Chapter 64: Someone Deceived Her

As soon as Qiao Xi stepped out of Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, she was stopped by a courteous French gentleman.

“Miss Qiao, hello. I was sent by President Lu to pick you up.”

He handed her a business card, bearing the emblem of the Lu Group’s European branch.

Qiao Xi was taken aback. How did Lu Yanzhi know she was coming to Paris?

The man smiled. “President Lu is always concerned about you, so naturally he’s attentive to your travels.”

He took her luggage. “The car is ready. President Lu specifically instructed me to take good care of you.”

Hearing this, a warmth blossomed in Qiao Xi’s heart.

She settled into the luxurious sedan and couldn’t help but ask, “How is President Lu lately?”

“He’s very well, just worried about you.”

The man glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “I heard you and President Fu had a bit of unpleasantness… President Lu said if you need any help, just ask.”

Qiao Xi nodded, touched.

She had no idea that the dashcam in the car was transmitting live footage straight to Lu Yanzhi’s tablet.

On the way, she messaged Gu Ranran to let her know she was safe.

The man spoke into his phone in French, but was in fact reporting to Lu Yanzhi, “The target has been picked up.”

Meanwhile, Fu Yancheng’s private jet landed in Paris.

He rushed straight into the airport’s surveillance control room, demanding footage of Qiao Xi’s arrival.

The screen showed Qiao Xi being met by a well-dressed man. She nodded with a smile before getting in the car, as if she knew him.

Fu Yancheng slammed his fist onto the console, furious. “Track that car!”

Zhou Ze quickly contacted the French police, only to discover the vehicle’s license plate was fake.

Strangely, there was no official record of Qiao Xi clearing customs in any of the airport surveillance footage—it was as if someone had deliberately erased her trail.

“President Fu…” Zhou Ze’s voice trembled, “Madam may have… been kidnapped.”

Fu Yancheng’s eyes grew icy. “It’s not a kidnapping.”

He zoomed in on the footage, pointing to Qiao Xi’s expression.

“She left willingly with him. Which means… someone deceived her.”

“Find her!” His voice was hoarse, “Turn Paris upside down if you have to!”

On the other side, in the car—

The man politely asked, “Miss Qiao, where would you like to go?”

Qiao Xi hesitated. She didn’t want Lu Yanzhi to know she was heading to Xuewen Company to handle a crisis, so she gave a nearby location.

“Please take me to the Four Seasons Hotel on the Champs-Élysées.”

“Of course.” The man smiled, but a glint flashed in his eyes.

The car glided smoothly through the city. Qiao Xi stared at the scenery outside, weighed down with thoughts.

She didn’t notice the man quietly pressing the communicator on his collar.

Upon arriving at the hotel, Qiao Xi thanked him and got out.

The man watched her enter the revolving door, then slowly drove the car to a corner and parked.

Ten minutes later, Qiao Xi slipped out of the hotel’s side entrance and hurried toward a discreet building two blocks away.

That was “Xuewen.”

The man shadowed her in silence, snapping photos on his phone.

When he saw Qiao Xi swipe her card and enter the company with practiced ease, he immediately made a call: “President Lu, the target has entered Xuewen.”

“The security staff greeted her respectfully and let her in directly.”

On the other end, Lu Yanzhi was sipping wine in his study. Hearing the report, he set his glass down with a jolt—his eyes alight with a wild, incredulous joy.

“Qiao Xi, oh Qiao Xi…” he murmured, then chuckled softly, “You’ve given me quite the surprise.”

He dialed an internal line at once: “Cease all actions against Qiao Xi and Xuewen immediately.”

The assistant on the other end was stunned. “But, President Lu, we worked so hard to—”

“Do as I say.” Lu Yanzhi’s voice was cold and sharp. “Also, destroy all negative evidence we’ve collected on Xuewen.”

After hanging up, a meaningful smile played at his lips.

He had only intended to probe the true owner behind Xuewen, never expecting to catch such a big fish.

Qiao Xi… turned out to be the mysterious, low-key founder of Xuewen.

He quickly flipped through Xuewen’s file: registered three years ago in Country M, specializing in high-end cosmetic biotechnology, and recently received EU innovation funding.

Every timeline matched up perfectly with Qiao Xi’s résumé at the Fu Corporation.

