Ji Ling and Yan Yixuan sat in the private room, silently staring at the three people across from them.
The manager of the club, with a slimy smile plastered on his face, led two women, who were also staring back at them.
Ji Ling couldn’t help but feel like the six eyes across from him were like wild wolves in a forest, gleaming with a predatory green light, eyeing him and Yan Yixuan as if they were seeing a leg of lamb.
Is this how people are nowadays? Has the world turned upside down?
Today had definitely been a set-up. Originally, a wealthy businessman had invited both Yan Yixuan and Ji Ling to dinner, booked at a club, so Ji Ling had immediately known it was going to be a social affair. He planned to play along, making some small talk and letting things slide by.
But he hadn’t expected them to be cornered in this private room, with the manager bringing two women over—wasn’t this a blatant attempt to make them slip up?
The two women, upon seeing the two bosses sitting on the sofa, felt like they’d hit the jackpot today. One was a well-known local rich heir, and the other, though a new face, had a luxurious appearance with plenty of gold accessories.
And the most important part?
These two men were ‘handsome’.
Sometimes, a pretty face was more important than money.
After getting used to the greasy nouveau riche, suddenly, there were two good-looking guys—one was strikingly handsome, the other delicately beautiful. It felt like they’d just won the lottery.
Not only could they earn some quick cash, but it also brightened their mood.
Seeing the two women move closer under the manager’s signal, Ji Ling quickly intervened and turned to Yan Yixuan.
Yan Yixuan had a smile playing at the corner of his mouth, also looking at Ji Ling, his eyes full of amusement.
Ji Ling knew he was just enjoying the show. With a resigned sigh, he accepted the task of wrapping things up, saying to the manager, “Take them away, just bring the drinks.”
The manager froze for a moment, then immediately reacted, smiling, “Alright, we’ll bring in two guys instead.”
Ji Ling didn’t know whether to praise him or scold him. “You don’t need to bring anyone—just bring the drinks.”
The manager and the two women exchanged glances before responding, “Well… if we send them away and they complain, that could put us in a tough spot.”
Ji Ling understood what he meant and said, “Send them back. I’ll cover their work compensation.”
With that guarantee, the manager happily led the women out of the room.
Yan Yixuan had been watching the whole time, enjoying the spectacle. Once it was just him and Ji Ling left in the room, he finally coolly said, “Why’d you send them away? I thought the one with the big chest seemed pretty into you. Well, since someone’s picking up the tab, why not enjoy the evening together?”
Ji Ling chuckled, “But what I think the one with the big eyes is better? But she keeps staring at you with those big eyes—seems like I don’t have a chance.”
“Ha,” Yan Yixuan chuckled coldly, “Boss Ji, so humble. If you like her, just go for it. Why hesitate?”
Ji Ling winked at him and replied, “How could I do that? How could I go off and enjoy myself while leaving the chairman to sit alone in an empty room?”
The two continued their playful banter until the waiter came in to open a bottle of wine.
After both of them took a sip, Ji Ling let out a satisfied sigh, “Big chest, big eyes… but nothing beats good wine.”
Although Ji Ling didn’t drink much these days, when he encountered fine wine, he was still eager to enjoy it.
Yan Yixuan, a known wine lover, finally shrugged off the frustration of a wasted trip and clinked glasses with Ji Ling.
Ji Ling thought to himself, as expected, when his mood was better, so was his attitude.
He had come to understand Yan Yixuan’s temperament perfectly. He knew exactly when Yan Yixuan wasn’t happy and that when that happened, light-hearted bickering wouldn’t do. He also knew just what was needed to cheer him up and restore his mood.
Ji Ling couldn’t help raising his glass, saying to Yan Yixuan, “To the genius.”
Yan Yixuan raised an eyebrow, “Who’s the genius?”
“Me,” Ji Ling said nonchalantly, not a hint of embarrassment, “I’m a genius. A genius at studying Young Master Yan.”
Yan Yixuan sneered.
The two of them spent some more time in the private room, essentially giving the rich businessman face. By the time they left the room, it was already quite late.
The manager led the way, guiding them to the exit. Ji Ling, a little tipsy from the wine, followed behind casually. They took the elevator down and were headed for the front door where the car was waiting, with the driver already there.
