Ji Nian stared at the words "please" on her phone, and the uneasy feeling in her chest grew stronger.
[Isn’t his birthday coming up soon? It’s not unusual for him to return to Country O. Maybe you should keep it a secret and surprise him for his birthday.]
An eighteen-year-old’s birthday surprise being the response from the person he secretly loves—how romantic.
Ji Nian ignored it and casually pulled up a short video clip of "Desperate Dad" on her phone, instantly capturing the system’s attention.
It was also her way of making it shut up.
"You really love watching this, huh? Even at a time like this."
Shen Qingtang, sitting across from her, chuckled when she saw Ji Nian suddenly playing the video.
Ji Nian forced a smile in response, but her mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Lu Jinghuai.
Judging by his tone, it seemed like he wouldn’t be back anytime soon.
In the afternoon, they visited the school Gu Xiuyuan would soon attend, accompanied by him.
The building was nothing short of dazzling—so extravagant that without a guide, they would’ve been completely lost. It was so massive that just when they thought they’d walked out, they realized they’d barely stepped inside.
Even with her mind elsewhere, Ji Nian found herself fascinated.
Until Gu Xiuyuan, hands in his pockets, casually remarked, "A five-billion-yuan building deserves the looks on your faces right now."
Shen Qingtang gasped softly. "Your school is that rich?"
Gu Xiuyuan’s gaze swept over the students rushing out of the building to their next class. "Three thousand yuan per failed subject. Guess where that five billion came from."
Ji Nian sucked in a breath, her expression instantly shifting to sympathy as she looked at the students.
Shen Qingtang patted Gu Xiuyuan’s shoulder. Though she wasn’t too worried about him, she still said, "We’ll come visit you often."
On the way back, Shen Qingtang chatted with Gu Xiuyuan about her grandparents’ plans to send her abroad as well.
Meanwhile, Ji Nian kept glancing at her phone.
The message she’d sent Lu Jinghuai earlier still showed as unread.
That was unusual.
Because no matter when she texted him, he always replied almost instantly.
"I’m going to grab some water from the vending machine. Wait for me here."
Ji Nian tapped Shen Qingtang’s shoulder and headed toward the machine.
Calculating the time, she figured Ji Tingzhou would be lounging on the couch with a face mask, binge-watching dramas. So she decisively called him.
He picked up almost immediately.
"Hey."
Ji Tingzhou’s voice came through the phone.
Hearing her father’s voice, Ji Nian’s previously unsettled emotions calmed slightly.
"Dad, what are you up to? Did you have dinner yet?"
She deliberately softened her tone, feigning concern.
There was a pause on the other end.
"Did someone see you dumping a body?"
Ji Nian: "……"
Of course this was how he’d respond.
She sighed. "…Has something happened in Country O?"
"Can you check for me?"
Only then did Ji Tingzhou seem mildly satisfied.
Waving off the servants—one brewing tea, the other massaging his legs with gloves—he asked, "Why the sudden interest in Country O?"
His reaction told her he didn’t know either.
That was rare.
Though Lu Jinghuai hadn’t said anything, Ji Nian trusted her instincts.
She explained briefly.
Most parents would dismiss it as childish exaggeration—a friend not replying leading to wild theories about disasters.
But Ji Tingzhou simply said, "I’ll have someone look into it."
Relieved, Ji Nian nodded. "Okay. If there’s any news, tell me right away."
Ji Tingzhou agreed.
Gu Xiuyuan’s place was spacious enough that Ji Nian and Shen Qingtang shared a room.
With Shen Qingtang already asleep, Ji Nian quietly grabbed her phone from the nightstand, dimmed the screen, and scrolled through news about Country O.
She focused on anything related to Lu Jinghuai.
But strangely, even the usually sharp-eyed public hadn’t noticed his return to Country O.
That was odd.
Finally figuring out her feelings for him, only for him to have problems—Ji Nian couldn’t help feeling frustrated.
Tch.
She really wanted to see his reaction when he got her answer.
...
After nearly four days at Gu Xiuyuan’s, the two returned home.
The moment Ji Nian stepped inside, she nearly collided with Zuo Yi, who was rushing over.
"Secretary Zuo."
She greeted him.
Zuo Yi lowered his voice. "Young Miss, something has happened in Country O."
His expression was uncharacteristically grave, his hair slightly disheveled from the wind.
"And it’s serious."
Ji Nian handed the souvenirs to a servant and quickly followed Zuo Yi’s hurried steps.
Ji Tingzhou sat in the study. Seeing Ji Nian return with Zuo Yi, he frowned at her sweat-drenched state and gestured for a servant to wipe her face. Another brought a plate of cheese pastries and iced milk with watermelon and jasmine.
Once the servants left, Zuo Yi wasted no time. "Master, Lu Zhi and Princess Feia have gone missing."
Ji Nian’s heart dropped.
Though classified, such news couldn’t stay hidden forever.
They’d encountered a disaster at sea—the entire ship vanished without a trace, as if swallowed by the ocean.
No leads.
No wonder Lu Jinghuai had returned to Country O so abruptly, with that tone…
Ji Nian pressed her lips together.
"Why were they at sea?"
Her mind raced with conspiracy theories.
Zuo Yi shook his head. "They set sail suddenly. No one knows why."
Ji Nian stood abruptly, silently pleading with Ji Tingzhou.
He didn’t even need to look to know what she wanted.
"Take more people with you."
Stopping her was pointless—she’d go anyway. Better to play the understanding adult now, so she’d at least feel secure.
Personally and professionally, he also hoped nothing had happened to that obnoxiously affectionate couple.
"What’s the young king’s response?"
Ji Tingzhou turned to Zuo Yi.
"Nothing yet."
But it was only a matter of time.
Ji Tingzhou’s expression darkened.
If Ji Nian was going to Country O, he wouldn’t just sit idle either.
"Contact them. I want to meet Ms. Li."
As he selected his outfit, his mind raced.
Whether accident or conspiracy, the situation wasn’t good.
Country O had held hostility toward China since Princess Feia’s father’s reign. After Lu Zhi married her, relations improved, and the two nations enjoyed a long period of warmth.
But if something happened to Princess Feia…
Things would take a turn for the worse.
