Chapter 7#

The fluorescent lights in the police station hall made the floor gleam with reflected light.#

The duty officer watched the tall, handsome man walk through the door and rose to greet him. “Mr. Nie? It’s you again.”

“Officer Wu.” Nie Xu nodded at the man — they were on familiar terms by now, having crossed paths more than once.

Nie Xu’s gaze swept across the entire hall. Aside from a couple arguing and a young pickpocket who kept going in and out while being scolded, he didn’t see the person he was looking for.

Officer Wu said, “Still in the questioning room.”

As he led the way forward, he lowered his voice. “This time is a bit different from before.”

“The other party doesn’t want to settle?” Nie Xu asked.

Officer Wu shook his head.

This Mr. Nie was actually quite well-known at their station. Last year, when he’d come in to bail out some wealthy young master, they’d coincidentally been dealing with a vicious murder case in their precinct. The incident happened suddenly — the personnel dispatched by the city bureau were still on the road — and it was this Mr. Nie who had leaped from the second floor to rescue the hostage and subdue the criminal.

That agility and terrifying lethality had rattled the city-level leadership at the time.

Only afterward did they learn that the man commanded a team of mercenaries below him — no wonder he was such a fighter.

But even such a person couldn’t avoid having to deal with a difficult rich-kid heir.

Officer Wu harbored a complicated mixture of admiration and exasperation as he walked and talked. “This whole thing actually isn’t all that complicated — drinking and fighting, we handle that all the time. The problem this time is that the guy who threw the punches insists he was just drunk and acting on his own, won’t admit he was instigated. The victim also said he won’t press charges. So originally, that one — that Young Master Ji — could’ve just been cleared out of it easily. But then he retracted his statement on the spot and said he wanted to sue the victim for long-term emotional and psychological manipulation, suspected involvement in illegal underground activities, and a bunch of other charges.”

Working night shift, huh? Something new every day.

They’d arrived at the door of the questioning room just then.

Nie Xu took off his sunglasses and paused, stopping outside the door.

Through the window, he could clearly see three people sitting across from two officers.

There was one standing with his head hung low, one with gauze wrapped around his head, and then the remaining one.

Due to his limited mobility, he’d been given special accommodations — seated in a chair that had been brought in specifically for him, straddled backwards, both hands resting on the chairback, chin propped on his own forearm. A thin line of blood from a shard of glass still streaked across his face.

Officer Wu said beside him, “It’s not exactly unusual for this young master to show up at the police station, but the way he talks and acts is completely different from before. He answers everything he’s asked, obedient to an almost unbelievable degree. That female officer on duty with us tonight — after just one shift, the way she looks at him is practically no different from looking at her own brainwashed son.” Officer Wu muttered, “Never thought a rich kid could fall into some kind of emotional abuse trap like this. Can’t tell if it’s real or not.”

Nie Xu neither confirmed nor denied the doubt.

When he’d received the message that morning and recalled those eyes in the rain — that one second of hesitation — Nie Xu had called Jiang Lei down.

Afterward, it proved to be a favor he owed.

Only that bit of emotion hadn’t had time to ferment before the emergency situation came up. Within less than twenty-four hours, he’d learned that the person was back in the police station over a drinking-and-fighting incident.

Never mind where he’d gotten the information.

The speed at which the person had relapsed was genuinely exasperating.

Inside the questioning room.

Ji Yang was growing somewhat bored.

Wei Qiming’s jacket collar was stained with a large patch of blood, and he was still explaining to the police: “This was really a misunderstanding, Officer. We’ve known each other for so long, our relationship is good. Isn’t it perfectly normal to show concern in chat records?”

The officer across from him pushed a phone forward and tapped on it. “You frequently used phrases like ‘I’m doing this for your own good,’ ‘I’m just worried,’ and ‘you can’t go on like this.’ Furthermore, you need to explain — here, you repeatedly hinted that Mr. Ji should bring out his half-brother from the same father, and that you could help ’teach him a lesson.’ This lesson — how exactly did you plan to teach it?”

That question finally made Wei Qiming’s expression change on the spot.

