Chapitre 142: A Song of Something Lost
Ji Li Zhao prioritizes Hou Wei Yan.
Her safety and her happiness are all that matters to him. So when someone places her in danger, he wants to plunge them into darkness. He wants to make sure that they wouldn't dare do it a second time.
He should have eliminated Zhou Jinhai the moment he first saw him enter her life in China again. He was unable to stop their meeting in America because he wasn't in her life yet, but his role changed and he should have stepped up.
"Wake him up," he ordered as he sat down on the chair in front of the unconscious Zhou Jinhai.
Mi Shen happily obliged, landing a punch on his face instead of accepting the ammonia inhalants that Makio prepared ahead of time. He was already briefed on what to do but he decided to disobey what Makio ordered and interpreted Ji Li Zhao's order in his own way.
Makio could only shake his head because he expected he'd do brutality the moment their boss gave an order.
"Great! Now I have to call a doctor," he muttered because Mi Shen's fist landed right on Zhou Jinhai's nose. "You do realize the others will question all the bruises he receives from here on out?"
"Let's just not make him part of Yi Lan," Mi Shen nonchalantly replied.
"That's not for you to decide,"
"Step back, Phantom." Ji Li Zhao ordered when he saw the serious glint in his subordinate's eyes. He was willing to eliminate Zhou Jinhai right then and there if he so commanded it. "We still need him."
Mi Shen's face contorted in protest. He wanted to suggest finding a better doctor, but he knew that right now, Ji Li Zhao was exerting dominance. He isn't in his listening phase and would punish anyone who disobeys him right now.
So despite his heavy heart and boiling blood for violence, Mi Shen stepped back.
"Young Master Zhou," he greeted as soon as Zhou Jinhai's eyes fluttered open. Ji Li Zhao had a calm look on his face. He had his deceitful mask on, but the air surrounding him was certainly not a friendly one. "We finally meet. I say our meeting was long overdue."
In such a situation, one would normally thrash around and be baffled by the dim surroundings. But Zhou Jinhai expected this. He always knew Ji Li Zhao was a through and through royalty.
He craves brutality.
And he is one of the driving forces behind why his family was struck down from their high pedestal. They came from nearly entering the ranks of the Regal Families to becoming immigrants in America living off scraps from the small businesses left to them.
"Ji Li Zhao," he said while chuckling, glad that what he thought of him was right. "You're finally showing your true colors."
"Well, my wife isn't around so I don't need to be tame." Ji Li Zhao proudly stated with a smile on his face.
Zhou Jinhai had a lot of things to say. He already formulated countless counterattacks for this man when he finally shows his monstrous side as royalty.
But all of that was gone as his brain malfunctioned.
[ Did I hear him right? ] he questioned himself as he stared at the smug look on Ji Li Zhao's face. [ Wife??? ]
"Wh-what?"
"Was that too much for you to process?" Ji Li Zhao teased before raising his hands. On his left ring finger was a stunning and shimmering wedding band. Without breaking eye contact, he flashed him a smile of victory and satisfaction. "Nice to meet you. I'm Hou Wei Yan's husband."
[ Husband?! This bastard?! ]
"DON'T BE RIDICULOUS!" he shrieked as soon as his words registered in his mind. His veins nearly popped out as he shouted with great intensity. "YOU MONSTER CAN'T BE HER HUSBAND! NO! SHE'S NOT MARRIED!"
"SHE CAN'T BE MARRIED TO A MAN LIKE YOU!!!"
Ji Li Zhao remained silent and enjoyed the torture that he was giving to Zhou Jinhai. As he always tried to teach his subordinates, violence is not the only form of torture. Once he learned of Zhou Jinhai's hatred for the Regal Families, he knew the fact that he married Hou Wei Yan would make him insane.
"SHE CAN'T BE MARRIED TO A MAN LIKE YOU!!!"
He chuckled at his futile attempt to deny reality. "Why? What man am I?"
"YOU DECEITFUL FUCKING FOX! YOU'RE A MONSTER WHO HAS NO RIGHT TO LOVE! YOU'RE A MURDERER! YOU'RE A FUCKING MURDERER!"
Ji Li Zhao simply shrugged at his accusations. "I can't reason with the murder part, but deceit? I'm sure we have that in common, Young Master Zhou."
