Meng Yingrong suddenly remembered—last week had been Meng Xuanyu’s birthday. Meng Xuanyu, ever the extravagant playboy, had thrown a lavish birthday party in Hai City before heading straight to the casinos in Macau, where he gambled away a fortune and landed himself in the current mess.
One son was out living it up, while the other lay in a hospital bed. The weight of it all pressed heavily on Meng Yingrong’s chest. After all, both were her flesh and blood. She might have her favorites, but how could she not care about her own son?
Her voice trembled slightly as she asked, "Why didn’t Yanci tell me?"
Assistant Sun’s expression remained cold. "Madam, perhaps you should ask yourself why Zhou Qingyu would rather inform his sister than you."
The words cut deep. Meng Yingrong clutched her chest, struggling to breathe. "How… how was his surgery? Did it go well?"
Assistant Sun had no intention of easing her guilt, but he couldn’t lie either. "The surgery was successful, thanks to Yan Xi. If she hadn’t insisted Zhou Yanci get a check-up, the tumor might not have been caught in time."
Meng Yingrong had once despised Yan Xi, seeing her as nothing more than a discarded daughter of a fallen family—unworthy of notice. But in this moment, she felt nothing but gratitude toward her.
After asking a few more questions about Zhou Yanci’s condition, Meng Yingrong left, her original purpose for coming to Zhou Corporation all but forgotten. Compared to matters of life and death, Meng Xuanyu’s reckless behavior seemed trivial.
Once she was gone, Assistant Sun returned to the CEO’s office.
"Mr. Zhou, your mother has left," he reported, pausing briefly. "I told her about your recent hospitalization. She seemed… remorseful."
Zhou Yanci responded with a noncommittal hum.
Meng Yingrong had already seen his wheelchair, and Assistant Sun had merely stated the facts. But Zhou Yanci was more preoccupied with another matter.
"If we don’t intervene this time, Meng Xuanyu won’t last long."
Assistant Sun nodded grimly. "He used Meng Corporation’s new product line as collateral for his loan sharks. That’s outright embezzlement. Once this blows up, he’s looking at jail time."
Zhou Yanci had already considered that.
Moreover, the counterfeit items exposed online so far didn’t include the pink diamond bracelet—meaning Yan Xi might still hand it over to the police.
The plummeting stock prices were just one part of her plan. From the moment she refused to return the bracelet to Zhou Yanci, she had no intention of letting Meng Xuanyu off the hook either.
Zhou Yanci didn’t fault her for it. But a cornered beast was dangerous. Right now, Meng Xuanyu didn’t know Yan Xi was behind this. If he found out, who knew what he might do?
His gaze darkened. "Assign someone to keep an eye on Meng Xuanyu."
"Understood."
---
Meng Yingrong returned to Meng Corporation in a daze.
The moment she stepped into her office, Meng Xuanyu rushed up to her. "Well? Did Zhou Yanci agree to help?"
The memory of Zhou Yanci’s illness still weighed heavily on her. "Yanci… has been too busy lately. He can’t assist us this time."
"Can’t help?!" Meng Xuanyu’s eyes bulged with fury. "Why the hell not? Isn’t he your son?!"
Meng Yingrong sighed. "He knows about our relationship now."
Meng Xuanyu froze, taking a step back. Then his face twisted with disdain. "So he’s refusing because of that? What a drama queen!"
"Enough!" Meng Yingrong snapped, her voice thick with pain.
Footsteps echoed outside before Meng Huaigu stormed in.
He slammed a tablet onto the desk and jabbed a finger at Meng Xuanyu. "Look what you’ve done! Selling counterfeits as genuine products? Are you trying to ruin Meng Corporation?!"
Meng Xuanyu shrank back. "Dad, I—I didn’t mean to! The loan sharks had knives to my throat! And I already asked Zhou Yanci for help, but he refused!"
Meng Huaigu frowned. "Yanci wouldn’t help?"
