Chapter 84

Yan Xi held onto Yuan Yi's neck, lying against his chest. Through the thick coat, she could hear his pounding heartbeat.

"Hey," Yuan Yi patted her on the butt. "Do you want me to keep holding you?"

"At a critical moment like this, shouldn't you be saying, 'Don't be afraid, darling, I'm here'?" Yan Xi got down, shivering as the cold wind outside hit her. Her scarf seemed to have fallen to the ground during the scuffle with the two bodyguards earlier.

"I told you before, stop watching those unreliable TV dramas." Yuan Yi took off his coat and wrapped it over Yan Xi's head. "They'll make you stupid."

Yan Xi tried to take off the coat and give it back to him, but Yuan Yi pressed her hand down. "Keep it on. A man's body heat is strong; this kind of weather won't bother me."

Song Ci, who was being helped up by the bodyguards, muttered under his breath while holding his waist, "The fire in his temper is definitely strong."

Hearing the complaint, Yuan Yi turned and glared at him. Intimidated by Yuan Yi's fierce look, Song Ci instinctively stepped back. However, the movement pulled on his injured area, causing him to gasp in pain. "I-I didn't say anything."

Ignoring him, Yuan Yi lowered his head and asked Yan Xi, "What did he do to you?"

"I didn't even have time to do anything!" Having been psychologically scarred by Yuan Yi's beating, Song Ci hurriedly exclaimed, "Miss Yan, you have to testify for me!"

Yan Xi was at a loss for words. It was her first time seeing a kidnapper ask the victim to clear his name. Could this Song Ci really be an idiot?

"Did you not have time, or did you not intend to?" Yuan Yi pulled Yan Xi behind him, blocking her from speaking to Song Ci. "Song Ci, we've always stayed out of each other's way. Whatever you do, there are rules and laws to follow. You had your bodyguards forcibly take my girlfriend. Do you have some sort of grievance with me?"

"Second Young Master Yuan, there's been some misunderstanding here. I truly didn't intend to do anything illegal to Miss Yan." Song Ci was well aware of his situation. Although he ranked first among the younger generation of the Song family, his cousins were not pushovers. Unlike the Yuan brothers, who shared a close bond and supported each other, Song Ci knew he couldn't afford to make enemies of the Yuan brothers.

He looked pleadingly at Yan Xi, who was hiding behind Yuan Yi, hoping she would step forward and speak for him.

Faced with Song Ci's imploring gaze, Yan Xi felt a twinge of guilt. So, she decisively lowered her head and pulled out her phone to play a game developed by Yuan Yi's company.

Song Ci: She looks so gentle and kind—how can her heart be so hard?

"I know the commotion online was stirred up by Song Chao, so I wanted to warn Miss Yan. Since I was worried she wouldn't know who I was or be willing to talk to me, I used a rather poor method." Song Ci forced a bitter smile. "I didn't expect it to cause such a big misunderstanding."

He truly hadn't expected things to go this way. He had barely taken her away before Yuan Yi caught up with him and gave him a beating for free.

"Who would've thought the esteemed Young Master Song could be so kind-hearted? Have I wrongly accused a good person?" Yuan Yi sneered. "The affairs between your Song family siblings are none of my business, but keep your hands away from me."

"U-unknowing means no guilt, right?" Song Ci forced a laugh, inching backward step by step. Seeing that Yuan Yi had no intention of chasing him, he shook off the bodyguards' hands, scrambled into his car, and slammed the door shut—only for it to be held open by Yuan Yi's companion.

He recognized this person: Zhu Han, the sole heir of the Zhu family.

"Young Master Song," Zhu Han climbed into the car, placing a hand on Song Ci's shoulder. "You know Yuan Yi's temper. There are things he can brush off, but there are people he won't let anyone touch. If you cross that line, he'll go to war with you."

Song Ci shivered. Yuan Yi was infamous for his fiery temper when he was younger, known for his explosive personality. Though he had become more composed in recent years, most of his peers still avoided provoking him.

