When Fan Qing saw Jing Yuan, he was somewhat surprised.
Because Jing Yuan looked as if he’d suddenly aged several years—utterly haggard.
Had Elder Ning been abusing him?
Or put him through severe interrogation?
Fan Qing couldn’t help turning his head to look at Jin Si, who was slowly leading the way ahead.
Have you ever seen a prisoner living in such a luxurious hotel?
Jin Si gestured for Fan Qing to look around.
This was a presidential suite.
Although his original intention had been to reduce unnecessary trouble, the truth was that he really hadn’t done anything to Jing Yuan—at most, he’d occasionally sent over a few subordinates who specialized in psychology to ask a couple of questions.
Fan Qing took a look around.
…Fair enough.
With this kind of environment, it was at least five figures a night.
So how had Jing Yuan ended up like this?
Fan Qing couldn’t quite figure it out.
“Go talk to him first. Once he’s willing, come back and discuss this deal with me.”
Jin Si stifled a small yawn, a trace of fatigue showing on his face.
Fan Qing nodded, saw him out, and then closed the door.
Only then did Jing Yuan finally lift his head to look at him.
“You’re here.”
“I heard you insisted on seeing me.”
Fan Qing glanced around and chose a seat farthest from him.
He did want to talk to Jing Yuan, but that didn’t mean he wanted to sit too close to this disgusting person.
Seeing his guarded behavior, Jing Yuan let out a cold laugh.
“Is that really necessary? If you want to humiliate me, you could be more direct.”
He paused, then snorted again.
“But I really didn’t expect this. You’re quite capable. First it was Jian Feishuo, then Nie Luo, and now you’ve even got Jin Si.”
He suddenly took several steps forward, his tone vicious.
“What exactly makes you so special? Or is it that you’re actually—”
His voice dropped abruptly, taking on a sinister edge.
“You’re not the original Fan Qing. I’m not wrong, am I?”
Fan Qing looked at him, his expression unchanged.
“You insisted on seeing me just to say this kind of nonsense?”
“Nonsense?”
Jing Yuan raised his voice. “What, you think I can’t tell just because you won’t admit it?”
He sat back down, his expression calming.
“From the very beginning, when you were assigned to Jian Feiyang’s side, you were someone I personally picked. Fan Qing, do you really think no one knows what you used to be like? If you think that, then you’re very wrong.”
Fan Qing smiled faintly.
His words carried an underlying implication.
“People change. I just grew up.”
“Grew up to the point of becoming a completely different person?”
Jing Yuan shot back.
Fan Qing’s smile faded.
“Maybe you don’t understand. People can change. I worked very hard, so my change was very successful. What you’re saying, on the other hand, is quite interesting.”
Fan Qing leaned forward slightly, his gaze gleaming with an all-seeing clarity.
“I’m curious—why would you have such a thought? That my change wasn’t because of my effort, but because I’m not Fan Qing at all, but someone else?”
His voice dropped even lower, like a wise observer who had seen through every hidden lie.
“Have you ever considered why a normal person would have such an absurd idea? Unless—”
He spoke the next sentence coldly.
“Unless he himself has experienced something like that. Am I right?”
Cold sweat instantly poured down Jing Yuan’s back.
Almost instinctively, he looked around in all directions.
“No need to look. There’s no surveillance. No third person can hear our conversation.”
Fan Qing cut off his searching.
Jing Yuan’s expression eased a little.
But after another thought, it grew even darker.
“So it’s true. You really do know a lot.”
His face hardened.
“So Yuan Jing was deliberate, wasn’t it?”
What did Yuan Jing have to do with any of this?
Fan Qing wondered—yet he caught the flicker of fear that crossed Jing Yuan’s eyes.
Jing Yuan was afraid?
Afraid of what? What was there to be afraid of?
Yuan Jing, to him—
Wait.
A possibility suddenly occurred to Fan Qing.
Looking at Jing Yuan, who was clearly extremely sensitive about Yuan Jing, he slowly probed.
“Otherwise? You didn’t actually think I hadn’t investigated you at all, did you? Your background, and Yuan Jing’s background—you’re far too similar. There shouldn’t be two identical leaves in this world.”
The next second, Fan Qing saw Jing Yuan’s pupils violently constrict.
He felt a bit surprised.
Did Jing Yuan really think that Yuan Jing and he were the same person?
His thoughts raced.
Fan Qing began recalling everything he remembered from before.
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
That possibility had never been mentioned in the novel at all.
And Fan Qing had already had people investigate it.
Yuan Jing and Jing Yuan truly had no connection whatsoever.
If there was anything to say, it could only be an extremely rare coincidence.
Identical appearances, and coincidentally similar names.
But even if it was an excessive coincidence, there were still real-world examples of such things.
He had even found several cases where two people shared the exact same name and appearance.
Some were twins separated in childhood, but others were just two ordinary people with no blood relation at all.
So then—
Why was Jing Yuan so sensitive about this?
What exactly was Jing Yuan afraid of?
Fan Qing tried to put himself in Jing Yuan’s position.
If he were Jing Yuan, why would he be afraid?
Why would Jing Yuan believe Yuan Jing was connected to him?
And did all of this have anything to do with Jing Yuan targeting Nie Luo?
His thoughts spun rapidly, yet Fan Qing’s face revealed very little.
He maintained his inscrutable demeanor, watching Jing Yuan’s expressions without blinking.
So it really was him!