"Exactly!" Meng Xuanyu seized the chance to shift blame. "If he’d just stepped in, none of this would’ve happened!"
Meng Huaigu’s brow furrowed deeper. The scandal was spiraling, and he had hoped Zhou Yanci would intervene. But now… His gaze shifted to Meng Yingrong, who stood unusually silent.
"Yingrong, Yanci is your son. Talk to him!"
She shook her head. "Father, don’t force him."
"How is this forcing him?" Meng Huaigu ground his teeth. Meng Corporation was his life’s work—he wouldn’t let it crumble because of Meng Xuanyu’s idiocy. "Yanci is still a grandson of the Meng family. Is it too much to ask for his help?"
"Yanci is sick," Meng Yingrong said quietly. "Cancer. He just had surgery."
Meng Huaigu stiffened, stunned.
He knew better than anyone how terrified Meng Yingrong was of death. Meng Xuanyu’s father had died of cancer years ago. Just hearing the word made her tremble.
"If Yanci is ill… then we’ll have to find another way." Meng Huaigu turned back to Meng Xuanyu. "Issue a public apology, recall all defective products, and track down whoever leaked this!"
Meng Xuanyu nodded hastily. "Got it, Dad. I’ll handle it!"
After Meng Huaigu left, Meng Yingrong remained slumped in her chair, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes.
Meng Xuanyu, having just ordered the PR team to draft the apology, shot her an irritated look. "Stop crying. It’s not like he’s dead yet."
Meng Yingrong’s head snapped up. "Meng Xuanyu! How can you say such a thing?"
"What’s the big deal? He’s still alive and kicking! You can cry when he actually dies—"
SLAP!
Meng Yingrong’s palm struck his face with a sharp crack.
It was the first time she had ever hit him.
"Meng Xuanyu, he’s your brother!"
Meng Xuanyu clutched his stinging cheek, his eyes burning with resentment. "Yeah, Zhou Yanci’s my brother—my brother who won’t lift a finger to save me from getting destroyed! If he won’t help, then he might as well die!"
Meng Yingrong’s heart ached. "What’s happened to you? How many times has Yanci bailed you out? Just because he refused once, you’d wish him dead?"
Meng Xuanyu was beyond caring.
He had thought replacing genuine products with fakes would be a temporary fix—until his lawyer informed him that the amount involved could land him in prison.
With his freedom at stake, why should he give a damn about Zhou Yanci?
Seeing Meng Yingrong still fixated on Zhou Yanci, Meng Xuanyu spat in disgust and stormed out of Meng Corporation without a backward glance.
---
Meanwhile—
At Fang Ruoran’s wedding.
Watching her nemesis and former blind date get together, Qu Yan felt incredibly awkward. To make matters worse, everyone around her was all smiles, showering the couple with blessings.
Fang Ruoran flaunted her diamond ring—practically the size of a pigeon egg—with no restraint. She had already spent the entire previous night showing it off at the Victoria Club, followed by seven or eight bragging posts on social media. Clearly, she was obsessed with that rock.
Fuming, Qu Yan blocked Fang Ruoran’s updates.
Out of sight, out of mind…
Out of sight, out of mind…
While the guests congratulated the newlyweds, Qu Yan idly scrolled through Weibo. The trending page was flooded with news about the M family.
Qu Yan narrowed her eyes.
Had something happened to the Mengs?
Good! She’d never liked Meng Yingrong anyway!
But as she read the online exposés, Qu Yan suddenly remembered the files she’d glimpsed on a tablet in Zhou Qingyu’s dressing room earlier.
There couldn’t be this many coincidences. Was Zhou Qingyu the one who leaked the scandal about the Mengs selling counterfeit goods?
Highly likely. Star Glory was an entertainment company, well-versed in manipulating public opinion. Besides, Zhou Qingyu had always despised Meng Yingrong—sabotaging her company was just par for the course.
The Mengs must be seething at the whistleblower right now.
A glint flashed in Qu Yan’s eyes as she texted her best friend: Do you have Meng Xuanyu’s contact info?
