Bab 40: Chapter 40 : Shanghai Television Festival (1)

Xiulan carefully went out of the Tesla car with the help of Zhu. This will be the first time she has gone out of the penthouse that doesn't involve going to hospital ever since she got injured very badly.

"Did they really capture him already?" Xiulan helplessly asked as she eyes the huge cottage house with full of men guarding the place. She believes Zhu will not put her in harm but she was really nervous that the secret guards of Hongqi might be following them right now. She's both worried for the guard's safety and tensed that they will report this to Hongqi.

They are currently in a woody forest. According to Zhu, this place was their turf and territory. So incase the secret guards will try to follow them, death will awaits them since they will be considered as suspicious spies.

"Yes, missus. Actually, they are interrogating him since an hour ago." Zhu nonchalantly said.

Zhu greeted the guards on their way and opened the door for her. "Relax, missus."

"How can I relax when my husband's guards might be following us or your men already killed them?" Xiulan tensed. Though she was feeling nervous and tensed, she didn't forget to appreciate the interior inside the cottage. It may look dangerous and suspicious outside but it was homey and clean inside. There was some female staff as well who were taking a coffee and tea break.

"I already told my brothers about the secret guards and they will only scare them away. Apparently the guards weren't able to follow us and they already lost us when we entered the suburbs going here." Zhu informs. "They are in the basement." She added and led the way to the basement.

"I see… wait. May I ask something?" Xiulan suddenly thought of something while she follows Zhu.

"Yes, missus?" Zhu asks and she smiled at some of the staff they ran into.

"About the Tesla car. My husband might already have a hint that you are working with Dejiang since he owns that car. My husband will be really mad if he knows about this since he scorns Dejiang for some reason." Xiulan curiously asked.

"Ah! About that… Young Master Mo said that the Tesla car ownership was named after you and your husband haven't found out yet that I'm working under the Mos." Zhu glances at Xiulan and checked her reaction.

"Wh-what?! How come he put my name as the owner?" Xiulan suddenly panics. That car is very expensive and it will be more troublesome if Hongqi finds out about it.

Xiulan fully knows Hongqi's inflated ego will pop if he finds out that the wife he grooms gets a random Tesla from her male friends and that male friend was the one he hates the most.

"Uhh… I am not sure, missus. Maybe to hide the fact that young master Mo is helping you from your husband?" Zhu mumbled and continued walking downstairs. All she knew the car will be used specifically for this mission.

"Ugh… that Dejiang. He should have put the ownership after you. After this interrogation I will ask him to change the ownership to you immediately." Xiulan declared. She doesn't want to add more misunderstanding. That Hongqi would suspect her relationship with Dejiang again if he finds out about the car.

-------

"We're here." Zhu announced and quietly opens the door. "Ah before we enter, put this mask on." Zhu halted and quickly took a black mask that robbers usually wore from the table beside the door.

The sound of slap, hysterical shouting and grunting of a man can be heard inside.

Xiulan nervously gulped while slowly wears the mask. She can't believe that she'll be witnessing a brutal interrogation.

"I will not say anything! Just f*cking kill me already!" a man shouted and another slap and grunting can be heard after.

"This man is very stubborn." One of Zhu's brothers said.

"Enough of that! We will interrogate him instead." Zhu arrogantly announced to the people inside and made way towards the pitiful spy who was chained to the chair and his half naked body was full of bloody scratch and bruises.

Xiulan can't really bear seeing something like this but she must endure. She quietly follows Zhu and tried her best not to look at the pitiful man.

"The old bitch is here. Make sure we will be compensated generously." One of the brothers said. Xiulan doesn't know which one since she was staring at her feet.

"Shut up. Just get out!" Zhu screams at them and chases them away.

"Old bitch!" a man shouted before he exits the room.

"Hmp! That bastard…" Zhu mumbles as she stares vehemently at the closed door. "Ah! I apologize for my behavior just now. Bad habits die hard when you encounter people like my brothers." Zhu apologetically said.

"It's fine, Zhu." Xiulan smiled but Zhu noticed that her smiling mouth was trembling.

"She must be really nervous." Zhu secretly thought.

