Next to Zhou Boning was his "marriage partner," a woman in her fifties, dressed in brightly colored clothes and somewhat attractive. Her husband was a butcher, a burly man with a fierce appearance. "You're his son? Tell me! Your father cheated on me, took advantage of my wife, what are you going to do about this!"
Zhou Qishen remained calm throughout, only pacing back and forth in front of the three people.
The husband, looking fierce and menacing, kept hurling insults: "Your father is short of women, you fucking rich, so send your father to brothels! What's so great about stealing other people's partners? Your whole family likes stealing other people's partners, huh! You have to explain yourself!"
Zhou Qishen had thick eyebrows, a broad forehead, and deep, icy eyes. He stopped in front of the woman. With lightning speed, he grabbed her hair and dragged her to the ground.
The woman screamed repeatedly. Zhou Qishen squatted down, pulled her scalp back, and slapped her twice across the face.
"Trying to fool my Zhou family? You're asking for death!" Zhou Qishen's brows furrowed, his voice as cold as ice. "You slept with my old man, and then teamed up with your husband to extort money from us. You have the nerve to ask me for an explanation?"
The woman was stunned by the beating; she saw stars and could barely speak.
"If you sleep with this old man for one night, you have to pay him ten thousand! Tell me! How many nights did you sleep with him?!" Zhou Qishen's last sentence was directed at Zhou Boning. He turned his head and his gaze was so fierce it could kill.
Zhou Boning was a typical example of someone who was all bark and no bite. When things really got tough, he didn't dare to utter a single word. He stammered, "I didn't sleep. I didn't sleep at all last night. She was the one who said she wanted to marry me. I didn't do anything."
Zhou Qishen turned around, looking down at everyone with disdain, "Did you all hear that?"
Those watching the spectacle were all timid and dared not utter a sound.
Zhou Qishen raised his voice and said sternly, "Did you hear me?!"
During the stalemate, a resolute voice echoed from the crowd, "I heard it, they're extorting money from us."
Zhao Xiyin stood on the outermost layer, her voice loud and clear, neither timid nor fleeing. This response tore open a gap in the crowd, and all the reasonable onlookers took sides, saying, "That's right, you can't even control your wife, yet you have the nerve to ask for money."
“I saw you two having a loving meal together last week. You two planned to extort money from me.”
"At her age, she still has the nerve to use her beauty to seduce people."
Everyone burst into laughter, making the woman and her husband blush. Zhou Qishen released his grip, stood up, pointed at them, and said, "Talk to my lawyer. Not a penny less of the compensation you owe."
After speaking, he strode away without giving Zhou Boning even a glance.
Zhao Xiyin followed him like a little tail, her expression mirroring his—neither humble nor arrogant, calm and collected—and she was on the same side as Zhou Qishen.
The Mercedes drove back to the hotel, where several men were already waiting in the room. Dressed in black with cold expressions, they exuded the aura of underworld bosses. Upon seeing him, they all stood up respectfully, "Brother Zhou, you're back." Noticing the little tail following Zhou Qishen, they all smiled, "Oh, hello sister-in-law!"
Zhao Xiyin was so embarrassed that she didn't know what to do. Zhou Qishen blocked her way and whispered, "I ordered you some food. Go to your room and wait for me."
The group chuckled, and it took Zhao Xiyin a while to realize that Zhou Gou's words were quite ambiguous.
Zhou Qishen was likely discussing business. Although his career wasn't based in Xi'an, he still maintained a wide network of connections there. Even when Zhao Xiyin was still Zhou's wife, she had heard rumors that Zhou Qishen had influence in both the legitimate and underworld circles, using both shortcuts and shady methods. This matter concerning Zhou Boning was probably the truth he had uncovered through intermediaries. The fact was, upon hearing that Zhou Boning's son was wealthy, someone had harbored wicked intentions. Little did they know they'd run into a brick wall, and their days were likely numbered.
