Chapter 28

Chapter 28

A cool autumn breeze swept through Beicheng as night fell. A Rolls-Royce sped along the elevated highway, other vehicles veering out of its way.

Some kept their distance because they recognized the owner, while others were simply terrified of scuffing such an expensive ride.

When he arrived at Lanting Bieyuan, Xie Qiyan instinctively glanced at the door opposite his the moment his fingerprint unlocked the entrance.

He didn’t like being disturbed.

To put it another way, he didn’t want neighbors.

That was why he had bought the entire floor-both units-when he first purchased the property.

What he hadn’t expected was that Xia Wanzhi would end up living in the other one.

“President Xie.” Yu Fei came out to greet him after hearing the door open.

“Did he talk?” Xie Qiyan asked, walking straight inside.

Huo Yang stepped aside, making room for Xie Qiyan. “No. He’s keeping his mouth shut tight. He says he’ll only talk to you. He’s probably looking to negotiate.”

Xie Qiyan’s gaze was cold and predatory as he looked down at Yang Datong, who had been confined for several days yet still refused to admit to his crimes. “Negotiate? You think you’re in any position to negotiate with me?”

Yang Datong raised his head tremulously, his voice raspy and strained. “I’ve told you everything, but you don’t believe me! Let me see Hou Mengqiu. I can confront her face-to-face.”

“Hou Mengqiu has lost her mind. How the hell are you going to confront a crazy woman?” Yu Fei grabbed Yang Datong by the collar and slammed him against the wall.

“But I’m telling the truth! What do I have to do to make you believe me?” Yang Datong roared hysterically. “I did take a sum of money from Hou Mengqiu back then, but by the time I got to Yangliu Lane, that woman named Yao Qin had already run away! I never even saw her! How should I know where she is?”

“You don’t know where she is?” Xie Qiyan’s voice was low, his disbelief evident. “You didn’t finish the job, yet you managed to live a life of leisure for half a lifetime on the money Hou Mengqiu gave you?”

Xie Qiyan stepped forward, the last of his patience exhausted. “Hou Mengqiu wouldn’t have rested easy if the woman disappeared, and she certainly wouldn’t have been charitable enough to give you five hundred thousand for free if the job wasn’t done.”

“Yang Datong, do you really think I won’t touch you?” Xie Qiyan stared at him with piercing eyes, enunciating every word. “Yang Village, Yang Town, Dongcheng… that’s your hometown, isn’t it?”

“Don’t think I can’t find your old nest just because you haven’t been back in twenty years. For every day you refuse to speak, I’ll make sure none of your relatives-from your ancestors to your descendants-are left in peace.”

Some said that when Old Master Xie sent Xie Qiyan abroad years ago, he was effectively stripping the illegitimate son of his right to compete for the Xie Family estate.

Others said the Old Master was planning ahead, having recognized early on that Xie Qiyan was a formidable talent, and sent him abroad to be groomed for this very moment.

Ever since Old Master Xie stepped down, the Xie Family had been in turmoil, plagued by external greed and internal chaos.

That was until Xie Qiyan appeared out of nowhere, returning to the country without warning.

Following that, he took control of the Xie Corporation in a move that shook the foundations of the business world.

Today, the Xie Corporation was thriving.

And there was no one who didn’t have their eyes on Xie Qiyan.

Xie Qiyan’s eyes flashed with a cold light as he looked down at Yang Datong.

He had plenty of patience.

From the day Yang Datong was captured until now, Xie Qiyan had only visited this place three times. He was more composed than anyone.

He never pinned his hopes on a single person.

During the time he had Yang Datong imprisoned, he hadn’t stopped his other investigations for a single moment.

Huo Yang held a plastic bag with one finger, pulled out a bottle of iodine, and stepped forward to hand it to Yang Datong. “Why are you being so stubborn? This guy next to you has a nasty temper and is a trained fighter. You’re getting new injuries every day, and I’m the one who has to buy the medicine. Who’s going to reimburse me?”
Huo Yang clicked his tongue and gestured to Yu Fei. “Bruising him up is enough. Don’t keep making him bleed.”

