When Xiang Wan carried her bass to school this morning, she happened to pass by Yang Xinyu’s classroom. Her bag was too small, so she had stuffed her team jersey in his care the day before.
That’s why she came to retrieve it from him this morning, but after scanning the room, she couldn’t find him.
A bit socially anxious and too shy to ask around about Yang Xinyu, she decided to come back after class.
But even after the first period ended, there was still no sign of him. Xiang Wan waited a while longer, but he never showed up.
Finally gathering her courage, she asked someone, only to be told that Yang Xinyu hadn’t come to school at all.
Realizing something was wrong, Xiang Wan took the elevator straight to Ji Nian.
"I’ve been messaging and calling him, but he’s not responding."
Ji Nian took two seconds to think before decisively calling Gu Xiuyuan, who had already gotten his driver’s license and owned a car.
Gu Xiuyuan was busy today, but upon seeing the call, he excused himself and stepped out to answer.
"What’s wrong?"
Ji Nian briefly explained the situation.
Hearing that Yang Xinyu was absent, Gu Xiuyuan’s expression darkened as if he’d realized something.
He’d been too preoccupied lately and had overlooked this matter.
"Wait for me at the school gate."
He hung up.
Shen Qingtang and Lu Jinghuai had gone to the stage area, with He Xiang tagging along to help.
Not wanting to alarm the others, Ji Nian turned to Xiang Wan. "Want to come with us?"
Xiang Wan nodded firmly.
"I might not be able to run too fast, but I won’t slow you down."
Ji Nian nodded. "Let’s go."
Even though it was an open day, students weren’t allowed to leave without reason. But the security guard, clearly having been informed beforehand, let Ji Nian and Xiang Wan pass without question.
Waiting for them at the school gate was an Audi A8, parked by the roadside with its turn signal blinking.
The window rolled down, revealing Gu Xiuyuan’s stern face in the driver’s seat.
"Get in."
Ji Nian pulled Xiang Wan into the car before circling around to the passenger seat.
After buckling up, Ji Nian asked, "Yang Xinyu’s house?"
Gu Xiuyuan smoothly reversed and turned the car around, hitting the gas.
"Yeah."
"Probably at his biological father’s place."
Sensing Ji Nian’s confusion, Gu Xiuyuan explained, "Yang Xinyu’s mother left him a sum of money before she passed, but he can’t access it until he turns eighteen."
"Originally, the old man didn’t know about it."
Ji Nian quickly caught on. "But in recent years, because they crossed me, their family business has been struggling."
Gu Xiuyuan tapped the steering wheel and added, "The old man refused to give up. He invested in a big project, pouring all his available funds into it."
Clearly, he failed.
In this desperate financial state, if he wanted to keep the company afloat, he needed a large sum to cover the deficit.
After racking his brain, he remembered his late wife, who came from a decent family background.
When money wasn’t tight, he hadn’t cared where her savings went. But now, in urgent need, he investigated—and discovered the money was with the son he’d long ignored.
Ji Nian’s lips twitched. "Yang Xinyu’s birthday is next week."
If his father didn’t act now, it’d be too late.
[Thought it was Yang Qicheng’s doing again.]
Soon, they arrived at Yang Xinyu’s biological father’s house.
"Who is it?"
A man’s voice, laced with wariness, came from inside.
Gu Xiuyuan replied calmly, "Mr. Yang, we’re from XXXX Bank."
The man’s tone brightened noticeably.
"You’re here already?"
The gate slowly opened, and the three walked in.
The interior was desolate, clearly neglected for a long time.
Then again, could Yang Xiong even afford hired help now?
Yang Xiong opened the door himself.
Expecting to see the bank manager, he instead took a brutal kick before he could even register the visitors, the impact making him feel like his organs had shifted.
Ji Nian slowly retracted her foot.
Beside her, Gu Xiuyuan remarked disdainfully, "You’ll dirty the soles of your shoes kicking him."
"Who the hell are you?! Who let you into my house? I’ll call the police!!"
Confirming he couldn’t get up, Ji Nian didn’t waste another second looking at him and headed upstairs.
Then she hesitated. "Which room would he be in?"
Xiang Wan shouted, "Yang Xinyu!!! Where are you?!"
No response came from the second floor. They moved to the third—still nothing.
Gu Xiuyuan frowned.
But Ji Nian had a sudden idea. "Is there a basement here?"
Gu Xiuyuan stroked his chin, his cold eyes lighting up. "Follow me."