Her friend replied instantly: Yeah.
What, you wanna hit on the young master of the Meng family?
I mean, he’s hot and loaded—total lady-killer material. But he’s also a notorious playboy. Plus, the Mengs are in deep trouble right now. Don’t go stirring that pot!
Qu Yan: Relax, I’ve got zero interest in trash men. Just send me the number.
Minutes later, her friend forwarded Meng Xuanyu’s phone number. Qu Yan smirked triumphantly and immediately drafted a text:
I know who exposed the Meng family’s dirty secrets.
It was Yan Xi.
---
Yan Xi had been swamped lately.
After exposing Meng Xuanyu, she headed to SP’s filming site in the outskirts of Hai City.
For the Meng stock acquisition project, Star Glory was only responsible for the leak. Now that the internet was flooded with hate toward the Mengs, their stocks were bound to plummet when the market opened that evening. The actual stock purchases would be handled by Yu Xiao and Yao Chi.
Yan Xi trusted their competence—no need to worry.
Meanwhile, Chu Tingbai’s project was progressing smoothly. SP had secured a plot of land in the suburbs, repurposing a Zhou Corporation warehouse into a filming base for future variety shows. The site included dormitories, rehearsal rooms, and a performance stage.
Since it was a converted warehouse, the costs were kept low.
Chu Tingbai gave Yan Xi a tour of the nearly completed facility. The rooms had been painted, cameras installed in every functional space, and ventilation was underway while they recruited trainees and mentors. Recording would begin in two weeks.
“Isn’t two weeks too soon?” Yan Xi asked. “I’ve heard newly renovated spaces shouldn’t be occupied right away.”
Safety was her priority. If the show took off but was later derailed by a scandal, the losses would outweigh the gains.
Chu Tingbai reassured her, “We used eco-friendly paint. Two weeks of airing out is enough.”
After leaving the surveillance room, Chu Tingbai showed her around the perimeter. Yan Xi snapped a few photos absentmindedly—until she collided with a worker carrying a bucket of paint.
The thick liquid splashed across her clothes.
The worker panicked. “Director Yan! I didn’t see you there! Are you okay? I’m so sorry! It was an accident!”
Yan Xi stepped back. “It’s fine.”
Her outfit was ruined, sticky with paint.
Lin Zhi rushed over to help clean up.
Chu Tingbai suggested, “We have spare training uniforms here. Would you mind changing into one for now?”
While developing the site, Chu Tingbai had also commissioned designs for trainee and mentor outfits—both academic and sporty styles.
Yan Xi glanced at her paint-splattered clothes. “Guess I have no choice.”
Chu Tingbai handed her a women’s academic-style set. Yan Xi changed in the restroom.
Since most female celebrities wore size S, the uniforms were tailored accordingly—and they fit Yan Xi perfectly. The youthful outfit took years off her appearance.
“Director Yan, does it fit?” Chu Tingbai called from outside.
“Yeah,” Yan Xi replied, adjusting the collar. “It’s good.”
Just as she was about to leave, a strong hand suddenly grabbed her from behind. Yan Xi barely stifled a scream as her assailant—moving lightning-fast—clamped a sweet-smelling cloth over her mouth and nose.
The pungent, cloying scent flooded her senses.
She thrashed violently, but her limbs grew heavier by the second. She tried to scream, but the cloth muffled her voice.
Through the restroom’s one-way mirror, Yan Xi saw her attacker’s reflection—Meng Xuanyu.
Terror spiked through her. Her eyes widened in horror as Meng Xuanyu met her gaze in the mirror, his lips curling into a vicious smirk.
Within moments, Yan Xi’s body went limp. Darkness swallowed her.
---
Zhou Corporation
Assistant Sun burst into the office without knocking, his footsteps frantic.
“President Zhou! Emergency! Meng Xuanyu tracked Yan Xi down—he must know she was behind the leak!”
Zhou Yanci shot to his feet. “Where is she?”
