extra chapter for izariri 
thank you for the ko-fi ❤️
Xu Ze received a file on a kidnapping case from ten years ago after the bodyguards brought him home from the riverbank that night.
He flipped through it cautiously, fearing that the photos would show scenes of his father’s death. However, all the pictures of Xu Ming had already been removed from the thick file, as if someone knew it would be distressing for him to look at them and had done so beforehand.
The kidnapped person was the son of Lu Chengyu. Lu Chengyu was one of the candidates for foreign minister in the Union Council at the time. The mastermind was Lu Chengyu’s rival, He Yi, and the one hired for the kidnapping was Shao Ping.
According to the accomplices’ testimonies, Shao Ping had ordered several policemen to be killed in the kidnapping. This was to burden He Yi with the weight of the lost lives to pledge loyalty, making it easier to restrain him and ensure that the cooperation between the two sides remained strong.
Tang Feiyi just followed his father’s subordinates to watch the excitement. By chance, the newly acquired sniper rifle intrigued the teenage alpha. Thus he aimed at a detective rescuing hostages 300 meters away and pulled the trigger without remorse.
Xu Ze read every single word until dawn. When he finally raised his head, he stared blankly for a long time before tasting the taste of blood in his mouth—he had been biting the tip of his tongue and didn’t even realize when he pierced it.
The past events were like scattered pieces that were finally stitched together.
Not seeing his father’s body for the last time, the case that led to his father’s death remaining unclear, Lu Heyang losing his childhood memories, and Tang Feiyi’s words to Lu Heyang: The first time I saw you backstage, I thought you looked familiar, but I could never quite place it…
And the mysterious text messages, the half-covered truths that lured him step by step into danger.
Xu Ze believed that Lu Heyang wouldn’t do such a thing, so the only possibility pointed to the most unlikely person—the superior Chairman.
It was too easy to separate him and Lu Heyang. There was no need to go to great lengths; simply telling them the truth would be enough.
None of these things were necessary at all. As long as someone told Xu Ze to please stay away for Lu Heyang’s sake, Xu Ze could guarantee that he would never appear in front of Lu Heyang for the rest of his life.
Lu Heyang should have known about this earlier. On the day they met on his birthday, Xu Ze had a premonition. He waited for Lu Heyang to say goodbye to him, but Lu Heyang didn’t even say it when they parted.
It shouldn’t be difficult for Lu Heyang to say goodbye to him, but he didn’t say it.
He must have felt guilty. He spent the birthday with guilt, accompanied him for a full 24 hours, and finally didn’t have the heart to say goodbye.
If they could meet again, Xu Ze would want to tell Lu Heyang: Don’t feel guilty, it’s not your fault. You’re a good person.
Also, say goodbye to me without any burden, it’s okay.
–
Jiang Wen visited Lu Heyang frequently at the training base. Many things were inconvenient to discuss over the phone because Lu Heyang, Lin Yumian, and Lu Qingmo’s communications were all monitored.
Ten years ago, Lin Yumian went abroad to recuperate, which coincided with Lu Chengyu’s election. Due to security concerns, Lin Yumian suggested that Lu Qingmo and Lu Heyang leave the country for a while, but Lu Chengyu didn’t agree. When he returned home, Lu Heyang’s memory had become fragmented. Lu Chengyu suppressed the news, but Lin Yumian could guess what had happened. He threw the divorce papers at Lu Chengyu and moved to a villa in Luanshan to live alone.
Now that Lin Yumian learned that those who kidnapped Lu Heyang were connected to Tang Feiyi, he could not just sit back and do nothing—Wei Lingzhou and Tang Feiyi were getting too close. If he could use the Wei family this time, he could at least help Lu Qingmo escape this arranged marriage.
“He certainly won’t let us investigate privately,” Lin Yumian was not surprised by Lu Chengyu’s surveillance, “The Wei family’s shares and taxes are crucial to the government, so if something were to happen to the spouse, it would have negative consequences for both the Lu family and the government. It’s something that should be considered in the long run.”
