"This couple" observed Jiang Hai and Qi Li from a distance. An Changwu, sitting in the corner, was seething with anger.
Initially, they were handing out business cards to make new connections, and they didn't have the time or energy to pay attention to Jiang Hai. However, after distributing the cards, these people showed no intention of involving the An family in any activities. They had nothing else to do, yet they were reluctant to leave. At that point, An Changwu's attention naturally shifted elsewhere.
The cocktail party had only three highlights: food, drinks, and networking. People like the An family were never lacking in food or drinks, but no one seemed willing to engage them in meaningful conversation.
Unable to cling to anyone without being a nuisance, An Changwu redirected his focus. It was then that he noticed Jiang Hai and Qi Li sitting in front of the teppanyaki grill, enjoying their meal.
Jiang Hai loved Yangtze River knife fish—it tasted amazing, but there was a downside. The fish had far too many bones. If roasted too crisply, it lost its flavor, which wasn't worth the trade-off. If not roasted as much, it retained its flavor but was riddled with bones.
Qi Li sat beside him, carefully picking out the bones from the fish for him, removing each one, even the tiniest burrs, and handing the meat to Jiang Hai. Watching Qi Li's virtuous actions made An Changwu hate her, and a bitter resentment rose within him.
An Changwu had always been deeply fond of Qi Li, perhaps still was, despite the current state of their families. After the Qi family fell from grace, he had spent nearly a year wallowing in sadness and despair until his brother, An Changyong, had dragged him back to reality. After being repeatedly rejected by Qi Li, he thought he'd forgotten her, but instead, he realized he couldn't. Even when he went out, he looked for women who resembled her.
Seeing the closeness between Qi Li and Jiang Hai made his heart ache even more.
He reminisced about how he had once treated Qi Li like royalty. When eating melon seeds, he'd pick them out for her because she thought it was dirty to use her teeth. When they ate crabs, he'd remove all the meat for her, ensuring the shell remained intact. He'd also pick out the bones for her when eating fish and even carried her bag whenever they went out. At home, he cooked and cleaned, serving her as though she were a queen.
But now, Qi Li was carrying her own bag and picking fish bones for Jiang Hai, even going as far as cleaning up his leftovers. She had initiated physical closeness with him, and seemed to openly expect his support for his concubines. Was this still the Qi Li he knew? Was she out of her mind?
The more he watched her, the angrier he became. Why? Why had the woman he cherished become someone else's? The woman he'd once dreamed of was now living out that dream with another man.
An Changwu felt a sudden tightening in his chest, followed by a sharp pain.
"Bang!" An Changwu accidentally knocked over a plate, the sound of it shattering drawing everyone's attention. But when they saw his face pale and his body sweating, they were stunned.
"Changwu, what's wrong?" An Changyong and An Dexun rushed to his side.
Seeing their son and brother in distress, they grew anxious, slapping his face lightly and calling out to him.
"It looks like an acute heart attack. We need to get him to the hospital immediately," said the doctor who had been present at the villa.
The doctor quickly administered two pills, then turned to An Dexun and An Changyong.
"Let's go." Though reluctant to leave the event, they knew their son's life was far more important. Sighing, An Dexun exchanged polite smiles with the others and, with his brother's help, carried An Changwu out of the villa.
As they left, Jiang Hai and Qi Li took notice.
"They won't see the light of day tomorrow," Qi Li muttered, although she wasn't sure how Jiang Hai had arranged things. Still, based on her knowledge of him, she knew he would take action.
"Why do you pity them? If you feel sorry for them, why not stop them now? Then they won't die," Jiang Hai said, his tone cold as he continued eating his fish. His words were laced with a hint of disdain.
"What are you talking about? Seriously, I pity them for not having seen their own end," Qi Li replied, rolling her eyes at Jiang Hai. Her voice had lost all trace of sympathy. After hearing his words, Jiang Hai merely shrugged. To him, eliminating these people was the easiest part.
Meanwhile, Azarina, who had been hiding in the villa, left unnoticed. Five minutes later, a tow truck arrived at the scene where the car had been parked. The heavyset driver spoke briefly with the tow truck operator, then had the car towed away.
On the other side, An Changwu, An Dexun, and An Changyong had also gotten into their car.
Jiang Rui, who had come along as a precaution, started the engine. After learning that Jiang Hai had returned, the An family was concerned about him possibly going all the way to deal with them. If necessary, Jiang Rui, a former mercenary, would be able to help. But, since Jiang Hai had not yet acted, Jiang Rui was only playing the role of a driver.
Had Jiang Hai known he could eliminate four enemies in one go, he would have smiled in his dreams.
The car sped away from the villa's parking lot, heading toward the city.
"Dad, why not go back? Such an opportunity is rare," An Changwu, who was feeling a little better, hesitated before speaking to his father.
"What nonsense are you spouting? No matter how long I live, the company will be yours and your brother's someday. Right now, you two are the most important to me. No more talk. We're going to the hospital," An Dexun replied, glancing at his son with a smile before returning to a more serious expression.
Hearing his father's words, An Changwu couldn't help but lift his head, fighting back tears. He suddenly realized how foolish he had been, mourning a woman who had moved on. But now, he had made up his mind—he would make both Qi Li and Jiang Hai regret their choices. Unfortunately, he might never live to see that day.
As the car picked up speed, they failed to notice that the water temperature in the engine was rising.
The layer of sugar coating in the water tank began to dissolve as the water grew hotter, releasing cesium that came into contact with the water.
There was a loud "bang!" as the cesium reacted with the water, creating hydrogen and triggering an explosion.
The car veered out of control. Among the four occupants, An Dexun, An Changwu, and An Changyong were stunned, their panic rising.
An Changwu grabbed the handrail beside him, his face paling even further.
Fortunately, Jiang Rui, though unable to stop the car completely, managed to steer it toward the strongest section of the isolation barrier, causing a crash that forced the car to a halt.
The car hit the barrier with a heavy thud. As the airbags deployed, a ball of fire quickly engulfed the vehicle. The flames spread so fast that there was no time for anyone to react.
Jiang Hai's phone vibrated with an unknown number. He opened the message to find a photo of the burning car. After deleting it, he slipped his phone back into his pocket, his previously grim expression now softening. The long-standing issue was finally resolved.
By the time the fire truck and police arrived, only four charred remains were left in the car. The initial investigation suggested that the car had overheated, causing the brakes to fail and the vehicle to crash into the isolation barrier. A leak in the car's engine had caused the fire.
But the police were puzzled: even though the car had caught fire, why hadn't the four passengers attempted to escape during the few minutes before the explosion?
To be continued.