Chapter 6: A Major Incident at Home

Qiao Xi felt her cheeks grow hot, her ears burning as if blood would drip from them.

"I didn't!"

She reflexively denied it, lowering her head in panic.

How mortifying... she had been caught.

Fu Yancheng watched her, amused by her desperate urge to vanish into the floor, his eyes filled with unconcealed delight.

He didn’t retreat; instead, he leaned in even closer.

The distance between them was so small that their breaths mingled.

"Didn't?" Fu Yancheng’s deep voice was tinged with a teasing rasp. "Then did I see it wrong?"

He tilted his head slightly, locking eyes with her evasive gaze, "Or... does Engineer Qiao prefer to prove things with actions?"

The blatant innuendo made Qiao Xi tremble, mortified and furious.

She stumbled back.

Her heel struck the bookshelf behind her, making a faint sound and adding to her embarrassment.

"President Fu, please... behave yourself!"

She clung to the last shred of composure, her eyes flustered.

She dared not look at his face, so close and unbearably handsome.

Fu Yancheng let out a low, magnetic laugh, clear and seductive in the quiet office.

He finally straightened up, granting a bit of distance.

Yet the ambiguous tension lingered.

He watched her, calm and leisurely, as she trembled like a startled kitten, slowly picking up the report.

Fu Yancheng’s deep eyes lingered on her still flushed cheeks, lips curving with meaning.

He lowered his voice, "Next time at the meeting, be sure to watch carefully."

Qiao Xi: "!!!"

She could no longer endure it. Fleeing in panic, she forgot even the basic courtesy of farewell and rushed out the office door.

Fu Yancheng watched her disappear behind the door, his smile spreading, eyes alight with determined intent.

—

Qiao Xi burst out of the president’s office, heart pounding, and ran back to her desk.

But barely ten minutes after sitting down, her phone vibrated frantically.

On the screen flashed her mother’s name: Zhao Huiyun.

A sense of dread flooded her.

"Mom?"

Her voice trembled as she answered.

But on the other end was not Zhao Huiyun, but a coarse, threatening male voice.

Sounds of smashing and Zhao Huiyun’s weak cries of pain echoed in the background.

"Qiao Xi, right? Your gambling addict father owes our boss three and a half million, interest included! The old man can’t pay up, so we’re taking it from his wife!"

"What have you done to my mother?!"

Qiao Xi’s face turned ashen; she sprang to her feet.

"Relax, she won’t die—yet."

—

The man sneered, "But if you don’t bring the money soon, your mother’s life... well, who knows!"

In the background, Qiao Hongshan’s voice pleaded, trembling with tears, "Xi Xi, save Dad!"

"Dad knows he was wrong, hurry and bring the money! Or else they’ll beat me to death, and your mother too!"

Then the earlier harsh voice returned.

"You heard that? One hour. Bring three and a half million in cash to ransom your parents. You know the address. No tricks!"

The call ended.

Qiao Xi felt as if plunged into an icy abyss. Terror and fury clouded her vision; she could barely stand.

Without thinking, she grabbed her bag and dashed out of the office toward the elevators.

Lin Moran, sorting documents nearby, was startled by Qiao Xi’s sudden panic.

"Qiao Qiao?!"

She called out.

Lin Moran knew a bit about Qiao Xi’s family troubles.

Judging by Qiao Xi’s reaction, something terrible had happened.

Without hesitation, Lin Moran turned and sprinted toward the president’s office.

She didn’t bother knocking, pushing open the heavy door.

"President Fu, something’s wrong!"

Lin Moran was breathless, her voice urgent and frightened.

"Qiao Xi just got a call, then ran out like mad! She didn’t even respond to me—something big must’ve happened at home!"

Fu Yancheng’s gaze darkened, instantly chilling and menacing.

A dangerous aura radiated from him.

Without delay, he pressed the intercom, his voice cold as steel: "Zhou Ze, track Qiao Xi’s phone location, check her mother’s address!"

"Notify Security. Send two teams immediately. Prepare a car! Now!"

—

Downstairs at the apartment complex.

Qiao Xi arrived by taxi, paid, and stumbled toward the building.

As she approached the door, she heard sounds of smashing and pleas.

She shoved open the half-closed door.

Inside, the rental was a disaster, pots and bowls shattered across the floor.

Zhao Huiyun was curled in a corner, blood streaming from her forehead, cheeks swollen and bruised, moaning in pain.

Qiao Hongshan was pinned to the floor by two tattooed thugs, his face battered.

Three other henchmen were smashing things with clubs.

The leader was a scar-faced, bald brute, his eyes cold and vicious.

"Mom!"

Qiao Xi screamed, rushing toward Zhao Huiyun.

"Well, the star has arrived."

The bald brute tossed away his cigarette, grinning wickedly at Qiao Xi.

His gaze lingered on her heaving chest and face, raw greed in his eyes. "Where’s the money?"

"I... I don’t have that much!"

Qiao Xi shielded her mother, voice trembling. "Let my parents go!"

"No money?"

—

The bald brute scoffed, signaling with his eyes.

The tall, skinny man beside him leered, stepping forward and grabbing Qiao Xi’s arm.

"Let go of me!"

Qiao Xi struggled desperately.

"Let—let go of my daughter..."

Zhao Huiyun cried weakly.

"Get lost!"

The skinny man kicked her aside.

Zhao Huiyun groaned and collapsed, unconscious.

"Mom—"

Qiao Xi screamed in agony.

The skinny man gripped her wrist, his other hand reaching for her face.

"Tsk, tsk, such soft skin, so fresh!"

He grinned, pinching Qiao Xi’s chin hard.

"No money’s fine. Come with us, serve some big bosses at the club for a few days, pay off the debt, maybe live the good life!"

"Animal! Let go of me—"

Shame and fury overwhelmed Qiao Xi. She twisted fiercely, kneeing him in the groin.

"You filthy—how dare you!"

The skinny man roared in pain, then slapped her hard across the face.

Qiao Xi’s vision blurred; her ears rang, her cheek burned, blood trickling from her lips.

He yanked her hair, slamming her to the floor.

"Ugh!"

Qiao Xi curled up, wracked with pain.

He grinned, reaching to tear at her clothes.

"Boss, this girl’s fiery! Let me try her first..."

Qiao Hongshan trembled in terror, begging, "Don’t hit me! Please, you can do whatever you want with my daughter..."

"You... how could you!"

Qiao Xi stared at him in shock, despair washing over her, her heart dead.

"I’m your daughter!"

The bald brute watched coldly, making no move to intervene.

The skinny man continued his assault.

Qiao Xi squeezed her eyes shut.

Just as his lips were about to touch her neck—

"Bang!"

A deafening crash echoed.

The battered old wooden door of the rental was kicked violently open from outside.