Bian Yiqiu woke up in the hospital. Besides the overdose of sedatives, the worst injury was his hand, which had been shredded by shards of glass, leaving it bloody and mangled. The sharp edges had nearly pierced his entire palm. And to keep himself conscious, he’d clenched his fist tighter several times, causing even more cuts into the muscle tissue, leaving the doctor tasked with stitching him up almost at a loss on how to begin.

After Ke Mingxuan made sure Bian Yiqiu’s hand was stitched and bandaged, he stepped outside the room and called Li Ze, instructing him to go check on Ruan Chengjie at the winery.

Soon after, Zuo Cheng and He Xu arrived. Bian Yiqiu wasn’t in any life-threatening danger, and once the drug wore off, his strength would return quickly. Ke Mingxuan felt he had no reason or obligation to stay here. Regardless of whether Ruan Chengjie lived or died, a mountain of trouble was bound to follow, so he had to start preparing in advance. He simply exchanged a few words with Zuo Cheng and He Xu, grabbed his coat, and left. When Bian Yiqiu woke up the next morning and didn’t see him, he asked, “Where’s Ke Mingxuan?”

In the hospital room, aside from Zuo Cheng and He Xu, Ye Zhen and Meng Jianyu were also present. When they heard Bian Yiqiu’s question, each of them shared a subtle, indescribable expression.

Zuo Cheng answered bluntly, “He left.”

Bian Yiqiu ground his teeth. “Ran off pretty quick, didn’t he?”

He Xu smirked and asked, “Miss him already?”

“Oh, I definitely miss him,” Bian Yiqiu said, and just as everyone was stunned by his honesty, he added through gritted teeth, “I miss him so much I want to kill him.”

He Xu shook his head. “As a lawyer, I have to responsibly remind you that domestic violence won’t solve any of your problems…”

But before he could finish, he caught Bian Yiqiu’s cold, piercing stare, and He Xu quickly changed his tone. “So, uh… boss, are you hungry? I’ll go get you something to eat.”

“I don’t want to eat hospital food. Go handle my discharge.”

Getting himself hospitalized over a date was the most humiliating mistake he’d made in his thirty-two years of life. Was he supposed to lie around in the hospital for a few days over some minor injuries, just so everyone at Jiu’an could see how utterly ridiculous he looked?

He Xu didn’t dare delay and darted out of the room like a rabbit. Left in the room, Boss Bian shamelessly intimidated and threatened the remaining three, making it clear: they were not to breathe a word about this.

The three nodded vigorously, promising again and again that they wouldn’t speak a single word, not even if their lives depended on it.

Feeling satisfied, Bian Yiqiu closed his eyes to rest, savoring the name “Ke Mingxuan” on his lips, rolling it around over and over. If Ke Mingxuan were in front of him now, he didn’t doubt for a second that he’d lunge at him and bite him to death.

Although he’d been foolish enough to be blinded by Ruan Chengjie’s gentle and affectionate appearance, failing to see him for the hypocritical pervert he truly was, Bian Yiqiu had come to realize something. If it hadn’t been for those photos, would Ruan Chengjie even have shown any interest in him? In the end, the real culprit here was that bastard Ke Mingxuan, not Ruan Chengjie. Damn it—all those second-generation rich kids are bastards, not a single one of them worth a damn. And to think he’d even…

Bian Yiqiu suddenly opened his eyes, cutting off his own thoughts.

“Why is the discharge taking so long? Did He Xu drop dead downstairs or something?”

The others were taken aback by his sudden outburst. Ye Zhen, who had just unlocked her phone to check a few work emails, felt the need to speak up for poor Lawyer He. “He’s only been gone for less than ten minutes.”

With his injured right hand wrapped up like a clumsy bear paw, it really wasn’t convenient for him to go out and try to look cool. So, after being discharged, Bian Yiqiu obediently let Zuo Cheng take him back to Yuelu Villa. To avoid worrying Uncle Shi, he explained that he had accidentally tripped and knocked over a vase in the office, cutting his palm when he didn’t notice it pressing into the broken glass.

