DP Chapter 50
by VolareHe called Tao Muya, wanting to ask if she was busy with work and when she would come to see him, but he couldn’t seem to reach her.
Xiang Yiye immediately chimed in, saying that Tao Muya’s work had suddenly changed, and she wouldn’t have time to spare recently, telling Xiang Wan and Qiao Sha to avoid contacting her these few days.
After saying that, he left the ward alone and called Tao Muya.
The other end kept showing that the phone was off. He asked her friends and colleagues, and they said that Tao Muya hadn’t gone to the company this afternoon and hadn’t taken any leave.
Xiang Yiye felt a sense of unease. He calculated the last time Tao Muya had appeared, which was more than five hours ago, not enough to report her missing.
Moreover, reporting her missing would have limited effect, almost negligible.
The person who kidnapped Tao Muya was hiding in the shadows, capable of making her vanish without a trace, and must have already planned the follow-up measures. Once the case was suppressed, finding her again would be even more difficult.
He couldn’t wait for twenty-four hours; every minute that passed increased the possibility of Tao Muya being harmed.
Xiang Yiye prepared for multiple scenarios, first hiring a private detective to investigate Tao Muya’s whereabouts.
Then, through his connections, he obtained the work email of the Xie Corporation’s president’s secretary and sent an email posing as Tao Muya, claiming to know some inside information about illegal asset transfers.
These past few days, Xiang Yiye had been following the news and had a hunch that the illegal asset transfer at the Xie Corporation wasn’t without reason.
In his previous life, during the years he was by Xie Zhimin’s side, he had some understanding of the infighting between the several heirs within the Xie Corporation.
When internal strife escalated, they inevitably had to rely on some external forces. This time, the Xie Corporation being investigated should be a result of internal conflict.
In his previous life, at the age of 26, Xiang Yiye parted ways with Xie Zhimin. At that time, Xie Zhimin had just experienced a crisis, suppressed by the Xie Corporation’s president, his second uncle. Several of his trusted senior executives within the group were lost at that time, and it took him a long time to recover.
Therefore, Xiang Yiye tried his best to link Tao Muya’s matter with the recent incident at the Xie Corporation, hoping to attract the attention of Xie Zhimin’s opposing forces.
That way, he could secure a glimmer of hope for her.
After doing all this, Xiang Yiye put aside the work at hand and fell into an agonizing wait.
The next day at noon, he received a call from the Xie Corporation, saying they wanted to meet with him.
Because Tao Muya herself couldn’t be contacted, they could only find her emergency contact.
Xiang Yiye went to the agreed-upon teahouse, but met Xu Chuo instead.
“You’ve been monitoring me?” Xiang Yiye said. “And that email, you intercepted it?”
“You wanted to use the Xie Corporation’s own people to fight each other, a very clever approach, but not without risks.” Xu Chuo poured him a cup of clear Phoenix Dancong tea. “Have a cup of tea to calm down.”
Xiang Yiye: “My sister is missing, I’m not in the mood to drink tea with you.” How could he drink when someone’s life was at stake? Then he thought, if Xu Chuo could help…
Xu Chuo said, “The person has already been found, only suffered some minor injuries, not serious, now at the hospital.”
Xiang Yiye breathed a sigh of relief, and said, “Which hospital? Is it safe?”
“Don’t worry, there are people protecting the hospital surroundings.” Xu Chuo said, “Finding Tao Muya was missing, why not come to me? I said whatever you need, you can come to me.”
He thought he would hear words such as “Why should I look for you” or “My things don’t concern you” but Xiang Yiye pondered for a moment, not answering directly, grabbed the hat and mask on the table, stood up and said “If there’s nothing else I’ll take my leave. Which hospital is Xiao Ya in? I’ll go check up on her… Forget it, I’ll check them all one by one.”
Xu Chuo: “In the Second Eastern District Hospital, I’ll have someone send you over.”
“Thanks, but no need, I’ll take a taxi myself.” Xiang Yiye turned around, and before he could get to the door, he was hugged from behind.
Xu Chuo stretched his right hand to his mouth and yanked off the mask he had just put on.
“Let go, what do you want to do.” Xiang Yiye removed Xu Chuo’s hand. Unexpectedly, his mouth and nose were covered with a square towel, inhaling some unknown substance and losing consciousness.
When he opened his eyes again, Xiang Yiye was lying on a large bed. He sat up, his ankle felt like it was locked in place, he looked down to see a thumb-thick iron chain, one end connected to the head of the bed.
He called Xu Chuo’s name, but there was no response. He realized that the surroundings looked a bit familiar. The interior decoration was similar to Xu Chuo’s mountain villa in Little Cang Mountain.
The chain was long, but the range of movement was limited to the bathroom; he couldn’t even leave the room.
He thought there was no one in the villa, but he didn’t know that Xu Chuo was downstairs in the study, holding a video conference while watching him through a surveillance screen.
Xu Chuo saw Xiang Yiye constantly trying to get out. He examined all possible exits and searched the room for various objects to use as tools, trying to pry or smash the chain.
But searching through the room was futile; the iron chain was too strong.
In the evening, Xu Chuo brought up two plates, ignoring the mess in the room, and placed them on the bedside table, saying, “I made some food myself. After being abroad for a few years, I can finally do more than just cook instant noodles.”
The plates contained golden-brown dragon fish, pan-fried with butter, sprinkled with parsley and lemon slices. The other plate had vegetable salad and toast.
Xiang Yiye sat on the edge of the bed, not even looking at it, and said, “Let me out.”
