Chapter 4: You’re Going to Steal Someone!
In the morning, Jiang Chi woke up from his sleep.
He sleepily walked out of the room and discovered that Ji Yu was already gone.
The master bedroom on the second floor had been tidied up neatly, with no sign that anyone had stayed over the previous night.
On the bedside table was a note. The handwriting was sharp and fluid, elegant yet forceful. Though there were only a few words, they fully displayed the writer’s impressive penmanship.
[The Qin family came to pick me up. I’ve gone back. Thanks for your hospitality.]
Jiang Chi glanced at it and tucked the note into the drawer.
The apartment was empty and quiet, with a particularly desolate feel.
The room was so still, lacking any trace of human presence, that it felt as though Jiang Chi had been alone the entire time—and everything that happened yesterday was just a wild, fanciful dream.
Exhausted, Jiang Chi collapsed back onto the bed. Above him was a stark white ceiling, and in this unfamiliar bedroom, he was once again forced to accept the reality that he had transmigrated into a novel.
If it weren’t for the belief that he needed to rescue Ji Yu from the Qin family, Jiang Chi wouldn’t even know what he was supposed to do in this fictional world.
The original Jiang Chi was a completely different person.
Jiang Chi had no intention of playing the original owner. Though his interaction with his older brother Jiang Feng yesterday was brief, it had already been full of flaws. Fortunately, Jiang Feng had been too caught up in his anger to notice that the person standing before him was no longer the “Jiang Chi” he knew.
A soul switch in a younger brother would be hard for anyone to accept right away. And with so many unknown factors in play, even Jiang Chi didn’t fully understand what had happened, let alone know how to begin explaining it.
Besides his older brother, Jiang Chi also had parents and other relatives to consider. He had to think through every possible scenario.
What if they couldn’t accept it?
There’s a saying: ‘The closer you get to home, the more timid you become.’
When facing Ji Yu, whom he was meeting for the first time, Jiang Chi could lay everything out about his transmigration without hesitation. But when it came to his family, with whom he shared a blood bond, he found himself hesitant and uncertain—unable to speak so easily.
Jiang Chi didn’t dare take any risks. He needed time to come to terms with his own transmigration into the novel, and his family in this world would also need time to gradually adjust to the changes in him. Coming clean too soon wouldn’t benefit anyone—it would only make things worse.
Speaking of which, if Jiang Chi had known earlier that his family also existed in this world, he definitely wouldn’t have acted so recklessly—like snatching Ji Yu and running off during someone else’s wedding.
If his dad heard about that, wouldn’t he break his legs?
Jiang Chi held his forehead with one hand, silently praying that the Qin family wouldn’t go tattling to his parents.
He really had no way of explaining his actions!
Ji Yu probably wouldn’t sell him out… right?
The more Jiang Chi thought about it, the more restless he became.
Ji Yu had mysteriously vanished from the wedding, and there would certainly need to be some kind of explanation to the Qin family. If Ji Yu told the truth, then the Qin family would definitely come knocking at the Jiang family’s door for answers. But if Ji Yu chose not to reveal Jiang Chi’s name, then it would be Ji Yu who bore the consequences.
Jiang Chi blamed himself for being too impulsive. He’d let his emotions take over, and without thinking things through, had just taken Ji Yu and fled.
That move was no different from throwing Ji Yu into the fire.
It was as if he’d unwittingly fallen into an Oedipal trap—without realizing it, Jiang Chi had become the very force that drove the prophecy forward.
He’d taken Ji Yu from the wedding to prevent him from being mistreated by the Qin family, yet ironically, it was his very action that had led to Ji Yu’s first real crisis with them.
What if Ji Yu and Qin Yan hadn’t had any conflict to begin with?
What if it was Jiang Chi’s interference that caused Qin Yan to lose trust in Ji Yu… and in doing so, unknowingly triggered the chain of events that would ultimately lead to Ji Yu’s death?
Wouldn’t that make him the true villain of this story?!
The more he thought about the consequences, the more tangled his mind became.
Just as he was spiraling in doubt, his phone suddenly rang, startling him.
The screen lit up with the caller ID: Hong Zixiao.
This name, Jiang Chi was quite familiar with—it was a character who appeared in the novel.
Hong Zixiao, the young master of the Hong family, famously known in the story as the “Mr. Regret-It-Later.”
In the original story, at the start of the plot, Hong Zixiao looked down on Ji Yu, constantly mocking him with sarcastic remarks in all kinds of social settings. However, after a series of developments, the young master had his classic “slap-in-the-face” moment, gradually falling for the protagonist shou. He even ended up opposing Qin Yan at every turn, and in the end, was crushed by Qin Yan’s cold winds and broken Hong, forced to leave the country.
The appearance of a key character like this made Jiang Chi instantly alert.
He swiped his finger across the screen and answered the call.
Hong Zixiao’s voice came through, lazy and casual, sounding like he was very familiar with the original Jiang Chi.
Hong Zixiao: “Second Young Master Jiang, why haven’t you replied to my WeChat?”
Jiang Chi: “Too many messages. I didn’t see yours.”
