For the rest of the day, Jiang He didn't show up again.
He didn't make things difficult for her. She was still well - fed and taken good care of, but Wu Pengpeng had no mood to mess with others.
The situation had become even more complicated. She could deal with Wu Junyu alone, but with the addition of Jiang He, whose mind was unfathomable, she wasn't confident that she could get out of this unscathed.
Filled with worries about her own life and yearning for He Qianshan, Wu Pengpeng suffered from insomnia and finally dozed off in the second half of the night.
She slept restlessly that night. She dreamt of many past events and reviewed her two short lives in a flash.
Finally, the dream stopped in a misty forest. He Qianshan stood in the thick fog, looking at her sadly and asking why she had broken her promise.
"I've waited for you for so many years," the He Qianshan in the dream suddenly turned into a white - haired old man. He was on the verge of collapse, and even speaking was a struggle. Only his still - clear eyes were saturated with grief. "Miss Wu, why did you lie to me?"
Wu Pengpeng knew clearly that this was just a dream and everything in it was fake, except for the heartache, which was so real that it made her breath catch, as if she would suffocate at any moment.
"Yanshen..." She tried to approach him.
He Qianshan staggered back and shook his head desperately. "I won't believe you anymore."
After saying that, he turned around and ran. Wu Pengpeng stumbled after him, but he ran so fast that she couldn't catch up with him no matter how hard she tried.
Then she watched helplessly as he disappeared into the depths of the mist. Panicked, she ran after him without thinking. When the mist cleared, she fell into an abyss.
Wu Pengpeng woke up with a start and met Jiang He's worried eyes.
She sat on the bed blankly for a while before vaguely remembering where she was. She subconsciously moved back a bit, leaned against the wall and stared at Jiang He warily.
Seeing her like a startled bird, Jiang He felt both worried and heart - broken. "Are you... okay?"
"I'm fine." After a brief moment of absent - mindedness, Wu Pengpeng quickly pulled herself together.
She stood up, walked around Jiang He, got out of bed from the other side, bent down to put on her shoes and said sarcastically, "Mr. Jiang, it must be really hard for you to come here so early in the morning as a persuader."
Jiang He watched her walk to the other end of the room, pour hot water from the kettle to wash her face. After she finished washing, she walked to the window, picked up the milk and bread on the table and ate. There was no trace of the fragility and helplessness she had shown in the dream.
It wasn't until she finished breakfast that she looked back at him, with no emotion in her eyes. "Go and call Wu Junyu here!"
Jiang He wasn't sure why she suddenly agreed to cooperate. Before he could say anything, the door was pushed open. Wu Junyu had heard her words from the monitor and came in by himself.
"Pengpeng," Wu Junyu walked up to her with a smile and sat down on the chair opposite her.
His face still wore the familiar expression. His eyes were sincere and gentle, as if this wasn't a negotiation between a kidnapper and a hostage, but a heart - to - heart talk between siblings. "Have you made up your mind?"
Wu Pengpeng looked at him coldly, with neither anger nor disappointment in her eyes. "What are you going to do after you get that money?"
Wu Junyu seemed to be caught off guard by her question. He was stunned for a moment before answering, "I'll go far away and live in anonymity."
As if afraid that she wouldn't believe him, he added sincerely, "Don't worry. For the sake of our sibling relationship, I'll let you go back intact."
Hearing his words, Wu Pengpeng gave a faint smile. "Second brother, do you think I'm a three - year - old?"
Before Wu Junyu could start to defend himself, she continued on her own, "Even if you get that hidden property, with the Wu family's strength, they'll find you no matter where you hide. You won't be able to live in peace."
"The best way is to make me a dead person. As long as I'm dead, no one will know what you've done. And the property under my name will naturally return to the Wu family. In the future, you'll legally get a share of it."
"The reason you want to get that hidden property is to use it to expand your own strength so that you can gain an advantage in this battle for interests in the future."
She looked up at Wu Junyu calmly. "I just want to know what you're going to do to eldest brother after you get the money?"
Wu Junyu was slightly shocked when his secret was exposed, but he remained calm on the surface. "Pengpeng, you're overthinking. I won't do anything to eldest brother or you..."
Wu Pengpeng shook her head and interrupted him. "As long as both eldest brother and I are dead, the Wu family will be yours for the taking."
