Chapter 24#

At the same time, in Jian Yuan’s top-floor office.

The face of the decision-maker, Qi Songqing, was holding an emergency video conference on his computer.

The backup phone sitting beside him had been resting quietly, but after a burst of static hiss, a voice came through—one that wasn’t unfamiliar.

A few brief exchanges.

Everyone in the office froze.

Qi Songqing ended the meeting decisively in a sentence or two, leaned back in his chair, blanked out for a beat, then burst into a snickering laugh. When he’d had his fill, he couldn’t help commenting.

“Who would’ve thought the young master had such a daring appetite.”

Jiang Lei came to his senses, walked over, and picked up the phone: “That listening device is cheap material—Han Biao just had someone slap it anywhere last time. I figured after all these days, plus the rain halfway through, it’d be useless by now.” Jiang Lei quickly lowered the volume, “I was just testing it. Didn’t expect it to still work, and the sound is actually pretty clear.”

Qi Songqing: “Have you gotten so poor that you’re using substandard products now?”

“Is that the point?” Jiang Lei shot him a glance.

Both of them looked toward the window almost simultaneously.

The person who should have been in Huizhou was leaning against the window at that moment, meeting their gazes: “Are you two bored?”

“That’s not it.” Jiang Lei denied immediately. “Busy. Very busy.”

Qi Songqing crossed his legs, tilted his head to the side toward Jiang Lei, and deliberately said: “Do you think that young master can handle this kind of suffering?”

Jiang Lei hesitated: “…Sounds like his mental state is okay? The Ji family’s only been clean for a dozen or twenty years—they never learned the literati way of disciplining children. Otherwise they never would have agreed to lock someone up in a warehouse.”

Jiang Lei turned to face Nie Xu: “So when are you planning to go back? Lu Li acting out of character—it’s nothing more than him thinking he can get leverage on us from Fourth Young Master. He won’t let anyone go easily.”

Nie Xu turned back, “Not going back for now.” He said directly: “Lu Li left people in Huizhou. Ji Yansong has always wanted him to cough up the whereabouts of that batch of goods. He’s hedging both bets. Let’s set the bait early—the Ji family has too much idle time.”

The refusal to return was straightforward; it was the expected answer.

But too much idle time—those words felt too light, and Jiang Lei almost had the illusion of hearing a deeper meaning.

Because with too much idle time, there was the energy to discipline a young master in the middle of the night.

In a family like the Ji’s, that was absurd yet somehow perfectly reasonable.

Jian Yuan’s building stood on the eastern shore of Fanzhou.

Because of its security business on the surface—and it had long held the top spot in the industry—it formed a triangular distribution with the Fanzhou People’s Court and the eastern shore’s garrison district. People occasionally joked online that residents living nearby felt an extraordinary sense of security, not afraid of getting robbed even if they strolled until two in the morning.

In fact, the state-enterprise cooperation content Jiang Lei had told Ji Yang wasn’t false.

He had only just scratched the surface.

The intricate web of relationships within wasn’t built in a single day.

No one knew that the Ji family, which had dominated half of Fanzhou’s port business and entrenched itself for years, had that manor under Jian Yuan’s watchful eye every single day for a decade.

Jiang Lei walked to Nie Xu’s side, looking out with him.

From a distance, that manor looked like a magnificent, imposing fortress.

Filth, grubby interests, the shifting of power—all concealed beneath that exquisite glass dome.

The atmosphere in the warehouse was like congealed glue.

Ji Yang didn’t know that there were also listening devices here.

The wound on his temple wasn’t deep, but it throbbed with a dull, pulsing ache.

There were no lights in the warehouse. Only the occasional sliver of light reflecting off the blades of the exhaust fan high above, cutting the shadows into fragmented pieces. Ji Yang had removed his prosthetic leg and set it beside his foot, pressing down on it to stimulate blood circulation.

Lu Li had gone quiet. He must have left.

Ji Yang could hear the June chorus of frogs. He thought he wouldn’t be able to sleep, but in fact, he quickly dozed off in the chair.

The dreams were a jumbled mess. One moment he was still livestreaming games, the next he was eating out with friends in the middle of winter, having hotpot outside. They had been to that famous old hotpot place in Jinzhou many times. His friend kept complaining that the boss was a scammer who forced them to work overtime every day, yet the pay was only that miserable amount.

Ji Yang murmured in his sleep: “Jinzhou’s cost of living isn’t high, the pace of life is okay… It got renamed to Huizhou.”

His brain stirred—Huizhou?

