Pei Yiyan returned just before dinner.
Shen Yuqing glanced at his head. “How do you feel after the acupuncture?”
Pei Yiyan replied, “It helped a little.”
Shen Yuqing understood it helped, but not much.
He hummed in acknowledgment. “Some effect is better than none.”
Pei Yiyan looked at his face but didn’t speak.
Xiao Zhao brought the soup to the table. “Young Master, Young Master Pei, dinner is ready.”
Shen Yuqing got up from the sofa. “Let’s go eat.”
True to Shen Yuqing’s request, Xiao Zhao had added a generous amount of chili to one of the dishes. Shen Yuqing’s lips turned red from the spice, but he couldn’t stop eating. When it got too much, he stuck out his tongue, fanning it with his hand, and gulped down several mouthfuls of water.
He asked Xiao Zhao, “How much did you put in? It’s so spicy!”
Xiao Zhao looked puzzled. “Didn’t you point at a bowl of chilies and say to add more? I thought you meant all of them.”
Shen Yuqing thought about it he really had pointed at them.
He nodded. “That’s what I meant. But what kind of chili is this? It’s way spicier than usual.”
Xiao Zhao answered, “Ghost peppers. They’re much hotter than regular chilies.”
Seeing Shen Yuqing’s eyes watering from the heat, he added, “Young Master, maybe you should stop. I’ll make another batch tomorrow.”
They were out of ingredients for the day.
But Shen Yuqing waved him off. “No, I want to eat it. It’s delicious.”
Pei Yiyan watched as Shen Yuqing stuck out a small, reddened tongue, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly. For some reason, he felt a sudden warmth.
Shen Yuqing’s skin was naturally fair, and his lips were usually pale. Now, flushed red from the chilies, they looked strikingly vivid.
Pei Yiyan froze for a moment before lowering his head. What had he just been thinking?
How could he have such thoughts!
Shen Yuqing had no idea Pei Yiyan had been watching him. The spicier it got, the more addicted he became, unable to stop himself.
Luckily, the chili only burned his mouth without upsetting his stomach. Seeing how much he was enjoying it, Xiao Zhao didn’t suggest taking the dish away.
After dinner, Wu Yi left. Shen Yuqing lay on the sofa with Lucky curled up on his stomach, both watching the news on TV.
Pei Yiyan sat on the other side. The news was still covering the Song Group’s bridge construction project, which had been in the works for days. Today’s update mentioned it was in the final negotiation stage.
Shen Yuqing glanced at the TV, then at Pei Yiyan.
He asked, “Pei Yiyan, do you think this will work out?”
Pei Yiyan turned to him, surprised by the question, but answered, “Eighty percent chance.”
Eighty percent?
Shen Yuqing frowned. “Isn’t that area really dangerous? They’ve promised to finish it within a few years. How much will the Song family have to invest?”
Pei Yiyan said, “Even if it costs two-thirds of the Song Group, they’ll build this bridge.”
Shen Yuqing sat up. “Why?”
Was the bridge that important?
Pei Yiyan explained, “The Song family’s business hasn’t been doing well these past two years. Their foundation is solid, but they can’t withstand the siege from other companies.”
A siege? That serious?
Pei Yiyan noticed the surprise on his face and, after a moment’s thought, continued, “The Song family’s current business ventures are exactly what many companies want a piece of. But with the Song family standing like a massive monument in the middle of the road, unless they fall, others can only lick up the scraps they leave behind.”
Truth be told, those scraps were enough for many, but human greed knows no bounds. Who wouldn’t want more?
Thus, the Song family became their primary target. The current head of the Song family ruled with an iron fist. Had he been slightly more accommodating, others wouldn’t have been so discontent.
But as the saying goes, human hearts are greedy. No one willingly gives up their interests.
If he refused to yield, then they would have to force him to.
So the Song family also had to find ways to solidify their position further.
That’s why they set their sights on the bridge.
Shen Yuqing grew even more puzzled, “But isn’t it said to be incredibly difficult to build? Countless attempts have failed before.”
“That’s due to the terrain, not the Song family’s capabilities,” Pei Yiyan replied. “In truth, everyone knows there’s only a ten percent chance of this bridge being successfully constructed. Even if the Song family fails, people will simply blame the challenges posed by Moghai. The Song family can then steer public opinion, and their image in the eyes of the masses will be transformed.”
Shen Yuqing understood now.
The Song family never intended to actually build the bridge they wanted to spend a fortune crafting a noble reputation. Though the cost was high, it was worth every penny. Instead of annual publicity expenses, they opted for one grand gesture.
Bridge construction was a massive undertaking. All of Silino now knew about the Song family’s plans. Their stock prices had risen significantly in recent days.
You could probably stop anyone on the street, and they’d recognize the Song Corporation the one building the bridge. Brilliant.
Yet Shen Yuqing foresaw the coming backlash. Things wouldn’t be so simple later on.
But that was a concern for the future. He’d need to stay vigilant.
Having pieced it together, Shen Yuqing looked at Pei Yiyan and said, “I didn’t realize you were so knowledgeable about these matters.”
Pei Yiyan gave a noncommittal hum. “Observation leads to understanding.”
Shen Yuqing pressed, “If it were you, would you build this bridge?”
Pei Yiyan shook his head. “No.”
“Why not?”
“The safety margins are too slim,” Pei Yiyan explained. “While the initial benefits might be tempting, Moghai’s dangers aren’t exaggerated. Countless drown there yearly, most bodies never recovered. Building a bridge would require scores of workers. If something went wrong.”
Human lives would become an insurmountable weight.
No matter where you were, this was everyone’s greatest concern.
Implementing safety measures at Moghai would be nearly impossible. Most workers value their lives recruiting a team might fail before work even began.
If this project were truly feasible, the government would have done it long ago. The Song family wouldn’t have had the chance.
After speaking, Pei Yiyan noticed Shen Yuqing’s prolonged silence. He turned, asking, “Why so quiet all of a sudden?”
Shen Yuqing replied, “Nothing. I was just thinking if the Pei Corporation were in your hands now, things would probably be different.”
The turmoil among the Pei Group’s top executives continues to this day. The person who hasn’t shown their face has already swallowed a significant portion of Pei’s shares and has now become the second most influential voice in the company.
Pei Yiyan pursed his lips slightly and said, “There’s nothing to think about.”
However, Shen Yuqing suddenly changed the subject: “Speaking of which, what have you been busy with lately? Xiao Zhao asked me this afternoon, and I said you went for acupuncture.”
Pei Yiyan’s gaze rested on Shen Yuqing’s face as Shen Yuqing continued, “But I thought about it—acupuncture doesn’t seem to take that much time, does it?”
He stroked the cat Good Luck and asked, “So, what have you been up to?”
Pei Yiyan looked at him for a few seconds before replying, “Working.”
“Working?” Shen Yuqing raised an eyebrow slightly. “What kind of work out of the blue?”
Pei Yiyan answered bluntly, “I started a small company. Been busy with that recently.”
Shen Yuqing was taken aback. He hadn’t expected Pei Yiyan to admit it so frankly he’d assumed the earlier silence was Pei Yiyan thinking of how to lie.
He opened his mouth. “Huh?”
Pei Yiyan gave an affirmative hum. “It’s exactly what you’re thinking.”
Wait, what exactly was he thinking?
