Chapter 22#
By nine in the evening, both sides had eaten and drunk their fill. They waved goodbye outside the door, then each got into their cars and left.
Qian Yitian had followed along and knocked back a few cups, so he was thoroughly drunk, clinging to Nie Xu and refusing to let go. He mumbled about how impressive Assistant Nie was and begged him to give him more guidance in the future, then proceeded to recount every experience from his entire life — nearly falling into a pond at three to feed the fish, raiding bird nests at five, playing truant at ten — he was practically one step away from reciting his bank card password.
There wasn’t a trace left of the person who’d claimed he was afraid of Nie Xu.
Huizhou’s nightlife, though not as lively as Fanzhou’s, was still early at this hour, and standing around on the main road was somewhat embarrassing.
Nie Xu let himself be dragged along the entire way, into the car, and back to the hotel.
It was like being stuck with a piece of cowhide candy that wouldn’t peel off.
“His tolerance for alcohol is truly terrible,” Ji Yang said, following behind them, nearly dying of laughter.
Deng Jiao: “His conduct while drunk is equally worrisome.”
Qiao Qiao was busy recording Qian Yitian’s disgraceful history as blackmail material for later.
Hearing this, she chimed in softly: “You couldn’t tell, but Assistant Nie actually has a pretty good temper. We came on the same flight today — we didn’t really talk much, but he carried all my luggage for me.”
Ji Yang looked at her in disbelief: “Are your standards for men really that low? Any guy would do that.”
Qiao Qiao replied as though it were perfectly obvious: “No way. Take my ex. When we went traveling together, he was either blind or had his hands broken. It’s left me with an incredibly high tolerance for normal men, let alone someone of Assistant Nie’s caliber.”
Deng Jiao seemed to be hearing this kind of evaluation for the first time as well. She raised an eyebrow: “Caliber?”
“Of course.” Qiao Qiao counted on her fingers as they walked: “He’s handsome, highly capable, his assistant position isn’t high-ranking, but someone at the company dug up that the watch he wears is worth millions, and his personal car collection has more than one Hummer. It’s only a matter of time before the Ji Corporation can’t hold on to him.”
Ji Yang was stunned by the sheer power of the masses’ gossip — he hadn’t even known Nie Xu owned other private vehicles, let alone paid attention to what watch he wore.
Qiao Qiao looked at Ji Yang as she spoke, then seemed to suddenly realize, asking cautiously: “Fourth Young Master, you won’t get angry at me for saying all this, will you?”
“Why would I be angry?” Ji Yang didn’t understand.
Qiao Qiao: “Aren’t you… don’t you like Nie…”
He’d almost forgotten about that.
Ji Yang, hands in his pockets: “I’m a very magnanimous person. How could I become an obstacle for him? If he truly wants to leave the Ji Corporation, I’d support it one hundred percent.”
Ji Yang: Obstacle? I’d be thanking the heavens if Nie Xu didn’t turn around and kill me.
Besides, Nie Xu had never been someone of the Ji Corporation’s in the first place.
He hadn’t been before, and he certainly wouldn’t be in the future.
Ji Yang instinctively looked up at the person walking ahead. Very well — carrying Qian Yitian was as effortless as carrying a small chick.
Even more carelessly than he’d carried Ji Yang earlier.
They arrived at the room door.
Ji Yang looked up.
“Isn’t this my room?” Ji Yang asked.
Nie Xu was already standing there, pinching Qian Yitian’s collar at the back of his neck to keep him from sliding to the floor, looking at him: “Tonight Qian Yitian stays in your room. In this state, he can’t participate in tomorrow’s seminar. Deng Jiao stays behind to take care of him. Tomorrow, Qiao Qiao, prepare the materials. You and I will make a joint appearance.”
Qiao Qiao immediately said: “Don’t worry, Assistant Nie. I’ll have everything ready.”
