Chapter 107 When Are We Getting Engaged? (1/2)
Young Master Shen charged into Ying Qingcang's hotel room. ”Are you out of your f*ck*ng mind?” He roared. ”You didn't even try to save Xiao Qingqing?”
After all the crap Ying Qingcang had previously put him through, Young Master Shen had run off to take a vacation. Upon touching down, he had received Ah Che's phone call. Ah Che had been crying and screaming into the phone and had requested his immediate presence. When Young Master Shen came in, Ah Che was holding up a bowl, trying to get Ying Qingcang to eat something. At the sight of Young Master Shen, Ah Che burst into tears.
”Please hurry up and persuade young master to eat something. He hasn't eaten anything for two days.”
”Eat? You're still in the mood to eat?” Young Master Shen pushed the bowl away. ”What the heck is going on? Everything was fine until you went screwing around with Molly. Why did you do that?”
Ah Che quickly recapped everything that happened and then he looked at Ying Qingcang mournfully. ”It wasn't that Young Master didn't try to rescue her, just that he was one step behind William. But young miss... Young miss...”
”Serves him right!” Young Master Shen said, stomping his foot. ”If it were me, I wouldn't have forgiven him too.” Young Master Shen's hand slammed down on the table. ”Start talking. What the f*ck were you doing?”
Ying Qingcang turned around slowly. Red, threadlike strings seemed to have woven themselves into his dark pupils. It was obvious that he had not only been starving himself, but had also been depriving himself of sleep too.
”Molly told me that she knows why Xin Qing left me. She said she knew the secrets behind the Ying's residence's Ancestral Behest.”
”And then what? You just went and sold yourself?” Young Master Shen countered. ”How can you even be sure that she's telling the truth?”
Ying Qingcang stood up. He walked towards the huge French window before stopping in front of it. ”She must know something. Otherwise, she wouldn't have known about the Ancestral Behest at all. She asked me to enter into a fake engagement with her. She wanted me to convince her family that I'll marry her. That way, her family will give her one-third ownership of their assets.”
Young Master Shen snorted. ”I thought you'd really gone and sacrificed yourself!” Young Master Shen lifted the corner of his lips into a smile, and then he frowned. ”What were you two doing at that auction?”
At this point, Ying Qingcang was fed-up to the teeth with everything. ”Greed.” He said. ”She wanted half the ownership instead of one-third. So we went undercover to that auction as fake husband and wife in order to fool a wealthy businessman who had just returned from Eastern Europe. Her family would put their trust in her as long as she has that businessman's support. Everything was going according to plan, but...” Ying Qingcang clenched his hands into tight fists. His entire face twisted into a look of agony. ”I didn't expect Xin Qing to be there. That businessman hated Asians, so I didn't step forward at that time.”
”When I saw her, I immediately tried to get to her, but I was too late. William beat me to her.” Ah Che said in self-blame. ”This is all of me. I didn't arrange a security detail for the young miss when she got here.”
Young Master Shen heaved a sigh of relief. ”Thank goodness! Good thing nothing happened to Xiao Qingqing. Otherwise you folks would regret it until the day you die!”
”If something happens to her, I'll send those bastards straight to their graves.” Ying Qingcang said, an evil glint flashing across his eyes. ”Look into it. Find out if there's anyone behind all of this.”
Young Master Shen frowned. ”You mean it's not a coincidence that Xin Qing was grabbed by those people?”
”The underground trafficking ring is beyond my reach. So you're going to have to do it.” Ying Qingcang said, shaking his head. ”But one thing I know is that they haven't been selling Chinese people for quite a while. Why would they suddenly take Xin Qing?”
”As far as I know, there's also a naked party to be held tonight. When Xin Qing was being auctioned, the clothes she was wearing had that clubhouse's symbol.”
Young Master Shen sprang to his feet. ”Don't tell me Xiao Qingqing was...”
”No.” Ying Qingcang cut him off. ”If she really was brought there by the people running the auction, they won't touch her before the auction.”
”Good to know, good to know...” Young Master Shen said, patting his chest a few times. He stood up and headed straight for the door. ”I'm going to see her. Poor girl must've been scared shitless.”
Ying Qingcang held him back. ”Wait. Let me get ready. We'll go together.”
The two men went to the hotel where Xin Qing was staying. As Young Master Shen rang the door bell, he asked Ying Qingcang, ”You sure that Xiao Qingqing would want to see you?”
Ying Qingcang pressed his lips together without replying. Just then, the door opened. Xin Qing stood there with a hand rubbing her forehead. Her clothes were so unkempt that a good half of her shoulders was exposed. She looked hazy with sleep, as if she had just woken up. She rubbed her eyes and then raised her head. ”Who is it...”
When she realized that it was Ying Qingcang, she shuddered and moved instantly to shut the door.
Just then, Young Master Shen swooped in and enveloped her in a hug. ”Xiao Qingqing!” He said. ”Are you okay? I'm here to see you!”
Another male voice came from inside the room. ”Didn't you ask who it is before you open the door?”
Cracks began to form in Young Master Shen's smile the moment he heard that voice. Ying Qingcang kicked the door open and rushed inside. William came out from within the bedroom. His clothes were equally dishevelled, and there were even lipstick marks on his shirt. The sight of Ying Qingcang made him pause for a short while. After that, he was smiling as if all was right in the world. ”Mr. Ying!”
”Why did you come here?” Xin Qing pushed Young Master Shen away. She frowned when she noted her state of dress. She grabbed the jacket which had been lying nearby, put it on, and then stood in front of Ying Qingcang. ”I don't want to see you. Please get out.” Young Master Shen quickly tugged Ying Qingcang towards the door, laughing as he did so. ”Um... Well, then we'll head down first and give Xiao Qingqing some time to make herself presentable. After that, let's have a meal together!”
Ying Qingcang was releasing a bone-chilling aura from head to toe. Young Master Shen could even feel the other man's tremors at this point.
”Hey, man. Calm down, okay? Xiao Qingqing isn't that type of person. Maybe all they did was talk for the whole night.”
After a seemingly momentous effort, Ying Qingcang managed to open his mouth to speak, ”Are you really... Not going to forgive me?”
”That night was the most humiliating night of my life. I don't ever want to be reminded of it again,” she said, staring at Ying Qingcang. When she noticed the pain contained in Ying Qingcang's eyes, her heart wavered slightly. Gritting her teeth, she pushed on, ”But whenever I see you, I'll be reminded of the state I was in that night.”
”Go!” Xin Qing said, closing her eyes. ”I beg you. Please don't appear before me again.” With that, she turned around and stalked into her bedroom. When she passed by William, she smiled at him. ”Thank you! I'm alright now.”