Chapter 69: Scheme 1 – The Fall of the Shipping Magnate’s Eldest Son…

Ming Jiayao left the sanatorium.

In a daze, he went straight to the night school.

He wanted to find Bai Yuanzhi.

Ah Wu and Ah Jiu were frantic, worried that Chen Shuojie might also be at the night school, waiting to catch Bai Yuanzhi.

They quickly contacted Ah Bin in private.

After quite a while, Ah Bin hurriedly returned the call:

【He’s not there, went home to visit his father】

Only then did Ah Wu and Ah Jiu breathe a sigh of relief.

Ming Jiayao stood blankly at the entrance of the night school.

It wasn’t until half past ten at night, after Bai Yuanzhi had finished all her classes, that she walked out of the night school, utterly exhausted—

And then, she saw Ming Jiayao.

Bai Yuanzhi was taken aback for a moment, then happily ran toward him. “A Yao!”

“Sister—”

Ming Jiayao called out softly to her, swaying as he tried to walk toward her.

Perhaps it was the relief of finally seeing Bai Yuanzhi that made him completely let go.

His legs gave way, and he slowly collapsed to the ground.

Bai Yuanzhi was startled. “A Yao!”

She rushed over to support him.

But Ming Jiayao was no longer the frail youth he once was.

Now, he stood at six feet tall.

Bai Yuanzhi simply couldn’t hold him up.

Ah Wu, hiding not far away, was itching to rush over and help Bai Yuanzhi.

Ah Jiu stopped him. “We can’t show ourselves!”

“Why not? Can’t you see Ah Zhi can’t support A Yao at all?”

“Are you stupid? Ah Zhi already finds the two of us familiar. If we show up now, won’t she become suspicious?”

“But—”

“No buts! Ah Zhi will figure something out!” Ah Jiu said urgently.

Yes, Bai Yuanzhi had already thought of a solution.

At this hour, it was just after the night school’s evening classes had ended.

Many students were streaming out of the night school.

Bai Yuanzhi called over a few classmates and asked for their help. They lifted Ming Jiayao and accompanied her to a nearby clinic.

Ah Wu and Ah Jiu finally relaxed.

“Ah Zhi is really reliable!”

“Exactly, much better than the old master…”

Meanwhile, Bai Yuanzhi anxiously asked the clinic doctor, “Doctor, what’s wrong with my friend?”

After examining Ming Jiayao, the doctor reassured her, “It’s nothing serious. Your friend is suffering from low blood sugar and hasn’t rested properly for a long time. To put it simply, he’s both exhausted and hungry… I’ll give him an IV drip with some glucose and vitamins, and he’ll be fine.”

Bai Yuanzhi felt relieved.

The IV would take at least two hours.

So she borrowed the clinic’s phone to call home, informing Zhou Sier of the situation and telling her not to worry.

Then, Bai Yuanzhi took out her textbooks and sat by Ming Jiayao’s hospital bed, reviewing the day’s lessons.

Ming Jiayao had a long and intricate dream.

In the dream, he lived in the United States with his parents.

His father, Ming Zhixuan, had not taken over the family business but had instead dedicated himself to scientific research.

His mother, Xu Wenli, had become a renowned lawyer in the United States.

He was the eldest son of his parents.

Below him were two younger brothers and a younger sister.

Ming Jiayao had a happy and perfect family.

His father was handsome and talented, his mother beautiful and wealthy.

His second and third brothers were twins.

One aspired to surpass their father and become the greatest scientist.

The other vowed to surpass their mother and become a judge in the United States Supreme Court…

His younger sister, from a very young age, showed talent in skiing and aspired to become a world-class skier.

In contrast, Ming Jiayao studied an ordinary business major.

Because of his affluent family background, he traveled around the world from a young age…

Until he turned twenty-four,

his grandfather in Hong Kong City fell ill. As the eldest son, who carried his parents’ high hopes, he felt duty-bound to return to Hong Kong City and take over the business empire left by his grandfather.

The elderly and frail grandfather lay on the hospital bed, holding his hand, and rambled on about the regrets he had harbored over the years.

“In recent years, I’ve been having nightmares.”

