Chapter 23: Is He the Only One at Leisure?

"I have already dispatched men to track her whereabouts, but I am sorry to report that she and Nalan Che seem to have vanished from the face of the earth. We cannot find any information on them whatsoever."

"Damn that Nalan Che! Don't let me lay eyes on you! How dare you abduct my little treasure? If she suffers even the slightest harm, I will make sure you pay dearly."

If he had known this would happen, he never would have let her attend that ceremony.

When Nalan Che specifically requested her presence, he should have realized that the man was planning something. After holding back for so many years, he was finally making his move. But damn it, couldn't he have used a gentler approach?

He glared at Jack, irritable and impatient. "As for that reckless newspaper office, I don't want to see it exist anymore—shut it down. Also, make sure my parents don't find out that Xiao Man is missing."

If they found out Tong Xiao Man had disappeared, he would never hear the end of their nagging.

"Rest assured, President Zhao, the Nalan family is already handling the situation. As for the Master and Mistress, I have long since instructed the servants to intercept all news; they will have no chance of finding out."

"Jack, you truly are my best steward. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't know what to do."

With the matter settled, the President began to calm down and started acting coy.

Having long since built up an immunity to this, Jack’s mouth twitched. He said coldly, "Does President Zhao have any other instructions? If not, I shall return to my work."

Heaven knows how exhausting it was to juggle multiple roles while serving a master who never lifted a finger yet remained impossibly picky about everything. It was no ordinary job, and certainly not one that just anyone could endure.

"Jack, is your yin and yang out of balance? Why are you always so moody? Are you sexually frustrated? Do you need me to find you a few beauties to liven things up?"

Zhao Yi leaned forward, a suggestive smile playing across his impeccably handsome face.

Countless black lines appeared on Jack’s stern, rugged face. He said in a deep voice, "President Zhao, if you have the leisure to concern yourself with my personal affairs, you would be better off preparing for the shareholders' meeting later."

"What’s wrong with a boss caring about his subordinate? I show concern for you, and you look down on me?" He hated shareholders' meetings more than anything.

A shareholders' meeting meant dealing with a bunch of old men. Seeing those self-righteous, aging faces made him uneasy. If it weren't for his father’s sentimentality, he would have kicked them all out long ago.

"I won't trouble you to worry about me, President Zhao. I have many things to attend to; I’ll be taking my leave."

Without waiting for a response, Jack turned and walked away, ignoring the strange noises Zhao Yi made behind him.

"Damn it, who exactly is the President here?" Is he really that busy?

Zhao Yi glared at Jack’s ramrod-straight back. He wasn't even busier than he was, surely?

He withdrew his gaze and pulled out his private phone, dialing Qin Ran’s number directly.

An elegant, pleasant, androgynous voice came through the receiver: "State your business. I'm busy."

Zhao Yi couldn't help but grit his teeth. Is the whole world busy, leaving only him with nothing to do?

He skipped the pleasantries. "Xiao Man has been taken out to sea by Nalan Che. We can't track her information from our end. You’re close to Nalan Che—I don't care what method you use, even if you have to turn the entire ocean upside down, you must find them for me."

Qin Ran was silent for a second before replying, "Nalan Tian has already coordinated with international police to blockade the coast. As soon as they make landfall, we will have news."