Chapter 5

She dried her eyes, held the check up to the light, and turned it over and over. It was a real check, no doubt about it.

The thin slip of paper fluttered pitifully from her fingers, while a storm raged inside Ruan Ning's chest.

That man... Could he really be Jiang Yihao?

She had dodged and weaved, only to be forcefully kissed by her sworn enemy. Ruan Ning's head throbbed as if it were about to split open.

In the original novel, Jiang Yihao harbored a deep, burning hatred for her. Even while being hunted by assassins worldwide, he had snatched the Villainess from the clutches of a crime boss just so he could execute her himself.

She dashed into the bathroom, turned on the tap, and rinsed her mouth repeatedly, desperately trying to scrub away the traces the male lead had left on her.

But what was done was done. Ruan Ning scrubbed until her fingers wrinkled, yet she could not change the fact that she had collided head-on with Jiang Yihao. Helpless and aggrieved, tears moistened the corners of her eyes.

The check lay quietly on the floor, as if every zero wore a grinning face, maliciously savoring her agony.

This was a full two million in cash.

Jiang Yihao only needed to make one phone call, and the police would have her arrested in minutes. Add to that the matter of imprisoning Zeng Shuya, and with old grudges stacking on new ones, even nine lives wouldn't be enough for her to repay it all.

All her earlier smugness had been scared off by the check's staggering figure. Replaying every moment of the night felt like a slow flaying of her heart.

There had to be a solution. Ruan Ning stumbled to her feet.

Then it hit her: after passing the last task, the System had rewarded her with the right to preview part of the plot so she could prepare for the next mission.

Without hesitation, she opened it.

[Ding, loading storyline...]

The plot showed that the next day, the female lead would be rescued by a kind-hearted janitor at school. But the naive, good-natured Zeng Shuya refused to believe anyone had deliberately tried to harm her. The janitor, indignant on her behalf, introduced her to a part-time job at a large national cleaning company chain.

So, while working at the RQ Talun Football Club, the female lead happened to run into the male lead Jiang Yihao, who was there under an alias chasing his dream.

The male lead fell for her at first sight and launched a swift, aggressive pursuit...

Wait—the System was telling her that the Prince Charming every girl at school pined for was actually running around a stadium as a hired entertainer in secret?

And the female lead had clearly escaped the cell just now—how could she be "rescued" by a janitor the next day?

Ruan Ning scrolled back and read it again. The original plot had already derailed. There were so many absurdities she didn't know where to start.

Forget whether Jiang Yihao's identity would even allow it—RQ Talun Football Club wasn't a place you could just waltz into.

RQ was the number-one football powerhouse in Country A. At its peak, it swept the World Championship Cup, the A-League, and the Republic Cup in a single season triple crown, with an unbeaten streak of fifteen matches. Its fans spanned the entire globe. Even her father, that quiet, reticent middle-aged man, couldn't help but turn away and secretly wipe his eyes after shaking hands with an RQ star.

Every major matchday, half of Talun City emptied out. Men, women, young, and old would flood in droves to RQ's home ground, Qingli Stadium, to cheer. If the team won, the bus would parade the players and trophy through the city, and the entire municipality would take a day off to celebrate the championship.

As such, any player who signed with RQ was a genius among geniuses.

But most footballers came from tough backgrounds—the grind was brutal, the competition fierce, and the sport devoured talent while a single bad tackle could leave you crippled for life. Not long ago, she'd heard a player got his kidney kicked out on the pitch.

Recalling Jiang Yihao's pampered, privileged air, Ruan Ning doubted he could actually endure being a player.

Still, there was no better option right now. With a head full of questions, she drifted into a weary sleep.

At ten in the morning, the sun blazed high.

In the new commercial district of western Talun City, skyscrapers rose in dense clusters. Brilliant sunlight traced the grand, majestic silhouette of the metropolis, while the Woyi River—the mother river of Talun—flowed quietly around it. Its shimmering surface traced a golden skyline at the city's edge.

Amid the dense forest of steel, Sky Tower stood tall, looking down on all.

The penthouses here started at a hundred million at minimum. From the living room, one could overlook all of Talun's landmarks and the Woyi River, the entire city sprawling beneath your feet.