“I dreamt of the time just before you were born, when I tricked your father into returning from the United States to Hong Kong City and forced him to marry Xu Wenrui. Your father may seem gentle on the surface, but he’s actually very stubborn. He absolutely refused to marry your aunt. I tried to persuade him, saying it was just for show, but he still wouldn’t agree… In the end, he jumped from a building to escape, broke his leg, and struggled to drive away, only to get into a car accident. He ended up having his leg amputated and became a vegetable, never waking up again.”

“I also dreamt of your mother… After your father’s accident, she rushed back with you, who had just been born, intending to seek justice for your father. But unexpectedly, while trying to save Chen Shuojie… she passed away.”

“Jiayao, in the nightmare, I… I also wronged you in my efforts to train you into someone exceptional.”

“Thankfully… thankfully, it was all just a dream!”

The white-haired old man lying on the hospital bed said to Ming Jiayao with lingering fear, “Thankfully, I didn’t let the bodyguards stop your father back then. Although I was very angry at the time and really wanted to tie your father up and force him to marry your aunt… it felt as if someone was telling me that doing so would kill your father.”

“So I only talked to him but didn’t lock him up.”

“He went to the Xu Family that very day and laid everything out in the open. Although the Xu Family was furious, they still announced the cancellation of the wedding between your father and your aunt.”

“I originally thought that canceling the wedding just before it was to take place, especially as the groom’s family, would bring us scorn. But that fool Xu Wenrui forced her family to proceed with the wedding and insisted that Chen Shen replace your father as her groom!”

“At that time, your mother had just given birth to you. She made an overseas call to find out what had happened to your father… When she learned that she had already ‘married’ Chen Shen years earlier, she was furious.”

“She reached out to her alumni from Hong Kong schools, including those she studied with in the United States, asking them to help clarify the facts for her and your father. She also exposed that she had never actually married Chen Shen, stating that the marriage was invalid. She was single when she was dating your father, and your father had already canceled his engagement with Xu Wenrui before going abroad. Your father was also single when he pursued your mother…”

“Jiayao, it turns out your mother was so remarkable… Not only was she a renowned lawyer herself, but all her fellow apprentices, both male and female, were exceptional lawyers! The Xu Family and the Chen Family simply didn’t dare offend her!”

“At the time… I actually looked down on the way your father and mother fought back.”

“In my view, reasoning with people is the most foolish approach.”

“In Hong Kong City, foreigners call the shots, while for Chinese people… it’s all about whose fist is bigger.”

“But what I never expected was that the Xu Family and Chen Family would be steadily defeated under the combined assault of your father and mother.”

“Chen Shen admitted that the biological mother of his son Chen Shuojie was Xu Wenrui, and acknowledged that his marriage to Xu Wenli was invalid.”

“And the Xu Family was helpless against your father and mother’s attacks… It is said that Xu Wenrui’s British grandfather needed to seek help from your father’s mentor for some matter. And that matter, I heard, concerns the survival of the old British earl’s family…”

“Just like that, the Xu Family suffered a silent loss but dared not move against our Ming Family. So they redirected their anger toward the Chen Family… Xu Wenrui, due to her foolishness, lost the affection of her British earl elder and was abandoned by the Xu Family. The Chen Family, deprived of the Xu Family’s support, began to resent Xu Wenrui. Thus, Chen Shen repeatedly retaliated against Xu Wenrui through infidelity.”

“So it turns out—”

“There was no need for me to lift a finger; they collapsed on their own, hahahahaha!” Ming Jingxing burst into laughter.

In the dream, Ming Jiayao did not care much about his grandfather.

Having spent little time with his grandfather since childhood,

his feelings toward him were not deep.

His grandfather’s arrogance, stubbornness, and obstinacy meant nothing to him.

What can you do with an old man?

Listen more, humor him more, but don’t take it to heart.

And so,

in the dream, Ming Jiayao managed his grandfather’s company while spending his free time at the nursing home, listening to his grandfather’s ramblings…

Things were going fairly smoothly.

Yet Ming Jiayao gradually felt uneasy inside.

He didn’t know what was wrong, but his heart was filled with panic.

Until he seemed to hear a familiar female voice murmuring, “A Yao, A Yao…”

Ming Jiayao suddenly realized!

—That’s right, why is there no trace of Ah Zhi here?

Ming Jiayao grew anxious.

He inquired everywhere about Bai Yuanzhi’s whereabouts.

But no one like Bai Yuanzhi had ever appeared around Zhou Weihao,

and Chen Shuojie’s first love was not Bai Yuanzhi either.

