The response from the other end of the screen, however, completely defied her expectations.
The girl, who had just sent two messages expressing her desire to leave, immediately altered her tone, her inherent gentleness palpable even through the digital divide.
[Please don’t think like that.
There’s nothing that can’t be overcome.
Focus on your loving family; they would never want to see you in such a state…]
“???” Tang Xin’s mind reeled with bewilderment; she had never anticipated such a turn of events.
It was as if their roles had been completely inverted, with Pei Xingyan now the one receiving solace.
“Her outwardly demure demeanor suggests a refined, perhaps even strict, upbringing.
Her desire to leave, voiced only to a stranger online, indicates a reluctance to burden those around her with worry,” Pei Xingyan explained, shrugging nonchalantly as he drew his conclusion.
“Do you understand what this implies?
It means she is, at the very least, a deeply kind girl.
A kind girl would never stand idly by while someone else contemplated foolish actions, even if she herself is on the verge of emotional collapse from immense stress.
For a girl such as this, the most effective approach is to leverage her profound sense of morality and her innate guilt.”
He ceased speaking, bowing his head to swiftly type out a few words:
[My family… they are no longer with me…]
The girl, evidently flustered, replied with remarkable speed, drastically altering her previous statement.
[Please, please don’t misunderstand!
What I meant by wanting to leave was simply to visit another city, that’s all.
Please don’t overthink it!
It wasn’t anything else at all!]
Pei Xingyan’s lips curved into a predatory smile, a silent acknowledgment of his quarry taking the bait.
“You see?” he murmured.
“Hasn’t the situation completely reversed?”
He typed out a few more characters:
[Visiting another city… that sounds rather appealing.]
The girl promptly replied: [Yes, yes, it’s wonderful!]
Pei Xingyan: [But I have no money…]
Girl: [Then, then, then I could lend you some!]
Pei Xingyan: [There’s no need for that.
Perhaps you could tell me about some of the wonderful places you’ve visited instead?]
Girl: [Alright, alright, no problem at all!]
The dynamic had shifted entirely; the girl on the other side of the screen seemed to have utterly forgotten that she was the one who had initially sought assistance.
Instead, she was now eagerly recounting all the wonderful places she had explored.
From the breathtaking beauty of mountains and rivers to the delectable co-branded milk tea at a particular mall, she spoke with an almost desperate earnestness, recounting stories as if pouring out her very soul.
It was as though she feared even a hint of impatience from Pei Xingyan might lead him to commit some folly.
“My heavens,” Tang Xin exclaimed, touching her chest with a lingering sense of trepidation as she observed the girl’s swift transformation.
“If you were to wield such a tactic to deceive young women, I can’t even begin to imagine the sheer number of lives you’d ruin!”
She had instinctively widened the distance between herself and Pei Xingyan, a silent apprehension that she might become the next unsuspecting girl to fall under his hypnotic influence.
“Only this naive girl on the other side would fall for such a ploy,” Pei Xingyan remarked with a helpless chuckle.
“Only a hothouse flower, utterly unacquainted with the harsh realities of society, would be so easily ensnared.
It’s much like how girls, pure as a blank canvas, are always susceptible to the machinations of scoundrels, wouldn’t you agree?”
Tang Xin nodded, a flicker of comprehension mixed with lingering confusion in her eyes, before posing a new question.
“But I still don’t quite grasp it… why did you make her recount these stories?”
“It’s merely to encourage her to actively recall some of her happier memories,” Pei Xingyan explained, gesturing towards the screen.
“When comforting someone, it’s generally effective to guide them towards pleasant thoughts.
However, even the most beautiful tales recounted by others can never quite compare to the profound resonance of experiences personally validated by the individual themselves.
Observe how long she’s been speaking; isn’t her tone already noticeably more cheerful?”
“How utterly terrifying…”
Tang Xin drew a sharp, involuntary breath, subtly increasing the distance between them once more.
