Chapter 1 – 001

In a dimly lit room, a thrilling escape scene was unfolding on the game screen projected on the wall. The surging water was rising rapidly, and the glowing game character was constantly jumping upwards to escape the pursuing waves.

Gu Xian was staring at the projection, focused intently as he pressed the controller buttons with sharp, decisive clicks.

Buzz!

The phone placed next to him suddenly vibrated. Gu Xian’s fingers twitched, causing the game character’s previously perfect and smooth trajectory to deviate.

The “click click” sound of the buttons became even more urgent as Gu Xian held his breath, concentrating hard to recover from the mistake.

However, the phone, which had buzzed once, didn’t stop. After a moment of silence, it vibrated again, continuously and with increasing intensity, shifting its position noticeably.

The persistent buzzing seemed almost fatal. Gu Xian tried his best to ignore it, his expression becoming more and more grim, but he couldn’t withstand the interference.

The game character fell into the rising water, screaming before being sent back to the save point.

What was supposed to be an attempt to set a new record ended in failure.

Gu Xian threw the controller aside, took a deep breath, and picked up his phone. The vibrations were from an insistently incoming voice call.

Without hesitation, Gu Xian chose to reject the call and glanced at the message that had started the vibrating.

Muzi Qiu: Brother Xian!!! Something big happened! Extremely urgent!

Gu Xian raised his eyebrow slightly.

Your Brother Xian: It better be.

Your Brother Xian: Or I’ll come to your house tonight and deal with you. [knife]

Muzi Qiu: [terrified] [terrified] [terrified]

Your Brother Xian: Spit it out.

Muzi Qiu: [sweating]

Muzi Qiu: Xie Yunjing is getting engaged!!!

Your Brother Xian: That’s it?

Though he and Xie Yunjing had been at odds since childhood, bickering every time they met, Gu Xian was a carefree second-generation heir, while Xie Yunjing was a steady and diligent young elite. Once they left the school, the compulsory competitive battleground, their paths inevitably diverged, growing further apart until there was no more contact.

In recent years, he and Xie Yunjing had barely seen each other, let alone bickered. It wasn’t like Xie Yunjing had stolen his wife; whether or not he got engaged was hardly an urgent matter.

The game Gu Xian was playing was quite challenging, with setting a new record being even harder. Every opportunity was precious.

Your Brother Xian: How is this my business?

Your Brother Xian: Prepare to have your neck washed and ready.

Muzi Qiu: No no no no no! Let me explain!!!

Muzi Qiu: A friend of mine needs your help!

Your Brother Xian: [Is this friend actually you.jpg]

Your Brother Xian: Is Xie Yunjing getting engaged to the person you have a crush on?

Muzi Qiu: It’s truly someone else’s matter! It’s Zhang Hejie; his girlfriend Tao Ranran is getting engaged to Xie Yunjing!

Your Brother Xian: Zhang Hejie? That guy who grovels at Xie Yunjing’s feet but looks down his nose at me? So you and he are friends, Li Yuqiu?

Muzi Qiu: [sweat] [sweat] [sweat]

Muzi Qiu: Mainly, our families have a lot of business dealings, so it’s inevitable we intersect… But rest assured, Brother Xian! My loyalty to you is as clear as day and night, heaven and earth. I will always be your most adorable Qiu Qiu!

Your Brother Xian: [vomit] Stop disgusting me.

Gu Xian lost interest.

Your Brother Xian: So what? Are you asking me to help him snatch his girlfriend back? Why doesn’t he do it himself?

Muzi Qiu: He and Tao Ranran have tried to resist several times, but they always failed. Tao Ranran has been locked up by her family, and they can’t contact her at all. Besides, among our generation, only you, Brother Xian, can stand up to Xie Yunjing head-on…

Gu Xian’s face, filled with impatience and annoyance, finally showed a hint of interest. He chuckled.

Your Brother Xian: [smile]

Muzi Qiu: Zhang Hejie said he would give you three million if you can make this happen. That’s all he can muster up.

Zhang Hejie was, of course, also a second-generation rich kid, but family money was family money. Zhang Hejie couldn’t just take out seven or eight figures on a whim. In terms of personal assets, three million was already quite substantial.