Of course, Uncle Shi didn’t believe his nonsense. Tripping in an office? Not exactly something a grown man would do. But he didn’t expose the lie; instead, he simply called a private doctor to come over and re-dress the wound. While checking the injury, the doctor surprisingly confirmed that Bian Yiqiu hadn’t lied, the wound was indeed from glass, though it was a particularly nasty one.

Bian Yiqiu looked at Uncle Shi with a satisfied grin. “See? I told you I wasn’t lying.”

Uncle Shi responded skeptically, “It doesn’t look like you pressed your hand on the glass. It looks more like you squeezed it in your palm.”

Bian Yiqiu let out a couple of dry laughs. “Why would I be gripping glass for no reason? It’s just that the vase shards were too sharp. Has Aunt Qin finished cooking yet? I’m starving.”

Aunt Qin heard his call and replied from the kitchen, “Almost ready! I made your favorite braised pig’s trotters, thought they might help your hand heal since they look alike.”

Bian Yiqiu’s expression became indescribable. Even Zuo Cheng, sitting beside him, couldn’t help the twitch at the corners of his mouth, struggling to suppress a laugh.

Bian Yiqiu covered his face in frustration.

Aunt Qin, are you seriously not messing with me right now?

His answer came in the form of the mouth-watering aroma drifting from the kitchen, warm and real. In that moment, he was suddenly grateful he hadn’t actually killed Ruan Chengjie in a fit of rage. If he had, he wouldn’t be sitting here so comfortably, waiting for dinner. Instead, he’d probably be on the run, hunted by both Huarui and the police.

Of course, at that moment, Bian Yiqiu never imagined that someday he would regret not driving that sharp shard of glass into Ruan Chengjie’s carotid artery.

One afternoon, a few days later, Bian Yiqiu had Zuo Cheng join him for a few rounds of billiards in the poolside game room, wanting to test how well his hand had recovered. Just as he was about to break the balls, his phone rang. It was Ye Zhen, her voice tense as she delivered shocking news: someone was manipulating Jiu’an’s stock price.

“Have you found out who’s behind this?”

“We’re investigating. So far, we’ve traced it to a fund company called Jinsheng, but their shareholders and background are clean, and there’s no connection to Jiu’an.”

“Continue investigating,” Bian Yiqiu said, about to hang up the phone. Then he thought for a moment and added, “Focus on checking whether Huarui has any connections to this company, not just the shareholders, but also the directors, supervisors, and even the creditors. Don’t miss anyone.”

“Huarui?” Ye Zhen sounded a bit surprised on the other end. Although she knew Bian Yiqiu had been injured during the date, she wasn’t clear on the cause or the details. Her memory still lingered on the stage when Ruan from Huarui was a friend of her boss. “I thought you’d suspect the Qian family.”

“The Qian family is a gangster. Stock price manipulation isn’t their strong suit. Longxing isn’t even listed; it’s just a money-laundering hub for Old Qian. They wouldn’t and couldn’t play such a high-level game.”

“Got it.”

Ye Zhen hung up the phone, and Bian Yiqiu furrowed his brows. Just as he was about to put his phone down, the ringtone rang urgently again.

This time, it was Meng Jianyu.

“Damn it! Our cargo ship was detained by customs again. They say our paperwork is incomplete and we’re suspected of smuggling…”

Bian Yiqiu picked up the phone and finished his sentence for him: “So, are your papers complete or not?”

“Hell, this is messed up. They really aren’t complete. The customs declaration doesn’t match the cargo on board, and the person responsible for the declaration has disappeared. I suspect they were either bribed or threatened and tampered with the documents.”

“I understand. Just take care of your business.”

“Is that all? Boss, this isn’t that simple. The customs declaration is indeed incorrect, and the customs anti-smuggling team has been here for a whole day. If they keep investigating, they’ll definitely find something, even if there’s nothing to find…”

“I made you the person in charge of Hongyuan, not so you could come running to me every time something happens.”

