Chapter 103#

The next day’s return to Fanzhou was carried out with extreme subtlety.

The bandages around Nie Xu’s waist hadn’t been removed yet, and the doctor had warned against prolonged movement. In the first-class cabin of the plane, Ji Yang sat in the aisle seat, asked a flight attendant for a cushion, and insisted on stuffing it behind Nie Xu’s lower back.

“It’s fine, I’m just waiting for the stitches to come out,” Nie Xu said, eyeing the pink lumbar cushion and refusing it.

Ji Yang glanced at the thing in his hand, understood immediately, and deliberately baited: “What? Are you discriminating against pink?”

“It suits you better,” Nie Xu replied.

Ji Yang wrinkled his nose in distaste: “…… I’m not using something this nauseatingly pink.” He said nothing more, simply pushing Nie Xu aside and forcefully wedging it in behind him: “If I say you use it, you use it. The flight attendant said there are no other colors. Besides, you’re so low-key in your daily life that you never expose any information on social media — who even knows who you are?”

Ji Yang shoved the cushion in, then turned to the flight attendant waiting nearby with a smile: “Thank you. Could I trouble you for a glass of warm water? He needs to take his medicine.”

“Please wait just a moment,” the flight attendant said softly.

There were no other acquaintances on this flight, so Ji Yang took it upon himself to handle all of Nie Xu’s care.

Of course, that was only what he thought.

For instance, during the second half of the flight he’d been sleeping the entire time on the injured man’s lap, still groggy and disoriented even after they’d disembarked.

Going from that godforsaken backwater at the border straight back to a bustling city, the surrounding noise crashing into his ears, Ji Yang — with his sleep-messed hair sticking up — was led by Nie Xu by the hand through the packed crowds of the airport.

While queuing to exit, he yawned and happened to catch their reflection in an advertisement board.

He noticed the person beside him wearing camouflage and a tactical jacket, a messenger bag slung over one shoulder, tall and broad with sunglasses perched on top — calling him low-key would be an understatement. Quite a few people around them were sneaking glances at him.

“I should’ve just applied for priority access through the private channel,” Ji Yang muttered.

Nie Xu assumed someone had recognized Ji Yang. He scanned the surroundings, found nothing amiss, but still said: “The car is already arranged in the underground parking lot. Let’s head straight there.”

“Keep your head down,” Ji Yang said.

Nie Xu tilted his head toward him: “What’s wrong?”

Ji Yang reached over and plucked the sunglasses off his face, hanging them on his own instead: “Nothing. When you left, didn’t you say the arrest operation this time caused quite a stir? Before the preliminary conclusions come out, it’s best not to draw attention. You too.”

Nie Xu caught on, smiled, and let it go.

But before they even made it out of the airport, Ji Yang was genuinely recognized.

The moment he noticed someone pointing a camera at him, Ji Yang grabbed Nie Xu’s hand and hurried away with their heads down.

He hadn’t expected the other party to be so prepared.

It was a man with a garishly patterned headscarf wrapped around his nose and mouth, a pair of white-rimmed plastic glasses on his face, looking slick and made-up. He trailed behind the two of them while excitedly calling out: “Fourth Young Master! Just got off the plane? Where are you coming back from?”

“Don’t misunderstand — I’m not some paparazzi. I work in self-media operations. Just want to ask you a few questions for an interview.”

He was already pulling a business card from his shirt pocket, thrusting it toward Ji Yang. Ji Yang pretended not to see, gripping Nie Xu’s hand even tighter while making sure he wouldn’t lift his injured arm.

Seeing Ji Yang’s cold demeanor, the man’s tone gradually turned passive-aggressive.

“They all say the Ji family’s Fourth Young Master has fallen on hard times. But looking at you now, you seem even more arrogant than before. Didn’t you make your fortune by courting attention? Now you look down on your own peers?”

“You think you deserve all the credit for building your personal brand alone?”

“Bringing out Haicheng’s entire new media division from the start — that was all premeditated, wasn’t it? First dragging the Ji family down step by step, then secretly allying with the conglomerate Jian Yuan to stab your own family in the back. The Nie family’s maritime disaster case being dug up — that was all Yi Yuan’s doing behind the scenes. With so many things layered together, it’s hard not to question your motives.”

The man was like a persistent fly, following them all the way to the underground parking lot.

Seeing they were about to leave, he planted himself directly in Ji Yang’s path.

Stepping backward as he spoke.

“Let’s chat.”

“You could at least tell us what you were doing on this trip.”

By now, the arranged car had arrived — the driver bringing it up.

The man grew anxious and pressed forward.

“Or would Fourth Young Master prefer to see tomorrow’s front page saying your mother had an affair and gave birth to a bastard child, and that you deliberately staged a repr— Ah!”