Because this area was a new commercial district, its residents were mostly young upstarts and wealthy foreigners, while Talun's old money preferred the ancestral mansions in the city center.

Jiang Yihao, as usual, walked into the lobby with his headphones and mask on, hands in his pockets.

The front desk girls nudged and winked at each other when they saw him.

Everyone working in this building knew a devastatingly handsome man lived upstairs. Every time he strode through the lobby like a walking sculpture, the girls were too stunned to breathe.

Especially the moment the elevator doors slid shut—he'd lean against the gilded mirror wall, one long leg casually crossed over the other, like a rebellious, gorgeous movie poster.

But the girls only dared to sneak glances, never to disturb him.

This time, a young receptionist hesitated, then finally mustered the courage to call out to Jiang Yihao.

"Mr. Jiang, someone came to visit you last night."

"Who?"

Jiang Yihao turned his head slightly, revealing the sharp, chiseled profile of his face.

The girl nearly fainted from pure swooning, too shy to meet his eyes: "A whole group. They might still be upstairs."

Jiang Yihao glanced at her, then stepped into the elevator.

The truth was, he'd bought this place for its privacy.

People of his class owned countless properties across the globe under family names, but the kids always secretly purchased a place of their own—their private sanctuary.

Only two childhood friends knew about this hideout.

One of them spent his whole life in the lab, utterly indifferent to money or luxury mansions. Apart from him, Jiang Yihao couldn't think of anyone else bold enough to intrude on his space.

He pressed the button, and within sixty seconds the elevator shot up to the top floor, the 130th.

The doors opened to a wave of alcohol, cigarette smoke, and stale overnight odors that smacked him in the face, making Jiang Yihao frown.

In the living room with its 8-meter-high wraparound floor-to-ceiling windows, men and women lay sprawled in every direction, snoring and sawing logs while the magnificent panorama of Talun sprawled beyond the glass. Bottles and leftover food littered the floor—total chaos.

Almost at the same time, the pitter-patter of running feet echoed from the far end of the floor. Three glossy, well-fed dogs—a Golden Retriever, a Bernese Mountain Dog, and a German Shepherd—raced over to Jiang Yihao, wagging their tails and whimpering pitifully, as if to say, "Master, you're finally back."

Someone on the sofa jolted awake, spotted Jiang Yihao, scrambled to his feet, and buzzed with excitement as he reached out for a handshake.

"Master Jiang, you're back... What an honor to attend your party."

"We waited for you all night last night. Did you see that singer on TV? Man, that performance was f***ing incredible."

"Last night was the best party of my whole life. Your place is amazing—what a mansion!..."

Jiang Yihao's face turned as dark as a storm cloud. Grinding his teeth as he ruffled the dogs' heads, he hissed out two words: "Bu——Chen——" Then he pulled out his phone and barked, "Send the cleaning crew up. Now!"

He stormed into the guest bedroom and yanked the covers off in one fierce motion, grabbing the culprit by the scruff.

"Sleeping my ass!"

"You trashed my place—clean it up, or you're crawling home today!"

The three dogs charged in after their master, tongues hanging out, panting at the head of the bed.

A sound of rustling came from under the cloud-soft, snow-white duvet. Half awake, a face emerged from under the fluffed hair—clearly a stunningly handsome man.

Bu Chen let out a sleepy groan, a lazy, roguish smile curling at the corner of his mouth. "A party just for you. Like it?"

"You guys partied your brains out, and you're asking if I like it?"

"Then that means you love it." Bu Chen's lips curved into an elegant arc as he pulled the covers back up. "You're welcome."

Jiang Yihao kicked him hard.

Few people on earth could make Jiang Yihao choke on his own words, and Bu Chen was one of them.

Bu Chen was the heir to the Duke of Banting, one of the Three Dukes. The two families were evenly matched in wealth. The Duke himself served as the Minister of Economic Affairs and leader of the Conservative Party, and was highly likely to be elected Prime Minister in the next term. In their circles, people jokingly called Bu Chen the future "First Son."

Jiang Yihao considered himself someone who spent money without blinking, but this brother of his had him beat by a mile.

Bu Chen had been free-spirited and laid-back since childhood, devoted to the finer things in life. Any high-end establishment worth its name anywhere in the world had heard of Master Bu.