Meng Jianyu rubbed his nose as he held the phone: “…I was just hoping you could use your connections and ask Young Master Ke to say a few words for me.”

“I have no relationship with him. Meng Jianyu, do your job.” Bian Yiqiu rarely called him by his full name. When he did, it meant that the boss’s mood was likely not good.

Meng Jianyu could hear the coldness and anger in his tone. He quickly responded with three “yes”s, hurriedly ending the call to deal with the anti-smuggling team.

Zuo Cheng saw the dark expression on his face and knew that the phone call wasn’t bringing good news. The pool game was probably off, and judging by the look on Bian Yiqiu’s face, it was more likely they’d end up at the gym for a fight.

“What happened…”

Before Zuo Cheng could finish his question, Bian Yiqiu’s phone rang again. Despite his effort to stay calm, Zuo Cheng could still see the fury building up in Bian Yiqiu’s hand gripping the cue stick.

“If the load-bearing wall collapsed, go find the construction team, the architectural firm, and the suppliers. Why the hell do you come to me for something this small? What the hell do I pay you all for?!”

Although Zuo Cheng couldn’t hear what the person on the other end was saying, from Bian Yiqiu’s reaction, it was clear that the call was from the person responsible for the current hotel project.

“President Bian, President Bian…” The project manager spoke cautiously, his voice trembling. “It’s not a small matter. There’s been a death.”

“What did you say?” Bian Yiqiu’s gaze turned cold.

“When the load-bearing wall collapsed, a worker was trapped underneath. One died on the spot, and another died on the way to the hospital. There are also several others with serious injuries. Now there’s a crowd of reporters and family members outside…”

“Notify the PR department to handle the reporters, find a way to suppress the news. Calm the families of the deceased, and make sure things don’t escalate. I’ll be there immediately.”

Bian Yiqiu threw down the cue stick and, speaking as he walked, hurried toward the exit. Without a word, Zuo Cheng rushed ahead to the garage and started the car. By the time Bian Yiqiu got in, someone else had already taken over the call on the other end.

“He Xu, I don’t care what you’re doing right now. Get to 7-15 immediately. This second!”

That’s right—7-15, a plot of land on the eastern side of Z City, near the Ocean World. It’s a place with a stunning view, and due to its unique geographical location, convenient transportation, and the massive foot traffic from the Ocean World, it became a highly sought-after property by real estate and hotel groups. Back when Jiu’an outbid more than a dozen other companies, including Huarui, to acquire this land, they planned to build the most luxurious five-star hotel in the east. Everyone in the company had gotten used to calling this project 7-15.

There was no need for further investigation. Bian Yiqiu was already certain who was pulling the strings behind these series of events. He never expected that after tearing off that cultured, elegant facade, Ruan Chengjie would turn out to be so petty and vindictive, his true nature so detestable.

First it was Jiu’an’s stock price, then it was Hongyuan’s cargo ship, and now it’s the 7-15 project. Old scores and new ones were all coming for him at once.

Who said that Ruan Chengjie didn’t harbor resentment over losing the 7-15 plot? He just disguised it so well that it wasn’t apparent. This accident was definitely no coincidence, and the reason why the media arrived so quickly, claiming that no one was stirring the pot behind the scenes, only a fool would believe that.

By the time Bian Yiqiu arrived at the scene, He Xu had already beaten him there and was communicating with the families. Though Lawyer He wasn’t always the sharpest in his speech and actions, once he entered work mode, his skills as a top-tier lawyer certainly justified the sky-high consulting fees Bian Yiqiu paid him every year.

In order to keep him from becoming the focus of the reporters, the project manager directly escorted him into the temporary office from the other entrance. The construction team, the architectural firm, and the material suppliers had all arrived, and the three parties were each insisting on their own stance, arguing loudly.

The construction team said, “We just followed the design plans, it’s not our responsibility.”

The architectural firm, said, “All of our plans and data were thoroughly checked, there were no calculation errors. We’re not taking the blame for this.”