Even…

the Hong Kong University prodigy Zhou Sier had already passed away many years ago!

Ming Jiayao had no choice but to follow the clue of Zhou Sier’s mother, Zhou Xiangmei.

He couldn’t… find any trace of Zhou Xiangmei having a niece or a relative named Bai Yuanzhi.

Ming Jiayao grew frantic and couldn’t help but cry out anxiously:

“Sister! Where’s sister? Ah Zhi… Bai Yuanzhi!”

Someone gently nudged him. “I’m right here!”

Ming Jiayao opened his eyes.

Bai Yuanzhi stood gracefully before him, leaning in close to his face.

“A Yao, why were you calling me? Did you have a nightmare?” Bai Yuanzhi asked curiously.

A Yao stared blankly at Bai Yuanzhi.

The girl before him was so beautiful it felt somewhat unfamiliar.

She wore no makeup, yet her features were exquisite and lovely,

her skin fair and delicate.

She looked at him curiously, blinking her eyes, her thick eyelashes fluttering…

After three seconds of stunned silence, A Yao suddenly sat up—

Bai Yuanzhi was startled!

She quickly leaned back,

avoiding a collision of their faces,

but their faces… were now infinitely close.

So close that A Yao could sense a faint electric current in the air,

so close that Bai Yuanzhi caught the faint scent of shampoo from the young man.

After a few seconds of inexplicable eye contact, both suddenly blushed furiously!

Bai Yuanzhi lowered her head,

while A Yao looked up at the sky.

A moment later—

Bai Yuanzhi stole a glance at A Yao,

only to find that A Yao was also secretly peeking at her…

Instantly, both flushed red again.

“Gurgle—”

A Yao’s stomach played a symphony of hunger.

He felt a bit embarrassed.

Bai Yuanzhi quickly brought over a bowl of congee. “Eat, eat!”

“What is this?”

“Salted bone mustard green congee!”

“You bought it?”

“How could I leave when I need to take care of you here? I paid a nurse to help me buy it. It’s still warm, so hurry up and eat.”

A Yao nodded obediently, lowered his head, and began eating the congee seriously.

The salted bone congee had been simmered until soft and smooth, exuding a rich aroma of bone marrow oil, complemented by the refreshing and slightly bitter taste of mustard greens.

It was perfect for soothing his hungry stomach and his sorrowful emotions.

As he finished the bowl, A Yao suddenly froze.

Seeing him motionless for a long time, Bai Yuanzhi called out softly, “A Yao, what’s wrong?”

A Yao didn’t speak or look up.

Tears fell plop-plop into the disposable bowl.

Seeing this, Bai Yuanzhi stopped asking.

She took the bowl from his hands, sat beside him, and pulled a handkerchief from her pocket, handing it to him.

A Yao let out a long sob, took her handkerchief, and wiped away his tears.

But soon, tears began to flow uncontrollably again…

After a long while, A Yao finally cried and told Bai Yuanzhi, “My grandpa is a lunatic!”

Bai Yuanzhi nodded repeatedly.

Yes, yes, yes—A Yao had mentioned that his grandfather was particularly biased toward his uncle and aunt…

“I just found out that my parents… didn’t have to die back then. It was all because of Grandpa’s arrogance!” A Yao accused. “He was practically insane!”

Bai Yuanzhi: ???

A Yao continued, “And my uncle and aunt… they’re practically half murderers!”

Bai Yuanzhi: !!!

“But in the end, my parents’ deaths were just a tragic combination of accidents!” A Yao said sadly. “Sister, my heart hurts so much! I can’t even take revenge openly!”

Bai Yuanzhi sighed, thinking to herself, so that’s how it was.

As A Yao spoke, he tilted sideways and fell asleep on the hospital bed again.

Bai Yuanzhi: …

Her first thought was—had he fainted again?

Until she heard the soft snoring coming from A Yao.

After observing for a moment,

Bai Yuanzhi confirmed that he was truly asleep and finally relaxed.

As the night deepened, Bai Yuanzhi also leaned over the hospital bed and fell into a deep sleep.

So she didn’t know,

That just before dawn, Ming Jiayao woke up.

He turned his head and quietly watched Bai Yuanzhi, who was resting her head beside his bed.

After crying in front of her and sleeping for a while, all his negative emotions had completely vanished.

