What followed seemed increasingly peculiar.
Jiang Shiyan had previously bought a small blanket for Yang Yang to keep in her office. She never used it in winter, saying that if someone came to the office for work, seeing a fluffy blanket would appear unprofessional. But now, this small blanket was draped over the back of her chair.
Yang Yang disliked scribbling, yet at this moment, several dates were circled on the calendar on the corner of her desk. The first date was about seventy days ago.
Yang Yang’s water cup was still habitually placed on her left side. Jiang Shiyan’s gaze inadvertently swept over the milk in the cup, his vision slowly coming to a halt.
Why… milk?
Tang Yang often ate fast food, but she was always meticulous about her drinks. Where tea was available, she rarely drank mineral water; where milk tea was available, she seldom drank tea. She had no fondness for milk, but now, it was in her cup. Jiang Shiyan looked up at the small storage cabinet by the wall, which contained two large boxes…
Jiang Shiyan was lost in thought when his assistant waved a hand in front of his eyes, calling, “President Jiang, President Jiang.”
Jiang Shiyan snapped back to reality.
The assistant, steadying a stack of documents, said, “Chen Qiang has arrived. He called me and is coming up now.”
When Tang Yang first went missing, Jiang Shiyan informed both families’ relatives and friends, except for Tang Yang’s parents in the deep mountains. Madam Jiang, anxious and angry, arranged for a search. Jiang Shiyan thanked her but had no time to soothe his mother’s emotions.
He nodded to his assistant, indicating he understood.
Observing Jiang Shiyan’s calm demeanor, the assistant hesitated for a moment and then pulled out a sheet of paper from the stack of documents. “By the way, President Jiang, I found this examination report among Director Tang’s files.”
“What examination report…” Jiang Shiyan frowned as he took it, the rest of his words caught in his throat.
He brought the report closer, reading its contents word by word.
[Abdominal ultrasound examination, uterus anteverted, enlarged uterine body, homogeneous echoes in the uterine wall, within the uterine cavity, one—]
The two-digit length, width, and height seemed too large. Jiang Shiyan skipped over the numbers and then saw the “gestational sac” that followed…
Suddenly, Jiang Shiyan’s mind was like an old television without a signal, snow flickering, seemingly moving but unable to think. Jiang Shiyan’s eyelashes trembled, and then he mechanically read on, seeing heartbeat, echoes, risk of miscarriage, and advice to rest…
He slightly opened his mouth, as if forgetting to breathe.
He slowly scanned every word on the report over and over, even re-reading the hospital’s standard printed remarks.
His breathing first became heavy, then stopped, then lightened, and finally returned to normal.
“I understand,” Jiang Shiyan’s lips moved slightly as he instructed his assistant, “Go back to Yixiu.”
The lights in Tang Yang’s office were bright white, and Jiang Shiyan’s lips were extremely pale. The assistant wanted to suggest he eat something but held back.
The assistant nodded and left. Jiang Shiyan slowly sat down on Tang Yang’s swivel chair, then placed the report beside his hand, picked up Tang Yang’s cup, and sipped the unfinished milk along the faint lip print on the rim.
Chen Qiang wheeled himself in and gently closed the door.
Jiang Shiyan looked up at the sound, meeting Chen Qiang’s gaze.
Chen Qiang could imagine Jiang Shiyan’s feelings and got straight to the point without small talk: “Earlier, when Tang Yang and I had dinner together, she told me she wanted to thoroughly investigate the Jiujiang issue and asked for my help…”
Chen Qiang recounted his meeting with Tang Yang word for word and raised the possibility of Jiujiang manufacturing an accident.
The milk was cold, rolling down his dry throat like cold water over rusty iron, bringing both dull pain and relief.
Chen Qiang’s voice echoed in the spacious office.
Jiang Shiyan appeared to be listening intently, but his ears sometimes buzzed, and sometimes went blank. His mind was filled with thoughts of Yang Yang coming to see him yesterday, Yang Yang’s unusually adorable behavior, and Yang Yang asking him so many questions about heredity. How could he not have noticed that Tang Yang was pregnant?
Jiang Yanan was usually very independent, but when pregnant, she became particularly clingy with Feng Weiran. She needed Feng Weiran to open bottle caps for her, put on her socks, and accompany her to check-ups.