“But what everyone most values is different. I’m not the Chairman, so I don’t have that much control,” Lin Yumian said.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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“The Wei family’s company in another country in the Union has recently started operating. Tang Feiyi and He Yu are both shareholders,” Jiang Wen said.
“The funds likely came from Tang Feiyi’s casino. It’s not easy to trace.” Lu Heyang flipped through the documents, “Check the other major shareholders, they should all be related to some officials in the Union government. Send the materials to my dad, and he’ll discuss it with Grandpa Gu.”
“Okay.” After a pause, Jiang Wen said, “Miss Lu went to see a psychiatrist a couple of days ago.”
Lu Heyang was surprised and raised his eyes, “Does dad know?”
“Mr. Lin is not aware for now.”
“Don’t tell anyone yet. If my sister has dinner with the Wei family after she returns home, send someone to follow her to the table.” Lu Heyang said, “Arrange for two people to go to Han Jian’s side.”
“Okay.”
After a brief silence, Lu Heyang asked, “How is he?”
“No significant changes. He has visited a real estate agency a few times. His house might not be easy to sell, since it’s too old and remote, and it’s not within the scope of the Westside project’s relocation.”
No significant changes—still the same Xu Ze, swallowing everything silently, no words or questions, no matter what happened.
Jiang Wen continued as Lu Heyang didn’t speak, “The situation is delicate now, don’t leave the base for now. If anything happens, he’ll be the first to suffer instead.”
“Mn.” Lu Heyang’s eyes fell on the sharp edge of the papers in the file, “I know.”
After dinner, Lu Heyang returned to the dormitory and sat at the desk to read a book. Soon after, a special alert came from the eavesdropping app on his phone—if the connected bugging device was turned on, his phone would receive a notification, and he could open the app to play the real-time recording of the other end.
Lu Heyang unlocked his phone, opened the app, and pressed the play button.
The speaker emitted a faint electrical noise and a very subtle breathing sound.
After a few seconds, Lu Heyang heard the sound of the wind blowing through leaves, presumably from the large tree outside Xu Ze’s room window.
Apart from that, there was nothing else. Xu Ze remained silent the whole time. After half a minute, all the sounds stopped abruptly—Xu Ze had turned off the bug.
Even though Xu Ze was uncertain whether Lu Heyang could hear, he still turned the bug on and off. It seemed like he was doing something meaningless.
The first interview took place at the end of November. The car drove up to the school. The weather was nice and the students were walking around.
It didn’t seem too different from the Preparatory School, except that uniforms weren’t required. Xu Ze still kept looking out through the car window seriously. This was the first school he had chosen and confirmed for his application. He had only seen pictures at the seminar.
That night not long ago, there was a moment when Xu Ze really wanted to kill Tang Feiyi. But he couldn’t become a murderer. From the second he applied to the university, Xu Ze felt he was gradually catching a glimpse of a normal life—something he longed for even in his dreams.
The bodyguard parked the car downstairs and took the elevator with Xu Ze. Before entering the interview room, the bodyguard suddenly said, “He said to wish you good luck.”
Xu Ze was slightly stunned. At the same time, the assistant teacher next to the door opened it for him. Xu Ze stepped inside instinctively, then turned to look at the bodyguard blankly. The bodyguard nodded back to him.
Strangely enough, Xu Ze didn’t feel nervous during the hour-and-a-half interview. The tidy classroom and the six or seven calm-looking interviewers didn’t have anything that would cause emotional changes compared to the hundreds of screaming spectators in the underground boxing ring.
As the interview ended, one of the teachers smiled and said directly to Xu Ze, “You may have other choices, but we hope to see you here soon. You are welcome to join us.”
Xu Ze pursed his lips in a faint smile. After that, he bowed to the interviewers and left the classroom.
Perhaps he could have given more perfect answers, but he wasn’t good at speaking and lacked confidence. He knew he might not have an alternative, especially if Tang Feiyi actually sent those photos to the school.
On the way back, Xu Ze received a text from Xiao Feng.
After the club was closed, Xu Ze tried to contact Xiao Feng but didn’t get a reply.
