CHAPTER 142: HUG THE PILLOW TO SCARE PEOPLE

Xu Si rose from the bed and walked into the bathroom. Examining herself in front of a mirror for a long time, she noticed a row of faint, neatly aligned bite marks.

The pattern of the bite marks seemed familiar. They were fresh and couldn’t possibly be an impression left from sleeping or a remnant from before.

What happened last night? Why couldn’t she remember anything?

With this question in mind, she walked out of the bathroom with furrowed brows and stepped into the hallway outside the bedroom. There, she noticed that all the decorative items along the long corridor had been moved from their places the night before.

Subconsciously, she moved towards the latticed arched window and looked down, just in time to see a car pulling up in front of the mansion.

Someone quickly opened the rear car door. Pei Zhen stretched out his long legs and stepped out gracefully, his silver hair meticulously combed, his gray eyes concealed beneath the shadow cast by his long eyelashes.

The clouds drifted slowly, idly morphing into countless shapes in the sky, casting a cold filter over the world.

Hei Shi wiped the still-smoking gun barrel, his expression indifferent. "The incident at the Xu Mansion back then went like this. They concealed it well at the time, helping cover up the true cause of the Xu Family matriarch’s death. The officials involved fled the country a few years ago due to a homicide case, thanks to a letter of accusation sent by one of your elder sister’s people. Our branch organization in America apprehended and interrogated the person, and that’s how we obtained this information."

Pei Zhen toyed with the scepter, silent, an air of loneliness about him. Gradually, he gripped the scepter tighter, veins protruding on his pale, bony hands, and his ashen eyes filled with bloodshot streaks.

Within the thick fog, he heard leaves falling and sensed a curious, doubting gaze from above.

Gentle and unhurried, it was the kind of scrutiny he enjoyed the most.

Pei Zhen struggled to suppress the emotions in his eyes. After a long moment, he finally lifted his handsome face and, indeed, saw Xu Si’s clear and beautiful figure.

The distance was too far.

A silent moment passed.

Pei Zhen’s lips unconsciously curled up, though his eyes were still bloodshot.

Xu Si watched the man nonchalantly, considering many possible explanations for the bite marks. Ultimately, she thought of the side effects of his Vampire nature. Had he lured her to the Underground City just to stealthily drink my blood in the middle of the night?

A soft RUSTLING came from behind her.

Xu Si turned towards the noise and saw a maid rearranging the vase that had been moved the night before.

When she looked back out the window, the silver-haired man’s silhouette had vanished without a trace.

Xu Si narrowed her eyes, a crucial point dawning on her. How could he have gone out on his own? Wasn’t he afraid of collapsing? Or could it be... I’ve been fooled again?

Being toyed with repeatedly would naturally lead to some annoyance.

Xu Si turned and went back into the bedroom. A draft of cool air continuously clashed with the warmth inside. He wasn’t sincere enough, but I don’t blame him.

There were still some things that needed to be said clearly.

「When afternoon arrived,」

the cordless phone in her room rang.

It was Anshi on the other end.

He spoke briefly, reporting that Wen Jiaojiao had woken up. To express her gratitude, the Wen Family matriarch inquired whether the Xu Family had plans to venture into the film and television industry in the coming years. The Wen Family could join forces with the Xu Family on an equal footing, based on the existing industry foundation.

Anshi didn’t give a definitive answer, only saying he would wait for the Young Miss to decide.

Hearing about the gracious invitation from the Wen Family matriarch, Xu Si also gave a noncommittal response, neither rejecting nor accepting outright, saying only that she would make plans upon her return.

There were many emerging industries on Hong Kong Island.

After monopolizing the shopping mall sector, the Xu Family swiftly expanded into the hotel industry, which was still fundamentally a tangible business. She had no intention of entering the film and television industry; she understood the saying about a snake trying to swallow an elephant out of greed.

In my previous life, I died young. I didn’t know how the situation on Hong Kong Island would change in the future.

Yet society changes in the blink of an eye. High-tech innovations continue to evolve. While the shopping mall business may be good now, it’s not guaranteed in the future. That’s why I sought new opportunities and ventured into the hotel industry.

What I needed wasn’t an opportunity to throw money at competing with the Wen Family for business, but to establish a long-term relationship of mutual favors. By leveraging the film and television industry, I could promote the hotels and shopping malls under the Xu Family’s banner.

All these matters would have to be implemented after the hotel was built.

Taking advantage of the remaining daylight, before the bustling night arrived, Xu Si rushed downstairs, got a set of car keys from a servant, and drove to the deserted district of the Underground City, wandering the streets accessible to outsiders.

The Underground City was a metropolis that belonged to the night. During the day, syndicate members rested in their various districts.

Occasionally, someone would approach to check her Identity Card. Upon seeing it was a purple Identity Card, they would give her a peculiar glance, then assume the role of bodyguards, watching her from a distance and preventing other syndicate members from approaching.

This treatment was a world apart from her last visit.

Even if Xu Si accidentally wandered into the territory of some dangerous community, the locals merely asked her to leave immediately. No vicious attacks occurred.

Soon, Xu Si stopped her aimless wandering.

She was in luck; her random meanderings led her straight to the mysterious informant who had sold her Triad Gossip last time.

As soon as they met, they reached a tacit understanding and discussed terms.

Xu Si asked him to help find certain people by compiling a list of wealthy businessmen from Hong Kong Island who frequented the Underground City.

The man grinned, accepted Xu Si’s check, and promised to deliver the information to her before she left the Underground City.

「...」

By the time she returned to the mansion, night had already fallen.

The mansion was brightly lit, surrounded by white mist, adding an ethereal and mysterious touch.

Before returning to her bedroom, Xu Si glanced at the elevator. The indicator showed it was stopped at the top floor, meaning someone had recently gone up, likely to discuss matters with Pei Zhen.

After returning to her bedroom to wash up, Xu Si was drying her hair when she saw two people hastily leaving the mansion. She picked up her pillow and walked out.

She took the elevator to the top floor.

Moving to the room at the far end of the corridor, she knocked on the door.

The hallway was quiet, the air tinged with the faint, acrid scent of tobacco.

After a long silence, a voice from inside finally said, "Come in."

Xu Si pushed the door open and, holding a pillow, walked into his bedroom with feigned nonchalance. Lifting her gaze, she saw him standing by the window, intently working with a sharp carving knife on a statue of a goddess modeled after her features.

He made no move to look back at her.

Xu Si was much calmer than she had been at noon. Anyway, the night is still young. She watched for a while, then suddenly asked, "You’ve been at it this long and still aren’t finished?"

"I’ve been very busy lately, not much time," he said slowly, his voice deep. "I’m not a professional. Since I borrowed your face, if it turns out ugly, I feared you’d be angry."

A smile tugged at the corner of Xu Si’s mouth. "I wouldn’t get angry over something like that."

The night was peaceful, with only the sound of wood chips falling onto the carpet.

Pei Zhen seemed to murmur something Xu Si couldn’t make out, but she distinctly heard him laugh.

The man turned around. His slender fingers casually tossed the carving knife onto the floor, and he grabbed a damp cloth to wipe the wood dust from his hands. The light from the overhead lamp cast a sheen on his silver hair, highlighting his striking features, making them almost dazzling.

His eyes, lively moments before, suddenly froze when they landed on Xu Si.

With a surprised raise of his eyebrows, he stared at the pillow in her arms.

His voice was melodious but hesitant as he asked, "What is this? What are you planning to do?"