Chapter 53: Taking Him Back

Chapter 53: Bringing Him Back

A sudden ringtone shattered the silence of the riverside woods after the rain, startlingly abrupt.

The young man with a scar realized it was his phone and quickly pulled it out upon seeing the caller ID.

Whatever was said on the other end made him clench the phone in agitation.

"What?! Miss Qin was rescued and taken to the hospital?!"

"Understood! We’re on our way!"

After hanging up, the scarred man turned to the stern-faced man with relief. "Young Master! Your sister is safe!"

"A Yuan reported that a movie crew near the bridge spotted her in the water and someone jumped in to save her. The rescue team arrived shortly after, and she was safely sent to the hospital. In case of further threats, A Yuan and the others are guarding her there now."

Qin Fei’s clenched fists loosened slightly. Hearing his sister was safe, some of the weight lifted from his chest.

"A Jin, you go to the hospital too," Qin Fei said, lifting his piercing, predatory gaze.

"But Young Master, aren’t you going to see her?" A Jin asked, puzzled.

Given their Young Master’s well-known obsession with his sister, he had expected him to rush to the hospital without hesitation.

Qin Fei bared his teeth in a sinister smile. "I have more important matters to attend to... I’m just curious—what kind of sewer rats in S City now dare to crawl out into the open?"

"Handling filth like this requires carving them up, inch by inch, until they breathe their last."

A Jin flinched at his Young Master’s manic intensity. He knew this time, the Young Master was truly enraged.

Having built his empire in S City for years, this was the first time someone had dared to target his family—his unforgivable line.

As they prepared to leave, a subordinate suddenly shouted, "Young Master! There’s someone in the water!"

Everyone tensed instantly.

The Qin family’s ancestors had built their fortune on maritime shipping, and their business dominated S City. In the early days, when regulations were lax, they hadn’t gotten there playing by the rules.

The grandfather’s generation had founded a crime syndicate, named after their surname—the Qin Gang. Its members served only the Qin family. After the old patriarch’s death, leadership passed to Qin Fei’s father. Five years ago, when his father died unexpectedly, the only one the gang answered to was their Young Master, Qin Fei.

Today, with his sister’s sudden crisis, Qin Fei had mobilized nearly the entire Qin Gang.

The enemy was ruthless, and with no telling what they might attempt next, Qin Fei had to stay vigilant.

"Young Master, it looks like a drowned teenager," the subordinate reported after assessing the situation and confirming it wasn’t an ambush.

A Jin exhaled in relief. He had thought it unlikely the enemy could ambush them from the water—they were just being overly jumpy.

"Young Master, should we... deal with this?"

By Qin Fei’s nature, matters unrelated to him or the Qin family were beneath his notice.

The boy’s condition was unclear—how long had he been in the water? Was he even alive?

This riverside often saw wayward kids. Saving them wasn’t their responsibility.

"Should we call the police? Let them handle it," A Jin suggested.

Qin Fei frowned. "Right now, we can’t risk involving the authorities. No police. See if he’s alive."

Here’s the refined translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

The subordinates obeyed their Young Master's orders and worked together to haul him slowly from the water.

If not for that big tree stopping him, the boy would have likely sunk to the bottom long ago.

Earlier, the leaves had obscured most of his face, but now that he was pulled ashore, his flawless face was now fully visible to everyone.

A Jin couldn’t help but rub his nose—this kid… was weirdly handsome.

Perhaps from being submerged for too long, his limbs and face were ghostly pale. A Jin crouched down to check his breathing, then turned to his Young Master and said, "Still breathing. He’s alive."

Qin Fei was also momentarily stunned by the boy’s appearance, but his cold and aloof expression quickly returned. He arched a brow and said, "Bring him back. Get Uncle Pang to check him."

Uncle Pang was the gang’s old doctor, having watched Qin Fei grow up. He was basically Qin Fei’s private doctor.

A Jin was surprised. The Young Master rarely brought strangers home, let alone even bothered calling Uncle Pang over. What was he planning?

He didn’t dare speculate about Qin Fei’s thoughts—whatever the Young Master said, he would obey. Nodding, he got right to organizing things.

A Jin lugged the boy down a muddy trail until they finally reached their parked cars.

"Young Master, once I get him situated, I’ll head to the hospital to stay with the young lady," A Jin said, sweating a little, his clothes damp from the boy’s soaked ones.

Qin Fei pondered for a second, then abruptly changed his mind. "Send A Guang and the others to the hospital instead. You stay at home."

A Jin blinked. "Huh?"

Stay home? To play babysitter for this drowned kid?

He knew his Young Master was moody, but this was too fast—just minutes ago, he’d been ordered to the hospital, now he was being told to stay put.

Could it be… the Young Master had fallen for this kid at first glance?

Yikes—that could actually be it.