The material suppliers: “Our building materials are certified by the Quality Supervision Bureau, there’s absolutely no issue with the quality. The cause of the accident is definitely not the materials.”

All of them were claiming no fault, but the load-bearing wall had still collapsed, and not only that, it had killed people. On a small scale, this was an accident, but on a larger scale, it could turn into a criminal case. No one wanted to take the fall, and no one was willing to step forward and accept responsibility. Compensation for the families of the deceased and injured was a small matter, but ruining one’s reputation in the industry was a big issue, so no one was willing to back down.

Bian Yiqiu walked into the office, his cold, piercing gaze sweeping across everyone in the room. He didn’t say anything, just pulled out a chair and sat down. The message was clear: You can keep arguing, I’ll just listen.

Anyone who had worked with Jiu’an knew Bian Yiqiu’s background, and even those who didn’t know could tell just by his presence. The imposing aura that radiated from him made it clear enough.

The office, which had been full of noise, immediately fell silent.

Seeing that no one was speaking, Bian Yiqiu nodded slightly and finally broke the silence, his voice cold and calm, “You’re done arguing? Then let me say a few words.”

When he said “a few words,” he truly meant just that—two sentences, not a word more.

The first sentence: “Shifting blame won’t solve the problem since we’re all in the same boat, and if the cause of the accident can’t be identified, I’ll have you three share the responsibility.”

The second sentence was: “Continue discussing.”

Bian Yiqiu’s expression made it clear to them that he would follow through on his words.

A cleaned-up gangster is still a gangster.

There were no threats or intimidation, but the effect of those two sentences was immediate. The three parties instantly stopped arguing and began to seriously discuss solutions. They pulled out the design plans, scrutinizing them over and over again. They went through the construction plan, verifying every detail. They sent the materials to the quality inspection department for repeated testing and even went to the accident site to conduct a thorough and precise measurement of the collapsed load-bearing wall. Whether it was an accident or human error, there was no way it wouldn’t leave traces.

The public relations department had sent the reporters away and used various connections to suppress any potentially released information. He Xu had also calmed the agitated family members, settling the compensation matter. The situation had temporarily stabilized within controllable limits, giving Bian Yiqiu a brief moment to catch his breath.

Zuo Cheng drove him back to rest. On the way, he received a call from Ye Zhen, who reported that she had found a director at Jinsheng Securities with the surname Qu, who was also a shareholder in another financial company. The largest creditor of that company was Mu Yang Capital, a subsidiary of Huarui.

“I understand.” Bian Yiqiu rubbed his brow wearily, showing little reaction to the news Ye Zhen had uncovered. “Find a way to stabilize the stock price, and have someone contact Mr. Qu. If necessary, look into his home address and family members.”

“Understood.” Ye Zhen responded to the latter request with the familiarity of someone who had done it many times before.

He Xu asked, “Are you planning to target his family?”

“If it weren’t for Ruan Chengjie pushing things too far, I wouldn’t have considered going down this path again,” Bian Yiqiu said in a calm tone, with no discernible hint of emotion. “But I doubt it’ll yield any results. Since Ruan Chengjie went to such lengths to use Jinsheng to deal with Jiu’an, this Mr. Qu probably won’t be so easy to find a weakness in.”

As expected, ten minutes later, Ye Zhen’s call confirmed his suspicion. The director surnamed Qu’s parents had passed away long ago, and his wife had divorced him two years ago, taking their child abroad. He now lived alone, completely by himself.

This route was not going to work.

He Xu sighed, thinking that men who had experienced heartbreak were far more ruthless than women. Bian Yiqiu let out a cold laugh but didn’t respond. Only he knew that, as a control freak and a pervert, Ruan Chengjie had suffered a huge loss at his hands, losing both face and dignity. Now, that pervert was determined to regain his ground elsewhere.

He knew Ruan Chengjie wouldn’t let it go so easily, but he hadn’t expected the revenge to come so aggressively and abruptly, practically forcing him to reveal his trump cards.