Ji Yang had no objections to the arrangement either. Together, they settled Qian Yitian onto the bed, and Ji Yang grabbed his luggage and headed to the twin room.
The bed in the twin room was about 1.3 meters wide. Ji Yang chose the side closest to the window.
The first thing he did upon entering was undo his vest and toss it onto the bed. Ji Yang sat at the foot of the bed, surveying the surroundings.
“Do you want to go shower first?” Nie Xu asked him.
Ji Yang shook his head: “I’ll rest a bit. I ate too much tonight. You go first.”
Nie Xu nodded, grabbed his clothes, and went into the bathroom.
Ji Yang lay face-down on the bed, scrolling through his phone.
He hadn’t had any free time during the day, so when he opened it now, he discovered that Fu Cheng had sent him a lot of messages.
And they were sent as private messages to his “One Yang” account.
He tapped to play the voice message.
“Fourth Young Master, it’s not very nice of you to screw me over like this, is it?”
“The matter from two years ago — we did it together, didn’t we? You pushed me onto the hottest trending topic with one livestream, but did you never think you’d become a target yourself?”
Probably because he hadn’t replied for too long, the tone grew increasingly irritable.
“What good does shutting my factory down do you?”
Seeing that threats still weren’t working, he switched to bargaining: “Fifty million is still too extravagant. You know I can’t come up with that much money at once, but I can tell you a secret — about Ji Chengyi.”
Ji Yang smiled: I’m really so interested.
This Fu Cheng was also someone without a brain. Why would he think that after the Wei Qiming incident, Ji Yang would still have such a strong reaction to the name Ji Chengyi?
Ji Yang rolled over and lay on his back on the bed.
He held up the phone and replied with a voice message: “Since you don’t have the money, don’t come looking for me. Sorry, I can’t help you.”
Fu Cheng replied instantly: “Let’s talk in person. Can we talk in person?”
Ji Yang: “Nope. I’m on a business trip.”
Ji Yang held up his phone to take a photo that would show he was in a hotel room. The moment he pressed the shutter, the bathroom door opened. Ji Yang instinctively angled the camera lower.
The photo sent successfully, showing half a blurred silhouette in the frame.
Fu Cheng’s voice was nearly a roar: “Ji Yang! At a time like this, you still have the mood to play with men? You’re really something!”
Ji Yang looked at the man whose hair was dripping with water.
He replied to the fuming Fu Cheng with a smile: “Getting anxious won’t help. Might as well play first.”
He pissed the other person off half to death. Fu Cheng sent a barrage of voice messages cursing him out — a complete emotional breakdown.
Seeing how much Ji Yang enjoyed listening to people swear, Nie Xu said: “Do you really have to respond to him?”
Ji Yang said “mm”: “He found his way to my social media account. Not responding would make me seem terribly rude.”
Nie Xu tossed the towel in his hand, reminding him: “Go shower.” Then, as if struck by a conscience, he asked: “Need any help?”
Ji Yang immediately recalled the night before this business trip — the shadow of defeat resurfaced.
He said guardedly: “No need.”
Then he grabbed his clothes and went into the bathroom.
By the time he finished and came out, Nie Xu was still sitting at the head of the bed working on his laptop.
It was all stock charts Ji Yang couldn’t understand, along with dense lines of code.
Ji Yang dried his own hair and burrowed under the covers.
In his hazy state, it seemed like the sound of keyboard typing lasted well into the night. When he opened his eyes the next morning, Nie Xu was already fully dressed.
Hearing the movement, Nie Xu turned to look at him: “Get up. News about the Fu family’s troubles is on.”
Ji Yang scratched his hair, took about half a minute to fully wake up, then dragged out a slow “oh.”
What had actually been first exposed was a new report analyzing abnormal monitoring points for water quality in the offshore waters near Fanzhou.
