Wang Qiqi yawned, poured herself another cup of coffee, and prepared to retreat to her room to keep grinding. At that moment, she deeply regretted her past glibness in offending her boss. What was worse was that the future boss's wife wasn't on her side either. Every time Wang Qiqi called to complain, the boss's wife would respond with utmost gentleness, saying things like this was the only way to progress faster. Wang Qiqi seriously wanted to give her the middle finger. Truly, birds of a feather flock together; even before marriage, they were conspiring against her. Although the boss assigned her many tasks and she earned a lot of money, Wang Qiqi had money in the bank and no immediate plans to buy a house, so the financial pressure wasn't high. Besides, she disliked shopping sprees, so the more money she made, the less motivation she had.

Shi Man looked at Wang Qiqi’s disgruntled expression and knew Comrade Ye Ruizhi had handed her another hefty workload. “You! If I give you less work, you complain. If I give you more, you’re unhappy. I truly don’t know what you’re thinking.” Shi Man inwardly thought Wang Qiqi couldn't do without the pressure of earning money; otherwise, she’d lose all interest in it. “Why don’t you just buy a house? Aren’t your brother and the others coming to the capital soon? Take out a loan and buy one.” To avoid seeing that stepmother-like face again, Shi Man quite unethically suggested.

Taking out a loan for a house? It was a decent suggestion, but the problem was Wang Qiqi had just said a few days ago she didn't want to get a mortgage. Should she go back on her word so quickly? Wang Qiqi pondered for a moment, then shook her head. “I’ll pass for now. Buying a house is good, but I suspect if my sister’s factory business picks up, there will be further investments needed.” Gong Peixing’s factory had only acquired five pieces of equipment so far. If more were needed, she’d have to keep contributing funds. What Wang Qiqi hadn't mentioned that day was her worry that if her brother-in-law’s factory did well and required more machinery, in the processing industry, the quality of the output—and thus the profit—depended entirely on the equipment. It was all about earning money through machines, and those machines constantly needed updating and upgrading. In short, making money wasn't easy at all.

“Then what are you complaining about? If your brother-in-law’s factory needs investment, is the money you have enough? Go earn more!” Shi Man didn't care about the success of Gong Peixing’s factory or whether Qiqi’s funds were sufficient for investment. She only cared about making sure a certain person stopped making that face at her.

Wang Qiqi suddenly realized—how could she have gotten so lax? Relying on the meager funds she currently had, if her brother-in-law's business boomed and he needed to upgrade to higher-tier equipment, she’d have to bleed heavily, potentially draining the savings that now seemed substantial. Thinking of this, Wang Qiqi patted Shi Man’s shoulder. “Girl, thank you. I’m heading back to fight the good fight right now.”

With that, Wang Qiqi downed the coffee in her cup in one gulp and sped back to her bedroom to work diligently. Shi Man hadn't seen her put on such a serious demeanor in a long time. She shrugged, suddenly recalling something. “Qiqi, when you go look at houses, call me along.”

Wang Qiqi looked up, perplexed. Didn't Shi Man already have several properties and commercial spaces in the capital? Hadn't she said she wasn't planning to buy more? Why the sudden interest now?

“My dad said we have to buy one.” Shi Man knew she couldn't hide it from Wang Qiqi and hadn't intended to. “My dad said buying too many houses back in our hometown isn't good for him. One of my cousins was up for a promotion, but his wife recently bought two houses outright, which got someone blacklisted. An anonymous report was filed. Even though some maneuvering saved him from any real trouble, the promotion fell through.” Although her own father wasn't seeking further promotion, he was scared. What if his position obstructed someone else's advancement one day? After being an official for so many years, there was bound to be some oil in the lamp. If an investigation ever occurred, his reputation in his later years could be ruined. Keeping it in the bank wasn't entirely safe either, and it felt like a waste. Thus, he cast his eye here.

Wang Qiqi understood and gave her an OK gesture. If they teamed up to buy houses, even if the discount wasn't huge, they could at least shave off some price. This time, they wouldn't consider Juliana’s new development; that area was too remote. Wang Qiqi thought it was fine, but the Song father and son wouldn't be satisfied. So, Song Yao had picked out a few other residential compounds, waiting for the two men to make the final decision.

As Wang Qiqi plunged back into her work, she received a call from Song Yao saying Song Ziwen had arrived in the capital and urged her to hurry over to her place. Wang Qiqi found it strange. Song Ziwen coming to the capital was one thing; why the need to rush over to Song Yao’s house?

Wang Qiqi put down the phone, thoroughly puzzled. “Did something major happen, or is there a reason she’s urgently summoning me?” Even if it turned out to be a scam, Song Ziwen hadn't lost anything, so why such tension?

Wang Qiqi saved her work, stuffed her laptop into her bag, informed Shi Man, and left.

