Chapter 45#
The smoky, lively atmosphere of the barbecue stall gradually dissipated along the street.
Peng Jiaying had drunk until he was sprawled face-down on the table, completely out cold. Every now and then, he mumbled a couple of sleep-talk fragments—all work-related.
In the end, Nie Xu settled the bill.
“I told you I’d pay. Old Peng will definitely give me grief when he wakes up,” Ji Yang said, watching Nie Xu walk back.
Nie Xu pulled two tissues from the dispenser on the table, wiping his hands. “Grief about what?”
“That I even sponged off your money.” Ji Yang found it amusing. “In his eyes, you’re a professional working man—an elite individual at the ceiling of the industry—utterly incomparable to a genuine rich second-generation heir like me.”
Nie Xu tossed the tissues aside and raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that the case?”
“No.” Ji Yang looked him over. “Never mind that you’re earning the salary of the country’s top-tier bodyguards. Building 4 has long had its own independent operating system—it’s not like it’s really doing black-market labor for the Ji family. The revenue it generates each year on its own is considerable. And that’s just what’s on the books.”
A couple of days ago, Ji Yang had stumbled upon an analysis by a veteran stock trader online, and the post mentioned Jian Yuan.
When the man spoke about Jian Yuan, his excited expression was rather like one of those internet con artists who bamboozle people. He said that if you didn’t pay attention, you wouldn’t know—but once you started looking, you’d be shocked. This seemingly stable company in the free-market economy, thriving on leverage and structure, had cash flow on its books alone exceeding ten billion. Cash flow—do you understand what that means? That’s without even counting the assets and business behind Jian Yuan. At the same time, it meant that Jian Yuan had already, without anyone noticing, completed a leap across tiers.
It was no longer a matter of merely participating in or managing the market—it was about designing the market.
The man ended with something rather cryptic: “I don’t know if the people behind Jian Yuan are too formidable, or if some of the bosses in Fanzhou simply lack sharp instincts. I’m predicting that within three months, the entire Fanzhou economic market is going to experience a massive earthquake. Just you wait and see.”
Ji Yang went to check the comments section.
People who seemed like big shots were posting all sorts of data analyses underneath.
Among them, someone mentioned Ji Corporation’s Haicheng.
They said that the speed at which Jian Yuan was cannibalize ing and seizing Ji Corporation’s resources was staggering, and very targeted. Some analyzed that Jian Yuan wanted to enter the shipbuilding industry, so it had singled out Haicheng. Others said that even if Haicheng was swallowed whole, it was its own long-standing rot that was to blame—no wonder someone else overtook it. The market was, after all, a bloodless war of fish-eating-fish.
Ji Yang marveled to himself that he now dared to care whether these people were making ten billion or a hundred billion, while at the same time faintly sensing that this upheaval was advancing with relentless determination.
Jian Yuan had shown its face.
Then the video went viral, and soon a flood of people like Ji Yang—those who didn’t understand anything and were just watching the drama—poured in.
At the peak of its popularity, the video suddenly disappeared.
Even that stock analyst posted other content as if nothing had happened. When questioned again, he kept his mouth shut, leaving only a heavily veiled remark: “Just got a visit from the officials. Their background is no ordinary thing. Those who know, know.”
Ji Yang found it particularly strange.
Standing here on a late-night roadside, he was actually eating barbecue with a big shot like this?
“What’s with that look?” Nie Xu frowned.
Ji Yang propped his chin on his hand. “A look that watches for money. Boss, are you short on cash?”
Nie Xu looked down at him. “No.”
Ji Yang: “Then how about investing a little in me? Otherwise, when Boss Huang’s project wraps up, I’ll have to go clean your toilets.”
Nie Xu scoffed. “My house doesn’t lack for cleaning staff.”
Ji Yang was surprised. “You have property in Fanzhou?”
Nie Xu looked at him again. “I thought you’d be more concerned about cleaning toilets.”