"Thank you, missus. Since we are here, what would you like us to do to this man?" Zhu said and started picking a paddle to hurt the poor man.

"Do you really need to hit him?" Xiulan meekly asked and stared at the paddle in Zhu's hands.

"He won't say anything if we don't hurt him." Zhu said and her eyes became cold.

"Is that so?" Xiulan sweated and let Zhu do the talking first.

"Eh~ so you are that spy. You do know that you are harming a lot of people with your group's pathetic plans, right?" Zhu starts to interrogate and she playfully hits her palm with the paddle.

"Whoever you are, bitch! I will keep my mouth shut until I die!" The battered spy angrily shouted.

"Ahh… why are men keep on calling me a bitch?" Zhu muttered. She coldly stares at the man sitting in front of her. "This bitch will make sure you suffer. Your men almost killed my boss!" She ferociously shouted and hit the spy on the back with a heavy blow using the paddle.

"Aargh!" The poor spy grunted and spat some blood. Zhu's force seems to be really painful. Xiulan purses her lips as she watches this inhumane treatment.

Xiulan's eye wanders to the documents on the table beside her. It's an information report about this spy.

"Name is Dong Yong. Age 36 years old. Has been working as an Army Linguist for 6 years under the government. He also translates some receipts and requests that's why he managed to manipulate and use the government funds. His family was captured by the TERRO group that's why he's working under them." Xiulan silently reads the profile of this poor spy.

"Tell me, what's your group's plan? When is their next attack? F*cking psychos trying to hurt the innocent. Where is your headquarters?!" Zhu suddenly became beast mode and bombarded the injured spy with questions and poisonous words.

"Whatever! If you don't kill me right now, they will kill me instead once they find out I got captured. You will never get anything from me! Bitch! Whore!" The spy shouted as blood also comes out from his mouth. His face and body were now really red.

"This f*cker." Zhu curses and quickly switches to a new weapon. She is now using a mace with pointy spikes on it. She hits the spy on his back again and again.

The spy painfully grunted and cried. His back was full of small holes caused by the spikes from the mace.

Xiulan pitifully grimaced at the poor spy and thought "This is wrong. Before we can get any information from him he'll be dead."

Xiulan finally stops Zhu from whatever brutality she was doing. "Zhu, enough. You will kill him. Stop it." Xiulan calmly said as she begs Zhu to stop. She held onto Zhu's arms.

"Missus…" Zhu halted her actions and looked at her lady boss. She did not expect that her lady boss would suddenly stop her.

"Why are you stopping me?" Zhu questioned.

"This is not right. Please, let me handle it." Xiulan firmly said and forcefully took the mace out of Zhu's hands. Xiulan threw the mace back on the table.

"B-but--" Zhu was about to retort but she remembered Dejiang's words. The lady boss knows what she's doing. "Okay, missus." Zhu meekly agrees and went to the side to watch what the lady boss will do to tame this bastard spy.

Xiulan heavily took a deep breath first before she bravely went near the spy. "Mr. Dong Yong, I read that your family are held hostage by your group." Xiulan started and touched the spy's shoulder to get his attention and also to calm him down.

The spy Dong Yong raises his head to look at Xiulan. He can only see a petite woman with a slender waist and bright eyes was looking at him.

Xiulan curled her lips and showed Dong Yong a piece of paper with words written on it "Isn't it pitiful for them to know their only hope to get out of there will just disappear?"

The spy flinched from Xiulan's words and stared at the piece of paper. Dong Yong did everything to make sure that his wife and son will not be harmed. He did everything what they told him to do. Everything was going smoothly but these bastards suddenly found out about his dirty work and captured him.

Dong Yong knows that it'll be the end of him regardless if they let him go or not. The TERRO group can kill him with a snap. He has an implanted device somewhere inside his body that will electrocute him to death.

Xiulan was satisfied with Dong Yong's reaction so she immediately writes something again.

Zhu was bewildered by this weird type of silent interrogation. But what appalled her more was the spy giving a reaction.

"Mr. Dong Yong, just please tell us when they will attack. Please whisper it to me. We really don't care about their headquarters but if you want to reveal then we will be eternally grateful." Xiulan wrote on the paper and showed it to the spy.