Right, wasn’t he on a business trip to Huizhou?

He originally wanted to go look for that hotpot place to see if it really existed, but then that yandere, Lu Li, showed up.

What was he back at the Ji family for again?

That grandfather of his, by name only, had given him an inkstone and had him locked in solitary confinement.

Thinking of this, Ji Yang finally opened his eyes slowly.

The moment he did, a massive sneeze erupted. His neck cracked audibly as he rubbed it, and the curse word on the tip of his tongue was swallowed back by sheer pain.

Wrenched neck.

Misfortunes never come singly.

The sky outside was just lightening. It was still early, and people were moving around.

Probably the servants from the quarters at the front. They walked in hurried steps, and their conversation wasn’t deliberately lowered because there was hardly anyone around at the crack of dawn.

“Hurry up. Be careful with everything today. The Second Madam threw a fit first thing this morning.”

“Why? Did she lose at cards last night?”

“No, I heard it’s because Third Young Master of the main branch showed up in the Old Master’s study. Everyone knows only the Eldest Young Master was ever allowed in that study. The Second Madam already had it in for Third Young Master and his mother. Hearing about this, of course she’s in a foul mood.”

“I don’t think it’s because of that. Haven’t you been following the news these two days? Fourth Young Master got into trouble.”

“I saw it! I even secretly followed his account. I haven’t told anyone about this.”

…

Just then, a man outside urged them to leave quickly, barking harshly for them not to wander near the warehouse if they had no business.

Ji Yang kneaded his neck, got up, and walked to the door.

Only then did he realize that not only was Lu Li himself not present, but he had specifically posted someone here to keep watch.

After asking a few questions, the guard didn’t respond to a single word.

The food was a bottle of water and three bread rolls—enough for an entire day. If he needed the restroom, it was right behind the warehouse.

This punishment, it seemed, would only end when he lowered his head.

In between, Ji Mingyue had come. Aunt Mo had also come.

Ji Yang heard their voices from far away, but every request was shut down with a single reply: it’s the Old Master’s order. Ji Yang didn’t need to guess—the whole Ji family probably already knew about his punishment.

Ji Yang ate when there was food and drank when there was water.

He just felt that he should be running a slight fever.

The sneezes came one after another, purely from freezing out there the night before.

From morning to dusk, from the early hours to daybreak, the guards outside had rotated through several shifts. Ji Yang hadn’t specifically kept track of how much time had passed. Little White occasionally squeezed in through the hole in the corner of the wall, begging for bread from his hand. Worried about upsetting its stomach, Ji Yang only dared to feed it a little.

At night, he held the cat to sleep, and it wasn’t quite as cold as the first night.

It was just that the number of guards watching him had gone from one to three.

The tension in the air grew increasingly taut with each passing day.

After two days of daylight, seeing that he neither lost his temper nor resisted, the guards began to relax. During shift changes, the occasional tidbit of information slipped out, and Ji Yang learned that from the very first day he was locked up, the Ji family had already been drowning in its own troubles.

The Ji Corporation had just been suspected of improper dealings with the Fu family when the Lanhai Bay project’s financial violations were brought to light in the very next breath.

One stone stirred a thousand waves.

The municipal finance department launched an emergency investigation.

Ji Corporation’s senior executives were taken away one after another, including Ji Zhonglin, who hadn’t closed his eyes in days. It was said that the Second Madam completely lost her composure and ran straight back to her maiden home, weeping and complaining. The Old Master was furious at her behavior, presumably disgusted by her embarrassing lack of self-control.

Outside, the stock market was in turmoil. Shareholders took to the streets, demanding answers.

The Ji family plunged into unprecedented chaos.

The Old Master was forced to personally step in and take charge in Haicheng.

Nie Xu was recalled urgently to assist Ji Chengyi in holding an impromptu press conference.

Ji Yang knew about this because the man outside played the live conference video at full volume.

Ji Chengyi’s voice carried over, word by word.

“The Ji family will not evade responsibility.”

“When we set out to enter traditional industry, we understood…”

Ji Yang fed Little White bread crumbs on one hand.

While listening to the two men discuss outside on the other.

One of the men said: “Nie Xu just returned from Huizhou and immediately took over all of the group’s security. And this afternoon, those people nearly pushed Third Young Master down the steps at the group’s entrance—it was Nie Xu who stepped in and stabilized the situation. Brother Lu clearly cares, so why have us guard this place?”

The other replied: “Let’s just not ask about things that aren’t our concern. But the Eldest Young Master won’t actually get into serious trouble, right?”