Wang Qiqi rushed back to Song Yao’s house, only to find Gong Peixing, who should have been busy at the factory, also present. This made her heart sink. Ever since the factory opened, her brother-in-law had been a very busy man. He wouldn't abandon his numerous responsibilities in broad daylight for anything minor. She looked around and realized Song Ziwen wasn't there. “Sis, Brother-in-law, where is my brother?” She was rushed over here, and that kid Song Ziwen has already gone out? That would truly make her furious. But why did Song Yao and Gong Peixing look so grim? Could that kid have gone out to inquire about something and done something to let down Yang Jing?

Song Yao pointed toward her bedroom door. “He’s sleeping. He hasn't slept well for days.” Song Yao could hardly believe what her younger brother had endured. She truly regretted it. “If only I had let him invest, he wouldn't have suffered this ordeal.” Song Yao couldn't hold back and burst into tears while hugging Gong Peixing.

Wang Qiqi listened to the muffled words, completely bewildered. What was this about ‘if only she had let him invest,’ and ‘suffering this ordeal’? She shot a questioning look at Gong Peixing. With one person sleeping and another just crying, she could only ask him.

Gong Peixing shook his head at Wang Qiqi and whispered softly, “I haven’t been back for long either. When I got back, your sister was already crying. Look at the tissues scattered around.” Gong Peixing thought to himself that if he had known what his little brother-in-law went through, he wouldn't be so helpless trying to comfort his wife.

Wang Qiqi looked around and saw quite a few tissues strewn about—nearly a whole box of pull-out tissues. This startled Wang Qiqi. Surely her sister’s eyes weren't swollen shut like a rabbit's? “Sis, sis, please stop crying. What exactly happened to my brother? If you don’t tell us, we won’t know what’s wrong!” She prayed nothing too serious had happened. She remembered Song Wenbo was supposed to arrive the day after tomorrow. If they couldn't figure out the situation and devise a solution before then, Wang Qiqi knew the Song family patriarch would certainly erupt. After all, Song Ziwen was the only grandson in the Song family. When Yang Jing gave birth to a daughter, Song Wenbo’s mother had been visibly displeased, muttering about the Song family line ending there. Later, when Song Ziwen mentioned his interest in immigrating, the old lady was the first to support it, citing that foreigners didn't practice the one-child policy. The old lady had explicitly instructed Song Ziwen to have several grandsons, just in case something happened to him... Wang Qiqi didn't dare to contemplate further.

Under Gong Peixing’s soothing and Wang Qiqi’s persistent questioning, Song Yao managed to suppress her sobs. “Ziwen, Ziwen was found by their people not long after he arrived there, and then, and then...”

Hearing this, Wang Qiqi would have to be a complete fool not to understand. “He wasn't caught, was he?” Good heavens, Wang Qiqi hadn't expected the other side’s security to be so tight. Song Ziwen wasn't stupid; if he were gathering information, he would have done it quietly, not made a scene. For them to still receive word meant either Song Ziwen had asked precisely one of their people, or their net was cast too wide, involving too many participants. But this also proved it was a trap.

Although she knew Song Ziwen was currently asleep in her bedroom, she couldn’t help but nod. “Yes, he was locked up. Luckily, they hadn't figured out how to deal with Ziwen, or they didn’t want to cause a huge scene, so they just held him. If he hadn't pretended to be docile at first, he wouldn't have found a chance to slip away. He suffered a lot along the way; his body and face are covered in scars...” If he had just lost weight, that would be one thing, but what about the scars? Song Yao truly didn't know how she would face the family.

Scars? Wang Qiqi and Gong Peixing exclaimed in unison. Good heavens, this was a major issue. But their first thought was, “My brother is very lucky.” Ordinarily, even if they hadn't killed Song Ziwen, they would have held him for a long time to prevent information leaks. And someone capable of setting such a large trap, Wang Qiqi didn’t believe, would be soft-hearted. “My brother is destined for good fortune because he survived this. But Sis, why didn't you take him to the hospital?” External injuries were minor problems; internal injuries were the real concern.

“Exactly, exactly.” Gong Peixing forgot about supporting Song Yao and dashed into the bedroom, ready to take Song Ziwen to the hospital. If there were any major internal issues, it would be too late to regret it.

Despite having prepared himself psychologically, Gong Peixing was utterly stunned when he saw Song Ziwen, then covered his mouth as he walked out. “Good heavens, his face has lost so much weight!” It’s known that the face is the last part to thin out. If his face was that gaunt, Gong Peixing couldn't imagine how thin Song Ziwen’s body must be. “There’s no color in his face at all, this—this...” The situation was too dire. “No, we’re taking him to the hospital.” Gong Peixing stood up. “Qiqi, go open the car door. Your sister and I will carry Song Ziwen down immediately.”