"DON'T LUMP ME UP WITH THE LIKES OF YOU! YOUR EXISTANCE DISGUST ME!"
"And yours is an act of mercy," he replied without hesitation. "Your family crossed the Xings and the Jis. You placed one of the treasured heirs of the Xing Family and framed the heir to the Ji Family. And yet you're still alive and out here yapping nonsense in front of me."
"You're only alive because I allowed it," Ji Li Zhao added, making sure to slap him with the truth. "The head of both households was ready to kill you and your family. After all, your negligence caused a grave injury to Xing. But I didn't allow it."
Zhou Jinhai listened intently, slowly mapping the information he received from his family and the information that Ji Li Zhao was hurling his way.
"I was much too young to have blood on my hands," he muttered when Zhou Jinhai remained silent. "They allowed your family to live as a courtesy to me, the one who managed to save Hou Wei Yan. You're alive because I allowed it...because I showed mercy."
"And yet, YOU DARE COME BACK AND PLACE MY WIFE IN THAT SITUATION AGAIN!" he yelled out in anger—memories of an injured young Hou Wei Yan and the current Hou Wei Yan overlapping with each other.
Zhou Jinhai personally delivered Hou Wei Yan to danger this time around.
And he can't allow him to inflict more.
"Let's get our facts straight first, Young Master Zhou," he spoke again after he exhaled a huge huff of frustration. "Your mother had a grudge against Xing Mei Yi."
"What?" Zhou Jinhai asked in disbelief. "You're lying!"
"Will you just stop with that line?! It's getting boring!" Mi Shen yelled out on the sideline which caused Ji Li Zhao to frown his way. He immediately closed his mouth and took another step back so he could no longer be seen in the light.
"She had a ridiculous grudge against Xing Mei Yi," he said before giving him a smile. "You must already know your mom well. She's the kind of human who has a lot of complaints in life and is prone to turn jealous when someone lives better than she does."
Wan Huiqing wasn't born rich. She was intelligent and knew how to use her resources well so she managed to marry Zhou Jinhai and reach the peak of the Ducal Houses. But the more she indulged in the valor of being part of the Ducal Houses, the greedier she got.
Zhou Jinhai grew up being used by his mother. He was always exposed to the spotlight and the splendid parties thrown by the Ducal Houses to show off their power and wealth. His mother did everything and made sure they were invited to all the events. She was willing to do anything to be in all social events that would show off just how powerful she had become.
He had witnessed a lot of her questionable methods so he knows why Ji Li Zhao would say this. His mother is indeed a greedy person.
"A tea party." Ji Li Zhao opened up. "That's all it took, Young Master Zhou."
As soon as he said this, bad memories replayed in Zhou Jinhai's mind. An invitation that was expected but never came. Friends who shared their wonderful experiences. A sacred ground she was unable to step foot on. Broken pieces of furniture. Torn paintings. And a cut portrait of the Xing Family.
"No," he muttered to himself, convincing himself that Ji Li Zhao had it all wrong. "It can't be."
"Just because she missed that party, she took it all out on Xing Mei Yi's daughter."
Zhou Jinhai immediately whipped his head towards him and roared once more. "MISSED? SHE WASN'T INVITED!"
"Can you shut him up already?" Mi Shen muttered before pushing Makio to the spotlight. He was carrying a tablet with him and in it was the handwritten invitation list that Xing Mei Yi made that time.
Makio glared at Mi Shen before speaking up. "She was invited. But your servant must have lost it."
"NO!"
"You're harder to handle than a child," he muttered while shaking his head and taking a step back.
[ The more he denies things, the more Boss will bitchslap him with the truth. ]
"That invitation was enough for her to sabotage the long-standing promise that the Ducal Houses had with the Regal Families. She opened up the Imperial Area and allowed such spoiled and uneducated children to loiter near where Hou Wei Yan frequented."
Ji Li Zhao bit his lower lip, suppressing his anger towards himself as well. He was with Hou Wei Yan in the forest for a long time and yet he did not notice someone spying on them. "She gathered intel and made sure she'd be there when the children entered the Imperial Area. She meticulously manipulated things to seem like it was an accident and a childish banter."
"Your mother even pinned the blame on me, because I failed to be there on time and fend off her attackers," he added quite bitterly because her accusations made sense and he took it to heart...until now.