What was shocking was that three kilometers east of Lanhai Bay, the COD index had suddenly spiked to 180%, and ammonia nitrogen content exceeded the standard by 2.7 times. Meanwhile, exactly 800 meters in a straight line from that monitoring point was the discharge outlet of the Fu family’s agricultural and sideline food processing plant.
And two years ago, the Lanhai Bay project had been urgently suspended due to failing ecological assessments, while the Fu family factory’s discharge permit had, in the very same year’s end, completed its renewal review.
Because of the Fu family’s situation, the Ji family’s Haicheng Group had also suddenly become the focus of public attention.
After all, the Ji family had originally built their fortune on shipbuilding and had always valued public reputation. Now they were suspected of colluding with the Fu family for profit, disregarding the safety of ordinary people and environmental concerns.
Once confirmed, the blow to the group’s reputation would be devastating.
The seminar was held in central Huizhou.
On the way there, Ji Yang received numerous calls.
From the group headquarters’ secretarial office, the PR department, Ji Zhonglin himself, and even one from Ji Chengyi.
His phone was nearly blown up.
Ji Yang didn’t answer a single one.
Until Peng Jiaying’s call came through.
“The group wants an emergency PR response. Our entire department has been reassigned.”
Ji Yang leaned his elbow against the car window, laughing: “They’re not laying people off anymore?”
“At a critical time like this, definitely not.” Peng Jiaying said: “They convened an emergency shareholders’ meeting at noon. From what I gathered, they want to protect you. After the livestream a few days ago, the public’s impression of you is still decent. The group probably wants you to make a public appearance.”
“I can’t,” Ji Yang said.
Peng Jiaying: “What?”
Ji Yang: “Didn’t I have you compile a list of people in the New Media Department willing to leave directly? Old Peng, now is the perfect opportunity.”
Peng Jiaying’s voice tensed up, growing hoarse: “A mass resignation at a time like this — wouldn’t it look like betrayal?”
“How so?” Ji Yang rested on his arm, his voice carrying little force: “With your leader ‘setting a shining example,’ it’s not betrayal — it’s upholding justice.”
Peng Jiaying gasped: “Are you crazy!”
“I’m perfectly fine,” Ji Yang said: “The data report from two years ago went through my hands. In black and white. Can’t be faked.”
As he spoke, he felt a gaze beside him — solid, almost tangible — fixed firmly on his face.
Ji Yang turned his head.
“What?” Ji Yang said with righteous confidence: “You’ve used me as your sacrificial blade. Never seen a sacrifice walk up to the blade on its own?”
Nie Xu studied him.
“No, I haven’t.”
The sheer audacity was absurd.
Ji Yang: “I can’t pull off your scheming and backstabbing, but I have my own rhythm. I won’t get in your way. Just do what you promised me.”
Nie Xu looked ahead: “I’ve dealt with Peng Jiaying before. His foresight is adequate, but as for ambition, I doubt he has much.”
Ji Yang retorted: “I don’t want to sit at the top of the industry either.”
He just needed deeper roots — enough to ensure he wouldn’t be tossed about, or even lose his life, in the colossal waves bearing down.
They arrived at the seminar’s conference center on time. This seminar had attracted many local Huizhou and neighboring city real estate, engineering, and environmental companies.
Ji Yang’s arrival caused quite a stir among the crowd.
They were all in the same circle. With even the slightest ripple, information spread at lightning speed.
That Vice President Ma from yesterday was also there. When he saw Ji Yang, his expression twisted several shades, but he still stepped forward to greet him: “Fourth Young Master, yesterday’s hospitality was lacking. Please forgive the shortcomings.”
Ji Yang feigned surprise: “Vice President Ma, you’re too kind. When I was drunk last night, I was wondering where Vice President Ma had gone — I couldn’t find you anywhere.”
The man surnamed Ma’s expression turned stiff and ugly.
Scheming against someone else only to be schemed against in return.
He’d never taken such a bad fall before.
Someone nearby who didn’t recognize Ji Yang sidled up and asked: “President Ma, who’s this?”
