Chapter 395

Chapter 395

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The light ahead was clearly red, and He Wan logically knew he should brake—but his limbs wouldn't respond. Instead of stopping, he accelerated as the light changed, sending his car flipping forward and sliding beneath a large truck.

The truck couldn't stop in time, dragging his vehicle under its wheels.

He Wan was dragged out, bloodied, his injuries unknown. By the time the news made headlines, he was still fighting for his life at the hospital.

By the next day, Ji Nanxing received the news: multiple fractures, severe internal damage. He had survived, but would be out of commission for months—perhaps longer.

He Wan had recently gained some attention by trying to associate with the Ji family, trending a few times before. Although later warned off, netizens' attention spans are short; when the crash happened, it generated multiple hashtags.

But none were positive. Video footage surfaced showing the truck driving legally—the accident was entirely He Wan's fault for running the red light.

Once that came out, even his fans wanted to scold him. Just becoming famous and already this reckless? He endangered not only himself but others. At least the truck driver wasn't hurt, though who knew what kind of psychological trauma or job loss might follow.

With several rising stars like He Wan, rivals seized the opportunity. Whether he would disappear from the entertainment industry or not, now was the perfect moment to ruin him. Hit pieces flooded the internet, and the backlash spread rapidly.

Unaware of the chaos outside, He Wan lay strapped to his hospital bed, body wrapped like a mummy, unable to move. His organs were damaged—he was conscious but couldn't eat or be moved, reduced to using bedpans for bodily functions.

His parents took turns caring for him, eyes swollen from crying. Alongside sky-high medical bills, their family also had to cover the truck’s damages—he was fully liable for running the red light.

Though financially stable, they weren’t wealthy enough to handle this money drain. More surgeries awaited—metal pins needed inserting into his leg joints, each procedure adding to the endless costs.

After seeing his condition, his agent knew his career was over. Sure, his face was intact, but looks alone wouldn't carry him in an industry demanding physical stamina. Celebrities weren’t just pretty faces posing for photos—they were overworked performers constantly filming and recording.

Given He Wan’s state, a comeback would take years—if ever. In this cutthroat industry, there would be no place left for him.

His agency didn't drop him outright or demand compensation, but they kept the contract active while doing nothing—effectively abandoning him.

Lying there, unaware of these developments, He Wan understood his situation all too well. He even suspected the Ji family had tampered with his car. There was no way he would have run a red light straight into an oncoming truck unless something was wrong.

And yet, somehow, the accident occurred anyway.

All he could do was lie there and brood. Helpless and immobilized, he relied on rotating caregivers hired by his family. Reduced to being spoon-fed and wiped clean like an invalid—it was unbearable, deeply humiliating.

A few days later, He Wan recovered enough to speak, although he still couldn't move. With slight adjustments to his bed, he could prop himself up slightly.

That was when Ji Nanxing arrived at the hospital.

Seeing his visitor, He Wan frowned. He doubted the Ji family had come out of kindness, but couldn't figure out why Ji Nanxing was here. They had no real connection beyond that one meeting.

After a moment of confusion, his eyes sharpened. If Ji Nanxing had come willingly, then he shouldn't blame him for what came next.

Ji Nanxing pulled up a chair and sat down. Seeing He Wan still clutching the bloodstained Luck-Binding Pearl, he could only shake his head.

He Wan tightened his grip on the pearl and stared at Ji Nanxing, speaking slowly through pain: "Why are you here?"

Ji Nanxing: "To ensure you die with clarity."

He Wan frowned again. "What does that mean? Did your family sabotage my car after all?"

Xiao Ye, standing beside Ji Nanxing, scoffed. "You're the one playing dirty tricks, and you dare accuse us? Did you really think we didn't know what that pearl of yours is?"

At first, he hadn't known. But later, he looked it up at the Bureau. The pearl was called a Luck-Binding Pearl—an object originally meant to channel positive energy, subtly altering one's magnetic field while absorbing favorable energies to bring good fortune.

This Fate-Weaving Pearl can also be regarded as a type of luck bead, although it differs from the commonly known ones available in the market. This pearl is a refined Buddhist relic, inscribed with incredibly tiny incantations. It isn't a magical artifact, yet it remains an exceptionally rare treasure.

However, that changes if it becomes tainted with blood. Once stained, it turns ominous and malevolent.

He Wan's heart pounded when he heard Xiao Ye’s words. He couldn’t tell how much they had uncovered, but he certainly wouldn’t admit to anything: "What are you talking about? Who's plotting? This is just a regular protective charm. That's all nonsense!"