Skeptical but intrigued, Ji Nian watched as Gu Xiuyuan actually located the basement near the garage.
Xiang Wan looked at him in awe. "...President, how are you so good at everything?"
Gu Xiuyuan didn’t respond.
But Ji Nian, seeing the stars in Xiang Wan’s eyes, didn’t hesitate to expose him. "Not everything."
"Our esteemed president has one thing he’s terrible at."
Gu Xiuyuan knew this wouldn’t be flattering.
Sure enough, Ji Nian drawled, "He can’t poop in a squat toilet."
Xiang Wan: "......"
No way.
Handsome guys aren’t supposed to poop or pee.
Gu Xiuyuan: My weakness has become my downfall.
Lifting the turf and opening the wooden hatch, they descended the stairs. Ji Nian poked Gu Xiuyuan. "How’d you know there was a basement here?"
Gu Xiuyuan swiftly grabbed her arm to stop her from missing a step, then glared. "Watch your step."
Only then did he leisurely reply, "Our family developed this property."
Ji Nian gave him a thumbs-up.
"Yang Xinyu!! Are you here?!"
Xiang Wan called out again, and this time, there was a response.
A weak, tearful voice answered, "Is someone there?"
"Yang Xinyu!!!"
Realizing he was here, they quickened their pace.
The basement was pitch-black, so Ji Nian turned on her phone’s flashlight, revealing a door.
"Don’t be scared, we’ll get you out now."
Yang Xinyu’s voice trembled with excitement. "Boss!"
Hearing him call her "boss" reassured Ji Nian. In such a dark, isolated place, she’d worried his condition might worsen.
"Step back."
Once Yang Xinyu was clear of the door, she motioned for Gu Xiuyuan and Xiang Wan to move aside. Ji Nian then delivered a series of forceful kicks to the door.
The wood dented but stubbornly refused to break.
Gu Xiuyuan shone his light on it and understood. "The material’s reinforced. Kicking it down won’t work—we need to break a hole in it."
But forcing a hole meant Ji Nian’s leg would get cut. Gu Xiuyuan hesitated.
Ji Nian noticed his concern and felt a warmth in her chest.
If her leg got injured, Ji Tingzhou and the others would never let her perform on stage while limping in pain—and she’d get an earful too.
Not ideal.
They were so close.
Wasn’t there something hard they could use as a weapon to smash the door?
Wait… something hard…
Ji Nian turned to look at Xiang Wan behind her.
Xiang Wan: "?"
Ji Nian’s eyes sparkled as she stared at—her leg.
The sleek mechanical limb glowed with colorful LED strips, dazzling in the darkness.
"Xiang Wan… is your leg, by any chance, sturdy?"
Upon hearing this, Xiang Wan immediately realized what she intended to do, her eyes lighting up with excitement. Her tone was even a little exhilarated as she said, "Sturdy, Ji Nian, sturdy."
As she spoke, she sat down without a care for the dirt and detached her own leg.
This prosthetic leg was her own design, upgraded every year with numerous functions. She had envisioned countless scenarios where it might come in handy, but those around her always treated her like fragile porcelain, never daring to mention the leg outright. As a result, none of the situations she imagined had ever come to pass.
With unwavering determination, Xiang Wan handed the leg to Ji Nian. "Don’t worry, smash away—it won’t break! I used special materials. It could even crush a man’s balls with ease."
The only man standing outside, Gu Xiuyuan: "……"
If not for his pride, he might have instinctively clenched his legs.
Ji Nian paused for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Got it."
"Yang Xinyu, you’d better thank Xiang Wan—well, her leg—properly once you’re out."
Inside the room, Yang Xinyu, hearing that the door wouldn’t budge, trembled, his lips quivering as he fought the urge to tell them to leave him be.
But then came Ji Nian’s teasing voice, and his tears turned into laughter.
Ji Nian swung Xiang Wan’s leg with such fierce momentum that even Gu Xiuyuan was left speechless. "……"
Xiang Wan gazed at Ji Nian with admiration.
The next second—BANG!—a tremendous force struck the already dented door, blasting a hole through it.
With every swing Ji Nian took, the hole grew larger and larger.
Light rushed in, illuminating Yang Xinyu, who was curled up in the corner, his face streaked with tears.
"Waaah— Boss! President! Xiang Wan!"
He scrambled forward on hands and knees before Ji Nian and Gu Xiuyuan each grabbed one of his arms and hauled him up.
"Let’s go, Yang Xinyu."
"Our stage is still waiting for you."
Ji Nian flashed him a smile.