“You’ve been searching all afternoon, aren’t you hungry? Eat something first.” Xu Chuo said.
Xiang Yiye: “Answer me, what do you mean by locking me up here?”
“I regret it. I hope we can go back to the way we were.” Xu Chuo said.
“Using this method?” Xiang Yiye laughed in anger, the chain at his feet rattling. “This isn’t something you can decide with just a word. Wake up, you and I are over, it ended five years ago.”
“If it’s over, we can start again. I can keep you locked up until you change your mind.” Xu Chuo said.
Xiang Yiye was speechless for a moment, then said, “You’ve changed. You wouldn’t have used such forceful means to pressure someone before.”
“I wouldn’t have turned back for someone before either.” Xu Chuo said, “After meeting you, I’ve done many things that aren’t like me.”
“That’s your own reason.” Xiang Yiye said, “Xu Chuo, didn’t you ask me this morning why I didn’t ask you for help?”
“Because you hate me?”
“No. It’s not unwillingness, nor resentment, I just can’t remember that there is someone like you.” Xiang Yiye said, “Do you know what this means? All my thoughts, from conscious to subconscious, have already removed you from my life. No matter what you do, whether you pave the way for me or keep me locked up, I don’t want to have any more entanglement with you.”
Of all the words, this was the most hurtful. Xu Chuo could clearly see that, after so many years, he was the only one who had stayed in the same place.
“I’ve made myself very clear. If you let me out now, I’ll pretend nothing happened and won’t pursue your unlawful detention.” Xiang Yiye said.
“Then let’s make a deal.” Xu Chuo said, “You stay here for a few months, and when next spring comes, I’ll let you leave.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Not even a few months? Just think of these few months as a vacation. Before, at the hospital, the doctor said you needed to rest. Or just think of it as a change of scenery for work. I’ll talk to your manager and parents.” Xu Chuo said.
“I said I don’t want to! Do you think locking me up for a few months will make me change my mind?” Xiang Yiye said.
“Tao Muya will be discharged from the hospital in a few days, don’t you need my people to continue following her?” Xu Chuo said.
“Are you threatening me?” Xiang Yiye frowned.
“I don’t want to be like this either. Xiao Ye, stay with me here for a while, this has been my wish all along.” Xu Chuo brought the plate to his mouth, “Eat something.”
Xiang Yiye turned his head away in disgust.
In the days that followed, he and Xu Chuo were at a stalemate, and he kept trying to find a way out.
Xu Chuo didn’t mind his coldness, as if just being in the same space with him was enough to make him content.
Five days passed, and Xiang Yiye couldn’t take it anymore, deciding to change his approach.
He first figured out Xu Chuo’s daily routine. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, someone else would deliver lunch, indicating that Xu Chuo must be out at that time. At other times, he was either in his room or downstairs.
Then, Xiang Yiye gradually showed a softening attitude, responding to Xu Chuo’s words and even making requests of him.
“Give me my clothes, I want to wear clothes.” Xiang Yiye said. It was inconvenient to change clothes with his foot chained, so he had been changing between a few bathrobes these past few days.
“There’s no one else in the house, you don’t have to wear them.” Xu Chuo said.
“It’s cold without them.”
Xu Chuo turned up the air conditioning in the room a few degrees and also brought him a blanket.
“My legs are cold.”
Xu Chuo brought over a pair of knee pads, saying they were quite useful.
“My feet are cold.”
Xu Chuo brought socks and changed his slippers to thicker ones.
After all this effort, Xiang Yiye was sweating and said, “The chain is hurting my ankle, can you unlock it?”
Xu Chuo squatted down, saw that his ankle was chafed by the iron chain and was red, went out to get the key, came back to unlock it, and quickly locked his other foot.
Xiang Yiye: “?”
“Let’s switch back and forth.” Xu Chuo said, applying some ointment to his left ankle.
Xiang Yiye remained calm, feeling he had found a good opportunity, but who knew that when he woke up a few days later, he found the lock back on his right foot. Xu Chuo had switched it while he was sleeping, and he was furious.
Xu Chuo slept very little every day, almost cultivating immortality. Xiang Yiye couldn’t outlast him, but he didn’t want to give up either.
A few more days passed, and he paid attention, sensing that Xu Chuo had gotten out of bed in the middle of the night, gone out, and come back in.
Xiang Yiye heard the lock opening, immediately got up, grabbed Xu Chuo’s arm, pinned him down, and snatched the key from his hand.
Xu Chuo didn’t struggle much, only saying, “There are people watching downstairs, you won’t be able to get out.”
“How do I know if I don’t try.” Xiang Yiye locked him up and walked out of the room.
In another room, there was a large closet. He pulled open the closet door to find some clothes to wear, found a few pieces of Xu Chuo’s clothes, changed into them, and went downstairs.
But Xu Chuo was right, he couldn’t get out of this house. After a few bodyguards blocked him, they went up to unlock Xu Chuo.
Xiang Yiye returned to that room, seeing that he was about to be locked up again, he violently resisted and was restrained by the bodyguards again.
Xu Chuo grabbed his clothes, but was pushed away by him, and the bodyguards lunged forward.
“Be gentle, don’t hurt him.” Xu Chuo shouted, then said to a bodyguard, “Go to the kitchen and get a knife, then retreat to the door. No one is allowed to come in without my permission.”
Xiang Yiye watched Xu Chuo take the sharp, narrow knife from the bodyguard and approach him step by step.
Xu Chuo reversed direction, putting the knife handle into his palm, “Actually, there’s another way, Xiao Ye. You can use my life to threaten them, and make them let you go.”