Although Song Ziwen wanted this matter kept from Song Wenbo and his wife, how could Song Yao and the others keep it hidden? When Song Wenbo and Wang Damei saw their son lying in the hospital bed, even though they knew Song Yao and her husband weren't to blame, they still exploded in anger. “Is this how you act as an older sister and brother-in-law? Qiqi, as his younger sister, why didn't you speak up to stop them? Even if you couldn't stop them, you could have told me!”

“Knowing that place was a scam, you still let Song Ziwen go? You couldn't persuade him, so you didn't tell us?”

Song Wenbo truly didn't know how he would have endured the shock of a white-haired man burying his black-haired son if his son hadn't been good at pretending and hadn't been lucky enough to stake out for several hours before finally catching an outgoing vehicle, only reaching the capital after a long, winding journey. Moreover, news of this reaching his eighty-year-old mother back home—how would she cope?

Song Yao was about to step forward to argue that it wasn't all her fault; Song Ziwen was a grown man with his own opinions and ideas. How could she stop him? Song Yao felt quite wronged just thinking about it. Ever since childhood, she, the older sister, always bore the brunt of their parents' scolding after her younger brother misbehaved. Now that she was a mother and Song Ziwen was acting like a father, nothing had changed. Song Yao felt extremely wronged.

Gong Peixing noticed his wife’s expression change and immediately stepped forward to pull her back, shaking his head to signal her not to speak. Right now, his in-laws were just venting. If Song Yao got involved, they would only become angrier. And if Tao Tao were ever lying in a hospital bed like this in the future, Gong Peixing felt he would also lose his temper. After all, Song Ziwen had left home perfectly healthy, and now his body and face were injured. It was a relief there were no other major issues, or his in-laws would be even more furious.

Wang Qiqi stood aside, obediently listening to the lecture with her head bowed. Although she felt being scolded was unfair, she admitted that if she had communicated with Wang Damei earlier, things might not have escalated this way. However, Song Ziwen was unlikely to give up easily; he would only relax once this entire scheme was exposed and he realized they had his best interests at heart. Alas, it was complicated.

After Song Wenbo finished his tirade, he noticed the indignant look on his daughter’s face and sighed. “Forget it, I know you couldn't control this. What angered me is that you didn’t tell me about something so significant. Even if you wanted to keep it from Yang Jing, couldn't you tell us? Remember, Song Ziwen is my son.” Song Wenbo thought his child was grown up and had his own ideas; keeping some things secret was normal, but this matter was too serious, and yet none of them had spoken up. “Qiqi, you sit down too. As his sister, you couldn't really be in charge of this matter either.”

Shi Man watched Wang Qiqi sit down and felt a sharp pang of sadness. What was the point of being the eldest? When younger siblings made mistakes, the older sister always took collateral punishment. “Dad, this isn’t Sister’s fault.” Although Song Ziwen’s initial condition looked dire, it was mostly due to malnutrition, plus a surplus of external injuries and constant stress. Upon suddenly reaching a safe place, he completely relaxed and fell into a deep coma. After a few days in the hospital, he improved. When he woke up, he overheard his father scolding his sister and immediately spoke up. “Dad, this truly isn't Sister’s fault. Sister even suggested Brother-in-law accompany me, but I insisted on refusing...”

Although Wang Damei had heard from the doctor that her son was out of danger, she couldn't truly relax until she saw him conscious. Hearing her son's hoarse voice, she completely forgot about being angry with her daughter and rushed to Song Ziwen’s side, constantly asking how he felt. Song Yao took the opportunity while her parents’ attention was focused on Song Ziwen to raise a fist toward him. This kid only brought her trouble. Hmph, it was a good thing he woke up in time to say a few good words for her, otherwise... “Younger brother is beloved by his sister,” Song Yao murmured sourly into Wang Qiqi’s ear. “My dad just worries about my brother too much, Qiqi, don’t take it to heart.” Song Yao was already accustomed to getting the blame when her brother messed up. This time, Qiqi was truly innocent.

Wang Qiqi saw that Song Ziwen’s spirits were much better than the day before and breathed a sigh of relief. As for Song Wenbo’s previous outburst, what was the use of being angry? “Sis, I’m fine. My brother went through such a major incident; I can understand.”

Song Ziwen was still somewhat weak, and after a short conversation, he drifted back to sleep. Wang Damei also relaxed. “Old Song, why don’t you go back and rest first? I’ll stay here and look after our son.”

“Mom, everyone should go back. Ziwen has nurses here. You both should go back and rest properly, and you can come visit Ziwen tonight.” Song Yao thought about how her parents had taken an overnight train without resting and then rushed here upon hearing the news; could they handle it? “Besides, this is a private room, and the nurses check in often. He sleeps a lot. What good will it do if you stay up watching him?”