Right, check-ups. Yang Yang had gone to the hospital for a check-up alone yesterday at noon.
Would she be scared? Would she be sad? Would she wish he was by her side? Would others point fingers at her…
Just thinking about the strange glances directed at Tang Yang made Jiang Shiyan feel like scum, stupid and suffocating scum.
He wanted to mock himself, but his lips could barely twitch.
Amid the silence, Cheng Siran’s call came through.
Jiang Shiyan answered.
Qin Yue called, and Jiang Shiyan spoke quickly and logically.
Then it was Madam Jiang’s side and Yixiu’s side.
Calls came one after another, in and out.
Chen Qiang moved closer and also saw the examination report on the desk.
Jiang Shiyan sat behind the desk, Chen Qiang beside it. Chen Qiang watched the seemingly very calm Jiang Shiyan, his eyes flickering, and said what he hadn’t told Tang Yang that day: “You know Song Jing and I have known each other for a long time.”
“Mm.” Jiang Shiyan responded, standing up to open the window to its fullest.
Chen Qiang spoke beside him as Jiang Shiyan leaned against the desk, the night wind disheveling his hair.
Chen Qiang said, “Four years ago, I was driving a truck carrying coal on a mountain road. One night, I encountered a Class A criminal who had hijacked a bus.”
The criminal was burly and fierce-looking, with a knife to a middle-aged man’s throat, demanding money from everyone on the bus. Everyone values their lives more than money, so they handed over all their money, trembling and crying.
The middle-aged man’s wife and child were still in the crowd. The bus driver threw his wallet at the criminal. The criminal’s hand tightened, blood splattered, and the middle-aged man’s head rolled twice, stopping at the bus driver’s feet.
Song Jing was doing military exercises in the mountains and arrived as support, also encountering this scene along with the police.
The criminal seemed accustomed to police sieges, sneering as he tried to escape with the money. He didn’t notice the camouflaged team and was shot in the head by a sniper.
The scene was dangerous. Chen Qiang’s calm voice continued, “While the criminal was on the run, an account regularly transferred money to the criminal’s account every week. The account belonged to He Zheng from Jiujiang.”
Jiang Shiyan’s knuckles whitened as he gripped his phone.
Chen Qiang: “That middle-aged man was going to start a business overseas. Before resigning, he worked at Huishang Bank.”
Jiang Shiyan’s breathing became irregular.
Chen Qiang: “He was Gan Yiming’s predecessor as the head of the credit review department, Qiu Kai. He resigned on August 1st and was killed on the 3rd. That year, Jiujiang also had a ten-billion-yuan project. He approved the project and then resigned,” Chen Qiang expressed delicately, “So I’m thinking about the connections here…”
Class A criminal, He Zheng, head of the credit review department, killed, and that pregnancy report – these echoed like demonic sounds in Jiang Shiyan’s mind.
He closed his eyes, trying to drive away the demonic sounds, but they became clearer. A crimson flush spread from his neck to his face. He seemed to be choked, his throat rolling, unable to breathe.
Chen Qiang couldn’t bear to watch and frowned, “Calm down.”
Jiang Shiyan didn’t turn around. His trembling hand reached for the utility knife on the desk, grabbed it, raised it, and pointed it at his heart. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he slowly pressed the sharp knife towards his chest. The knife tip dented the white shirt, about to pierce it when… it gradually stopped.
“If I’m not calm, I’ll end up in jail,” Jiang Shiyan mocked himself with utter composure, yet he dared not open his eyes.
Dark clouds loomed overhead, and the night wind howled. His beloved was missing, carrying their child of less than three months. He dared not imagine if Yang Yang suffered even the slightest mishap, if Wei Changqiu harbored the same intentions as last time if a knife was held to Yang Yang’s throat if the criminal’s wrist exerted a bit more force…
—
The assistant quickly arrived at Yixiu. Jiang Shiyan’s “Send,” “Withdraw,” and “Mm” were concise.
Most Yixiu employees had a favorable impression of Tang Yang. Following Jiang Shiyan’s arrangements, they even added their touches.