“The SP filming site in the suburbs! Meng Xuanyu’s already on his way!”
Zhou Yanci’s face drained of color.
Yan Xi hadn’t just tanked the Mengs’ stocks—she’d destroyed Meng Xuanyu’s future. Worse, he knew she had the pink diamond bracelet. There was no way he’d let her go unscathed.
He should’ve warned her sooner.
Zhou Yanci stormed toward the underground garage, dialing Yan Xi’s number. But the remote warehouse had poor signal—all his calls went straight to voicemail.
“Have you reached Lin Zhi or the others?”
While Zhou Yanci tried Yan Xi, Assistant Sun contacted Lin Zhi.
“Chu Tingbai installed signal blockers to keep trainees off their phones…”
Zhou Yanci’s expression darkened further.
Assistant Sun fretted, “Sir, surely nothing will happen? Meng Xuanyu wouldn’t break the law… And slow down! Your ankle—”
Despite his injury, Zhou Yanci moved so fast Assistant Sun had to jog to keep up.
In the garage, Zhou Yanci didn’t wait for his driver. He jumped into his Aston Martin, revved the engine, and peeled out of the building.
“Sir, you’re in no condition to drive!”
But Zhou Yanci was beyond reason. The sports car screeched around the corner, speeding toward the suburbs.
---
In the dance studio, Yan Xi’s eyelids fluttered open.
Night had fallen. The sky outside was ink-black, dotted with faint pinpricks of light—stars or satellites, she couldn’t tell.
And right in front of her, Meng Xuanyu loomed, his gaze predatory.
He seemed to have aged ten years overnight, his handsome face now twisted into something terrifying. The whites of his eyes were streaked with thick red veins, his gaze almost devouring Yan Xi.
"It was you who exposed me!"
Yan Xi was trembling with fear, tears streaming down her face. "Young Master Meng, please calm down—you need to calm down!"
Meng Xuanyu radiated a chilling aura, like a venomous snake crawling out of hell. "This morning, when you flirted with me for that bag, you just wanted to send it for testing, didn’t you? To bury me alive. They say a woman’s heart is the most poisonous—now I’ve seen it firsthand!"
Yan Xi, her hands bound by rough rope, shrank back in terror. "Young Master Meng, you’re the one who replaced genuine products with fakes. How… how is this my fault?"
Meng Xuanyu snarled, "So what if I swapped them? Those broke losers only care about the brand! As long as it has my family’s label, even if it’s a cheap knockoff, they’d still pay for it! Do they care about authenticity? No! They just want the logo!"
"This was supposed to be flawless. No one would’ve noticed if you hadn’t dug into it! Those idiots wouldn’t even know the difference—everyone would’ve been happy! Why did you have to expose it? Why ruin me?!"
Yan Xi, shaking uncontrollably, was backed into a corner.
"A hundred million in counterfeit goods, Young Master Meng. How can you say that so casually? You gamble away a hundred million like it’s nothing, but for some customers, that’s their life savings! Some girls just want a luxury bag—what’s wrong with that?"
Meng Xuanyu shrugged indifferently. "They’re gold-diggers. They deserve to be scammed! Luxury isn’t meant for people like them. I should’ve swapped even more! Those paupers only deserve fakes!"
"Oh, and the bag I gave you? Also a fake. Because that’s all you’re worth."
Meng Xuanyu laughed maniacally. "Yan Xi, I’ll give you one chance. Call that blogger who leaked the story. Make him admit it was all lies—that he framed the Meng family! Our products are flawless! Call him now! Hurry up!"
He kicked his phone toward her.
Instead of picking it up, Yan Xi asked, "But your products do have quality issues."
"Just do as I say! Stop wasting my time!" Meng Xuanyu roared. "So what if they’re flawed? If that blogger retracts his statement, the public will still believe us! A few inspection reports mean nothing!"
Yan Xi straightened up, the fear in her eyes vanishing, replaced by icy calm. "You’re right, Young Master Meng. Just inspection reports are boring. A confession from the Meng heir would be much more impactful."