[Seventeen, I heard S-levels can apply this semester. I believe you’ll definitely get into a good school. Congratulations in advance!]
Xu Ze wanted to ask how he was doing, but since Xiao Feng had deliberately ignored his recent messages, he could only reply: Thank you.
In early December, the capital government announced that the Gu family had won the bid for the project in the Westside. Shortly afterward, news broke that a construction worker had discovered drugs and firearms in an old warehouse in the Westside.
The warehouse was well hidden and guarded 24 hours a day, so it was difficult to find. However, before Lu Heyang took the preliminary exam at the military academy, he received Xu Ze’s hand-drawn map from his bodyguard. The map marked Tang Feiyi’s various warehouses and strongholds in the Westside, along with the routes to the docks. While at the club, Xu Ze was often dragged along to deliver goods. Sometimes he would drive, but other times he would be unable to see outside as he sat in the back of the truck, so he could only rely on his instincts to draw the map.
By the time the club was seized, most of the strongholds had pretty much been abandoned with only a few sporadically remaining for transportation. Jiang Wen sent people to check each one according to the map and eventually found this particular warehouse—something they could have found anyway, but Xu Ze’s map saved them a lot of time.
After the news of the accidental discovery of drugs and arms by a “construction worker” leaked out, the Gu family immediately requested a thorough investigation from the Capital Bureau, publicly stating their willingness to cooperate with any inquiry to ensure the smooth progress of the Westside project.
The police blocked the highway and the dock and soon found several boxes of firearms on a cargo ship owned by the He family’s transportation company.
“My dad is pissed.” He Wei sighed over the phone, “Finding weapons on my cousin’s company’s cargo ship is embarrassing for our President He. As soon as this came out, he immediately called Uncle Lu. I don’t know what they discussed.”
“They’ll be investigating your cousin soon,” Gu Yunchi said.
“Yep.” He Wei’s tone was flat, “Once they bring my cousin in, my dad and uncle will surely help him. He’ll get a few years at most, but it’s better than rotting outside.”
“Tang Feiyi is missing, be careful these days,” Lu Heyang reminded him.
“I know, but you two are probably in more danger. The Chairman’s son and Director Gu’s grandson, if they can catch one of you as a bargaining chip, Tang Feiyi won’t have to worry,” He Wei said, “Stay at the base, it’s the safest place.”
After hanging up, Gu Yunchi turned off his phone, “Did Tang Feiyi escape abroad?”
“Probably not.”
“I wouldn’t bet on it if this is delayed any longer. Wei Lingzhou will help him. It’s not good for the Wei family if Tang Feiyi gets caught.”
Lu Heyang didn’t answer, but pressed the timer and began dismantling the training gun. The classroom was empty, and the grinding of the gun parts was unusually clear. Lu Heyang reassembled the disassembled parts one by one. Finally, he loaded the gun, pulled the trigger, and fired a blank.
The timer did not stop, and the numbers on the screen continued to increase.
“If there’s a bait, the progress will be much faster.” Lu Heyang put the gun back into the box, closed it, and turned off the timer.
This really was one of the easiest and most effective methods, and the first person Gu Yunchi thought of was Xu Ze.
Before the final interview, Xu Ze hadn’t been to school for over a week, shuttling between home, the nursing home, and the real estate agency. Ye Yunhua’s health was deteriorating, and any emotional changes would cause her to have difficulty breathing or even go into shock. She was hardly able to walk by herself. Zhou Zhen made it clear to Xu Ze that given Ye Yunhua’s current condition, the operation had to be performed as soon as a suitable lung donor was found. There was no time to delay.
The house was not easy to sell. The real estate agent kept lowering the price, knowing Xu Ze’s urgency and that he was a student. Although Xu Ze had initially considered waiting, there seemed to be little time left.
The sun didn’t come out today, and the sky looked ominous as if it was going to fall. Xu Ze set out for the third interview. The road was emptier than usual. Xu Ze glanced at the rearview mirror, everything around him seemed normal, but he knew that something was actually wrong.
Bold tailing was just a provocation, while discreet tailing was the most dangerous.
