Becoming the Caged Canary of a Forced Love - Chapter 29

The first snowfall of winter had arrived, shrouding the entire manor in a blanket of pristine white.

Xiao Tingbai arrived for his scheduled visit, his motorcade slowly winding its way into Pei Jichuan’s estate. Butler Zhao was once again waiting early at the entrance to receive the distinguished guest.

A jet-black Rolls-Royce Cullinan came to a halt at the door. A bodyguard trotted forward to pull open the car door. Xiao Tingbai stepped out, his leather-gloved fingers gently adjusting the gold-rimmed glasses on his face.

He stood in the biting wind, the pure white snow around him contrasting sharply with his black cashmere overcoat. After stepping out, he stood still for a moment and adjusted the hem of his coat. Time had left no scars on his face; it had only distilled a calm, unhurried aura. His features were soft, yet he carried an innate sense of pressure. The slight curve at the corners of his mouth—a smile that never reached his eyes—was refracted through his lenses into a distant, detached light.

Pei Jichuan chose not to meet in the drawing room. He vaguely sensed that the content of today’s conversation was better suited for a more private location.

Xiao Tingbai followed the butler into the second-floor study. He scrutinized his surroundings, his elegant posture showing not a hint of impropriety. Pei Jichuan rose to greet him and gestured for the butler to withdraw.

“Uncle Xiao, you’ve come today. Is there something important you wish to discuss with me?” Pei Jichuan asked, getting straight to the point. He understood this man’s character; he was a prominent figure in City A, though he had been developing his interests in Country F for years and rarely returned home.

“Xiao Yuan is clumsy; he didn’t clean up his tracks properly. I came today to remind President Pei that if you have any questions, you can ask me directly. There is no need for an investigation.”

Xiao Tingbai sat regally in his chair, his aura noble and refined. It was said that he had even been granted a noble title by the Queen in Country F for his outstanding contributions. However, his bluntness still caught Pei Jichuan by surprise.

Since he was being so direct, there was no longer any need for Pei Jichuan to hide his cards.

“If my analysis is correct, Mr. Xiao is currently working for Tianyu,” Pei Jichuan paused, then added, “To be precise, for both Tianyu and Black Crow.”

“President Pei is a smart man; naturally, you can see the connection between Tianyu and Black Crow.” Xiao Tingbai did not deny it.

“I heard from Xiao Yuan that Mr. Xiao’s partner seems to be related to the former leader of Black Crow, Gu Congnan.” Pei Jichuan’s gaze was as sharp as a blade, piercing straight into one’s soul.

Xiao Tingbai didn’t panic in the slightest. He replied calmly, “That’s correct. My partner is the younger brother of the former Black Crow leader, Gu Congnan.”

“The Gu family of Country F is a triad dynasty. The seven generations of the Gu family have dominated Country F for a long time. Is Mr. Xiao so confident that he can completely control him?” Pei Jichuan leaned forward slightly and continued his questioning. “Is Gu Congnan truly dead?”

His deep, black eyes seemed to see through everything.

Xiao Tingbai’s fingers twitched slightly, and a wave of turbulence rose within him, but his face remained impassive. “Of course. I saw Gu Nian shoot him through the heart with my own eyes. He is indeed as dead as can be.”

Xiao Tingbai spoke slowly, lifting his chin slightly. Their locked eyes seemed to be engaged in a silent game of chess.

Xiao Tingbai continued, “My wife is merely one of Gu Congnan’s many brothers. In that family, there is no such thing as familial affection. So, President Pei, you needn’t worry. I also know the dangers of leaking secrets; naturally, I will not be the villain whose name goes down in infamy.”

The corners of Pei Jichuan’s mouth turned up. He gave a light chuckle and said, “Naturally. I still trust in Mr. Xiao’s capabilities.”

Gu Nian did not rashly head outside the study to eavesdrop. From the window of his bedroom, he could see the manor’s main entrance. He watched Xiao Tingbai enter and silently calculated the time.