"How did you know all of this? YOU WERE JUST A CHILD!" he shouted—vexed that Ji Li Zhao knew more than he did when he was living with his mother this entire time.
"Carrying her home with blood dripping from her wounds made me man up." Ji Li Zhao answered honestly. He did not want to be helpless and he certainly did not want to only cause harm to those around him.
Watching Hou Wei Yan wounded made him want to protect those he loved. That event caused him to awaken his protective nature.
The trauma and regret made him who he is today.
"What your mother did killed the child in me." he coldly added. He realized how lacking he was and he took hold of the knife that his grandfather offered. He discarded his childhood all so he could learn how to protect those that he had.
Because the reality of becoming part of the Regal Families is cold and bitter.
They are faced with countless threats and will be killed if they don't stay vigilant. That one event made him realize all this and he saw firsthand how ugly humans can get when filled with jealousy and contempt.
"You pursuing my wife in America does not matter to me, Zhou Jinhai. I wasn't even her husband then. But for you to pursue her after hearing her true identity is a form of deceit. Your relentless pursuit and your twisted act of revenge caused her harm and brought me heartache."
He stood up from his seat and allowed Zhou Jinhai to look up to him. Right now, he is the lesser man. He is nothing but a small fry compared to the towering might of Ji Li Zhao. "You no longer have any right to stay in her life. So I'm transferring you to a different department."
"Until now you want to act all good and show mercy?"
Ji Li Zhao chuckled at this. "Mercy? Who said I would give you one?"
"What?"
"I know you genuinely love my wife. Everything that you said to her including the hate that you showed is you spiraling and fucking everything up with your mouth," he stated with an innocent smile plastered on his face. "The bullshit you unloaded was nonsense. I know how someone looks when they are in love."
"So I'll kill you with that love," he added before showing off once more. Ji Li Zhao pulled out his phone which had Hou Wei Yan in its wallpaper—smiling and taking a selfie in their garden.
She looked beautiful and she was Ji Li Zhao's wife.
He teasingly waved the phone so he could clearly see what he would never have. "Hou Wei Yan is my wife and she will be coming home to me. As for you, you'll have a lot of things to compensate so you will be living in Yi Lan Hospital."
"What nonsense are you sprouting now? Why would I live there and follow you?" Zhou Jinhai muttered before his eyes landed on Makio who began wearing a surgical glove. "What are you doing?"
"If I don't do it, Phantom will...and you will not like that option. He's itching to rip open your mouth so he can place the tracker in." Makio muttered while showing the small nano tracker to Zhou Jinhai.
He had other ways to place this where it is much safer and less painful. However, he was egged not to show mercy by not only Mi Shen, but by Fang Tao, Laurens, and Ye Zhe as well.
[ Ye Zhe proactively gave suggestions that I could no longer refuse. ] he thought as he slowly walked closer to Zhou Jinhia. He tried breaking free by thrashing around, but he was seated and bundled in a metal chair.
He had no way of escape.
"Bite me and you have hell to lose," Makio muttered as he opened up Zhou Jinhai's mouth. One of the men they brought helped him while Mi Shen stood silently in the corner of the room, criticizing their method of showing mercy.
"He's all done, Boss." he happily reported when Zhou Jinhai swallowed the tracker. He no longer showed resistance after a few minutes.
[ He must have realized that it was futile to fight us. ]
"That tracker inside you monitors everything, Zhou Jinhai. It sends us information from your location to your current vital signs." Makio explained as he showed him his tablet. It showed Zhou Jinhai and all of his information. "I can also manipulate it to explore your system...and cut off nerves if I want to."
Zhou Jinhai being a doctor sure helped with the explanation. His eyes immediately displayed horror because if that nano tracker could do such a thing, then his body no longer belonged to him.
His body was already hijacked by Makio.
"That's simply the precaution," Ji Li Zhao muttered and ordered Makio to step back. "I have your whole family hostage, Zhou Jinhai. I have them physically and financially. Whatever I say will be the fate of your family."
"You mons---"
"We've already established that fact and I'm here to reinforce it some more since you thought it was a good idea to test my patience," he said as he snapped his finger. With such a small gesture, Zhou Jinhai was made to realize how small of an enemy he was to Ji Li Zhao.
He was only allowed near Hou Wei Yan because Ji Li Zhao had not decided to deal with him yet.
