Chapter 54
Chapter 54
Room 7233’s door opened with a click, interrupting their conversation.
The person opening the door was a thin man with dyed yellow hair, wearing a black short T-shirt rolled up to his chest, just revealing two points. He held the door handle with one hand and had the other wrapped around his stomach, squinting at Fu Xun.
Three seconds later, he seemed to recognize who Fu Xun was. The yawn he was in the middle of trying to suppress, he forced back, nodding and bowing with an excessively ingratiating smile: “Brother Xun.”
The yellow-haired man then shouted into the room, “Which brat said the delivery arrived? Go get it!”
After fetching it, he turned back, stepping aside in a flattering way, “Brother Xun, come in and have a seat.”
Fu Xun glanced at his half-rolled T-shirt with some disdain: “Can you wear your clothes properly?”
The yellow-haired man made an “ah” sound, not understanding.
Following Fu Xun’s gaze down to his T-shirt rolled up to his chest, he glanced at Qu Yixian quietly standing behind Fu Xun and instantly got it: “Oh oh oh, my bad, my bad.”
He tugged at his shirt to pull it down and tucked it into his jeans, adding, “Didn’t see the sister-in-law came too.” After saying that, he feigned warmth with a smile at Qu Yixian and led the two inside.
Qu Yixian didn’t explain.
She kept her head down, maintaining a step behind Fu Xun as she followed him inside.
Behind them, the yellow-haired man closed the door and led the way two steps ahead into the living room.
As soon as they passed the foyer, the lingering smell of smoke and alcohol hit them. Qu Yixian frowned, taking in the hotel suite’s living room.
The loan sharks had brought quite a few people; just in the living room, two people were lying or sitting without proper posture. Not to mention the shouting from the adjacent mahjong room and the shuffling sound from inside the guest rooms.
At least seven or eight in total.
The yellow-haired man guided them to the living room and kicked a young man sprawled on the chaise lounge, flipping his face like a book: “Go wake the boss, tell him Brother Xun is here.”
The young man glanced at Fu Xun and Qu Yixian, then silently walked past the sofa into the master bedroom.
The yellow-haired man turned to indicate they should sit: “I’ll make some tea for you two.”
The tea leaves were Maojian he had just bought this morning, no proper tea set, so it could only be steeped simply.
After filtering the water twice, he came out carrying the tea cup, sitting on the single sofa to Qu Yixian’s left: “We left in a rush with the boss this time, didn’t bring Mao Feng or Hou Kui. Brother Xun, just make do with the Maojian.”
He set down the cup and glanced at Qu Yixian: “Sister-in-law, do you like tea? If not, I can have the hotel bring some drinks up.”
Qu Yixian was sizing him up and replied with a forced smile: “Do I look familiar to you?”
The yellow-haired man’s smile faltered slightly; jokingly, he said, “I don’t think I’ve met anyone as beautiful as you—if I had, I’d never forget.”
Fu Xun glanced at him coldly.
Noticing his displeasure, the yellow-haired man gave an awkward laugh and hurriedly added, “See, Brother Xun must’ve misunderstood.”
This time Qu Yixian laughed out loud, staring at the yellow-haired man: “Take a closer look. You really don’t recognize me?”
The yellow-haired man froze, lifted his eyes, and scrutinized her carefully.
Finally, he remembered.
No wonder she looked familiar—he always felt he’d seen her somewhere. At first, because she was brought by Fu Xun, he hadn’t dared to look closely.
Now, looking closely… well, isn’t she the person they came to find in Dunhuang?
Seems she’s also the female leader of the Xinghui convoy.
He gave an awkward laugh, unsure how to position his expression.
His gaze discreetly scanned between Fu Xun and Qu Yixian, hesitating on how to speak, when the master bedroom door creaked open.
Qu Yixian turned toward the sound.
A man about forty or fifty years old stood there, just waking up, his eyes still unfocused. He glanced into the living room, straightened his collar, and walked over.
Qu Yixian glanced at Fu Xun, seeing he was still sitting and made no move to stand, and felt at ease not to shift her position.
She was here to find out about the situation, not to resolve it—no reason to lower herself.
As Tie Ye walked over, the yellow-haired man immediately stood up, making space and stepping back.
Fu Xun knew Tie Ye, so the yellow-haired man didn’t bother to introduce him. Fu Xun politely cast a glance at Qu Yixian, lowering his voice and enunciating clearly: “Master Tie, this is Leader Qu of the Xinghui Convoy.”
After shaking hands and exchanging greetings with Fu Xun, Tie Ye turned to look at Qu Yixian.
No wonder Jiang is still sharp with age.
Tie Ye’s gaze lingered on her for only three seconds, yet Qu Yixian felt as if he had already probed all her background.
She slightly retracted her chin and nodded in acknowledgment.
Tie Ye nodded back, effectively greeting her.
