Pleasing Start-Over Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Arc 1 Part 6

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Recently, Qi Yuxuan hadn’t been coming home at night. He also wasn’t coming in to work at the company. Coupled with the dispirited and washed out aura he oozed, father Qi became concerned. Qi Yuxuan’s brilliance always rea.s.sured him. So all these unusual factors caused him to constantly ask Qi Yuxuan about his well being and current situation.

In turn, Qi Yuxuan wanted to quell father Qi’s doubt. So for the past two days now, Qi Yuxuan had been going home on time for dinner. They usually conversed about the company or business matters at the dinner table. Where he pretended to be a studious person in front of the family, so they would think he was a promising seed. Then he would flatter his father with honeyed words. Of course he knew exactly how to please his dear father. Mrs. Qi and Qi Yuxin would chime in support every now and then. They played the picture perfect family filled with bliss. Unfortunately, this made the original Qi Beichen, who already had a low sense of existence, feel excluded and neglected.

However, it was different now. Qi Yuxuan was very careful with how he presented himself, because he didn’t want to reveal his problems to the family. With Qi Yuxuan so preoccupied with his own thoughts, he didn’t even think about talking to Qi father. Qi father spoke to Qi Yuxuan several times. As Qi Yuxuan answered with absent minded and curt replies, Mr. Qi gave up and stopped talking. Qiao Chen never spoke during dinner, so it was only Qi Yuxin who spoke. She spoke about purses and clothes she’d been eyeing.

Just as dinner was served, everyone began to dig in. Suddenly, a servant came over and notified them of a man who wished to speak to Mr. Qi. The man was even surrounded by body guards. Qi father was puzzled. He didn’t know who would bring bodyguards with them to visit his home. However, he thought that they may be some higher profiled business friends of his. He told the servant to escort them in.

Qi Yuxuan saw the person who came in. His face immediately scrunched up in anger, fear, and frustration. He quickly walked over to private speak to them but was blocked by a bodyguard- disallowing him from approaching too closely.

Mr. Qi didn’t recognize this person. He looked confused as he asked, “Who are you?”

The man was none other than the gambling ship manager. After a few quick introductions, he took out the debt contact signed by Qi Yuxuan. He explained, “This is the contract outlining the money Mr. Qi Yuxuan borrowed. His debt amounts to a total of 30 million. He has signed with his signature and fingerprint… Although there is still some time before the total amount is due, I feel that it’s always polite to remind my clients to prepare in advance. Therefore,” the casino manager turned to Qi Yuxuan, “Mr. Qi Yuxuan, it is good to get the money ready beforehand since this is quite a sum.”

“What did you say? A debt totaling 30 million?” Mr. Qi questioned quite loudly. He stared with his eyes wide open in shock. He took the contract into his hands and looked at it carefully. The signature was definitely Qi Yuxuan’s handwriting. This confirmed that loan was indeed something Qi Yuxuan took out.

“What’s going on here?” Mr. Qi looked to Qi Yuxan for an explanation.

Mrs. Qi and Qi Yuxin stared at Qi Yuxuan in shock and disbelief. They waited for him to tell them is was a prank, or that he was being framed. Qiao Chen, on the other hand, quietly reduced his sense of existence so he could watch the show.

Qi Yuxuan looked pale. His mouth dried as he explained, “I went to a gambling boat to play a bit. I lost some money. I wanted to play a bit more so I borrowed some more. The more I lost, the more I borrowed…But I didn’t even realize that I kept losing so much, so I kept borrowing more and more.”

“So this debt contract is legitimate? You really borrowed 30 million?” Mr. Qi howled. His eyes burned with rage.

“I’m sorry dad. I really didn’t mean to borrow so much money. Please help me. I will never gamble again.” Qi Yuxuan knelt on the floor and apologized. He knew he couldn’t pay the money back anyways. Since Qi father found out about it, then he could take the loss and ask his father to help him out. Besides, the debt collectors from the casino wouldn’t let him off easy.

Mr. Qi took the debt contract to the table. He angrily roared, “He’s the one that borrowed the money! Don’t look for me to settle the debt!”

The casino manager picked up the contract, stored it away, and spoke, “When the comes time to repay the money, we will come back again to collect. If Mr. Qi doesn’t help him pay, because he obviously does not have sufficient funds, then we will bring him with us. Paying back a debt you owe is the right thing to do.”