Within ten minutes, “Young and beautiful female director of Huishang Bank mysteriously disappears,” “Hostage situation at workplace,” and “Huishang Bank security” flooded social media platforms, including employees’ concerns like “A bank where families could be harmed in the office at any time” and “Work or life?” Thanks to Jiang Shiyan’s previous good relations with the leaders of the Capital Headquarters, even official media directly gave the green light to broadcast the news of Tang Yang’s disappearance. In less than half an hour, along with topics like “Missing persons,” “Organ black market,” and “Single women’s safety,” it became a nationwide topic of concern.
Huishang Bank headquarters held an emergency meeting, immediately dispatching a special team to rush to City A overnight. The bank’s president called Jiang Shiyan to express condolences and promised to hold those responsible accountable.
Deputy Director Tu was shocked by the continuous stream of news and hurriedly went down to the credit review department to question Jiang Shiyan: “President Jiang, you said on the phone we had ten minutes, and we arrived on time. How can you act without authorization like this—”
The utility knife suddenly pressed against Deputy Director Tu’s throat.
The knife handle was in Jiang Shiyan’s hand. Jiang Shiyan said casually, “You believe everything I say?”
Deputy Director Tu’s legs trembled.
Jiang Shiyan: “Then if I say that should anything happen to Tang Yang, I’ll kill you immediately, do you believe that?”
The cold, sharp knife tip touched the skin. Deputy Director Tu’s tongue stumbled, “Pre-President Jiang…”
“Don’t believe it.” Jiang Shiyan lifted the blade, smiling as he patted Deputy Director Tu’s face with the thin blade. Tu wanted to step back but didn’t dare.
Jiang Shiyan’s smile deepened, “I’m a civilized person,” he slowly bent down, leaning close to Tu’s ear, “I’ll just let you experience some wonderful flavors, like true public humiliation,” Jiang Shiyan lowered his voice, enunciating each word, “Complete disgrace.”
Deputy Director Tu stumbled. Chen Qiang quickly attached a fingernail-sized thin chip to Tu’s phone.
Jiang Shiyan questioned Chen Qiang with his eyes. Chen Qiang nodded slightly to Jiang Shiyan. Tu’s phone screen lit up at the right moment. Tu glimpsed the number and discreetly covered the screen with his palm, saying, “The higher-ups are discussing it. President Jiang, we will give you an explanation. If possible, we also hope the heat…”
Jiang Shiyan’s expression was cold and unrestrained as he twirled the knife between his fingers.
Tu recognized the situation and left. After walking away, he clutched his chest and answered the phone.
Meanwhile, Chen Qiang turned on something like a remote control that he had been holding.
Wei Changqiu had also seen the news and trending topics, feeling quite troubled: “I’ve moved Tang Yang to a different location. You hold off the public opinion until the end of July. After the special project is over, I’ll find a way to communicate with Director Tang, saying she and I were just friends traveling together.”
A moment later.
Chen Qiang and Jiang Shiyan both heard Tu say: “Understood, President Wei.”
One second, two seconds, three seconds.
Jiang Shiyan’s face was expressionless as he slammed the utility knife down at his feet with a “bang!”
There was another soft “clink,” a very small sound, but both men heard it.
Jiang Shiyan bent down suspiciously, then, unbelievably yet truly, picked up Tang Yang’s phone from the gap at the corner of the desk.
Jiang Shiyan skillfully unlocked it and then opened the recent recording program. Jiang Shiyan listened to the recording and forwarded the audio file to his phone.
Neither Jiang Shiyan nor Chen Qiang spoke. Something was emerging in Jiang Shiyan’s subconscious. He clicked on the text message icon; at the top was himself, with no new messages. He opened the call log and, as expected yet unexpected, saw Zhou Mo at the very top.
Jiang Shiyan moved quickly, preparing to call Zhou Mo back.
Chen Qiang stopped Jiang Shiyan: “Zhou Mo is Wei Changqiu’s special assistant and Zhou Zisheng’s nephew. I heard Zhou Zisheng was also at the club that night.”
They didn’t know if Zhou Mo was a friend or foe, whether the phone was left behind by Tang Yang or bait left by those who took her.
But if it was bait, why would there be a recording? If it was bait, why set it to vibrate instead of ringing?
Jiang Shiyan’s lips parted slightly, but he couldn’t express the kind of understanding that had developed between him and Tang Yang over time.
Jiang Shiyan insisted on calling back, and Chen Qiang couldn’t stop him.