Ji Yang chimed in faintly from the side: “The kind of lesson that’d get you busted in an anti-pornography sweep.”

“Don’t talk,” the officer reminded him.

Ji Yang smiled obediently. “Yes, Officer.”

Wei Qiming forced himself to appear calm: “It’s always been Xiao Yang saying he doesn’t get along with that illegitimate son. I saw his emotions were a bit over the top, and out of concern, I just went along with what he was saying.”

As expected of a PUA master.

Ji Yang watched the tension building beneath Wei Qiming’s mask and wasn’t in a rush.

This person might not have been in the main CP, but he’d lingered for quite a while.

In the book, readers had taken Wei Qiming’s manipulation of “Ji Yang” — using him as a stepping stone, then stomping on him hard after he was no longer needed, driving “Ji Yang” into complete psychological collapse — as one of the satisfying payoffs. Standing in Ji Yang’s current shoes, it was nothing less than a fly swallowed whole: pure disgust.

Really, just far too disgusting. Now watching this man scramble to prove himself innocent felt like a refreshing, satisfying reversal of roles.

Ji Yang was quite the grudge-holder.

The original host’s grudges counted too.

So when the police handed the phone back and Wei Qiming had just breathed a sigh of relief, Ji Yang unhurriedly opened a piece of local audio.

It had been extracted from a video taken inside an entertainment venue.

It had to be turned all the way up to hear clearly.

“A fool like Ji Yang, believes whatever you tell him… and eight or ten men… to think he’d believe I’d be willing to give Ji Chengyi away to be played with — that one’s not easy to get your hands on…” With every sentence played, Wei Qiming’s complexion turned another shade greener. Ji Yang smiled at him: “Brother Wei, this was something I had a really hard time finding. You can recognize your own voice, can’t you?”

Wei Qiming stared at him: “Isn’t the real point that you, out of revenge, want to find a bunch of men for your own brother?”

Just at that moment, there was a knock on the questioning room door.

Ji Yang looked at the figure standing in the backlit doorway, and his mind stalled for a brief second.

Then he pointed at Wei Qiming and said to the person in the doorway: “He provoked it first out of humiliation.” Then he added, “Okay, I’ll admit I’m not exactly innocent either, but I didn’t actually go through with anything, right?”

That wasn’t entirely a lie.

When Ji Yang had been gathering information, he’d noticed that the original host, aside from getting his hands on Nie Xu, really hadn’t participated all that much — otherwise he wouldn’t have been sitting here so comfortably right now, instead of having a bottle smashed over his head at a bar.

Peng Jiaying, who had been sitting on the sidelines like a block of wood the entire time without understanding what was going on, finally seemed to come back to himself.

He probably still remembered his verbal promise to Ji Yang.

Instinctively, he sided with him.

Seeing Ji Yang suddenly change his tune, he whispered from behind: “Shouldn’t you be explaining that to the police?”

Ji Yang: “…”

Because I’m afraid of retaliation, obviously. After all, when someone heard, face-to-face, that you wanted to find eight or ten men for the person you truly liked — only someone with the guts of a bear and the courage of a leopard would dare provoke someone like that.

Nie Xu stepped inside at that moment, exchanging greetings and handshakes with each officer.

Peng Jiaying: “Even the police are all smiles around him… His presence really is a bit intimidating. Who exactly is he?”

Ji Yang murmured: “The master of my fate. Yama, who comes to claim lives.”

Peng Jiaying adjusted his glasses and whispered: “…Did you actually break the law?”

Ji Yang jabbed him with an elbow: “Watch what you say. Your young master here abides by the law. Model citizen.”

“Abides by the law?” Nie Xu had appeared at some unknown moment, standing right beside Ji Yang, his gaze lowered as he regarded him with an unreadable expression.

Peng Jiaying showed excellent survival instinct by retreating two steps, once again distancing himself from the center of the storm.

Ji Yang didn’t know why, but he had a nagging feeling that the way Nie Xu looked at him carried emotion.

Jiang Lei’s still in trouble?

Angry that I’m trying to find men for Ji Chengyi?

Whatever.

I have more important things to do.

“You came at the perfect time.” Ji Yang ignored the question, his eyes curving into a smile.