The man surnamed Ma deliberately raised his voice: “This is the manager of Haicheng Group’s New Media Department — the Ji family’s Fourth Young Master.” At this point, he added pointedly: “I’ve heard the Fourth Young Master is on good terms with the Fu family’s young master. It was the Fourth Young Master who got him on the trending topics a couple of days ago.”
As soon as these words came out, the murmur of side conversations around them multiplied.
Ji Yang pretended not to hear.
He scanned the area and noticed that Nie Xu, through the introductions of Shengji’s contacts, was in deep conversation with Shengji’s boss. Also nearby was a senior executive from Hengyuan.
Less than two minutes later, the man surnamed Ma had someone whisper something in his ear, then left with a dark expression.
Nie Xu returned to his seat.
Ji Yang glanced in the direction the man surnamed Ma had left and asked: “You did this?”
Nie Xu swept a look that way and said: “The financial dealings between Shengji, Hengyuan, and Haicheng aren’t entirely clean. No one wants to get implicated at a time like this.” Nie Xu reminded him: “Shengji’s Boss Li has an original backup of the Lanhai Bay project water quality monitoring data from two years ago.”
Ji Yang shot him a sideways glance: “Did you arrange this too?”
Nie Xu: “Not on the surface. It’s perfectly natural for Shengji to kick someone while they’re down at a time like this.”
Not on the surface, my foot.
He wasn’t just scheming against the Ji family. The Ji family’s partners, their competitors — every single one of them was caught in this grand net.
It was time for the seminar’s speech and Q&A segment.
As expected, Ji Yang became the focal point of everyone’s attention.
Shengji’s Boss Li, nearly fifty years old, held the paper copy in his hand and said: “I’ve heard the data report the Fu family submitted back then was related to you?”
Ji Yang stood up.
Facing him were the eyes of an entire industry, and on the dais, the video cameras actively recording.
Excuses? Guilt? Flat-out denial, the way everyone had come to expect, or a shameless torrent of cursing?
None of it.
All anyone saw was a very handsome young man — so young, in fact, that he was almost excessively youthful for such an occasion.
He appeared well-mannered, even calling out to the man on the dais: “Uncle Li.”
Then he smiled sheepishly: “As you know, I’ve never held any real authority at Haicheng. Two years ago, I was even less involved in the Lanhai Bay project. However, I acknowledge the falsified data report. But—” This twist made everyone hold their breath — “the Fu family’s approval, the signature scans of every person involved, including the Environmental Protection Bureau’s archived records — through countless channels, an outsider like me truly didn’t have that kind of power.”
The room erupted.
They had seen unfilial descendants before.
But never one who so thoroughly threw his own ancestors under the bus.
The moment the Ji family got into trouble, this one rushed to pour oil on the fire — truly an eye-opening sight.
This was practically saying: Yes, I did it, but I’m just a young master with no real power. If the Ji family weren’t up to something shady, could this have been swept under the rug so easily?
The Fourth Young Master’s behavior — first trashing the Ji family with his mouth, and now pulling this stunt — was this civil war reaching a fever pitch?
They hadn’t heard anything about equity changes or personnel shifts at Haicheng recently.
That was probably the question echoing in the minds of countless people present.
Even Shengji’s Boss Li came off the stage with a sullen face, having found no use for himself.
Less than an hour after the seminar ended that day,
the Ji family’s stock fell again, and the trend was only intensifying.
The internet had lost its mind. In the midst of this tidal wave of outrage, Ji Yang simply turned off his phone, closed his eyes, and went to sleep.
When they returned to the hotel entrance, Ji Yang noticed two cars parked outside.
Facing them head-on.
Ji Yang watched as a man stepped out of the car directly ahead — about twenty-five or twenty-six, hair tied back in a ponytail, phoenix eyes, dressed in black tactical gear.
He knocked twice on the car door.
And smiled as he spoke: “Brother Xu. I’m here to take over. The old man asked me to bring the young master back.”