Having followed Qin Fei for so many years, A Jin had never seen him bat an eye at anyone, man or woman. But this time, he had a gut feeling—the Young Master was acting way too soft on this kid.

"Why are you just standing there? Get in the car and go back," Qin Fei urged, seeing A Jin still frozen in place while the unconscious boy remained slumped on his back.

"Oh, right—yes, Young Master. I’ll take him back right away for Uncle Pang to treat." A Jin’s stomach dropped. Oh no—the Young Master really wasn’t acting normal.

As their car started moving, A Jin told the driver, "Step on it."

He was worried about delaying the boy’s treatment. What if he failed the Young Master’s task? Would he be the next one dumped in the river?

Today had been strange. They hadn’t found the young lady, but instead fished a boy out of the water—way too sketchy.

A Jin would rather believe this boy was sent by their enemies to distract the Young Master.

No, if the Young Master lost his rationality, he’d have to step in as his protector. He had to monitor the boy’s every move—if they’d just let a fox into the henhouse, things would turn ugly.

Life in their line of work kept him paranoid, seeing potential threats to his Young Master everywhere.

The more innocent someone looked, the more deceptive and dangerous they could be.

A Jin stole another glance at the unconscious boy beside him and was hit by another wave of that pretty-boy aura. He abruptly turned his head away, his ears going hot.

Was this boy some damn siren sent by the heavens to tame their Young Master? Staring too long might make him fall under his spell. Recalling A Yuan’s earlier mention of a film crew near the bridge, he wondered—could this boy be an actor?

Here’s the refined translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

Qin Fei’s people never paid attention to the entertainment industry, let alone kept track of new heartthrobs in the circle.

A Jin shook his head. No point overthinking it—just do what the Young Master ordered.

So what if he was an actor? If the Young Master truly took a liking to him, they’d have to bring him back as commanded.

...

Meanwhile, the search and rescue team had already begun a massive search operation.

Huo Kai alone rounded up a whole team of professionals and high-end equipment. What’s more, he’d informed Yi Siyu, who was now en route via private helicopter and would likely arrive within an hour.

With such influential figures pooling resources, even the rescue team leaders knew the missing young man was no ordinary person.

Director Wu aged visibly, his face drawn with stress. Though he tried to maintain composure, his panic and helplessness were obvious.

An incident like this in a renowned director’s production was bound to leak. Soon, reporters descended on the location, only to be brushed off by the crew.

Huo Kai also moved quickly to contain the fallout.

But when the accident happened, a few onlookers had caught the whole scene. While reporters could be silenced, public gossip couldn’t.

News of Jian Ye’s disappearance after saving someone spread like wildfire online.

One passerby filmed Jian Ye snatching up a rope and diving off the bridge with swift precision—a short clip showing only the bridge’s perspective, leaving his fate after the plunge unknown.

At first, online folks thought it was staged, especially with the drama gearing up to shoot. A natural assumption.

But when another video showed firefighters and rescue teams rushing to the scene below, it finally sank in: this wasn’t acting, but an actual emergency unfolding in real time.

“No way! Did someone really jump? Anyone know what happened? Just checked my phone after work—totally lost!”

“My cousin lives nearby. Heard a kid fell in, and some good-looking dude jumped after them!”

“My brother’s an ER doc at First Hospital. Confirmed a drowned girl was brought in today—she’s okay thanks to fast treatment.”

“Seriously?! How’s the crew this negligent? My guy risks his life while everyone else just freezes?!”

“Chill—normal people would panic in that situation. S City’s rain was brutal today. Who’d dare jump in?”

“That guy was next-level brave! I’d have hesitated, but he didn’t blink. Praying he’s okay.”

“An hour of searching with no updates… Doesn’t look good, does it?”

“Stop—I’m a complete wreck. Finally found a dancer I adored, and now this… Can’t imagine his terror when the current took him.”

“Local here. Tried going there, but the whole area’s cordoned off. Rescue teams everywhere. Checked his Weibo—this crazy talented, gorgeous guy. His family must be shattered.”

“Wait—isn’t this *Farewell to Midsummer*’s plot?! Luo Ying died saving someone in water too. Jian Ye plays him… Chills.”

“Life copying art? Spine-tingling. Jian Ye *is* Luo Ying! My White Moonlight… Hurts so much. Odds are slim, but still praying. Death, don’t take him—he’s too good.”

The internet flooded with prayers for Jian Ye. *Farewell to Midsummer* blew up overnight before filming even began—all because of a heroic move that left the actor’s fate unknown.

Reading this, Director Wu was numb with disbelief. He’d rather the drama flop than gain attention on the back of a young man’s sacrifice.

Jian Ye, please come back. Even Luo Ying didn’t deserve this ending.

Author’s Note:

Yi Siyu: *Darling, wait for me!* Young Master Qin: *My bad, I got to him first.*