Zhao Chengying rushed over with a nearly panicked expression to support Chen Ji. Chen Ji caught a vague shadow that resembled a hand reaching toward him and instinctively dodged it. Frowning, he asked, “Who are you?”
“Brother Chen, it’s me,” Zhao Chengying replied without thinking. He immediately noticed that something was wrong with Chen Ji. Reaching out, he waved a hand in front of Chen Ji’s eyes but got no reaction—Chen Ji’s gaze remained fixed straight ahead. Zhao Chengying’s breath hitched as he turned to Fan Sen, his face darkening. “Fan Sen, what did you do to Brother Chen?!”
The moment he spoke, the music in the club stopped. Men and women alike fell silent in unison, standing motionless in place.
Fan Sen held up both hands. “Hey? This isn’t my fault. When I found him, he already couldn’t see. He said he was going to see a doctor.”
It hadn’t even been a few days since they had parted ways. Zhao Chengying asked cautiously, “Brother Chen, what’s wrong with your eyes?”
“My eyes are fine. It’s temporary,” Chen Ji said with a frown. “You’re… Xiao Zhao?”
The words “Xiao Zhao” made several of the young people burst out laughing. How was he supposed to respond to that? Zhao Chengying had chased after him for nearly two years, only for Chen Ji to call him “Xiao Zhao”? Were they seriously just boss and subordinate? Nothing more?
One of the young men nudged Fan Sen. “You probably screwed this up.”
Fan Sen shrugged indifferently. “I just invited him out for a meal. What’s the big deal? Worst case, I’ll send him back on a private jet. That should do it, right?”
Of course, that assumed Zhao Chengying didn’t hold him back.
Yun Shaoyang laughed subtly, his narrow eyes squinting into sly, upward-curving slits, making him look like a crafty old fox. “If Chengying doesn’t want him, I’d like to keep him around for some fun.”
Fan Sen raised an eyebrow and scooted away a bit. “Don’t drag me into this. I didn’t hear a thing. I’m not the type to poach my brother’s girl… Look at Chengying—he’s like a dog in heat. If you touch this guy, he’ll turn on you.”
After losing his sight, a person’s other senses sharpened several times over. Chen Ji heard their entire conversation clearly, but Zhao Chengying was too focused on him to notice. “Yes, it’s me. It’s me.”
Expression unchanging, Chen Ji asked, “Is it your birthday? Did you invite me for dinner?”
Zhao Chengying hurriedly said, “I’m sorry, Brother Chen. My friend took it upon himself. I had no idea… I’m really sorry, Brother Chen. I truly didn’t know. Should I take you back right now?”
Chen Ji hesitated for a moment. System Cat: [No way, no way? You think one of these guys is your benefactor? To be honest, I think the Old Daoist got it wrong.]
The scene before System Cat’s eyes looked all too familiar. Ignoring the details, wasn’t this just the classic tale of a rich heir forcibly seizing an innocent superior? There were tons of novels like that! It had read plenty! And this was supposed to be his benefactor?
Chen Ji had the confidence to escape, or it wouldn’t have been so calm!
Chen Ji agreed that System Cat had a point. If the music started up again, he’d have a headache in under five minutes. He nodded. “All right. Can you ask your friend to give my phone back first?”
Zhao Chengying looked toward Fan Sen. Fan Sen pulled the phone from his pocket and tossed it over. “No way, Brother Zhao. He’s already here—might as well eat before he goes. It’s so late; he can’t leave now anyway. At least wait till dawn, right?”
Taking advantage of Chen Ji’s blindness, he pointed at Chen Ji and mouthed: Rare opportunity.
He then pointed to his own eyes, signaling that Zhao Chengying could offer to help with the eye issue—who didn’t know how important eyesight was? The medical resources in that little county town couldn’t compare to S City’s. Zhao Chengying could line up top specialists to examine Chen Ji, and just like that, he’d owe him a favor.
Seeing the gesture, Zhao Chengying hesitated. Chen Ji stared blankly in their direction, his phone buzzing nonstop in his hand. Zhao Chengying was about to speak when he noticed. “You have a call.”
He glanced at the screen, which read “Zhang Cheng.” “Want me to answer it?”
Chen Ji didn’t care and let him hit the connect button. The moment he heard “Hello,” he held the phone to his ear. “Brother Zhang, what’s up?”
Zhang Cheng had called on video, and that brief instant was enough for him to see the surroundings. “Hello? Xiao Chen, what’s going on? Why aren’t you home? Someone said they saw you get taken away. Are you in trouble?”
Chen Ji replied, “No, it’s fine. A friend invited me for his birthday dinner, and a local friend happened to tag along and brought me.”
Zhang Cheng said, “Okay then. Come back early. That one at home is waiting for you. If you don’t get back soon, it’ll go nuts.”
Chen Ji paused. Zhang Cheng had let slip quite a bit. “I’ve only been out one day.”
Zhang Cheng replied, “You’re not even in Y Province anymore.”
“Got it. Talk later.” Chen Ji hung up. The young people listened quietly to the call, and from his words, they all shot Zhao Chengying looks full of schadenfreude.
It sounded like someone was waiting for him at home.
