Chapter 1690: Beiping Old Dreams: The Beauty Performer Overpowers the Big Shot 05

Yun Cunxuan, being sensible, didn't sit with Pei Yinnian again in the same car; he took a rickshaw and said he was going to the newly opened building to talk with a girl named Cui Cui, and didn't forget to tease his good friend.

Pei Yinnian pretended not to notice; it hasn't been just a day or two since he's been out of form.

In the car.

Jin Chen was still wondering if "having dinner" was some Beiping code, but since he was originally from Shanghai, his memory held none of these local customs, so he gave up.

Instead, he figured out something else.

He originally thought his high-status, powerful wife would like the pure, innocent type, but he didn't expect that his miscalculation would also turn out to be a lucky strike.

Then let's be an affected little sprite!

"You already are." Ling Gun Gun muttered.

Jin Chen glanced sideways, openly staring at Pei Yinnian; even in the somewhat dark car window, his brows and eyes showed a striking brilliance.

"How old are you this year?" Pei Yinnian suddenly asked.

Jin Chen replied with a smile: "I just turned 19, not young."

His features were beautiful, not looking young, yet he seemed younger than Pei Yinnian had thought; he had originally thought he must be over twenty.

Pei Yinnian's age is no secret; at twenty‑three he took charge of the Pei family as its head, and it's already been over three years.

Pei Yinnian made a sound of assent, his long fingers lightly turning the prayer beads, then asked: "How long have you studied opera?"

"Half a month." Jin Chen said, then suddenly added: "I also studied it as a child."

Pei Yinnian raised his brows—not very surprised—but finally turned to look at him.

Jin Chen smiled at him again, voluntarily laying out his background before joining the opera troupe, since Pei Yinnian would investigate anyway.

Likewise, it's a story of coming from Shanghai to look for relatives; in these times, dying is nothing unusual, Jin Chen still sighed and said: "So the troupe leader picked me up……"

"Fortunately I met Mr. Pei."

Jin Chen wrapped his arm around Pei Yinnian's, appearing to lean on him.

"Why should I support you?"

Pei Yinnian asked the third question.

Jin Chen detected the hidden meaning in those words; in an instant he did not conceal the brilliant ambition in his eyes, an indescribable coldness amid his allure burst forth, impossible to ignore.

"Because I don't want to be suppressed, I've inquired: you are the most formidable person in Beiping."

Pei Yinnian's hesitation eased somewhat; he nodded appreciatively: "Quite honest."

He no longer questioned, as if he had already glimpsed this person's thoughts from the three questions.

Jin Chen also didn't look for more topics, sitting steadily beside him.

Pei Yinnian half‑propped himself on the window, lowered his eyes, and grew a bit more languid and weary.

After a while, Jin Chen shifted again, leaning even closer to Pei Yinnian.

"Mr. Pei, I also have a question I'd like to ask you."

"Speak."

Pei Yinnian lazily opened his eyes to look at him.

"You said you'd support me, and Young Master Yun also said to let me go home with you for dinner—does that mean to stay overnight… to sleep?"

When Jin Chen looked at him, his extremely long lashes trembled, and even casually they revealed a soul‑stealing, aggressive allure.

Pei Yinnian abruptly shifted his gaze, steadied his mind: "No."

The next second, grievance welled up in Jin Chen's eyes: "You despise me."

Pei Yinnian remained silent.

How did the topic come to this?

He suddenly felt he had brought back trouble.

"No," Pei Yinnian replied, unusually patient, his eyes like clear spring water with no hidden thoughts: "You're still young, you don't need to think about these things."

Jin Chen, as if suddenly understanding, curled his lips, his affectionate eyes brimming with light: "Then if I were a bit older, I could stay by your side, right?"

Pei Yinnian: "……"

Is the comprehension ability of a boy this age really so unique?

He impatiently pushed away Jin Chen's head that was leaning in: "Ask again and I'll make you get out of the car."