Jing Yuan was terrified deep down, yet also felt that his suspicions had been right all along.
Damn it—this Fan Qing really did have a problem!
And that Yuan Jing too—Fan Qing must have deliberately planted Yuan Jing into the program.
Jing Yuan’s heart sank.
This time, he had made thorough preparations—he meant to take down both Nie Luo and Yuan Jing in one sweep.
If Yuan Jing hadn’t been in the program, he would have had Zhuo Yuan get Yuan Jing out long ago!
Once Yuan Jing was in Zhuo Yuan’s hands, what did he amount to?
In this world, there could only be one Jing Yuan!
What was going on?
Watching Jing Yuan’s expression suddenly change, Fan Qing abruptly realized something.
Could it be that Jing Yuan actually believed Yuan Jing really was the same person as him?
So Jing Yuan was afraid?
Afraid that he would disappear? Or afraid that Yuan Jing would replace him?
That a real “Jing Yuan” would come and take his place?
Almost instantly, Fan Qing decisively spoke up.
“I’m very curious. Since the world can’t have two identical leaves, then what happens to the extra leaf? Wouldn’t something… abnormal occur?”
Jing Yuan glared at him viciously.
“So it really is you! Who exactly are you? How did you find Yuan Jing?”
Fan Qing remained unmoved.
“Your question is interesting. Yuan Jing was already there—whether I looked for him or not, he would still appear. As for who I am? I am Fan Qing.”
“Impossible! You’re absolutely not Fan Qing. The real Fan Qing must be someone else!”
Jing Yuan shouted sharply. Then, all of a sudden, he calmed down.
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
“You like Nie Luo, don’t you? You two got together—does Nie Luo know that you’re not the original ‘Fan Qing’?”
His malice was practically spilling out.
Almost tangible.
Fan Qing merely leisurely switched the leg he had crossed.
“We’re together. Speaking of which, I should thank you for your help.”
“You—!”
Only now did Jing Yuan finally realize.
Help?
Hadn’t he been helping this Fan Qing all along?
Every single time he drugged Nie Luo, it was this Fan Qing who reaped the benefits.
Damn it!
And just what was Fan Qing’s skin made of?
This was the first time Jing Yuan had ever seen someone so completely impervious.
There was no point in continuing to talk to Fan Qing.
This Fan Qing should have been eliminated early on—he really was the most dangerous one!
But now?
Fan Qing held the advantage. There was no point in saying more!
Still—
He had leverage.
Jing Yuan steadied himself and suddenly turned away.
“You can leave. I want to see Jin Si. I want to discuss that deal with him.”
Seeing through the calculation in Jing Yuan’s eyes, Fan Qing’s heart sank slightly.
But very quickly, he relaxed again.
His fingers brushed against the two red envelopes in his pocket, and Fan Qing suddenly smiled faintly.
Since he’d already accepted the change-of-address fees, then a little more debt wouldn’t weigh him down.
Come to think of it, having a reliable big brother—
Didn’t seem so bad after all.
When Fan Qing walked out, Jin Si was wrapped in an even thicker coat.
He looked over at Fan Qing, and his expression slowly stiffened.
“My intuition tells me you’re about to tell me something I really don’t want to hear.”
“Just as expected of you.”
Fan Qing admitted it outright.
Jin Si was, for once, speechless.
After a long moment, he slowly pulled out his phone and sent a message to someone.
“So I’ve always said it—little brothers are, without exception, troublemakers.”
Someone at work received the message and felt a bit speechless.
Then who was it that had deliberately come to ask him how much a change-of-address fee should be wrapped?
In the end, Jing Yuan reached a deal with Jin Si.
What he handed over genuinely satisfied Jin Si—there was nothing better than this to deliver a fatal blow to Zhuo Yuan.
The entertainment industry’s daily trending topics changed constantly, yet they couldn’t compare to the latest earthquake in the business world.
Something had happened to the Zhuo family.
Although news from high society was hard to come by, some rumors still leaked out.
For instance, Zhuo Yuan of the Zhuo family was exposed as having certain abnormal “hobbies.” His mind and body were both problematic, and he’d even had several lives on his hands.
Not long after these rumors spread, news also emerged of massive financial issues within the Zhuo family.
For a time, departments from public security, prosecution, and the courts were going in and out of the Zhuo residence like relatives visiting for the holidays. The business world was in turmoil, and even the stock market took a significant hit.
Under such circumstances, naturally no one noticed that someone was lurking behind the scenes like a gluttonous beast, slowly devouring the scraps falling from the Zhuo family.
What had once seemed unshakable, the Zhuo family was gradually eaten away until it was torn to pieces.
Only—
Jin Si glanced at the documents in his hand and raised an eyebrow slightly.
“Zhuo Yuan ran away? He even took Jing Yuan with him?”
“Yes. Our people are already following them. President Jin, should we bring them back?”
The subordinate in front of him asked.
Interesting.
“No need. Keep an eye on them—don’t be too obvious.”
A clear trace of malicious amusement surfaced on Jin Si’s face.
He really wanted to see what would happen if Zhuo Yuan insisted on taking Jing Yuan with him.
And what kind of entertaining reaction Zhuo Yuan would have once he found out Jing Yuan had betrayed him.
It was honestly something to look forward to.
Jin Si closed the file with satisfaction—he’d treat it as a bit of entertainment for himself while cleaning up after those two troublemakers.
Once in a while, he deserved to relax and enjoy himself.