As they walked past the lobby, Ji Ling had the odd feeling that something was off. He turned his head and looked at a group of people nearby.
Then, he stopped.
Yan Yixuan, puzzled, also stopped and looked around. The group noticed them and turned their heads. The man leading the group, a crude-looking fellow, perfectly matched the image of a low-grade nouveau riche straight out of a bad novel. When he saw Yan Yixuan, he immediately put on a fawning smile.
Yan Yixuan’s eyes narrowed in distaste, but Ji Ling didn’t move. Instead, he took a step forward and said, “Don’t you remember me? Long time no see.”
The man stared at Ji Ling, confused, and his face slowly stiffened.
Ji Ling flashed him a toothy grin, almost like showing his fangs.
Then Ji Ling gave Yan Yixuan a subtle gesture, and Yan Yixuan, seeing this, followed his lead and took another step forward.
Yan Yixuan’s actions gave Ji Ling a lot of face, and everyone in the lobby watched as the two of them left.
They both got into the car, and the driver headed toward the Jinyuan estate.
Finally, Yan Yixuan spoke up, “Who was that man?”
Since getting into the car, Ji Ling had been deep in thought. He replied, “Do you remember the first time you met me, what situation it was?”
Yan Yixuan smiled and said, “How could I forget? You looked like a helpless lamb ready to be slaughtered.” As he spoke, he paused and realized, “Ah, that man is the one who was about to slaughter you back then.”
Ji Ling nodded.
But the truth was, at that time, it wasn’t really him being slaughtered; it was the real Ji Ling. That man had been the executioner.
Yan Yixuan, naturally, didn’t care much about such people. From his perspective, the job was done once he had saved the person. But Ji Ling was different—he knew the full details of what had happened, and they were far heavier than what Yan Yixuan had seen.
At the time, Ji Ling had been in a daze, in pain, and he only glanced at the people around him. It wasn’t until later, after conducting his own investigation, that he figured out who the man was.
At the start, he didn’t have the power to do anything, but now, things had changed, and he was in a position to take action.
Yan Yixuan saw the thoughts flicker in Ji Ling’s eyes and asked, “You want revenge?”
Ji Ling nodded again.
Yan Yixuan thought for a moment and asked, “Do you need me to do something?”
Ji Ling shook his head, patting his hand, and said, “No need for you to act. I can handle it myself.”
For the next few days, Ji Ling came back late, completely disappearing from sight for hours on end.
Yan Yixuan knew that, though Ji Ling made it sound easy, the people who frequented that club were far from ordinary, and taking down such a person wouldn’t be a simple task.
Yan Yixuan would occasionally ask Ji Ling about the situation, and Ji Ling didn’t hide anything. He said, “I won’t act directly. I’m just going to create an illusion of prosperity through some orders, make him overly optimistic, set high goals for himself, and then let capital come in.”
The biggest limitation of nouveau riche people was that they always believed they could earn more in the future and didn’t see their own limitations.
Yan Yixuan said, “But you’ll have to pay for quite a few orders.”
Ji Ling glanced at him and smiled, “You still don’t know me? How could I let myself lose? Most of those orders are just for referral fees that will be redirected overseas.”
He grinned mischievously and added, “That man thinks his business is expanding, but he doesn’t realize that the barbarians are already inside his gates, ready to take over his family business.”
Yan Yixuan understood that things were definitely more complicated than Ji Ling was letting on. There would be contract loopholes and money flows involved.
To truly bring down a businessman, it isn’t as simple as just saying ‘the weather’s turning cold, you’re about to go bankrupt.’
Afterward, Ji Ling gradually shifted his focus back to his own career, as if he no longer cared about his ‘cold weather brings ruin’ plan. But Yan Yixuan knew that Ji Ling was still secretly working on it.
By now, Yan Yixuan understood Ji Ling quite well.
On the surface, Ji Ling appeared carefree, decisive, and generous. However, deep down, he was extremely calculating. When it came to doing things, he always thought a step ahead of others, yet at critical moments, he liked to keep people guessing, speaking in half-truths, and hiding crucial details, making everything look effortless.
Yan Yixuan thought that perhaps it was because he understood this aspect of Ji Ling’s personality that he found himself unable to resist either stepping in or retreating when needed.
