Although They're Mentally ill, They're Extremely Easy to Comfort - Chapter 66

Qiao Bo’er turned and looked indifferently at the newcomer. It was Zanda, and with his extraordinary abilities, it was not unexpected that he could easily find this place.

Zanda agilely climbed along the edge of the shipping container, and in just a few moves, he was close to Li Song’en.

He had a neat, buzz cut, and his sturdy, rock-like figure stood towering. Compared to him, Li Song’en looked dwarfed.

“So, it’s an old acquaintance,” Zanda flashed a sinister grin, giving off a visual impression of a monstrous, fierce face. “You dare to lay hands on Miss Bo’er? Are you not afraid of death?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Zanda easily clamped Li Song’en with one hand, like gripping a chicken’s neck, with enough strength to lift the man before him.

Li Song’en pounded Zanda’s arm, but it had no effect. He deviously pulled out a stun gun, attempting a sneak attack. Zanda sneered contemptuously, then threw a punch, sending the stun gun flying.

Failing to succeed, Li Song’en could only look sideways at Qiao Bo’er, barely managing to let out a threatening hiss: “If… I die… you… won’t… find… Ling Xi.”

Ling Xi always managed to stir a ripple in Qiao Bo’er’s eyes. She commanded calmly, “Let him go first.”

Hearing this, Zanda threw the entire Li Song’en onto the ground, stepped on his thigh, and ground down hard. “Where is she?”

“I can’t tell you now, unless… ah…” Zanda ground his foot down with all his might again, and Li Song’en let out a painful scream.

“Unless what?” Zanda bent down and grabbed Li Song’en’s head with one hand. If he wanted to, this fragile bone could be crushed like a potato chip.

However, the person who answered was Qiao Bo’er, who had already seen through Qiao Di’s intention: “Unless I return to Florence with you tonight, correct?”

“Miss Pearl is clever, as always.” Li Song’en’s face was pale, and he smiled arrogantly through veiled eyes: “Even if you do something to me, countless others like me will appear, endlessly. No one will ever have peace.”

‘Endlessly’ indeed. Li Song’en’s words were exactly what Qiao Bo’er was concerned about.

“Miss Bo’er, this is not appropriate!” Zanda strongly objected. Qiao Bo’er raised her hand to stop him from speaking: “You cannot solve the trouble Qiao Di brings to me forever. Unless he is eliminated, he will always be a threat. I should indeed go back and face him.”

With that, Qiao Bo’er looked at Li Song’en, promising and demanding: “I can go with you, but I must bring my own people. Zanda must come with me.”

“Miss Pearl, you’re making things difficult for me,” Li Song’en hissed in opposition. Qiao Bo’er was firm: “My agreement to go with you is already the biggest concession I can make. You have no choice… Now, take me to see Ling Xi first.”

Li Song’en looked at Zanda, who remained unmoved. Qiao Bo’er knew he was worried she would go back on her word, so she promised again: “To be honest, even if you hadn’t pulled this stunt, I was planning to return to Florence. Now, I’m just moving up the schedule. After I see Ling Xi tonight, the three of us will leave immediately. Are you satisfied?”

“Fine, I’ll tentatively believe you.” Li Song’en understood that the situation was already one-sided. He could only rise, half-skeptical, and lead the way.

As they walked to the container where Ling Xi was being held, Zanda grabbed Li Song’en, keeping a wary eye: “You can’t go in. That’s fair.”

Li Song’en shook off Zanda’s arm, cold and stubborn: “I can stay out, but you can’t lay a finger on her.”

Qiao Bo’er stood in front of the door and looked at Zanda: “Inform Chu Xi and Qu Ye that Qin Yun will temporarily take over the company’s affairs. Also… have Chu Xi contact Attorney An to prepare my living will documents.”

When he heard the word “living will,” Zanda understood that the moment of no return had finally arrived. He sighed quietly: “Understood. I’ll call immediately.”

…

Ji Nancen repeatedly looked at the photos of the whiteboard, trying to find important clues within. Finally, she saw a string of distorted addresses beneath one of the photos. Because the handwriting was difficult to decipher, she puzzled over it for a long time.

Qu Ye, who was driving, kept urging her: “Did you find it?”

Even Ji Nancen, the smiling tiger, was stumped: “I’m still looking. This guy’s writing is too difficult to make out. Give me some more time.”

“Hurry, hurry…”

“17… what was 17… Xiang [box/container], is this the character xiang? 17… Xiang…” A moment of realization struck, and Ji Nancen exclaimed, pointing to the intersection ahead: “Turn around! Quick, turn around at the next intersection! Pier 17 Container Yard… Yes, yes, that must be it!”

Just as the two were celebrating finding their destination, Zanda’s call shattered the brief moment of relief.

“Hello, Zanda… Boss, she…” Qu Ye’s words were choked. The smile that had just surfaced vanished. He slammed on the brakes, stopping right in the middle of the road, and hysterically banged the steering wheel: “She can’t go! Stop her! Zanda, you can’t handle it alone! You can’t take on Qiao Di alone!”

“This is Miss Bo’er’s wish. Please respect it.”

“She can’t go! If she goes, she won’t be able to come back!”

“Leave it to me.”

“I’ll leave as soon as possible. See you in Florence!” Qu Ye hung up and smashed his phone. He stared angrily at the endless road, his teeth grinding.

Ji Nancen had never seen Qu Ye so angry. Knowing that things had escalated beyond control, she unbuckled her seatbelt, preparing to get out of the car: “Looks like there’s nothing left for me to do.”

Qu Ye grabbed her arm, his eyes blazing with murderous intent: “Come with me.”

