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At the headquarters of Jinhai Industry, the door to Zhao Dabiao's office was kicked open.

"Mr. Zhao, you have quite the refined taste!" Huang Yuyang led the three-person audit team in, slamming a stack of photos on his desk. "Why invest in cemeteries of all things?"

The photo clearly shows a desolate cemetery in Hebei Province, with an advertising sign that reads "Fushouyuan - Strategic Cooperation Project of Zhao Group".

At this moment, cold sweat instantly beaded on Zhao Dabiao's forehead. This project used 30 million yuan of the company's working capital, which was originally intended to be resold to make a profit, but due to policy adjustments, it has now become a hot potato.

"Huang Yuyang!" Zhao Dabiao slammed his fist on the table and stood up. "Who do you think you are, daring to check my accounts?"

"Who am I?" Huang Yuyang sneered. "I'm Chairman Zhao's cousin, and the group's CFO!"

He opened the ledger and said, "Embezzling project funds and making false expense reports—that's enough to get you in jail for ten years!"

Zhao Dabiao's thick lips trembled as he suddenly grabbed the phone: "Dongcao! Come to your uncle's office right now!"

Ten minutes later, Qi Dongcao arrived in a hurry, wearing high heels.

She was wearing a beige business suit today, and the jade bracelet on her left wrist gleamed softly under the light.

"Dongcao, quickly introduce the situation of 'Fushouyuan' to General Manager Huang."

“Uncle Huang.” Qi Dongcao nodded politely, then looked at the ledger. “I had my uncle handle the Fushouyuan project.”

Huang Yuyang's expression changed: "Dongcao, this is no joke..."

"The funeral industry plan was mentioned at last year's board meeting." Qi Dongcao calmly took out a tablet. "This is the feasibility report, which my father personally signed."

She pulled up an electronic document, which indeed had Zhao Xin's electronic signature at the end.

Huang Yuyang narrowed his eyes. Whether the signature was real or fake was not important. What was important was that Qi Dongcao dared to use Zhao Xin as a shield.

When did this girl he watched grow up become so ruthless?
"I see." Huang Yuyang suddenly laughed. "I misunderstood."

He put away the materials, and as he left, he gave Qi Dongcao a meaningful look, "Dongcao! Don't forget that your surname is Qi."

"Thank you for the reminder! Uncle Huang, don't forget that this is Jinhai Industrial."

"Humph!"

After the office door closed, Zhao Dabiao slumped in his leather chair: "Dongcao, your uncle owes you one..."

"The signature is fake," Qi Dongcao interrupted coldly. "Pay back the money within three days, or I can't protect you."

"This……"

She turned to leave, the jade bracelet striking the doorknob with a crisp sound.

At the end of the corridor, Huang Yuyang was talking in hushed tones to a man who was missing three fingers and whose single eye gleamed with a fierce light.

Qi Dongcao's blood froze instantly: Second Uncle Qi Fengnian?!

Qi Dongcao never dreamed that Huang Yuyang would actually partner with her second uncle, Qi Fengshan. This meant that an alliance against Jinhai Group and Zhao Xin had already been formed.

Qi Dongcao, caught in the middle, was undoubtedly in a difficult position, though both sides were practically her closest relatives.

Qi Dongcao suddenly understood why Su Ning was unwilling to return to the Zhao family. For the first time, she realized how troublesome the Zhao family was, and that any one thing could bring them to ruin.

Then Qi Dongcao took out her phone and texted Su Ning, "Su Ning, can we talk?"

"No interest! I don't want to hear anything more about the Zhao family." Su Ning replied quickly, but her tone was particularly cold and indifferent.

"Do you really have no memory at all?" In the end, Qi Dongcao asked the question that had been nagging at her.

"Why would I need to lie to you?"

……

On a Shanghai elevated highway, a Suning Harley-Davidson motorcycle streaked across the road like a black lightning bolt.

In the rearview mirror, a black Mercedes suddenly accelerated and approached.

Suning instinctively changed lanes, but the opponent followed closely.

At the bend where the exit ramp was about to end, the Mercedes suddenly swerved!
"boom!"

The sound of metal clashing pierced the night sky.

In the instant of losing control, Suning abandoned the car and rolled over, adjusting his posture in the air like a cat, and after three consecutive side rolls, he landed steadily next to the roadside guardrail.

The Mercedes door opened, and a middle-aged man with a panicked expression ran over: "Young man! Are you alright?"

Suning flexed his wrists; apart from a hole in his jeans, there wasn't even a scratch on his skin.

He glanced at the mangled Harley, not even flinching: "You did this on purpose?"

"I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" The man was so anxious he was incoherent, pointing to the back seat, "My daughter has a high fever, I'm rushing to the children's hospital..."

The car window rolled down, revealing a little girl with a flushed face, about five or six years old, holding a dirty teddy bear in her arms.

Su Ning suddenly remembered the ponytail girl in his dream who called him "Eight Liang"...