But now that he made up his mind, he is headed for a thorny path.
"I have all of their actions monitored and I have connections that will break your businesses. I'll make sure you eat scraps if you dare cross the line." Ji Li Zhao muttered before he allowed Makio to change cameras.
He was now forced to watch snippers from different angles—their guns pointing directly at the heads of his family members. "Your family no longer has the protection you used to have."
"What is it that you want?!" Zhou Jinhai asked in desperation. He had younger siblings and he adores them. Their lives are slowly returning to their former glory so he cannot allow Ji Li Zhao to ruin them again. "I'll stay away! I'll go back to America!"
"No. You're staying where I can watch you." Ji Li Zhao answered and allowed Zhou Jinhai to watch all the CCTV cameras he installed in their houses, cars, and businesses. He had access to it all. "You love my wife and I doubt you can unlove her immediately. This is my deal with you. You work for Yi Lan Hospital as diligently as you can. No screwups and definitely no more plotting for you."
"I just need you to work hard for me...and to stay away from my wife. You can watch her and love her from afar, but you're not allowed anywhere near her," he warned, coldness only seen in his eyes.
"That's ridiculous. Hou Wei Yan will approach me---I mean she might approach me!"
[ I doubt that. ] he thought since he saw how Hou Wei Yan looked at Zhou Jinhai in disgust. Once she severs ties, it will never ever be bridged again.
He knows his wife will wonder why Zhou Jinhai is in another department and might indeed try to approach him. But staying away will now be Zhou Jinhai's sole responsibility.
"The moment she comes close to you, you better start running. I will not hesitate to take out one of your businesses or your family members if you allow her close to you. You've had enough chances and you managed to fill my patience to the brim."
A shattered doll, that's what Ji Li Zhao wants him to become. He now holds everything that Zhou Jinhai held dear and he can crush all of it with a snap of his finger.
He wants him to suffer the pain of loving someone from afar. Thanks to the Zhou Family, he was forced to love in the shadows and be the monster that he is now. Zhou Jinhai needs to feel the same.
How it feels to love someone but never be able to reach them.
"Boss," Makio called out before Ji Li Zhao could add more salt to Zhou Jinhai's wounds. "We have an uninvited guest."
"What is it this time?" he asked when he noticed the urgency in Makio's voice. He didn't even give an order when Mi Shen stepped foot and volunteered to take the scene. "Wounds that can't be seen."
"Roger, Boss." Mi Shen happily obliged while licking his bottom lip. "Disclaimer, Zhou Jinhai. Boss isn't the monster."
"We are," he added as he landed a punch right through Zhou Jinhai's guts.
A monster has a dark unredeemable heart. They crave blood and show no mercy. The description is the opposite of Ji Li Zhao.
If anything, Ji Li Zhao holds the leash to the monsters.
"It's Xie Zedong," Makio muttered as soon as they got out of the chamber that they set up just to hold Zhou Jinhai. He showed him the tablet showing Xing Qiu entertaining Xie Zedong who arrived with a shining Maybach Exelero.
Ji Li Zhao would normally be glad with his arrival, but he could tell from the look in his eyes that this visit wasn't simply a welfare check. He needs something and he is desperate for it.
His eyes were sunken in exhaustion. [ He must still be looking for Xie Na. ]
"What does he want?"
"He's looking for Qiu Meixiu," Makio answered before transferring the camera to Xing Yun's bedroom. "But she's resting right now. She was exhausted from caring and preventing Xing Yun from leaving his room earlier."
Ji Li Zhao nodded his head. She's currently slouched on Xing Yun's bed. She was far too exhausted to even notice that the rascal already left and was now pestering Hou Wei Yan. "I'll talk to him. Have someone place a blanket over Meixiu."
"Yes, Boss."
.....
The night was young and the moon brightly illuminated the sky. There were stars that stretched out far in the night sky, making darkness seem far from terrifying. It was a good night to relax and unburden stress.
The dark clouds, however, seem to surround Xie Zedong. Despite the calm and serene night, he looked furious and on edge.
Even from afar, Ji Li Zhao could tell that he had lost patience.
"Young Master Xie," he greeted when he finally got close to him.
Xie Zedong immediately sighed when he saw his face. "I had my suspicions when you left the board meeting. To think that you're really out here instead of handling Tianshi Conglomerate."
