Joint Retribution

Wu Qingying glanced cautiously at Huo Xuan. "Duan Xu and his father, Duan Daokuan, are both reporters at Tianjing Daily. His sister is a prominent lawyer in the capital. That man is utterly shameless—he won't be easy to deal with."

Huo Xuan smirked. "Leave it to me. Find a place to stay and wait for my update."

Wu Qingying had graduated with top honors from Beijing Finance University, her talent for business management landing her a job at a Fortune 500 company even before graduation. During college, Duan Xu—a journalism major—had relentlessly pursued her.

Perhaps due to youthful naivety, she'd been swayed. They quickly got engaged and married after graduation, when she was just twenty-two. But Duan Xu's vile nature soon surfaced—his philandering knew no bounds.

From what Wu Qingying knew, he'd slept with his cousin, his stepmother, and even a woman in her forties. He frequented nightclubs, mingling with sex workers.

Unable to endure such a marriage, she filed for divorce after just three months. Duan Xu agreed—but with outrageous demands:

Wu Qingying must pay him 200,000 yuan annually as "emotional compensation," plus a one-time 1 million yuan "separation fee."Their jointly owned marital home (worth 3 million) would go to him.She must remain his "bedmate," available at his beck and call.

Naturally, Wu Qingying refused. Enraged, she left for the U.S., earning her MBA from Harvard over four years. Upon returning, she joined Lin's Jewelry and quickly rose through the ranks before being headhunted by Lin Yue to Tianxing Jewelry, where her performance impressed both Lin Yue and Huo Xuan.

Now, seeing the cold glint in Huo Xuan's eyes, she shivered. "Chairman, please don't provoke the wrong people on my account."

Huo Xuan chuckled. "Duan Xu's just a scoundrel. To deal with scoundrels, you need scoundrel tactics."

That evening, Huo Xuan checked Wu Qingying into a hotel before inviting Tong Haichuan, Shen Rong, Liu Ling, and Li Yunfei to dinner at an upscale restaurant he favored for its ambiance and reasonable prices.

Tong Haichuan arrived first, followed by the others. Once seated, Huo Xuan raised his glass. "Rare to be back in the capital. My treat."

Shen Rong smiled. "At least you remember us old friends."

Liu Ling added, "Huo Xuan's not just thoughtful—he's loaded. Eat until he bleeds!" The table erupted in laughter.

After a few drinks, Huo Xuan recounted Wu Qingying's plight. The group gasped at Duan Xu's depravity, especially Shen Rong and Liu Ling, who were disgusted.

"If I were Wu Qingying, I'd have stabbed him!" Liu Ling fumed.

"Death's too kind!" Shen Rong sneered. "Since he loves women so much, toss him into a brothel as a gigolo." The men shuddered.

Tong Haichuan interjected, "I looked into Duan Xu. He's a minor reporter at Tianjing Daily. His father's an editor there—some clout. His sister, Duan Ying, is a big-shot lawyer at Wanda Law Firm."

"Wanda?" Liu Ling grinned. "My uncle's the managing partner there."

Huo Xuan nodded. "Perfect. Duan Xu leans on his family. We'll dismantle that first."

"Don't go easy on him," Shen Rong said through gritted teeth. "I'll dig up his criminal record—if he has one, he's done."

By dinner's end, they'd devised a plan: Tong Haichuan would handle Duan Daokuan, Liu Ling would neutralize Duan Ying, Shen Rong would investigate Duan Xu, and Huo Xuan would personally ensure Duan Xu signed the divorce papers.

As the group dispersed, Shen Rong lingered. "Huo Xuan, remember that Thai drug lord you caught?"

"Of course. Why?"

Her expression darkened. "The incompetents let him escape prison. He's vindictive—I worry he'll come for you. The media's covered you lately; he'll know who you are."

Huo Xuan shrugged. "Let him try. I'll send him back myself."

After seeing Shen Rong off past midnight, he returned to his hotel—only to find Wu Qingying at his door, her face drawn from sleeplessness.

"Manager Wu, come in." Still dressed, he poured her water.

She avoided his gaze. "Chairman... Duan Xu called."

Huo Xuan's eyebrow rose. "Oh?"

"He said he has underworld connections in the capital. That he'll make you pay." Her voice trembled. "Please leave Beijing. If anything happens to you, I can't face Chairwoman Lin."

Huo Xuan laughed, tapping the coffee table. "Turns out I underestimated him. Tell him I'll be waiting!"

Wu Qingying paled. "This is my problem. Don't get involved."

"Too late." His tone brooked no argument. "By tomorrow, Duan Xu will be begging you on his knees."

Stunned by his confidence, she could only murmur thanks before rising to leave.

Huo Xuan stopped her. "Wait. You're unwell—let me treat you."

His earlier scan had revealed latent health issues that would cripple her if untreated.

Wu Qingying's eyes flashed with disdain. "Chairman, is this your price for helping me?"