Looking at her peaceful sleeping face, Ming Jiayao felt deeply guilty.

This guilt manifested in the realization that he seemed to have been constantly seeking emotional support from her, while he, from start to finish, had never given her anything in return.

“Sister, how can I ever repay you?” Ming Jiayao murmured softly.

As dawn began to break,

Ming Jiayao saw Ah Wu peeking his head through the door of the examination room…

Ming Jiayao immediately raised a finger to his lips, signaling Ah Wu to stay quiet so as not to wake Bai Yuanzhi.

Ah Wu understood and extended two fingers, making a “let’s go” gesture toward Ming Jiayao.

Ming Jiayao nodded.

He lowered his head, gazing at Bai Yuanzhi with reluctance for a while, before finally slipping away quietly.

After getting into the car, Ah Wu reported softly to Ming Jiayao, “Young Master, I’ve already followed your instructions and published the news of the gentleman’s passing in the newspaper.”

Ming Jiayao nodded.

He hadn’t discussed this matter with Ming Jingxing beforehand.

So—

He couldn’t imagine how shocked Ming Jingxing and Liu Rong would be when they found out.

Ming Jiayao closed his eyes slightly and smiled.

He suddenly became very curious,

wondering what Ming Jingxing and Liu Rong would feel when they saw the obituary in the newspaper.

Then—

Ming Jiayao suddenly remembered the dream he had while receiving the IV drip at the clinic.

If Ming Zhixuan had been lucky back then and hadn’t injured his leg when jumping from the second floor;

If Xu Wenli had turned a blind eye to Chen Shuojie’s life or death at that time…

Would everything have been different?

Then he might have had healthy and upright parents, and perhaps even a few mischievous but loving and close siblings.

Thinking this, the emotions that Bai Yuanzhi had soothed earlier began to churn wildly in Ming Jiayao’s heart once more.

He also thought that the dream he had just now, beautiful as it was,

was probably something Ming Jingxing would have preferred!

Unfortunately—

He likely wouldn’t have many happy days left.

Ming Jiayao sneered coldly.

Early the next morning, when Bai Yuanzhi woke up, she found a thin blanket covering her, and A Yao was nowhere to be seen.

A note was left on the hospital bed:

[Sister, I have something urgent to attend to and must leave first. I’ll come find you again after this busy period. Take care of yourself.]

Bai Yuanzhi sighed deeply.

When she returned home, Zhou Sier complained to her, “Why does your friend always make you go out in the middle of the night?”

Bai Yuanzhi explained, “He probably ran into some trouble…”

Then she briefly mentioned how A Yao had fainted on the street yesterday, and the doctor said it was due to low blood sugar and exhaustion.

Zhou Sier didn’t press further, only saying, “Try not to go out too late in the future. It’s mainly because it’s unsafe outside.”

Bai Yuanzhi nodded repeatedly.

Zhou Sier then invited her to have breakfast. “Sister Cai brought breakfast over and said Mr. Chen might be very busy these days and won’t have time to come… She said if you want to eat anything, you can make a list for her.”

Bai Yuanzhi was taken aback.

She thought to herself, how come A Yao said he would be busy during this period, and Chen Shuojie also said he was busy?

…Could it be a coincidence?

But upon further thought, it seemed unlikely.

Zhou Sier handed a newspaper to Bai Yuanzhi. “Here, this is probably why Mr. Chen is busy too.”

Bai Yuanzhi took the newspaper and saw the headline on the front page of Qingping Daily:

[Shipping Magnate’s Eldest Son Passed Away Yesterday, Leaving Old Father and Young Son Heartbroken]

Bai Yuanzhi suddenly understood!

Her first thought was: Isn’t the shipping magnate’s son Ming Zhixuan?

Ming Zhixuan is dead?

Right, right, Ming Zhixuan is Chen Shuojie’s uncle by marriage,

so no wonder.

With his uncle’s passing, it’s only natural for Chen Shuojie, as a relative, to help out and accompany the elderly and elders.

Hmm?

Wait,

Isn’t it said that shipping magnate Ming Jingxing only has one son?

So…

How does the Ming Family have an eldest son?

And, Ming Zhixuan died of illness?

I never heard that Ming Zhixuan had any underlying health issues!