After the manager left with his bodyguards, Mr. Qi couldn’t hold in the fury that ballooned. He picked up a nearby ashtray and went to throw it towards the kneeling Qi Yuxuan. Qi Yuxin screamed. She ran and pulled down her father’s hand. Mrs. Qi also rushed over and pulled the ashtray out of his grip. “Husband! What are you doing? You’re going to kill him!”

Qiao Chen thought it was quite a pity that Qi Yuxuan was left clean. He wanted to see him bloodied up like the previous Qi Beichen, who had that ash tray smash against his head. At that time, n.o.body stopped Qi father. n.o.body desperately spoke up for Qi Beichen. Now that the debt collectors were going after Qi Yuxuan, Qi Ziyun and Mrs. Qi desperately persuaded Mr. Qi to quell his anger. They pleaded that Qi Yuxuan had “always been sensible and capable” and that this problem had to be because “that casino manager cheated him”. They continued to say that none of this “would ever happen again.”

For Mr. Qi’s entire lifetime, he had always kept face. If Qi Yuxuan’s debts were aired out for everyone to see, even worse if he went to court for this matter, then his face wouldn’t be able see the light of day. With this thought, Mr. Qi began to think about Qi Yuxuan’s 20 years of growth. Qi Yuxuan worked hard as he grew up. Qi Yuxuan was a very understanding, calm person. He would have to be hit in the head to have done all this. That’s right… it should be the casino’s wrong doing. They schemed and planned for this to happen. They were the ones who did this. Qi Yuxuan wasn’t the type to infected with some mental illness such as addiction*.
(T/N: From my understanding: In many Asian households, mental illness is considered shameful. Actually, it seems like this is a common thing in a lot of cultures.)

“Why would you even go gambling at a casino?” Mr. Qi asked. Although he felt that Qi Yuxuan was the victim of a scheme. On the other hand, he also thought that if Qi Yuxuan didn’t even step foot into a casino, how would others have the chance to prey on him?
On Qi Yuxuan’s point of view, he knew he couldn’t tell them about that it was his own scheming that fell apart. He couldn’t say that it was supposed to Qi Beichen who fell into addiction. He, even more so, couldn’t say that the plans that were supposed to befall Qi Beichen fell to him instead- that he fell into his own d.a.m.ned trap.

“Yes…it was Shu Wenjie. I honestly didn’t want to go, but he kept urging me to. He asked me every day. I didn’t want to offend him, so I only went a few times, but who knew I’d lose so much…” Qi Yuxuan explained. He could only push Shu Wenjie under the bus for now.

“Shu Wenjie? How did you even get mixed up with him?” The Qi and Shu family were business contacts, and Mr. Qi knew about Shu Wenjie. He had a poor reputation. Mr. Qi never wanted Qi Yuxuan and Shu Wenjie to be friends

“Our families have business deals with each other. He is the only son of the Shu family*. Needless to say, he’d be the one inheriting the Shu estate. He’s the one who wanted to be friends with me. I didn’t want a.s.sociate with him, but I also didn’t want to offend him and ruin the company cooperation. I had no choice. I had to go out with him every now and then.”

(*Yes he is the second master that just means the first one is probably the older sister)

“For the sake of our company’s business a.s.sociates, Yuxuan had to go gambling. Yuxuan only borrowed so much money because of his relationship with Shu Wenjie. If not for that Shu Wenjie, how would Yuxuan even think about setting foot in a casino ship?” Mrs. Qi spoke up and she joined in support of Qi Yuxuan.

“That’s right, daddy! For the sake of the company’s business matters, brother Yuxuan had to! It’s that disgusting and abominable Shu Wenjie’s fault. He’s the one who set brother Yuxuan up!” Qi Yuxin chimed in support as well, hoping to persuade her father.

Mr. Qi eventually relented. He helped Qi Yuxuan pay back the money. Unfortunately for him, the debt was too much for what he had on hand. He had to use some of the liquid a.s.sets from the company to compensate the amount he lacked. Since Qi Yuxuan showed how excellent he was before, Mr. Qi did not want to give up on him just because of this one mistake. Even though Qi Yucuan wasn’t his own flesh and blood, he raised the boy for more than 20 years now. He grew to love the boy. It’d truly be a waste if he gave up now. He poured too much effort to cultivate Yuxuan as the heir to Qi family. Later, he’ll arrange a marriage between Yuxuan and Yuxin. The two were his children for so long. He might as well have Yuxuan become his true son.

Mr. Qi harshly reprimanded Qi Yuxuan over dinner. This was really just a slap on the wrist. In Qi Beichen’s previous live, Mr. Qi disowned him once he found out about the debt.

