ABOES 15: Seventeen years ago

When Duan Zhiyan arrived at the company, the assistant told him that Chi Xiwen had just gone into a meeting.

“How long will it last?” Duan Zhiyan frowned.

The assistant glanced at the time and estimated, “Probably about half an hour.”

Duan Zhiyan nodded, took a deep breath to calm the pounding in his chest, and said to the assistant, “Please let him know I need to speak with him urgently. Ask him to come to my office after the meeting.”

“Understood,” the assistant replied.

Duan Zhiyan sat on the office sofa for nearly forty minutes before the door finally opened.

He looked up.

Chi Xiwen walked in, loosening his tie as he rolled his stiff neck. He plopped down across from Duan Zhiyan, stretching comfortably with an exhausted expression. “What is it?” he asked. “Why didn’t you say something earlier at the hospital instead of running all the way here? I’ll say this now—whatever it is, I’m not stepping out again. I’ve got a stack of files to handle.”

Duan Zhiyan stared at him in silence for a couple of seconds before asking, “Have you been to the police station recently?”

Chi Xiwen reflexively replied, “What, you looking to pick a fight again?”

That caught Duan Zhiyan off guard for a second. Then a long-buried memory resurfaced—

The year Yunxing went missing, both he and Chi Xiwen were nine, still at that mischievous age.

The day it happened, both Chi Ling and Tan Yao were working overtime, and the grandparents had gone on a trip. At home, it was just Chi Xiwen, Yunxing, and Duan Zhiyan, who had been living with the Chi family.

Duan Zhiyan remembered it clearly. It was the first day of summer break, and Yunxing had just turned two.

Chi Xiwen wanted to visit the newly opened mall nearby. With no adults around, Yunxing clung to the two older boys, wrapping his tiny arms around their legs and refusing to let go, begging to go with them.

Duan Zhiyan softened at the sight of Yunxing’s pouty face and picked him up. “Why don’t we wait for your mom and dad to come back? We can take Yunxing with us tomorrow.”

Hearing “go out,” Yunxing instantly lit up and his chubby baby teeth peeking out as he beamed. “Wanna ride the bouncy car!”

Duan Zhiyan laughed—every time they went to the mall, Yunxing loved riding those coin-operated cars. Once he sat down, he wouldn’t get off until the mall closed.

But Chi Xiwen wouldn’t budge. “No way! If we wait till tomorrow, that limited edition model we want will be sold out! We have to go today!”

Torn between Yunxing and the toy, Duan Zhiyan hesitated.

Chi Xiwen didn’t care. He pulled Yunxing away and shoved him into the nanny’s arms, then dragged Duan Zhiyan out the door.

No sooner had they stepped outside than Yunxing’s heartbroken wailing echoed behind them.

They didn’t look back and they ran faster.

That day should’ve been a happy one. They bought the toys they had been dreaming of and even lined up to get Yunxing’s favorite cream cake to make it up to him.

But when they got home, what greeted them wasn’t Yunxing’s laughter—but the nanny’s panicked voice and the devastating news that the child had gone missing.

Duan Zhiyan couldn’t remember much of what happened that night. A doctor had said it was a psychological defense mechanism and that the brain suppresses unbearable memories.

No one could say when or if those memories would ever return.

What Duan Zhiyan did remember was that from that day on, every time he saw Chi Xiwen, they’d be at each other’s throats in minutes.

They fought for three full years.

The fights were so intense that none of the adults could break them up.

It wasn’t until Duan Zhiyan’s parents returned from abroad and took him away that the brawls finally stopped.

Back then, Chi Xiwen had been bigger and stronger so by all logic, Duan Zhiyan should’ve lost every fight.

But every time, it was Duan Zhiyan who won.

As a child, he didn’t understand why.

Now, he did.

Chi Xiwen had been holding back.

He blamed himself for losing Yunxing and had never stopped.

That’s why, for seventeen years, he kept going to the police station.

That’s why he named his company “Yunxing Entertainment.”

At that thought, Duan Zhiyan looked up, his gaze steady.

“I have something to tell you.”

Chi Xiwen didn’t even lift his head. He was so tired he could barely keep his eyes open. “Mhm. Go ahead.”

Duan Zhiyan’s voice grew serious. “I think I’ve found Yunxing.”

The air in the room turned heavy.

Chi Xiwen, half-reclining on the couch, didn’t respond for a long while. When he finally opened his eyes, they were rimmed with exhaustion. He looked at Duan Zhiyan without emotion.

“Zhiyan, that’s not funny. If you’re trying to cheer me up because I’ve been under pressure, just stop.”

“I’m not joking,” Duan Zhiyan cut him off.

He picked up his phone, unlocked it, and handed it over with trembling fingers.

“There are very few people in the world with no blood relation who look this much alike,” Duan Zhiyan said through gritted teeth. “The moment I saw him, I thought he looked familiar butI didn’t connect the dots at the time…”

Chi Xiwen stared at the screen, stunned.

Then he abruptly sat up and snatched the phone from Duan Zhiyan, his eyes locked on the photo.

His pupils dilated. With shaking hands, he zoomed in—from the eyes, to the lips, and then zoomed out again.