“Ah Zhi, tell me, where did the shipping magnate’s eldest and second sons come from?” Zhou Sier had already voiced the question, “And, Hong Kong City’s paparazzi are so formidable, if the shipping magnate’s only son had contracted some serious illness, there would surely have been rumors long ago… How could he suddenly be declared deceased out of nowhere? What illness could be so severe?”

Then Zhou Sier answered her own question, “Maybe the shipping magnate has illegitimate children! With the eldest son gone, what if another illegitimate child appears?”

After a pause, Zhou Sier continued, “If it wasn’t a car accident or a snakebite, there aren’t many acute illnesses that can kill a person. By my count, Ming Zhixuan should only be in his early forties, unlikely to suffer from a fatal acute disease…”

Bai Yuanzhi, “Are you suggesting a feud among brothers over the inheritance?”

Zhou Sier shrugged, “Who knows with the affairs of the wealthy…”

In the following days,

Bai Yuanzhi and her elder sister lived a very peaceful life.

With the Spring Festival approaching, the streets and alleys of Hong Kong City were increasingly filled with the festive atmosphere.

The sisters discussed how to celebrate the New Year.

Bai Yuanzhi asked her elder sister, “…How did you celebrate the New Year in Hong Kong City before?”

Zhou Sier smiled, “In the past, I…”

At this point, her smile slowly froze.

After a long while, Zhou Sier’s mood turned somewhat somber, “In the past, I always celebrated the New Year with Luo Jiaojiao.”

“I had no home to speak of, and I didn’t want to go to Mom’s place. She was afraid I’d visit, worried that Wu Hao and Wu Jiayin would think I was there to take advantage… Plus, Li Yongzhen was always making snide remarks, so I couldn’t be bothered. Usually, I’d just bring some gifts, sit at her place for a few minutes, and leave.”

“As for Luo Jiaojiao, she had a home but couldn’t return to it, she…”

Just as she said this, Zhou Sier paused again, forcing a smile, “Forget it, why bring her up now!”

Zhou Sier changed the subject, “Ah Zhi, let’s celebrate the New Year together this year!”

Bai Yuanzhi nodded repeatedly.

She was also looking forward to celebrating the New Year with her elder sister.

However, studying Bai Yuanzhi’s expression, Zhou Sier hesitantly asked, “Ah Zhi, during the New Year… should we, should we bring Zhaoer out to celebrate with us?”

“After the New Year, we can send her back to Kwai Chung Girls’ High School, okay?”

“Mainly… I haven’t seen her in years,” Zhou Sier said softly.

Bai Yuanzhi firmly refused, “No! It’s easier to invite a god than to send one away!”

She advised Zhou Sier, “If you really want to see her, why don’t we buy some things and send them to Kwai Chung Girls’ High School for her?”

After being rejected, Zhou Sier initially felt upset, but hearing Bai Yuanzhi’s suggestion, she brightened up, “That’s right! Why didn’t I think of visiting her at Kwai Chung Girls’ High School! Okay, then we… let’s do that!”

Next, the sisters discussed what to buy for the New Year, how to decorate the house, what preparations to make for visiting Zhou Zhaoer at Kwai Chung Girls’ High School, and how to deal with Zhou Xiangmei during the New Year…

Before they could finalize their plans,

suddenly—

“Ding-dong! Ding-dong!”

Someone rang the doorbell.

Bai Yuanzhi and Zhou Sier didn’t think much of it,

since Sister Cai also lived on the same floor and often came over to deliver food and supplies…

So Bai Yuanzhi didn’t overthink it either, calling out “Coming!” before going to open the door.

But—

The visitor wasn’t Sister Cai, but a heavily made-up young woman!

The woman’s clothing was a complete mess—she wore a loose men’s shirt on top, jeans on the bottom, and over it all, a sequined spaghetti-strap dress… which she had put on backward!

Moreover, her heavy makeup was smeared all over her face. Black mascara was smudged under her eyes, lipstick was smeared around her mouth, and her face was powdered ghostly white, making her look especially like a female ghost!

 

She barged right past Bai Yuanzhi, scrambling frantically into Bai Yuanzhi’s home while screaming at the top of her lungs, “Sier! Sier, save me…”

Bai Yuanzhi was stunned, Zhou Sier was dumbfounded!

For a moment,

the two sisters couldn’t recognize who this person was.

They only felt that the woman’s voice sounded terribly familiar.