Chapter 128: A Brick to the Back of the Head

"Miss Yang, all this elaborate effort is, in truth, merely to seek revenge on me, Si Nan. Let’s strike a bargain: release her first, and as for what you want, we can discuss it at leisure."

Si Nan lay on the ground, his head tilted back as he looked up at the figure before him.

The person shuddered at these words. Only when the hint of a smile in Si Nan’s eyes deepened did the figure, as if making a firm decision, let out a cold snort and rip away the disguise.

And so, the former darling of the Yang family—Miss Yang—stood before Si Nan, her gaze cold and piercing.

"Pull him up. Unlike President Si, I don't enjoy acting like a god, looking down on others."

Miss Yang’s voice was much more pleasant when she spoke naturally. The two men who had ambushed him from behind hauled Si Nan to his feet.

"To think you could guess it; I really did underestimate you."

"I wouldn't say that. After all, I haven't offended many people; it wasn't difficult to figure out it was Miss Yang."

Si Nan could feel that the two men holding him were quite burly, making an escape difficult, and Su Nian should be nearby by now...

"Are you mocking me?" Miss Yang glared at him with wide, almond-shaped eyes.

"I am regretting my past decisions."

Si Nan offered a faint smile. The pain in his back, as if his bones were fractured, made him sway, yet his expression remained composed.

"Regret? Regret not agreeing to the merger between our families from the start? Or regret not showing my father mercy and purging all the veteran staff from the Yang firm?" Miss Yang sneered repeatedly.

Si Nan said nothing, merely looking at her with a complex expression.

"Whether you want to vent your anger or have me do something, I don't think this is the right place for such a conversation. Miss Yang, we could easily go somewhere else to continue."

"Hahahaha..."

Miss Yang suddenly burst into laughter. "Si Nan, have you been scared out of your wits? How could I possibly let you go back now? I don't want any solutions; I only want your life. Your cold-heartedness left so many of our veteran employees destitute, and my own family members, driven by your relentless investigations, nearly jumped to their deaths... You’ve brought such ruin upon the Yang family—how could I ever let you sit comfortably in my father’s office? Hmm?"

The more she spoke, the more agitated she became, her saliva spraying as she nearly hit Si Nan’s face.

Si Nan frowned and turned his head away. Miss Yang hummed in annoyance, turned, and walked toward Lin Xiaowen, continuing, "The Yang family has no chance of a comeback in the Shanghai business world, and I won't let you have an easy life either. Your brother, Si Dong, died an unnatural death years ago, and Old Master Si... oh, no, Uncle Si, couldn't bear the blow and nearly passed away himself! If his only remaining son were to die today, do you think he might follow you in a fit of grief?"

Miss Yang slowly circled Lin Xiaowen as she spoke. Upon hearing the mention of Si Dong, Lin Xiaowen’s body stiffened. Noticing her reaction, Miss Yang stopped in front of her.

"You’re quite innocent in all this, but who told you to get involved with the Si family? The 'tyrannical CEO falls for Cinderella' trope is romantic enough, but it’s a pity this CEO doesn't know how to conduct himself, failing to understand the principle of 'leaving a path open today so we may meet again tomorrow'."

Miss Yang paused, then added, "If you want to blame someone, blame him. If you want revenge after you're dead, go find the Si family! Just don't come looking for me, hee hee hee..."

"Miss Yang truly is no ordinary woman. Do you really dare to commit murder?" Si Nan asked, staring at her coldly.

"Thank you for the reminder, but I’m prepared. I don't need to do such things myself. Or did you think I was just making small talk with you all this time?" Miss Yang looked at the sky outside. "The folk near the border are simple and turn in early. A fire in the woods at this hour won't attract any attention, especially at this long-abandoned lumber mill."

"And how do you know I haven't left any information behind or made other arrangements?" Si Nan laughed softly. "I'll give you one last chance: let us go, and perhaps for the sake of our families' long-standing friendship, I won't report you. But if you don't stop now, when the police arrive in a while, I won't be able to help you!"

Miss Yang froze, and even the two men behind Si Nan exchanged glances. Their movements and expressions betrayed a shift in their resolve.

Si Nan struck while the iron was hot. "I believe the two behind me, like Miss Yang, are doing this for the first time. I guarantee once more that I will not pursue tonight's events. As long as we all return to Shanghai safely, I am willing to use my personal name to help the Yang firm get back on its feet..."

"Speaking of which, I almost forgot!" Miss Yang reached into her tracksuit and pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper.

"Let him go!"

After ordering the two shadow-like men, Miss Yang handed the paper and a pen to Si Nan. "Sign your name here."

"What is this?" Si Nan asked, knowing the answer.

"Something you won't be needing anymore!" Miss Yang said with a sinister smile.

Si Nan wanted to laugh, but even standing upright was a struggle. He hunched over, steadying the pen to see what was written.

"Hurry up and sign so we can get out of this hellhole!" Miss Yang shot a look of disgust at one of the men and signaled him.

The man hesitated, turned, and left the room, while the other kept a tighter watch on Si Nan’s movements.

Holding the pen, Si Nan noticed that Lin Xiaowen had slipped into a semi-conscious state. He secretly tested the pen tip with his thumb and said to Miss Yang, "Can you let my girlfriend go first? I think she's struggling to breathe."

"Hee hee hee... even now you're still playing the chivalrous protector. If you had shown even half this much care for me back then, we wouldn't have ended up like this, would we?" Miss Yang raised her eyebrows triumphantly.

"Heh!" Si Nan chuckled. "Had I known Miss Yang was such a capable woman, I wouldn't have dared to aim so high..."

Before the word 'high' had fully escaped his lips, Si Nan suddenly lunged forward, wrapping his arm around Miss Yang’s neck with a swift, violent motion that sent a wave of agony through his injured back. At the same time, he jammed the pen tip directly toward her temple.

"Don't move!" Si Nan gasped, his voice sharp, cold sweat pouring down his face as he gritted his teeth against the pain.

Lin Xiaowen, who had been drifting into unconsciousness from sheer exhaustion, forced her eyes open upon seeing Miss Yang suddenly held captive by Si Nan, and she began to breathe with difficulty.

The man opposite them froze, and the baseball bat he had been swinging in mid-air was suddenly kicked away.

Si Nan and Lin Xiaowen looked on in astonishment at the figure in dark green clothing who had just burst through the door. A brick struck the man squarely in the back of the head, and he collapsed to the ground with a dull thud.