Chapter 56#

In the end, Ji Yang never got to drink that glass of wine.

He watched helplessly as Peng Jiaying placed that glass of red wine onto a waiter’s tray, then turned and pressed a glass of fruit juice into his hands.

The result was that whether Peng Jiaying was off schmoozing with people, or others came up to strike up a conversation with him, Ji Yang just stood there holding a glass of fruit juice, looking thoroughly out of place no matter how you looked at it.

Yiyuan had first secured the Zhou Ling cooperation project from Huang Kai.

Now they were also a strong contender for the South Island route.

All these rapid-fire moves in such a short span of time had utterly transformed the image Ji Yang had once held in the public eye. Ji Yang himself didn’t care, but Peng Jiaying felt the shift most acutely.

So for the entire first half of the banquet, Ji Yang barely had a free moment. Whoever came by, he could exchange pleasantries with ease and poise.

Plenty of others were making catty remarks behind his back — nothing new, just the usual mockery that he’d gotten too big for his boots, climbing to the top on the Ji family’s back.

“Who says he climbed on the Ji family’s back?” Ji Zhonglin appeared at some unknown point, his female companion still Ji Mingyue at his side. He walked right up to the person who’d made the remark. “Not a single one of us Ji family members has said a word, yet you all seem to know things awfully well.”

The other man’s face was wounded, his expression sour. He sneered: “Why are you still putting on this united-front act? Who doesn’t know the Ji brothers’ relationship is terrible?”

Ji Zhonglin wasn’t angry in the slightest.

“Then try me.”

The other man was tugged by his companion beside him and instantly backed down.

Ji Zhonglin was, after all, the eldest among the Ji family’s grandchildren. Never mind whether the Ji family was in trouble or not — just his maternal grandfather’s capabilities alone made the Zhu family a formidable force in Fanzhou. Even though the Zhu family had lost Zhu Guangsheng, their own foundation remained intact.

The other man slunk away, face downcast.

Ji Mingyue let go of her eldest brother’s arm, turned around, and gave Ji Yang a playful wink.

Ji Zhonglin turned to Ji Yang, frowning: “You seemed plenty sharp before, so why aren’t you talking back now?”

“You didn’t give me the chance.” Ji Yang looked the pair up and down, speechless. “Why are you two here as well?”

Ji Zhonglin studied him. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

“Big brother.” Ji Mingyue stepped up beside Ji Yang, exasperated: “If you want to show concern, could you at least say it nicely?”

While speaking, Ji Mingyue leaned close to Ji Yang’s ear and whispered: “You made a deal with big brother. Afterwards was when he found out about the cold chain factory, and he was pretty furious. He’s been putting pressure on Ji Chengyi’s side these past few days. Even if Grandpa still wants to protect him now, the assets and connections he can tap into are almost gone.”

Ji Yang looked at Ji Zhonglin.

The last time they’d met was the day he left the Ji family.

Ji Yang asked him, “Aren’t you afraid Ji Chengyi will hate you?”

Ji Zhonglin’s eyes seemed far steadier and deeper than before. He said: “More than hatred — the fact that blood ties have deteriorated to this state is the most pitiful thing about the Ji family.”

He glanced at Ji Yang again, offering a reminder: “Based on the information you gave me before, I investigated ‘Yongsheng’ and found…” He frowned at this point, seeming reluctant to even utter Ji Chengyi’s name, using only a pronoun instead: “He and Xilemen have apparently been in contact all along. The Haicheng situation I can still intervene in, but some matters — you’d better not get too involved.”

Ji Yang caught the well-meaning caution in those words and nodded. “I understand.”

Ji Zhonglin similarly glanced off in the direction of Ji Yansong, paused briefly, then said suddenly: “I take back what I said before about staying away from him.”

Ji Yang hadn’t caught up with that abrupt change in topic.

Ji Zhonglin: “Nie Xu. In every single thing that’s happened to the Ji family, there’s his shadow. The old man has probably already realized it too — that’s why today’s banquet is happening. If I had to choose a side to stand with, I’d rather you choose him.”

Picking sides was something that simply didn’t exist for Ji Yang.

Because he had never once stood on the Ji family’s side.

What surprised him was the first half of Ji Zhonglin’s statement — this banquet was a trap set for Nie Xu? What did that mean?

The rest of the banquet proceeded without a hitch.

The Chamber of Commerce president gave a speech, the Vice Chairman of the Federation of Industry and Commerce made remarks, several rounds of commendation ceremonies were held, interspersed with high-minded industry outlooks. Amid the clinking of glasses, every person wore an appropriately polished mask, as though the recent storm that had swept through the Ji Group in Fanzhou had truly been nothing more than an irrelevant gust of passing wind.

From start to finish, Nie Xu was positioned at the very center.

This presence who had never once made a public appearance at the heart of Fanzhou’s business world was the subject of much curiosity and inquiry.

Young, handsome, with an extraordinary bearing.

Unlike those young men who circulated the room handing out business cards in hopes of a single chance at commercial cooperation, his arrival placed him directly at the head table.

Ji Yang overheard plenty of speculation about him.