The man didn’t even get to finish his sentence before his arm was twisted behind his back and he was slammed face-first against the car body. He screamed in pain.

“Let go.” Ji Yang tugged at Nie Xu’s arm, frowning: “Your wound is going to split open.”

Nie Xu continued applying pressure, looking down at the man beneath him whose face had gone red and contorted with pain: “I don’t care where you got this absurd rumor, or whether someone planted it deliberately. If I see a single word of what you just said online tomorrow, it’ll be on your head. Do you understand?”

“Understood, understood!” the man stammered. “Quick, quick — let me go.”

Only then did Nie Xu toss the man aside. He couldn’t even be bothered to spare him another glance, opened the car door, and gestured for Ji Yang to get in.

Ji Yang stepped forward, plucked the business card from the man lying on the ground, glanced at it, tossed it down, and turned to get in the car.

Ji Yang settled into the seat and watched as Nie Xu climbed in after him, his gaze sweeping over the man’s waist: “I told you not to use your hands.”

“It’s fine,” Nie Xu said, settling in. He signaled the driver to go, then continued: “Those things he said just now, even the parts involving your mother — don’t think about them. They’re fake.”

The car pulled out of the airport parking lot.

Ji Yang spoke normally: “I know. Actually, I recognize that guy. He came from that media outlet that loves publishing hit pieces. He’s been staking me out for more than a day or two. Since Yi Yuan got to where it is, there’s been more than one or two rivals quietly competing in the background. Leave it to Old Peng to handle. Whether he has other motives or not, this kind of threatening through public opinion — they have plenty of tricks. Even Jian Yuan’s PR team might not have as much experience with it as Yi Yuan does. Don’t get involved.”

Nie Xu turned his head to look at him.

That gaze made Ji Yang instinctively ask: “What is it?”

“Is it that Yi Yuan is better at handling this, or is it that my departure this time made you lose your sense of security?” That question — Ji Yang felt Nie Xu had asked it too earnestly, too directly.

So Ji Yang genuinely thought about it, and then had to admit: yes, that was part of it.

Although founding Yi Yuan had been his own idea — whether it was associating under Jian Yuan’s banner or seeking partnerships, Nie Xu had never truly obstructed him in any serious matter. On the contrary, the support he’d given had always been abundant.

In other words, having come this far, he had never truly considered: if Jian Yuan hadn’t been there from the very beginning, how far could he have gone on his own?

Nie Xu’s departure this time had been so sudden, as though he’d been ripped entirely from Ji Yang’s surroundings all at once.

Nie Xu had made many preparations behind the scenes, considering every angle on his behalf. And precisely because he’d thought of too much, that feeling of impending loss had been even heavier.

So Ji Yang had forced himself to quiet down.

He’d pushed forward the cooperation between Yi Yuan and Jian Yuan, tried to pull back from that old state where he’d explode at the slightest provocation. From the very moment he’d stepped onto the plane to find Nie Xu, he’d been consciously or unconsciously telling himself: You need to grow into someone dependable and solid — an adult, like Nie Xu.

He hadn’t done it well, but he’d tried.

Ji Yang leaned back in his seat and nodded in acknowledgment: “A little, I suppose. I have to get used to facing things on my own eventually. It’s not like you’re made of steel and invincible to everything. Having some things that you need me to help you solve — that’s a kind of accomplishment too, right?”

Ji Yang thought the matter had blown over.

Midway through, Nie Xu was called away by an official phone call. Ji Yang went back to check on Xiaobai.

Whether Xiaobai was frightened by this whole ordeal or not, the moment it saw Ji Yang it wouldn’t stop meowing, circling around his legs.

Ji Yang picked it up.

Aunt Mo had been taking meticulous care of it these past few days, like tending to a little emperor. She asked him: “You picked up Nie Xu? Is he alright?”

“Nothing to worry about,” Ji Yang said, not planning to share much with Aunt Mo, lest she become anxious.

“That’s good to hear.” Aunt Mo sighed, looking at Xiaobai in his arms: “You two — always in the thick of it. When he left this time, my heart was in my throat. Especially seeing the look on your face, it felt like something terrible was about to happen. Well, as long as you’re both back safe and sound. Safe and sound.”

Ji Yang hummed in agreement.

He asked Aunt Mo: “Aunt Mo, that bottle of eucalyptus leaves from before — where is it?”

“I locked it in the study. Don’t worry, I change the water regularly. It’s doing fine.”

Ji Yang scratched Xiaobai under the chin.

He sent Nie Xu a message:

“Come pick up your son when you’re done.”

Nie Xu replied with a question mark.

Ji Yang: “I thought about it — you’re richer. The kid will have a better life with you. I won’t fight you for custody.”

