CHAPTER 26

Wen Yang was still in deep sleep the next morning when the system sounded an alarm by her ear.

System: Alert! Lin Minjing is up to something.

Startled, Wen Yang abruptly opened her eyes, but after three seconds of wakefulness, she lay back down.

She reached out her arm to grab the phone that had been charging on the desk overnight: “Speak.”

System: Lin Minjing has hidden the injured male lead.

Wen Yang: She still hasn’t given up? Just waiting for Qi Chen to lose his memory so she can get close to him again. Persistent and determined—why not put that effort into something worthwhile?

System: The host needs to find a way to rescue the male lead now.

Wen Yang: How am I supposed to do that? Aren’t you supposed to keep your plot in check?

The system muttered in a small voice: You already set a precedent for a chaotic storyline. Compared to that, this is nothing.

Wen Yang started searching for flight tickets on her phone: “Don’t think I didn’t hear that.”

The system immediately got to the point: You can fly over to the female lead’s side and help her personally.

Wen Yang: So, you want me to bring back Xiao Yan and Qi Chen, and that’s it?

The system clenched its teeth and nodded: Yes, as long as the transmigrator doesn’t cause any more trouble.

—

Xu Yi saw the message three hours later. By then, he had just finished back-to-back meetings that had carried over from the previous day. When he left the conference room, it was already close to the afternoon. He had intended to call Wen Yang but was pleasantly surprised to see a message from her on WeChat. However, when he opened it, he was informed that she was going abroad—to find Xiao Yan.

“Come back and help me keep an eye on the company.”

“Understood.”

Zhang Yuan sighed, touching the still-warm seat of the branch company’s general manager. He was destined to be a workhorse.

Xu Yi boarded his private jet and flew to F Country.

Xiao Yan. She went to find her husband. But what was her identity? Who was she really going to find?

Xu Yi clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white, his eyes filled with an unrelenting fierceness.

—

Wen Yang landed and called Xiao Yan to ask for her location before taking a car there.

F Country’s terrain was elevated, and though it was in the same hemisphere and season as A City, the temperature was lower. Wen Yang had rushed over without much preparation, bringing no luggage—just a single bag slung over her shoulder. Stepping out of the taxi in a thin jacket and jeans, she shivered as she stood before the house Xiao Yan had mentioned.

Xiao Yan had been searching non-stop for Qi Chen’s whereabouts since arriving in Liyin. Today marked the third day. When she heard that Wen Yang was coming, her first reaction was surprise. But after that, a faint warmth and gratitude filled her heart.

“Madam, are you certain this friend of yours is trustworthy?”

The man speaking was Li Xiao, Qi Chen’s close aide. He had been by Xiao Yan’s side these past few days, protecting her while dispatching people to search for Qi Chen.

Xiao Yan said, “She’s just an ordinary person.”

She understood his concerns. At the moment, the company was being stabilized by the old chairman—Qi Chen’s grandfather. The opposing forces couldn’t make any big moves for now. The top priority was finding Qi Chen without making any mistakes.

When Xiao Yan returned to her temporary residence in Liyin, she saw Wen Yang standing on the doorstep, lightly dressed and visibly cold. She hurried over.

“Have you been waiting long?”

As she spoke, she took out her keys and unlocked the door. “Come inside.”

Looking at the woman in front of her—clearly exhausted after just three days—Wen Yang spoke, “A friend of mine told me Qi Chen’s whereabouts. That’s why I came to find you.”

“Really?” Xiao Yan didn’t question what kind of friend could have such information. The moment she heard there was a lead on Qi Chen, excitement overtook her. “Then we—”

Wen Yang wasn’t one for delays. The sooner the job was done, the sooner she could relax. “Let’s go now.”

“Alright.”

Xiao Yan called Li Xiao, instructing him to send people over.

Li Xiao had barely driven far before receiving a call from the president’s wife, saying she had news of Qi Chen.