“Is the Chamber of Commerce grooming their next successor? He looks quite close to President Chu.”

“No way — he arrived with Old Master Ji originally.”

“Someone from the Ji family? Now that you mention it, he does look a bit familiar. Could the Ji family be planning some big new move at this critical juncture?”

Ji Yang, holding his glass of orange juice, took a half-step back and tucked himself into the shadow of a pillar in the banquet hall.

The speeches concluded. The music in the banquet hall was changed out for a new selection, the gentle sound of silk strings and bamboo flutes flowing softly, drowning out most of the whispering.

The string of tension in Ji Yang’s heart tightened, unbeknownst to him, thread by thread.

Returning to his seat, Nie Xu was still seated to Ji Yansong’s left, body slightly angled, as if listening to something the Chamber of Commerce President, Chu Zhengqing, was saying. Chu Zhengqing wore a standard official’s smile, but his fingers tapped twice on the edge of the table — a small movement, a probing gesture loaded with pressure. And Nie Xu’s reaction was barely perceptible; his posture hadn’t even shifted.

Slowly, the surnamed Chu’s expression turned a shade uglier.

He turned and tugged his lips into a smile as he said something to Ji Yansong. Ji Yansong laughed helplessly and patted Nie Xu on the shoulder. After hearing this, Nie Xu nodded, still wearing that demeanor of following orders, and cooperatively took a sip with Chu Zhengqing.

He gave a slight bow upon finishing, said something to Ji Yansong, received permission, and left the table, heading toward a corridor nearby.

Ji Yang watched everything from beginning to end.

He also saw Ji Yansong’s gaze, lingering long and steady, unable to pull away from Nie Xu’s retreating figure.

In truth, Ji Yang should have realized it long ago — after the cold chain factory incident, Nie Xu’s position within the Ji Group could no longer be concealed behind the scenes the way it once was. Ji Chengyi was under investigation. Yongsheng’s capital chain had fractured. The shipping division had been completely frozen. The one truly harvesting the results from behind all of it had always been Nie Xu. Jianyuan’s tentacles infiltrating the Ji Group had fully unfurled. At this point, no matter how obtuse the old man was, he should have noticed.

And today’s Chamber of Commerce banquet was a thinly veiled probe and exercise of pressure.

Ji Yang watched Ji Yansong clinking glasses with that Chamber of Commerce president and instinctively clenched his fist around the juice glass.

“Lao Peng.” Ji Yang turned his head. “Go talk to that building materials supplier you mentioned earlier. I’ll come find you in a bit.”

Peng Jiaying blinked. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Just something I need to take care of.” Ji Yang smiled at him. “You can’t honestly expect me to report to you when I need to use the restroom?”

Seeing that he really didn’t seem that tense, Peng Jiaying nodded and walked off with his wine glass.

Ji Yang watched Peng Jiaying get swallowed by the crowd, then shifted his gaze back to where Nie Xu had gone.

Nie Xu casually undid the button on his suit jacket and walked in the direction of the banquet hall’s side corridor, his pace neither fast nor slow, as though he were simply stepping out to take a phone call.

Ji Yang didn’t hesitate further. He set down his glass of orange juice and followed.

The side corridor led to a lounge area behind the banquet hall. The carpet was thick, swallowing footsteps entirely. At the end of the hallway stood a half-open fire door, a sliver of cold white light spilling through the gap.

Before the person appeared, the sound did.

Ji Yang had just pushed the door open when he heard a heavy thud first — the kind of noise made when a person’s back slams into a metal fire hydrant, so dull it made his teeth ache just hearing it.

Ji Yang tensed. His gaze followed the sound, and he saw Nie Xu pinning someone face-first against the wall. The person’s face was pressed against the stainless steel body, squashed out of shape. One arm was twisted behind their back by Nie Xu, the other hand splayed flat against the wall for support — and between the index and middle fingers, a thin blade about ten centimeters long caught the cold light, not yet stowed away.

Nie Xu’s elbow pressed just below the person’s scapula, the force steady and unwavering, as though securing something that wouldn’t struggle.

His breathing hadn’t shifted in the slightest. When he turned his head and saw Ji Yang, his tone was entirely level: “Close the door.”

He was surprised by Ji Yang’s appearance for barely a second, if that.

Ji Yang processed this for two beats, then reached up and pulled the door shut, his eyes never leaving that person.

The person wore the gray hotel staff uniform. The name tag on their left breast had been knocked crooked, making the name and department illegible. One of their legs was slightly drawn in, the sole of their boot scraping the ground, still trying to find a point of leverage to break free. But Nie Xu’s knee had locked their hip bone in from the side — once that position was secured, there was no strength to be gained.

“Since when did you start following me?” Nie Xu asked.

The person said nothing. Their chin was pressed against the stainless steel body, their breathing labored from the compression, but their gaze was still angled diagonally downward — on the ground lay a dropped walkie-talkie, screen shattered, probably cracked from that impact just now.

Nie Xu followed their gaze for a moment, then reached out and extracted the thin blade from between their fingers, tossing it nonchalantly into a nearby trash bin.

“How many more of your people are in the venue?” Nie Xu asked again.