Meng Xuanyu suddenly felt uneasy.
Why wasn’t she afraid anymore? Why was she suddenly so bold?
"Yan Xi, stop playing games and make the damn call—"
Before he could finish, a sharp thud echoed as a bodyguard’s hand chopped down on the back of his neck.
Meng Xuanyu’s vision went black as he collapsed, unconscious.
Chu Tingbai and Lin Zhi rushed forward to untie Yan Xi, but before they could, the ropes slipped from her hands. A small blade fell from her sleeve, clattering to the floor. She walked over to Meng Xuanyu and kicked him twice.
"Trying to kidnap me on my own turf? What an idiot."
Chu Tingbai pulled out his phone, showing surveillance footage from the dance studio.
"President Yan, we’ve recorded everything he said."
Yan Xi watched the video with satisfaction. Perfect. Meng Xuanyu’s words were explosive—worth all the acting she’d put into this.
.
Half an hour earlier
Chu Tingbai had been giving Yan Xi a tour of the new studio.
Lin Zhi hurried over. "President Yan, our people spotted Young Master Meng’s car nearby. He’s coming for you. Should we call the police?"
—After exposing the Meng family’s scandal, Yan Xi had warned Lin Zhi that even though Wu Liao had handled the PR cleanly, Meng Xuanyu might still suspect them. So she’d arranged for extra security.
Chu Tingbai was confused. "Young Master Meng? Meng Xuanyu? What’s the issue?"
He’d done ads for the Meng family before and knew Meng Xuanyu personally.
Yan Xi shrugged. "The exposé about their products today? That was me."
Chu Tingbai’s eyes widened. "Boss, you’re playing with fire!"
After dropping a bombshell like that, she was casually inspecting his studio? How was she so calm?!
Yan Xi thought for a moment, then asked Lin Zhi, "Are the bodyguards still hidden?"
Lin Zhi nodded. "Yes. Two are disguised as construction workers."
Yan Xi smirked. "The initial reports only had product inspection results—not shocking enough. Before the stock market opens, let’s give the Meng family another blow."
—Back to the present
Chu Tingbai sent the edited video to Yan Xi. He’d blurred the background, pixelated her face, and censored her name in the audio. The focus was entirely on Meng Xuanyu.
After reviewing it, Yan Xi nodded. "Send it to Wu Liao."
Lin Zhi glanced at the unconscious Meng Xuanyu on the floor and instinctively kicked him again. "What about this trash?"
"Call the police," Yan Xi said casually. "And hand over that pink diamond bracelet as evidence."
.
A few minutes later, Meng Xuanyu woke up.
His head throbbed as his vision slowly cleared. Then he remembered—Yan Xi’s cold expression before he blacked out.
Damn it! She’d set him up!
Gritting his teeth, he stood up, furious.
The moment he stepped out of the dance studio, a cold, hard cane came swinging through the darkness, smashing into his shoulder.
Meng Xuanyu screamed, collapsing to his knees.
Moonlight spilled through the corridor windows, illuminating the figure approaching him—Zhou Yanci’s icy, furious face.
"Zhou Yanci! What the hell are you doing?!" Meng Xuanyu spat.
Without a word, Zhou Yanci struck again, the cane landing with brutal force.
"Ah—!"
The pain was unbearable—Young Master Meng had never been beaten like this before.
"Zhou Yanci, I’m your brother! Stop! Stop right now!"
Zhou Yanci was like a demon from hell, his presence terrifying. Even more unsettling was the blood dripping from his ankle, which he ignored completely.
"Where is Yan Xi?" he demanded.
"How should I know?!" Meng Xuanyu shrieked.
Zhou Yanci’s gaze turned sharp, and he swung his cane down again!
Meng Xuanyu trembled in fear, quickly begging for mercy. "She’s gone! Yan Xi left long ago! She played me! I didn’t even lay a finger on her! Zhou Yanci, please stop hitting me! I’m begging you!"