As he spoke, he reached out to lift the hem of Nie Xu’s shirt.

Halfway through, his hand was clamped down.

He switched to the other hand. Still no success.

Then the entire room watched as this young master, in the span of a blink, had both hands crossed and raised high overhead, restrained by a single hand from his guarantor, tilted at an angle and half-suspended, completely stripped of any ability to move.

Ji Yang was thoroughly defeated by his own prisoner’s pose.

Noticing Nie Xu’s forearm, he settled for the next best thing and gestured: “Officer, the wounds on his body are also proof.”

“Wounds?” The officer scanned the exposed marks on Nie Xu’s forearm — by now scabbed over — and frowned. “What happened?”

Ji Yang gave an embarrassed smile: “I did it.”

The officer: “…”

Ji Yang immediately pointed at Wei Qiming: “But he taught me how.”

Wei Qiming’s expression visibly darkened further.

Ji Yang’s arms were getting sore. He thought, Fine, just keep gripping, grip harder if you want. Then he let himself lean forward, completely hanging off that arm. In a much more comfortable position, he tilted his head to rest against his own arm and continued talking: “The kind of whip that creates wounds like this is exclusive to Brother Wei’s supply. They have a group chat that’s been very active for years — it’s full of rich second-generation kids. I’d wager quite a few young boys and girls have fallen victim to these people’s cruelty. Wei Qiming provides them with instruments and venues to use for entertainment.”

The officers’ expressions immediately turned serious.

Wei Qiming burst out: “Xiao Yang, that’s just an ordinary group chat — you’re in it too, aren’t you?”

Ji Yang gave a cold laugh.

That group was a hunt circle aimed at “Ji Yang.”

A bunch of people who flattered him to his face while secretly egging each other on behind his back, just waiting to watch him make a fool of himself.

As Ji Yang’s upper body was nearly pressed against the other man’s waist, he noticed the hand restraining him had loosened. Ji Yang sat up straight, rubbed his own wrists, and tilted his head back to look up at Nie Xu.

In the end, this person belongs to someone else — gotta play nice.

His gaze was directed at Nie Xu, but his words were addressed to the police: “Officers, my third brother is the epitome of gentle, well-mannered, with top-tier ability and character. I don’t care for him, and out of jealousy, I’ve done quite a few wrong things. But I can’t keep making the same mistakes. I’m willing to provide the group chat information, photos, videos — all the evidence. I ask that you please investigate thoroughly.”

The police were police after all, and they keenly sensed that this matter was probably far from simple.

But the difficulty of the investigation? And it involved one of Fanzhou’s prominent wealthy families?

The duty officer instinctively glanced toward Mr. Nie.

Ji Yang caught the officer’s gaze and, assuming they needed his cooperation, said with certainty: “He’s willing.”

Didn’t it say in the book — Nie Xu had an extraordinary indulgence when it came to anything related to Ji Chengyi.

And I’ve already said my piece.

Sure enough.

Nie Xu nodded at the duty officer: “Just follow standard procedure. If you need anything, speak up.”

Somehow those words sounded a bit strange, Ji Yang thought.

They emerged from the police station at one in the morning.

Another day had passed.

Ji Yang planted one foot on the ground and leaned against the car Nie Xu had driven over.

Not far away, still absolutely plastered, Peng Jiaying was jointly stuffed by his colleagues into a taxi that pulled up to the curb, still shouting something about “a deal’s a deal.” Pedestrians were few and far between on the road, making the night feel even more silent.

Jinzhou’s nights were like this too.

The company he’d signed with back then was right on the main road, and the manager who’d signed him was no less a character than Peng Jiaying.

Drunk, that man had dragged him onto the street and yelled: “You look like this — you’re gonna make me a fortune!”

“I’m gonna make something of myself!”

“Stuff all those bastards who looked down on me into the septic tank!”

They hadn’t had any money back then. There was a kind of carefree joy in being poor.

Ji Yang’s best quality was his strong adaptability and optimism.

When you’re broke, there’s a way to live when you’re broke. Now, with two million in monthly pocket money — even if things failed, at the very least he wouldn’t end up drinking the northwest wind on a curb with Peng Jiaying.