Inside the study, Xiao Tingbai and Pei Jichuan exchanged information. The CEO of Tianyu was expected to arrive soon; however, regarding the specifics of Tianyu, Xiao Tingbai remained tight-lipped, and Pei Jichuan found it difficult to press further.

“If I may ask, Mr. Xiao, how did you and your partner meet?”

Xiao Tingbai was stunned for a moment and looked at Pei Jichuan with a hint of wariness.

“Don’t be nervous, Mr. Xiao. I’m just asking. My partner and I aren’t getting along very harmoniously, so I wanted to learn from your experience,” Pei Jichuan said with a smile.

Xiao Tingbai’s expression changed abruptly, turning somewhat unsightly. He thought of Gu Nian’s persona as a cold-faced god of death and felt that pairing him with Pei Jichuan was bizarre no matter how he looked at it.

“I once studied in Country F. He was a junior several years below me. We met because of a research project and fell in love very quickly.”

Xiao Tingbai unconsciously revealed a smile as he continued, “Later, as you know, young people act without considering the consequences. I had a massive falling out with my family. My parents locked me up and wouldn’t let me go back to Country F—and that’s how Xiao Yuan came to be. Later, I escaped and never went back.”

At this point, Xiao Tingbai’s smile gained a touch of bitterness. He had rebelled against his family for him and lost his inheritance rights, but the other man had merely used him. Once he lost his value, he had been kicked away without mercy.

“Don’t you find it a pity to lose your family’s inheritance for a man, Mr. Xiao? I heard that Old Master Xiao intended for you to be the heir back then,” Pei Jichuan asked bluntly.

Xiao Tingbai pondered for a moment, raised an eyebrow, and answered seriously, “I don’t find it a pity, nor do I regret it. In this life, one should have their own pursuits. He is my pursuit, and my life’s greatest wish.”

Pei Jichuan’s breath hitched slightly, but he immediately understood. He neither agreed nor disagreed, though he felt the same. However, he wanted both power and Lin Nuo. Only by standing at the very top could he rest easy and give Lin Nuo the best of everything in this world.

As noon approached, Xiao Tingbai politely took his leave. Pei Jichuan escorted him to the door, where the butler took over.

Just as they stepped out, they saw Gu Nian fiddling with the plants under the covered walkway. With winter’s arrival, the walkway had been enclosed, and the central air conditioning ran 24 hours a day, allowing the precious flora to survive.

Xiao Tingbai gestured for the butler to stop and walked forward. He lifted the hem of his coat and half-squatted before the plant.

“Are you Pei Jichuan’s partner?”

“Yes.” Gu Nian looked at him with “confusion.”

“I am Xiao Yuan’s father. You can call me Uncle Xiao.”

Xiao Tingbai had his back to Butler Zhao, and he curled his lips into a malicious smile.

Internally, Gu Nian was gnashing his teeth, but his face remained obedient. “Hello, Uncle Xiao.”

Xiao Tingbai reached out and patted Gu Nian on the shoulder, then stood up and walked away.

Gu Nian’s hand jerked, and the unknown flower was pulled out by its roots. Butler Zhao, constrained by the presence of a guest, couldn’t speak, but he was screaming internally:

That’s a 3-million-yuan flower! What a spendthrift mistress!

Gu Nian acted as if he didn’t even see Butler Zhao’s resentment. He patted his clothes and returned to his room.

Once inside, Gu Nian went straight to the bathroom. He had inspected this place thoroughly; there were no signs of surveillance. He reached into his collar and pulled out a miniature device, no larger than half a finger. He opened the port and plugged it into his phone.

Just now, during the moment Xiao Tingbai patted his shoulder, he had slipped the device into Gu Nian’s collar, shielding it from the butler’s view.

Gu Nian performed a few operations on his phone. A crow icon appeared on the screen.