Zhou Yanci’s hand froze mid-air.
He glanced at the chaotic dance studio—a hemp rope lay discarded on the floor, but Yan Xi was nowhere in sight.
"I didn’t do anything to her!" Meng Xuanyu insisted. "Look at all these footprints on me—she stomped all over me! How could I outsmart her? If anything, she’s the one who tricked me!"
Zhou Yanci asked coldly, "You kidnapped her, but she escaped?"
Meng Xuanyu scowled. "She was never really kidnapped!"
Yan Xi had known about his plan all along—probably setting him up ever since the paint-throwing incident. He’d used chloroform to knock her out, but she’d held her breath and never lost consciousness.
The thought made Meng Xuanyu seethe. How could he, of all people, be outwitted by a little girl?
A faint smirk tugged at Zhou Yanci’s lips.
Meng Xuanyu glowered. "Zhou Yanci, we’re family. You should be helping me get revenge, not siding with Yan Xi—"
Before he could finish, the cane came crashing down again—this time, with no mercy. Blood bloomed across Meng Xuanyu’s pale skin.
---
Meanwhile—
Yan Xi, Lin Zhi, and the others left the SP training base and headed to the parking lot, where the signal was better. She urged Chu Tingbai to send the video to Wu Liao immediately.
Once it was done, Yan Xi finally relaxed, stretching her arms with a sigh.
The base workers had already clocked out, leaving the parking lot nearly empty—except for her Mercedes, Chu Tingbai’s Beetle, and an Aston Martin.
This wasn’t Meng Xuanyu’s car.
Meng Xuanyu might be an idiot, but even he wouldn’t be stupid enough to kidnap Yan Xi and then park his car right outside the base.
Yan Xi frowned, wondering who the car belonged to.
Then, a shadowy figure emerged from the training base, backlit by the floodlights. The silhouette was tall, broad-shouldered, and walked with a slight limp, leaning on a cane—graceful despite the uneven gait.
As the figure drew closer, Yan Xi’s eyes widened in recognition.
"Zhou Yanci?"
He didn’t answer, his gaze dropping to her wrist—where angry red marks stood out against her fair skin, left behind by the rough hemp rope.
Though Yan Xi hadn’t actually been knocked out by Meng Xuanyu’s chloroform and had hidden a blade in her sleeve, she’d still played along at first, pretending to be bound.
Zhou Yanci reached out, gently cradling her wrist, his thumb brushing over the bruise.
"Does it hurt?" he asked.
Yan Xi shook her head. "Not really. But why are you here?"
He didn’t reply, his fingers still tracing the mark, as if he could erase the injury with his touch.
In that moment, he was overwhelmingly relieved that Yan Xi was clever enough to outmaneuver Meng Xuanyu—but at the same time, he worried precisely because she was too clever.
"Trying to get information out of Meng Xuanyu?" Zhou Yanci asked.
Yan Xi ducked her head slightly. "You figured it out."
His eyes darkened, a mix of exasperation and helplessness. "Don’t do something so dangerous again."
"Relax, this is my turf. There’s no way Meng Xuanyu could’ve actually hurt me—"
Then, a faint metallic scent hit her nose.
Yan Xi looked down—and froze.
Blood trickled from Zhou Yanci’s right ankle, staining the black fabric of his pants before dripping onto the ground.
The wound must have reopened from the strain of walking.
"Zhou Yanci, your foot!" she gasped.
He glanced down, as if only now noticing the injury. In his haste to get here, he hadn’t even felt the pain.
The moonlight grew brighter, illuminating the SP base’s exterior. Yan Xi’s gaze followed the trail of blood—starting from the Aston Martin, leading into the base, then back out, ending at Zhou Yanci’s feet.
The stark red against the pristine concrete was horrifying.
Her chest tightened, an ache settling deep inside. She couldn’t imagine how much pain he must be in after losing so much blood.
Yet Zhou Yanci only smiled, gently ruffling her hair.
"It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt."