While she couldn’t help but marvel at her good fortune in selecting such a skilled technical expert, a chilling thought simultaneously crept into her mind: what if, one day, Pei Xingyan were to maliciously (TL Note: The original Chinese uses asterisks to imply a crude or intense negative outburst, often with a sexual connotation, but here refers to him acting with ill intent.) employ these very same soul-bewitching tactics against her?
She might very well find herself sold off, yet still cheerfully helping him count the proceeds!
Being swindled out of anything else wasn’t nearly as terrifying as the prospect of him, with his dark heart and cunning hands, absconding with her entire life’s savings.
While Tang Xin was adrift in her myriad anxieties, Pei Xingyan redirected his focus to his phone.
The girl’s meticulously recounted tales of a beautiful life were nearing their end, and her mood had visibly brightened.
The strategy of prompting her to actively recall her own pleasant experiences had proven remarkably effective; for the time being, she had successfully cast her extreme thoughts to the furthest reaches of her mind.
Finally, she hastily sent a last message: [I’ll tell you more next time, I need to go prepare for my piano practice now~~]
After that, no further messages arrived from her.
In such a manner, it no longer felt as though she was spending a significant sum for psychological solace, but rather as if she were simply engaging in a casual chat with a close friend.
“This… this is it?” Tang Xin finally edged closer, her gaze fixed incredulously on the phone.
“This is merely the beginning,” Pei Xingyan stated, taking a deep breath as he rose to his feet.
“The root of the problem remains unaddressed.
All I’ve done is encourage her to revisit pleasant memories, temporarily counteracting her current anxieties.
These pressures are momentarily suppressed, certainly, but they haven’t vanished.
The next time she encounters an overwhelming surge of stress, that’s when the real trouble will begin.”
“What? Aren’t your current actions counterproductive, then?” Tang Xin’s brow furrowed with newfound worry.
“She’s only paid a deposit; what about the remaining balance?”
“After this… I’ll have to take a more proactive approach…” Pei Xingyan mused, slumping onto a roadside bench and sighing as his gaze drifted towards the horizon.
He was now poised at the precipice of his final decision.
Based on his understanding of girls from affluent backgrounds, the source of stress this particular girl was enduring was undoubtedly significant, rendering this anything but a simple or effortless undertaking.
He found himself questioning whether he should even proceed.
Yet, if he succeeded, he stood to gain seventy thousand… and he was currently in desperate need of funds.
What other endeavor could possibly yield such a substantial sum in so short a time, with virtually no entry barriers?
“Alas~” he sighed, the sound a low, lingering lament.
His sigh was immediately followed by the distinct chime of a message on his phone.
He lowered his gaze to see a notification from a contact he had specially marked.
[Little Yezi: Xingyan Gege (TL Note: A term of endearment for an older brother figure), I believe I’ve managed to uncover some information about the person you mentioned last time~]
His breath hitched for a fleeting instant.
[Little Yezi: It’s just that the detective I hired seems to be quoting a rather steep price… they’re asking for quite a sum of money…]
[Little Yezi: If you’re feeling a bit financially strained at the moment, I could always cover the initial cost for you.]
Little Yezi’s messages abruptly ceased there, as though she were deliberately pausing, awaiting his immediate response.
Her words were laced with a deadly gentleness, an aura of profound understanding emanating from them, yet the pressure building within Pei Xingyan simultaneously surged to its absolute peak.
Without the slightest need for extraneous thought, he swiftly typed out his refusal:
[There’s no need.
I’ve recently secured a suitable position, so there’s no longer any need to trouble you.]
The phone remained silent for a considerable duration, no further message chimes breaking the stillness.
It wasn’t until several minutes later that a faint, lingering [Is that so?] appeared on the screen.
Following that, Little Yezi offered not another word.
Pei Xingyan dared not even contemplate the thoughts or feelings of the girl on the other end of the line.
The only certainty he possessed was that no matter how vexing any future predicament might be, it could never surpass the sheer burden of the suggestion he had just faced.
On the other side of that phone, resided a girl whose presence exerted a gravitational pull akin to a black hole.