"This really was a misunderstanding. Don't worry, I swear I'll never trouble Miss Yan again. Never." Song Ci deeply regretted coming to see Yan Xi today. If he'd known Yuan Yi guarded his girlfriend like a treasure, he wouldn't have gone near her, even if someone paid him.

"Good, as long as it's a misunderstanding." Zhu Han scanned the car interior, ensuring there were no signs of a struggle, then got out. "Take care, Young Master Song."

Song Ci thought to himself: Take care? No thanks—I'm leaving as fast as I can.

Watching Song Ci's car speed off as if fleeing for his life, Yan Xi turned to Yuan Yi and asked, "How did you guys know to come?"

"I was planning to pick you up from the TV station. Just as I got out of the car, a woman ran over in a panic, saying you'd been kidnapped. She even showed me a photo she'd taken of the car they used to take you away." Yuan Yi's expression softened with relief. "Luckily, they hadn't driven far, and there aren't many side roads on this route. That's how we caught up."

Yan Xi was surprised. Who had noticed her being taken and even managed to snap a photo? She turned to look at Zhu Han and Zhang Wang, knowing they'd come with Yuan Yi. "I'm sorry for worrying everyone," she said.

"It's fine as long as you're okay. When Yuan Yi heard you'd been taken by force, his face went pale," Zhang Wang teased. "You'd better comfort his poor, frightened heart today."

Yan Xi turned to Yuan Yi with a playful smile.

"Don't listen to his nonsense," Yuan Yi said, taking her hand. "The head of the Song family is gravely ill, and the three Song brothers are fighting fiercely over the inheritance. I'm worried someone in the Song family might lose their mind. For now, I'll try to pick you up from work myself. If I can't make it, I'll send a driver and bodyguards. Whatever you do, don't go anywhere alone."

"The Song family's inheritance battle—what does that have to do with me?" Yan Xi was puzzled. "It can't be because of Song Chao, right?"

"In the eyes of the Song family, anything is possible."

Yan Xi thought: I'll never understand the logic of these rich family feuds.

"No joking around," Yuan Yi said seriously. "Except for Song Ci, who doesn't have much of a brain, the rest of the Song family isn't that idle. What I'm worried about is Song Chao. The Song family's situation is too complicated. If Song Chao ends up losing the fight, he might go crazy and do something reckless."

Yan Xi fell silent.

Song Chao's way of doing things was indeed hard to fathom. She couldn't understand why, despite not actually liking her, he insisted on pretending that he did. Was it all because of the stubbornness and unwillingness to let go from their youth?

It was so absurd that it was almost laughable.

"Yuan Yi, Yan Xi, the two of us have a date, so we won't be joining you," Zhang Wang said, glancing between the two. "We'll head off now."

"Alright, thank you both so much for today," Yan Xi expressed her gratitude again.

Zhang Wang waved his hand, half-joking and half-serious as he said, "As long as you and Yuan Yi are doing well, we brothers can rest easy."

Yan Xi pursed her lips and smiled, lightly nodding her head as she held Yuan Yi's index finger.

Once they got into the car, Yan Xi took off Yuan Yi's jacket and suddenly hugged his waist tightly. "Yuan Xiao'er, I was actually really scared today. Luckily, you came."

"Hmph," Yuan Yi snorted lightly. "I knew you were shaken. You were just pretending to be calm out there."

Despite his teasing tone, he gently embraced her, patting her back slowly and patiently to soothe her emotions.

Nestling in his arms, Yan Xi tilted her face up, her eyes landing on his handsome jawline. She rested her ear against his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

Bit by bit, her heart grew steady.

Meanwhile, in an apartment several kilometers away, Song Chao took off his headphones, stood up, and removed his crumpled jacket. Opening the wardrobe, he selected a carefully coordinated suit.

From the bottom drawer of the wardrobe, he retrieved a manual razor and replaced the blade with a fresh, sharp one. Walking to the bathroom, he slowly shaved the stubble off his chin.

Putting on the glasses resting on the counter, Song Chao looked at his reflection in the mirror and slowly revealed a faint smile.