“I need a raise,” Ji Nancen remained the picture of avarice.

Qu Ye needed people, he needed trained experts like himself and Zanda. Ji Nancen was highly capable and the best possible candidate.

He grabbed Ji Nancen’s collar and barked: “Money, money, money! Do you have to measure everything by money?”

Ji Nancen’s inherent cold-bloodedness erupted at this moment. She smiled and pushed Qu Ye’s hand away: “Since this is a life-risking job, only money can solve the problem. Otherwise, what do I get out of it? The trouble of being sick of living?”

“Fine, money is not an issue, but you have to come with me.”

Ji Nancen greedily looked at the bag of money in the back seat and pointed: “Consider this the deposit. Anyway, the money comes from the source. What do you say?”

“Agreed.”

“One and a half million more afterward, and I guarantee you’ll be satisfied with the service. Don’t think I’m overcharging. I can understand your conversation with Zanda; this mission is very dangerous.”

“As long as you can help us, Miss Bo’er will never mistreat you.”

“That works, happy cooperation… So, what should I do now?”

“You don’t need to prepare anything. Just come with me.”

The noisy phone rang and rang until Qin Yun groggily answered the phone for Chu Xi.

When she heard Zanda’s voice, all sleepiness vanished. Her heart tightened, and she deliberately lowered her voice to confirm: “What did you say?”

Chu Xi was sitting up, leaning against Qin Yun’s waist. The conversation coming through the receiver felt like a sharp dagger thrust into her heart. She flipped out of bed directly: “Where are they? I’ll be right there.”

The call was disconnected. Qin Yun tried hard to stay calm, and just in time, she called out to the distraught Chu Xi: “Calm down first. Don’t lose your composure.”

Chu Xi held her forehead, trying to snatch the phone back from Qin Yun’s hand: “No! She can’t go back! Why didn’t Zanda stop her? He could have convinced the boss… No… I have to go see Miss Bo’er.”

“Calm down!” Qin Yun’s shout finally subdued the panicked Chu Xi: “This is Bo’er’s intention. Who can change it?”

“Did something happen to Ling Xi? Otherwise, it wouldn’t have come to this!” Chu Xi’s cracked voice trembled as she questioned. The fear had finally materialized.

“Lin Fangwan and Ling Xi were kidnapped. Qiao Di played the two-for-one card. You know that Bo’er is willing to do anything for Ling Xi. The only good news is that Zanda will go back to Florence with her.”

“No matter how capable Zanda is, he’s no match for Qiao Di. This is no different from walking into a death trap.” Chu Xi’s eyes were red with anxiety. She tried to regulate her emotions. That one word, “death trap,” made Qin Yun lower her gaze: “Zanda asked me to tell you…”

Qin Yun choked up, unable to speak for a long time. Chu Xi realized what she was about to say and shook her head repeatedly, refusing to accept it: “I don’t want to hear it.”

“Contact Attorney An as soon as possible. It’s time to prepare the documents Bo’er drafted.”

“Why did it come to this… Why… It must be because we didn’t do a good enough job, because we failed to protect her properly.”

Chu Xi was frantic with self-blame. Qin Yun’s brow furrowed, unable to cope with the situation. She handed Chu Xi’s phone over, her voice only a whisper: “Go. Go call An Rao.”

That night, the world felt like it was crumbling. No one slept peacefully. The fear brought by Qiao Di enveloped everyone’s world.

…

In the empty shipping container, only the bare lightbulb flickered with a faint, ghostly white light. The beam fell on Ling Xi. She heard the sound of high heels and weakly lifted her heavy head.

Ling Xi was bound with her hands behind her back. She was muttering to herself with her head down, a strange state of non-rational consciousness.

Li Song’en’s stun gun was like a key to a broken lock, reshuffling the returning, yet unclear, memories.

Ling Xi’s mind projected the “scoundrel” who was never supposed to appear again, the broken handheld mirror, Qiao Bo’er’s forceful, humiliating kiss in front of her, and the slap that caused a sensation.

When the forgotten fragments of the past were magnified, Ling Xi’s feeling towards these memories was numb, even blurry.

But for some reason, the moments of bickering and arguing with Qiao Bo’er became infinitely precious at this moment, flashing back like a carousel.

The person weeping uncontrollably was indistinguishable—was it Ling Xi or the scoundrel? But her mouth was constantly muttering interesting conversations:

“I want to dedicate a song to her… I want to dedicate You Won’t Have a Good Ending… I wish her a not-so-good tomorrow…”

“That line is in Zhongshan Seal script: ‘Spring days are not near, but there is a time for reunion.'”

“Qiao Bo’er, let me out! You are breaking the law!”

“Qiao Bo’er, are you going to treat me to something delicious?”

As these familiar conversations poured into Qiao Bo’er’s ears, her lips trembled. She quickly walked to Ling Xi’s side and stroked her face: “Don’t be afraid. There will be no more danger. No more.”

Ling Xi raised her head. Her eyes were vacant, like a computer suddenly infected with a virus, its program in disorder: “Don’t come over! The Buddha does not save the mad!”

But in the next instant, she sighed and shook her head, pleading pitifully: “Why do you have to bully me?”

“Ling Xi, what’s wrong? Don’t scare me!”

“Eh? Qiao Bo’er?” Ling Xi swayed her tightly bound body from side to side and immediately shouted: “Hurry up and untie me!”

In the blink of an eye, Ling Xi quieted down again, her head twitching as she cried: “Don’t electrocute me. I’m scared… Electrotherapy is so scary… Don’t electrocute me…”

Qiao Bo’er was shocked by Ling Xi’s state. She held her lover’s head, wanting to comfort her, but found it useless.

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