Chapter 9

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Ji Yang glanced at his watch—exactly eight o’clock in the morning. He raised his hand and pressed the doorbell of the villa. While waiting for the door to open, he adjusted his tie and gave the servant who answered a practiced smile. Then he stepped inside with measured composure.

A few days ago, when Ji Yang had been researching news about the Yu Corporation, he was genuinely taken aback. The conglomerate had ventures spanning countless chain enterprises across numerous industries, covering nearly all sectors in City A. Such backing was undeniably formidable.

He had once clung to the faint hope that their relationship might be a matter of genuine affection born from free will. But after reviewing the biography of Yu Congyan, that hope was utterly extinguished. Yu Congyan was the epitome of a self-made man—years of grinding under the pressure of his elder brother at a branch office, finally rising to become the sole heir in the eyes of the public and his father. A textbook example of an overbearing, invincible tycoon.

Such a commanding, ruthless boss wouldn’t suddenly become a lovesick fool.

"We’ve arrived. Please take a seat in the reception room. Mr. Xia should still be in the bedroom; I’ll go fetch him," the butler said politely, placing a cup of tea at just the right temperature before Ji Yang. In truth, Xia Wansheng was probably still in bed.

Ji Yang was well versed in this scenario. Xia Wansheng was known to become sleepless at the slightest disturbance or change in routine, often struggling to rise each day, occasionally catching naps in the car. There had even been times when his mood was captured unfavorably at events, requiring several rounds of public relations efforts to quell the negative attention.

Perhaps this time he was simply too worn out to get up.

Ji Yang sprang to his feet, suppressing the dramatic, tearful imaginings racing through his mind, and said gravely, “I’ll go in.”

If there was truly trouble, he could call the police immediately.

Though the butler didn’t understand why Ji Yang suddenly seemed so righteous, as a consummate professional, he dutifully escorted the tense young man to the master bedroom door. “This is Mr. Yu’s bedroom. If you need anything, just call me,” he said with a hint of warning—not to disturb the room or risk damaging anything, as he wouldn’t be able to explain it to Young Master Yu.

Ji Yang, having been in the entertainment industry for many years and possessing a modicum of savvy, caught the implied meaning. He nodded in agreement and was about to push open the door while striving to mask the anxiety stirring within him.

This was the master bedroom—the personal quarters of the tycoon himself. If he had once harbored even a sliver of hope that the two were merely innocent roommates, that hope was now utterly shattered. At every moment, he wanted nothing more than to pull out the Criminal Code from his briefcase and recite it to Xia Wansheng over and over.

Such a good kid, how did he stray so far from the path?

Ji Yang regretted not reaching out to Xia Wansheng sooner. If he had been there to advise him, maybe he wouldn’t have taken such desperate, reckless steps.

Years of reading had filled Ji Yang’s mind with scenes unfit for broadcast—scenes of ruthless tycoons who, after a night of chaos, coldly fell asleep, leaving the broken-hearted to toss and turn alone in the dark, yearning to reach out but too afraid to touch.

His hand trembling slightly, Ji Yang pushed the door open and saw Xia Wansheng sprawled in the center of the enormous, plush bed, even turning over carelessly without a care in the world.

Ji Yang, who had already imagined himself heartbroken beyond measure, blinked in confusion. Had he imagined things?

Behind him, the butler professionally closed the door.

Ji Yang pulled a chair to the bedside and sat down as if visiting a patient, his expression still somewhat dazed as he looked at the person before him. “So... what exactly is the relationship between you two?”

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Before coming, Ji Yang had pictured countless scenarios—imagining an innocent, inexperienced soul being ensnared by the tycoon’s sweet words, duped and used until regret finally dawned, and only then turning to him for help.

But now, seeing Xia Wansheng sprawled carefree across the master bed, sleeping soundly without a worry, that indifferent attitude unsettled Ji Yang deeply.

Could it be that Xia Wansheng hadn’t even had time to be cherished before being cast aside? Was he constantly clashing with the tycoon and growing despised?

Xia Wansheng was in the midst of a pleasant dream, just as his project was being lavishly praised by his boss at the annual meeting, with promises of promotion and a raise in front of the whole company. Then the voice at the bedside woke him.

He rubbed his eyes in displeasure and sat up, fixing a steady gaze on Ji Yang before finally recognizing him as the agent mentioned in the book.

Ji Yang, chief agent of Shangan Entertainment, though not the most resourceful, had always been dedicated to Xia Wansheng and his team. Early on, he invested almost all his resources into Xia Wansheng but received little in return. Ultimately, he was betrayed—the original owner accused him of being a kept man and pinned all the blame on the agent.

This scandal was a heavy blow. Although other artists supported Ji Yang’s innocence, his career never recovered, never to rise again.

Seeing Ji Yang’s anguished face, Xia Wansheng felt a flicker of unease.

Swallowing nervously, he asked, “I’m sorry... I didn’t quite catch that. What did you say, Brother Yang?”

Ji Yang struggled to speak. “Wansheng, you can’t ruin your career in a moment of confusion. Even if you’re favored by Mr. Yu now, do you think it will last forever? What will you do when the hype dies down and you try to make a comeback? By then, no one will remember who you are!”

