The Sea Queen of 1985

Chapter 213: Chapter 213: A Long Wait, A Growing Unease

”Wen, I want you to stop harassing me. Just sign the papers, take your money, and leave.”

Han Xiaorui heard a familiar voice and turned to look.

She never expected to see Xu Yingying in a foreign country.

Since it was a study exchange, the Japanese hosts were covering all expenses, and the hotel they had booked for them was excellent.

After all, the Japanese hosts wanted to show off their advanced country to their guests from Hua Country and display their superiority.

How could they display that superiority if the hotel was too old or low-end?

The food in the restaurant was also quite good.

Aside from some of the raw dishes, the cooked food was decent.

Han Xiaorui saw not only Xu Yingying but also Wen Tao, the man who had been constantly harassing her.

She walked over quickly. ”Miss Xu, do you need help?”

Wen Tao tried to grab Xu Yingying’s hand, but she dodged him. ”Yingying, you have to believe me. I love you. My parents were angry we don’t have children; I was just doing that to appease them.”

Xu Yingying narrowed her eyes and said coldly, ”The fundamental problem between us isn’t about children. It’s that you lied to me. You’re a despicable person, utterly untrustworthy. I even suspect you schemed to get with me in the first place.”

”You don’t want a divorce because you’re bitter about not getting what you wanted. You didn’t dare cause a scene back in Hua Country, so you actually followed me all the way to Japan.”

Xu Yingying had hit a nerve. A vicious glint flashed in Wen Tao’s eyes.

He couldn’t accept it.

’In just a few more years, I could have had the entire Xu family.’

’Whether it was their domestic assets or their immense overseas fortune, once I was managing it, I could have made it all mine.’

’I never imagined Xu Yingying would actually find out.’

’How did she discover it after I’d hidden it for so long?’

Wen Tao’s attention was fixed on Xu Yingying; he didn’t even notice Han Xiaorui’s arrival.

He only thought the woman looked vaguely familiar but couldn’t place her.

After all, every time he came to Jinshan Bay, he did so furtively, rarely showing his face in the open.

Han Xiaorui was very busy and wasn’t particularly close with her neighbors.

They would just exchange greetings when they saw each other, so they weren’t well-acquainted.

It was perfectly normal that Wen Tao didn’t recognize Han Xiaorui.

”Yingying, I was really wrong. I’m begging you, please forgive me,” Wen Tao pleaded pitifully. ’Since Xu Yingying is determined to divorce and won’t compromise at all, then I have no choice but to resort to my last option.’

”Get out. Get out right now,” Xu Yingying snapped. ”This man has been harassing me. Call security.”

Seeing the staff approach, Wen Tao had no choice but to leave.

He clenched his fists and ground his teeth in secret.

Han Xiaorui looked worried. ”Miss Xu, I think that Wen fellow might do something desperate.”

Seeing that Han Xiaorui wasn’t a stranger, Xu Yingying sighed. ”Divorce is so difficult, especially with someone like Wen. He’s relentlessly pestering me. Threats, bribes... he’s shown his true, ugly colors. I feel sick just thinking I ever loved a man like that.”

”Miss Xu, you need to stay strong,” Han Xiaorui comforted her. ”If you don’t have anything important here, you should go back to Hua Country right away. I saw the vicious look in his eyes just now. I’m worried he might try to harm you. After all, this is a foreign country. If something happens, your family is too far away to help.”

Xu Yingying nodded. ”It’s mainly for business. I’ll be done in two days, then I can go back. Don’t worry about me, I have bodyguards.”

”But when Wen was harassing you just now, I didn’t see any bodyguards,” Han Xiaorui said, confused.

If her bodyguards had been there, Wen Tao wouldn’t have been able to even touch the hem of her clothes.

Xu Yingying explained, ”One went to the car to get something for me, and the other went back to the room to drop some things off while I ate here. Who would have thought that Wen would actually find the hotel?”

Han Xiaorui was still worried. It was a mistake to underestimate a man’s desperation for money.

”Miss Xu, you aren’t divorced yet. If you were to... have an accident and die, who would be the beneficiary of your assets?”

Xu Yingying was taken aback. ”Are you saying Wen Tao wants to kill me?”

”Anything can happen in a foreign country,” Han Xiaorui said with a grave expression. ”Miss Xu, I really think you should be careful.”

Xu Yingying thought for a moment. ”You’re right. I can’t let my guard down. I’ll have my bodyguards stick with me from now on. Even though Wen Tao and I signed a prenuptial agreement, if I die, he would still inherit most of my property.”

Hearing this, Han Xiaorui grew even more nervous. ”Miss Xu, why don’t you just go back to Hua Country now?”

Xu Yingying shook her head. ”I can’t. There’s some equipment I need to purchase from Japan. This is a critical time. The contract signing is tomorrow, and I’ll head back the day after. I have bodyguards with me, don’t worry.”

Seeing Xu Yingying’s insistence, Han Xiaorui felt she couldn’t press the matter further.

”Alright then! After you’re done with work, let me treat you to dinner tomorrow night!”

Xu Yingying smiled and shook her head. ”I’m practically your elder. Since we’ve run into each other in a foreign country, how could I let you treat me?”

”Of course I should be the one to treat you. After all, I come to Japan often. I know some good places here and can take you shopping.”

”You’re so tall, you’ll definitely be able to find lots of beautiful clothes here!”

Han Xiaorui’s eyes lit up. ”Okay! I have to follow the group for study and inspection during the day, but I’ll be free in the evening. Let’s go shopping.”

Xu Yingying nodded. ”Then it’s a date. I’m in room 702. What about you?”

Han Xiaorui replied, ”I’m in 503! I’ll contact you tomorrow.”

”Okay!” Xu Yingying nodded, then gathered her things and went back to her room.

Han Xiaorui returned to have dinner with her group.

Director Wang quickly asked, ”Comrade Xiao Han, who was that lady just now?”

Han Xiaorui answered, ”She’s my boyfriend’s maternal aunt, Miss Xu. She’s a returned overseas Chinese.”

”She has many investments in Shencheng. The first five-star hotel currently under construction in our city is a joint venture between the Xu family and a public entity.”

Director Wang was slightly stunned by this. He might not know about other things, but the Huating Hotel project was very important; it had even been reported in the newspapers at the time.

”Patriotic overseas Chinese returning to invest and create jobs! I truly hope we see more and more people like her so our economic development in Shencheng can get better and better.”

Han Xiaorui smiled and nodded. ”We will definitely continue to develop!”

After returning to her room, Han Xiaorui began to organize what she had learned that day.

Because she had an excellent memory, she could write everything down from memory even when photography wasn’t allowed.

Many of the experts and professors could only remember the gist of things and sometimes had to copy Han Xiaorui’s notes.

After everyone let go of their mental burdens, they worked hard and studied with even more focus.

The next day, they went to another location for a visit and inspection, and Han Xiaorui used three rolls of film.

After returning to the hotel, Han Xiaorui called room 702 through the front desk, but no one answered.

Han Xiaorui assumed Xu Yingying was still busy, so she went back to her room first to change and put on some makeup.

By 7 p.m., Xu Yingying still hadn’t returned.

Han Xiaorui went to the door of room 702 herself and knocked for a while, but there was no sound.

A bad feeling crept into Han Xiaorui’s heart.

She couldn’t find Xu Yingying and had no idea where to ask about her whereabouts.

She regretted not asking Xu Yingying which company she was signing with.