Chapter 90

Chapter 90: Is She Next? (Revised) Fu Yuanzhou. Jiang Yi's illegitimate son. Jiang Shixu's eyes were as dark as ink. "He's in Country A, but his reach is long." Lu Ze stood nearby, restless and uneasy, not daring to breathe too loudly. Jiang Shixu said coldly, "Since he's made his move, there's no need for me to be courteous with him. I heard he recently landed a major project in Country A?" Lu Ze replied, "Yes, he just secured it not long ago. In recent years, Fu Yuanzhou has not only expanded his influence in Country A, but has also gained supporters in several small neighboring countries and established dedicated bases..." "Ha." Jiang Shixu curled his lips. "Send him a welcome gift—that project must not proceed." Lu Ze acknowledged, "Yes." Jiang Shixu asked again, "Was it also Fu Yuanzhou's people who killed Chen Jingsu this time?" "Yes." Lu Ze's expression was grave. "It seems that once Chen Jingsu lost her usefulness, he silenced her." Jiang Shixu narrowed his eyes, a piercing chill spilling forth in an instant. "That's consistent with his usual modus operandi." Disdain for the law, killing without mercy, utterly devoid of humanity. Jiang Shixu's expression turned stern. "Since he's so idle, let's give him something to do. Contact Shen Yan in Country A and have him assist in dealing with Fu Yuanzhou. We must secure that project and prevent Fu Yuanzhou from seeing it through." "Yes!" ... Country A, Fu Yuanzhou's private villa. The phone on the bedside table rang for a long time. After it automatically disconnected, it immediately rang again, like a death knell. "Brother Zhou... your phone has been ringing for a while... aren't you going to answer it?" A woman asked breathlessly. Fu Yuanzhou didn't respond. A pair of flirtatious peach-blossom eyes held a smile, fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He was naturally handsome with a hint of allure, and the look of desire added to his charm. The woman's breath caught as she sank into his gaze, indulging herself completely. ... Xu Jingxuan called many times but no one answered. Her heart grew colder and colder. As time ticked by, her anxiety and unease intensified. "Miss, has Young Master Fu still not answered?" Her personal bodyguard asked. Xu Jingxuan's face was deathly pale. She said in a trembling voice, "He might be giving up on me. I'm nothing but a discarded pawn now..." Two days before the engagement ceremony, Fu Yuanzhou's subordinate in China, Sun Licheng, had approached her and asked her to assist Chen Jingsu in causing a scene at the engagement ceremony. She had wanted to use Chen Jingsu to get rid of Ruan Chutang, but things went awry and Jiang Shixu was injured instead. Fortunately, Fu Yuanzhou's power was formidable, and his subordinate Sun Licheng stationed in China was clever—the Jiang family hadn't traced the engagement ceremony incident back to them. She had thought the matter was over, but who knew the Jiang family would find Chen Jingsu? Chen Jingsu being silenced was definitely Fu Yuanzhou's order. So was she next? Would she be silenced by Fu Yuanzhou first, or exposed by the Jiang family first? ... Country A. Fu Yuanzhou had just finished indulging himself and was now leaning against the headboard with a satisfied expression, smoking an after-sex cigarette. The woman lay naked in his arms, her slender, fair hand roaming over his wheat-colored chest muscles. "Brother Zhou, which little lover of yours was calling just now? I thought you'd forgotten about her now that you have me, but I didn't expect you to call back." Emboldened by having just pleased Fu Yuanzhou thoroughly, the woman began to act coquettish and jealous. Fu Yuanzhou took a drag of his cigarette and blew out a smoke ring with satisfaction. As the white mist swirled, his features appeared and disappeared within it. He curled his lips, reached out to lift the woman's chin, and gazed deeply into her eyes with those peach-blossom eyes that could make even a dog look like the object of affection, smiling with rakish abandon. "What little lover could serve you as well as you do? She's just a pawn. She's still of some use, so I'll fish her out for now. Once she loses her value, she won't even be as good as your Beibei." The woman's name was Jiang Xinya, one of Fu Yuanzhou's lovers. Beibei was her dog, a snow-white Samoyed. Hearing Fu Yuanzhou explain himself to her, Jiang Xinya curved her red lips, a hint of sweetness spreading through