Yu Fei cursed under his breath. “Damn it, if you’re so capable, why don’t you do it?”

Xie Qiyan kept his eyes fixed on Yang Datong’s shifting expressions. He had never believed a single word that came out of this man’s mouth. The man was a slippery character.

“I’ll give you one last chance. Tell me exactly what happened back then, word for word,” Xie Qiyan stated. His voice was soft, but the lighter his tone, the more it proved how volatile he truly was.

He appeared indifferent, but in reality, he had already calculated exactly how to deal with his target, striking swiftly and ruthlessly at their weakest point.

Yang Datong suppressed the panic in his heart. He began to realize that from the day he fell into Xie Qiyan’s hands, there was no longer any chance of bluffing his way out. If they weren’t living in a society ruled by law, Xie Qiyan would have had a hundred different ways to make him speak the truth.

Watching Yang Datong’s frantic swallowing and trembling hands, Xie Qiyan turned and walked over to sit on the living room sofa. He knew Yang Datong was about to talk.

Whether the information was true or false, as long as it concerned the events of that year, Xie Qiyan wouldn’t let a single detail slide. He was desperate to find her.

He wanted to ask her why she had been so heartless as to abandon him to the Xie Family.

He wanted to ask her where she had been all these years.

He wanted to ask if she was doing well.

He wanted to ask if she ever missed him.

Yu Fei gripped Yang Datong’s shoulder, shoved him forward, and then stood to the side. Huo Yang pulled a recording pen from his pocket. The two of them then flanked Xie Qiyan, staring menacingly at Yang Datong.

Yang Datong stared uneasily at the man sitting in the center of the sofa. He looked noble and refined, possessing an aura that brooked no offense.

“Back then… I had no idea Hou Mengqiu was the Elder Mistress of the Xie Family. I was just taking money to do a job. She told me to keep an eye on that woman named Yao Qin and find an opportunity to get her out of Beicheng. I was watching her closely at first, but just as I was about to find an opening, she suddenly vanished overnight. No matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t find her…”

Yang Datong continued tremulously, “I’m telling the truth… Five hundred thousand wasn’t a small amount back then. I needed that money so badly that I told Hou Mengqiu I had already gotten rid of her and guaranteed she would never return.”

Seeing Xie Qiyan’s gaze darken, Yang Datong swallowed hard. “Later, Hou Mengqiu sent people to investigate, but they couldn’t find any trace of her either. She believed me. I took the money and stayed in Beicheng to make a living. I’ve been keeping an eye out all these years to see if this Yao Qin ever came back, but it’s been twenty years, and I really haven’t seen her.”

“I’m begging you, President Xie, I’m begging you to let me go…”

Xie Qiyan’s gaze was cold and piercing, his dark pupils seemingly out of focus. He didn’t speak, his left hand gently rubbing the watch on his right wrist.

How could a person simply vanish into thin air? Even Hou Mengqiu couldn’t find her. It was impossible not to find her-unless someone had helped cover her tracks.

But who was that person?

Yao Qin was from Nancheng. That had been her first time in Beicheng, and she wasn’t familiar with the city, let alone knowing anyone powerful or influential.

Xie Qiyan closed his eyes, his mind a chaotic mess. Why did it feel like every time he got close to a lead, it suddenly drifted further away? Search after search, disappointment after disappointment. It was like trying to scoop water with a wicker basket-all for nothing in the end.

“There are plenty of reliable people out there. Why did Hou Mengqiu choose you specifically to get rid of her?” Xie Qiyan’s question cut straight to the point as he abruptly opened his eyes and stared at Yang Datong.

Of everything the man had said, some parts might be believable, but this part was definitely a lie.