Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Completely unfazed by the coldness and hostility aimed at him, Li Wenguang raised an eyebrow and greeted with feigned innocence:

"Hey, big brother, long time no see."

Hearing Li Wenguang's voice, Li Yanchuan, seated in his wheelchair, slowly looked up.

"What are you doing here?"

His tone was emotionless, calm and indifferent like a massive iceberg under the sea.

"What do you think? Why else would I be here?"

Instead of answering directly, Li Wenguang crossed his arms and casually shot back.

With that, he deliberately straightened his collar and cast a pointed glance at a certain room down the hallway.

Hearing this, Li Yanchuan narrowed his eyes, his expression darkening, a glint of malice in his eyes.

After all, this estate had been reserved by the Li family for tomorrow's wedding.

The only person who could be staying in the hotel room upstairs at this point was Song Nian, the groom.

And on the eve of the wedding, Li Wenguang had come alone to visit the groom, Song Nian, in his room—an overly intimate and suggestive move.

The implication was obvious. Seeing the anger on Li Yanchuan's face, Li Wenguang felt a wave of satisfaction.

—He had deliberately come to provoke Li Yanchuan.

As Li Yanchuan's younger brother, he was constantly overshadowed. Even though their father favored him, he still couldn't take over the Li Group because he wasn't as capable.

After their father stepped down, the vast Li Group was taken over by Li Yanchuan, who not only managed it efficiently but also doubled its market value, expanding the business empire several times over.

Now that Li Yanchuan was disabled by a car accident and forced into an arranged marriage, Li Wenguang naturally seized the opportunity to vent his frustration and mock him.

"Then I'll take my leave now. I'll see you at the wedding tomorrow, big brother."

"Wishing you a 'happy' 'married' 'life'."

Li Wenguang curled his lips into a cold, mocking smile.

As he said the last words, he deliberately emphasized them, his smirk widening with obvious sarcasm.

Li Yanchuan's expression stiffened. His hands clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white and veins bulged.

"Oh, right. Since you can't walk, big brother, I'll leave the elevator for you. I'll take the stairs."

With that, Li Wenguang let out a contemptuous snort, raised his chin like a victor, and abruptly turned toward the stairwell.

As he descended, he stomped heavily, as if issuing a challenge.

"Mr. Li... should we still go?"

The secretary, who had witnessed the entire scene, cowered in the corner, trembling, keeping a low profile until now, when he cautiously spoke.

"...No need."

Glancing at the room ahead, Li Yanchuan's face darkened, his demeanor icy, his tone as cold as frost.

With that, he wheeled himself back into the elevator.

The secretary hurriedly followed, pretending nothing had happened, and left the estate with him.

Originally, Li Yanchuan had come to the estate today to talk with Song Nian in advance.

He knew that Song Nian, too, had been forced into the arranged marriage by his family and was unwilling.

Although their father had pushed for this marriage to take advantage of Li Yanchuan's leg injury, aiming to pave the way for Li Wenguang, after hearing that Song Nian had fallen from a building, Li Yanchuan thought that if Song Nian was also unwilling, he could make an effort to stop this farce.

But he hadn’t expected to run into Li Wenguang and be provoked like that.

Since Song Nian was involved with Li Wenguang, maybe even in a shady way, Li Wenguang would surely do everything in his power to push the marriage forward, planting him at Li Yanchuan's side.

In that case, what was there to discuss with a marriage partner who had ulterior motives and was on the opposing side?

He might as well go with the flow. Perhaps he could even use this person to turn the tables and get the upper hand over Li Wenguang.

With that thought, Li Yanchuan let out a cold laugh. A plan began to form in his mind, and his trust in Song Nian plummeted.

—

Meanwhile, Song Nian, locked inside the room, was completely unaware of the power struggle in the hallway. He was frantically looking for a way out.

The door was a no-go—locked tight.

The window was out too. He was on the eighth floor. Jumping would mean dying again.

He would have to wait for an opportunity during the pre-wedding makeup session tomorrow.

He leaned against the window, staring at the wedding setup on the lawn below, thinking.

The next day, just as the sun peeked over the horizon, Song Nian was woken up.

He rubbed his eyes and saw his aunt had already arrived with the makeup artist and stylist.

"Song Nian, wake up. Time to get ready for the wedding."

His aunt urged him.

Song Nian mumbled something, still yawning, but obediently sat in front of the vanity mirror, looking extremely sleepy.

Seeing him so compliant, his aunt assumed he had resigned himself to the situation and felt a little relieved.

The truth was, she had no choice but to push Song Nian into this marriage with Li Yanchuan.

Song Nian's parents had once been close to the Li family. When the Song family was starting from scratch, they had received help from the Lis. Even after his parents died and the company declined, it survived only thanks to the Li family's support.

So now that the Lis had proposed a marriage deal, for the sake of the company, she had no choice but to accept—even if it meant sacrificing Song Nian.

She sat with him for a bit, then seemed to have other things to do and left.

Seeing this, Song Nian, who had appeared drowsy, slowly opened his eyes. He looked sharp and started looking for a chance to escape.

The makeup artist and stylist were both women, but two burly bodyguards stood guard at the door.

Barging out wasn't an option. Song Nian's mind raced, and an idea struck him.