Dong Yong reads it and frowns at the weird woman. Dong Yong doesn't understand why she was writing instead of talking.

Xiulan slightly understood the spy's confusion so she immediately writes again. "I am writing in case the implanted device inside your body might have a mic and send noises back to your HQ. I will remove it to make you safe."

Dong Yong eyes got bigger and was surprised that this lady knew that the device was inside his body has a mic to spy on people's conversation.

Ever since that encounter with TERRO group during GEA, Xiulan tried to search for the source of their electrocution. Even though she doesn't want to remember, she kept repeating the moment the blond man suddenly fell onto her. She wants to know which part of the body it was attached to and she should have been electrocuted with the man but she didn't.

Xiulan tried to understand the behavior of that device and she only ends up with the conclusion that it might be connected with the heart's beating. It will not cause any harm on others when the host is already dead.

"I will let you go once you answer my question. But first tell me where the hidden device is. I will remove it." Xiulan wrote and let the spy read it.

"Zhu, can you hand me a scalpel? Make sure it's sanitize." Xiulan commanded and she gave a calm yet devious smile at the poor Dong Yong.

"What are you going to do!?" Dong Yong panicked. If his guess was right what this woman was going to do. He's not sure if he can bear the pain. He remembered how painful that time TERRO implanted the device in his arms. He doesn't want to experience that pain again without anesthesia.

"Please stay still, this will be quick." Xiulan whispered. Her whisper was almost inaudible but Dong Yong still managed to hear it. The poor spy's heart was thumping madly from the nervousness.

"Missus." Zhu handed the scalpel to Xiulan. She's not sure what this lady boss will do with a scalpel. Zhu thought if the lady boss would use a scalpel to interrogate this spy, isn't it better if the missus would use a sharper or larger weapon?

"This will be quick." Xiulan quietly mutters on Dong Yong's ears.

Xiulan started searching and groping Dong Yong's arms with such featherlike touches that made Dong Yong's skin crawl. With such light and cold touches, he felt like a ghost was touching him.

"Please stop!" Dong Yong suddenly exclaimed that halted Xiulan's search.

"Oh dear…" Xiulan never thought that this man would succumb from her torture so easily. She hasn't even started yet! Actually she really wants to remove that damn device so this man can be free from the torment of having that device inside his body. She kind of guessed that it is somewhere in his arms, specifically on thebpart where nurses would take some blood. But it looks like she won't be doing it.

"Shanghai Television Festival." Dong Yong very quietly and quickly muttered.

Xiulan flinched from hearing Dong Yong's response. It's the last award show that her annoying husband will attend next week and the awards show she guessed that the TERRO group might attend to.

Xiulan thankfully smiled at Dong Yong. "Thank you so much." Xiulan wrote on the paper. "I promise to you we will save your family." She quickly added.

Dong Yong curled his lips. He finds it ironic that the people who abducted and tormented him awhile ago would eventually help him. What a turn of events. He honestly admitted where the TERRO group will attack next. He somewhat believes this woman that she will help him and his family. He doesn't know why but he felt assured that she will really help him. In case she did not, at least he did something against the evil TERRO until his last breath.

Xiulan went near to Zhu and instructed "Zhu, please knock him out." Without dilly dallying, Zhu hit the poor Dong Yong on his nape. The battered Dong Yong immediately went to dreamland.

"Please find a weird device inside his body and remove it. Also tell the people who will operate him to not talk that much to not trigger the device or the people from TERRO." Xiulan silently added to her instructions.

Zhu only nodded but she still doesn't know if that was the end of the interrogation since the lady boss seems to have gotten some information from the spy already. But she didn't hear anything since the spy was only whispering and the missus was conversing through the paper. It was such an odd scene.

Xiulan went back to the penthouse as soon as the interrogation was finished and immediately opens her laptop to check for Shanghai Television Festival. She was right that those punks will terrorize the biggest event. She wanted to laugh for guessing it right. If ever that spy Dong Yong lied to her, well then it will not be her lost but it will be his.