In Yan Yixuan’s eyes, going along with Ji Ling’s wishes was really just him trying to placate him—Ji Ling needed to be appeased for him to be happy.
Yan Yixuan often considered himself an expert when it came to dealing with Ji Ling.
The two of them, one thinking of himself as a genius, the other as an expert, both secretly proud of themselves, though neither ever admitted it.
Some time later, Ji Ling’s revenge plan finally came to fruition. That day, the rich country bumpkin actually blocked Ji Ling and Yan Yixuan at the entrance of Jinyuan.
When Yan Yixuan saw him, looking so dejected and pathetic at his doorstep, his mood soured again. It felt like the very gates of his home had been sullied.
The man pleaded with Ji Ling, asking for mercy. He admitted his past mistake of offending Mr. Ji and begged for forgiveness, hoping to get his company back.
Yan Yixuan turned to look at Ji Ling.
However, there was no triumphant joy on Ji Ling’s face from the success of his revenge. Instead, his expression was cold, distant, and almost lifeless.
Yan Yixuan rarely saw Ji Ling like this.
Ji Ling glanced back at Yan Yixuan, and finally, warmth appeared in his eyes. He calmly said, “Let’s go inside.”
Behind them, the man was still begging and screaming. Eventually, seeing that pleading was futile, he tried to charge at Ji Ling. But this was the entrance to Jinyuan, and Yan Yixuan would never tolerate anyone causing a scene at his doorstep. His security, without needing any orders from him, immediately subdued the man and called the police to handle the situation.
Ji Ling and Yan Yixuan entered Jinyuan together. Yan Yixuan patted Ji Ling on the shoulder and said, “Now that your revenge is done, you can relax.”
Ji Ling glanced at him and gave a faint smile.
How could he relax? It wasn’t enough yet.
Yan Yixuan thought that making the man lose his company was enough. But after a while, they heard news that the rich country bumpkin had gone into hiding, running away due to large amounts of private loans he owed.
It was then that Yan Yixuan understood—Ji Ling had intended to completely destroy him from the start.
The so-called ‘cornered villain’ always believed that they could make a comeback, but all they needed was a little temptation, and they would fall into a deeper trap.
What made that man think that if he could borrow some money, he could make it through the crisis? Loans without collateral were often a trap that would consume him whole.
Ji Ling watched as a group of burly men captured the man, pinning him to the ground to make sure he couldn’t escape.
Ji Ling turned to the leader of the group and said seriously, “Thank you, Brother Qian.”
The man called Brother Qian, who was wearing glasses, was the same man who had once been the creditor of Ji Ling’s former company boss. Back then, Ji Ling had borrowed money from Yan Yixuan and taken the company from him.
Brother Qian hadn’t changed much over the years; he still looked gentle and polite. He waved his hand and said, “No need to thank me. You introduced us to business, no need for thanks.”
Brother Qian instructed his men, “Take him to his house for a round, see if there’s anything valuable.”
The business Brother Qian ran was all about high-interest loans. Once the principal was repaid, the real money came from the interest, a never-ending cycle that could never be filled.
The rich country bumpkin was never going to escape again.
Ji Ling asked, “What will you do with him?”
Brother Qian pushed his glasses up and replied, “You make it sound like we’re cruel. We run a civilized business. We’ll either take him for a swim in the sea or have him dig mines in Africa, all very charitable.”
Ji Ling reached out and shook his hand, saying, “With your kind hearts, I’m at ease.”
Brother Qian looked him over and said, “Ah, if I had known you were doing so well now, I should’ve invested in you back then. I could be lying back, collecting dividends instead of working myself to the bone.”
Ji Ling smiled, thinking to himself, “Let him off. I don’t want to get too involved with such ‘civilized people’.”
Brother Qian and his men took the crying and wailing debtor away.
Ji Ling watched them disappear from sight and finally sighed deeply.
He knew that he couldn’t play the role of a judge. He just felt that, as the new owner of this body, there were certain things he had to do.
Sometimes, Ji Ling thought to himself: Since I’ve crossed over, could the real Ji Ling be living a peaceful life somewhere else?
Other times, he wondered: Since reincarnation and crossing over are possible, could there truly be a next life?
Ji Ling looked up at the sky.
Whether it’s reincarnation or the afterlife, he hoped that the person would never suffer again, and would live boldly and confidently.
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