The mobile game developed by Hengtai achieved a level of player spending within just half a month that left industry peers green with envy. Industry insiders analyzed the success of this mobile game, attributing it not only to its high playability but also to its effective promotion and nostalgic appeal. Furthermore, the current mobile gaming market, flooded with low-quality titles, made this standout game shine even brighter. Some even speculated that the previous scandal involving Hengtai's boss and his girlfriend, which painted them in a positive light, contributed to the game's favorable reception, transferring goodwill onto the game itself.

People have always been drawn to pure love stories and deeply devoted couples, showering them with blessings and often showing extra leniency toward them. This game's meteoric rise, benefiting from a perfect combination of timing, circumstances, and human factors, naturally garnered widespread acclaim from players.

By the time the Lunar New Year approached, the game's total revenue from player spending had left competitors utterly speechless. Major media outlets praised Yuan Yi as a rising star in the online gaming industry, a young talent worthy of his prestigious family background.

This time, the media no longer referred to him as the "second young master of the Yuan family" but respectfully addressed him as "Mr. Yuan Yi" or "Chairman Yuan." Some even claimed that Yuan Yi's massive success symbolized the rise of the younger generation of aristocratic families, marking the gradual end of the old guard's era.

Within the Imperial Capital Television Station, newspapers and magazines were regularly subscribed to. While they couldn't match the speed of mobile news in today's information age, these traditional media still held their place and hadn't been entirely replaced.

Every day, newspapers were delivered to each department on schedule, though very few people actually read them. Most of them ended up being collected by janitors as scrap paper and sold to recycling centers.

"Ms. Yan, the financial section of today's paper is praising Mr. Yuan again," the assistant makeup artist said, handing the newspaper to Yan Xi, who was getting her makeup done. Glancing at it, Yan Xi noticed that the paper's opening headline featured the words "Young Business Elite."

When news about Yuan Yi first started appearing in newspapers, Yan Xi would save them. But now, with reports about him frequently appearing in both major and minor publications, she could no longer keep up with collecting them.

"Mr. Yuan is truly remarkable. I saw on the news the other day that this mobile game has already launched overseas," the makeup artist said while applying setting powder. "He's talented and deeply devoted. Ms. Yan, you're so lucky."

Yan Xi smiled faintly but said nothing.

Shen Xingyan, who was reading her script nearby, looked up and said, "Our Yan Xi is beautiful, kind-hearted, and a talented host. Having such a wonderful girlfriend is Yuan Yi's good fortune too."

"You're absolutely right, Ms. Shen," the makeup artist immediately agreed. "They're both very lucky."

Once the makeup was done, Shen Xingyan took Yan Xi to the lounge. "The station is holding an outdoor hosting segment for this year's New Year's Eve gala. I originally wanted to recommend you for it, but your experience is still a bit limited. The station worried it might invite criticism, so you won't be participating this year. However, if you keep performing well, you'll definitely have your chance next year."

Yan Xi noticed that Shen Xingyan seemed a bit uneasy tonight, and now she understood why. After a brief pause, she smiled and said, "Sister Shen, I understand the station's concerns. To be honest, I hadn't planned on working this New Year's Eve anyway—I didn't want to leave my dad home alone."

"Your mindset is much better than mine was at your age," Shen Xingyan remarked with a smile, shaking her head. Seeing that Yan Xi was speaking genuinely, she added, "But having this attitude is a good thing. Only by steadily honing your hosting skills will better opportunities come your way."

"Ms. Shen, Ms. Yan, tonight's program recording has been suspended!" The director walked into the lounge with a strange expression.

"Suspended?" Shen Xingyan frowned. "A scandal with the guest?"

The director shook his head and glanced at Yan Xi. "It's more serious than that—the head of the Song family has passed away."

"The head of the Song family was gravely ill, so his passing isn't surprising," Shen Xingyan said, her expression growing somber and her tone more serious. "Is the guest somehow connected to the Song family?"

"We initially thought it was due to illness," the director paused, "but just now, the Song family reported it to the police. They suspect it was murder."

After a brief silence, the director added, "It's said that the last person Song Senior saw was his grandson, Song Chao."