Chapter 14

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Zhong Qi was in a good mood. Holding Lin Yi’s hand, he hummed a tune.

Although this incident could not directly prove that Jiang Xuan had done it, quite a few people online suspected him.

Jiang Xuan’s fans went everywhere insisting that their Brother Xuan had been framed!

Netizens traded remarks back and forth: “Why frame someone else? Why frame only your idol?”

Never before had Zhong Qi found such an unreasonable argument so pleasing to hear!

Lin Yi said very little along the way. He had already analyzed the entire affair in his mind.

The one who had incited that gang of thugs was probably Yang Xing, while the mastermind behind everything was certainly Jiang Xuan.

The only question was where something had gone wrong. Somehow, surveillance footage had captured a person wearing Jiang Xuan’s clothes together with Tian San on the street.

Had Yang Xing developed divided loyalties toward Jiang Xuan? Or had he intended to turn the tables and use the opportunity to trip Jiang Xuan up?

Lin Yi carefully recalled the way Yang Xing had defended Jiang Xuan at the time. He had not looked like someone planning to fall out with him.

If that was the case, then Yang Xing had been keeping his guard up from the moment Jiang Xuan ordered him to incite the thugs.

That way, Yang Xing himself would not be implicated, and he would also have leverage over Jiang Xuan.

That was far more binding than a relationship built on simple flattery.

Lin Yi’s assessment of Jiang Xuan’s move was simply one word: stupid.

He could not even tell whether the people around him were dogs or wolves.

Yang Xing might well be an ungrateful wolf.

Lin Yi swung their joined hands. “Brother Zhong, do you know what happened between Uncle Yang and Yang Bai?”

He remembered the disdainful look Yang Bai had given Yang Xing earlier.

Zhong Qi paused, then thought about it. “Them? What could possibly have happened between father and son?”

Lin Yi was a little disappointed. It seemed that the father and son had concealed things very well.

Zhong Qi continued, “I do know a little about Yang Xing and Yang Bai’s mother. I heard that Yang Xing and Bai’s mother were childhood sweethearts, but her family did not approve of them being together.

“So Bai’s mother left her hometown with Yang Xing. Later, for reasons no one knows, she and Yang Xing divorced, and Bai was taken away by his mother.

“It was only after Yang Xing became an internet celebrity that he brought Bai back to live with him.

“When it was revealed that Yang Xing had a son, some people said Bai’s mother had divorced him because she could not stand being poor and must have regretted it by then. A lot of netizens mocked her at the time.”

Lin Yi thought of the indifferent look Yang Bai had given Yang Xing. There had to be more to it.

Zhong Qi added, “Still, the timing of Yang Xing bringing Yang Bai back is rather intriguing. At the time, Yang Xing had been exposed for carrying on ambiguous relationships with several female fans in private. It was the lowest point of his career.

“Look at me, rambling about this to a child. All right, Yibao, just remember to stay away from Jiang Xuan and Yang Xing. They’re not good people.”

Lin Yi obediently nodded. “Brother Zhong, Yan told me to look for him when I got back. Can I go out for a while?”

Zhong Qi patted his head. “Of course. But don’t go anywhere dangerous.”

Lin Yi answered brightly, “Okay!”

After parting from Zhong Qi, he quickly vanished without a trace. Concealing himself was what he did best.

He headed straight for Jiang Xuan’s House One.

Jiang Xuan and Yang Xing would be back soon. There was no livestreaming assignment today, so Jiang Xuan would certainly question Yang Xing.

Like a kitten, Lin Yi slipped silently into Jiang Xuan’s room and placed the recorder Ruoruo had given him in a hidden spot.

Then he quietly left.

He had barely gone a few steps from the house when he ran into someone unexpected: Yang Bai.

Yang Bai glanced at the house behind Lin Yi, seeming puzzled. “What are you doing here?”

Lin Yi’s little face remained calm, showing not the slightest trace of guilt at having just done something “bad.”

“I wanted to find Yan, but I think I got lost.”

Why did that sound so familiar?

Oh. He had used Qin Siyan as an excuse in front of Brother Zhong just now, too.