He was half skeptical as he turned the car around. When he arrived, he saw Xiao Yan and a stranger standing by the roadside.

Xiao Yan rushed forward, while Wen Yang followed at a steady pace.

Wen Yang: “I’m taking the front seat.”

Xiao Yan opened the back door and got in.

Fastening her seatbelt, Wen Yang suddenly thought of Xu Yi, her brows furrowing slightly. Pushing the thought aside, she looked straight ahead. “Go straight.”

The driver remained still. Wen Yang turned her head. “You don’t trust me, but there’s no need to risk Qi Chen’s life just to prove you’re right to be cautious. Right now, the only lead we have is mine.”

Xiao Yan rested a hand on the back of Wen Yang’s seat, her voice firm. “Li Xiao, finding him is the priority.”

After a few seconds of silence, the car started.

Wen Yang directed, “Turn left and keep going straight.”

Having waited outside earlier, her hands had turned icy cold. Now that she was inside the car, the warmth made her feel as though she had returned to A City’s climate.

The three of them drove for nearly two hours, arriving at a small town over 160 kilometers from the capital.

As they approached, they saw snow-capped mountains in the distance, lush forests, and white clouds drifting across the blue sky. The picturesque town resembled something out of a fairy tale—but hidden within it was a malicious woman who sought to ruin the fantasy.

Since it was off-season for tourism, the roads were clear, allowing the car to reach Wen Yang’s designated location without issue.

“Stop.”

“You two stay in the car. If something happens, I’ll call you up.”

Wen Yang adjusted her cap and put on sunglasses as a disguise. Then, with practiced ease, she strolled into the town’s clinic.

Li Xiao watched her slender figure disappear inside. She didn’t look like she could fight—he worried she might mess things up.

Following the system’s directions, Wen Yang took the stairs, turned a corner, and stopped in front of the last room in the second-floor corridor.

She pushed the door open.

Inside was just a single bed. A man lay on it, his head wrapped in bandages.

With a sigh, Wen Yang pulled out her phone.

“Second floor. Come in.”

Xiao Yan rushed into the clinic, with Li Xiao keeping a wary eye on their surroundings. The remaining bodyguards would follow the location he had sent.

Right now, his priority was to confirm whether the person inside was truly the president.

Striding forward, he caught up to Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan ran up the stairs, where Wen Yang was already waiting outside the ward. Seeing her frantic approach, Wen Yang raised a hand. “Here.”

Tears streamed down Xiao Yan’s face as she rushed over.

Behind Wen Yang, the door was open. Through her blurry vision, Xiao Yan peered inside.

Her steps became stiff, like a wind-up doll.

Seeing the frail-looking man on the hospital bed, Xiao Yan choked out, “Qi Chen—”

Wen Yang patted her shoulder. “We found him. No need to cry now.”

Just then, a faint creak came from outside. Wen Yang turned to look—Li Xiao had arrived at the door.

System: Lin Minjing saw you. She ran.

Li Xiao confirmed it was indeed the president and immediately called the bodyguards to escort him back to the country for treatment.

—

On the other side, Xu Yi’s plane had just landed. He stood there, uncertain of where to go—he had no idea where Wen Yang was. He wasn’t even sure if she had deceived him, if she had never gone to find Xiao Yan in the first place, if she had vanished once again.

Just then, his phone rang. Xu Yi took it out, momentarily in disbelief, his fingertips trembling.

“Xu Yi.”

His lips were dry, and the words in his throat rolled back and forth before he finally said, “You ran away again.”

“I didn’t. I’ll be back soon. You’ll see me when you get home tonight,” Wen Yang replied. Then, after a pause, she added, “Maybe a little later than you.”

“Can I see you now? I’m in Liyin.” Xu Yi didn’t want to hear her refusal.

“Are we leaving or not?” Li Xiao asked, noticing Wen Yang standing by the window, letting the cold wind blow against her. The back of her hand was already slightly reddened from the chill, yet she remained still.