Since they had a lot of time during her recovery, she already instructed Zhu beforehand to visit STVF's event's place to plant a smart watch inside the building so that they can hack in to the CCTVs.

Xiulan checks each monitor and drafted the blind spots. She also checks the building's blueprint to familiarize the secret spots and also to remind the VIP area which where Hongqi and his artists will stay. The blueprint came from a black market for student engineers.

"Gosh…" Xiulan sighed while she looks at the mess of a work scattered on the bed. Thanked God that Hongqi was not in the country. She doesn't know how she will hide this from him if he suddenly comes in.

She might need to extend her sick leave to prepare for the event. So she sent an email to the board of directors and CCed Secretary Dandan that she will have an extended one week sick leave. She just hopes they will not try to question her.

After three days, Hongqi came back with a grim look on his face. It was eight in the morning when he finally saw again that innocent face of his wife.

Xiulan was busy eating when Hongqi came in the dining room. She greeted him quite enthusiastically this morning. She actually wants to get in his good mood to acquire that VIP pass. She thought that he might change his mind since she's still not allowed to go anywhere.

Hongqi sharply looks at the woman who's eating deliciously and smiling at him with such fake demeanor. It irritated him how much this woman was full of secrets. He wasn't able to concentrate on his business trip because of this woman. How will a person concentrate if he finds out his wife suddenly went to borders of an elite mercenary group? His guards weren't able to follow suit due to they were blocked. He was so worried. Good thing she came back to the penthouse in one piece after an hour. He wondered what she did there. There's no attraction or anything interesting in that area.

"You look rather well now, huh?" Hongqi sarcastically implied and stares at Xiulan's innocent face. He really wondered what she did inside that dangerous area.

Hongqi's personal chef was present today since he was advised in advance that Hongqi will be coming home this morning. He put the usual breakfast meal in front of Hongqi and immediately left the dining area when he saw that irritated look on the young master's face.

Xiulan didn't manage to hear the sarcasm in his tone. "I wanted to go back to work as early as I can, my dear husband." Xiulan said and she beamed at him which irritated Hongqi more.

"No need to rush. You're not losing that much money from being absent." Hongqi stated and took the knife and fork to start his meal.

Xiulan was somewhat triggered by Hongqi's words. "Did he implied that the money my company lose everyday ever since she was absent was puny? How dare him! It might be puny for him but for a small company it was such a huge lose already!" Xiulan angrily thought to herself. They already lost worth 15 million Yuan just by her being absent for almost a month That's worth more than two million dollars!

"The amount lost might be small to you, my dear husband. But for me it's not." Xiulan tried to say it calmly but she was seething in anger. Its only morning yet this man already tried to piss her off. They just saw each other again but he's already making her mad. She usually doesn't retort to him aggressively but he was making her do it today.

It was the first time he saw that triggered glint on Xiulan's eyes so he wanted to taunt her more. "Why not just let me invest? I heard your company's board was desperate to get me as your investor. The money you lost will feel like it was nothing once I invest." Hongqi arrogantly and nonchalantly said while he bites on his savory waffle. His eyes had that lazy look that made Xiulan feel like he was ridiculing her.

"Hehe… Husband, let's not talk about that. I don't have any plans in using your money." Xiulan tried to hide her irritation with a beautiful smile and divert the topic somewhere else. She doesn't want to make this morning be the source of her bad mood for the whole day.

"By the way--" Xiulan was about to raise the topic about the VIP pass but Hongqi suddenly cuts her words.

Hongqi hated how Xiulan tries to change the topic. What's wrong if he invests? Isn't it right for a husband to help his wife?

"So you will use another man's money instead? That's quite distasteful." Hongqi dared. He's not sure if that Mo Dejiang or another man was investing secretly. He was aware that Xiulan has been only receiving investments from women but who knows. It made him less of a man if some other man was helping his wife.

Xiulan was rather surprised by Hongqi's accusations. Her mouth was opened for few second before she muster to berate him. "Excuse me, but my company doesn't have any male sponsors or investors. You don't know anything, you brat. And I will not have your money as well!" Xiulan's calm demeanor suddenly flew away. Her fine line of patience for Hongqi has finally broken. It was the first time she called him with a negative brand.

