CHAPTER 391: CHAPTER 389: LEAVE YOU BEHIND

Jian Xi was suddenly pulled up by Si Yuhuan and dragged straight out.

"Hey! What do you think you’re doing!"

Jian Xi’s resistance only fueled the man’s rage. She was fiercely pressed between the car window and him, his broad chest against her, leaving Jian Xi unable to move at all.

"How long do you plan to keep up this act? You know perfectly well that begging me is the most effective way, so why can’t you bring yourself to bow your head?" Si Yuhuan’s domineering grip on Jian Xi’s chin forced her to look at him; his fierce eyes were filled more with helplessness. He rested his chin on Jian Xi’s shoulder.

"I am cold-blooded and ruthless, yet I can’t bring myself to lay a hand on you. Don’t you have even a shred of conscience? Can’t you tell that I like you?"

Ha!

Jian Xi let out a low laugh that seemed to resonate deep within her chest.

Si Yuhuan looked up, meeting the chill in Jian Xi’s eyes.

"Si Yuhuan, don’t you feel that by saying you ’like’ me, you’re insulting the very word itself?"

Jian Xi mercilessly pushed him away, creating a safe distance between them. She stared coldly at him. "You don’t deserve to talk about love, much less ’like.’ In your eyes, there’s only yourself. You’re selfish, unscrupulous in achieving your goals, deeply calculating, and willing to use anyone around you. I must have been blind to ever love someone like you!"

"I don’t even want to use you!"

From the moment he stood on the convention stage, defeated Fu Shengyuan, and sold out both himself and the Jian Family—making them public pariahs and earning Fu Shengyuan’s hatred—Jian Xi had branded him as despicable and terrifying.

"A person shouldn’t be foolish enough to make the same demeaning mistake twice."

Jian Xi turned to leave.

Si Yuhuan grabbed her. "Make yourself clear. What do you mean by ’the second time’?"

Two lifetimes, of course, meant twice. He simply didn’t know.

Jian Xi couldn’t be bothered to explain.

"Let go."

She walked away.

Si Yuhuan watched her departing figure, clenching his fists tightly.

"No matter what, you are not allowed to meet with Fu Shengyuan again. You have no idea what his intentions are towards you. That man is not simple!"

Jian Xi gave him no response.

After returning home, she lay in the bath. The warm water enveloped her but couldn’t thaw her icy heart.

That night, Jian Xi slept very uneasily. She was tormented, torn between two paths: using Si Yuhuan to get her child back, which meant endless entanglement with him in this lifetime, or collaborating with Fu Shengyuan. The latter involved him helping her contact a special international organization to work with Fifth Brother’s people and retrieve her child.

One was a shortcut. The other was the most foolish method.

Ultimately, the first thing Jian Xi did upon waking was contact Fu Shengyuan.

"Could I meet your uncle?"

She needed a thorough understanding of these people, their backgrounds, everything, to ensure effective cooperation.

"I’m afraid his attitude towards you won’t be very good."

"It’s okay."

Jian Xi insisted, and Fu Shengyuan helped arrange the meeting.

At ten-fifteen in the morning, Jian Xi arrived at the sanatorium precisely on time.

Fu Shengyuan was standing at the entrance. Upon seeing her get out of the car, he immediately came forward to open the door for her, as gentlemanly as ever.

Jian Xi nodded. "Sorry, my elder brother told me you’re in a difficult situation right now, yet you still did this for me, even offending your family..."

"I’ve said it before, no one is allowed to bully you! Not even my family!" Fu Shengyuan’s stance was firm, his eyes filled with deep affection.

So cheesy.

Jian Xi forced a smile. "Let’s go inside."

She didn’t want to dwell on the topic.

Jian Xi didn’t see the flash of a camera from around the corner, capturing the scene.

「The sizable sanatorium contained a world of its own.」

It featured detached residences, each with its own courtyard. Supporting medical facilities were ubiquitous, and an enormous building housed three floors filled with state-of-the-art equipment.

All the medical staff here were professionally trained to serve the wealthy.

From the moment Jian Xi and Fu Shengyuan entered, they heard countless people greeting them.

An attendant led them to a small courtyard. "Chairman Fu is inside," the attendant announced.

Jian Xi walked in. At least a dozen people were attending to Fu Wenxin alone. The two bodyguards stationed at the door were particularly eye-catching.

"Chairman Fu certainly knows how to enjoy life," Jian Xi said, half-jokingly.

"My uncle has toiled for the Fu Family for half his life; his contributions are immense. He deserves to enjoy himself a little," Fu Shengyuan said.

"You still have some conscience, young man. My years of nurturing and supporting you haven’t been in vain," Fu Wenxin said, walking down the stairs with the aid of a cane.

His eagle-like eyes landed on Jian Xi. "Hmph! Miss Jian, are you here to see how miserably your schemes have left me?"

Several bodyguards immediately surrounded Jian Xi.

"Uncle, what are you trying to do?" Fu Shengyuan demanded.

Jian Xi glanced at them. Their swift, decisive movements indicated they were specially trained. Each man had calluses on his hands, likely from sustained combat. The leader’s calluses were most prominent in the webbing between his thumb and forefinger. Jian Xi guessed he was a mercenary, one who frequently used handguns.

"What am I trying to do? Cheng Yuan! Look how this vixen has bewitched you! Do you even care about the Fu Family’s enterprise anymore? Don’t you realize it’s because of her that we’ve ended up like this?"

Fu Wenxin grew more agitated as he spoke. "If Tianyao Group doesn’t become the leading conglomerate, all my efforts in cultivating you will have been for nothing."

"But winning and losing is common! Uncle, if your skills aren’t up to par, don’t embarrass yourself further. Are you really planning to harm her in front of me? She came specifically to visit you today! Don’t take things too far!"

"You think I’m going too far?" As Fu Wenxin spoke, Jian Xi clearly felt the surrounding temperature plummet as if to freezing point.

He was enraged.

"Jian Xi, on one hand, you have Si Yuhuan at your beck and call, and on the other, you have our Fu Family Head wrapped around your little finger. Aren’t you very pleased with yourself?"

Jian Xi raised an eyebrow. "And then?"

"You will stay here for the time being! Let the medical staff here look after your health and help you recuperate."

After speaking, he shot a look, and the head bodyguard immediately led his men forward.

Fu Shengyuan stepped in front of Jian Xi. "I’d like to see who dares lay a finger on her."

He was seething, his usual composure gone, replaced by a palpable aura of hostility. "Don’t forget, I am the Fu Family Head, and I’m the one who pays your salaries! If any of you dare to move, you can all get out!"

"Fu Shengyuan! Are you opposing me?" Fu Wenxin asked in disbelief.

"Take them all down!"

The bodyguards surged forward.

Fu Shengyuan was no match for them and was subdued within a few moves.

"Miss Jian, my apologies."

The head bodyguard rushed forward. A scorpion tattoo was visible on his wrist. Jian Xi’s heart suddenly clenched.

"Still enjoying the show?" Jian Xi shouted towards the outside.

Soon, more than ten people poured in.

Wang Hao led his ace team in, shielding Jian Xi.

"Chairman Fu, I’m afraid I must disappoint you. You won’t be able to keep me here today."

Wang Hao glanced at Jian Xi. She said, "Let’s head back for now."

Fu Wenxin was furious. "Jian Xi, don’t be too arrogant!"

Wang Hao stayed close to Jian Xi. "Miss Jian, do you think Fu Wenxin’s bodyguards are truly capable?"

If our ace team members hadn’t been impossible to recall entirely on such short notice, we would never have had to ask for outside help!