After a few seconds of connection tone, both men held their breath.
“Hello, the number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later…”
Jiang Shiyan dialed a second time.
“Hello, the number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable…”
Third time.
“Hello, the number you have dialed is temporary…”
The fourth time, fifth time… tenth time, a beep, and Zhou Mo’s end turned off.
In an instant, it seemed they had lost the most direct source of information.
In the corner of Tang Yang’s office stood a simple, modern floor clock, ticking out the long chime of 10 PM.
The mall near Huishang Bank was closing, lights extinguishing like dominos.
Chen Qiang still couldn’t trust Zhou Mo. In the quiet, he said, “We’re out in the open, they’re in the shadows. With that beep just now, they might have already tracked the IP…”
Tang Yang’s phone screen suddenly lit up.
Incoming call, Zhou Mo.
The heavy stone pressing on Jiang Shiyan’s heart suddenly lifted a bit.
He answered.
Silence on the other end, he too was silent.
It was as if they were testing each other’s breath.
The soundless state lasted a full half minute.
“Jiang Shiyan, it’s me.”
The voice was soft and familiar. The moment it sounded, all of Jiang Shiyan’s chaotic, uneasy, and even near-uncontrollable emotions… were completely released.
“Yang Yang,” Jiang Shiyan’s Adam’s apple bobbed once, his voice raspy, “It’s me.”
A very soft swallowing sound came from the other end.
After a while, Tang Yang composed herself and continued in a steady voice: “I’ve been taken to an enclosed place by Wei Changqiu. Zhou Mo is watching me, he’ll ensure my safety. Now, listen to me…”
Outside, car lights flashed. Well-trained teams moved between various hotels, checking surveillance footage citywide. Topics about “Tang Yang, Huishang Bank, Missing” reached over a billion in popularity. Official media scrolled the news. Yixiu and Huishang Bank employees rushed about, office phones and voices rising and falling with “Any news?” “No news.”
However, the true situation seemed to settle down at the moment Tang Yang began to explain.
Yes, Tang Yang was never one to be passive.
Her investigation into the charity loopholes had hit a bottleneck. Since someone wanted her to investigate Jiujiang’s weaknesses, she would give it to that person. Then, she learned from Fan Linlang about a high-level executive completely dependent on Jiujiang. Tu Chen was responsible for public and external cooperation, as well as maintaining contact with monitoring and surveillance companies.
If Zhou Mo was the first unexpected ally someone with a common enemy, then Jiang Xiaogou was the second.
When the four men reached the office door, Tang Yang had enough time to call security or Jiang Shiyan, at least to sound the alarm. But since they had reached out to her, Tang Yang couldn’t and didn’t want to wait. She didn’t want to drag Jiang Xiaogou into a night of anxiety and waiting… she wanted to see clearly who was reaching out.
The face of the charity loopholes and ecosystem was already shocking enough, but after comparing Jiujiang’s public accounts with its internal network accounts, Tang Yang discovered an even more alarming fact—
Jiujiang’s public accounts showed that Jiujiang had taken several ten-billion-yuan loans from Huishang Bank for purchasing or contracting land and building commercial districts. After the commercial districts were invested and built, Jiujiang paid the loans in installments or cleared them at once according to the contract, and invested huge amounts of liquid funds into hundreds of charitable organizations.
Jiujiang’s internal network accounts showed that Huishang Bank’s loans entered the ecosystem, and the liquid funds invested in charities also went to the ecosystem. Part of the ecosystem’s profits was used for group operations, and part for building and expanding the ecological kingdom.
From beginning to end, Tang Yang checked multiple times and never saw the words “repay loan” or anything similar in Jiujiang’s internal network accounts!!
So, had Jiujiang never repaid Huishang Bank’s loans?
So, who was repaying the tens of billions that Jiujiang had borrowed from Huishang Bank?
Why did Huishang Bank show a balanced loan, meaning Jiujiang’s tens of billions were repaid on schedule?
If Jiujiang’s ecosystem was a perpetual money-printing machine, then Huishang Bank’s tens of billions were like the master plate of the money printer, or perhaps the initial source.
In the entire financial system, Huishang Bank gave Jiujiang tens of billions in loans, and Jiujiang didn’t need to repay. This creation of something from nothing was subtle, like a key seesaw connecting Jiujiang, Huishang Bank, and even the ecological kingdom!
