Becoming the Caged Canary of a Forced Love - Chapter 26

A massive object plummeted from the second floor, landing right in the center of the banquet hall.

The hall fell into an instant, dead silence. The crowd scattered like a school of startled fish, and several faint-hearted ladies buried their faces in their partners’ chests.

Xiao Yuan had arrived late today because he was picking up his “cheap” old man, who had suddenly returned to the country. As soon as he walked through the door, his sharp eyes spotted Pei Jichuan, who seemed to be searching for something. He stepped forward quickly, but before he could speak, he was jolted by the object falling from the second floor.

“AAAGH!”

Qian Minghui hadn’t lost consciousness from the fall. His leg was likely broken, splayed out on the floor in a distorted, sickening angle. His screams echoed throughout the silent hall. The crowd’s gaze shifted upward, landing on another figure standing by the railing.

Gu Nian took two steps closer, resting his hands on the railing as he looked down at Qian Minghui. A layer of disdain floated in the depths of his eyes, as if he were looking at a pile of irrelevant trash. As his gaze swept over the scene, his lips curled into a faint, ghost-like sneer.

Small whispers rippled through the crowd as some people recognized his identity.

Gu Nian noticed a familiar figure standing by the main doors at the edge of the crowd. He covertly sent a look toward the man before looking away.

The moment Xiao Tingbai caught Gu Nian’s gaze, he confirmed the other man’s identity. He lowered his head to hide the change in his expression, though his clouded gaze soon shifted toward Pei Jichuan.

Xiao Yuan’s eyes widened to an exaggerated degree. He reached out with a trembling elbow and poked Pei Jichuan’s side.

“Has he always been like this? Have I ever offended him? Jichuan… I don’t feel sorry for him anymore. I feel a little sorry for you.”

Xiao Yuan’s shock was no less than seeing a gentle, obedient little bunny suddenly transform into Godzilla.

Pei Jichuan returned a calm look, signaling that he was handling it just fine. Having lived together for years, he knew that Lin Nuo would lash out when pushed too far. Ever since the “ashtray incident” that left Pei Jichuan with a concussion, movable decorative items were no longer allowed in the house.

“My son! Who did this?! Who did this?!”

Qian Jiang “rolled” out from the crowd, his obese frame moving with visible difficulty. Out of all his mistresses, only one had given him this sole heir; he naturally pampered the boy like the apple of his eye.

Qian Jiang threw himself beside Qian Minghui, shaking with rage. He looked up with a hateful glare. The moment his eyes landed on Gu Nian, he began to question him loudly.

“Was it you who pushed my son down? You little brat! I’m going to kill you!”

Qian Jiang’s eyes were bloodshot as he glared at Gu Nian.

Pei Jichuan’s brows furrowed tightly. Qian Jiang’s words had enraged him; no one had ever dared to say such things in his presence.

“President Qian is quite the formidable man. What exactly do you plan to do to my wife?”

No matter how furious he was, Qian Jiang still possessed some sanity. He couldn’t afford to offend the Pei family, but his son had been injured to this extent.

“Wife? President Pei… he is your wife?” Qian Jiang’s breathing was rapid, his face twisted in a grimace.

“Yes.” Pei Jichuan’s voice was as cold as ice, but the determination in his tone sent the hall into an uproar.

No one expected Pei Jichuan to marry an ordinary man as his wife. But no matter how shocked they were, they only dared to discuss it in hushed tones. If they ended up on Pei Jichuan’s bad side, their families would be finished.

“Your wife has injured my son so severely; shouldn’t you give me a reasonable explanation!” Even so, Qian Jiang could hardly hide his fury, though he no longer dared to use such harsh words.

“President Pei, this is my father’s birthday banquet after all. It seems inappropriate for you and your wife to act this way,” Father He said, suddenly appearing from somewhere in the crowd. He narrowed his eyes, clearly thinking he had caught Pei Jichuan in a compromising position.