Your Brother Xian: Who cares about that paltry sum.

Muzi Qiu: Uh… So does that mean you’ll help or not?

Gu Xian crossed his legs, tapping his foot as he typed.

Your Brother Xian: Tell Zhang Hejie I want a stake in that West City project. If he can negotiate it, then add me as a friend. If not, then forget it.

Muzi Qiu: !!!

Gu Xian soon received a friend request from Zhang Hejie.

The engagement party was tonight, no wonder Zhang Hejie was desperate enough to seek his help.

Li Yuqiu suddenly sent another message.

Muzi Qiu: Brother, did you settle things with Zhang Hejie? If you did, can you include me in that West City project?

Zhang Hejie was truly desperate, and it didn’t take much for Gu Xian to finalize the terms with him.

Your Brother Xian: What, didn’t your good friend share a piece of the pie with you?

Muzi Qiu: The West City project is being fought over by a bunch of old guys, there’s no way it’ll come to me. Although it’s led by the Zhang family, even Zhang Hejie doesn’t have full control over it.

Your Brother Xian: And I can control it?

Muzi Qiu: Well, you’re different from others, Brother Xian!

Muzi Qiu: [massaging the boss’s shoulders.gif]

Your Brother Xian: Alright, get ready to go.

Muzi Qiu: For what?

As Gu Xian stood up, he brushed aside his bangs and tied up his hair.

Your Brother Xian: Come pick me up.

*

Daishan Villa, the place where the Xie family entertains guests.

The engagement banquet of the Xie family heir brought uncharacteristic liveliness to the once-tranquil courtyard. The trees in the courtyard, adorned with starlike colorful lights, shimmered with brilliance.

Elegantly dressed guests streamed through the gates in an endless flow, guided by attendants and the glow of the lights toward the banquet hall.

Gu Xian had changed into a suit, clearly intending to cause trouble, yet brazenly mingled with the guests. His impressive height and long legs caught the eyes of many women.

Li Yuqiu and Zhang Hejie followed nervously, fearing that a group of security guards might suddenly swarm and beat them out of the villa.

Gu Xian swaggered into the hall, selected a drink after some picky deliberation, and finally settled quietly into a corner.

Sipping his drink leisurely, his dark eyes reflected the opulent splendor of the hall. He looked as if he were genuinely a guest there to offer his blessings.

Li Yuqiu managed to mimic his behavior, but Zhang Hejie, unable to savor the fine wine as he should, gulped it down in a few large sips and impatiently urged, “Gu Xian, shouldn’t we hurry to find Ranran?”

Gu Xian glanced at him casually, “Do you know where Tao Ranran is?”

Zhang Hejie’s face stiffened slightly. “That’s why we need to act quickly. The Xie family is everywhere. If we wait for Ranran to come out, it’ll be impossible to make a move!”

“This villa, excluding the basement, has five floors, with at least twenty rooms per floor. If you’re not afraid of missing Tao Ranran or being spotted and thrown out for suspicious behavior…” Gu Xian smiled, “then go ahead.”

Gu Xian’s casual tone immediately triggered Zhang Hejie’s anxiety and suspicion.

“Gu Xian! Are you messing with me?!”

Unfazed, Gu Xian averted his gaze. Zhang Hejie controlled himself, swallowing his anger, and said, “I know I was wrong before. I shouldn’t have said those things about you, but I really need your help this time. You know this villa so well, you must know where they’ve kept Ranran. Please, take me…”

“Shh.”

“Shh—” Gu Xian interrupted Zhang Hejie, placing a finger on his lips. “Everyone can hear you.”

Zhang Hejie had raised his voice, and indeed, some people nearby were glancing in their direction. He lowered his voice, “Gu Xian…”

“Don’t rush,” Gu Xian interrupted again, swirling the wine in his glass. “There aren’t enough people yet. Let’s wait a bit longer.”

Li Yuqiu tugged at Zhang Hejie and gave him a meaningful look, which finally restrained Zhang Hejie’s urge to press further.

The hall grew increasingly crowded, with attendants bustling about, busier than ever tending to guests from all directions.

Zhang Hejie knew it was better to follow Gu Xian, who was familiar with the villa, rather than search aimlessly on his own. However, seeing fewer and fewer guests arriving from outside, he grew increasingly anxious.