Zhou Qishen had a good reputation in his hometown, thanks to his generosity and philanthropy. Even though he wasn't in Xi'an, he maintained good relationships with his neighbors. Except for the infighting within the Zhou family, a bunch of ungrateful wretches.
With the matter temporarily settled, Zhou Qishen crossed his legs, slowly lit a cigarette, and asked, "How far have things progressed between Zhou Boning and that woman?"
One person replied, "The matter on the kang (heated brick bed) is definitely confirmed."
Zhou Qishen closed his eyes, his fists cracking as he uttered through his teeth, "You old bastard."
An hour later, Zhou Qishen came out of the house and saw Zhao Xiyin standing not far away waiting for him. The person next to him smiled and said, "Brother Zhou, it's rare for you to come back. How about we arrange a get-together for you tonight?"
Zhou Qishen smiled faintly, "No, I'm going to stay with your sister-in-law."
He kept his voice down, not daring to let Zhao Xiyin hear, but this guy was a bit of a simpleton, and he raised his voice and repeated, "Sister-in-law! My brother said he has to stay with his wife! He has to stay with you!"
Zhao Xiyin coughed suddenly. Zhou Qishen's face darkened, and he was so angry that he almost suffered internal injuries. He kicked him hard and said, "Shut up."
In the afternoon, the two flew back to Beijing. As soon as they got off the plane, Zhao Xiyin received a call from the troupe, asking her to go back and fill out a form.
Zhou Qishen drove her there. As they parted, he kept watching her through the car window. As Zhao Xiyin's figure receded into the distance, he finally couldn't help but call out to her, "Xiao west."
"Hmm?" She turned around.
Zhou Qishen suppressed his disappointment, as if reluctant to say goodbye, and painstakingly tried to find a reason to contact her again, "Xiao west, I will go see the doctor properly."
Zhao Xiyin nodded, "Okay, I'll have my dad ask for the number for you."
People were inside for a long time, but Zhou Qishen didn't drive and just stood there without moving.
——
Saturday, the group had a half-day off.
Ding Yahe must have found out from Ni Rui, because she called Zhao Xiyin right on time and asked her to meet up outside. It was quite subtle; ever since Ni Rui cried and said that she was there to ruin their family relationship and avenge Zhao Wenchun, Ding Yahe really hadn't invited her to their house for a meal.
Perhaps she believed some of the reasons, or perhaps her current husband expressed dissatisfaction. Zhao Xiyin speculated on the reasons, but inwardly she felt utterly disdainful.
When Zhao Xiyin arrived, she was carrying a bag that was bulging with Chinese medicine.
It turned out that Zhou Qishen had gone to Zhao Wenchun's old friend, a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, to have his pulse checked. While waiting for the medicine, he had some urgent business at his company and left first, saying he would come back to pick it up after he finished. He probably forgot because he was busy, and after a day or two, he didn't show up. So the old doctor handed the medicine over to Zhao Wenchun.
Teacher Zhao said he was busy preparing lessons and didn't have time to deal with the young people's affairs, so he assigned Zhao Xiyin to handle it herself. Zhao Xiyin thought it was on her way and planned to leave the things at the front desk of Ding Yahe's company after meeting him.
Inside the café, Ding Yahe sat elegantly, with a pile of high-end gift bags on the floor.
“I bought you clothes and two pairs of shoes. These are vitamins that Lao Ni brought back from abroad.” Ding Yahe piled a large stack of bags on the table. “I heard from Xiao Rui that there are many outstanding girls in your group. You probably don’t have much savings, so dress well and use good things. Don’t fall behind.”
Zhao Xiyin said, "Everyone in the troupe wears dance costumes, so we don't need these."
"You're so stubborn, I can't be bothered to talk to you." Ding Yahe always liked to use her voice to intimidate people. Even though she was divorced from Zhao Wenchun, her demeanor as the matriarch of the household would not be diminished in any family.
Zhao Xiyin really acted like a dead pig that wasn't afraid of boiling water.
"Never mind, never mind." Ding Yahe was too lazy to argue with her, and pushed two more paper bags over. "I bought two bags, you can take them."