“Thanks, but unless the toilet is made of gold, forget it.” Ji Yang sighed. “I’d rather coast and freeload. Whether ‘Yi Yuan’ can further increase its revenue depends entirely on how generous you are, Boss.”
Nie Xu watched the person who’d just been talking about coasting and freeloding. “You have new plans?”
“Not exactly. Just a few new ideas.” Ji Yang said: “Right now it’s the window period for the Zhou Ling project. The most important thing is still to do this project well. After that, we’ll need to operate online and offline simultaneously—maintain momentum online, but offline, we still need to land in concrete, tangible things.”
This thought had been brought to him by a colleague who had recently returned from Zhou Ling.
He was someone who had grown up feasting on the benefits of the internet.
After jumping around in this industry for so long, it was very hard for a person to stay grounded. Ji Yang had seen far too many examples.
He hadn’t used to think this deeply either. Exactly which moment he’d wanted to truly do something real—Ji Yang couldn’t say for certain.
But the memories of Zhou Ling were vivid.
Last time, when he’d had You Li give money to the dockside fishermen, they had specially sent back a large bag of dried goods as thanks. It was still sitting in the corner of the hotel room.
What became of the Ji family was none of his business.
From the very beginning, he was the one who had grown up in the slums on the charity of his neighbors, and later, out in society, had relied on the owners of several part-time jobs to grow into the Ji Yang of today.
In his previous life, when he’d become popular, he sent gifts every year to the old lady who had originally rented a room to him. He did promotional work for the owners of the shops where he’d worked part-time. He paid tuition for the neighborhood kids who couldn’t afford school.
He’d also screwed people over.
The ones who had screwed him eventually got it back in return.
What he was doing now wasn’t really any different—the only thing that had changed was his identity, his influence. So naturally, the things he did had changed accordingly.
He thought: a person’s actions don’t necessarily need to be clearly categorized.
He had merely broken free from the pure desire to survive, and discovered that in order to live, one had to feel at peace with oneself. To truly be alive, one had to first please oneself.
It was nearly midnight.
The warmth next door hadn’t yet faded.
Nie Xu stood there, watching Ji Yang with his hair pressed into his neck by his jacket collar. As he looked up and spoke about this, the casual nonchalance of the past was gone. Nie Xu opened his mouth: “I’ll have someone draft a proposal and follow proper investment procedures. As long as it passes, the budget has no upper limit.”
A flash of surprise burst in Ji Yang’s eyes, followed by suspicion. “Really? Are you investors all this generous?”
“Then you’d better not lose money.” Nie Xu bent down to help up the unconscious Peng Jiaying from the side, glancing at him. “If you do, you’ll have to compensate.”
Ji Yang belatedly got up from his stool and followed behind. “You’re not going to make me sign a tyrannical contract, are you? Like one-lose-ten-returns?”
“Who can say?” Nie Xu said.
Ji Yang: “…Heh. The face of a capitalist.”
That evening, since no one knew where Peng Jiaying lived, Ji Yang booked him a room at the hotel he was staying in. Nie Xu carried the man up. Once Nie Xu left, the next morning at daybreak, Peng Jiaying expressed deep self-reflection about his drunken state the night before.
Ji Yang went to the office with him.
The moment Peng Jiaying heard that Jian Yuan might invest in “Yi Yuan,” he nearly jumped out of his seat.
“When did this happen? How come I didn’t know?” Peng Jiaying paced circles around the office. “The Zhou Ling project is great, sure, but it’s not at a level that would attract Jian Yuan’s investment, is it?”
Ji Yang sat in his office chair and said slowly: “You actually had the chance to know.”
“What do you mean?” Peng Jiaying asked.
Ji Yang: “It means I’d advise you to drink less next time.”
Ji Yang still didn’t like sitting in an office.
But sure enough, Boss Huang’s side eventually relented, and the proposal passed smoothly. Ji Yang followed up on this for a few days.
While “Yi Yuan” was pulling late nights on this project while simultaneously locking in the investment plan, the outside world was flooded with news of Haicheng Group’s new developments.