"I won't speak anymore." Jin Chen made a gesture to keep quiet.

Because a few matters were still unresolved these days, the Buick didn't return to the Pei residence; it stopped in front of a small Western‑style building, and the steward was already waiting at the door.

"Sir." The steward came forward, only then noticing Jin Chen behind Pei Yinnian, startled for a moment: "Who is this……"

"A performer from Weiyang Court." Pei Yinnian only said.

"My name is Jin Chen."

The steward glanced at Pei Yinnian again, smiled, and said to Jin Chen: "Hello, please come this way."

The steward's thoughts were intricate; at a glance he could sense something, but since he truly understood the master's nature, this was still the first time.

Inside the small Western‑style building everything was exquisite and grand; the crystal lampshade was brightly colored, the horn‑shaped phonograph sat on the table, and beneath the stained‑glass window lay a Western painting that was hard to understand.

All the various Western gadgets were things ordinary Beiping folks had never seen; in Jin Chen's eyes they were indeed antiques, but he still showed a timely hint of surprise.

Pei Yinnian sat on the pear‑wood sofa in the living room, arm slightly draped; seeing Jin Chen follow him step by step and sit beside him, he inexplicably felt somewhat amused.

"Did your courage shrink just by coming here?"

Jin Chen curled the corner of his mouth: "My courage was never big to begin with."

Pei Yinnian didn't expose him either, and ordered the steward to have the kitchen serve the dishes.

In the morning he had to go on stage to perform; after waking up, the troupe leader forbade him from eating anything to keep his figure, and now he was already starving.

After lunch, the steward brought a telegram to Pei Yinnian: "Sir, the young master will return to Beiping in five days; this is his telegram reporting good news."

"Reporting good news?"

Pei Yinnian moved his gaze away from Jin Chen, who was walking back and forth in the corridor digesting, and took the telegram copy.

Gradually, his expression sank.

How could it be such a coincidence? Pei Yiqing, having returned from overseas studies, only transited through Shanghai for less than half a month, and happened to meet his close friend from Beiping at the same time, and they were 'in tune' to an extent others could not reach.

When things deviate from the norm, there must be something uncanny.

"Investigate the person Yiqing spoke of."

"Yes, sir." The butler finished reading the letter, nodded, and left.

The eavesdropping Jin Chen slowed his pace; he could not stop the meeting between Pei Yiqing and Xiao Bofeng. By now, Pei Yiqing had already declared his feelings; if he wished to alter the original storyline, he could only make plans after Pei Yiqing returned to the Pei residence.

There are only two possible solutions.

First, interfere from within, letting Pei Yiqing find out early what sort of person Xiao Bofeng really is.

If Pei Yiqing truly cannot discern right from wrong and persuasion fails, then he must not be allowed to live until the incident occurs, lest he fail to obtain that bill vital to Pei Yinnian.

If it weren't for Pei Yinnian's sake, Pei Yiqing would be a brother worth cultivating; otherwise, assassinating him would be more worthwhile.

Jin Chen slyly thought; his peripheral vision suddenly caught the approaching Pei Yinnian, he composed himself, humming a tune lightly as he continued pacing to digest.

"What are you doing?" Pei Yinnian asked.

Jin Chen turned, stopped his steps, and feigned sorrow.

"Digesting," the class instructor said my figure is too long; I need to slim down to look good in costume.

Of course, listening is impossible.

By then, if I can't hold my wife, what will I do!

Pei Yinnian glanced at his build; indeed he was very tall, with a narrow waist and long legs—everything was just right, no need to lose weight.

I'll tell your class instructor that there's no need to lose weight.

Just as his words fell, Pei Yinnian's hand was suddenly grasped by Jin Chen, who leaned close to his cheek, his gorgeous visage suffused with pleasure, his charming tone murmuring: "Do you like me like this, Mr. Pei?"

Pei Yinnian: "……"

He inexplicably felt a pang of heart palpitations.