Reborn to Redeem: Their Abusive Love
Chapter 32: The Storm Is Coming

Chapter 32: Chapter 32: The Storm Is Coming

Xu Si stood in the sea breeze, her gaze nonchalantly drifting towards the brightly lit district.

"That’s the darkest place in all of Hong Kong Island. Ordinary people can’t get in, and if they do, they can’t get out."

Pei Zhen pondered, watching Xu Si’s hair get tousled by the sea breeze. He pulled a black hair tie from his backpack and handed it to her. "It sounds like a very bad place," he said.

A muscle twitched at Xu Si’s temple. She naturally took the hair tie and deftly tied up her hair.

"Can’t really say whether it’s good or bad. For some people, it’s definitely heaven."

"And what about for Auntie?"

The youth tilted his head back, his gaze landing on the distance, his entire face shrouded in the dense sea fog. Xu Si’s eyes slid from his high-bridged nose down to his chiseled jawline. Her tone was calm as she said, "For me, it’s neither good nor bad."

She didn’t particularly want to continue this topic. Her tone was dismissive as she gripped the keys in her hand.

"Let’s go. I remember there are other beaches nearby, busier than this one."

The youth’s ash-grey, glinting eyes circled her once. "Okay," he agreed.

The car door SLAMMED shut.

Xu Si didn’t know if it was her nerves, but she failed to start the car several times.

She looked slightly panicked, glanced at the lights of the Underground City in the distance, suppressed the odd feeling in her heart, and tried again. Finally, she heard the normal sound of the engine running.

While silently watching the increasingly beautiful scenery pass by outside the window, she still couldn’t forget that glorious district.

What she didn’t tell Pei Zhen was that the Triad Society empire he would control in the future stood towering in the Underground City even now.

But having grown close, Xu Si had taken on the role of an elder, and she couldn’t bear to think of the hardships he would endure to reach such a position.

She also considered that, given Pei Zhen’s current qualifications, he would have a bright future in any industry. She wondered whether to guide him toward a safer path.

But this thought soon subsided.

Xu Si could only try her best to keep him from being exposed to that place too soon; as for his future path, it was up to him.

The car drove on for another hour.

They arrived at a famous scenic area on Hong Kong Island, where the silhouette of the Underground City was completely invisible—only the sea shimmered with a faint light, along with amusement facilities.

Many young men and women, reluctant to head home for the night, gathered to play.

With their enthusiastic and bold attire, their bright and carefree smiles, the night grew lively, wiping away all negative emotions.

Someone enthusiastically tossed a basketball to Pei Zhen.

"Hey, we’re short one player! You’re so tall, you must be good at basketball, right? Want to join us for a game?"

Pei Zhen caught the ball one-handed, his fingers gripping it firmly, and looked at Xu Si for her opinion.

"Go ahead and play. I brought you here to relax. You can play however you want, for as long as you want," Xu Si said. She bought two coconuts, leaned back comfortably in her chair, and stretched her numb wrist.

The youth had a change of jersey in his backpack. He found a changing room, put it on, and then joined the other young men for a game.

The beach lights streamed over his clear and delicate features. He was earnest and sunny. Every movement was incredibly graceful, and each shot he took was spot-on.

A woman in her thirties, wearing sunglasses, watched him admiringly for a moment before turning to Xu Si with a compliment:

"Your classmate? He’s really handsome. My son’s also playing in there but always has a hard time making shots."

Xu Si came back to her senses, turned to look at the woman, and said with a smile, "Thank you. He’s not my classmate; he’s my nephew."

The woman appeared surprised for a second but kept her smile. "Your nephew is really amazing! I often accompany my son to play basketball, and I seldom see someone shoot so accurately. And he plays so gracefully! He’s the right height too; he could become a sports star in the future."

"You flatter him."

Xu Si curved her lips into a smile and thanked her again. She was used to hearing praise for Pei Zhen from others everywhere, but it always made her quite happy.

Propping her chin on her hand, sipping the sweet, milky coconut juice, Xu Si once again turned her gaze to the basketball court.

At that moment, the young man had just sunk the decisive, game-winning shot. Many excited young people rushed over to give him high-fives. His smile was radiant. As he turned to look at Xu Si, a vibrant arc of that smile silently bloomed in the dim evening light, blending with the gentle sea breeze and the dark, surging waves—full of life and intense warmth.

Xu Si smiled in response, not stingy with her praise, and loudly cheered him on.

"Great job, keep it up!"

That beautiful, intoxicating spring evening, they both felt relaxed and comfortable, as if the heavy burdens of work and the tedious monotony of study had been cast far away.

On the way back, Pei Zhen even received a brand-new basketball as a gift from a new friend.

Xu Si leaned against the car door, smiling tenderly.

"Did you have fun?"

"I did," Pei Zhen replied. He held the ball, showing it to her. His eyes sparkled with a delicate light, but his voice remained calm and strong. "This was my first time playing basketball in a place like this. It was very interesting—a truly rare experience. Thank you, Auntie."

"You’re welcome." Xu Si opened the car door and glanced at her watch. "It’s getting late. Let’s go back. We’ll come again next time."

The young man looked back at the basketball court once more, as if trying to commit something to memory.

"Okay, Auntie, let’s head back."

Seeing his reluctant expression, Xu Si thought about finding time to bring him here again as soon as possible.

But there would be no next time.

After returning from the seaside that day, Hong Kong Island was hit by a massive stock market crash, which affected all businesses to some extent. Many companies that ran shopping malls on shoestring budgets went bankrupt.

Xu’s Real Estate expanded judiciously, buying up the land of those small shopping centers. They planned to merge them with surrounding buildings and renovate them into new shopping malls.

Xu Si had a bit of a woman’s intuition—this expansion would not go smoothly.

She postponed the start of construction to June.

...

June on Hong Kong Island.

As always, it was oppressively hot and humid. The air one breathed felt sticky and heavy, mixed with the sour scent of flame trees, hot enough to open every pore.

Spending too long under the sun was intensely hot, almost unbearable.

Fortunately, this season brought abundant rainfall.

Claps of thunder followed one after another, bringing a touch of cool relief.

Under Anshi’s arrangements, construction began on the shopping mall that the Xu Group had financed the acquisition of.

When a real estate business grows too large, it’s bound to stir envy in some.

That very night, someone took a shot at the pendulum clock in the Xu family’s living room.

When the shards fell, the sound tore through the stillness of the night.

Xu Si was sitting in the living room drinking tea when it happened. Her bodyguards rushed in, asking if she was hurt.

After the initial shock, she quietly squatted before the scattered glass fragments, lost in thought.

This was undoubtedly a warning.

Her actions had threatened someone else’s interests. If she continued, it might not be as simple as shooting a clock.

No one would take an 18-year-old heir seriously.

Xu Si had become the only person on Hong Kong Island who possessed considerable wealth but was especially easy to bully.