Ji Chengyi had half-seized power, and media outlets ran headlines like “The Ji Family’s New Helmsman: Twelve Years from Illegitimate Son to Ruler.”
A blaze of glory, unmatched for the moment.
Ji Chengyi took the helm and implemented sweeping reforms with a heavy hand.
Everything seemed to be developing in a positive direction—this, presumably, was what people called a period of stability.
Ji Yang hadn’t been in touch with Nie Xu for several days.
But that evening, he’d split half the local specialties that could be stored at the hotel and given them to him. Later, he came across a post on Jiang Lei’s WeChat Moments:
Caption: The world must have lost its mind. Someone actually brought back a bag of dried little fish. First time in ten years. I almost cried from being moved.
Ji Yang had the contact info of quite a few people from Building 4, but it was rare to see such a slice of ordinary, everyday life from them.
Deng Jiao: Save some for me!
Han Biao: Someone must have given it to him. The boss doesn’t seem like the type to buy this stuff.
The other roommate sharing the dorm with Jiang Lei and the others, whom Ji Yang had added: I can testify—someone gave it to him.
Jiang Lei: Who? I asked him and he wouldn’t say.
That person: Bro Lei, didn’t you notice that when you took it all, the boss told you not to waste any? If there wasn’t a token of someone’s affection baked in, why would he care whether you wasted it or not?
You Li barged in: That dried fish looks kind of familiar…
Qi Songqing joined the fun: Stop saying it looks familiar. I got some too. The Fourth Young Master sent it via same-city express.
Ji Yang: Don’t be polite, everyone. My colleague also brought back a lot. Anyone who wants some, message me.
Deng Jiao: …Don’t tell me none of you have blocked this young master?
Ji Yang: Sister Jiao, I can see yours too.
Deng Jiao: ……..
NX: I recall you all had work today.
The Moments post instantly fell dead silent.
Ji Yang received another message from Nie Xu in his private inbox that weekend.
He had originally planned with Peng Jiaying to go look at apartments that day.
NX: Come down.
Ji Yang was holding his phone at the time. He typed: You’re downstairs at the hotel?
NX: Yes.
Ji Yang knew Nie Xu wouldn’t reach out for no reason. He grabbed a sweatshirt, changed, and headed out.
Nie Xu sat in the car dressed in a full suit, as if he were heading to some important occasion. Ji Yang got in and asked, “What’s up?”
Nie Xu started the car. “Tao Jisheng’s flight abroad is today.”
“Tao Jisheng?” That was when Ji Yang remembered—this was the favor he’d asked Nie Xu to look into. He asked again: “Today?”
Nie Xu: “I had someone investigate his background. His origin and credentials are clean. Someone has been tailing him for a while now, and they found that he obtained permanent residency abroad half a year ago and has been processing the related paperwork ever since. As for why today—this morning at ten thirty is the old man’s flight overseas.”
Ji Yang frowned. “So it was the old man’s doing?”
Nie Xu glanced at him. “Tao Jisheng is very cautious. His past medical records don’t leave any trail anyone could grab hold of. The medicine you had You Li send for testing—there’s no way to prove its origin. He chose to leave today: first, to use the Ji family’s current chaos as cover; second, to make people think exactly this.”
Ji Yang’s head spun from the barrage of information. “If it’s not the old man, then it can’t be traced?”
“I’d lean toward Ji Yansong knowing about it, and simply going along with the current.” Nie Xu continued: “Originally, it was hard to investigate. The problem lay in that permanent residency card. The people behind it have gotten somewhat anxious lately and have been pushing Tao Jisheng to leave quickly. That’s how we were able to follow the vine and find the trail.”
Speaking of anxious, Ji Yang had a vague premonition.
“Ji Chengyi?”
Nie Xu said, “Mm. That can basically be confirmed, though we still need to meet Tao Jisheng in person.”
So it was Ji Chengyi who had someone switch his medicine?
Ji Yang nearly laughed out loud in anger.
