After rescuing the desperate girl, I have no way to escape.

His life had already been ruined.

Burdened with enormous debt, he could only watch helplessly as his parents grew older day by day, never to see the day they would be free. Compared to the price of falling deeper and deeper into the arms of a girl and eventually being completely captured, which in a sense wasn't even a punishment, he certainly knew which one to choose.

And looking back, it's not so bad. You don't have to worry about work, where your next meal will come from, or how to navigate your life path. It's actually a wonderful thing.

Perhaps the only thing to worry about is what to do if the kidneys become damaged...

Lost in thought, Pei Xingyan suddenly slapped himself hard, the loud sound of his hand hitting his face startling passersby.

Pei Xingyan said to himself: How could you be so shameless as to let your soul degenerate?

But then another voice rang in his mind: You've already sworn an oath that you'd sell your soul for it, so what does it matter if you fall into depravity? Even if you fall into depravity towards other girls, so what?

He was torn by an internal struggle, which made his head buzz and his heart unable to find peace.

"Brother Xingyan~"

The girl's voice rang in his ears at just the right moment, like a spring breeze blowing into his chest.

Pei Xingyan turned his head to look and suddenly felt that people might never be able to perceive the changes in the people around them. In his memory, although he knew that Ye Ziwei had grown up and become a beautiful and elegant young woman, he still clung to the filter of his childhood and regarded her as a little tagalong following him around.

But in this fleeting glimpse, he realized that Ye Ziwei had indeed grown up, from head to toe.

"Why are you staring at Weiwei like that... Is it because you've noticed that Weiwei is actually quite pretty..." Ye Ziwei blushed slightly, cupping her face and fidgeting shyly.

She wasn't just pretty, she was stunningly beautiful. Although people often say that a bad complexion can affect one's appearance, this clearly doesn't apply to girls who are too beautiful. Xi Shi from thousands of years ago was an exception, and Ye Ziwei in front of him was also an exception.

"She is quite pretty," he said honestly, making way for Ye Ziwei. "Ziwei has been a little beauty since she was a child."

"Hehe, Weiwei is so happy! This is the first time she's heard something like this from Xingyan-gege." Ye Ziwei giggled and leaned closer to him, letting out a slightly silly laugh. "When Grandpa and Grandma used to praise Weiwei like this, some people would always gag~"

The grandparents she was referring to were Pei Xingyan's deceased grandparents. Although the two elderly people were always generous with their praise for Ye Ziwei, they would usually follow it up with comments like, "Would you like to marry Xingyan as your bride in the future?"

"Hmph~" Pei Xingyan smiled helplessly, thinking to himself that this guy was quite vengeful.

Ye Ziwei continued to smile foolishly, as if simply sitting beside him, even without doing anything, was enough to make her happy.

The two of them laughed for a long time, and were stared at with strange looks by passersby for quite a while, before finally getting to the point.

"Ziwei, speaking of which, we might have to do internships during the summer vacation until the start of the next semester."

Pei Xingyan spoke softly, making sure every word reached the ears of the girl beside him.

"Then let Weiwei secretly stamp it for you~" the girl said casually, referring to something of great importance. "Weiwei will clean the room for you, and you can stay at our house for a while."

She deliberately emphasized the words "our family," conveying a sense of intimacy and closeness.

But when it reached Pei Xingyan's ears, his automatic translation system started working on its own:

(By then, Vivi will lock you in the basement and then do it to you day and night.)

He couldn't help but shudder and quickly shook his head, saying no, "Let's forget it, I've already decided where to go."

"Hmm?" Ye Ziwei's aura changed slightly, and the temperature beside her dropped considerably. She asked softly, "Where are we going?"

One can easily imagine the turmoil in her heart and the madness in her mind that makes her want to destroy something.

“Go to Lu Yan’s place,” Pei Xingyan said calmly.

For him, there was no more justifiable reason.