Though his reputation as a playboy preceded him, he was witty, generous, and a master of having fun, which made him well-liked in their circle.

A few days ago, Jiang Yihao had been in a bad mood. Bu Chen had joked that even national leaders didn't have frown lines as deep as his, and vowed to throw a grand bash to cleanse his brother's soul.

Jiang Yihao hadn't taken him seriously and headed back to the club for the night.

But the bastard had actually brought a whole crowd over, partying day and night until everyone was glowing with life—except the owner, who'd spent the night at the training ground.

"I'm sorry, superstar." Bu Chen rolled over into a more comfortable position. "Next time, you bring people to my place. Party as long as you want."

Jiang Yihao abruptly scooped up the hundred-plus-pound Bernese Mountain Dog and used its paws to slap Bu Chen repeatedly. "You're rewarding yourself, huh? Ha. Rewarding yourself again."

The dog barked, and the other two joined in. Bu Chen lazily raised one slender, well-boned hand and waved it casually. "Quiet. Daddy's sleeping. Be good."

A glint of mischief flashed in Jiang Yihao's eyes. "Whoever makes him shut up doesn't get dinner tonight."

The three big dogs, receiving their master's command, bounded around Bu Chen, licking and barking excitedly.

Bu Chen suddenly flung his covers open like a ghost and roared, "Raaah!"

The dogs scrambled back three steps, tails wagging so fast they blurred, then crouched low and barked at Bu Chen.

Jiang Yihao burst out laughing.

Seeing his friend's mood lighten, Bu Chen said offhandedly, "Alright, get into RQ's first team this year, become the football superstar of the world next year. Net worth over a hundred million, ranked number one on the athletes' rich list."

"Naturally." Jiang Yihao claimed it with full confidence—after all, being selected for RQ's main squad at his age was something he could brag about for a lifetime.

"On one condition—" Bu Chen suddenly shifted gears, his tone turning playful, "your parents never find out."

The smile faded from Jiang Yihao's face.

"Can't you go one day without raining on my parade?"

Bu Chen grabbed a pillow and pressed it over his face to block the blinding sunlight, half-joking: "Just saying you should be prepared. Our dear bosses freeze our cards whenever they're displeased. People get old, and their hearts harden like kidney stones."

Jiang Yihao found it utterly absurd.

He didn't gamble or frequent nightclubs. He just liked playing football. How did that make him an unfilial son? Was kicking a ball more embarrassing to his ancestors than being a useless hedonist who whored and gambled his life away?

Ever since he first touched a ball at age five, he'd felt his heart truly beat for the first time.

In that moment, he knew his life's dream.

No matter what came crashing down around him, he would never change it.

The butler arrived on schedule with a large cleaning crew and, per the master's orders, politely escorted the hungover guests out. The team split up quickly and fanned out to their assigned areas with practiced efficiency, accustomed to cleaning up after their master's wild revelries.

After venting his fury, Jiang Yihao returned to his own room to change. Then, all of a sudden, an earth-shaking roar erupted from inside: "BU CHEN!"

Jiang Yihao's rage threatened to burn down the entire eighteen-hundred-square-meter penthouse. Everyone on site froze, stopping mid-task to exchange bewildered looks.

What's gotten into the young master? Why is he so furious?

Jiang Yihao stormed over to Bu Chen's bedside in three quick strides, yanked him out from under the covers, and bellowed, "Where's the dragonfly from my desk?"

Bu Chen yawned. "A dragonfly on the 130th floor?"

"The diamond dragonfly from my desk! Where is it?" Jiang Yihao's eyes were practically spitting fire.

After Ruan Ning had left that day, he could have just walked away. But for some reason, he'd kept searching in the dark, and finally found the dragonfly brooch she'd been so desperate to recover, tucked behind the bathtub.

He'd sent people to look for Ruan Ning, but there was no word.

Now, when he'd returned to his room, the brooch that sat on his desk every day was gone—box and all. Jiang Yihao's nerves tightened. Even when he'd lost a million-dollar watch abroad, he hadn't been this anxious.

Bu Chen dozed off mid-sentence, then said dismissively, "What brand? Which model?"

"It's not any brand! Find it. No more sleeping!"