Chapter 35#
The terrain of Zhouling was relatively flat, the road stretching ahead into what seemed like an endless distance.
The sun had set.
Quite a few locals who were slow to catch on had only now strolled over to join the commotion.
The roadside was packed with vehicles — three-wheeled carts and electric scooters among them. Some people were already shouting toward the orchard from a distance away. They were all acquaintances, asking questions, marveling, expressing relief. Quite a few people spontaneously went to help out — after all, while livestream sales had gone up, there was still quality control, picking, packing, and shipping to handle. What they needed now was manpower.
Coincidentally, almost at the same time, Zhouling had just released a new notice about resuming shipping operations.
Uncle Mai and the other fruit farmers unanimously decided to pick overnight and ship first thing tomorrow morning.
Though the livestream’s excitement had wound down, the real work was only just beginning in reality.
So much so that the black car parked on the side of the road didn’t particularly catch anyone’s attention, despite having been sitting there for quite some time.
Inside the car, Nie Xu had a laptop balanced on his knees, displaying professional data analysis.
Jiang Lei finished his phone call, glanced over sideways, and smiled: “Would you call this tacit understanding between you two? The moment Zhu Guangsheng’s announcement went out, one agricultural livestream on this end went straight from operating at a loss to selling out — and it was completely spontaneous. Simultaneously accomplished image reshaping, monetization of personal traffic value, and local brand promotion. I’ve got to say, that’s something else.”
Nie Xu: “If those had been the goals from the start, it wouldn’t have had this kind of effect.”
Jiang Lei sighed with feeling: “I can only say sincerity wins true hearts. One livestream actually breathed life back into this stagnant pond of a place. An outsider’s cast-off young master transforms into an agricultural aid ambassador — who could have predicted this day?”
Nie Xu glanced back toward the orchard.
The person who had rested enough was currently helping a farmwoman lift her back-basket off her shoulder.
The farmwoman, surprised, hurriedly told him not to bother. He said something with a smile, and the other woman laughed easily too.
“Got a cigarette?” Nie Xu asked suddenly, his tone even.
Jiang Lei was suspicious: “Isn’t your smoking frequency a bit high lately? Under a lot of pressure?”
Even so, he dug out the pack and added a caution: “Don’t go back to how you were in your early twenties — had to quit twice over, quit, quit again. Be careful your lungs don’t give out on you.”
“You still remember that.” Nie Xu looked away, let out a scoff, and took the pack, pulling out a single cigarette.
Jiang Lei leaned back: “Who could forget. Those two years we were on boats every day, lives held in our hands. Now, apart from Han Biao and the few old crew, if I told the people under me that you used to be like a thug, I don’t think anyone would believe it.” He cursed under his breath: “So many ordinary people. The Ji family really isn’t afraid of retribution. And that old fossil Zhao Yuan — he screwed us over how many times back then. Fuck.”
Click. The lighter made a soft sound.
Nie Xu extended his hand out the window. “That butler identity suits him.”
“Sure does.” Jiang Lei laughed coldly. “Right now he can only flex his muscles inside the estate. With those old arms and old legs, he’d better be able to hop.”
Nie Xu said nothing.
Jiang Lei tucked the cigarette pack away. “You’re done with it? If not I’m taking it back.”
“Mm.” Nie Xu flicked the ash, not objecting.
Jiang Lei noticed he’d barely taken two puffs, and spoke up: “You don’t seem like you’re under any pressure. The situation in Zhouling was all within expectations. Zhu Guangsheng would figure out you’ve sided with the eldest branch and would definitely notify his sister. When the two branches start fighting, tearing open the entire shipping operation…” Jiang Lei hesitated as he spoke: “Is it because Ji Chengyi is involved?”
He denied it himself right after saying it, sighing: “That Third Young Master these days is becoming increasingly obsessed with quick results and immediate gains…”
There was no way Nie Xu couldn’t see that.
The reason was…
Jiang Lei happened to glance out the window, as though something had suddenly clicked.
Looking outside, he said slowly: “That time in Huizhou, when Lu Li came and took him away and locked him up for three days, I was about to say — this young master looks like he’s stirring up an absolute storm in murky waters, yet his essence is so transparent it makes you wonder whether he was really raised by the Ji family.”
Nie Xu’s voice carried no discernible emotion: “He said he forgot.”
“Do you believe that?” Jiang Lei asked.
Nie Xu: “Investigate Tao Jisheng’s side. Speed things up.”
Jiang Lei nodded, then asked: “What are your plans for him now?”
“What plans?” Nie Xu frowned.
Jiang Lei pointed at the cigarette between his fingers: “Don’t tell me you still have the same idea from the beginning — really sending him to the Ji family’s negotiation table. If he doesn’t get poisoned to death by the Ji family, someone like Zhu Guangsheng will tear him to shreds alive. Do you believe that?”
