"If we can't do it openly, we'll do it covertly. Protecting Fang Shiqing in secret works just as well."
Pei Shaoze said coldly.
Su Banxia's eyes flickered slightly. After a moment of thought, she finally nodded. What Pei Shaoze said wasn't wrong—she would protect Fang Shiqing from the shadows, slowly exposing Lin Haoran's true colors bit by bit.
"Then..."
"The kids are almost out of school. Are you sure you don't want to pick them up?"
Pei Shaoze seemed to read the complex emotions in her eyes and cut her off without hesitation.
At the reminder, Su Banxia looked down at her watch. Sure enough, it was getting late.
"I'll go pick up the kids first. Please keep an eye on Shiqing's situation, President Pei."
Su Banxia said hurriedly, grabbing her handbag as she spoke.
Watching her rush off like that, Pei Shaoze shook his head with a helpless, amused smile.
After picking up the kids and settling them in, Su Banxia saw no sign of Fang Shiqing returning, and her worry only deepened.
"Mom, are you worried about godmother?"
Su Guoguo asked softly, her big watery eyes wide open.
"Guoguo, be good. This is Mommy's business."
Su Banxia affectionately ruffled Su Guoguo's hair, but the tension on her face still betrayed her feelings.
Su Hao sat quietly to the side, fiddling with his computer, his fingers flying across the keyboard. After a moment, he pushed up his glasses.
"Godmother is at Jiangcheng Grand Hotel."
"The hotel?"
Su Banxia jolted. Wasn't she just going to have a meal with Lin Haoran? Why had she ended up at a hotel?
Hearing this, Su Banxia's already restless heart grew even more anxious.
"Hao Hao, take care of your sister at home. I'm going out."
Su Banxia grabbed her handbag, her mind in turmoil, ready to leave.
"Wait."
Su Hao closed his laptop, calmly took a watch from the room, and handed it to Su Banxia, instructing seriously, "This watch can pinpoint godmother's exact location, and there's a tranquilizer dart hidden inside. Use it if you need to save your life."
Su Banxia was momentarily stunned, but seeing the time growing late, she didn't overthink it and pushed the door open to leave.
Su Guoguo glanced at Su Hao, her delicate face full of worry: "Won't Mom be in danger going like that?"
"She's that clueless. It'd be strange if she weren't in danger."
Su Hao's face showed undisguised disdain.
Hearing this, Su Guoguo couldn't help but feel more anxious, but Su Hao calmly sent an email and went to rest.
Following the little red dot on the watch, Su Banxia nervously tracked it step by step, silently praying as she walked.
Fang Shiqing was so sharp—she wouldn't do anything foolish this time!
Lin Haoran was a complete scumbag. If he dared to touch Fang Shiqing, she would personally cripple him!
After weaving through several turns in Jiangcheng Grand Hotel, Su Banxia finally reached the location of the red dot on the watch. Without a second thought, she pushed the door open and entered.
To her surprise, the door swung open the moment her hand touched the handle.
The room was pitch black. The curtains fluttered in the breeze, occasionally letting in faint slivers of moonlight.
By that dim light, Su Banxia could vaguely make out a figure lying on the hospital bed. The silhouette looked somewhat like Fang Shiqing.
"Shiqing!"
Su Banxia rushed over and gently shook her body.
But before she could see the face on the bed, a sharp pain shot through her neck, and everything went black as she collapsed onto the bed.
The sky darkened, and a torrential rain suddenly began to fall outside.
After receiving Su Hao's email, Pei Shaoze left without a second word.
That foolish woman Su Banxia—why did she never think about the consequences of her actions!
He sped all the way to Jiangcheng Grand Hotel and, following the address Su Hao had given, went straight to the room.
But the room was empty!
"Damn it!"
Realizing he was too late, Pei Shaoze's heart sank bit by bit.
Meanwhile, inside a van—
Li Yi leered at the two women lying in the back seat, practically drooling.
"President Li, is this modest gift to your liking?"
Lin Haoran sat in the driver's seat, a faint, handsome smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
"President Lin is quite generous. Aren't you afraid Pei Shaoze will find out and come after you?"
Li Yi glanced sideways at the man beside him, feeling that he was too deep and unsettling.
Lin Haoran let out a cold laugh: "I want to cooperate with you, President Li. Why should I worry about Pei Shaoze? Besides, if Pei Shaoze really targets me, given our deep friendship, wouldn't you save me?"
"President Lin is indeed a clever man. And I like talking to clever people!"
Li Yi looked at the two women in the van and chuckled gleefully.
Last time, Pei Shaoze had shown up just in time, robbing him of the chance to fully savor Su Banxia. This time, he'd like to see who could come to the rescue!
Seeing the lecherous thoughts in Li Yi's mind, Lin Haoran's eyes sharpened, but a smile quickly spread across his face: "Don't rush, President Li. Since I've shown my sincerity, shouldn't you reciprocate?"
"Of course, of course!"
Li Yi's mind wasn't on Lin Haoran's words. He reached out to touch Fang Shiqing and Su Banxia in the back seat.
"Ah, President Li, don't be so impatient!"
Lin Haoran grabbed his hand just in time.
Interrupted in his "fun," Li Yi's expression soured.
"What does President Lin mean by this?"
"I know you enjoy different kinds of games. How about we make it bigger?"
Lin Haoran raised an eyebrow.
Hearing this, Li Yi's expression softened considerably. He pointed a finger at Lin Haoran: "You really know how to play!"
"Then let me take you to the right place."
With that, Lin Haoran started the engine.
The rain pattered outside the window. Fang Shiqing shifted uncomfortably in her sleep, feeling feverish from the drugs.
Su Banxia groggily woke up, mustering her strength to sit up. Seeing Fang Shiqing unbuttoning her clothes, she quickly grabbed her hand.
But too weak to hold on, she collapsed onto Fang Shiqing.
"Ban... Banxia..."
Recognizing the person on top of her, Fang Shiqing's clarity slowly returned. Gritting her teeth, she looked at the two men in the front seats, her heart aching as if cut by a knife!
So Su Banxia hadn't misjudged that man at all—he really was a complete and utter scumbag!