“Gu Xian, you…”

It was already humiliating enough to ask for help from someone he had always looked down on, and Gu Xian’s indifferent attitude only fueled his frustration. But for the sake of the girl he loved, he forced down his anger and asked in a controlled tone, “How do you know so much about this villa?”

Gu Xian’s smile became more playful as he observed the hall. “Played hide and seek a few times.”

“Hide and seek?” Zhang Hejie had hoped for some useful information so he could act on his own, but Gu Xian’s response left him confused.

“Let’s go,” Gu Xian suddenly put down his wine glass and took a few steps before looking back at Zhang Hejie. “What are you dawdling for?”

Who’s the one dawdling here!

Zhang Hejie gritted his teeth in frustration but, needing help, quickly put down his glass and followed.

The villa’s third floor and above were guest rooms and private areas for the Xie family. Both members of the engaged couple were upstairs preparing, so to avoid any disturbances, the Xie family had stationed attendants by the staircases and elevators on the second floor. Only authorized family and friends could go up.

Upon reaching the second floor, Gu Xian led Zhang Hejie to a secluded terrace.

Zhang Hejie looked around the terrace, which was shielded by tall trees, and asked blankly, “Gu Xian, why did you bring me here?”

Gu Xian didn’t respond verbally but answered with his actions. He swiftly climbed over the terrace railing and stepped onto a sturdy tree branch.

Zhang Hejie’s expression turned completely dumbfounded as he watched Gu Xian unhesitatingly leap from the high branch to the third-floor terrace.

Gu Xian leaned out from the third-floor terrace, and casually waved, “What are you standing there for? Hurry up and come up.”

Li Yuqiu, not as shocked as Zhang Hejie, took a moment to recover. He glanced at the stunned Zhang Hejie and kindly suggested, “Hejie, you go up first. I’ll watch from down here.”

“But…” Zhang Hejie whispered, on the brink of collapse, “can’t you just pull us up since you’re already there?”

The branch they could step on from the second floor wasn’t the same as the one they needed to jump to reach the third-floor terrace. The branch leading to the third floor was still some distance from the terrace. The villa at Daishan Villa had floors over four meters high, so falling from such a height was no laughing matter.

“I can’t pull you up,” Gu Xian bent down, his face lit by the side light, making him look like a sinister prank-loving demon. “Or are you scared? Don’t tell me you’re worse than an eight-year-old.”

Zhang Hejie couldn’t understand what an eight-year-old had to do with this.

“Sigh, with such a small courage, no wonder your girlfriend wants to leave you…”

Gu Xian sighed leisurely, and Zhang Hejie gritted his teeth and, in the end, mimicked Gu Xian, jumping to the third-floor terrace.

With the jump as a prelude, it seemed less surprising when Gu Xian took out a hairpin and quickly unlocked the terrace door.

After entering the corridor, Zhang Hejie quickly became too preoccupied to continue paying attention to Gu Xian’s actions.

Gu Xian grabbed Zhang Hejie, who was trying to hasten his steps. “Where are you going?”

Zhang Hejie responded anxiously, “Didn’t you hear? That person just passed by and said they were going to deliver jewelry to Ranran. If we follow them, we can find her!”

Gu Xian tutted, “And what then? After you find Tao Ranran, you’ll elope, get caught, and have to crash the wedding again? Zhang Hejie, how many times do you think you can afford to squander three million?”

He scoffed and let go of Zhang Hejie, “Moreover, if the Xie family dared to host this engagement banquet, they must have already convinced Tao Ranran. Can you guarantee that once you find her, she’ll be willing to leave with you?”

Zhang Hejie’s expression went blank for a moment, his lips quivering. “I…”

Gu Xian patted his shoulder and said earnestly, “Young man, you need to solve the problem at its source, understand?”

Hope rekindled in Zhang Hejie’s eyes. “So…”

Gu Xian smiled, “So, we go find Xie Yunjing.”

Author’s Note: 

The tale of Gu Xian and Xie Yunjing: Life can be lost, but the game must not be lost—Hardcore Hide and Seek. 

Missing person returns _(:3JZ)_