It seemed he had found the perfect bargaining chip—one that would make Fu Yancheng surrender everything without protest.

With that thought, Lu Yanzhi sent Qiao Xi a text:

[If you encounter any difficulties in Paris, don’t hesitate to contact me. I will always be on your side.]

Lu Yanzhi smiled in satisfaction.

His assistant, ingratiating, handed him a cup of coffee. “President Lu, your foresight is unmatched. Once you secure Fu Corporation’s new energy, you’ll be the leading figure in S City’s industry.”

Lu Yanzhi took a sip, his gaze profound. “Not just new energy… When Fu Yancheng realizes that Xuewen’s acquirer is also the Lu Group, his reaction will be priceless.”

He knew Fu Yancheng had always been infatuated with Xuewen, so he deliberately made no effort to conceal the buyer’s identity—he wanted Fu Yancheng to know.

All he needed to do now was continue playing the gentle, reliable “great benefactor” Qiao Xi believed him to be, and wait for her to come to him willingly.

At that moment, Qiao Xi was in Xuewen’s conference room, overwhelmed by crisis management.

Seeing Lu Yanzhi’s text, she replied, touched: [Thank you, President Lu. Let me treat you to dinner sometime.]

—

Fu Yancheng was still anxiously reviewing surveillance footage at the Paris police station when his phone suddenly vibrated.

It was an urgent message from Zhou Ze.

It said that the Lu Group had suddenly announced an agreement with the new energy partner; the other side had unilaterally terminated cooperation with Fu Corporation, and Lu Yanzhi was holding a press conference.

Fu Yancheng shot to his feet, his phone clattering to the floor.

He finally understood—this was Lu Yanzhi’s ploy to lure him away.

“Damn it!” he spat through gritted teeth, slamming his fist on the table. “Lu Yanzhi…”

The French officer in the station was startled. Fu Yancheng drew a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

Zhou Ze’s call came through at once.

“President Fu, the Lu Group used our core data for their bid—there’s an obvious internal leak… You need to return to the country and handle this immediately!”

“There’s no need to return.” Fu Yancheng’s voice was chilling. “Inform the board: video conference in one hour.”

Zhou Ze hesitated on the other end. “But, President Fu, the new energy project—”

“If we lose the project, we can fight to win it back.” Fu Yancheng cut him off, a storm brewing in his eyes. “But if Qiao Xi loses so much as a single hair, I will have Lu Yanzhi’s life.”

—

At Xuewen.

Gu Ranran burst excitedly into Qiao Xi’s office. “Xi Bao, all the closure orders have been revoked, and the suppliers have proactively resumed cooperation!”

“Even the patent approval that was being held up just came through!”

Qiao Xi rubbed her aching brow wearily.

The crisis was temporarily resolved, but the whole thing felt off—the closure had come too suddenly, and the solution was almost too easy.

Gu Ranran lowered her voice. “One more thing… The Lu Group just released word that they want to buy Xuewen at a high price.”

Qiao Xi’s head snapped up, alarm bells ringing in her mind.

Why would Lu Yanzhi suddenly take an interest in Xuewen? Had he discovered something?

She was instantly on guard. “Reject all acquisition offers. Xuewen will never be sold.”

Just then, an unfamiliar number flashed on her phone screen.

At this moment, who could it be…

Qiao Xi hesitated, then answered.

“Xi Xi, where are you?” Fu Yancheng’s anxious voice came through. “The Paris police can’t find any record of your entry.”

As she’d guessed, it was him.

Qiao Xi took a slow breath, trying to sound calm. “I’m at the hotel, resting… Maybe there’s a system delay.”

There was a brief silence on the other end. “The Four Seasons Hotel says there’s no record of your check-in.”

A cold sweat broke out on Qiao Xi’s back.

She hadn’t expected Fu Yancheng to check so thoroughly.

“I… I switched hotels,” she stammered for an excuse. “The one before wasn’t very good.”

“Which hotel?” Fu Yancheng pressed. “I’ll have Zhou Ze pick you up.”

Just then, the office door was flung open and an assistant entered holding documents. “President Qiao, there’s an urgent file from Xuewen that needs your—”

Qiao Xi clamped her hand over the receiver, but it was too late.

The line fell into a deathly silence.

“President Qiao?” Fu Yancheng’s voice was icy enough to cut. “You’re at Xuewen?”