Le'yang County, Tianxiong Hotel.
Xu Nianqing was taken by the Mercedes driver to the conference room on the seventh floor of the hotel.
What worried her was that her phone had been confiscated by the Mercedes driver, making it impossible to call the police. This meant no one could help her now.
Standing at the door of the conference room, Xu Nianqing hesitated.
She knew the consequences of opening this door, but she truly had no other choice now.
"Miss Xu, please go in," the Mercedes driver said with a smile.
The two men at the conference room door opened it. Xu Nianqing took a deep breath and stepped inside. The scene in the conference room made her heart tighten. Her father, Xu Mingzhi, was indeed here.
Xu Mingzhi's clothes were tattered and stained with blood. He was forced to kneel on the ground.
"Dad, what happened to you?!" Xu Nianqing quickly walked over.
Upon seeing his daughter, Xu Mingzhi's expression changed. "Why are you here? Didn't I tell you not to come on the phone? You leave now! This Chu Zixiong is from the Ning family. Their target is you."
Xu Nianqing's expression didn't change much, as she had clearly guessed it might be Ning Fei's scheme.
"You don't need to say anything else. How can I stand by and watch you being bullied?" Xu Nianqing said calmly, trying to appear as composed as possible. A trace of guilt appeared in Xu Mingzhi's eyes. He sighed repeatedly, "Nianqing, it's my incompetence that has harmed you. You really shouldn't have come. They would have at most chopped off my hands, which is nothing compared to what you face."
Xu Nianqing gave a bitter smile.
If her father had realized this earlier, would things have come to this?
She turned to look at Chu Zixiong, also known as Third Master Chu, who was sitting in a chair, and said calmly, "Let my father go. Since your target is me, I can agree to anything you ask."
Chu Zixiong raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting Xu Nianqing to be so cooperative. He sneered, "Miss Xu's resilience is remarkable. Today, I am impressed. However, you may not be aware of our target. Your father owes us fifty million. Our plan was to chop off his limbs and his fifth limb as well to settle the debt."
Xu Nianqing's face turned pale.
Fifty million! Where could she possibly gather fifty million for Ning Fei?
All the assets under the Xu family's name had already been mortgaged, and her meager salary was like a drop in the ocean compared to fifty million!
Xu Mingzhi, knowing he had wronged his daughter, kept his head down without a word.
Third Master Chu smiled faintly at Xu Nianqing, awaiting her response.
Xu Nianqing's clenched fist loosened, and she said dejectedly, "What must I do to repay this fifty million?"
Third Master Chu repeatedly shook his head. "Miss Xu, you misunderstand. Your father owes us money, not Young Master Ning. This matter has nothing to do with Young Master Ning. It's my own decision."
Xu Nianqing gave a bitter smile.
These words were merely to distance himself, and they meant nothing.
"Then tell me, what must I do?"
Hearing Xu Nianqing's words, Chu Zixiong's face lit up with a smile, and he said mockingly, "Xu Mingzhi, if you had a third of your daughter's sense, would you have been beaten by our men?"
Xu Mingzhi remained silent.
Chu Zixiong put away his mocking expression and seriously appraised Xu Nianqing's graceful figure. "Forget about Young Master Ning. Because of what you said at your wedding, Young Master Ning has become a laughingstock in the Jiangnan region. Now, Young Master Ning can't wait to hate you and won't help you. A fickle woman like you is not worthy of Young Master Ning."
"Shut up!" Xu Mingzhi suddenly roared.
"My daughter is not a fickle woman; it's Ning Fei who is not worthy of my daughter!"
Displeasure flashed in Third Master Chu's eyes. He gestured with two fingers, and two burly men stepped out from behind him, grabbed Xu Mingzhi by the collar, and began slapping him.
Slap, slap, slap!
Each slap resounded loudly.
Blood trickled from Xu Mingzhi's mouth, and his cheeks were torn open. Seeing this, Xu Nianqing screamed hysterically, "Stop hitting him! Just tell me what you want me to do and don't bully my father like this!"
Chu Zixiong raised his hand, and the two men released Xu Mingzhi's collar, throwing him aside.
Xu Nianqing didn't have time to check her father's injuries. She stared at Chu Zixiong without speaking. Chu Zixiong met her gaze and smiled faintly, "I was just giving your father a taste of his own medicine. After all, deadbeat debtors are the most annoying. Now that Miss Xu is here, we will naturally treat your father well. As for how to repay the debt, I have also devised a very favorable plan for you."
"Ten thousand yuan per session."
"Of course, we also have more favorable options. If you can spend a night with certain prominent figures, a million can be waived."
Xu Nianqing's face turned ashen.
This plan was utterly venomous. On one hand, it aimed to humiliate her dignity, and on the other, it intended to make her a conduit for profit transfer. It was evident how sinister Ning Fei's intentions were.
Xu Mingzhi's face also changed drastically. He urged Xu Nianqing not to agree to such an excessive demand.
Then—
Third Master Chu had Xu Mingzhi slapped again.
He wore a benevolent smile. "Miss Xu, I hope you don't misunderstand our plan. This plan was proposed by me and has absolutely nothing to do with Young Master Ning. Moreover, this plan is not mandatory; it can only be implemented with your personal consent."
"What if I refuse?" Xu Nianqing retorted.
Chu Zixiong nudged the scarred Xu Mingzhi with his chin, a look of sorrow on his face. "If Miss Xu does not agree to my proposed plan, I believe your father will be willing to offer his five limbs as repayment."
Xu Nianqing's pupils contracted.
Xu Mingzhi's eyes blazed with fury. Perhaps he had not cared about his daughter's thoughts before, but as he grew older, he had gradually come to terms with things. All his life's struggles would eventually amount to nothing. The only thing he could do was cherish the present moment.
He had already wronged his daughter enough; how could he stand by and watch her fall into a living hell?
Before Xu Nianqing could speak, Xu Mingzhi gritted his teeth and said, "That's right. If you want my life, take it!"
Chu Zixiong corrected him, "Not your life, but your five limbs."
Not only would Xu Mingzhi be crippled, but his dignity as a man would also be destroyed.
Xu Mingzhi clearly hesitated for a moment, but he finally suppressed his fear and said, "Then do it. But you must let my daughter leave first. I will agree to the rest of your conditions."
This was Xu Mingzhi's bottom line.
A hint of impatience flickered in Chu Zixiong's eyes. After only a few days—he hadn't expected Xu Mingzhi to become so resolute?
Of course.
This was not the outcome he desired.
Ning Fei's intention was to make Xu Nianqing a puppet devoid of dignity. Only then could she be molded into an invincible weapon, a weapon that could help Ning Fei knock on the doors of the powerful.
Xu Nianqing was not only beautiful but also a highly educated intellectual, greatly nurtured by the state. She would surely win the favor of those elder statesmen.
Vulgar flirtations wouldn't impress them; only someone like Xu Nianqing could.
Ning Fei knew those powerful figures who commanded legions like the back of their hands all too well.
Chu Zixiong did not make a statement.
To be precise, he was waiting for Xu Nianqing to speak.
As he expected, Xu Nianqing couldn't hold back any longer. She immediately said, "I agree to your plan. Please release my father immediately!"
"You can do whatever you want to me!"