Xu Ze learned from Chi Jiahan that the Gu family and the usually low-profile Lin family had started to take action. No matter what they said on the surface, they were actually targeting the Wei family, and Tang Feiyi was the most crucial part of it.
“Both the Gu and Lin families have come forward. Tang Feiyi won’t be able to escape this time. So you must be careful. Lu Heyang and the others are safe at the military base, but you’re different. Who knows what kind of madness Tang Feiyi might do to you? It can’t just be revenge, he might use you against Lu Heyang,” Chi Jiahan warned, “Don’t think that Lu Heyang doesn’t care about you, otherwise he wouldn’t provide you with bodyguards.”
He spoke seriously, but Xu Ze was thinking about something entirely different—what could break the deadlock.
Being followed meant that he was already a target. Xu Ze thought that if someone was going to be the bait, he should be the best deal that would benefit others at no cost. Lu Heyang should have thought of this as well.
However, the outcome was uncertain. Xu Ze hoped Tang Feiyi would be caught and sentenced to death. Xu Ze was willing to be the bait, but he couldn’t predict the risks and might not be able to bear them. There were still many things he hadn’t done yet.
The bodyguard glanced at the rearview mirror and abruptly turned the steering wheel to take another road. Xu Ze looked out the window in a daze, feeling a sense of impending trouble. But it lasted only a moment because he truly believed in Lu Heyang. Even if Lu Heyang asked him to do something, he was bound to wait until the interview was over—Xu Ze was absolutely sure of that.
As the interview ended, it began to rain with light thunder. Another bodyguard’s car arrived outside, and Xu Ze was ushered into the new one. The bodyguard in the car had an unfamiliar face. Xu Ze sat down, his right hand covering the left wrist where Lu Heyang’s wristband and his grandmother’s rosewood bracelet were.
The world outside the car was shrouded in mist from the drizzle and moisture, making many things unknown. Xu Ze’s eyes were unfocused, calm, and unresisting. After several minutes, he finally asked the bodyguard beside him, “Can I call Grandma’s doctor?” He wanted to hear Ye Yunhua’s voice.
“Yes.”
Xu Ze didn’t immediately make the call, feeling like a prisoner about to be executed, anxious and unsure of what to do. When he turned the flight mode off, a call came in—it was Chi Jiahan.
Meanwhile, the bodyguard beside him spoke quietly into his earpiece. Xu Ze held the phone close to his ear, “Hello?”
“Did the interview just end? Dr. Zhou said he couldn’t reach you,” Chi Jiahan sounded urgent, “Come to Capital’s Second Hospital, hurry!”
His brain stopped thinking and went blank. Xu Ze turned to the bodyguard, feeling his mouth open and close, unsure if any sound had come out. Xu Ze asked, “Can you take me to the Second Hospital now?”
He could no longer care if he was interrupting some plan. The bodyguard nodded and told him, “We’re on our way to the Second Hospital now.”
“Okay, thank you.” As if Xu Ze had no memory, he repeated, “Thank you.”
The phone rang again, causing Xu Ze’s shoulders to tremble. He stared at the unfamiliar number on the screen and answered it. He heard his rapid and heavy heartbeat.
It wasn’t the doctor on the other end of the phone. Xu Ze’s fear of hearing bad news about Ye Yunhua didn’t materialize. Instead, a familiar and clear voice said, “Xu Ze.”
Although Xu Ze had counted the days with his fingers, he couldn’t remember the exact number, only that many days had passed. He clutched the phone to his ear, wanting to answer but failed to make any sound.
“It’s fine, don’t worry. I’m heading to the Second Hospital now. Be careful on your way.”
Xu Ze didn’t know how to form his words. He wanted to say that it was risky and that he should remain inside the base. But Lu Heyang hung up before he could speak as if the call was just to reassure him with that one sentence.
The rain suddenly intensified, beating down on the car’s roof as the thunder grew louder. The phone screen dimmed and Xu Ze looked outside. It was even darker with nothing visible except the pouring rain.
Noo, i have a bad feeling ><
Thank you for the update~
grandma.. 🥺
I don’t like where this going😭
Thank you for the translation