“Oh…” Even Ye Ziwei was speechless for a moment, not knowing how to object. She was a smart girl and of course knew what Pei Xingyan was doing there.

She pondered for a long time before finally coming up with another idea, and then advised, "But Brother Xingyan, what if that woman finds out if you go there? You can't always expect her to forget you..."

"So I wanted to ask you for some advice~" Pei Xingyan's voice suddenly softened.

He knew Ye Ziwei all too well. She was the type who responded to gentle persuasion but not force. A few sweet words were enough to make her risk her life. Pei Xingyan even thought that if he ever really started to beg her, she might be able to usurp her father's position and put the name "Pei Xingyan" on the throne.

As he had expected, Ye Ziwei was initially stunned, as if a machine had lost power, but then she underwent a major reboot, her whole body began to tremble, and her smile was undisguised, with the corners of her mouth almost reaching the sky.

"Well, since that's how it is, Weiwei, please help me think of a solution..."

She pursed her lips, feigning modesty, but then suddenly realized she should push her luck a little further. So she "casually" moved her face a few more inches closer to the boy next to her, her intention to blackmail him was obvious.

Pei Xingyan had anticipated her actions and was mentally prepared, but when it came to actually doing it, he still couldn't help but hesitate.

"Hurry up, Vivi's mind is a little muddled right now. A little kiss might clear her head immediately~"

The girl smiled mischievously, her subtle threat undisguised, yet she was also quite confident, her face held high, seemingly unafraid of awkward silence.

She knew this was an effective way to control him.

Chapter 232 Is Weiwei afraid she'll fall for you?

Pei Xingyan lightly pecked the girl's face like a dragonfly skimming the water, then quickly left without lingering for even a second.

But this was enough to make the girl, who had been eagerly waiting, so happy that she shook her head and kicked her unaffected foot. In an instant, even her complexion improved a lot, and the weakness caused by her long-term illness dissipated a bit.

"Yeah~"

She raised her hand and cheered.

"Stop grinning like an idiot and tell me what your plan is," Pei Xingyan reminded him helplessly.

"Hehe, actually it's quite simple. You don't need to deal with that woman." Although Ye Ziwei said she was going to help find a solution, judging from the speed at which she responded, these ideas were probably already in her mind.

She said, "You don't even need to go looking for that evidence yourself, because it's someone else's company after all, and you might actually be the one suspected of having problems. You just need to deal with one person."

"Stop being so mysterious, just tell me already!" Pei Xingyan urged, afraid that if she stopped here, she would ask for a kiss again.

Ye Ziwei flashed her canine teeth and pulled his hand to her thigh.

She continued, "Why don't you just try to persuade Sister Da Lu? Persuade her to help you keep an eye on that woman, or simply have her assist with your plan. That would be much simpler than having to do everything yourself, from surveillance to evidence gathering."

Pei Xingyan was stunned for a moment, then gave a helpless smile.

He had certainly considered such a method, but the problem was, how easy was it to persuade a woman who was a complete stranger, especially one who was cold and aloof like an iceberg?

In fact, he even considered persuading Lu Yan first, and then having her persuade her own sister, but even then, he felt it wasn't a safe bet.

The main difficulty lies in the fact that, judging from Lu Qingyun's evaluation of her assistant, she trusts that woman more than anyone else, and it's even hard to say whether she would trust her or her own sister more.

Most business elites are like this; when it comes to business matters, they generally restrain their personal feelings. Even if Lu Yan often says that her sister and she don't get along, even if the two sisters are as close as honey, when it comes to business matters, they will immediately change their minds.

Seeing that his smile didn't seem entirely convinced, Ye Ziwei moved closer to him.

She said, "I know that Xingyan is so smart, he must have thought of this method before, and thought it was definitely unreliable, right? But what Weiwei wants to say is different. It's not about you trying to persuade Sister Dalu by saying that the woman has a problem, but about choosing another path."