her heart as if soaked in honey. She said coquettishly, "Brother Zhou, how can you talk about a girl like that?" Jiang Xinya was all charm when she acted spoiled, her seductive eyes like silk threads, irresistibly alluring. Fu Yuanzhou smiled, lifted Jiang Xinya's chin, and lowered his head to kiss her. His desires were strong—though he had just released himself moments ago, being teased by Jiang Xinya had stirred him again. The two tangled wildly in indulgence, the decadent air of the room lingering for a long time. ... After finishing her phone call with Fu Yuanzhou, Xu Jingxuan finally let out a sigh of relief. It seemed she still had value to Fu Yuanzhou. Since Fu Yuanzhou had personally said the Chen Jingsu matter wouldn't implicate her, he must be fully confident that the Jiang family wouldn't trace it back to her this time. At least she could sleep well now. ... The Jiang family study. Jiang Shixu reported everything Fu Yuanzhou had done to the Jiang family patriarch and his father, Jiang Yi, in full detail. Jiang Yi's face darkened. On the desk sat a laptop, its screen showing Elder Jiang's livid face. Elder Jiang was on a video call with Jiang Yi, his voice heavy with authority. "A-Yi, I told you from the start that bastard son should never have been kept. You shouldn't have been soft-hearted. Having Shi Xu as the sole heir of the Jiang Family is more than enough." Jiang Yi felt both guilty and regretful, his expression turning ugly. "Father, this was my mistake. I shouldn't have been so weak-willed. At the time, I was thinking that he carried the blood of the Jiang Family..." Elder Jiang's face flushed with rage as he barked, "It's precisely because of that single moment of misplaced compassion that we now face this disaster! Look at what he's done—killing without mercy, treating human life like grass! That's three lives lost!" Jiang Shixu stood quietly to the side, saying nothing. Jiang Yi kept his head lowered, listening to the elder's reprimand, not daring to talk back or contradict a single word. "You're right." He bowed his head even lower, enduring the elder's scolding. The elder was truly furious this time, unleashing a torrent of anger before the computer screen. He held a high-ranking position in the capital and would need approval from above to leave, so he couldn't return anytime soon. All he could do was discipline this disappointing son through a video call. After scolding for quite a while, the elder finally calmed down. He spoke in a deep voice, "Let Shi Xu take the call." "Yes." Jiang Yi turned the computer toward Jiang Shixu, who stood nearby. "Grandfather." Jiang Shixu addressed him with respect. The elder lifted his eyelids to glance at Jiang Shixu, his expression grave. "What do you plan to do next?" Jiang Shixu replied, "Fu Yuanzhou recently secured a major project. I plan to make things difficult for him. He's poured a great deal of time and effort into this project—if it falls apart, it'll cost him half his life." "Mm." The elder gave a low grunt of acknowledgment. "Teach him a lesson so he knows the Jiang Family is not a place where he can run rampant." "But..." The elder's expression turned serious, his tone earnest. "Judging by his methods, he's a complete madman through and through. Since you've begun this fight with him, you must be fully prepared." Jiang Shixu lowered his eyes, his tone betraying neither pleasure nor anger. "I know. It was only because I was caught off guard that he got the better of me." The elder gave a slight nod. "You've always been reliable in your dealings—far more so than your father." He glanced at Jiang Yi, who stood with his head bowed to the side, his gaze displeased. Jiang Yi didn't dare utter a single word in protest. A moment later. The elder said to Jiang Shixu, "Shi Xu, you're not getting any younger. It's time for you to take over the Jiang Family. I know that with your limited authority before, many matters were inconvenient to investigate and to act upon. Now that this has happened, entrusting the family's power and legacy to your hands will also help you deal with Fu Yuanzhou. I hear he's been doing quite well abroad in recent years—his influence is not to be underestimated. Don't take him lightly." Jiang Shixu replied calmly, "Mm, Grandfather, rest assured. I know what needs to be done." The elder nodded. "I've always trusted your judgment—except for that one time you acted impulsively and took a knife for Tang."