Wealthy families might look like a solid, united front from the outside, but in reality, they were a pile of loose sand, ready to stab each other in the back at any moment.

Pei Jichuan’s sharp eyes met Father He’s. Their gazes collided, the air thick with the scent of gunpowder.

Wrrr—

A sharp, piercing screech rang out—the sound of the stage microphone. The microphone was currently gripped in Gu Nian’s hand.

The crowd’s attention shifted back to Gu Nian. He had swiped the microphone from the table when he was following the attendant upstairs. Fortunately, this brand of microphone was compact, and his loose sleeves had hidden it well until now.

Gu Nian turned on a recording, playing back the words Qian Minghui had said earlier.

[What Pei family? My dad said that once he gets me into the Pei Group, he’ll swallow it whole. When that happens, even that Pei CEO will have to kneel and lick the soles of my shoes…]

The banquet hall fell into an instantaneous, pin-drop silence. Gasps of indrawn breath followed one after another.

Everyone knew the extent of the Pei family’s power in Country Z. How Pei Jichuan rose to the top was no secret among these elites. To this day, no one had dared to oppose him—but this Wanjin Qian family… they were certainly bold.

Father He awkwardly withdrew his gaze. He cleared his throat and addressed Gu Nian on the second floor. “Even if he spoke wildly, you shouldn’t have injured him like this.”

Gu Nian leaned lazily against the railing. He turned off the looping recording and brought the microphone to his lips.

“Does Mr. He mean that I am not allowed to resist when he makes unwanted advances toward me?”

Gu Nian spoke with a touch of malice. Father He was stepping on Pei Jichuan far too obviously; Gu Nian even suspected the man had a hand in the initial setup.

Hearing this, Pei Jichuan’s cold, pond-like eyes narrowed slightly. His frigid gaze pierced straight through Qian Minghui lying on the floor. Qian Jiang panicked and scrambled to shield his son.

“Pre—President Pei, a misunderstanding! It must be a misunderstanding!” Qian Jiang stammered, trembling.

“Look, he squeezed my arm until it bruised.”

Gu Nian had come downstairs at some point and was now standing right behind Qian Jiang. Qian Jiang jumped in fright. He spun around to see Gu Nian standing there with a face full of grievance.

His peerless beauty no longer held any attraction; Qian Jiang only felt his scalp go numb.

Pei Jichuan stepped forward and saw Gu Nian’s arm, where a purplish bruise marked the center of his skin. He thinned his lips, his voice suppressing a deep rage.

“President Qian, I hope you carefully consider how you handle today’s events. The Pei family will compensate you for every cent of your son’s injuries. However, I will remember your son’s actions. The Pei Group… is waiting for Wanjin to ‘swallow’ us.” Pei Jichuan emphasized those last words heavily.

Then, Pei Jichuan turned to Father He, appearing quite polite.

“President He, I apologize for disrupting Elder He’s birthday banquet. Compensation will be delivered to Elder He tomorrow. Please inform your wife that the suburban partnership… is off.”

After nodding his head, he led Gu Nian toward the exit.

“Wait, Nephew…” Father He panicked. If the suburban partnership fell through, his wife would kill him. He reached out a hand in a futile attempt to make him stay.

President Qian looked at his son, who was writhing in pain on the floor, and slumped down powerlessly. He could already see the future of Wanjin Group.

Gu Nian gripped Pei Jichuan’s hand and followed him out. As they passed Xiao Tingbai, Gu Nian’s fingers twitched, and his other hand made a subtle gesture. Xiao Tingbai received the signal and gave a microscopic nod.

I need to find a reason to visit the Pei house in a few days.

Xiao Tingbai withdrew his gaze. Sensing Xiao Yuan’s eagerness to follow, he turned to his son and said, “Go check on Young Pei. No need to follow me.”

“Okay! Then please go home and rest early, Father,” Xiao Yuan replied without hesitation.

With that, Xiao Yuan trotted off to catch up with Pei Jichuan and Gu Nian.