"Let's go." Su Ning waved her hand. "Remember not to drive like that next time."

The man thanked him profusely and handed him his business card: "I'll cover all the repair costs!"

The car sped away, leaving behind a business card that read "Manager of Engineering Department, Hulian Real Estate".

Then Su Ning took out his phone, the screen saver of which was a photo of him and Shen Jiayi at the amusement park the day before.

The girl was wearing a Minnie Mouse headband and smiling so wide her eyes disappeared.

"Hey, Jiayi." Su Ning's voice softened immediately after the call connected. "My motorcycle broke down... um, it's okay... Want to come to my house to stargaze this weekend?"

After hanging up the phone, he glanced at the deformed Harley and suddenly lifted the several-hundred-pound motorcycle with one hand.

This action surprised even himself; could an ordinary person have that kind of strength?

I felt that my body possessed endless power, and perhaps my true identity was not simple at all.

The reason why Su Ning didn't want to acknowledge the Zhao family was not only because she was afraid of trouble, but also because the child herself had always doubted her own identity.

Because a nine-year-old child cannot possibly understand so much, he has known since childhood that he is different from other children, so he has always acted like an adult.

Perhaps, his true identity is not Zhao Jiadi?

……

The relationship between Suning and Shen Jiayi is now progressing well, so Suning took advantage of the opportune moment to bring her home.

On the weekend, on the top floor of a high-end apartment on the Bund in Shanghai.

“Suning, this…this is your home?” Shen Jiayi stood in front of the panoramic floor-to-ceiling window, with the lights of the Bund all in her view.

She wore a white dress today, which gave her a more mature and sophisticated look than usual.

Su Ning wrapped his arms around her from behind: "One of them."

He pointed to Pudong, "There's another river-view apartment there, but it's too far from our school."

Shen Jiayi turned around and poked his chest: "Su Ning, are you a rich second-generation or a newly rich entrepreneur?"

"No, that's not it! The translation agency just made a little money." Su Ning brushed it off lightly, then lowered his head to kiss her question.

The kiss continued from the living room to the bedroom. As Shen Jiayi's back sank into the fluffy down comforter, the Oriental Pearl Tower outside the window lit up with its hourly lights.

Soon, Suning was peeling the onion with great skill...

Afterwards, Shen Jiayi lay on Su Ning's chest and drew circles: "Next week is the French department's dance party, will you be my dance partner?"

"Can't dance."

"I'll teach you!" Shen Jiayi flipped over and opened her phone. "Look! I've even bought the dress!"

The photo shows a champagne-colored fishtail skirt.

Su Ning suddenly remembered the jade bracelet on Qi Dongcao's wrist, a family heirloom given to the "eldest grandson's wife" by Grandma Zhao.

Lately, he's been getting more and more interested in Qi Dongcao. If she's not around, he always feels like something's missing.

He shook his head, quickly banishing the inexplicable thought from his mind.

“By the way,” Shen Jiayi suddenly said, “Mu Hongli has been asking about you lately.” Su Ning stiffened: “She’s been giving you trouble?”

"No, not at all." Shen Jiayi fiddled with his buttons. "It seems like she's particularly interested in you. Is there something going on between you two?"

A flash of lightning streaked across the window, followed by a muffled rumble of thunder in the distance.

Su Ning's left eye suddenly stung, and he quickly rolled over, pretending to look for the air conditioner remote: "Boring woman! Don't pay attention to her. Besides, if I really had something going on with her, she would be the one in my bed right now."

Shen Jiayi didn't ask any further questions, but simply leaned over and gently hugged him.

However, Su Ning picked up Shen Jiayi, the real school beauty, again, saying, "Shen Jiayi, let's continue..."

"Ah...I can't take it anymore..."

"how come!"

An hour or two later, raindrops began to patter against the glass, and the two fell asleep in each other's arms to the sound of the rain.

……

On Monday morning, five black Mercedes-Benz cars were parked in front of the Shanghai International Studies University.

Grandma Zhao stood at the front, leaning on her dragon-headed cane, followed by Zhao Xin, Huang Fangfei, and a dozen bodyguards.

Students passing by couldn't help but stare; the scene looked like a gangster movie was being filmed.

"Grandma, this will frighten Ba Liang," Qi Dongcao anxiously advised. "We should take it slowly..."

"What's with the slowing down!" Zhao Xin interrupted sharply. "Isn't it enough that my son has been wandering outside for nine years?"

He turned to the security guard and said, "Su Ning from the French department, call him out!"

The news quickly reached Suning, who was in class.

He looked out the classroom window at the dense crowd below and his lips twitched: "Troublesome."

Shen Jiayi nervously grabbed his hand: "Should we call the police?"

"It's nothing." Su Ning squeezed her palm. "I'll go take care of it."

At the school gate, Grandma Zhao burst into tears upon seeing Su Ning: "Ba Liang! My darling!"