Tang Yang was taken away.
When she woke up, Wei Changqiu was before her, with He Zheng, Zhou Mo, and other high-level executives standing by Wei Changqiu’s side.
Wei Changqiu spoke, his attitude was good, understanding Tang Yang’s curiosity from his long-term residence in an ivory tower, and guaranteed Tang Yang’s safety.
Tang Yang told Wei Changqiu a few numbers from the ecosystem. Wei Changqiu’s eyes suddenly deepened, but he held his ground. Several Jiujiang elders looked directly at Zhou Mo, and at this moment, Tang Yang smiled and called He Zheng “Uncle He.”
He Zheng’s face changed drastically. “Director Tang, casually claiming relationships isn’t a good habit.”
After speaking, he hurriedly explained to Wei Changqiu, “Director Tang, President Jiang, and I only have work-related interactions, no personal connections…”
Before he finished, Tang Yang spoke: “**DC003,” and then recited He Zheng’s password and ID. He Zheng was divorced with only a 14-year-old son. When Tang Yang smilingly called out He Zheng’s son’s pet name, Wei Changqiu looked at He Zheng.
“Of course, if you think it’s Zhou Mo, that’s fine too,” Tang Yang said indifferently. “It’s none of my business.”
Someone had already come up to temporarily take He Zheng away.
Tang Yang didn’t even blink: “It seems more profitable to say it’s Zhou Mo,” Tang Yang said. “Neither Jiang Shiyan nor I like him.”
Throughout the process, Tang Yang behaved similarly to Qin Yue—a privileged young woman new to the world, with strong business abilities but a simple nature, unaware of the dangers in the business world.
Wei Changqiu’s words were pleasant, but a trace of unconscious contempt flashed in his eyes. He used to think Tang Yang was steady, but in a private setting, she was nothing special, just pretending to be steady.
Towards the end, Wei Changqiu lost patience: “Tell me about the USB drive… how much do you know?”
Tang Yang told one-third.
Wei Changqiu’s expression eased slightly: “What do you want?”
Tang Yang: “I haven’t decided yet.”
Wei Changqiu, with half his heart, suspended: “Give me the USB drive first?”
Before Tang Yang came in, she had been through a security check, and no metal objects capable of communication or storage were detected on her.
Hearing Wei Changqiu’s question, Tang Yang lazily yawned: “But my head is a bit dizzy, I’m very tired—”
Zhou Mo raised his hand and slapped Tang Yang.
With Wei Changqiu’s style of cruelty and impatience, it greatly pleased Wei Changqiu.
A red mark immediately appeared on Tang Yang’s face. She glared at Zhou Mo. Zhou Mo backhanded her with another slap, thoroughly satisfying Wei Changqiu’s heart.
A man Tang Yang didn’t like, possibly one she sensed liked Jiang Shiyan, had slapped her twice.
Wei Changqiu could guess Tang Yang’s mood without trying. She gave simple instructions to those guarding the door, told Zhou Mo to get information from Tang Yang, and left.
Then came this unmonitored phone call, with Tang Yang hiding under the covers.
Tang Yang considered her acting skills poor, but fortunately, Wei Changqiu didn’t see through it. Zhou Mo’s two slaps looked painful but didn’t use much force.
After Wei Changqiu left, Zhou Mo apologetically brought over some ointment. Tang Yang smiled and shook her head, indicating she was fine.
Her nose wrinkled; she didn’t like the smell of the ointment.
When hiding under the covers, hearing Jiang Shiyan’s “Yang Yang,” her nose suddenly stung, her face suddenly hurt, very painfully, a burning pain.
But such phone call time was precious. She didn’t want Jiang Shiyan to worry, didn’t mention the medicine making her head still dizzy and heavy, didn’t say this was the first time in her life she’d been slapped twice and how sad and wronged she felt, didn’t say how scared she was almost to tears pretending to be a simple academic director…
She just calmly told Jiang Shiyan about everything, about her hurried but meticulous thoughts.
Tang Yang told Jiang Shiyan that the USB drive she, prepared to formally give to Wei Changqiu, was just an ordinary one and that she had hidden the one Zhou Mo gave her. Tang Yang told Jiang Shiyan about Zhou Mo’s stance and their known conditions. Tang Yang told Jiang Shiyan what she needed to do, what she needed, what she would give him.
