C203 Loss

My words, like a poisoned apple, subtly lured Sang Ling into a trap. Ma Qing's actions against my sister, Malan, were ultimately directed at me. I intend to employ her own tactics against her—a fitting retribution.

Sang Ling stared at me, incredulous. "How do we retaliate? She's the young miss, her father is the notorious Qi Ye. Who dares touch her?"

I smiled, gently cupping her chin. "Just trust me. Didn't you say you loved me? If you want to spend the rest of your life with me, then obey."

Sang Ling hesitated, her gaze questioning. "Are you sincere? I don't think so. I'm not that foolish."

I sighed. Sang Ling was undeniably intelligent, yet sometimes astonishingly naive. Did she even have a choice?

"Try it," I said. "You've reached a point of no return. How much do you owe? I need to know everything."

Tears welled in Sang Ling's eyes. "You helped me repay six million, but I still owe fifteen million to a man named Tie Tou."

"Who you borrowed from is irrelevant," I countered. "I want to know how you managed to borrow so much."

Shame washed over Sang Ling. "I mortgaged Chen Rui's fishing boat…"

I nodded, recalling the detail. "From now on, I'll give you one million for every task you complete for me until your debts are settled. Don't betray me again. This windfall won't give you a second chance at life. Cherish it. Don't say I'm unfeeling."

Overwhelmed with gratitude, Sang Ling embraced me. "Thank you, Zhao Fei. I won't do it again, truly. Just help me through this, and I'll turn over a new leaf."

Sang Ling wasn't malicious, but I doubted her reformation.

I gently pushed her away. "I'll buy you a house, as promised. Disappear for a while. Guang Ge won't let you go easily, nor will Ma Qing. Don't let Malan know anything; she'll kill you. Understand?"

Sang Ling nodded. I stepped outside and addressed Wang Gui. "Find a safe house and hide this woman."

"Damn it, Fei Ge, are you crazy? This woman ripped us off…" Wang Gui grumbled.

Zhao Kui echoed his sentiment. "Fei Ge, are you being too soft-hearted? This bitch is despicable. If you can't do it, let me…"

I stopped Zhao Kui. "Hold on. If she dies, will the money come back? Don't be impulsive. I'm not a fool, and I won't be duped again. This time, it's Miss Ma Er pulling the strings. She can help us. Understand? Don't ruin my plans."

Zhao Kui, frustrated, punched a wall but remained silent. Wang Gui dragged Sang Ling to the car and drove off.

My phone rang—it was Qian Guang. He must have met with Ma Qing. He told me the location: his bar. Zhao Kui and I went there.

Pulling up to the bar, I spotted Ma Qing's red Volkswagen. I smirked. "Flat tire time…"

Without a word, Zhao Kui produced a knife and slashed the tire. As it deflated, I entered the bar.

In Qian Guang's office, I found Ma Qing, elegantly seated on the sofa in a tailored blazer and short skirt, her figure perfectly accentuated. A sheer top hinted at allure without being overtly revealing. Her perfume exuded an aura of inaccessibility—a truly sophisticated woman.

She was surprised to see me; Qian Guang hadn't explained my presence.

"Miss Ma Er," I greeted.

She nodded curtly. I sat down. Qian Guang dismissed Zhuzi and Zhao Kui, closing the door behind them. The atmosphere grew tense.

"Ma Qing, I need to discuss something…" Qian Guang began.

Ma Qing raised an eyebrow. "Go ahead. I'll see if I can cooperate."

"It's not cooperation; it's mandatory. Zhao Fei lost a batch of jade yesterday, worth eighty million. You won't be surprised to hear it's with you," Qian Guang said grimly.

Ma Qing frowned, then smiled, placing her drink down and standing. "Qian Guang, do you know what you're saying? You're accusing me of theft, insulting my character. As your girlfriend, I find this unacceptable. You must apologize."

Qian Guang remained seated, pinching his nose. "Sang Ling…you know her, right? She spilled everything."

"If you have proof, sue me," Ma Qing retorted defiantly.

Qian Guang sighed, looking at her. "Why go to such lengths?"

Ma Qing laughed. "Darling, who do you believe?"

Qian Guang looked at me, and Ma Qing flared. "I'm your girlfriend. Am I less important than your little brother? What makes him so significant that you equate him with me? Qian Guang, I'm disappointed. I thought we were completely open with each other. My father hoped we'd marry by year's end, but it seems pointless now."

Qian Guang took a deep breath. "I hate being threatened. Don't use marriage as leverage, and don't think your little games are unnoticed. Ma Qing, I'm disappointed. I thought you were supremely confident, never resorting to underhanded tactics, especially against your sister. You're afraid, and it's made you despicable…"

"Despicable? You're the despicable one! If he hadn't manipulated my sister, if he hadn't had that messy affair with her, would she have made so much money? Would Father have taken notice of her? She was a worthless woman, practically given away to be raped. But now? Father admires her. Why shouldn't I feel threatened? Why shouldn't I use some tactics? I only wanted to appear confident in front of you, to be your equal. What's wrong with that? You have your methods, I have mine. Are your actions so righteous? Your deception of my father was so noble? We're all despicable. Why pretend to be superior? Your disdain is mutual." Ma Qing raged.

Her words chilled me. Her intelligence allowed her to deduce our plan against Shouhou after learning about the jade from Sang Ling. I couldn't guarantee she hadn't informed Qi Ye.

Qian Guang said, "Shouhou must die. I have my reasons…"

"And I have my reasons for dealing with my sister," Ma Qing countered.

Malan and Ma Qing shared similarities: strong-willed, domineering, but Ma Qing possessed a more refined ruthlessness—the advantage of education.

Qian Guang was speechless, probably his first such defeat in an argument, especially with a woman. He was emotionally detached from women, failing to understand that reason often fails against female emotion.

After a silence, Qian Guang said, "You admit you sent Sang Ling to steal the jade."

"Yes, I did. What do you want? To arrest me? To summon the Ma gang? To make me return the jade?" Ma Qing challenged.

Her lack of remorse, her strength, caught Qian Guang and me off guard. Qian Guang said, "Shouldn't you?"

"Do you want to die? That jade was to harm Shouhou. His schemes are obvious. If you're truly capable, let my father judge me. I'll take it." Ma Qing declared.

Qian Guang and I exchanged glances. We couldn't involve Qi Ye, but we had no other way to retrieve the jade. She was Qi Ye's daughter, and we couldn't publicize the theft. If Qi Ye learned we used the jade to provoke him into killing Shouhou, we'd be finished. He wouldn't be our pawn; he would exact his revenge.

"Ma Qing, I desperately need that jade, that eighty million. Please return it," Qian Guang pleaded, his voice softening.

I was astonished. It was the first time I'd seen Qian Guang speak so humbly to a woman. Ma Qing should have been proud.

"Impossible. I've already sold it to Chen Xi," Ma Qing stated.

This sent Qian Guang and me reeling. There was no turning back.

Qian Guang approached Ma Qing, his eyes blazing. "Why? Why did you do this? You and Father know he's our final target. Why…"

Ma Qing looked down, a flicker of regret in her eyes, quickly gone. "Father's infatuation with you doesn't mean I share it. Qian Guang, I need to reconsider our relationship. Don't you trust him? Don't you say jade gambling is lucrative? Prove it. Eighty million shouldn't be a problem in such a profitable business."

I closed my eyes. Damn it. Her feud with Qian Guang, her conflict with Malan, resulted in my loss.

A/N

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