Pei Yiyan had just finished his final medical examination when they prepared to head back. Unexpectedly, while he went to retrieve the car and had just driven it out, he spotted the Pei family’s vehicle parked nearby. Inside sat Pei Yiyan’s uncle.
Before he could react, Pei Yiyan was forcefully “escorted” into the car by two bodyguards.
Shen Yuqing felt his head buzzing. He asked, “Where are you now?”
Wu Yi replied, “I’m currently following their car.”
Fortunately, Wu Yi had seen which fork in the road they took. Realizing what had happened, he immediately started his car and followed, maintaining a moderate distance to track where they were taking Pei Yiyan.
Shen Yuqing responded with a calm “Got it. Keep following them. I’m on my way stay in touch.”
Hearing Shen Yuqing’s steady voice, Wu Yi finally felt reassured. “Understood, Young Master!”
After hanging up, Shen Yuqing immediately got out of bed and left.
Xiao Zhao asked in confusion, “Young Master, aren’t you resting anymore?”
Shen Yuqing replied, “Get the car ready. Pei Yiyan is in trouble.”
Xiao Zhao was startled and quickly set aside what he was doing. “Right away!”
Not long after Shen Yuqing got into the car, he received a message from Wu Yi, Pei Yiyan had been taken by the Pei family to the Pei Corporation headquarters.
He frowned. Why would they take him there?
Ever since Pei Yiyan’s uncle had caused a scene in his hospital room some time ago, the Pei family had left him alone. Shen Yuqing had heard some rumors that the Pei Corporation was undergoing a major restructuring at the executive level, keeping everyone extremely busy.
The uncle’s outburst in the hospital had essentially been over this matter.
But what did any of this have to do with Pei Yiyan? Shen Yuqing couldn’t understand.
By the time he arrived at the Pei Corporation, half an hour had passed. As soon as Shen Yuqing stepped out of the car, he saw Wu Yi pacing anxiously at the entrance. Spotting Shen Yuqing, Wu Yi hurried over. “Young Master, I couldn’t get inside.”
Shen Yuqing nodded. “I know.”
He walked forward, only to be stopped by security. “Do you have an appointment?”
“No,” Shen Yuqing said. “I’m Shen Yuqing. Call your boss and ask if I can enter.”
The security guard thought this person had quite the audacity, but given his demeanor, he worried he might actually be someone important. Just as he was about to ask the front desk to call the secretary’s office, a secretary came jogging over.
The secretary greeted, “Young Master Shen, what brings you here today?”
Shen Yuqing cut straight to the point. “I need to see Pei Yiyan.”
The secretary replied, “Young Master Pei is currently in a meeting. I’m afraid he can’t see you right now.”
“Then take me to the meeting room,” Shen Yuqing said. “Now.”
The secretary hesitated but ultimately led Shen Yuqing and his group to the floor where the meeting was being held.
The entire floor was eerily quiet. The secretary guided them to a waiting area. “Please have a seat. I’ll get you some water.”
Shen Yuqing acknowledged with a hum. Once the secretary left, he opened his communicator. Only now did it occur to him that he could have just called Pei Yiyan first.
Desperation really did make people act irrationally.
Wu Yi watched his actions and said, “Young Master, it’s no use. Young Master Pei Yi’s phone can’t be reached at all, the call was directly hung up.”
The fact that Pei Yiyan could see was known only to the two of them. To everyone else, he was still blind.
Moreover, since he had been “kidnapped,” it was even more impossible for him to hang up the call himself.
Shen Yuqing said, “Let me try first.”
He had a feeling his call would go through.
The communicator dialed the number, the ringing tone droning on. Shen Yuqing lowered his gaze, watching the countdown on the communicator. In the last three seconds, the call connected.
Wu Yi’s eyes widened slightly. Shen Yuqing said, “Pei Yiyan.”
There was silence on the other end. After a long pause, Pei Yiyan’s voice finally came through: “Mm.”
“I’m outside,” Shen Yuqing said. “Do you need me to come in?”
The communicator’s audio function was excellent. After he spoke, faint murmurs could be heard from the speaker.
“Why is this little demon here?”
“Shen Yuqing is here?”
“…”
But Pei Yiyan remained silent.
Shen Yuqing wasn’t in a hurry, patiently waiting until Pei Yiyan finally spoke again: “Come in.”
As soon as Pei Yiyan finished speaking, another furious voice erupted from the communicator.
“Pei Yiyan! What are you saying? This is a Pei family meeting how can an outsider be allowed to participate!”
Shen Yuqing wasn’t unfamiliar with this voice. It belonged to Pei Yiyan’s uncle.
Shen Yuqing paid no mind to the protests. Without hanging up, he stood and walked toward the closed meeting room door.