“He won’t. It’s just a delisting warning—it all depends on the final investigation results. Besides, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. Even delisted doesn’t mean bankrupt. After the Ji family took this blow, Third Young Master’s position is probably going to climb even higher with today’s credit .”

Ji Yang thought: his position may have climbed, but only if the Ji family can still recover its former glory.

Obviously, it can’t.

The Ji family’s troubles were an inevitable outcome. In the original book, “Ji Yang” had never returned to the new media department, had never gone on a business trip, and naturally, had never been locked up.

This was his path, and the Ji family had the Ji family’s path.

Just as Nie Xu being recalled and crossing paths with Ji Chengyi was their path.

Ji Yang scratched the cat’s chin: “Little White, you’re about to get a stepmom. How about you come with me? On the day I leave the Ji family, I’ll buy you biscuits. Lots of them.”

At that moment, in the shareholders’ meeting room on the top floor of Haicheng.

Several old shareholders who wanted to throw a fit were violently suppressed.

Nie Xu, who had “just returned” to Fanzhou, exerted a single firm press, and the veins on an old man’s white-haired neck bulged.

Ji Yansong tucked away the silent satisfaction in his eyes and waved with a warm expression: “Ah Xu, don’t hurt anyone.”

Then, addressing the other elderly men present: “We are all old hands at Haicheng. We’ve been through decades of ups and downs in the business world. There’s no reason, at a time like this…”

Ji Yansong’s voice poured steadily into every ear, leaving the shareholders with varying expressions.

Nie Xu released his grip. The white-haired old man shot up instantly, cursing loudly.

“Ji Yansong! What time is it now? Cutting losses is the wisest course of action, yet you let those two dogs of yours use every dirty, underhanded trick. Do you want to take everyone down with you!”

Ji Yansong didn’t respond, simply speaking: “Ah Xu, Elder Sun is old. Take him out for some rest. And by the way, tell Lu Li to take good care of Elder Sun’s family. We live in a civilized society—don’t go bringing your interrogation tactics into the corporation.”

“Understood.” Nie Xu said flatly, grabbing the old man and escorting him out.

Everyone left in the meeting room wore expressions of wary apprehension.

Nie Xu hauled the man to the stairwell.

BANG—he slammed the door to the corridor shut.

Outside, the secretaries exchanged stunned glances. One of them who had dealt with Nie Xu before couldn’t believe it: “Was that Assistant Nie just now?”

The person next to them tugged their arm: “Stop talking. The new media department doesn’t even exist anymore—what assistant.”

“The Fourth Young Master’s personal assistant…”

Thinking about it again, the Fourth Young Master hadn’t shown his face since causing trouble in Huizhou.

Now the old board chairman was in charge.

Assistant Nie’s attitude toward the old shareholders was naturally authorized by the chairman.

In fact, the stairwell at that moment was very quiet.

Nie Xu tugged at the old man’s collar, saying in a low voice: “Uncle Sun, I apologize for the roughness just now.”

“What are you apologizing for?” The old man, surnamed Sun, sighed: “I was doing it for my own conscience. Many people are dumping their shares on the market right now. If it’s inconvenient for you to step forward yourself—”

“Don’t worry about those things.” Nie Xu said. “And don’t worry about your family. Nothing will happen to them.”

Elder Sun’s eyes immediately filled with tears: “It’s been nearly twenty years… I… I…”

Nie Xu gripped the old man’s shoulder—a silent comfort.

After composing himself, the old man continued: “That Lu Li—we need to find a way to lure him away. He mustn’t set his sights on those scattered shares at a time like this.”

Nie Xu: “Don’t worry. He won’t have the bandwidth.”

That lack of bandwidth was because of Ji Yang’s trouble.

That is to say, on the night of the press conference.

On one side, it was Han Biao leading the charge. On the other, it was the man Ji Yang had bumped into with Nie Xu at the manor gate the day he entered the police station—named Fang Qi.

Han Biao’s reasoning was blunt: “Our boss is Fourth Young Master’s personal bodyguard. You’ve detained him for days now. What exactly is the meaning of this?”

Fang Qi’s response: “Releasing him is out of the question—unless we get the Old Master’s word.”

Han Biao: “The Old Master already agreed.”

Fang Qi: “I haven’t received any notification. No.”

The conflict between the two sides had been simmering for some time. This collision looked about to explode into a full-blown fight. Even Ji Yang could see it: on the surface, it was two sides with long-simmering grievances, each wanting to teach the other a lesson.