It made sense, too. Both from the first household, and now the first household’s mistress was his own biological mother—naturally more convenient than anyone else to operate.
He was laughing, but this problematic medicine had been accumulating in his body for over two years. Which meant that Ji Chengyi hadn’t only done this after Ji Yang had transmigrated into this book. He had started it long before.
Ji Yang couldn’t help but suspect: were all those scandals the original host had every few days also his handiwork?
With such thoughts weighing on him, Ji Yang arrived at the airport.
The last time he’d been here, it was for a business trip to Huizhou.
This was a far cry from being mobbed by reporters last time. They entered the airport’s underground garage in a low-key manner and parked in a far corner.
Ji Yang had assumed Tao Jisheng would be in the parking lot.
But the moment Nie Xu told him to stay put, Ji Yang realized—it wasn’t Tao Jisheng. Less than twenty meters ahead of their vehicle was the luxury car that had brought the old man to the airport.
Among the people helping him out of the car, Lu Li was there.
“This is going to be tricky, isn’t it?” Ji Yang said, looking ahead. “Lu Li brought people. Are we really going to search the airport this brazenly? Tao Jisheng really did time this perfectly.”
Nie Xu leaned back in his seat and tapped the steering wheel, unhurried. “Just wait.”
Ji Yang thought of that night eating barbecue and looked around. “You’re not being followed today, are you?”
“No,” Nie Xu said.
Good. Ji Yang sighed in relief.
They waited in the car for about twenty minutes before Nie Xu led him directly to an elevator in the parking garage. After the elevator, they twisted and turned until they reached the airport’s own VIP lounge.
They didn’t encounter a single person along the way.
“Can we be in here?” Ji Yang asked curiously, looking around.
There were people standing outside the lounge. They whispered a few words to Nie Xu in low voices. Nie Xu pushed open the door and looked back: “Come in. Tao Jisheng is inside.”
Ji Yang had thought they’d have to search on their own. He hadn’t expected it to be this easy.
Ji Yang stepped inside and immediately spotted the person sitting on a lounge chair, stiff with tension.
When Tao Jisheng saw who had walked in, the pallor on his face went blank for two seconds before a look of visible relief washed over him.
He squeezed out a smile and stood up. “Fourth Young Master? What a coincidence.”
“No coincidence,” Ji Yang said, looking at him. “I came looking for you, Dr. Tao.”
Tao Jisheng was still fairly composed at this point, though confused. “Looking for me? The airport staff suddenly notified me that I couldn’t leave the country, incomplete documentation—that wouldn’t happen to be the Fourth Young Master’s doing, would it?”
Ji Yang glanced at the man who had been leaning against the door with arms crossed and silent since entering.
He looked back. “It is. Dr. Tao, you were doing perfectly fine as the family physician, then suddenly decided to leave—and you just had to pick the same day as the old man. My leg these past two years has been thanks to you. I’m a little reluctant to see you go.”
Tao Jisheng froze. An inexplicable unease intensified within him.
He had originally thought this trip would go smoothly, but the moment he received the airport’s notice, panic had seized him for an instant. During this waiting period in the lounge, unable to leave, he had gone through many possibilities—yet never once considered that the person who would show up was Ji Yang.
Why did this Fourth Young Master suddenly wield so much power?
Hadn’t it been said that he’d left the Ji family and was merely running a small startup outside?
Or was someone in the Ji family helping him?
His mind raced through all sorts of thoughts. He told himself this Fourth Young Master was nothing right now—no need to panic. He steadied himself and said as casually as before: “Thank you for your concern, Fourth Young Master. But the Ji family’s landscape has shifted considerably lately. I also have new career plans of my own. Plus, my wife and children are all abroad, and I want to spend more time with them.”
Ji Yang nodded and chuckled lightly. “Dr. Tao, you’re quite the devoted family man.” Then, abruptly shifting gears: “I wonder if Dr. Tao is aware that violating professional ethics—using medicine to kill—can cost you your life.”
Tao Jisheng’s eyes flew wide open.
He looked at Ji Yang.