Tang Yang told him: “Jiujiang will maintain their internal network in advance on July 25th.”
Jiang Shiyan: “Mm.”
Tang Yang: “If there are any changes, contact me anytime. You ring once and hang up, I’ll call back if it’s convenient.”
Jiang Shiyan: “Okay.”
Tang Yang recalled: “I think I was taken to a hotel before. I wasn’t fully conscious then, but I heard room service sounds while in the box. Something unexpected happened midway, and now where I’m staying only has a high window in the bathroom. When Zhou Mo comes, his eyes are also covered.”
“…”
With each sentence Tang Yang said, Jiang Shiyan responded with “Mm.”
Tang Yang said another sentence, Jiang Shiyan said “Okay.”
Tang Yang’s voice was too soft, like the first dewdrop on a late summer night. Her voice, slightly husky through the receiver, carried her inherent gentleness and determination.
Jiang Shiyan was like a traveler who had walked in the desert for a long time, greedily listening to her every word like sipping dew.
He was listening attentively, but he couldn’t help thinking of her appearance, remembering how she would throw away the spatula when frying tomato and egg for fear of oil splashing on her, how she would suddenly wake from nightmares and softly hug him, how she would lie on the sofa playing games when he worked overtime on weekends, gently kicking his stomach with her foot, coyly calling out in a drawn-out tone “Jiang Dagou”…
She was just a young girl, the young girl he cherished in his heart, now standing among wolves and tigers, on a stormy night, all alone.
Was she afraid? Was she not afraid? Did she feel sensitive and sad, wanting to hug him but unable to…
After Tang Yang finished the last part, Jiang Shiyan felt a lump in his throat.
Tang Yang struggled to pull at the corners of her lips: “It’s very sudden, huh, informing you like this without discussing it,” she gently said, stroking her slightly painful face, “If you think I’ve acted inappropriately, if it’s not okay, that’s fine too, because any oversight might involve your safety and Yixiu…”
The words once again fell into silence.
This time, Jiang Shiyan spoke.
“I’ve said before, whatever you want to do, I’ll be with you,” Jiang Shiyan’s voice was hoarse, carrying undisguised pain and comfort, saying word by word, “Whether as a friend, boyfriend, or lover, I’ll always be by your side, always accompanying you.”
In the past, he had even thought that if Tang Yang married someone else, Jiang Shiyan would still help her with her wedding dress train, step by step accompanying her into the hall of marriage, watching her link arms with another man. He would smile and forever bless her.
Jiang Shiyan had used a great deal of luck in exchange for his and Tang Yang’s love. He would give her everything she wanted, give her all the best, give her everything he could give, cherish her, spoil her, pity her, and protect her with the posture of a man protecting his beloved woman.
Yes, it seemed to be like this.
He had always been there whenever called, for anything, willingly. He was Tang Yang’s umbrella on rainy days, her extra food receptacle at mealtimes, her complaint receiver, her Jiang Dagou who could be relied on at any time but now couldn’t be hugged.
She missed him. Why didn’t she tell him about Jiang Xiaogou yesterday? Why didn’t they look at that small, ugly-looking dark lump together…
Tears silently flowed, slowly sliding down her cheeks.
Tang Yang’s eyelashes hung with tears, her smile mixed with a crying tone: “Thank dad on behalf of Jiang Xiaogou.”
Jiang Shiyan: “Take care of yourself.”
Tang Yang wiped away her tears, smiling as she repeated: “Thank dad on behalf of Jiang Xiaogou.”
Jiang Shiyan knew she was crying, of course, he knew she was crying, and also knew she was smiling. Each of her subtle emotions was like thorns laid on his heart, and also the softest rose petals, scalding his eyes, making him smile.
Jiang Shiyan’s eyes reddened: “Tang Yang, I love you.”
The night and dark clouds closed in all around. In the distance, only two small clusters of lights danced in Jiang Shiyan’s eyes. He said: “More than you can imagine, loved longer, cared more, more unable to lose…” So take care of yourself. Please, take care of yourself. Please, please, please take care of yourself.
His deep voice carried a warm force, each word striking her eardrums.
Tang Yang bit the corner of the blanket, her eyes red, tears pouring down.