"Another way?"

“Yes, although you told Weiwei before that Sister Dalu trusts that woman a lot, there is no trust without a reason, right?” Ye Ziwei entered strategist mode and began to analyze the cause and effect for him.

Her expression was serious; she was practically begging to put on large-framed glasses and pretend to be a teacher.

Ye Ziwei continued, "First of all, we have to admit that although that woman is highly suspected of being a bad person, she is also definitely very capable, otherwise so many people, including Aunt Qin, would not have been willing to hire her as an assistant."

"Ah."

"So, Brother Xingyan, you now understand that the reason Sister Dalu believes that woman is because that woman brought profits to their company. Moreover, we can conclude that she will continue to bring profits before she reveals her true colors. Profits are the most compelling reason to believe... So, even if you present evidence that the troubles in your family are related to that woman, you may not be able to convince anyone with just your words."

"Hmm..." Pei Xingyan exhaled softly, he roughly understood what Ye Ziwei wanted to say.

“But Xingyan, all you need to do is prove that you can bring more benefits than that woman. Xiaolu is willing to hire you, isn’t that a perfect opportunity to get in? Then, as long as you find a way to prove your worth, you don’t have to worry about anyone not believing in you.” Ye Ziwei nodded firmly, as if she had already grasped a bright future in her hands.

Pei Xingyan suddenly smiled with relief and flicked Ye Ziwei's head hard with his finger.

"But I'm worthless now..." he said with a bitter smile, his sense of desolation growing ever deeper.

Value, in essence, is simply the benefit one can provide.

Pei Xingyan knew that he was not a genius who could turn the world upside down; he was just capable enough, not a genius who would make people unable to look away.

As for the other aspect of commercial value it brings...

If he still had that kind of value, he wouldn't be considering such things now.

"Don't be so self-deprecating," Ye Ziwei said with her smile unchanged, seemingly pleased to see Pei Xingyan so pleading for himself. She said softly, "Don't you still have Weiwei?"

Pei Xingyan's bitter laughter suddenly stopped, and he quietly looked at the girl in his arms.

"If Xingyan could facilitate a major collaboration while he's still in office, like with our family..." Ye Ziwei smiled innocently, but what she was saying was of great significance, "Wouldn't that be of immense value?"

"But--"

"No buts, don't worry about persuading anyone, Weiwei can definitely do it... Besides, it's just a matter of choosing a partner. The Lu family isn't some unscrupulous company. Partnering with them isn't like jumping into a fire pit, so we won't lose money." Ye Ziwei analyzed the gains and losses before and after, like a shrewd accountant.

She was even somewhat excited, and suddenly started planning for the future with Pei Xingyan, "Then I can tell Mom and Dad that the success of the collaboration was all thanks to Brother Xingyan, and they'll definitely be more willing to do everything they can to help you in the future!"

"You've thought of everything so thoroughly..." Pei Xingyan was filled with awe at her foresight and ability to kill two birds with one stone.

However, he mostly agreed with Ye Ziwei's idea, as her method was indeed more feasible.

"However, this is just Weiwei's idea. Whether you can gain Sister Dalu's trust with these resources depends on Xingyan and your own efforts..." At this point, Ye Ziwei suddenly became a little resentful.

She leaned close to Pei Xingyan's ear and whispered, "Brother Xingyan, I'm just worried that Sister Dalu trusts you too much. What if she gets any funny ideas about you?"

"Huh?! No way..." Pei Xingyan was shocked, "She's already that old..."

"That's true, but she's a whole generation older than you, and who knows how a woman's love can be ignited in an instant? What if she gets the wrong ideas?"

"You're overthinking it!" Pei Xingyan quickly denied. "You haven't seen her like that. She's as cold as ice. Even her own sister said she'll never get married in her life."

"Really? Then prove it!" Ye Ziwei suddenly became spoiled and turned her face to the side.