“Xiao Yang.” Wei Qiming stood off to the side, tugging at his collar in a disheveled state, a smile on his face that carried no clear meaning: “You really gave me quite the surprise tonight.”

“Don’t mention it.” Ji Yang rolled his eyes. “I said I’d give you a big gift. I hope you won’t be too exhausted keeping up with the police investigation from here on out.”

Wei Qiming took two steps closer.

“Why aren’t you listening anymore?” He said it as if talking to himself, his eyes fixed on the scratch on Ji Yang’s cheek, his hand reaching out to touch it.

Ji Yang couldn’t even be bothered to dodge.

He looked at the last person to emerge from the police station and said to Wei Qiming: “I advise you to retract those claws of yours. If I call out, he can tear your arm off — believe it or not?”

Wei Qiming pulled his hand back and touched the gauze on his forehead.

A cold laugh: “Ji Chengyi won’t give up trying to win him over so easily. After all, those two have years of childhood friendship and a life-saving debt between them. Given everything you’ve done over the past two years — keeping a man like that by your side, you don’t actually think you’ve won, do you?”

Ji Yang was thoroughly annoyed.

He flashed a fake smile at him.

“Realized you can’t use me anymore, so you want to piss me off instead?”

Wei Qiming shook his head: “I just suddenly feel you’re a lot more interesting than your third brother. I was blind before.”

Crazy.

“Brother Xu!” Ji Yang’s voice shot up suddenly. “Come quick! Help! There’s a pervert here!”

Wei Qiming’s face went black as the bottom of a wok — clearly he hadn’t expected this move at all.

He bundled his collar tighter, didn’t dare look back, and hurried away with his head down.

“Coward.” Ji Yang cursed.

It was as if he’d cursed out the original host’s grievances too.

Nie Xu was standing right behind him.

Ji Yang didn’t care that he’d overheard, and asked him: “All wrapped up?”

“Mm.” Nie Xu walked over, glanced in the direction Wei Qiming had left, then looked back. “What were you yelling about?”

Ji Yang said “oh,” then suddenly hugged himself: “My charm is too overwhelming — I’m afraid my virtue won’t survive.”

Nie Xu gave him a glance, seemingly a bit speechless, stepped past him and opened the rear car door on his own, ignoring him entirely.

Ji Yang tilted his head to look at the man, remembering the question he’d been waiting all day for an answer to, and asked him: “Jiang Lei’s okay, right?”

Nie Xu’s movements paused briefly.

He steadied himself with one hand on the car door, turned his head, and met his eyes.

“He’s fine,” Nie Xu said.

Ji Yang patted himself. “Good.”

The probability of getting his legs broken — reduced once more.

“What do you want?” Nie Xu asked.

Ji Yang blinked. “I love you and love what you love, I seek no reward.” Then he leaned in front of him: “Well? Moved?”

The late-night wind drifted in, carrying a hint of clear coolness. It gathered the faint traces of scent in the air, swirled them together, then dispersed them.

Nie Xu frowned slightly.

Changed the subject: “What got on you?”

What got on me? Ji Yang raised his own arm and sniffed: “Perfume? Must be Wei Qiming’s. Is it strong?”

Nie Xu shot him a sideways glance: “Like you’ve been rubbed up against by a feral dog in heat.”

Ji Yang was momentarily suffocated, torn between two thoughts — “I’m still too dirty” and “Is this man’s mouth really that venomous?”

Just then, he really couldn’t hold himself up anymore.

He raised his hand.

“So tired.”

“Carry me into the car.”

“That’s within the scope of your duties, isn’t it?”

And then get covered in this awful smell all over again.

Nie Xu looked at him, then swept his gaze over his leg.

He leaned in slightly.

Nodded for him to wrap his arms around his neck.

“Like this?” Ji Yang tentatively reached out.

Before he could even get his arms all the way around, he felt a hand clamp around his waist.

In the blink of an eye, he was seated inside the car. Ji Yang began a long, prolonged bout of questioning his entire existence.

This man saw right through my act, didn’t he!

Was I just carried in here one-handed?!

Was I?!