"Boss?" Meng Chi looked at Bi Xia standing a distance from Director Zhang’s private room and asked in confusion.
Bi Xia narrowed her eyes slightly, turned to Meng Chi and said, "We are not eating with them today."
"What’s wrong, boss?" Meng Chi looked at Bi Xia walking away, "Boss?"
Bi Xia smirked, "This Director Zhang is not yet sincere. It’s fine to wait a while over there."
"What do you mean?" Meng Chi asked, puzzled.
Bi Xia raised her eyes, "Choosing a place under surveillance is just to see my true face. There must be others around him. So, if we go in today and expose our true identities, we’ll be at a disadvantage, unable to fight back."
"With Nine Pavilion not yet stable, we must not take risks."
Meng Chi nodded understandingly, "I got it. I’ll directly refuse them."
"No need," Bi Xia snapped her fingers, whispered a few words to someone from X Security Company, then waved her hand. She watched as that person walked towards Director Zhang’s private room, only to be pinned to the ground suddenly, "See, that’s what happens if we go in."
Meng Chi’s face instantly darkened, "I thought he genuinely wanted to discuss things with us."
Bi Xia patted Meng Chi’s shoulder and led him upstairs, "Remember, whether they are sincere or not, you must always keep your bottom line."
"In the old days, Nine Pavilion would be considered bandits, and people like Director Zhang would be officials. Bandits and officials cannot truly coexist. If they do, it’s just to maintain balance and prevent either side from getting too powerful. One follows the law, the other... doesn’t."
Meng Chi followed behind Bi Xia, "Even so, we should stick to being our own Nine Pavilion, and not forget our original intentions, just like Brother Zi’an said."
Stopping in her tracks, Bi Xia looked at Meng Chi and smiled lightly, "Yes, don’t forget our original intentions."
Hearing the report from their people, Ji Qiutang had already left, and Bi Xiaoyuan was playing in her office.
Bi Xia nodded and asked Meng Chi to find Wen Yian while she gently knocked on Xia Shi’s office door.
For a long time, there was no movement in the office. Bi Xia didn’t speak either; after a moment of silence, she said, "I will have Zi’an file an appeal immediately. Bi Qingyun will pay for everything he has done, whether it’s bigamy, falsifying evidence, or... intentional rape... The Xia family recipe will be recovered."
"...I don’t think I did anything wrong. You and Bi Xiaoyuan are my bottom line, and Bi Qingyun deliberately crossed it. The reason I didn’t kill him was because of you."
"You might think that I don’t seem like the capable and obedient child in front of you anymore, but, Mom, I will eventually grow up. Sometimes that’s just the way the world works. If you don’t fight back, you’ll be slowly consumed by others."
"I just... realized this earlier than others."
After saying this, Bi Xia stood at the door for a while, her eyes slightly downcast. Just as she was about to leave, she heard the door behind her suddenly slam open. Turning around, she saw Xia Shi, her eyes red and her body trembling.
"At that time... when I saw you hurt Bi Qingyun like that," Xia Shi wiped away her tears, "I thought, my child was going to get caught up in this because of me."
"I hated that you couldn’t control yourself better. Bi Qingyun is not worth it..."
"But... By the time I realized it, I had already slapped you. At that moment, I felt useless, completely useless. I thought I could handle everything, but," Xia Shi lowered her head, her body shaking, "facts proved that I couldn’t do anything right, only making more trouble for you."
"I’m sorry, Xiaxia. Mom is too incompetent. I just thought I could protect you and Yuanyuan a little bit better, but I overestimated myself..."