Song Wenbo saw the nurses come in several times in that short period. “The medical fees here must be quite expensive, right?” A private room, too—it couldn't be cheap.

“Money is a small matter. The important thing is my brother is fine,” Song Yao said ingratiatingly. Actually, she arranged for Song Ziwen to stay here for two reasons: first, so her brother could rest properly—visitors coming and going in a general ward wouldn't help his recovery; second, to guard against this very day. Her parents’ reaction hadn't exceeded her expectations.

Wang Damei was about to say she could rest at the hospital when Song Wenbo pulled her hand. “We have things to discuss back home.” The cuts on their son's face would take a few days to heal, and he had suddenly become so thin. If his daughter-in-law saw him like this, what would she think? Would she assume Song Yao hadn't taken good care of Song Ziwen?

Song Wenbo’s words snapped Wang Damei back to reality. Yes, she had been so preoccupied with her son's safety that she forgot about the daughter-in-law waiting back home, ready to demand an explanation. “This wretched boy! How could he think getting rich was so easy? Even if there were such opportunities, they’d be snatched up by those with inside information.” Thinking of this, Wang Damei turned to the three people standing quietly nearby. “The three of you, if you ever hear about any easy money-making opportunities in the future, don't even think about it. There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Just look at Song Ziwen.”

“Money must be earned step by step. Little Gong did very well this time; he focused on what suited him best.” Song Wenbo had initially felt it was a pity when his son-in-law resigned from his unit, but he never expected him to pivot and team up with Song Ziwen and Wang Qiqi to start a processing plant. The profit margin in that industry was excellent. How could Song Wenbo, who had worked in a machinery plant his whole life, not know? “Develop the factory gradually; don't rush, as you are a private enterprise...”

The three looked helpless. Even a child knew this logic—there were no pies falling from the sky. Yet, Song Ziwen, who had experienced so much, still fell for it. Fortunately, Song Wenbo soon changed the subject to the factory. Gong Peixing eagerly wanted to take notes on the lessons and experience his father-in-law shared. After all, his father-in-law had climbed up from an apprentice, and that experience couldn't be matched by someone like him, who had only worked in a factory for a few years before starting as a boss.

Song Wenbo and his wife returned to the apartment Song Yao was currently renting. Before they could even take a sip of hot water, Song Wenbo said, “Given Song Ziwen’s current condition, what should we do next? If he goes back looking like this for Yang Jing to see...”

“He can’t go back,” Wang Damei immediately stated. She had thought extensively during the journey. If her son had mentioned this potential issue to Yang Jing beforehand, it would be understandable for the daughter-in-law to be upset. But this wretched boy insisted on having his own plans, intending to use his private stash for investment. If Yang Jing found out, who knew how much she would fuss. That woman hated seeing her man hide private funds, no matter how good his intentions were; a woman’s heart would always feel uneasy.

Wang Damei's concern was shared by the others. If this caused discord between the couple, it would be a huge headache. “But it’s also a problem if my brother stays away for too long,” Qiqi countered. If he didn't return, Yang Jing would naturally wonder, perhaps suspecting Song Ziwen had found another woman down south.

They debated countless ideas but couldn't settle on the best course of action. The truth was, good strategies existed, but they required someone else to take the blame, so even if someone proposed such a plan, they had to avoid it.

“How about we say my new factory is short-staffed and ask Ziwen to come with me to run business errands?” Gong Peixing finally spoke up. He knew this was the only plan that would reassure Yang Jing. “After all, it’s not just my factory; Qiqi has shares in it too.”

Song Yao knew that if they told Yang Jing this, she wouldn't suspect anything. This investment was substantial, and Yang Jing couldn't help but worry. Since Song Ziwen and the others were in the southern hometown, they couldn't manage things in the capital. If Song Ziwen stayed behind to handle clients, Yang Jing would surely feel much more at ease. “Yes, that's good. My mother can also stay here to look after my brother and make sure Ziwen gets plump and rosy within half a month.” Ostensibly helping them run errands, Song Yao thought that no matter what, Song Ziwen needed to return looking healthy and well-fed to prove no one had excessively exploited him.

"While you’re at it, have your father stay too." Wang Damei thought that since she was using this excuse, she might as well have Song Wenbo stay behind to check if there were any issues with her son-in-law's factory. With such a massive investment, how could they not keep an eye on things? "Your father might not be good at chasing clients, but he excels in technical management. If you have him set up the framework here, we can leave feeling much more at ease," Wang Damei continued, worried that her son-in-law might suspect they planned to linger indefinitely.

"My father is really staying?" Gong Peixing looked genuinely thrilled. To be honest, if his father-in-law hadn't felt so unsettled about Beijing, he would have already asked him to come here to help guard the factory. "Juggling client acquisition and handling the technical side is truly exhausting. If my father were here, I would certainly feel a lot less stressed."