In Ji Yang’s mind, scenes flashed of Xia Wansheng being heartlessly cast out by the ruthless CEO, kneeling helplessly in the rain outside the mansion.

Overcome with sorrow, Ji Yang vowed to set Xia Wansheng back on the right path today.

Xia Wansheng looked puzzled. “Brother Yang, didn’t you come here to talk business? Mr. Yu isn’t sidelining me—I even took a taxi out to have dinner with the antagonist last time.” Though, he barely ate anything.

Ji Yang ignored these details and reached into his briefcase for a thick volume of the Criminal Code, trembling slightly as he prepared to read it aloud page by page until Xia Wansheng reconsidered.

Xia Wansheng interrupted, “Master, please don’t recite. And why exactly do we have to discuss work in Mr. Yu’s bedroom?”

It gave him the surreal feeling of a boss drama—the tycoon waking up in an eight-hundred-square-meter bed, lingering there for two hours before finally arriving at the bedside.

Ji Yang’s frustration grew. “Don’t dodge the question. Just be honest—what is your relationship?”

His gaze fixed on Xia Wansheng, who still looked somewhat bewildered. Ji Yang resolved that if the next word out of his mouth was ‘free love,’ he would smash the hefty book over his own head.

A lovesick fool deserved a good knock on the head.

Xia Wansheng sensed danger but braved a guess: “Caretaker and canary?”

In some ways, that was true. The original owner even composed and sang, fitting the role perfectly.

Ji Yang sighed and put the book away, unwilling to ruin such a delicate face. Despite being widely criticized online, Xia Wansheng’s looks had won him a group of casual fans. He couldn’t bear the responsibility if he damaged that.

After the chaotic exchange, the two finally settled in the reception room. The butler poured tea and left, thoughtfully closing the door behind him.

Ji Yang adopted a professional tone. “Your hiatus hasn’t been long. If you manage the media well, you can regain fame. It’s not difficult. The problem is your schedules were all stalled, and now only a niche music travel program is willing to have you.”

Ji Yang didn’t mention that he had leveraged his own connections to secure that offer, assuring the other party Xia Wansheng wouldn’t cause trouble this time.

Xia Wansheng was intrigued. “Music travel program? Is that about traveling to find inspiration for songs?”

He thought to himself: that’s just a paid vacation.

Ji Yang nodded. “More or less, but you need to compose on the spot and integrate local customs and folk traditions. That’s why the guest list hasn’t been finalized.”

The delays nearly drove the investors away, but Xia Wansheng, who never shied from a challenge, was willing to try anything.

Ji Yang suddenly remembered, “There’s one small issue. Do you remember Shao Huan, the guy you argued with online?”

“Of course,” Xia Wansheng thought. Their feud was a major subplot in the book, taking up dozens of chapters.

Shao Huan was a top-tier playboy heir who fancied himself the country’s premier composer, constantly boasting about reviving the music scene and entrenched in various music shows, bullying newcomers and soaking in praise.

In a way, Shao Huan was slightly better than the original owner. At least, while the original’s pieces were ghostwritten, some of Shao Huan’s compositions—not all pleasant—were genuinely his.

Ji Yang warned, “I know you two don’t get along. This time, he insisted you join the program. It’s probably not out of kindness.”

Shao Huan had previously sparked scandal by blatantly bullying newcomers on the show, and the PR team worked overnight to suppress the trending topic.

But given Xia Wansheng’s current situation, he had no choice but to take it step by step.

“Also, the Shao and Yu families are old allies. This program has always been funded by Yu Corporation. You’ll have to be careful given your current precarious position.”

With Xia Wansheng’s fragile ‘canary’ status, even if Shao Huan bullied him, Yu Congyan would probably only take his side.

“Don’t worry, Brother Yang. I’ll behave and won’t cause trouble,” Xia Wansheng promised, wary of Shao Huan’s persistent targeting.

Ji Yang was half reassured by his sincerity. The current Xia Wansheng seemed less impulsive and more agreeable than before. Could this be the calm that comes from finding a powerful patron?

Ji Yang didn’t want to dwell on it. Though it wasn’t his place to meddle in their affairs, his responsibility as an agent compelled him to say more: “Be careful. Don’t blindly follow them into dangerous places.”

Especially not shady bars.

Ji Yang didn’t want to see Xia Wansheng’s name in the social news for the wrong reasons the next day.

Xia Wansheng nodded blankly, recalling how the last restaurant encounter had been perilous—when the antagonist suddenly threw five million game coins around, nearly causing him to defect on the spot. He still felt a pang of regret.

As Ji Yang was about to leave, hesitating, he quietly placed the volume of the Criminal Code into Xia Wansheng’s hand and said solemnly, “Make sure to read this whenever you have time.”

Never cross the line into illegality.

Ji Yang didn’t want to be the kind of agent who could only visit his artist on holidays.

Xia Wansheng looked puzzled. “Is the entertainment industry really this cutthroat now? Do you have to meet academic requirements just to act?”

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