Yang Bai did not suspect him at all. Little Lin Yi’s face was simply too adorable and innocent.

Yang Bai said, “Qin Siyan’s house is over there, but I think I saw him heading toward the Seaweed House.”

What?

Lin Yi instantly lost the composure he had shown earlier. Qin Siyan had gone looking for him? Wouldn’t that expose everything?

He dashed away like the wind, not forgetting to call back, “Thank you!”

After he left, Jiang Xuan and Yang Xing returned.

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Jiang Xuan’s expression was terrible, and fury burned in his eyes as he looked at Yang Xing. With no camera crew or other lenses present, he no longer bothered to conceal any of his emotions.

Yang Xing forced a smile and first sent his son away. “Bai, go see whether the production team has brought over the ingredients for dinner.”

As for Ian?

Ever since learning that Lin Yi had caught fish with a stone and stolen the spotlight, Ian had been gloomy and sullen.

Jiang Xuan called out, “Son…”

Ian glared angrily at Jiang Xuan and Yang Xing, let out a huff, and ran back to his room, slamming the door shut.

After Ian had left, Jiang Xuan gave Yang Xing a meaningful look. The two entered Jiang Xuan’s room one after the other.

Neither of them knew that an empty vase in the corner held a recording device.

The moment Yang Xing closed the door and turned around, Jiang Xuan punched him. The blow came too quickly for him to dodge.

Yang Xing staggered several steps before regaining his balance. Bracing himself against the table, he tasted the metallic tang of blood in his mouth.

“Finished venting?”

Jiang Xuan grabbed him by the collar again. “Yang Xing, what kind of attitude is that when you talk to me?

“I told you to frame Lin Yi, and this is what you did? You nearly got me and Ian finished!”

“Brother Jiang, everything I did was to protect you!”

Jiang Xuan sneered. “Yang Xing, do you take me for an idiot?

“Protect me? By getting caught on camera wearing my clothes?

“If you had merely been caught wearing Zhong Qi’s clothes, I might have believed half of what you’re saying!”

Yang Xing pressed a hand to his injured face. “Brother Jiang, listen to me.

“First, there wasn’t enough time, and I was the only one who had left, which would have made me far too obvious. Second, I couldn’t have gotten Zhong Qi’s clothes in such a short time. The more changes we made, the more mistakes we would risk.

“If they discovered it was me, they would certainly investigate my motive. It would only be a matter of time before you were exposed, Brother Jiang.”

Jiang Xuan scoffed. “So you took a shortcut and made them suspect me directly.”

“That isn’t what happened.” Yang Xing continued explaining. “Ian and Lin Yi already had some friction between them. Once everyone assumed the person in the surveillance footage was you, Brother Jiang, they would simply think you had acted out of concern for your son.

“Besides, I calculated everything. You have perfect proof that you were elsewhere at the time, so this matter could never truly be pinned on you.

“No matter how much people suspected you, the evidence would be right before them. Once the company’s public-relations team stepped in, you would become the victim. Not only would you clear yourself of suspicion, you could even use the incident for publicity.

“Brother Jiang, the company is currently negotiating a partnership with the C family. Right now, they need to see how much attention you can attract.”

Jiang Xuan wavered. “But this will damage my reputation to some extent.”

“There are so many true and false scandals in show business, and this is a minor incident in the first place,” Yang Xing said. “I think that, to the C family’s brand, an entertainer with good character is far less important than one who can bring them sales.

“Businessmen care about profit.”

Jiang Xuan was tempted.

Yang Xing continued, “If you’re still worried, build an image of yourself as someone hardworking, or as someone dedicated enough to keep working even when injured, during the rest of the program. Your public image will gradually turn around.”

Jiang Xuan found the suggestion reasonable. The calm returned to his eyes as he looked at Yang Xing. “Enough. Don’t ever make decisions on your own like this again.”

Yang Xing knew that he had been persuaded and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had finally made it through this crisis.

His hand brushed against the pocket where the recorder lay.

This recording would be his insurance in the future.

Jiang Xuan, you’d better not make me take the blame!

Otherwise, this recording will be my gift to you.

*

After parting from Yang Bai, Lin Yi ran toward the Seaweed House as fast as he could.

