Chapter 28: Coercion and Inducement

With that, Luo Yichen closed the door. From the window of the villa opposite, Xi Jingpeng had taken in every moment of their "passionate encounter." He wanted to rush over immediately and drag Shang Qi out, but in the end, he did nothing. Since the two of them were willing, charging in now would only be asking for humiliation.

Luo Yichen lay semi-reclined on the sofa, pulling Shang Qi into his arms. "What do you want to know? Go ahead and ask."

"What is your favorite food?"

"Preserved duck eggs."

"What are your hobbies?"

"Battling with others—the joy is boundless." Shang Qi stuck her tongue out, thinking that was certainly a peculiar hobby.

"What kind of movies do you like?"

"I don't know. It's been too long since I've watched any."

And so, they talked for a long time. At first, Luo Yichen felt it was rather tedious, but gradually, he learned that Shang Qi loved chocolate, was a music enthusiast, and enjoyed romantic art-house films. He suddenly realized he truly hadn't understood her well enough. This heart-to-heart conversation made them both feel warm, drawing their souls closer together.

As they chatted, Luo Yichen’s tone lost its seriousness. He held Shang Qi tighter and said, "We’ve learned just about everything there is to know about each other. Isn’t it time for some practical action?"

Immersed in the joy of their conversation, Shang Qi missed his implication. She asked, "You mean we should try everything we just talked about together in the future?"

Luo Yichen was at a loss for words. He simply stated plainly, "I mean the snowy night is enchanting; shouldn't we avoid wasting it?"

Shang Qi’s face flushed red. She looked out the window and saw that the snow had stopped. The ground was covered in a thick layer, turning the small courtyard in front of the villa into a vast expanse of white. A clever idea struck her. "Since you don't want to sleep yet, why don't we go out and get some exercise?"

In the middle of the night, Shang Qi suggesting they "get some exercise" certainly invited wild imagination. Luo Yichen felt flattered; he hadn't expected their conversation to be so effective, or for her to take the initiative. Just as he was secretly gloating, Shang Qi stood up from his arms.

She put on her coat, picked up his jacket, and handed it to him. "Put this on."

"Are we going out?" Luo Yichen asked reluctantly, still thinking of his "good fortune" for the evening.

"Put it on, quickly!"

Shang Qi’s tone was firm. Luo Yichen had no choice but to comply, and was then pulled outside. A chill hit them, making Shang Qi shiver. The crispness of the snowy night also sobered Luo Yichen’s hazy mind. Shang Qi found two metal dustpans from somewhere and began piling up the snow.

"What are you standing there for? Come and help!" she called out while shoveling.

Luo Yichen suddenly realized she wanted to build a snowman. With the sky now clear, the fresh air was invigorating. Seeing Shang Qi bouncing around like a little bird, Luo Yichen smiled happily. He took a dustpan and began to shovel. Through their combined efforts, the basic shape of the snowman was quickly formed.

Luo Yichen packed a pile of snow into a ball, coated it with more snow to make it larger, and placed it on top of the base. It was a success. After all that, Shang Qi’s face and hands were frozen red.

Worried she might catch a cold, Luo Yichen asked, "Are you freezing? Should you go back inside first?"

"It’s alright, I’m going to find eyes, a nose, and a mouth for the snowman." With that, Shang Qi walked toward the lawn, bowing her head to clear away the snow layer to look for pebbles or twigs. Suddenly, her fingertip felt a sharp sting; she had been cut by a shard of glass. She frowned, picked up a stone, turned back to the snowman, and pressed it into the head where the eyes and nose should be.

Luo Yichen remarked, "It would be even prettier if you drew a red mouth!"

Shang Qi stretched out her injured, bleeding finger and drew a "lip" shape on the snowman’s head. Seeing the red bloodstains on the white snow, Luo Yichen felt a jolt in his heart. He grabbed her hand and cried, "How did you get hurt? I was just joking—why would you use your own blood to draw?"

"I cut it just now; it just happened to come in handy."

Luo Yichen threw the dustpan to the ground, pulled Shang Qi back into the villa, and used warm water to clean her wound. She pulled her hand back, shyly saying, "I can do it myself."

Luo Yichen wasn't the least bit embarrassed. "Stop trying to be a hero!"

At that moment, the doorbell rang. Luo Yichen wondered who would come calling in the middle of the night. As he turned to open the door, Shang Qi asked nervously, "Should I go hide upstairs?"

Luo Yichen’s expression darkened. "From now on, you need to get used to being by my side openly. There is nothing between us that needs to be hidden."

Feeling a warmth in her heart, Shang Qi followed him. When he opened the door, it was Xi Jingpeng standing there. It turned out he had been watching from the opposite villa the whole time. When he saw them playing in the snow, he couldn't hold back and chased over, only to find them gone inside after Shang Qi’s injury.

