— Wang Ziran's Recollection —
Amidst the jolting of the car, Wang Ziran slowly regained consciousness. He shook his head. Though still groggy, his eyes, forced open, allowed him to take in his surroundings.
A woman's voice came from across him. A buxom woman sat with her legs crossed, her high-slit skirt exposing her thigh.
Wang Ziran looked up, a vaguely familiar face appearing in his blurry vision.
Wang Ziran: "Are you... Lan Gongzi's boss lady?"
Sister Lan: "Young Master Wang, you have a good memory. I didn't expect such a minor figure like myself to be remembered by you."
Wang Ziran: "What happened to me? Where is this?"
Sister Lan: "You were kidnapped. I saved you."
Wang Ziran shifted his body, but he was still bound by hemp ropes and could barely move.
Wang Ziran: "Kidnapped?"
Sister Lan: "That's right. Jin Youli kidnapped you."
Wang Ziran: "Her? Why?"
Sister Lan: "According to her statement, she wanted to use you to threaten the Chairman to give the ten-billion project to Datong Group, the company managed by her brother."
Wang Ziran: "Where is she?"
Sister Lan pointed to the bodyguard beside Wang Ziran. The bodyguard then placed a phone in front of Wang Ziran, showing a video of Jin Youli confessing at the police station.
Wang Ziran: "Untie me! Didn't you save me?"
Sister Lan: "Yes, I saved you, but I didn't say I was going to release you."
Wang Ziran's consciousness finally returned. He looked around again. In a corner not too far away, several men in black stood, seemingly taking orders from Sister Lan.
Wang Ziran: "What do you want? I'm the Chairman's son!"
Sister Lan pouted. Truthfully, she didn't take this young man seriously at all.
After all, her interests had nothing to do with the Chairman, so naturally, she wouldn't try to appease and threaten him like Jin Youli.
Sister Lan: "It's nothing much, really. You just know things you shouldn't. I'm afraid if I were to open my mouth, it wouldn't be good for you and your father."
Wang Ziran: "What do you mean!"
Sister Lan: "Jin Youli kidnapped you, not because you used the Chairman's name to trick her into thinking you could help Datong get the ten-billion project?"
Wang Ziran: "I only said I would mention it to my father. I didn't promise to give it to her! Besides, she should know I don't have the ability to influence my father's decisions!"
Sister Lan: "That's true. But what if I said it was because you were jealous of Ou Yunchen, and coincidentally found out from Jin Youli that Ou Yunchen came from a bar..."
"So you used Jin Youli's mouth to spread rumors online, and in return, you'd help her get the ten-billion project. Tell me, is my interpretation also plausible?"
Wang Ziran suddenly became terrified. He never thought anyone would discover that he was the one manipulating the internet to slander Ou Yunchen!
He thought he could handle it cleanly through his father's connections, but it seemed he was exposed after all!
Sister Lan: "Looking at your expression, I guessed correctly. Good people shouldn't be wronged, and bad people shouldn't escape. Don't you agree?"
Wang Ziran: "No! Don't say anything! You can't let my dad know!!!"
Sister Lan seemed unmoved. Wang Ziran tried to stand up from his chair, but still bound by the ropes, he immediately tripped and fell to the ground.
He looked up at Sister Lan, who was sitting and looking down at him. He practically begged her not to tell the Chairman!
Wang Ziran: "Please, don't tell him. He'll beat me to death..."
Sister Lan stood up and walked over to Wang Ziran. She looked down at the man on the ground, then helped him up.
Sister Lan: "Since you're so afraid, don't do things you can't show your face for."
Wang Ziran: "I was wrong, I'll never dare to do it again!"
Sister Lan: "Silly child, you didn't do anything wrong!"
This left Wang Ziran completely bewildered. What was Sister Lan talking about?!
Sister Lan patted the dust off Wang Ziran.
Sister Lan: "How can you fight alone? To bring down someone like Ou Yunchen, you need me!"
Wang Ziran: "Auntie, you... what do you mean?"
Sister Lan: "Do you want to teach him a lesson?"
Wang Ziran nodded.
Sister Lan: "What a coincidence, I want to teach him a lesson too. To be honest, I can't stand looking at him!"
Wang Ziran: "Auntie..."
Sister Lan: "I'll help you, and you don't need to repay me anything. I just want to vent my anger."
Wang Ziran: "Really?"
Sister Lan: "Of course. We have a common goal, a common ene-my."
— End of Wang Ziran's Recollection —
***
Su Ruiyi squinted, staring intently at Wang Ziran.
Su Ruiyi: "Wang Ziran, are you hiding something from me?"
Wang Ziran snapped back to attention, hands casually stuffed in his pockets, replying as he walked, "No, I was just talking casually."
Su Ruiyi: "Really nothing? But you look like you're planning something!"
Wang Ziran: "Really nothing, what could I possibly plan?"
Su Ruiyi's eyes darted around. She believed that Wang Ziran, whom she had known since childhood, would never do anything to harm her. In fact, she thought the Wang Ziran before her was no different from the pure and naive傻小子 he used to be!
Wang Ziran: "Alright, let's go back."
Wang Ziran practically dodged Su Ruiyi's gaze the entire way. He wasn't without guilt, but he had to use evasion to conceal his inner unease.
Back in the living room, Mrs. Su was still chatting with the Chairman's wife. Wang Ziran, however, just wanted to leave quickly.
Wang Ziran: "Mom, it's getting late. Shouldn't we be heading back?"
At this moment, Su Ruiyi noticed that Wang Ziran was acting rather strange today!
If it were before, Wang Ziran, who could openly visit the Su family, would definitely stall for as long as possible. He'd wish he could live at the Su residence.
But just now, Wang Ziran had proactively suggested leaving!?
Mrs. Su: "So early? Stay a little longer."
Madam Chairman: "No, though Ziran has been discharged, the doctor advised him to rest more. It's good for him to go back early."
With that said, Wang Ziran immediately walked past Su Ruiyi, politely bid farewell to Mrs. Su and Xu Shuming, and didn't look at Su Ruiyi again until he got into the car.