The person finally shifted their eyes sideways, their voice pressed to a hoarse rasp: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Nie Xu didn’t press further. He released the hand that had been pinning them down, instead gripping the back of their neck and pressing downward, pulling them a step forward. The person stumbled, steadied themselves, then without looking back, hurried down the fire escape stairs.

Nie Xu stood where he was, wiping off the hand that had just grabbed someone. The gesture was casual.

“Just letting them go like that?” Ji Yang stepped forward, picked up the blade, and examined it.

“It’s fine — I roughly know what this is about.” Nie Xu took the knife from him after he’d spoken. “Don’t touch it. This thing’s razor-sharp.”

“The Chamber of Commerce’s people?” Ji Yang let him take the blade, moved two steps closer, and lowered his voice to ask.

“Perhaps.” Nie Xu’s answer was deliberately vague. Seeing that Ji Yang kept staring, he relented: “Ji Group’s shipping division has been consolidated to this point — seven or eight core enterprises up and down the industrial chain have already chosen sides, and Jianyuan’s funds have also moved in. The only paths left are liquidation and restructuring. The old man wants to stage a comeback through the Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Industry and Commerce — he thinks far too highly of the Fanzhou Chamber of Commerce’s influence.”

Ji Yang looked into the pitch-black stairwell below. “So the old man already knows your identity? He sent someone after you?”

Nie Xu let out a light laugh.

The laugh left Ji Yang baffled. He frowned: “They came at you with a blade, and you’re in the mood to laugh?”

“I suspect he’s probably only guessed, without proof.” Nie Xu took two steps forward, backing Ji Yang up against the wall. “This banquet was nothing more than a last-ditch move — he’s out of chips to play.”

Ji Yang: “So that’s why you played along just now at the table?”

“No.” Nie Xu braced a hand against the wall. “Now is when I’m cooperating.”

Ji Yang: “What do you mean?”

Nie Xu tilted his head slightly down, his gaze sweeping over Ji Yang’s outfit today. His forehead grazed Ji Yang’s forehead, barely more than a whisper of contact: “Miscalculated. I forgot you always go soft-hearted — there’s a good chance you’d willingly jump into this probe headfirst.”

Ji Yang had just felt he’d grasped something when he heard: “Sorry about this, young master. You’ll need to play along.”

Before Ji Yang could fully register the words “young master,” Nie Xu grabbed the back of his neck and pulled his head back.

His eyes went wide as he stared at the face descending right in front of him.

At the same time, faint sounds came from outside the fire door.

Nie Xu’s index finger pressed against Ji Yang’s lips.

His breath ghosted over Ji Yang’s mouth as he whispered, voice barely there: “Pant.”

Pant? Ji Yang’s entire body went numb.

How was he supposed to pant?

In the moment he froze, Nie Xu hooked an arm around his waist, spun him around, and crashed into the fire hydrant at their feet — a loud bang.

Nie Xu leaned against the wall, legs slightly apart, directing the scene from their angle. His voice came out hoarse: “What’s the rush?”

As he said this, his thumb brushed across Ji Yang’s lips — the sincerity in the gesture was almost exaggerated — and he added with a cold sneer: “I already told you — who wouldn’t want free delivery at their doorstep? What kind of man do you think I, Nie Xu, am?” He leaned closer still. “The Ji surname in my book — every last one of them counts. Oh, but you are different.” He raked his fingers through Ji Yang’s hair. “At least you’re decent in bed.”

Ji Yang was, frankly, in awe of this version of Nie Xu. He stared dumbfounded — and at the same time, inspiration struck.

“You bastard!”

The slap didn’t connect with his face.

Nie Xu caught his hand. The commotion they created and the shadows they cast against the wall, to whoever was watching outside, would surely look like they’d fallen back into each other’s arms.

Ji Yang’s gaze shifted right. He was considering whether he needed some other reaction.

Suddenly, he felt a point press against his lower back.

A jolt of numbing electricity shot from his head straight to his toes.

“Mmm~” Ji Yang’s legs gave out and he crumpled forward. The sound that came from his throat — he couldn’t believe it was his own.

After an unknown amount of time, the outside finally fell completely silent.

But Ji Yang still couldn’t bring himself to rise.

He felt Nie Xu’s hand trail along his back — sometimes there, sometimes not — almost absentminded.

Ji Yang sighed: “Even though I’m grateful you indirectly protected me, not wanting the old man or the Chamber of Commerce to think I’d become a threat to you — honestly, you’re a real scumbag.”

The hatred was real. Every word he’d said also sounded like something he’d genuinely done out of revenge.

Ripping the disguise off entirely, leaving behind only the cruel wreckage of destruction and desire.

Nie Xu tugged at the hair on the back of his neck. “Is that so?” He switched tones seamlessly, almost as though giving a compliment. “Though you cooperated quite well.”

Numbness crept back into Ji Yang’s lower back.

That discomfort — prickling, dense — submerged him completely.

Ji Yang stood up and stepped back, mimicking his tone: “Is that so? Blaming the victim — well then ‘bastard’ isn’t exactly an unfair label for you either.”