After a moment of thought, he knocked anyway. Luo Yichen felt a deep disgust for this "spoilsport." Shang Qi was equally surprised. Xi Jingpeng said, "Mr. Luo, I heard you’ve submitted loan applications multiple times. I wonder if you have time to talk to me?"

Who would believe a late-night visit was about a loan? Under normal circumstances, Luo Yichen would have chased him off, but this concerned the life and death of the Luo family business. He couldn't be careless. "Fine, please come in."

Xi Jingpeng looked at Shang Qi and said, "This concerns company secrets. It’s better if it’s just the two of us. I’m staying right across the way; why don't you come to my place to talk?"

Luo Yichen knew exactly what he was up to, but he didn't want to miss this rare opportunity to speak with him properly. He said to Shang Qi, "Go to sleep first; I might be back a bit late."

With that, he followed Xi Jingpeng to the villa opposite. It was twice the size of his own and very spacious. Once they were seated, Luo Yichen said, "The annual loan amount for the Luo family accounts for over 30% of the Xi family's total lending. Is such a large business deal worth giving up so easily just for a woman?"

"That is my business. If you let Shang Qi go, the loan will be available the day after tomorrow. The Luo family is already waiting for the grain to cook; you aren't in a position to bargain with me." Xi Jingpeng crossed his legs, looking full of confidence.

Luo Yichen sneered. "Even if I let Shang Qi go, she wouldn't just fall in love with you, would she? If she found out you were using coercion and bribery against me, she would probably despise you even more. Mr. Xi, I advise you not to do this!"

Thinking of Shang Qi’s cold attitude, Xi Jingpeng knew this wasn't an empty threat. This woman had her own principles and would never compromise easily—which was precisely her greatest charm. Xi Jingpeng said, "In business, we talk business. I wouldn't ignore company interests for a woman. However, for such a large loan, you need to give me some incentive. Recently, the Yin family has also applied for a loan, and they are willing to pay an interest rate 3% higher."

Seeing Xi Jingpeng’s greed, Luo Yichen countered, "The Luo family’s American branch is also actively seeking financing. It was only out of our years of cooperation that I thought to prioritize you. I heard many shareholders at the Xi family have strong opinions about your dictatorial decision to stop lending. Mr. Xi, if such a large deal really falls through, aren't you afraid they will come to settle accounts with you?"

"The conditions offered by the Yin family are more attractive than yours. Business is business; the highest bidder wins."

"I heard Yin Shichang is tied up in a land deal. Be careful lending him money—you might never see it again. We have always cooperated well, and I don't want to make things difficult for you. How about this: I can make a 1% concession."

Xi Jingpeng sighed inwardly; Luo Yichen was indeed formidable. He had come prepared, knowing the Xi family wouldn't let go of such a lucrative piece of meat as the Luo family. Still, such a large deal was rare. The Luo family’s growth was flourishing, and if the cooperation went well, the Xi family would definitely profit.

Xi Jingpeng said, "Very well, Mr. Luo. You certainly have sincerity. Just have your subordinates follow up on the specific procedures."

Luo Yichen nodded, stood up, and said, "It’s late, I won't disturb you further."

Xi Jingpeng smiled faintly. "Business is concluded, how about we talk about personal matters?"

Luo Yichen looked at him, puzzled, wondering what else he had to say. He heard him continue, "Don't think you’ve won by a large margin! Shang Qi just happens to have a bit more affection for you than for me."

"Is that so? But she told me she loves me."

Xi Jingpeng scoffed, "A woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea. What she says isn't necessarily the truth; perhaps she was forced by you? Otherwise, why would she have been refusing your touch all this time?"

Luo Yichen’s anger flared instantly. He thought to himself, *Xi Jingpeng is likely just trying to bait me; I mustn't fall for it.* He and Shang Qi had been together for three years; no one would believe they were "innocent," but he was only trying to win a verbal victory.

Therefore, Luo Yichen said, "I’m not very familiar with you. It’s not appropriate to discuss such private matters."

Xi Jingpeng laughed heartily. "Are you too embarrassed to admit it, or are you frustrated that you haven't managed to win over a single woman in such a long time?"

Seeing his confident attitude, Luo Yichen retorted, "Is it interesting to speculate about other people's private lives?"

"Shang Qi told me this herself," Xi Jingpeng said triumphantly.

At this point, Luo Yichen was losing his composure, his face showing signs of irritation. However, he was not willing to show weakness. Luo Yichen said coldly, "It seems you aren't aware of our latest progress. Shang Qi is thin-skinned; why would she be embarrassed to tell you such things?"

Seeing Luo Yichen remain calm and collected, then dropping such a remark, Xi Jingpeng felt a knot in his chest. For the sake of Shang Qi, these two men in their thirties were bickering like little boys fighting over a toy. Luo Yichen said, "Let us each rely on our own abilities, and let Shang Qi make the final decision."