Mr. Pei! Don't force yourself into circles you can't fit into.

The morning sunlight streamed into the main living room through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm golden hue on the dark floor.

"President Pei, it's been verified. The name 'Shi Jiaming' is not fake," Zhang Xu reported respectfully to the backlit figure standing by the window. He stepped forward and handed over the documents in his hand.

"Shi Jiaming, 22 years old, was raised by relatives since childhood and his life was always very difficult. He only completed high school and did not go to university because he could not afford the tuition."

The man by the window didn't take the document; he merely glanced at the attached student photo. The boy in the photo was about seventeen or eighteen years old, smiling brightly and confidently, showing no sign of the bitterness of living under someone else's roof.

Pei Lin withdrew his gaze, his voice indifferent, "Why are there only records from before the age of eighteen?"

Zhang Xu lowered his head slightly, carefully choosing his words, "Because... the details haven't been found yet..."

Pei Lin glanced at him indifferently. That gaze was devoid of any emotion, yet it sent a chill down Zhang Xu's spine. He hurriedly tried to salvage the situation, saying, "I will send more people as soon as possible and deliver the complete information to you."

Pei Lin raised his hand at this moment to indicate, "No need."

He paused, his tone indifferent, "After all, it's right under our noses, what kind of trouble can they cause?"

Zhang Xu breathed a sigh of relief, then remembered something and asked in a low voice,

"Mr. Pei, during the arrest of the informant sent by Young Master Pei last night, we discovered that they also have a mole among us. He's already been detained. What do you suggest we do?"

"How should we handle this?" A cold, sinister glint flashed in Pei Lin's eyes.

"Of course, throw them into the sea and feed them to the sharks."

As he spoke, his gaze pierced through the glass door, landing on the person still fast asleep in the outer room. His tone suddenly returned to its usual casualness.

"You may leave."

When Shen Jicheng woke up, it was already close to noon.

His body ached all over, tearing at every nerve. He vaguely recalled the events of last night, but his memory was hazy. He only vaguely remembered drinking the wrong bottle of water, and it seemed that Pei Lin came into the room and said that he had drunk the wrong thing... After that, he had a complete blackout.

So last night... he did it with Pei Lin again?

"woke up?"

A casual voice came from the side, pulling Shen Jicheng back from his daze.

"Get up if you're awake."

Shen Jicheng was startled. He propped himself up and sat up, his body feeling as if it had been disassembled and reassembled, the pain making him gasp. Looking down, he saw his body covered in shocking red welts. He instinctively shrank back, looking at the well-dressed man before him with wary eyes.

When he opened his mouth, his voice was so hoarse it didn't sound like his own.

"Last night you..."

Before he could finish asking the question, Pei Lin interrupted him with a smile.

"Yes, I helped you counteract the effects of the drug. Otherwise..." He spread his hands with a troubled expression.

"You probably don't know who picked you up now."

Shen Jicheng's face turned pale and then flushed. How could he have known that the water was spiked? If he had known, he would never have drunk it, even if you killed him.

But now that it's already done, he's not one to be sentimental.

Anyway, for him, there was no difference between doing it once and doing it twice, except that it hurt a bit more than last time.

But none of that matters.

He forced a smile. "So now... can you be sure who owns those pink underwear?"

Once he's sure it's him, he can take the opportunity to extort benefits. The losses I suffered last night aren't unbearable.

Pei Lin took in his emotional changes, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"certainly."

Shen Jicheng was secretly delighted, but before he could speak, he heard the other person say...

"I have returned the items to their rightful owner and also offered my sincerest thanks."

Shen Jicheng was bewildered. "What do you mean? The person has been found?"

"Yes, we just saw them off this morning."

Shen Jicheng panicked immediately. How could this be? Although he couldn't understand why the other party had mistaken him for someone else, he had nothing left but to cling to this powerful figure. No one could steal the credit that belonged to him!

"The person that night was clearly—"

"It's a pity," Pei Lin said at the same time, a hint of regret in his expression.

"That person actually stole my money and cards."

Shen Jicheng's words came to an abrupt end.

In that instant, his mind finally cleared up a bit.

Yes. When he left a week ago, he searched Pei Lin thoroughly. What did Pei Lin mean when he suddenly said "what a pity"?

He hesitated, then tentatively asked, "What... what a pity?"

Pei Lin said casually, "I'm the kind of person who remembers kindness, but I also remember grudges." He smiled at Shen Jicheng, "I'm very grateful to the person who gave me the antidote that night, so I did everything I could to find him to repay him."

He paused for a moment.

"Of course, that person also stole my money and cards, so I hold a grudge. Now that I've repaid the kindness, it's only right that I avenge it as well."

Shen Jicheng froze.

My heart is filled with despair.

You should have said so earlier!

"By the way," Pei Lin suddenly looked at him, "what did you mean by 'the person that night was clearly'?"

Shen Jicheng's heart was bleeding. Did he dare to speak up? The favor had already been claimed by someone else, and now that person wanted revenge, he wasn't so shameless as to offer himself up to be slaughtered.

He shook his head innocently, "No...it's nothing."

Pei Lin raised an eyebrow, but ultimately didn't press the matter further.

His gaze lingered on Shen Jicheng's face, then on his scarred collarbone for a few seconds, his eyes filled with obvious heartache and reluctance. His voice softened considerably.

"When I think about it, you're the one I feel most sorry for."

Shen Jicheng remained silent.

"I understand why you did that. Probably for the same reasons as those others—to get my attention or to get some money. Actually, that's all normal, I don't blame you."

Shen Jicheng silently swallowed his anger. Oh well, let him be misunderstood.

"Last night's incident was ultimately due to my subordinates' negligence; they mistakenly gave you the water meant for me. I'm very sorry about that." Pei Lin's tone was extremely sincere. "Of course, I will take responsibility for this."

Shen Jicheng looked at him suspiciously, "How will you take responsibility?"

Can they really take responsibility for this? Are we supposed to give them money?

Just then, Pei Lin pulled out several sheets of A4 paper from somewhere and handed them to Shen Jicheng. Printed in the center of the papers were several large black characters—

Agreement/Contract.

"I want to make it up to you, but I haven't been able to think of a way. Giving money would be too vulgar, and it would be an insult to Mr. Shi," Pei Lin said seriously.

"So I thought about it all night, and after much deliberation, I decided to make it up to you in this way."

"As long as Mr. Shi signs and stamps it, from now on, Mr. Shi's backer will be me, Pei Lin. I will take full responsibility for Mr. Shi's food, clothing, housing, and transportation. What do you say?"

Shen Jicheng's eyes lit up.

Is there even a need to consider this? Sign it! It's like a windfall!

"Okay! It's decided then!"

He snatched it, opened the agreement, and eagerly began to read it.

As he looked at it, he fell into deep thought.

"etc."

"This first clause..." He looked up, his eyes filled with complex emotions, "'During the agreement period, you must obey your master's orders'... What does that mean?"