From the mahjong room came a burst of hissing; a man shouted, “How did you win again?” followed by the scraping of chairs and noisy clamor.
Tie Ye frowned, glancing toward the half-open door of the mahjong room.
The yellow-haired man noticed the boss’s displeasure and smartly slipped over to the mahjong room to handle it.
Amid the sudden noise, Tie Ye cleared his throat and smiled gently: “I was thinking of inviting Mr. Fu over for a casual meal tonight, it’s been a long time since we last met. Having Mr. Fu come first makes me a bit embarrassed.”
Fu Xun smiled and said, “It’s fine, there’s actually something I need to confirm with Master Tie.”
Seeing Fu Xun get straight to the point, Tie Ye didn’t bother to play dumb any longer. He clasped his hands together, leaned slightly forward, and smiled at Fu Xun: “After so many years, it’s rare that Mr. Fu has something to confirm with me. I am truly honored.”
Fu Xun took a sip of tea, measured and calm: “Master Tie appearing in Dunhuang—should mean you received news from Pei Yuliang?”
Tie Ye’s smile was faint as he nodded: “Yes.”
“But by the time I arrived in Dunhuang, the news had stopped.”
“I came today for the same reason,” Fu Xun said, tilting his head slightly, gesturing at Qu Yixian: “I heard Master Tie was looking for someone of mine?”
Tie Ye remained silent.
He had discovered information about the Cloud-Engraved Jade Pendant and Pei Yuliang around the same time as Fu Xun, and Qu Yixian, as the last lead, had been thoroughly investigated.
He hadn’t acted rashly because Qu Yixian had the status of “Leader of the Xinghui Rescue Team.”
A rescue hero, and a girl.
Inviting someone over rashly would be against the code of the Jianghu.
But he hadn’t heard of any connection between this rescue team’s female leader and this young master from the Fu family…
He took a sip of Maojian tea handed over by the yellow-haired man and glanced with his peripheral vision at Qu Yixian sitting calmly next to Fu Xun.
After careful consideration, Tie Ye said slowly: “Mr. Fu, you are sensible. I won’t play riddles with you. Even with my reach, stretching from Nanjiang to Dunhuang isn’t easy. I found the whereabouts of Pei Yuliang stop with this young lady, so naturally, I wanted to invite her over for a visit.”
He blew on his tea; the rising steam seemed to cloak his words in mist: “If this young lady is your person, I ask that Mr. Fu lend her to me for a few minutes. I’ll just ask some questions and will absolutely not trouble her afterward.”
“Not lending her,” Fu Xun replied even more decisively.
Tie Ye’s hand holding the cup paused, his smile faded, and his expression hardened: “Mr. Fu, that’s rather uninteresting to hear.”
“I am quick to act. Were it not for your face, I might not be so polite to this young lady. Why put me in a difficult position?”
Fu Xun turned to Qu Yixian, silently asking her opinion with his eyes.
As long as she showed even a trace of unwillingness in her gaze, he would immediately take her and leave.
Qu Yixian knew such occasions weren’t suitable for speaking and remained quietly observant. Receiving his gaze, for a brief few seconds, her mind unconsciously jumped to his protective “Not lending her.”
She subtly lifted the corner of her lips and barely perceptibly nodded her chin.
Fu Xun understood. He rubbed the rim of his cup, pondered for a few seconds, and said, “If Master Tie is willing, we can clarify everything this afternoon. You return to Nanjiang, and I will continue the investigation for you. How about that?”
Tie Ye squinted, a strange expression on his face: “Mr. Fu, I don’t quite understand this plan. This is different from what we initially agreed on.”
Qu Yixian blew on her tea, lifting her eyelids subtly without giving anything away.
Tie Ye’s role in this matter was almost exactly as she had speculated.
Fu Xun is an old fox; if he dared to let Pei Yuliang roam free all these years, it means he calculated everything. He wouldn’t let himself suffer losses, nor would he stumble over any minor matter.
Pei Yuliang had not only offended him but also angered the loan sharks. His original plan should have been to reap the benefits without doing much.
If she were Fu Xun, she would have informed Tie Ye about the jade pendant Pei Yuliang had slipped from her hands, which he would eventually need to sell.
Pei Yuliang owed a loan, and this debt could not just be ignored. Once Tie Ye learned about the pendant, to recover his money, he would naturally investigate Pei Yuliang’s whereabouts.
All she needed to do was pay attention; once Tie Ye found Pei Yuliang, she could reclaim the pendant. Whether or not to settle the interest depended entirely on the mood at the time.
This perfectly fit Fu Xun’s usual style.
Fu Xun smiled faintly, his voice deep and rich: “If Tie Ye finds out, he should also know she’s involved. Since we can’t just sit idly by, we’ll have to step in and deal with it.”
He flicked the rim of his glass with his curved fingers, producing a crisp sound, like the prelude to an opening act—the matters to be discussed today were officially beginning.