Wen Yang’s thoughts weren’t interrupted by the voice calling her. She watched as a group of people carried Qi Chen away, with Xiao Yan staying closely by his side. Falling to the back, she trailed after them.

“Then wait for me for two hours. I’m heading to the airport now.” Wen Yang’s tone softened slightly—she had caught the tremor in Xu Yi’s voice.

Xu Yi said, “I’ll wait for you.”

Wen Yang reassured him, “You can wait with ease.”

A moment ago, Xu Yi had heard a man’s voice in the background. He asked, “Who was that?”

“I don’t know. Probably one of Qi Chen’s assistants.”

“Mm, you…”

Wen Yang waited for him to continue.

Xiao Yan approached and told her to take Li Xiao’s car back while she rode in a larger vehicle to stay with Qi Chen.

Wen Yang nodded in agreement, opened the car door, and sat in the back seat.

On the return journey, considering Qi Chen’s condition, they drove at a slower pace. Wen Yang held her phone the entire time without hanging up.

From the other end, Xu Yi would occasionally ask, “How much longer?”

“Qi Chen is injured. We’re driving slowly to accommodate him,” Wen Yang replied. “You’ll just have to wait patiently.”

Hearing her call Qi Chen’s name, Xu Yi felt a sour pang in his heart. “Forget booking a plane ticket. I’ll take you back.”

Wen Yang asked, “You have a private jet?”

Xu Yi answered, “A CEO’s standard equipment.”

Wen Yang chuckled but said nothing.

The journey took a total of three and a half hours. By the time they arrived at the capital’s airport in F Country, it was already night.

The night air was even colder. A sharp breeze carried the lingering chill of early spring. Wen Yang turned her head, searching for Xu Yi, when a suit jacket was draped over her shoulders. A warm hand took hers.

“I finally found you.”

Wen Yang couldn’t suppress the smile tugging at her lips any longer. She leaned her forehead against his chest and murmured, “Mm.”

Xu Yi was overjoyed. He hadn’t expected Wen Yang to let him hold her hand so obediently, let alone take the initiative to lean into him.

“Shall we go home?”

Wen Yang lifted her head and said, “Make room for two more on the plane.”

——

Qi Chen was carried onto Xu Yi’s private jet. Xiao Yan, filled with gratitude, turned to Wen Yang and said sincerely, “Wen Yang, I really don’t know how to thank you. You helped me find Qi Chen. Thank you.”

Wen Yang didn’t like excessive gratitude. Her indifferent nature quickly dispelled the sentimentality that made her uncomfortable. “It’s nothing. No need to thank me. Just remember to bring the baby back too.”

“How is the baby?” Xiao Yan finally had a moment to think about her son.

“He’s fine. A childcare expert has been taking care of him.”

Seeing that Xiao Yan was about to thank her again, Wen Yang promptly added, “Xu Yi found the childcare expert. It has nothing to do with me.”

Xiao Yan’s mind was in disarray, and she didn’t dwell on it. Seeing that Xu Yi was also present, she gave him a formal nod and said, “Thank you.”

Xu Yi didn’t hear her. His gaze was fixed on the unconscious Qi Chen. The thought that Wen Yang had once liked this man—who was now lying inside his private jet—left him stifled.

Once the plane landed, the Fu family’s patriarch secretly sent people to escort Qi Chen to a hospital.

Xiao Yan left the villa carrying Xiao Yusheng, kissing her precious son before taking him to see his father.

Wen Yang stretched lazily on the staircase. “What a busy day.”

The housekeeper had warmed up a meal for them, but Wen Yang barely took a few bites before losing her appetite.

Xu Yi kept placing food on her plate. Wen Yang nudged his arm and said, “I like shrimp.”

Xu Yi’s eyebrows lifted slightly, his eyes glinting with a satisfied smile. “Got it.”