactly what he had done to provoke the former head of the Xie Family, Xie Tianqi, into a medical crisis.

Xie Tianqi, Xie Qiyan’s biological father, was currently lying in the ICU.

While Xie Tianqi remained unconscious, his wife, Hou Mengqiu-Xie Qiyan’s stepmother-had reportedly gone mad overnight. Xie Qiyan had personally sent her to a mental hospital to be kept under strict supervision.

As for Hou Mengqiu’s twelve-year-old son, Xie An, he had also vanished without a trace overnight.

No one knew what Xie Qiyan had done, and no one knew what he intended to do next.

But everyone feared that they might be the next target on Xie Qiyan’s list.

The man was a lunatic.

And lunatics never cared for sentiment or reason.

Infighting within the Xie Corporation used to be incredibly fierce, but the tide had turned the moment Xie Qiyan returned. At this critical juncture, the Old Master had stepped in and handed full control of the Xie Corporation over to Xie Qiyan.

In that instant, everyone’s schemes ground to a halt. No one dared to provoke this madman at such a sensitive time.

Xie Qiyan had a keen sense of smell. As he caught the scent of alcohol on them, his expression darkened slightly.

The stench of booze was overwhelming, exactly like the rosemary perfume on Zhou Yu the night before.

Decadent and filthy.

Perhaps still tipsy, Xie Nan raised an eyebrow and chuckled. “Big Brother, you might not know this, but that kid Zhou Yu finally got a taste of…”

Before he could finish, Xie Lin clamped a hand over his mouth.

Xie Qiyan looked over coldly. Xie Lin forced a smile and said, “Third Brother is just talking nonsense because he’s drunk. Don’t take him seriously, Big Brother.”

As soon as Xie Qiyan left, Xie Lin kicked Xie Nan. “Damn it, you’re out of your mind!”

Xie Qiyan was currently unpredictable. When they were younger, not a single soul in the Xie Family had shown him any kindness; no one knew if he was the type to hold a grudge.

Since his return, he had never taken the initiative to ask the two brothers anything. Today was the first time, yet he had asked about Zhou Yu.

No one knew what he was planning, but judging by his expression, it certainly wasn’t anything good.

After Xie Qiyan got into the car, Yu Fei gave his routine report on the day’s schedule before letting out a curse. “That grandson of a bitch Yang Datong has been locked up for days and still refuses to say a word. Damn him!”

“If he won’t talk, keep wearing him down. Tell Huo Yang to cut off his food and water starting today. And Hou Mengqiu’s son-keep looking for him.” Xie Qiyan narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharp. “We’ll take a trip to the mental hospital this afternoon.”

Yu Fei glanced in the rearview mirror. “You suspect that woman is faking her madness?”

“Whether she’s faking it or not, I have to see for myself.” Xie Qiyan’s face remained devoid of emotion.

Yu Fei nodded. “Understood!”

“I’ll be inspecting Xingyao personally at eleven o’clock.” Xie Qiyan suddenly spoke up after checking the schedule.

Yu Fei blurted out instinctively, “Can’t we just let Huo Yang handle a small matter like that?”

“Are you the president?” Xie Qiyan countered.

Yu Fei slapped his own mouth. “…Understood, President Xie.”

His entire bonus for the month had been docked because of his big mouth.

***

At exactly eleven in the morning, Xie Qiyan arrived at the Xingyao Building. Upon arrival, he instructed Huo Yang to inspect the operations while he headed toward the elevator with a specific destination in mind.

Yu Fei stole several glances at Xie Qiyan.

It wasn’t until they reached the top floor and he saw Xia Wanzhi that he finally had his epiphany.

He had wondered why President Xie would lower himself to personally oversee such a trivial matter.

As it turned out, he was here to keep an eye on a beauty.

A sickly beauty, at that.

The door to the Studio was wide open. Zhuzi’s small frame was moving about while carrying a painting. The frame blocked her line of sight, and when Yu Fei entered and raised his hand to greet her, he inadvertently became a stumbling block, causing Zhuzi to fall backward.

Yu Fei gasped. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!”

