Chapter 42: A Personal Visit-Após fingir a própria morte por câncer, o marido canalha e o filho ingrato choram como cães(O imortal busca a imortalidade)

"Ignore him," Yao Shan said with a tone of clear impatience, her voice tinged with a subtle, imperceptible coldness. At this moment, she was in a rather pleasant mood and had no interest in entertaining Pei Qizhou on the other end of the line.

When Pei Qizhou heard these words, his eyes widened in instant, utter disbelief. In his memory, no one had ever dared to hang up on him so abruptly; this sudden treatment left him in a state of profound shock. An indescribable surge of anger and frustration welled up within him, like a raging fire burning in his chest. His hand, gripping the phone, tightened involuntarily, his knuckles turning white from the force—a testament to the turmoil within. He took a deep breath, attempting to steady his emotions, but the ripples in his heart surged like a tide, refusing to subside. Every breath felt like a struggle against his own volatile feelings, yet the stinging sense of rejection lingered, impossible to shake.

Pei Qizhou realized clearly that Yao Shan’s attitude was an unmistakable declaration of her exclusion and rejection. This realization brought a sense of powerlessness, as if all his efforts had vanished into thin air in that very moment. He slowly lowered the phone, his gaze fixed blankly ahead, the usual luster in his eyes dimmed. The ringing tone echoed repeatedly in his mind, mocking his helplessness and frustration. The car was silent, save for the occasional sound of passing traffic, which only served to highlight the profound isolation and desolation he felt.

Unable to quell his mounting fury, Pei Qizhou dialed the familiar number once more. On the other end, there was only a dead silence, devoid of any response; only the mechanical busy signal rang out, mocking his persistence. A surge of bitter unwillingness rose in his heart—he refused to give up so easily, yet he knew full well that any further effort would be in vain. His fingertips, white from clutching the phone, began to tremble, and the fire in his eyes gradually gave way to a weary resignation.

Just then, a text message notification chimed on his screen, the crisp sound shattering the silence of the car and interrupting his thoughts. Startled, Pei Qizhou opened it to find a message from Chu Xun: "Pei Qizhou, stop bothering Yao Shan. She needs rest right now. Some things, perhaps she will tell you herself when the time is right."

Those few short lines were like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing the last glimmer of hope in Pei Qizhou's heart and leaving him with a bone-chilling cold. He leaned back weakly against the seat, the weight of his physical exhaustion and emotional defeat pressing down on him. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply, as if trying to expel the knots of frustration from his soul. The car fell back into silence, with only the sound of his breathing and his heartbeat echoing in the air.

Pei Qizhou, however, was not the type to admit defeat or give up easily. Resilience and persistence were the dominant traits of his character; no matter the magnitude of the obstacles or setbacks, he would never retreat. Knowing that Yao Shan was currently working at the Chu Group, he started his car without hesitation and drove directly toward the company.

As his car navigated the bustling city streets, the dim, yellow light of the streetlamps filtered through the windows, casting a soft glow on his face and highlighting his complex, somber expression. His mind was in a state of fierce conflict: on one hand, he felt a deep, lingering concern for Yao Shan, constantly worried about her safety and well-being; on the other, he was baffled and frustrated by her recent coldness, unable to comprehend why she had suddenly become so distant.

Finally, the car pulled up before the grand and imposing entrance of the Chu Group. Pei Qizhou took a deep breath, struggling to steady his emotions, before stepping out and striding into the towering, majestic modern office building.

The receptionist saw him approach and immediately offered a professional smile. "Good morning, sir. May I ask what business brings you to our company today?"

Pei Qizhou did not bother with pleasantries. "I am here to see Yao Shan," he replied, his voice curt.

The receptionist paused, clearly taken aback by his directness. "May I ask if you have an appointment to see Miss Yao? If not, I must contact her first to confirm if she is available."

Pei Qizhou’s brow furrowed, a flicker of irritation rising within him. He was accustomed to moving through doors without hindrance and had never heard of a rule requiring an appointment to find someone at a company. To him, such procedures were unnecessarily tedious and redundant.

"I..." The receptionist looked visibly nervous. She was new and unfamiliar with the visitors, having no idea who stood before her.

"Tell your chairman that Pei Qizhou is here," he said impatiently. He was in no mood to waste time.

Seeing the firmness in his tone, the receptionist dared not delay and immediately placed a call to the chairman’s office. A few minutes later, a middle-aged man emerged from the elevator—it was Chu Tianming, the chairman of the Chu Group. Upon seeing Pei Qizhou, he looked surprised but quickly regained his composure, stepping forward to offer a handshake. "Mr. Pei, I didn't expect a personal visit. To what do I owe the honor?"

Pei Qizhou managed a strained smile and shook his hand. "I am here to see Yao Shan. There are some matters I need to discuss with her in person."

Chu Tianming frowned slightly but remained polite. "Yao Shan is currently in a meeting, so I'm afraid she cannot see you at the moment. If you don't mind, perhaps you could wait in my office for a short while."

Though anxious, Pei Qizhou knew it was not the time to cause a scene and nodded in agreement. Following Chu Tianming to his office, he sat on the sofa, his mind racing. He couldn't help but recall his past with Yao Shan—those beautiful memories that now felt so painfully out of reach. Seeing the grave expression on Pei Qizhou's face, Chu Tianming offered him a cup of hot tea, attempting to ease the tension. "Mr. Pei, we can discuss things slowly."