Still putting up a front, barely: “I’m not quite sure what you mean, Fourth Young Master.”
“Ah, not knowing is good,” Ji Yang said. He scanned the lounge, walked over to the low table, picked up a glass of plain water, and in front of Tao Jisheng’s eyes, dropped a small white tablet into it. He held it up, watching the tiny pill bubble and dissolve bit by bit, then held the glass out toward the man. “This is an enhanced version of the medicine Dr. Tao gave me. By Dr. Tao’s own earlier description, it’s nothing more than a painkiller with a boosted dosage. Go on—drink this glass of water today, and I’ll accept that you truly don’t know.”
From the moment Ji Yang dropped the tablet, Tao Jisheng’s expression had changed. His resistance was laced with a flicker of genuine fear.
The smile he’d forced was gone. His face turned serious. “Fourth Young Master, stop joking.”
Ji Yang: “You can try whether I’m joking or not.”
Ji Yang spoke: “Nie Xu, since Grandfather asked you to follow me, please offer this glass of water to Dr. Tao on my behalf.”
Ji Yang deliberately mentioned Ji Yansong.
Nie Xu’s gaze shifted from the back of Ji Yang’s head. He stood and walked over.
The moment Tao Jisheng saw Nie Xu, his pupils trembled. He blurted out, “Is this the old man’s doing?” Then, as though something had struck him, he let out a cold laugh, agitated: “Fourth Young Master! Do you really think the old man is doing this for you? That medicine had his tacit approval too! Now that the Third Young Master has taken power, the old man merely wants to eliminate me—a witness to his dirty laundry—to clear the way for the successor he personally groomed!”
Ji Yang secretly raised an eyebrow.
He hadn’t even needed to say much. Tao Jisheng had conjured up an entire grand drama all by himself.
But Ji Yang had already gotten the answer he wanted.
It really was Ji Chengyi.
Ji Yang had always assumed that at most, their relationship was a “true love” versus “mistress” melodrama. In the end, it was werewolf detective all along.
When exactly had the old man chosen him as his real heir?
“Hypocrisy” turned out to be only one side of it.
While Ji Yang was surprised, an anger he had never felt before rose in his chest.
Ji Yang said coldly, picking up where he’d left off: “Nie Xu. Feed him the medicine.”
“Alright.” Nie Xu replied.
He took off his jacket and tossed it onto a sofa chair in the lounge, then accepted the glass from Ji Yang’s hand.
Tao Jisheng stumbled backward the entire way, shouting: “Fourth Young Master! This is an airport—you can’t do whatever you want here! If you keep this up, I’ll scream—mmph.”
Ji Yang didn’t even clearly see how Nie Xu did it.
He only knew that Nie Xu kicked the man’s legs out from under him, sending him to his knees. Before Tao Jisheng could cry out, Nie Xu pinched his jaw shut, leaving him utterly unable to struggle free, his face twisted in agony. A full glass of water was poured down his throat in no time.
When it was done, Nie Xu even casually set the glass back on the low table.
Tao Jisheng, sprawled on the floor, clutched his own throat, lying on the tiles and coughing violently, his face flushed deep red, the chest of his light blue shirt soaked through in a large patch. He kept rasping hoarsely: “I don’t want to become a lunatic… I don’t want to become a lunatic…”
Ji Yang hitched up his trouser legs and crouched in front of Tao Jisheng.
Softly: “So doctors know fear too.”
Nie Xu looked down at the man on the floor. “From the day the old man hired you, a man named Qiao Yi has been living in the building next to your son’s school abroad. Ji Chengyi probably promised to protect you and gave you plenty of academic conveniences, but he might not actually be able to protect you—or your son.”
Tao Jisheng stopped struggling.
He collapsed limply to the floor.
Two seconds later, he suddenly propped himself up and stared hard at Nie Xu. “You’re not the old man’s man? Who are you? What do you want?”
The more he spoke, the more the fear in his heart deepened.
It wasn’t the old man’s order, yet they could have the airport detain him directly.