Hongqi was surprised by Xiulan's unforeseen temper. He didn't expect for her to be this angry. He was only trying to make her mad a little because of her negligence in her security but he didn't expect her to be this offended. She even called him a brat. The last time he heard that word against him was when he was in elementary.

Hongqi's personal chef and Bai Rong were listening to the couple's quarrel in the corner. The old chef was rather worried but Bai Rong was happy in what she's witnessing right now. For the past months, she never saw these two quarrels with each other.

"Did you just call me a brat?" Hongqi opposed. He should say sorry for offending her but this is the first time a woman tried to make him mad. First her stupid negligence, now she's rebuking him and answering back.

"Yes, I did." Xiulan angrily argued and raised her eyebrows at the domineering husband. Xiulan doesn't know where she got the courage to talk back. But she's taking advantage of this ridiculous amount of courage. It's like Hongqi hit a very sensitive nerve and it made her blow up.

Hongqi sharply frowns back at Xiulan. "You better behave. I can crush your family's company to ashes anytime I want." Hongqi threatened and scolded Xiulan like a child.

Xiulan's angry eyes flinched. She can't believe he's threatening her with her father's company. "Drats! Such a foul play!" Xiulan secretly cursed. She can't help but be disgusted by Hongqi's way of scaring her.

"I just want to remind you to behave and don't do anything weird again. You've been going to places that my guards can't reach you." Hongqi tries to clarify a little why he's angry.

"…" Xiulan didn't say anything anymore but rather she put her attention on her meal. Her pent-up anger will come out once she opens her mouth so she decided to be mute instead.

Hongqi didn't try to scold Xiulan anymore and he concentrated on his meal. The whole breakfast time was oddly quiet. The personal chef was so worried but Bai Rong was rejoicing.

Though they were mad at each other, they still went to the master bedroom together. Hongqi helped Xiulan comfortably to sit on the bed.

Xiulan might be angry but she didn't have the energy to push him away so she just let him.

Hongqi checks if Xiulan was comfortable on her position. Once everything was fine, he went to his walk-in closet to change his clothes. He already took a bath in his jet awhile ago so he only needs to change his clothes.

"To prevent yourself getting more accidents, please refrain from going anywhere suspicious." Hongqi loudly reminded Xiulan while he was inside the walk-in closet.

Xiulan clicks her tongue from annoyance. "Why won't he stop scolding her?! Is she his daughter or something?" Xiulan sarcastically thought.

"Yes." Xiulan lazily answered.

"Since you were bedridden for almost a month, you missed a lot of award shows." Hongqi said once he comes out of the walk-in closet. He's wearing a black full sleeves shirt with the first button open that reveals his muscled chest. A blood red blazer was draped on his right shoulder.

"Uhuh." Xiulan answered. She's not sure where this topic is going.

"I know you badly want to watch Andy Gao live so here's the VIP pass. I also have one for your bodyguard." Hongqi revealed an envelope with AFTV's logo on it. He put the envelope on top of the study table.

Xiulan's anger suddenly disappeared and a happiness glint was evident on her eyes while she stares down the envelope. She really thought Hongqi would make her experience drastic measures to get that VIP pass.

Hongqi doesn't want to apologize so he's using this tactic to coax her. Seeing that glint on her eyes, Hongqi knew they are in good terms again.

"I'm going to work." Hongqi announced once he's finished coaxing this weird spouse. "Oh, I'm still up with that investment thing. Just call me whenever." Hongqi added to spite Xiulan and he even winked at her before he quickly escapes the room.

Xiulan sighed heavily and she was reminded again how that man reprimanded her with such distasteful fashion.

"I'm going to die young because of him." Xiulan was really offended with Hongqi's accusations. How dare he to think that her company is blossoming because of a man?! Her feminist nerves were tingling from irritation.

"But anyway… I will take my revenge on him someday. But first I must hide these VIP pass. Wew! Thank God he gave me these earlier than I expected." Xiulan thankfully muttered while she hastily gets up from the bed and grabs the envelope to hide it inside her bag.