Chapter 45: A New Story
The voice in the audio continued, and when Jiang Lixuan realized what Jiang Yueyao was talking about, the hand he placed on the table trembled slightly, and the tendon that had been severed and then reattached spasmed faintly.
The coach noticed that Jiang Lixuan’s condition was off and asked with concern: “Boss, are you okay?”
Why did he look so devastated?
Jiang Lixuan took several deep breaths, trying hard to calm his turbulent emotions, his voice hoarse and somewhat gritted through his teeth: “……I’m fine.”
How could he be fine? He loved and trusted Jiang Yueyao so much, but now, the naked reality laid out before him told him that the reason his hand was ruined back then was because of the ‘younger sister’ he had cherished and raised from childhood.
And the biological younger sister he had once despised had protected him in that incident back then, and might even have done so because of him……
Jiang Lixuan quickly stopped his thoughts, not daring to think deeper. He raised his eyes and looked fiercely at the big man, his voice hoarse beyond recognition: “Who gave you this audio?”
“Don’t lie, you know that.” Jiang Lixuan’s voice was cold: “The territory in S City is under the Jiang family’s control.”
“I got it from someone named Chen Ju.” The big man had no intention of covering for Chen Ma and sold her out straightforwardly. When he met Jiang Lixuan’s suspicious gaze, he quickly said: “I’m telling the truth.”
“Chen Ju’s son owed our boss a lot of money, and she gave it to me when I went to her house to collect the debt.”
The big man grinned and rubbed his hands together: “I know you wealthy families care the most about face. Young Master Jiang, I’m not asking for much, just ten million, and I’ll hand over the original U disk to you.”
“Once the money is in hand, I’ll pretend I never heard what’s on this U disk, and there won’t be any backups.”
As the big man spoke, his tone carried a meaningful undertone: “The original U disk has a lot more ‘good’ stuff in it!”
Chen Ju was Chen Ma’s real name, the one who had been fired by Butler Li.
Jiang Lixuan remembered that she had made things difficult for Nan Yuanman when she returned.
The person who had taken care of Jiang Yueyao the most over these years was also Chen Ma.
So the big man’s words had some credibility.
But……
“How do I know you didn’t use AI voice synthesis to trick me?” Jiang Lixuan’s gaze was scrutinizing as he stared at the big man: “Where are Chen Ju and her son now? I want to see her and ask her personally about what’s on this U disk.”
The big man knew Jiang Lixuan wouldn’t believe him so easily and nodded readily: “No problem.”
He stood up: “Young Master Jiang, shall we go? I’ll take you to see her now.”
Jiang Lixuan took a deep breath, roughly closed the laptop and stuffed it into the briefcase, then carried it as he followed.
The coach, afraid that Jiang Lixuan might do something impulsive in his unstable state, hurried to follow.
When Jiang Lixuan drove to follow the big man to Chen Ju’s house, he belatedly remembered that when he first arrived at the studio, he had asked Meng Qinian to bring Nan Yuanman over.
Jiang Lixuan: “……”
He rubbed his aching temples with a headache and a guilty conscience, sending a message to Meng Qinian to temporarily keep Nan Yuanman at the studio to play for a while until he finished handling the matter and returned.
Meng Qinian, upon receiving the message: “……”
Damn, these Jiang family people really know how to order people around.
Nan Yuanman stood by Meng Qinian’s side, tilting her little head curiously at the high-tech building in front of her, her gaze falling on the large characters hanging at the top of the building that were flashing—Wild Hunt Game Studio.
She tilted her head: “Is this where Jiang Lixuan works?”
“Yes.” After replying to Jiang Lixuan with a middle finger emoji, Meng Qinian put away his mobile phone, took Nan Yuanman’s hand, and led her inside: “Come on, let’s go in and have a look around to see if there’s anything fun.”
With Jiang Lixuan’s instructions, the receptionist didn’t stop them when she saw Meng Qinian bringing Nan Yuanman and welcomed them in with a smile: “You must be Young Master Meng and Miss Nan, right? The boss has already instructed that you can go anywhere except the players’ rest area on the third floor.”
As she spoke, her gaze couldn’t help but fall on Nan Yuanman several times with curiosity and gossip, her eyes faintly gleaming with excitement.
This was the first time the boss had let family come to the studio! And it was such a small, adorable child!
She really did have eyebrows and eyes that resembled the boss a lot!
Could she be the boss’s illegitimate daughter?
The receptionist let her mind wander with wild thoughts, but kept a proper smile on her face. When speaking to Nan Yuanman, her voice couldn’t help but lilt: “Little miss, where would you like to visit? Shall I take you?”
Nan Yuanman blinked and politely declined: “No need, sister. Brother Qinian and I can look around by ourselves.”
“Okay, just call me if you need anything.”
Meng Qinian led Nan Yuanman further in, where the open-plan office area was equipped with several high-end esports computers worth tens of thousands each, and the desks and chairs were all famous brands you could name.
On the walls, there were also posters of Wild Hunt Game Studio’s esports players, each with exquisite makeup and looking exceptionally handsome.
It was clear that Jiang Lixuan had put a lot of effort into his studio.
However, Meng Qinian was past the age of being obsessed with gaming and didn’t lose his composure upon seeing these popular players’ posters online.
Nan Yuanman was even less interested in these electronic devices and, after casually looking around for a bit, went to sit in the rest area.
The receptionist saw her tiny figure sitting there and couldn’t resist bringing some snacks to feed her.
Meng Qinian squatted beside her, awkwardly peeling nuts for her.
It was Nan Yuanman’s first time eating snacks. When she carefully bit into the crisp and fragrant potato chips, her already round eyes lit up even more.
She held the potato chips, looking left and right, and when she confirmed no one was paying attention, she carefully, like a little hamster, took a piece and stuffed it into the half-open small coffin.
Such delicious food, Grandpa hasn’t tried it yet! Give it to Grandpa!
Oh right, Xiao Cao hasn’t tried it either, give it to Xiao Cao too!
Nan Yuanman shoved another piece into Xiao Cao’s hand.
Xiao Cao, who hadn’t grown a mouth yet, held the potato chip that was half her size and fell into contemplation: “……”
How do you eat this thing?
These sneaky, full-of-stealth movements made the corners of Meng Qinian’s mouth quickly rise, then he pretended not to see anything and continued peeling nuts.
While one was peeling nuts and the other was seriously sneaking snacks and hiding them, a noisy commotion suddenly came from the third floor.
Immediately after, a sweet-looking girl in a short-sleeved shirt and shorts rushed out in a panic, shouting anxiously downstairs: “Quick, call 120! Lin Chenyi has passed out!”
Her shout woke up all the gamers still sleeping on the third floor. Doors were flung open, and several young men in just underwear rushed in frantically: “Lin Ge? Lin Ge, what’s wrong! Quick! Quick, pinch his philtrum!”
Meng Qinian hurriedly covered Nan Yuanman’s little eyes and urged the panicked receptionist to call 120.
He frowned toward the noisy upstairs, just about to speak, when he heard a cry of alarm: “Oh no! Lin Ge has no pulse!”