She wasn't being arrogant; she was simply showing the side of her face that hadn't been kissed.

"Hurry up, Weiwei is so scared~" She grinned, revealing that her previous words were just a trap for this moment.

Why would Ye Ziwei really worry about a woman over thirty? Lu Yan, who posed no threat whatsoever, was more of a threat... and even if such an old woman disregarded her reputation, she believed that her Xingyan brother wouldn't be swayed.

She just wanted the side of her face that felt lonely and hadn't been kissed to feel the warmth of his lips.

"I just can't do anything with you..."

"Hee hee~"

Chapter 233 You don't need to worry about our relationship?

Although there is still some time before the official internship, even half a semester away, this is a different teaching format from on-campus classes and is also an important step before starting work. Some students will always start preparing in advance.

"Screw playing games! Time waits for no one!" Li Zhe, who usually loves to immerse himself in all kinds of games and even has the courage to open the famous GAL masterpiece "Thousands of Millions" in the dormitory, has now changed his dead-end otaku appearance and is righteously lecturing his other roommates who are trying to drag him back to the dormitory to play games and block the bridge.

He said, "The job market is so bad right now that if you don't start looking for internships early, you'll never find a good job. What's the point of playing games? Do you think finding a job in the future is as easy as going to find your mother in Wali?"

The roommates burst into laughter, creating a cheerful atmosphere in the classroom.

"What's so funny? Keep an eye on Pei. He never gets into these kinds of frivolous things and doesn't even respond to a question." Li Zhe was so amused that he had no choice but to shift the blame to Pei Xingyan.

"Huh? What? I have no idea what you're talking about, what's with blocking the bridge and what's with the mother... I don't understand at all..."

Pei Xingyan wasn't pretending to be stupid; he genuinely didn't know. Although he hadn't disconnected from the internet, he felt like he was falling far behind compared to how quickly trending memes changed online.

"None of that matters. Lao Pei, have you thought about what you're going to do for your internship after graduation?" Li Zhe steered the conversation back to the beginning, asking, "I heard from the girls that the school's partner companies aren't doing so well this year, so if you have higher requirements, you might have to find them yourself..."

"Is that so... Haha, that's not good..." Pei Xingyan could only laugh awkwardly.

He couldn't very well say that he'd already found a place to stay through sexual favors, could he? That would be no different from openly admitting to his roommates that he'd sold himself…

However, even though he didn't say it, some observant brats could sense it.

"Do you need to worry about Pei Xingyan? He can just find a rich woman to stamp his name and that's it. Forget about internships, he can find someone to support him right after graduation~" Fan Jian started acting like a jerk again, attacking Pei Xingyan's private life as always.

"Get lost..." Pei Xingyan retorted guiltily, thinking to himself that this brat guessed it perfectly, not a single word was wrong.

"See, see, I was right! Usually at this time, she would threaten me that I should sleep against the wall at night, or she would stick a stun gun into my rectum!"

"You'd better sleep against the wall tonight, or I'll stick a stun gun in your rectum!" Pei Xingyan granted his wish, saying the words Fan Jian wanted to hear in a vicious tone.

Fan Jian had grown accustomed to such remarks and was no longer afraid.

Ironically, a girl in the distance happened to catch the threatening remark.

“Baby?” Su Shanshan stood at the classroom door, blinking blankly.

Pei Xingyan fled in panic, fearing that his perfect image in Su Shanshan's eyes would suddenly plummet to the point of being associated with a beastly senior.

Although he also wanted Su Shanshan to let go of her idealized image of him and stop constantly using the word "perfect," he didn't want to be seen as the kind of person who was shameful and disgraced.

His roommates behind him burst into laughter, their mockery filling the classroom once again.

Pei Xingyan didn't look back, grabbed Su Shanshan's shoulders and ran away.

……

"Baby~ what are you talking about?" Su Shanshan asked with a mischievous smile.

"nothing……"