Nie Xu’s brow furrowed deeply: “If he dares let ‘Yi Yuan’ be the instigator, Zhu Guangsheng will be the first one to come after him.”
Jiang Lei felt a sense of speechlessness. “So you’re staying here fulfilling your duties just because you’re a bodyguard?”
Nie Xu glanced at him coolly: “What else?”
Jiang Lei immediately fell silent.
Not for any other reason — because he realized that as far as outsiders were concerned, their identity as bodyguards of the Ji family’s Building No. 4 meant they were only bodyguards.
They had been for all these years past, and they still were, and could only be.
All the calmness, the normalcy — it was all a veneer over a situation that hadn’t yet fully crumbled.
In a place like Zhouling, for someone who never smoked during stakeout hours to flick open a lighter — that alone was already an irregularity in his terrifying self-control.
Jiang Lei simply changed the subject, smiling: “Thanks to him coming to you for cooperation of his own accord back then. Otherwise, this year’s Zhouling would have been the first barren wasteland exposed to the outside world under the Ji family’s influence.”
Nie Xu evaluated him: “His recklessness runs faster than his brain.”
Which was exactly why he had dared to seek him out back then.
That weed-like, sun-seeking vitality was fully expressed in the person he was now — even when he was pretending to be delicate and fragile.
Ji Yang had no idea that less than fifty meters away on the roadside, the people in the car were Nie Xu and Jiang Lei.
With the livestream over, several colleagues urged him to head back early — they were going to help out.
You Li had been running around busy all afternoon and finally returned to Ji Yang’s side, drenched in sweat.
“Are you okay?” Ji Yang handed him a bottle of water.
You Li tugged at his smock, wiped his face with the back of his hand: “I’m fine. Half a day is nothing.” He twisted off the cap and downed more than half the bottle in one go, then screwed the cap back on. Looking at Ji Yang, he said: “You’re really something.”
Ji Yang deliberately leaned close to his ear: “Are you talking about me?”
“Yeah, you. Talking about you. Consider me blind for not recognizing Mount Tai.” You Li hurriedly backed away: “Don’t be so childish, you’ve got one and a half million followers now.”
“I don’t care.” Ji Yang grabbed a light stand someone had carelessly thrown aside and tossed it to You Li: “Let’s go. It’s getting dark. Time to head back.”
You Li hoisted the stand onto his shoulder and followed behind.
“Can you get a ride-hailing car from here?” Ji Yang asked.
You Li: “Not easy. We could just take Uncle Mai’s car back — I’ll bring it back later.”
Ji Yang: “Let’s get a car. What do we need two people driving that for?”
“What if we can’t get one?” You Li complained: “Can your leg even walk back?”
Of course it couldn’t.
He’d been running around during the day, not to mention the afternoon.
Every step he took now sent a searing pain through him — probably from too much rubbing.
The two of them had just stepped onto the roadside when they watched a line of four cars come up and screech to a halt right in front of them. Ji Yang said to You Li calmly: “No need for a ride. Free ones just arrived.”
You Li took one look at the setup, shifted the stand onto his shoulder, and planted himself in front of Ji Yang.
Ji Yang pulled him aside. Looking at the fat man getting out of the car, and Ji Chengyi getting out of the car behind, he felt a subtle flicker of surprise.
Ji Chengyi and Zhu Guangsheng?
How could they both show up at the same time?
Zhu Guangsheng looked Ji Yang up and down, then said: “So this is why my eyelid’s been twitching lately. Turns out one nephew wasn’t enough — two came at once. Ji Yang, last time I saw you, you were still in school. Now look at you — your influence is so great my office phone almost blew up this afternoon.”
Ji Yang chuckled: “Uncle. Are you blaming me?”
“Praising you.” A shadow flickered through Zhu Guangsheng’s eyes as he smiled: “I just wanted to ask my nephew for a small favor. A useless fisherman died at the dock this afternoon, and it’s already made its way up to Old Master Ji. I was thinking — since you’re so capable, why don’t you come with me to the morgue at the hospital to confirm things, and help me put out a clarification while you’re at it?”
Ji Yang glanced at Ji Chengyi: “Isn’t my Third Brother in charge of the dock? Uncle, did you arrest my Third Brother?”
“I didn’t arrest anyone.” Zhu Guangsheng raised his hands in innocence: “The Third Young Master of the Ji family is surrounded by bodyguards at all times. If he doesn’t want to come, I don’t have the ability to invite him over.”
At this point, Ji Chengyi stepped forward two paces. He first looked toward the orchard where the lights had already come on, then withdrew his gaze.