She reached out tremblingly to touch Su Ning's face.

Suning took a half step back: "Old man, you've mistaken me for someone else."

"Nonsense!" Zhao Xin roared. "The DNA has been tested! What else do you have to say for yourself?"

He waved to his bodyguard, "Take the young master to the hospital for a full checkup. That bastard Su Daqiang must have brainwashed him!"

"Young Master, please forgive us." Four bodyguards stepped forward at the same time.

At this moment, Suning only threw a light punch, as easily and comfortably as swatting a mosquito.

However, the next second, the strongest bodyguard was already groaning on the ground, he hadn't even seen how Su Ning made his move.

The remaining three bodyguards exchanged a glance and then pounced on him.

"Stop!" Qi Dongcao screamed, but it was too late.

However, Suning's movements were faster than a human's.

A side kick, an over-the-shoulder throw, and finally an elbow strike to the abdomen—the whole thing lasted less than ten seconds.

The students watching gasped in amazement, and some even started recording, mainly because they thought it was too cool.

If there weren't no cameras nearby, they would have suspected that this was a scene from a gang shootout.

"Zhao Sanjin, if you come any closer, I won't be so polite," Su Ning said coldly, a faint bloodshot appearing in his left eye.

Zhao Xin's face turned ashen: "You've gone too far! I'm your father!"

“My father’s name is Su Daqiang.” Su Ning took out her phone and called the police. “Now, please leave my school.”

The sound of sirens grew louder as they approached, as the school security guards had already called the police.

Grandma Zhao suddenly felt weak all over, and she beat her chest and cried out, "What a tragedy! What tragedy has our Zhao family committed!"

After understanding the situation, the police confirmed that Su Ning was an adult and explicitly refused to acknowledge his relatives, so they could only persuade the Zhao family to leave.

Before leaving, Qi Dongcao gave Su Ning a deep look, her gaze so complex it was chilling.

Only then did Shen Jiayi run up to the money and ask Su Ning, "Su Ning, are you alright?"

"It's nothing! Just some annoying little troubles."

Who are they?

"Hmph! What a boring person."

"..."

……

Late at night, an abandoned warehouse on the banks of the Suzhou River.

Qi Dongcao knelt before a row of memorial tablets, with her father Qi Wufu's portrait at the very top.

Amidst the swirling smoke, Qi Fengnian's single eye gleamed with a cold light.

"You've been a dog to your enemy for over a decade, and you've even forgotten your own name?" Qi Fengnian demanded sharply. "How did your father die? How did Zhao Sanjin take over the Qi family's business? Have you fed your conscience to the dogs?"

"Second Uncle..." Qi Dongcao's voice trembled, "Uncle Zhao raised me and sent me to study abroad..."

"Bullshit!" Qi Fengnian kicked over the offering table. "He's afraid you'll inherit the Qi family's shares!"

He grabbed Qi Dongcao's wrist. "What's this bracelet? Did Old Lady Zhao give it to you?"

The jade bracelet developed a crack during the struggle.

Qi Dongcao suddenly broke down in tears: "What should we do! There are only the two of us left in the Qi family. Can we fight against Zhao Sanjin? Besides, he is my adoptive father."

"Who said we were going to fight head-on?" Qi Fengnian smiled sinisterly. "Isn't Zhao Balang still alive?"

He pulled out a stack of photos, all of them intimate pictures of Su Ning and Shen Jiayi. "We'll destroy whatever Zhao Sanjin cares about most."

Qi Dongcao looked up in horror: "Second Uncle! Ba Liang is innocent!"

"Innocent?" Qi Fengnian sneered. "The fact that Zhao Sanjin's blood flows in his veins is his original sin!"

“He has already been kidnapped once and has been living on the run for many years. He doesn’t remember anything about the Zhao family now, so why should we drag him into this?”

"Dongcao, do you like this Zhao Balang?"

"He is not Zhao Balang! He is Su Ning."

There was lightning and thunder outside the warehouse.

Qi Fengshan left the warehouse with a disdainful look on his face. Today's meeting had made him very disappointed in his niece.

Not only has he recognized his enemy as his father, but now he's even fallen in love with the son of his enemy. He really thinks this world is Romeo and Juliet.

Qi Dongcao slumped down among the memorial tablets scattered on the ground, the crack in the jade bracelet resembling an ugly scar.

She recalled the way Su Ning looked at her today, as if she were a stranger, which made her feel even more uncomfortable.

Rain dripped from the cracks in the roof, mingling with tears as it hit the ground.

Qi Dongcao took out her phone, and the screen still showed the same photo of Suning riding a Harley.

Her fingertip hovered over the delete key, but she hesitated to press it.

In the distance, cargo ships on the Huangpu River emitted long, drawn-out whistles, much like the sirens of police cars on that rainy night many years ago.

At this moment, Qi Dongcao suddenly realized that she might have really fallen in love with that man, but he seemed too indifferent.

...(End of chapter)