Reborn to Redeem: Their Abusive Love
Chapter 23: Kindness

Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Kindness

Everything has its coincidences, yet the outcomes seem as inevitable as fate. In the face of such huge coincidences, many words appear powerless and pale.

She simply stated the facts.

But she didn’t reveal the true nature of the facts.

Past lives and such, when mentioned, would sound too illusory to anyone, just like a phrase blurted out when one doesn’t know what else to say.

The young man didn’t feel there was anything wrong with such words; he simply let Xu Si touch his gray hair, murmuring softly.

"Mmm, if that’s the case, then it’s good too."

He wasn’t supposed to be so content in this world.

But she came.

「...」

Thunder rumbled fiercely, and a torrential downpour was imminent.

Butler Ge gathered the servants in the backyard.

In the front yard, bodyguards stood with their hands behind their backs.

A great tumult had arisen in the Xu Family.

Journalists had already snapped photos of the kidnappers’ silhouettes.

The radio station was also promptly inserting this news into their broadcast.

The entire wealthy class of Hong Kong Island was watching the spectacle, knowing from personal experience what the situation was all about at a single glance.

The decision-maker for the Wen Family was Wen Jiaojiao’s mother. Wearing a set of antique gemstone rings and with her hair impeccably styled, she was on the phone with her daughter when she heard the news and said, "Your childhood friend has surpassed you; she’s more ruthless. The Xu Family is completely hers now."

Despite Xu Si excusing herself due to health issues and checking into the top floor of a Hong Kong Island hospital overnight, the news still indirectly informed many people.

The Xu Family was embroiled in internal strife.

Xu Si, the heir, was not as everyone imagined: spoiled, willful, and easily manipulated.

「On the docks of Hong Kong Island.」

The kidnappers tied Xu Zhiqiang and Xu Zhi’an together on a yacht, swiftly sailing out of Hong Kong Island’s waters and transferring to another port.

They were relatively dignified hostages and were not subjected to any substantial harm.

But the kidnappers held them and took many photos in the midst of the storm.

Their wives all received extortion calls from the kidnappers.

They demanded ten million just like that.

At that time, ten million was an enormous amount.

The combined assets of the two men were not enough; in America, they were only ordinary middle class.

The star-rated hotel Xu Zhiqiang had spoken of wanting to open with Xu Si was actually all talk. Of course, it would open, but that would only be after seizing Xu Si’s family fortune.

Surrounded by reporters, He Li arrived at Xu Si’s private hospital, her face pale, drenched in the bone-chilling rain, her makeup smeared.

She was the first to receive the kidnappers’ call.

She was also the only one to witness her husband being abducted from his bed by a group of men in black.

Ten million. Where would she get ten million?

But the Hong Kong Island police station told her to prepare the money first; otherwise, she wouldn’t even get to see the kidnappers.

This wasn’t an era where surveillance cameras were everywhere.

Using the Xu Family’s phone, she contacted her third sister-in-law in America. Holding back complaints, they calculated and managed to come up with five million, holding nothing back. That was everything the two families had.

The only person she could think of who had ten million was Xu Si.

With chattering teeth, she banged on the tightly closed doors of the hospital.

"I’m her aunt, please let me in, will you?"

At that moment, she was furious.

She suspected that Xu Si was very likely behind this. Just last night, her husband had said that if Xu Si found out about the drugging, she definitely wouldn’t let them off.

It wasn’t poison, so why go to such lengths?

The commotion continued until the early hours of the morning.

Only then did security personnel come out to block the reporters, creating a small opening for He Li to enter. In response to the reporters’ questions, the security personnel answered as instructed.

"Miss Xu is still in a coma for the time being."

She staggered to the top floor. The dim lights at this moment felt as cold as if she were in the underworld.

Pushing open the innermost door, she saw Xu Si lying on the hospital bed, her hair hanging down, gently tilting a glass of water. Her dense eyelashes lifted to reveal a pair of calm eyes.

"Auntie."

The term was somewhat ironic between people of similar age, conveying a sense of mockery for both parties.

He Li’s face darkened, and her voice was a bit hoarse. "Are you okay?"

Her first words weren’t an accusation.

She didn’t dare to accuse.

And there was a deep sense of powerlessness. Even though she knew it was likely the young woman in front of her who had her husband taken, she didn’t dare say it.

"I’m fine," Xu Si replied, feeling neither triumphant nor the thrill of revenge. She was just very calm in the face of it all.

Perhaps Xu Si didn’t consider this to be revenge.

It was just the struggle of powerful families, a fight to the death.

If you come to steal my things, to take my life, then you must accept my retaliation. Being too sentimental doesn’t fit the scenario.

He Li appearing in such a disheveled state actually surprised Xu Si.

In her memories, He Li was always fashionably dressed, striving to emulate the bearing of a lady from a powerful family.

When Xu Si had left with five hundred thousand, He Li had ruthlessly thrown out her mother’s portrait, making it impossible for Xu Si to ever find it.

The driving rain couldn’t disturb the peace indoors.

He Li wiped the rain from her face and said, "The kidnappers want ten million. I don’t have it. He’s your uncle; you have to save him."

Xu Si nodded. "I can."

He Li clenched her fists, unsure whether to feel relieved.

Xu Si added, "But you have to sign an IOU for me. If you can’t pay it back, use the overseas property as collateral."

He Li felt a lump in her throat. "It’s sold."

Xu Si lowered her gaze and wiped her mouth with a tissue. "Let’s speak plainly. I know Third Uncle definitely sold his, but Second Uncle hasn’t. I also know why you all came back. These are your affairs. I’m clear about all your details. If you want to save your husband, the only way is to pay the kidnappers."

This bizarre situation had an unexpected harmony, which He Li couldn’t tolerate. Her voice rose sharply, "So you’re taking revenge on us! This is all your doing!"

"It’s not revenge," Xu Si shook her head, her voice cold. "Didn’t Second Uncle tell you what kind of person I am? If this were truly revenge, you, the one who drugged me, would now be in a police station, or hospitalized after being hit by a car."

"Then why?"

Xu Si didn’t reply, just looked at her with a smile.

He Li bit her lip hard, unsteady in her high heels. She took them off, wishing she could smash Xu Si over the head with one.

It was just a fleeting thought.

Butler Ge and Anshi appeared, standing behind her, watching her every move.

That night, He Li left the hospital without getting any money. She couldn’t bear to part with the properties. Xu Si’s words echoed over and over in her mind:

"You, Second Uncle, and Third Uncle were able to move into the Xu Family not because I’m easygoing or nostalgic, nor because I’m sentimental. It’s because I’m very busy—too busy to deal with you—and I don’t want any issues with the company."

"If you want money, then sign an IOU. A long time ago, certain events taught me that no heir gets to walk away completely unscathed. That’s the rule of inheritance struggles among powerful families."

He Li bit her red lip until it bled and rushed over, intending to scratch her.

"Why are you so unkind?"

Xu Si paid no mind to her rage and simply stated the facts, "Pigs are the kindest because they willingly allow themselves to be slaughtered. Do you wish to be a pig?"