Hearing the commotion, Xia Wanzhi ran out from the inner painting room holding a brush dripping with paint. After helping Zhuzi up, her gaze locked onto Xie Qiyan. “What are you doing here?”
The look in her eyes made it clear he wasn’t welcome.

One second, Zhuzi was ready to fly into a rage and curse out whoever had been so blind as to barge in; the next, she saw Xie Qiyan and turned to stone, ducking behind Xia Wanzhi without moving a muscle.

This visitor did not come in peace; he was not a good man.

Xie Qiyan scanned the room. After a brief, indifferent glance at her, he turned his attention to the paintings hanging on the Studio walls.

The colors were vivid, the light and shadow heavy, three-dimensional and expressive, delivering an incredibly powerful visual impact.

Most of Xia Wanzhi’s paintings were part of a dream series-some minimalist, some complex, and quite abstract. Most were difficult to decipher.

“A painter?” Xie Qiyan stood before one of the pieces, turning to look at the girl who harbored such intense hostility toward him.

Today, she was wearing overalls, looking like a little painter from a fairy tale. Her hair was tied into two braided pigtails draped over her shoulders, and a brightly colored floral bandana was tied over her head, making her look somewhat well-behaved.

She had been on an IV drip just last night, yet instead of resting at home today, she was here working. She certainly had a strong drive for her career.

Her apron was stained with various pigments, as were her hands, but her face remained fair and clean.

Xie Qiyan suddenly felt the urge to smear a rich stroke of color onto that pristine face.

Xia Wanzhi sensed he was up to no good and stubbornly refused to speak.

Zhuzi swallowed hard and answered in her place. “She’s not a painter. She’s a Dream Painter.”

It was such an obscure profession that he fell silent for a moment after hearing it.

After a beat, his voice deepened as he gave a light chuckle. “Turning a client’s description of a dream into a painting. How interesting.”

Xia Wanzhi’s hostility softened slightly.

Simply because he actually knew what a Dream Painter was.

“I’m not moving out.” Xia Wanzhi snapped back to reality, taking a deep breath and speaking solemnly. “I don’t care why you’re here today, my answer remains the same: I don’t want to move.”

“Everyone else has moved,” Xie Qiyan said calmly.

“Then can’t you just give me a break?” Xia Wanzhi deflated. She went back into the inner Studio to set down her brush and took off her apron. As she came back out, she habitually raised a hand to rub her nose, accidentally smearing pinkish-orange paint across the tip of her nose and her right cheek.

Xie Qiyan looked at her, a faint, inexplicable smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Hearing their exchange, Zhuzi finally realized who they were. After a moment of internal panic, she worked up the courage to step forward and defend Xia Wanzhi. “This Studio holds significant meaning for her. President Xie, you shouldn’t be so overbearing.”

“This building holds significant meaning for me as well,” Xie Qiyan said in a low voice, locked in a stalemate with them.

“What are you planning to do with it once you take it over?” Xia Wanzhi asked.

“Build a shopping mall,” Xie Qiyan replied without concealment.

Yu Fei, who was about to blurt out “trade secret,” instantly choked back his words and looked at his boss in disbelief.

“Um… right. To turn it into the most prosperous and grand commercial shopping center in all of Beicheng,” Yu Fei added with a forced laugh.

Originally, this building consisted of office floors, housing many large companies, small businesses, and studios. Xia Wanzhi truly couldn’t understand why Xie Qiyan would go through so much effort and expense to choose this specific location.

There were clearly better areas for a shopping mall.

She and this man were definitely destined to clash.

Yet another meeting ended on a sour note. Xie Qiyan’s mood, however, wasn’t affected in the slightest. His expression was neutral on the way back, but Yu Fei knew this was the most approachable his boss ever looked.

“Um… President Xie, Miss Xia has a fiancé,” Yu Fei reminded him gently.

Xie Qiyan snapped out of his thoughts. “Hmm?”

“Her fiancé is your cousin,” Yu Fei added with the best of intentions.

Once it clicked, Xie Qiyan let out a cold sneer. “Get out.”