And this Fourth Young Master—
Why did he look anything but surprised?
Tao Jisheng’s mind churned violently. Finally, he grabbed Nie Xu’s trouser hem and swore: “I can testify. I’ll write a statement. I’ll lay out everything I’ve done over the past two years, clearly and completely. Can you help me?”
Nie Xu’s expression was flat. “You’re asking the wrong person.”
Tao Jisheng turned immediately to Ji Yang, practically about to kowtow. “Fourth Young Master, it was greed that blinded me. I’m not human. Please, help me.” Then, as though remembering something: “There’s one more thing I can tell you. The car racing accident over two years ago—that wasn’t entirely an accident either.”
Thud. Ji Yang heard the sound of his heart dropping back down.
“What do you mean?” Ji Yang asked.
Even Nie Xu, sweeping a glance at Ji Yang’s leg, furrowed his brow sharply.
Tao Jisheng: “I only found out by accident. That mountain road where you were racing actually had two routes. One of them was supposedly under construction at the time. Later, I stumbled upon the Third Young Master’s payment records to someone. Oh—and Fu family’s only son probably knows about this too.”
“Fu Cheng?” Ji Yang said.
He had nearly forgotten about that guy.
Back when the water quality issue at the Lanwan Bay project first surfaced, that guy had blasted him left and right for the sake of his factory. Later, he had indeed mentioned having some secret about Ji Chengyi to share. Could it have been this?
Ji Yang’s mind raced as he stood up from the floor.
He’d probably crouched too long—he nearly lost his balance.
Nie Xu caught him in one firm grip.
“Let’s go. Get out first.” Nie Xu clearly had no intention of staying, one hand steadying Ji Yang, the other picking up his jacket from the sofa.
Ji Yang looked at the man on the floor. “What about him?”
Nie Xu said coolly: “Someone will come deal with him.”
The conversation made it plainly obvious they were abandoning him. Tao Jisheng immediately panicked.
He staggered to his feet from the floor.
“Fourth Young Master!”
Ji Yang had already reached the door. He looked back at the man whose gelled hair was now disheveled, and smiled. “I can’t help you with other things, but I can tell you one thing.”
“What?” Tao Jisheng asked, dazed.
Ji Yang: “You won’t become a lunatic. The medicine I gave you was fake—just an ordinary vitamin B tablet.”
It was the same kind Ji Yang took daily himself, which was why he had some on hand.
He just hadn’t expected Nie Xu to cooperate so flawlessly—after all, they hadn’t coordinated beforehand.
The two of them left the dazed man far behind.
Stepping out of the lounge, down the corridor, they passed alongside a massive glass wall that looked out onto the wide-open airport runway.
Blue sky, white clouds, blazing sun.
Nie Xu: “You didn’t have to tell him that.”
Ji Yang paused there. “Who knows—he might end up thinking losing his mind would be a blessing.”
The process of pain and fear—wouldn’t it be better to be clear-headed?
Ji Yang turned his head to look at the man beside him.
Suddenly he asked: “Is there really no one following you today?”
“Why?” Nie Xu looked back.
Ji Yang flashed a grin, but the smile was cold. “Nothing. It’s just that all of a sudden, whatever Ji Chengyi cares about, I really want to take from him right now. Men included.”
Nie Xu slung his jacket over his forearm. “You think that person is me?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Ji Yang stepped forward, grabbing Nie Xu’s clothes, looking up at him. “No wonder some people become habitual homewreckers. What you steal from someone else’s hands is always more thrilling than what falls into your lap.”
He used to think he was just putting on an act.
Now his mindset had evolved from vicious villain to genuine scum.
Nie Xu raised an eyebrow, then suddenly reached out, his thumb slowly brushing across Ji Yang’s lower eyelid.
Ji Yang protested: “What are you doing? Trying to say you’re a saint?”
Nie Xu picked an eyelash from the corner of Ji Yang’s eye and said offhandedly: “Well, that depends entirely on how skillful your seduction is.”