“This…” Chi Xiwen’s lips moved, voice barely audible. “This isn’t Photoshopped, right? You didn’t take my mom’s picture and…”

“Chi Xiwen,” Duan Zhiyan called him by his full name which was rare for him. “I’m not that bored. You want to find Yunxing, and so do I.”

Chi Xiwen looked up, his eyes bloodshot and rimmed red.

A second later, a fat teardrop rolled down his cheek.

He quickly lowered his head to hide it. “What’s his name? Where did you meet him?”

“His name is Ye Xinian,” Duan Zhiyan said. “I met him a week ago while filming Let’s Go Travel. He’s a regular cast member and also an artist under your own company. Xie Yi is his agent.”

Chi Xiwen was too shocked to care about his tear-streaked face. He stared at Duan Zhiyan. “He’s one of my artists?”

Duan Zhiyan nodded.

Chi Xiwen immediately stood and headed for the door.

“Where are you going?” Duan Zhiyan asked.

“To find Xie Yi. I want to see him.”

Duan Zhiyan stepped in his way. “Don’t be impulsive.”

“I’m not impulsive!” Chi Xiwen suddenly shouted. “You know how long I’ve been looking for him. We all have. Now that we’ve found him, I have to see him right away. I want to take him home—”

Duan Zhiyan had expected this reaction. “If you go now, you’ll scare him.” He paused, then added, “And we haven’t done a paternity test. Nothing is confirmed yet.”

Truthfully, Duan Zhiyan had also lost his cool when he first had the thought.

He had rushed to the company just to tell Chi Xiwen.

Luckily, Chi Xiwen had been in a meeting, giving Duan Zhiyan forty minutes to calm down.

During that time, he had He You look into Ye Xinian’s background, while he browsed Weibo for any information.

He found bits and pieces. Ye Xinian studied at Nanda, did magazine shoots before debuting, and had a loving fiancé.

Everything suggested one thing: Ye Xinian already had a life. A pretty good one, at that.

That realization hit Duan Zhiyan like a bucket of cold water.

If they barged in without proof, they’d just be disrupting his life.

Chi Xiwen stood silently, breathing heavily as he processed it all. Then he suddenly said, “I need to go to the police station.”

Worried about letting him go alone, Duan Zhiyan went with him.

…

Somewhere else, Song Jing stared at his still-ringing phone, hesitating. Just before the call was about to end, he finally picked up. “Hello…”

“Song Jing! You finally answered!” came Ye Xinian’s cheerful voice. “Were you busy just now? I called a few times.”

Song Jing’s lower abdomen still ached from the kick Xia Huaiming had given him earlier.

Even though Ye Xinian wasn’t the one who kicked him, he had definitely contributed.

So Song Jing’s tone was anything but warm. “I had something going on. What do you need?”

Ye Xinian acted like he didn’t notice the coldness in his voice. “Can’t I call you just because?”

Song Jing said nothing.

“Well, I won’t keep you guessing,” Ye Xinian said. “Remember when you told me not to forget you if I ever made it big?”

That caught Song Jing’s interest. “What about it?”

Ye Xinian chuckled. “I’m going on Xiao Yu’s livestream tomorrow.”

Xiao Yu was the most popular influencer right now. Her nightly streams drew over five million live viewers. Only A-listers and top influencers ever made appearances.

And Ye Xinian who barely debuted—had been invited.

Song Jing, who hadn’t booked a single gig in two months, couldn’t help the jealousy. “Must be nice.”

Ye Xinian laughed lightly. “Why be jealous? You can come too.”

“Huh?” Song Jing blinked.

“This stream was supposed to have two guests,” Ye Xinian explained. “But my agent’s other artist had a schedule conflict, so there’s an open spot. She asked if I had someone to recommend—and I recommended you.”

Song Jing was stunned. “You recommended me?”

“Well, you’re also signed to Yunxing Entertainment, right?” Ye Xinian said with a smile. “My agent knows your agent and they’ve already agreed. You should get a call soon. We’ll go together tomorrow!”

Song Jing’s heart was racing. “Are you serious? I’m really going on Xiao Yu’s stream?”

“Of course,” Ye Xinian said warmly.

Song Jing was beyond excited but also a little confused. Why had Ye Xinian recommended him?

So he asked.

Ye Xinian replied matter-of-factly, “Because you’re my good friend. If we’re going to be famous, let’s be famous together.”

His words hit Song Jing like a wave—part moved, part guilty.

Moved that Ye Xinian had remembered his promise. Guilty because just hours ago, he was cheating with Xia Huaiming.

“Xinian… you’re so good to me,” Song Jing murmured, ashamed.

Ye Xinian said gently, “It’s okay. Just don’t forget it.”

“I won’t!” Song Jing promised fervently.

They chatted a bit more before hanging up.

Afterward, Ye Xinian sat back, amusement glinting in his eyes.

He would make sure Song Jing remembered his kindness and he would make sure the fans and viewers saw it too.

That way, when the truth came out, when everyone realized what kind of snake Song Jing really was—they would tear him apart themselves.

Just imagining it made Ye Xinian eager for what came next.