But how could Qi Yuxuan give up so easily? He and Shu Wenjie worked on another plot to discredit Qi Beichen.

Qiao Chen wasn’t worried. He knew that Qi Yuxuan would cook up another scheme. All he had to do was wait patiently. Wait for when Qi Yuxuan enacted his plan, and then push him back into his own trap- exactly like the gambling scheme.

For two months, Qi Yuxuan showed his “honesty and sincerety” for Qi father to see. Every day, he’d arrive to work on time. His performance reviews were very positive. He wouldn’t go out at night. He’d even visit Qi father each night before bed to repent his mistakes. He continued until Mr. Qi’s anger dwindled into love and pity. Mr. Qi would comfort Qi Yuxuan. He let him off, saying he didn’t need to work in the company every day. He also let him go out as well, so he wouldn’t feel cooped up.  Qi Yuxuan had to maintain his social status of course. He needed to socialize and communicate with others in their social circle. Therefore, Qi Yuxuan went out every now and then to socialize with the right crowd, and find opportunities to enact his second plot.

In the last attempt, Qi Yuxuan prepared everything to happen step by step. He wanted Qi Beichen to slowly fall into the trap, so he wouldn’t realize what what going on. This time around, he wanted everything to happen quickly. He and Shu Wenjie prepared everything in advance for Qi Beichen. All they needed to do was bring him to the location, and everything would fall into place. Qi Yuxuan was 100% sure of it.

……………………………
Qi Yuxuan and Shu Wenjie took Qiao Chen to a bar with private rooms. There were people already waiting for them. They approached the trio and immediately shouted out rounds of “cheers” so they could begin drinking.

The private room was quite large and dark. One had to yell out their conversations. The dim light meant you couldn’t read everyone’s expressions very well. You could only feel their excitement.

Shu Wenjie personally poured a gla.s.s of wine for Qi Beichen. He eagerly persuaded Qi Beichen to drink. Qiao Chen deliberately refused to drink. Qiao Chen didn’t budge,  and Shu Wenjie continued to persuade him. He finally got Qi Beichen to drink by telling him he could drink slowly.

Even though Qi Beichen drank slowly, with Shu Wenjie’s persistence and persuasions, he eventually drank two to three bottles of wine. The expensive wine was ordered like it was free. Bottle after bottle was opened. The group drank the night away as they danced to the music that blared through the sound system.

In the dark, someone handed Shu Wenjie a gla.s.s of wine. He immediately pa.s.sed it over to the drunk Qi Beichen. “Beichen! Come, come! Give me some face will ya? Bottoms up!” he cheered.

Qiao Chen grasped the gla.s.s in his hands. However, because nausea rose, Qi Beichen quickly dropped his hands down onto the low table in front of them and spilled some of the wine out.

“Aiyo! What’s happening? Forget it man, don’t drink that one anymore. Just lie down and take a break.” Shu Wenjie carried Qi Beichen up and pushed another drink into his hands.

Qi Beichen waved it away to show he couldn’t drink any more.

“Come one man, it’s rare that everyone can be so happy and excited today. Don’t ruin the mood. You have to drink the last cup. Don’t be a wet blanket.” Shu Wenjie loudly spoke in Qi Beichen’s ears.

“Drink! Drink! Drink!” Everyone either cheered or jeered at Qi Beichen- egging him on so he would drink the last cup. Qi Beichen was pressured into drinking the gla.s.s of wine. After he finished the gla.s.s, he immediately made his way to the toilet. However, after two steps, he fell into the nearby sofa.

“Oof… It’s alright, buddy.” Shu Wenjie a.s.sisted the shaky Qi Beichen up.

“I’m fi- fine. I want. Want togoto the restrrom.” Qi Beichen slurred. He sat upright, stood up, and stumbled out.

“Here, I’ll take you.” Shu Wenjie offered as he followed behind.

When they reached the door, Qiao Chen pushed Shu Wenjie back. Qi Beichen stumbled in his speech, “I… I can go by-by myself. You uhh- no, no need to take me. I’ll come right back. Right back after- after I – I’m done.”

Shu Wenjie didn’t insist on taking him. He watched as Qi Beichen clutched the wall as he walked to the restroom. After Qi Beichen entered the restroom, Shu Wenjie turned around and returned back into the private room.

Qiao Chen entered the toilet stall, closed the door, and locked it. He didn’t look the slightest bit drunk.