Having heard the whole account from his second uncle, Tang Qing had already made a decision. He planned to have the Command Room devise a strategy straight away. After all, figuring out the other party’s exact intentions wasn’t as simple as planting a few more bugs in their house. If only it were so straightforward. He could not hide his uncle indefinitely until such information was gathered. As if that was at all possible.
If he couldn’t acknowledge his own family on his own territory, it would be a slap on his face. He wasn’t afraid of being slapped, but anyone who dared to slap him was asking for trouble. Yet deep inside, Tang Qing didn’t believe the other party could bury the hatchet without harming his second uncle and his own family. He was simply looking for an excuse to fight.
Furthermore, harboring grudges wasn’t an option either.
Just as Tang Qing was thinking about this, he suddenly remembered something else. "Second Uncle, where are Second Aunt and my cousin? Are they in Bangkok? Isn’t that place too dangerous?"
Hearing that he had a younger sister made Tang Qing decidedly happy. However, he figured that his parents, once they knew, might pay less attention to him than before. But he didn’t care. Being bullied by his cousin wasn’t that big of a deal; his family household could use an extra pair of hands anyway.
"No, they’re not in Bangkok. It’s unsafe there. Both of them were sent to the United States last year. Your cousin Tang Nian’er is studying in a high school in New York, with your second aunt taking care of her. I have hired two bodyguards to protect them. They are safe." Tang Kai replied with a shake of his head and a smile.
It wasn’t because he was forward-looking and foresaw the Wei family’s downfall, but rather that the security in Bangkok wasn’t very good. Considering the director’s numerous past crimes, including kidnapping, he had long intended to send his family abroad. However, he had been reluctant due to the lack of family time – not exceeding more than a week in the past year. Now, it seemed like sending his wife and daughter away was the right decision.
Upon hearing this, Tang Qing felt relieved. Still, he didn’t completely let his guard down. He decided to send two more bodyguards for discreet protection. After all, no bodyguards were more reliable than his robot bodyguards in terms of skill and strength. Given the crime-ridden state of New York, it was anything but a safe place. In the future, he would try to persuade his second uncle to bring them back home.
In Tang Qing’s view, no foreign country was truly safe, especially the Western ones, which were his main future competitors. Staging a kidnapping wasn’t even a significant move, compared to other things they were capable of. Back home, at least he felt things were more under control, and he wouldn’t suddenly face villains armed with AK-47s. The world’s "safest" country certainly didn’t earn its titular by boasting.
"That’s good to hear, Second Uncle. When will you come home to see my parents? I know they miss you, though they hardly ever mention it," Tang Qing said with a nod.
"I’m afraid going back might implicate you all. Those people won’t let us off easily," Tang Kai replied with concern, knowing full well that tycoons of his level held substantial influence in the province, straddling both legitimate and underworld activities. He had little power to compete with them domestically.
Though he wasn’t a pushover in Bangkok and had held his own against scum, he was reluctant to stir up trouble at home. Given the complex web of relationships this kind of person could bring to bear, making a move might end up backfiring, creating a situation he couldn’t handle.
"Don’t worry, Uncle, it’ll be fine. I have a friend with great influence. I’ll let him test the waters first. If we can negotiate, then great. If not, we’ll think of something else. Give me a maximum of five days. I’ll have an answer for you," Tang Qing confidently claimed.
Five days should be enough for his bodyguards to source a considerable amount of information. If they failed to do so, he would stop waiting, preferring to err on the side of caution, regardless of the lost face. Except this time, he had to save face.
"That would be best. I hope they’ll come to a resolution. If money is what they’re after, I’ll give as much as I can. If not..." Tang Kai trailed off into silence.
"Rest assured, Uncle. There shouldn’t be a problem. My friend carries a lot of weight," Tang Qing quickly reassured him. Certainly, a man with power indeed carried a lot of weight. Once the five days were up, he had to settle this matter once and for all.
Tang Kai nodded and spoke softly, "I hope so. By the way, Tangtang, what are you doing in Province City? When will you be going back?"
"I am here for the birthday banquet of my friend’s elder. I’m leaving this afternoon," Tang Qing answered truthfully.
"I see. It seems like your friend has a lot of power," Tang Kai remarked, amazed that Tang Qing had such influential friends. That family was ranked within the top three wealthiest in the province, with vast influence. But Tang Kai didn’t ask further about what Tang Qing’s friend did.
"Yes, my friend does hold substantial power. However, Second Uncle, what are your future plans?" Tang Qing asked with a smile.
"Once I have seen your parents, I will return to Bangkok. There are still many things that need my attention there. If things really get out of hand, I will come back here to develop myself," Tang Kai said resolutely, his smile fading as he sighed.