Chapter 2328 — A Poison Pill

"You'd gone off... and there was nothing to do at home, so I asked her to come over. There was nothing else to it..." The eldest miss was clever enough as a rule, but worry clouds the mind. The moment the words left her mouth they smacked of protesting too much, and she hurriedly went on: "Never mind that—let's talk about Wang Xinyan being kidnapped..."

"Mm..." Wei Zhao was concerned about Wang Xinyan's business as well, though by now it was surely all right, so he was not especially tense about it.

"At the time... Wu Chengtian went after the kidnappers..." As she spoke, Gu Mengyao told Wei Zhao the whole story—how Wu Chengtian had been wounded, and how Old Master Pi had come to lend a hand.

"Wu Chengtian was hurt... and Old Master Pi too?" Wei Zhao knitted his brows. Neither man's life was in danger, so that did not worry him overmuch. What worried him was where the enemy had come from—that even Old Master Pi could be wounded? At the thought, Wei Zhao grew eager to be home: "The moment things on my end are wrapped up, I'll be back. Right—what did that kidnapper Qiu Lingshan took away have to say?"

"No word from Sister Lingshan's side yet. If there's news, she'll call me straight away," Gu Mengyao said. "But though the kidnappers were caught, there have been several more abductions here in Donghai in quick succession. The victims are all students from well-off families. Seen that way, Wang Xinyan's kidnapping feels somewhat accidental. I hear even the daughter of some big underworld boss was taken! And the Yellow-rank bodyguard he'd assigned to her was beaten up as well."

"Oh? Could it be coincidence?" Hearing this, Wei Zhao relaxed a little. If it was not aimed at him and Wang Xinyan, then there was nothing to fret over. As things stood now, coincidence seemed the likelier explanation—after all, plenty of other people had been taken along with her.

"Possibly. But these past few days Wang Xinyan has been much more careful—she's been staying at school. I haven't dared ask her out again either..." Gu Mengyao said.

"I understand. I'll be back soon. Tell Wu Chengtian and Old Master Pi not to worry—once I'm back I'll heal them. And have Pi Zhitao sent to the villa as well; I'll treat him along with the rest," Wei Zhao said.

"All right, I'll tell them right away." Having spoken with Wei Zhao and learned that his affairs had concluded smoothly, Gu Mengyao felt greatly reassured. She turned at once and made for the door, eager to bring the good news to Wu Chengtian, Pi Zhifeng, and Old Master Pi.

Only, as she turned, she caught sight of Shen Yushu.

"Sister Yao's not playing fair—sneaking a call to Brother Arrow Brand behind Little Shu's back," Shen Yushu said, hands on her hips, standing behind Gu Mengyao with a grin.

"Little Shu? When... when did you come in?" Gu Mengyao jumped badly. She had been so worked up that she had not even noticed someone entering the room.

"Just now—I came in right while you were on the phone with Brother Arrow Brand," Shen Yushu said. "So Sister Yao still likes Brother Arrow Brand after all. When he called, your whole face was full of blissful contentment."

"Was it?" Gu Mengyao was taken aback, then realized Shen Yushu had been standing behind her—how could she have seen her face? She flared at once: "You lied to me? Just wait till I punish you!"

"Ah! Don't... You'd better hurry off and give Wu Chengtian and the others the good news," Shen Yushu said, and turned and ran.

"..." Watching Shen Yushu's retreating back, Gu Mengyao blushed. She touched her cheeks, which were still warm. Had she really looked that happy just now? It seemed she had—Wei Zhao's call had swept away all the gloom of the past days at a stroke.

Still, that was only because there had been so much trouble at home. What did that have to do with her liking Wei Zhao? Right. It surely had nothing to do with it!

Gu Mengyao turned and left the room to tell Wu Chengtian and the others the good news.

Wu Chengtian had long since guessed that the day Wei Zhao returned would be the day his wounds were healed, so he felt neither great joy nor great sorrow. Pi Zhifeng and Old Master Pi were another matter. Gu Mengyao had said she had been in contact with Wei Zhao these past days, but Wei Zhao had never given a definite answer as to when he would return or whether he could heal them.

And today, Wei Zhao had told Old Master Pi to bring Pi Zhitao over too—which meant Wei Zhao had agreed to treat Pi Zhitao. Old Master Pi was beside himself with excitement! Even if his own injuries could not be cured, he would accept it so long as Pi Zhitao could be healed—and had Wei Zhao not said that neither his nor Wu Chengtian's injuries were any problem at all?

"Thank you for conveying the message, Miss Gu, and Mr. Lin," Old Master Pi said, hastening to express his thanks. "This old man will send for Zhihai at once and have him brought over!"

"Good, then see to your preparations. I'm going back to my room to rest as well." Having passed on the message, Gu Mengyao breathed a sigh of relief.

Over at the XX Hotel in Qingrun City, Brother Dafeng had already hurried over. But when he stepped into Wei Zhao's room, he froze, and blurted instinctively: "Sorry, I've got the wrong room..."

Brother Dafeng did not recognize Sun Jingyan, nor Wei Zhao without his Thousand-Silk Mask, and so he assumed he had walked into the wrong room.

"You've got the right one. Come in, Dafeng!" Wei Zhao said to Brother Dafeng.

"Ah?" Brother Dafeng started at the sound of Wei Zhao's voice, but the next moment he understood. He stared at Wei Zhao in disbelief and ventured: "You... you're Brother Eagle?"

"Mm." Wei Zhao gave a faint nod.

Only after getting a definite answer did Brother Dafeng hurry into the room and shut the door. Carefully he said: "Brother Eagle, I've already reported everything that happened here in full detail to Red Conch headquarters—to my... superior in Tianshan. But I didn't mention Brother Eagle's name. I only said that Feng Tianlong of the Mystery Investigation Bureau had brought in outside help and uprooted the Fire Wolf Hotel root and branch..."

"Mm. Did he ask you why your Conch Bar was left untouched?" Wei Zhao asked.

"He did." Brother Dafeng nodded. "But I said it must be that the Mystery Investigation Bureau's people simply never traced that lead—otherwise there's no way it would have come through unscathed..."

"And he believed you?" Wei Zhao asked.

"Of course he believed me. I'm a man he promoted himself, and I pay him a handsome tribute every year. He was glad enough that I came out of it fine, and he's getting ready to maneuver me into the position of the local top boss," Brother Dafeng said. "And I also let slip to him that I'd happened to come by a Lesser Qi-Gathering Pill. I just hadn't taken it before because the timing wasn't right. Now, if this great undertaking succeeds, I'll take the Lesser Qi-Gathering Pill—and that made him all the more certain of me."

"Good." Wei Zhao nodded. "These matters are yours to handle as you see fit. The Lesser Qi-Gathering Pill should arrive by post in a day or two. Here—this is a poison pill. Take it first!" (To be continued.) RQ