Nie Xu tipped his chin forward: “You pick people up like this?”
“Nothing I can do about it.” The man braced both hands on the driver’s side window: “The old man said the young master needs to rein himself in. Brother Xu, you’ve cleaned up enough messes over the past two years. How about letting me handle this one?”
Nie Xu chuckled twice: “Lu Li, you know this time is different.”
“So what?” Lu Li shrugged: “We follow orders. I do. You do too, Brother Xu.”
“Sounds like you’re planning to tie me up and take me away?” Ji Yang waited for the two to finish before speaking: “No need. I say, Mr. Lu — have you considered that I could get into the car on my own?”
His speaking up seemed to catch Lu Li off guard.
Finally, a sliver of attention — pathetic as it was — was thrown his way.
It felt almost like charity.
Ji Yang waved: “Hi.”
Hello, yandere male third lead who’s crazily in love with Ji Chengyi.
Lu Li blinked, thrown off by that dazzling smile. He glanced at the unmoving Nie Xu, then said to Ji Yang: “If the Fourth Young Master is willing to cooperate, that’s certainly for the best.”
At that moment, the street lamps were just flickering on.
The street in front of the hotel was broad. The cars parked along the roadside had just turned on their low beams, and a final sliver of gray-white lingered on the horizon.
Nie Xu sat in the car the entire time without moving.
When Deng Jiao arrived, there was a cigarette nearly burnt out, perched on the hand resting outside the car window.
Deng Jiao: “Boss, they’ve left?”
“Mm.” Nie Xu tapped the ash off the cigarette between his fingers.
Through the earpiece came Qi Songqing’s voice, laced with a smile: “What’s the matter? Feeling soft?”
Jiang Lei’s voice followed, sour: “Qi surnamed one, could you stop fanning the flames?” Jiang Lei didn’t seem to be anywhere identifiable — there was the clatter of keyboard typing in the background. He spoke while typing: “This young master is something else. He amplified the impact we anticipated by more than three times over. All he had to do was stand there and be a good post, but no — the old man even brought in that lunatic Lu Li. Looks like they’re getting serious.”
Qi Songqing: “Surely not? He’s his own grandson.”
Nie Xu spoke: “Is the time confirmed?”
Qi Songqing: “Eight o’clock, three days from now. The cumulative trading volume over consecutive trading days will be enough to directly trigger the delisting procedure.”
Qi Songqing wasn’t giving up: “You really haven’t gone soft?”
“No.” Nie Xu crushed the cigarette out on the cardboard on the car’s dashboard.
When he lifted his gaze to the road ahead, it was as if the silhouette of the person who had walked away while flashing an “OK” hand signal behind his back was still there. Nie Xu spoke flatly: “Push forward Peng Jiaying’s situation. As soon as possible.”
Qi Songqing clicked his tongue: “Stubborn as always. Three days — with that little body of the young master’s, wouldn’t he faint just from kneeling at the ancestral hall?”
Nie Xu: “The Ji family doesn’t have an ancestral hall.”
Ji Yansong never revered ancestors, because his forebears had been fishermen.
The Ji family erected no tombstones, set up no memorial tablets.
Because when you pursue your goals by any means necessary, you fear that vengeful spirits might one day come calling.
Gone soft?
Perhaps there was, in the moment the young master turned back before getting into the car.
Whether it was because Ji Yang had been so extraordinarily cooperative lately, or because he accepted being used as if it were perfectly natural.
In his world, it seemed that a one-to-one equivalent exchange was simply the way things were. Raised under the Ji family’s prevailing logic of the strong plunder the weak, he had at some point become a conspicuously conspicuous anomaly.
He wasn’t begging him for help, nor was he asking for mercy.
Nie Xu understood the silent words.
He had been musing —
This car’s chassis is really fucking low.
So extravagantly low, it hardly looked like a prisoner transport vehicle.