She stood up and patted the non - existent dust on her body. "So I can't talk to you anymore. I originally wanted to take a gamble with this property, betting on your one - in - a - million kindness and the slightest bit of love you have for me as your younger sister. But now, I'm too scared to take that bet."
She looked into Wu Junyu's eyes quietly and said in a soft but firm voice, "Because if I lose this bet, eldest brother will also die because of me."
After saying that, she didn't look at Wu Junyu again. She walked to the window and stared out blankly.
All of Wu Junyu's rationality was instantly burned away by jealousy. Why? Why in the end did they all side with Wu Junchen?
Was it just because of that bit of blood relationship that she could ignore him, her second brother, and use her life to protect Wu Junchen?
Since that was the case, then let it be as she wished!
Wu Junyu suddenly stood up and said viciously, "Then go and die with him!"
After saying that, he left angrily, as if he was about to order her death the next second.
Jiang He stepped forward and sighed. "Why did you have to provoke him?"
Wu Pengpeng seemed not to hear his words and just stared out of the window without moving.
Jiang He didn't mind. He deliberately lowered his voice, but still loud enough to be picked up by the microphone. "You can pretend to agree with him first. Then find an excuse to leave this place and go to a safe place."
He said this both to Wu Pengpeng, telling her not to be stubborn and provoke Wu Junyu, and to Wu Junyu, making him think that he was just fooling Wu Pengpeng.
Actually, Wu Pengpeng had thought of this method before, but she quickly dismissed it.
Even if she found a perfect excuse to get Wu Junyu to take her away from here, Wu Junyu would surely watch her every move and not give her any chance to communicate with the outside world.
Moreover, with Wu Junyu's methods, he would definitely threaten her with other people's lives. She didn't want to involve innocent people.
Wu Pengpeng shook her head and rejected his suggestion. "No need."
Jiang He looked at her deeply. "Why are you doing this?"
Wu Pengpeng didn't want to talk to him. She just wanted to get rid of him. "Because I don't want to live anymore."
Jiang He said, "I'm asking why you'd rather die yourself than protect Wu Junchen?"
Wu Pengpeng was silent for a moment before saying softly, "Because he's my family. If I really have to choose between my family and myself, I'm willing to let them live."
Moreover, she didn't know anything about the hidden property. Even if she did, as long as she told this secret to Wu Junyu, she would lose her value.
Jiang He asked again, "Why?"
Wu Pengpeng seemed defeated by him. She said helplessly, "You don't understand how miserable it is to live alone. My family is so precious to me. I want to protect them."
Since all the evil deeds were done by Wu Junyu, the kindness shown by others to her seemed even more precious.
How could Jiang He not understand? He had a family, parents, but no real family.
In their eyes, he was just a money - making tool.
"Actually..." He looked at Wu Pengpeng seriously. "I can also be your family."
Wu Pengpeng sneered. "I don't have an unfilial son like you."
All of Jiang He's tenderness was choked back by her words. He was so angry that he stamped his feet. "Who wants to be your son!"
Wu Pengpeng turned to look at him and exclaimed in horror, "It's even worse to be my grandson!"
Jiang He's face turned livid with anger. "Fine, Wu Pengpeng. If I talk to you主动 again, I'm your grandson!"
After saying that, he turned around and left, heading straight back to the monitoring room.
Wu Junyu leaned against the door frame and looked at him mockingly. "It seems that you get along well with her."
Jiang He walked calmly to the monitor and sat down. There was no trace of emotion on his face. "If I want to gain her trust, I have to get along well with her."
For the next half - day, Jiang He didn't show up again. Wu Pengpeng also had no mood to "tease" the kidnapper boss. Except for eating and taking a nap, she spent the rest of the time sitting in front of the window, lost in thought.
In the evening, there was a sudden noise from the iron gate.
She looked back and saw Jiang He poking his head in. "Grandma, I'm here again."
Wu Pengpeng couldn't help but burst out laughing. Then she thought it wasn't appropriate and quickly composed herself. She said with a straight face, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm bringing you something delicious!" Jiang He carried a big bag of snacks in and stuffed it into her hands. As he bent down, he whispered, "I know your secret."
Wu Pengpeng glanced at him, with an expression of "What nonsense are you talking about again?"
Jiang He leaned close to her ear and whispered very softly, "You need to squander all the Wu family's property, don't you?"