"Miss, can you leave the hairspray with me? I'm afraid my hair might get messed up later."

After his makeup was done, Song Nian watched the makeup artist pack up her supplies and asked in a soft, obedient voice.

"Of course."

Who could refuse such an obedient, handsome boy? The makeup artist smiled and handed him the spray.

Once everyone else had left, only Song Nian and the guards at the door remained.

Song Nian snuck into the corner of the entryway and began to execute his plan.

"Ah! Help—!"

A sharp scream came from behind, startling the two bodyguards, who quickly rushed into the room to check.

The sound came from the direction of the bed; the two men strode through the entryway to get there. But just as they passed the corner, Song Nian took the opportunity, darted out, grabbed the hairspray, and sprayed it directly into their eyes.

"Ah, my eyes!"

The spray shot straight into their eyes, and the two bodyguards covered their eyes, howling in pain.

Song Nian took the opportunity to pull the bedsheet over the bodyguards' heads, used towels as ropes to tie them up, then pushed them to the ground. While they struggled on the floor, he bolted out.

As he ran out, he didn't forget to close the door and lock it behind him, trapping the two inside.

"Damn it! He got away! Call the others!"

After a long struggle to tear off the bedsheet, the two bodyguards, with red and swollen eyes, rammed and kicked the door, but it was no use, cursing and punching the wall in frustration.

Finally free, Song Nian sprinted down the corridor. To avoid being caught in the elevator, he purposely took the stairs.

"Quick, chase him! He ran this way!"

The other security personnel learned Song Nian had escaped and immediately launched a full search.

When Song Nian was almost down to the third floor, bodyguards had already caught up from behind.

With such a large group of bodyguards, he was no match for them. If he didn't run faster, he would be caught and taken back.

Seeing this, Song Nian quickened his pace, taking three steps at a time, and eventually even leaping down from a landing.

Just as he reached the corner on the second floor, he suddenly came face to face with another group of bodyguards coming upstairs.

"He's here! Surround him! Don't let him escape!"

The two groups of bodyguards immediately closed in. Seeing he was surrounded from both sides, Song Nian gritted his teeth and decided to escape through the emergency exit on the second floor.

He pushed open the emergency exit and stepped onto the second floor.

For some reason, compared to other busy floors bustling with wedding preparations, this floor was exceptionally quiet.

So quiet it felt off-limits.

The bodyguards behind seemed hesitant, lingering at the entrance for a long time without giving chase.

But Song Nian couldn't care less at that moment. Taking advantage of their hesitation, he caught his breath and sprinted down the corridor.

"Boss, this floor... we were explicitly told to stay away."

"But if we don't chase, he'll get away! Who's going to take the blame?"

The head bodyguard gritted his teeth, hesitated, then pushed open the heavy door.

Originally, Song Nian planned to take the elevator downstairs, but when he heard the creak of the door opening behind him, he knew the bodyguards were closing in. He bit his lip and changed his plan.

He pressed the elevator button for going down, but didn't enter.

Instead, at the moment the emergency door opened, he darted into the nearest room.

The room was quiet and dimly lit. In the center, someone sat with their back to the door.

"Who?"

Hearing the noise, the man turned, his voice cold and harsh.

He was backlit, his face hidden in the shadows, so Song Nian couldn't make out his face.

"Sorry, I..."

Song Nian started to apologize, about to explain when he heard hurried footsteps approaching outside.

"Did he take the elevator? It's going down."

"Let's search the rooms on the second floor first."

The bodyguards outside said, already starting to search the nearby empty rooms.

"I'm sorry, I'm being chased by bad guys! Can you please let me hide here for a bit?"

Seeing this, Song Nian put his hands together and pleaded sincerely.

He scanned the room but found no cabinets to hide in.

So he decided to hide there.

In a pinch, he glanced at the space in front of the man and decided to act first, apologize later. Gritting his teeth, he dashed forward.

"You..."

The man's gaze landed on him, and upon recognizing who it was, he seemed slightly surprised.

But before he could finish, Song Nian darted over like a rabbit and crouched down in front of him.

"Please, please, can you help me out?"

Song Nian huddled in front of the man, his figure completely hidden from the doorway, making it a perfect hiding spot.

He looked up with big, round, tearful eyes full of pleading, his hands clasped together like a kitten begging for food, his face clearly saying 'Please, please! quq'

Watching the person crouching before him, the man's Adam's apple bobbed, he clenched and unclenched his fists. He didn't say yes.

But he didn't refuse either.

In the silence, the door was shoved open from outside, and a crowd of bodyguards filled the doorway.

Song Nian's heart pounded frantically, like a trapped rabbit, as he nervously waited to see what would happen.

—Since the man hadn't made his stance clear, Song Nian couldn't be sure if he would help him. What if he handed him over instead?

So where am I supposed to run when the time comes?

He heard the bodyguards shouting at the top of their lungs, intending to enter the room:

"Let's see if he's hiding in here... Uh, th-that... why are you here..."

Upon seeing the figure in the room with his back to them, the bodyguard froze, and the arrogant swagger from his shouting vanished in an instant.

The man glanced back at the intruder indifferently, without revealing Song Nian's presence, but merely parted his lips and uttered a single word:

"Get out."