Ji Li Zhao could only smile in response. He never thought Xie Zedong would openly admit to planting spies among his board members. "I see that Madame Zou still keeps tab despite my warnings."
The Regal Families all had their own place in the economy. The rankings have remained the same for several years now but it does not mean that it will remain the same in the future.
Change is constant—so keeping tabs on each other is normal to them.
How good you are at detecting spies and identifying them speaks a lot regarding your security and power. Ji Li Zhao knows all the spies planted by the other families, as such, he knows just what to say in the right crowd and controls just what information he allows the others to know.
"We mean no harm. It's just protocol," Xie Zedong said. He didn't want Ji Li Zhao to make a move on his people and remove them when he was only following orders from their father.
Ji Li Zhao hummed in understanding. "What brought you here, Young Master Xie?"
"Qiu Meixiu," he answered while eyeing him intently. "I need to speak with her."
"She's resting. I would appreciate it if you wait till morning. I'll arrange for a room and toiletries for you."
Ji Li Zhao appreciates the sacrifice that Qiu Meixiu made. He knew that she was as worried as him when she learned of what happened but chose to swallow it and stay with Xing Yun. Handling him when he is in his stubborn phase is never easy so he understands and acknowledges her exhaustion.
He wants her to rest as much as he can.
"I'm not asking." Xie Zedong suddenly blurted out, his voice low and strained with impatience and anger.
He respects and wishes to get along with him, considering he is the elder brother of Xie Na. But he has no plan to surrender in this matter.
Qiu Meixiu will receive the rest she deserves.
"She's resting," he reiterated before flashing him a gentle smile. "I heard Young Master Xie is a gentleman. I'm sure a gentleman like you can wait for a few hours and let a lady get her beauty rest."
Xie Zedong was left tongue-tied. He felt his hot head suddenly cool off—it was as if an ice-cold bucket was poured and he regained his grip on himself. [ Right. It's already night. She needs rest. ]
All his anger dissipated and all that was left was embarrassment. How could he suddenly barge in her vacation and demand for her in the middle of the night? Qiu Meixiu is energetic and considering how fun the place looks, she must have already run out of battery and was drained to the core.
[ I must be losing my mind! ] he thought before biting his lower lip in vexation. [ Maybe I am losing my mind! Xie Na is nowhere to be seen and Qiu Meixiu refuses to even see me! ]
"I'll arrange a room for you and will make sure you can meet Qiu Meixiu tomorrow...if she allows it."
Xie Zedong who has been rationalizing with his past actions glimpsed at him, now on edge once more. He desperately needs to talk with her and he will not leave until he does.
"And if she doesn't allow it?"
Ji Li Zhao knows what he wants but he swore secrecy. The Xie family has been scouring the country, looking for their little princess. They even asked the police and the military for help. If it wasn't for his intervention and Xie Na's forged letter, her face would have already been plastered in the news.
They were desperately looking for her it's pitiful to look at. Even if he wants to tell her family, it's not his news to tell.
All he can do is help Xie Na hide safely as she wishes. He has been diligent in this task and has been extremely careful since she's pregnant. He continues to monitor Xie Na and even posted plenty of guards for her to make sure she stays protected.
"I'll protect her as her boss." he shortly replied before allowing Xing Qiu near. He has far closer relations with Xie Zedong and would be a far better company for him.
He was planning on leaving so he could personally arrange things for him when Xie Zedong spoke once more. "Is Hou Wei Yan here?"
A sigh immediately escaped Ji Li Zhao's tightly pursed lips. [ What does he want with her now? ]
"She's also resting," he said before smiling innocently at him to minimize the damage. "I think Young Master Xie needs rest as well so you can talk with Miss Qiu in a much better decorum."
With this, Ji Li Zhao left a tongue-tied Xie Zedong who felt embarrassed for some reason.
By now, he realized how imposing and rude he was for suddenly barging into their vacation and expecting Qiu Meixiu to give up her day off for him.
All he could do now was follow what Ji Li Zhao suggested and rest. Perhaps that will help him face Qiu Meixiu without bursting into anger at her for suddenly cutting contact with him.
[ Let's just sleep...and hope I was sleepdreaming all this time. ]
He hoped that this was just a nightmare. That his little sister was safe in their house and that he didn't need to lose his mind overthinking everything to the point of suspecting his childhood sweetheart.
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