But Ji Yang could also smell that familiar hint from within—that someone behind the scenes was pulling strings.

Ji Chengyi appeared at precisely the right moment.

Ji Yang, squatting inside, could practically picture him.

The radiance from the press conference was gone from his face. He wore a well-tailored suit, handsome and composed, yet weary from days of running around.

“What are all these people making a fuss about?” he asked.

Fang Qi, deferential to his status, replied: “Their people from Building Four are being unreasonable first. Fourth Young Master was locked up on the Old Master’s direct orders. Brother Lu specifically instructed before he left—unless he or the Old Master gives the word, the key stays with us regardless of who comes.”

Ji Chengyi reassured Fang Qi: “I’ll talk to Lu Li. Let them go first.”

Outside, Han Biao’s voice rang out again: “I’ll give you one last chance.”

Fang Qi sneered: “Try touching me and see what happens.”

The two groups collided instantly. In the shoving and pushing, Ji Chengyi stepped forward to intervene, caught in the crossfire, stumbled backward, fell, and twisted his ankle.

In under ten minutes, Lu Li arrived in a hurry.

Ji Yang’s field of vision was narrow, but he caught sight of Lu Li—who seemed as though he wanted to reach out and touch, yet like handling a fragile treasure, didn’t dare make contact. He turned around and drove his knee into Fang Qi’s chest, sending the man curling up on the spot in pain.

But that wasn’t all. Lu Li pressed forward, one attack after another, and Ji Chengyi stepped in just in time: “Lu Li! Enough! Get a grip!”

Only then did Lu Li stop. He turned back and carefully helped Ji Chengyi up.

“What are you doing here?” Lu Li asked.

Ji Chengyi frowned: “If I hadn’t come, how were you planning to wrap this up? Causing a scene like this in front of Grandfather—what do you think you’d gain?”

Lu Li stared at him: “There are many times when I’d rather you didn’t care so much.”

“Lu Li.” Ji Chengyi’s tone grew two shades sterner. “Mind the occasion.”

Ji Yang was simply enjoying the show—the yandere third male lead with his possessive obsession, clashing spectacularly with the protagonist. After all, the original owner had dedicated himself to being “the homewrecker,” yet from beginning to end in the book, not once did Lu Li spare him a single glance. Quite the picture of single-minded devotion.

What surprised Ji Yang the most was Nie Xu’s arrival.

It was obvious he had deliberately set this whole conflict in motion—Han Biao tripping Ji Chengyi just now, Ji Yang had seen it clearly.

But now that the purpose was served and the scene made him uncomfortable…

So he stepped in himself?

The legendary showdown between the cold, revenge-driven bodyguard—the true lead—and the yandere third male lead.

And yet, Nie Xu simply waved his hand forward.

Han Biao and his men subdued Lu Li’s people in a matter of seconds.

Forget Ji Yang—even Ji Chengyi and Lu Li hadn’t caught on.

Lu Li’s expression turned utterly dark on the spot. “What does this mean? Xu-ge.”

Nie Xu: “You said you’d handle this yourself. Lu Li—it’s been three days. Is this how you handle things?”

Lu Li forced a smile. “Is there a problem?”

“No problem. Just that time’s up.” Nie Xu said.

Ji Chengyi stepped forward, positioning himself between them: “It’s merely a misunderstanding on both sides. Ji Yang’s surname is Ji. Lu Li wouldn’t actually do anything to him.”

Nie Xu walked up to Fang Qi, felt into the other’s stiff upper chest pocket, fished out a key, and tossed it to Han Biao.

Ji Chengyi’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Shocked by how he’d obtained authorization, yet too dismissive to even explain.

The key slid into the lockhole, turned, and clicked open.

When the iron door swung open, the light outside flooded in all at once, forcing Ji Yang to squint.

Everyone saw him standing in the warehouse, half his shoulder still leaning against the wall, his back to the vast empty space behind him. The wound on his temple had scabbed over, bruised and swollen, his profile darkened in layered shadow. His face was pale and translucent, and the white cat in his arms had its tail dangling from his forearm, swaying gently back and forth.

One person, one cat.

Expressions identical.

“Your son comes to me for food every day. Did you abandon him?” Ji Yang asked.

Nie Xu didn’t answer.

Because that question didn’t seem to be about the cat.

The street he had walked away from three days ago and this scene before him overlapped.

Creating an illusion in Nie Xu’s mind.

Yes.

I did abandon him.

From the moment I let him into that car.