Ji Nanxing smiled slightly. “Let me clarify—we've actually encountered each other several times already. There was the restaurant incident, then at school, and today makes three. You conspired against me, so you must have researched me thoroughly. That’s how you recognized me upon our first meeting, which is why we never formally introduced ourselves afterward.”

He Wan pressed his lips tightly together. His fingers twitched beneath the blanket, gripping it anxiously. “What exactly are you implying?”

Ji Nanxing replied, “Allow me to introduce myself properly. There's no need to elaborate on the Ji family—you’ve already looked into us. Aside from being the youngest son of the Ji family, I am also a Taoist priest.”

He Wan’s pupils constricted sharply. He understood precisely what a Taoist priest represented. That explained why Ji Nanxing had asked him for the pearl that day…

No, that couldn’t be right. This was the Ji family—how could they allow their child to become a Taoist?

His confusion and disbelief were evident, prompting Ji Nanxing to continue, “It's because my fate is incomplete—I was born without a full life essence. Therefore, I became a Taoist, exchanging good deeds for longevity. You resemble me somewhat, and because of that, you briefly experienced a better life through the resources provided by my mother. Then you grew greedy, desiring my destiny, attempting to steal my fortune using this Fate-Weaving Pearl. When you came to school that day and deliberately touched me, your true intention was clear, wasn’t it? I asked for the pearl back because it had already absorbed my fortune. However, since I was born with a fractured fate, if you absorb the fortune of someone like me, the only way to compensate for the imbalance is through your own life force.”

Panic-stricken, He Wan flung the pearl away. “Impossible! That can’t be true! You're lying!”

Ji Nanxing responded, “Why would I bother deceiving you? That pearl is soaked in your blood and infused with my fortune. Only I can resolve this. The reason I came here today was simply to inform you of the real cause behind your accident. If you continue clinging to that pearl and resorting to underhanded methods, next time won’t merely be a car crash.”

Before He Wan could reply, Ji Nanxing pulled out his phone and showed him a photo of a shop being closed down. “Min Yixing—the man who taught you how to enhance your luck—was arrested for illegally stealing others’ fortunes and is currently under investigation. If the case isn’t too severe, he might receive a sentence of three to five years. But if it turns out he endangered lives, he could face capital punishment.”

Ji Nanxing put his phone away. “Your original fate wasn’t bad. Your family owns a building materials business, so you grew up comfortably, never lacking anything. Based on your earlier appearance, you weren’t destined for great fame, but your career prospects were decent. Now, your career luck has been ruined. If you stop now, you may still save your life.”

How could He Wan accept this? The future he had dreamed of would never materialize. The life he had longed to steal would never be his. The crushing disparity shattered him completely.

He glared at Ji Nanxing with furious hatred. “This is all your doing! You're a Taoist—with countless techniques at your disposal. You did this to retaliate, to ruin me! It's all because of you!”

Xiao Ye stepped forward, frowning. “Have you lost your mind? Who started this? We told you to hand over the pearl, but you refused. Now you’re blaming us? We didn’t make you scheme and play dirty. Lucky for you it was us. If you had targeted an ordinary person, would they deserve to have their fortune stolen? You brought this on yourself, yet you blame the victim? We’re the victims here!”

He Wan couldn’t bear to listen. His thoughts were consumed by rage over his ruined future. Ji Nanxing was a Taoist—he had plotted against a Taoist, and Taoists had countless ways to retaliate. So the car crash must have been Ji Nanxing’s revenge!

He had come merely to gloat, to show off, to enjoy watching him fall apart!

Driven to desperation, He Wan struggled to grab the water glass on the bedside table to throw at him. But his body was too weak—only his fingers moved. He managed to grasp the cup but couldn’t lift it, spilling water all over himself instead.

The angrier he became, the more pitiful he appeared, and the harder it was to accept reality.

Seeing this, Ji Nanxing realized there was no reasoning with him today. He stood up. “I’ll leave my contact number with your parents. Call me when you finally come to your senses. I can still help you fix this before it's too late. But if you wait too long, not even King Yama will be able to save you.”

Ignoring He Wan’s helpless fury, Ji Nanxing walked out of the hospital room.

Outside the hospital, Xiao Ye swung their clasped hands as they walked. “I thought you’d just take the pearl by force.”

Ji Nanxing replied, “How could I? He paid 500,000 for that pearl. Taking it by force would be robbery.”

Xiao Ye couldn’t help but laugh. “I was worried you'd be too soft-hearted.”

Ji Nanxing said, “He plotted against me and suffered the consequences. The fact that I'm willing to help him fix it at all is already an act of mercy. If he refuses to acknowledge his mistake, why should I chase after him?”

He was willing to save people—but he wasn’t some saint who’d rush to rescue anyone.