Looking at Ji Yang, he frowned: “Riding the agricultural assistance wave for attention — Ji Yang, with the dock situation thrown in, you’ve blown this up this large. Have you considered Big Brother’s position?”
Ji Yang laughed in disbelief: “You came here together with Uncle Zhu — is it really for Big Brother?”
Ji Chengyi looked at him as though at a problem that couldn’t be solved. He said: “You don’t need to call me self-righteous. Eldest branch or second branch, as members of the Ji family, all matters can be resolved behind closed doors.” Ji Chengyi pointed toward the still-bustling orchard: “What are you doing out there? For that so-called attention? For President Huang’s project? You talk about helping people so nicely — but when the Ji family has problems, how many employees lose their jobs? How many families face hardship? Which is more important, which is less? Have you thought about it carefully?”
What a thorough lecture delivered from the moral high ground — lectured so effectively that Ji Yang actually felt dizzy, as though his sins were truly grave.
Ji Yang swept his gaze across Ji Chengyi and Zhu Guangsheng.
He spoke slowly: “That was a human life. Compared to Third Brother’s calculations, I don’t see what’s more or less important.” Ji Yang added: “Third Brother doesn’t want to tear things apart with the second branch. Uncle wants to smooth this over in front of the Old Master. You’re in perfect accord — want to pin a death on me?”
Ji Chengyi’s pupils contracted slightly at those words, his gaze almost boring through Ji Yang.
Ji Yang understood instantly.
So that was indeed the plan.
Although involuntary, the “getting someone killed” part did match the plot in the book.
Ji Chengyi frowned in denial: “You’re overthinking it.”
Ji Yang started to laugh.
From a soft chuckle to full laughter.
Ji Chengyi: “What are you laughing at?”
“I’m laughing at what gave you the illusion,” Ji Yang said lightly. “That I’d just sit there like a dumpling and let you push me around.”
Zhu Guangsheng: “What do you mean?”
Ji Yang: “What I mean is, I have the complete death report for that fisherman at the dock, including the eight hundred thousand you paid his family, Uncle. I have evidence.”
Zhu Guangsheng’s face changed drastically: “Where did you get it?”
Ji Yang thought coldly: You just believe whatever I say?
He didn’t actually have the documents. Not having them didn’t mean he didn’t know about it.
From the moment he set foot in Zhouling, he had been on guard against history repeating.
He’d avoided the confrontation on the first night, wasn’t present at the dock conflict on the second day, and had even posted a special statement on his own account about it. He hadn’t expected the situation to resolve itself this way.
Was this the protagonist being forced into a frame-up?
Was this the book’s plot collapsing and spiraling out of control, or had Ji Chengyi gone mad?
Upon hearing that he had evidence, Ji Chengyi’s expression darkened two shades.
Zhu Guangsheng’s eyes flashed with vicious intent. He gritted out: “If you won’t cooperate, then let Uncle invite you over for a cup of tea at my place?”
“No way!” You Li blocked the way. “I don’t care whose uncle you are or how high your rank — if you want him, you go through me first.”
You Li’s brain was completely blank at this moment.
He didn’t know the specifics, only reacting on pure instinct.
He wanted Third Young Master to help hold this Zhu person back, but quickly gave up. In his impression, Ji Chengyi was a warm and approachable figure — even earlier today, when he’d seen him in the news promising to give everyone an explanation, You Li had still firmly believed that.
But the conversation just now kept echoing in his mind.
On one hand, he was shocked by the man whose words had sounded so fine, yet carried that unmistakable disregard for human life — and disregard for the years of blood and sweat behind those fruit farmers — so clear, so real. On the other hand, he was extremely tense.
That fat man looked like he had some muscle behind him — he’d brought people.
If he told Ji Yang to run first, could that leg of his even make it?
Anxiety climbed steadily from the depths of his chest.
Just as Zhu Guangsheng lost his patience and ordered his men to bring Ji Yang to the car, and You Li had already raised his fist — the sound of car doors closing rang out from several meters away.
They were the only ones on the roadside, so instinctively everyone turned toward the sound.
You Li looked at the two people getting out of the driver’s and passenger’s seats simultaneously, and almost burst into tears with relief.
He shouted: “Brother! Brother Lei!”
Ji Yang only reacted when he heard You Li’s voice. His eyebrows lifted in surprise, then quickly settled. If Zhu Guangsheng could appear here, it wasn’t strange that Nie Xu and the others had anticipated this and arrived in advance.
Nie Xu walked in front. Jiang Lei followed behind.
In Ji Yang’s peripheral vision, he clearly saw a flicker of shock and panic cross Ji Chengyi’s eyes when the newcomers approached.
He didn’t know Nie Xu and the others were here?
Makes sense. If he had, he probably wouldn’t have shown up alongside Zhu Guangsheng.