Just as he took his first step, Pei Yiyan’s calm, measured voice spoke again: “He is my fiancé. How is he an outsider?”
Shen Yuqing paused mid-step, genuinely surprised.
He hadn’t expected Pei Yiyan to say that.
He had assumed Pei Yiyan would remain silent. After all, silence was his default.
Shen Yuqing recalled the question marks in his data. It seemed their relationship had indeed improved significantly.
Lost in thought, he pushed the door open. The call had already ended, and the sounds from the meeting room reached his ears directly.
His gaze swept over the people seated inside before finally landing on Pei Yiyan. Behind him stood two men, seemingly there to restrain him.
Pei Yiyan turned his head slightly, their eyes meeting across the room. For a moment, Shen Yuqing felt dazed.
In that brief instant, it was as if he had been locked in the sights of a predator.
But the sensation vanished as quickly as it had come.
Regaining his composure, Shen Yuqing strode forward, saying, “Uncle, Uncle Pei, I hope my uninvited presence isn’t too much of a disturbance?”
His words were polite, but his steps never faltered.
He quickly reached Pei Yiyan’s side, his eyes flickering over the two men behind him. Sure enough, one of them was holding Pei Yiyan’s communicator.
Shen Yuqing smirked coldly. “No wonder my calls weren’t going through. So, someone took your communicator.”
The man glanced down at the device in his hand, then looked toward the head of the table Pei Feng, Pei Yiyan’s uncle and the chairman of the Pei family.
Pei Feng frowned, giving a subtle nod.
Only then did the man dare to place the hot potato back on the meeting table.
Shen Yuqing pulled out the chair beside Pei Yiyan, picked up the neural interface device, and lowered his eyes to fasten it for him before asking, “Are you hurt?”
“No,” Pei Yiyan replied. “What are you doing here?”
“Wu Yi said you were kidnapped, so I came,” Shen Yuqing said, securing the clasp. “There, it’s on.”
Pei Yiyan glanced at the device on his wrist, pressing his lips together slightly before saying, “Continue.”
The people in today’s meeting either held significant shares in the Pei Corporation or were members of the Pei family. Pei’s uncle looked at Shen Yuqing, about to say something, but a glare from Pei Feng forced him to swallow his words.
Pei Feng said, “Everything that needed to be said has already been said. Now, it’s up to your decision.”
Pei Yiyan responded, “All I can promise is that I won’t sell my shares anytime soon not to any of you, nor to anyone else.”
Pei Feng retorted, “Even if you hold onto yours, other shareholders might sell. The other party already controls half of Pei Corporation’s shares. Do you really want to stand by and watch the Pei family lose ownership?”
Shen Yuqing raised an eyebrow slightly. The Pei family losing control?
He turned to look at Pei Yiyan, whose expression remained unreadable despite Pei Feng’s words. “What does that have to do with me?”
He didn’t participate in corporate decisions or projects. As long as the company kept running, he received a hefty monthly income. Whether the Pei Corporation belonged to the Peis or the Zhangs, Wangs, Lis, or Suns made no difference to him.
In fact, if someone offered him a satisfactory price, he might even sell.
Besides, he had everything he needed in life except for his imperfect health, there was nothing else to complain about.
Pei Feng said, “Yiyan, don’t speak in anger. This is the time for the whole family to unite. We rise and fall together surely you understand that?”
From their exchange, Shen Yuqing gradually pieced together the situation.
Someone was aggressively buying up Pei Corporation’s shares, and the speed of acquisition had already begun threatening Pei Feng and the others’ positions.
As the largest shareholder, Pei Feng couldn’t stop the other party from buying at high prices. So, today’s meeting was essentially the same as the one with Pei’s uncle an attempt to pressure Pei Yiyan into handing over his shares.
Pei Yiyan said coldly, “Family? Rising and falling together? Chairman Pei, I suppose it’s only now that you remember I’m also a Pei.”
Pei Feng’s expression darkened. Pei Yiyan continued slowly, “I’ve made my stance clear. Next time, don’t drag me here without reason, lest—”
He paused, hesitating over whether to finish the sentence.
At that moment, Shen Yuqing suddenly understood what Pei Yiyan wanted to say.
He picked up the words for him: “—lest I worry.”
Pei Yiyan’s gaze flickered toward him. Shen Yuqing stood and said, “I’ll let today’s incident slide, but if you want to see Pei Yiyan again, call for an appointment first.”
He reached for Pei Yiyan’s wrist to pull him up, but when his fingers brushed against the skin, he hesitated, then slid down to loosely grasp Pei Yiyan’s fingers instead.
The next second, Pei Yiyan tightened his grip, holding Shen Yuqing’s hand firmly.