But he was still a step too late.

Zhong Qi was smiling as he spoke to Qin Siyan. “Yan, I never would have guessed you could slice potatoes so finely!”

“There are cooking classes at school.”

“Are kindergartens really this competitive already?” Zhong Qi muttered under his breath. When he looked up, he saw little Lin Yi.

“Yibao!”

Qin Siyan turned to look at him when he heard Zhong Qi.

Zhong Qi asked, “Why are you back so quickly? I thought Sister Yu would keep you there a little longer.”

Lin Yi froze for a moment and looked strangely at Qin Siyan. Had he made up an excuse for me?

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Zhong Qi poured water for the two children, then cheerfully went off to cook.

Since they were not filming at the moment, Zhong Qi could use the gas stove.

He had specifically requested this from the production team. Rice cooked over an earthen stove and stir-fried dishes tasted wonderful, but the weather was too hot, and he did not want little Lin Yi to suffer.

Hugging his cup, Lin Yi took tiny sips, occasionally glancing at Qin Siyan across from him.

When Qin Siyan wore no expression, he looked so much like his master.

Qin Siyan felt irritated. That feeling had returned—the sensation of Lin Yi looking through him at someone else.

“Are you all right?”

“Did you cover for me?”

The two spoke at exactly the same time.

Lin Yi waited for a while. When Qin Siyan did not say anything, he finally spoke. “I’m… I’m fine.”

Only after Qin Siyan confirmed that the afternoon’s events had not frightened him did he relax.

Lin Yi was still in the mood to run around, so he truly must have been fine.

Qin Siyan put on a stern little face. “When you went out just now, did you go see that girl named Ruoruo?”

Then why had he used Qin Siyan as an excuse?

He had felt a little pleased when he heard Zhong Qi say that Lin Yi had gone looking for him, but he quickly calmed down. There was only one road from the Seaweed House to his own residence.

Since they had not crossed paths, Lin Yi could not have gone to find him!

Lin Yi shook his head. “I went to Jiang Xuan’s house.”

“What did you go there for? It was dangerous.”

Qin Siyan was particularly sensitive to danger. He could sense Jiang Xuan’s dislike of Lin Yi.

“To leave something there.”

Qin Siyan assumed it was a child’s prank—perhaps Lin Yi had left a caterpillar, a cockroach, or something similar.

So he knew that Jiang Xuan had framed him today.

Qin Siyan’s gaze fell on Lin Yi’s small hands wrapped around the cup.

His nails were neatly rounded and very pretty.

But the moment Qin Siyan imagined those hands touching bugs and cockroaches, he suddenly felt uncomfortable.

He snatched the cup from Lin Yi’s hands and firmly pulled him away to wash them.

Lin Yi stared at him in bewilderment.

What? Why did he suddenly want him to wash his hands?

*

The next day, Lin Yi was not awakened by the crowing of the fishing village’s roosters, but by a jumble of hurried footsteps.

He glanced at Zhong Qi, who was still fast asleep. Seeing no sign that he was about to wake, Lin Yi sat up and quietly went outside.

The moment he closed the door, he saw Jiang Xuan at the head of a crowd, striding toward him menacingly.

The first thing Lin Yi thought of was the recording device he had gone to retrieve the previous night. Had it been discovered?

Jiang Xuan looked anxious and haggard. The instant he saw Lin Yi, he rushed over, grabbed him, and lifted him into the air.

“Lin Yi, did you hide Ian?”

Lin Yi frowned. What was this man raving about?

Still, one thing was certain: this had nothing to do with the recording device.

“Jiang Xuan, put Yibao down! Can’t you see his little face is turning red?” the assistant director said as he tried to pull Jiang Xuan away.

Jiang Xuan was furious and frantic, and had lost all reason.

His son was missing!

Missing!

“It must be Lin Yi! Who knows where Lin Yi hid Ian?” he shouted, shaking Lin Yi violently.

From the overlapping voices around him, Lin Yi pieced together what had happened: Ian was missing.

The shaking made Lin Yi sick, and the anger awakened by the commotion surged higher and higher inside him.

Smack!

The crisp sound of a slap instantly silenced the entire uproar.

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