Zhao Chengying opened his mouth, his throat dry. He didn’t know what to say. Before he could get a word out, Chen Ji spoke. “Happy birthday. I’m heading out.”
With that, he stood and walked toward the exit. He couldn’t stay here any longer. He needed to find a safe place to spend the night as quickly as possible. The “one at home” Brother Zhang mentioned definitely wasn’t Chang Xu. If the Mountain Lord lost it, Chen Ji didn’t know if bystanders would be spared, but he’d be the primary target for sure.
He didn’t want to die, and he had no idea how much power the Mountain Lord still had. So he needed somewhere that could suppress it—a temple or a daoist monastery, anywhere with a true deity present. He’d hide out for the night and dodge the threat.
Maybe the Old Daoist’s “benefactor” referred to these young men bringing him to S City, where he could find a way to suppress the Mountain Lord?
“Who said you could leave?” Suddenly, a leg shot out—it was Yun Shaoyang. Chen Ji saw it but pretended not to, stumbling with a stagger. Zhao Chengying grabbed his arm from behind. It was unclear if he was steadying him or just holding him back.
Chen Ji suddenly let out a chuckle—he found it amusing himself. He felt like some prized possession people were fighting over.
Zhao Chengying glared furiously at Yun Shaoyang. “You can’t see, Brother Chen. Don’t push yourself. Let me take you to a room to rest, okay?”
Chen Ji tried to brush off his hand, but Zhao Chengying held fast. Chen Ji looked up, his unfocused eyes dark and unwavering as they fixed on him, though his tone remained mild. “Xiao Zhao, I have things to do. You can walk me downstairs… and help call a cab.”
“Brother Chen.” Zhao Chengying pleaded, “You can’t see. It’s dangerous to be alone in S City. Let me take you to a room to rest first, okay?”
“No need.” Chen Ji asked, “Are you not planning to let me leave now?”
Zhao Chengying released his arm as if burned. Having worked with Chen Ji for nearly two years, he knew his personality well. The politer Chen Ji was, the more distant he became. The last time Chen Ji had spoken to someone in that tone, they had quickly vanished from his social circle.
Feeling his arm freed, Chen Ji nodded. “No need to see me off.”
A server nearby glanced at Zhao Chengying. Zhao Chengying pointed at someone. “Please escort him downstairs and help him call a cab.”
The server agreed eagerly and hurried after Chen Ji, politely asking if he could guide him by the arm. With someone leading, Chen Ji didn’t need to fake stumbling and smoothly entered the elevator.
The elevator plunged downward like an arrow. Only then did System Cat speak. [I thought you weren’t getting out of there… I’ve already searched nearby temples and monasteries. Head to the most famous one or the closest?]
Chen Ji thought for a moment. [Plot a route to the most famous one, passing as many others as possible along the way.]
System Cat: [OK. Ride-share order placed.]
System Cat paused. [I don’t really get it. That Mountain Lord thing should be about the same level as a Ghost Immortal—you definitely can’t beat it. You’re doing fine in the temple anyway. If you really can’t bear to part with that mangy tiger, just keep it outside! The Mountain Lord can’t do anything to it anyway.]
So why get off the mountain at all when he didn’t have to? Why go along with those people before boarding the plane, even though he knew better? And now, knowing the Mountain Lord was on a rampage and creating such a messy situation—one slip-up, and Chen Ji would be dead.
Was it really necessary? Chen Ji knew everything…
Chen Ji smiled. [I like Chang Xu.]
System Cat retorted: [You like him so much you’re inexplicably trying to die with him?]
Chen Ji smiled without replying.
Ding—the elevator arrived. The server walked ahead, glancing back at Chen Ji. No wonder Young Master Zhao was smitten; he was handsome down to his bones.
The club doors stood open, cold wind rushing in. The server asked, “Sir, we’re outside now. Shall I call you a cab?”
“Thanks for leading me to the roadside. I’ve already booked one,” Chen Ji said mildly.
Few people took cabs to the club, but luckily, the staff sometimes did after late shifts. The server guided Chen Ji to a quieter intersection. “Want me to see you into the car?”
Chen Ji had no intention of involving an innocent. “No need. You can head back. I’ll be fine on my own.”
He even joked, “Normal people wouldn’t target a disabled guy like me, right?”
The server couldn’t help chuckling before quickly straightening his face—talk about a dark joke.
After bidding Chen Ji farewell, he didn’t go far, lingering nearby to watch. If something happened to Chen Ji, he’d be in deep trouble.
Soon, a car approached from afar—not a ride-share by the looks of it. Several men in black suits jumped out, yanking Chen Ji into the vehicle without a word. The server gasped and instinctively ran toward them but stopped after two steps, realizing he should call upstairs immediately to inform Young Master Zhao that his guest had been snatched.
The moment he pulled out his phone, someone snatched it right from his hand. A man in a blue suit stood beside him and passed him a paper bag. The waiter glanced down and saw three thick wads of red banknotes stuffed inside.
The man in the blue suit lifted his eyes toward the surveillance cameras, made a subtle gesture, then smiled and said, “This has nothing to do with you. Just pretend you didn’t see a thing.”