Nie Xu didn’t reply.

Ji Yang checked his phone every now and then, for two reasons: he was worried about Nie Xu’s injury, and he was afraid something might have gone wrong with the arrest operation.

But he held back and didn’t send any more messages.

8 PM.

At the gate of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, Nie Xu emerged, flanked by Jiang Lei and several senior officers.

The bureau chief shook his hand: “This case wouldn’t have been possible without you all. We’ve already established contact with our colleagues on the border. The Ji family and Nie family cases will be merged for joint evidence collection. We’ll follow up with you if any issues arise going forward.”

“You’re too kind.” Nie Xu reached out and shook his hand.

The chief enthusiastically invited them: “How about we grab a meal together? It’s not too late.”

Nie Xu flicked a glance at Jiang Lei beside him.

Jiang Lei understood instantly and jumped in immediately, clasping the chief’s hand with both of his: “Old Nie has somewhere to be. I’ll have a few drinks with you leaders — a stage celebration, how about that? He doesn’t have much, but he’s got plenty of money. Let him treat.”

“How could we let you treat?” the chief demurred, still tussling with Jiang Lei. “Besides, what could be so urgent when you just got back?”

Jiang Lei: “His wife’s angry. She’s threatening to divorce him. He’s rushing home to coax the missus.”

This completely stunned the room. The chief’s resistance evaporated on the spot, and he was swept away by Jiang Lei.

Meanwhile, Nie Xu had already slipped away and gotten into his car.

Ji Yang answered Nie Xu’s call after nine.

He was still in his pajamas, Xiaobai in his arms, scrolling through his phone.

He picked up on the first ring.

“Done?” Ji Yang asked: “You said it was just verifying details and procedures. What took so long?”

There was no sound on the line. Ji Yang pulled the phone away and glanced at it, confirming the call was connected.

“Nie Xu?”

“Mm.” Nie Xu’s voice came through. “I’m downstairs. In the car.”

Ji Yang hesitated for two seconds. “Should I bring your son down to you?”

Nie Xu: “The wound hurts.”

“Shit.” Ji Yang froze for a split second, then leaped off the couch. Xiaobai was so startled it jumped straight out of his arms. Ji Yang couldn’t care less — he grabbed his phone and bolted out the door.

Out the door. Waited for the elevator. Finally made it downstairs.

Made a beeline for the black G-Wagon parked at the curb.

That was Nie Xu’s other car. He’d seen it before.

He pulled the door open: “You—”

The instant he was lifted bodily by the waist into the car, Ji Yang’s eyes went wide with shock.

In the dim interior of the car, Ji Yang tilted his head back against the seat, staring at Nie Xu’s face up close and giving him a solid punch on the shoulder: “Didn’t you say your wound hurts?”

“Lied to you.” Nie Xu pressed over him, voice low and soft: “If I didn’t lie, would you have come down?”

Ji Yang half-doubted his own ears. The main thing was that, in his impression, Nie Xu was not the kind of person who would use tricks like this to deceive someone. So when he said it hurt, Ji Yang’s first instinct had been to think the worst.

“Really?” Ji Yang was skeptical, his hand reaching toward his waist.

Halfway there, Nie Xu caught it, his thumb pressing against Ji Yang’s wrist bone: “Really.”

Ji Yang stared at him. “What exactly do you want?”

“I want to apologize.” Nie Xu’s touch lingered, barely there, his tone deliberately casual: “Remember you asked me before — does not depending on your brother count as growing up? What did I answer you?”

Who remembered jokes like that. Ji Yang thought about it. “I said I didn’t want to live anymore?”

“Leaving you to face things alone. Every single time.” Nie Xu’s fingers grazed through his hair: “It makes me feel like I deserve to die. I knew better and did it anyway. So you have every right to do whatever you want to me.”

Ji Yang’s eyes lifted sharply.

He knew Nie Xu was circling back to that same conversation from the car ride on the way from the airport.

The last trace of lingering anger in Ji Yang’s chest dissipated, and he replied: “I know you were doing it for my own good.”

Nie Xu’s knuckles grazed across his cheek.

“Baby.” He called him that, suddenly.

Every hair on Ji Yang’s body stood on end: “Why are you calling me that again?”

“You’re too good.” Nie Xu’s gaze swept over the loosened collar of Ji Yang’s sleep shirt: “A bodyguard and assistant using that term could be considered insubordinate. I could also just be your brother — but you keep doing this.” Nie Xu lowered his head, his lips brushing near his ear: “So well-behaved that it makes me not want to be human anymore.”

This man…

Ji Yang looked at him and spoke slowly: “Shameless.”

“Mm.” Nie Xu pressed against his lips and chuckled: “Congratulations. You’ve gotten to know me all over again.”