Ji Chengyi stared fixedly at the approaching figures. When they got close, he spoke to Nie Xu first: “This afternoon when I asked you and you said you had something to deal with — was it here?”
Nie Xu walked past him without a reply, heading straight for Zhu Guangsheng.
He stopped.
“Chairman Zhu.” Nie Xu said: “I assumed the shipping lanes reopening meant you’d come around.”
A cold light flashed through Zhu Guangsheng’s eyes. He snatched a steel pipe from one of his men’s hands and swung it at Nie Xu. Nie Xu tilted his head to dodge, and Zhu Guangsheng’s bulky body lurched forward two stumbling steps.
No sooner had he steadied himself than, turning his head, Zhu Guangsheng’s gaze met Ji Yang’s.
Ji Yang thought: He’s got serious nerve. Had Nie Xu really pushed him this far before?
Amidst You Li’s alarmed cry, the steel pipe halted half a meter in front of Ji Yang’s forehead, then described an arc and hit the ground with a heavy thud, along with the body holding it.
The terrifying grip strength around Zhu Guangsheng’s ankle and the fear of being dragged backward across the ground had no time to register as a cry of pain. Because the person who accomplished all of it took roughly two seconds — fast enough that Zhu Guangsheng’s men didn’t even react.
By the time his men did react, they discovered that their chairman’s jaw had already been dislocated from behind, and his face was being pressed flat against the road surface.
Every movement was so clean it seemed like an illusion. The muffled choking sound stuck in Zhu Guangsheng’s throat was horrifying — like the precursor to his last breath.
Zhu Guangsheng’s men were so frightened they froze on the spot.
Nie Xu picked the steel pipe off the ground and straightened up.
Looking down at the man who could only gasp for air: “Chairman Zhu, since you couldn’t listen this morning, let’s see whether the Second Madam is willing to spend a large sum to bail you out of prison.”
He then surveyed the area, tossed the steel pipe away, and said to Zhu Guangsheng’s men: “Take your chairman to the hospital.”
As the others stepped forward trembling to help the man on the ground up, he added: “If he likes the hospital morgue so much, remember to ask the director to reserve a spot for him in advance.”
The one helping him up shuddered involuntarily.
They called the others over, made quick work of it, bundled the man into a car, and sped off without a trace.
Jiang Lei smoothed things over from the side.
“Young Masters, get in the car. We’ll take you back.”
Ji Chengyi hesitated: “Nie Xu, I—”
“Third Young Master.” Jiang Lei cut in, all smiles: “Chairman Zhu is, after all, close kin of the second branch. We understand all your concerns. We’ll provide an explanation to the Old Master — rest assured.”
While they were still talking things through, Ji Yang had already walked a distance away.
He just wanted to sit down right now.
Ji Yang got into the back seat.
Two minutes later, everyone else had climbed in.
Jiang Lei drove. You Li made a beeline for the passenger seat, which meant that with someone climbing in from each side, Ji Yang ended up squeezed in the middle.
Especially since Ji Chengyi’s expression looked terribly bad — he even seemed a little dazed.
Ji Yang said to Nie Xu: “I want to lean against the window and nap.”
“Sleep like this,” Nie Xu said.
He had no intention of moving over. Ji Yang gave up.
He simply slid down lower, too lazy to care about this hellish situation, crossed his arms, and dozed off.
He didn’t know when he fell into a deep sleep. He only knew that when he woke, the car had stopped in front of the You family’s door.
His head was resting on Nie Xu’s upper arm.
You Li, in the passenger seat, turned around and looked at Ji Yang’s hair plastered against his face, still not fully awake. He said darkly: “You’ve been squashing my brother the whole ride. You slept like you’d fainted. Third Young Master got out at the hotel and you didn’t even wake up.”
Ji Yang sat up silently: “If I’m confirmed as the homewrecker, it’ll be because your brother forced me into it.”
Nie Xu opened the car door and got out.
Ji Yang looked at the man standing outside, holding the car door, stepped down, and asked: “Why didn’t you get out at the hotel?”
Nie Xu looked at him: “Get out and let you sleep under the seats?”
Ji Yang: “…”
The moment he stood up, a stabbing pain shot through his leg.
His leg bucked, and someone caught him in one arm.
Ji Yang barely steadied himself on one foot, his right leg almost unable to touch the ground. Frowning: “I can’t exactly make it under the seats.” He felt an unusual wetness and stickiness inside the prosthetic socket, looked at Nie Xu, and said: “I think my leg is bleeding.”
Nie Xu paused briefly, frowned, and lifted him into his arms.
“You Li,” he said. “Go to the second floor of the wooden house. Bring down the box on top of the cabinet.”
You Li: “……”
I can go???