Tie Ye was one of the most directly involved in the Pei Yuliang incident back then. He didn’t question Fu Xun’s somewhat thin excuse at all, laughing heartily: “Mr. Fu wants to be a hero saving the beauty. How could I not comply?”
His initial smile, purely polite, immediately dissolved the undercurrent of tension beneath.
Tie Ye’s gaze toward Qu Yixian softened considerably: “Miss, how much do you know about the Pei Yuliang matter?”
Qu Yixian exchanged a glance with Fu Xun, keeping her composure, and replied: “I don’t know anything before June. After June, I know everything.”
Tie Ye hesitated briefly, scrutinizing Fu Xun.
Perhaps guessing why Fu Xun hadn’t spoken, seeing his tacit agreement, Tie Ye cleared his throat and said, “Since Mr. Fu cannot speak on this, I’ll be meddlesome and explain the whole chain of events to the young lady.”
Qu Yixian raised an eyebrow and smiled: “Then thank you, Master Tie.”
“Pei Yuliang and I knew each other early. I had just started my business then. He was clever, so I gave him some authority and let him collect interest for me,” Tie Ye said, taking a cigarette from the yellow-haired man and lighting it. “Later, the boy grew reckless, acting independently under my name. When I found out, I still had some sentiment, so I beat him up and let him go.”
“Not long after, that little rascal got imprisoned for fraud. Spent a year inside, then got out. When he first came back, he wanted to continue working with me. I asked him, ‘Times have changed. If you want back in, I need a deposit. Will you pay with your toes or your fingers?’” Tie Ye tossed his lighter onto the table, the clink echoing lightly. Leaning back in his chair, he slowly exhaled smoke and laughed mockingly: “I just scared him a little, but he took it seriously—ran faster than a rabbit.”
“The little bastard came back only to borrow money.”
“We’re businessmen; we don’t refuse anyone. If he wants to borrow, I give generously—one hundred thousand, for one month,” Tie Ye said slowly, drawing on his cigarette. “The yellow-haired guy was close to him and kept track. I had him watch what the little rascal was doing daily, so if he ran, I wouldn’t have to chase him myself. Then I heard Pei Yuliang had taken a rich woman, aiming to marry into a wealthy family.”
“The woman’s family wasn’t very prominent; their income was barely middle class. What he wanted to swindle was their family heirloom in a safe—a Ming Dynasty Jiajing period polychrome fish-and-algae patterned jar, passed down for generations. You tell me, isn’t that despicable?”
The yellow-haired man interjected: “Liangzi still thought the woman’s family had lots of Ming treasures. He even boasted to me that his girlfriend’s ancestors were officials who left her many valuables.”
“Marrying her would save him at least ten years of effort,” Tie Ye sneered.
“The woman’s family wasn’t stupid—they guarded their assets carefully. But she was simple and trusting. After two years of courtship, Pei Yuliang kept borrowing money from me. I treated him like an ATM. Without interest, he already owed me three million just in principal.”
He spoke until his mouth was dry, sipped his tea, and gestured for the yellow-haired man to continue.
The yellow-haired man groaned, dragged a chair over, and sat down. Holding a kettle, he poured tea for Fu Xun and Tie Ye while narrating: “Liangzi deceived her affections for two years. Her family finally loosened up. He realized there was only one valuable item, felt his time wasted, still owed a mountain of debt, and made an excuse to argue with her family—and even hit her.”
“From that fight, she had to go to the hospital for bandages, and they discovered she was two months pregnant. Liangzi can be ruthless; he worried the child would slow him down, so he planned to trick out that fish-and-algae jar and sell it.”
“Our Master Tie enjoys collecting treasures and has some connection with Elder Fu. Liangzi knew this for years. I was in charge of pressuring him to repay. He personally told me he could repay everything, principal and interest, within three months if given a grace period.”
“About half a month later…” the yellow-haired man calculated, “he got some money and paid back a third. That sum was all the savings his father-in-law could provide for the young couple’s down payment. A few days after that, he borrowed again, this time bringing his brother-in-law. Within days, the brother-in-law already owed a huge debt to Master Tie.”
The yellow-haired man casually held a cigarette in his mouth and continued: “We also focus on performance in our work. It was near year-end, time for evaluations and bonuses. I took people to confront him… We followed protocol—first, found Liangzi and his wife’s rental, threatened them to repay or we’d escalate to their home… His brother-in-law was preparing for civil service exams, had a steady girlfriend. The family was honest and inexperienced, very worried. Liangzi took advantage, persuaded the woman to hand over the fish-and-algae jar, letting him assess its value first.”
“Liangzi did a shady thing. He made a fake of the jar, pawned the real one for a big sum. He kept stalling the woman. Eventually, on the repayment day, I went directly to her house to collect. She went with the jar to pawn it to Master Fu to pay her brother. And that’s when Liangzi’s scheme was exposed.”