Hong Zixiao chuckled meaningfully: “Of course, you’re a busy man. Makes sense you can’t keep up with WeChat.”
Jiang Chi: “……”
From just this brief exchange, Jiang Chi figured the original host and Hong Zixiao were likely pretty close friends.
So he didn’t bother beating around the bush and asked directly, “Hong Zixiao, it’s early in the morning—what do you want?”
Hong Zixiao got straight to the point too: “I heard the Qin family wedding got called off. Weren’t you there yesterday? Got any gossip? What the hell happened?”
Oh, Jiang Chi knew exactly what happened.
But knowing didn’t mean he could say anything.
Not sure how to answer, Jiang Chi could only toss the question back: “What are people saying?”
Hong Zixiao’s intel was as sharp as ever: “Word is—Qin Yan woke up.”
“Qin Yan woke up?!”
Jiang Chi cried out in shock, instantly sitting upright in bed. It was unbelievable. “Then does he still need to go through with the marriage for good luck? Does that mean he doesn’t have to marry Ji Yu anymore?”
Hong Zixiao replied, “That part I’m not sure about. His attitude’s kind of unclear. But I heard the Ji family’s so scared the Qin family’s gonna back out that they went over to the Qin residence first thing this morning, saying they want Qin Yan to hurry up and marry Ji Yu.”
Upon hearing the news, Jiang Chi became even more restless. While rummaging through his wardrobe for clothes, he said, “No, I can’t let Ji Yu marry Qin Yan. They’re not right for each other.”
Hong Zixiao had only meant to share some juicy gossip with his buddy—he never expected Jiang Chi to react like that. He was a little confused: “It’s a business marriage. What do you mean ‘not right for each other’? Ji Yu’s an illegitimate child. Marrying into the Qin family is way above his station. Why are you even getting involved?”
Jiang Chi froze for a second.
He couldn’t exactly go around telling people: This world is a novel, and Ji Yu dies after marrying Qin Yan.
That would land him in a mental hospital sooner or later.
After a brief silence, Jiang Chi came up with a perfectly reasonable excuse.
Thank goodness the original Jiang Chi had been a notorious playboy.
Deliberately lowering his voice, Jiang Chi adopted a mysterious tone and said something suggestive: “Ji Yu’s pretty good-looking.”
Hong Zixiao: “……”
Jiang Chi’s voice had a naturally magnetic quality to it. When he dropped his tone like that, it was like aged wine—deep, smooth, and intoxicating. Even through the phone, it made Hong Zixiao’s ears feel warm.
Hearing Jiang Chi compliment Ji Yu’s looks, Hong Zixiao naturally filled in the rest.
So Jiang Chi had a crush on Ji Yu!
In the circle of rich young heirs in Wuchuan City, everyone knew that Second Young Master Jiang was charming and flirtatious. With his top-tier family background and striking good looks, he changed boyfriends more often than he changed clothes. No matter how stunning his partner was, once the thrill of the chase was gone, he’d grow cold and lose interest.
Ji Yu must really be something to catch Jiang Chi’s eye.
Though Hong Zixiao was well aware of how Jiang Chi operated, he still tried to talk him out of it: “There are over twenty million people in Wuchuan. Why’d you have to pick Ji Yu?”
Jiang Chi thought to himself: ‘The novel had over two million bookmarks, and I’m still the only one who transmigrated into it, aren’t I?’
If everything in life had to have a clear reason, then where was Jiang Chi supposed to begin explaining this?
He didn’t answer Hong Zixiao’s question—he didn’t even know how to.
Instead, he quickly got dressed, pulled a hat and face mask from the closet, and put them on, covering most of his face.
“I’m going to the Qin residence today. I’m getting Ji Yu out of there.”
“What?!”
Hong Zixiao was dumbfounded, practically turning into a broken record: “Get Ji Yu out? What do you mean, get Ji Yu out? How are you getting him out?”
Jiang Chi replied crisply and concisely: “Climb over the back wall, find Ji Yu, and then sneak back out with him.”
Hearing Jiang Chi calmly spell out his plan nearly made Hong Zixiao lose his mind. His voice rose involuntarily with his racing heartbeat: “Are you insane?!”
Jiang Chi turned, his tall figure standing by the window, casting a long shadow in the morning light. With the full face-covering getup, he looked exactly like a deranged killer from a thriller movie.
Perfect.
He pulled his cap lower, leaving only a pair of cold, sharp eyes visible, and said in a flat tone: “Just pretend I’ve gone crazy.”
Hong Zixiao closed his eyes, clearly having an intense inner struggle.
After a long moment, he finally made up his mind and asked: “Where are you? I’ll come pick you up.”
Forty minutes later, a red sports car screeched to a stop in front of the hotel.
Hong Zixiao gripped the steering wheel tightly, staring ahead in a daze, swallowing hard with nerves.
“Jiang Chi, brother, I’m literally risking my life for you right now.”
Jiang Chi slid into the passenger seat. Upon hearing that, his hand paused slightly as he was fastening his seatbelt. He glanced over and offered, “I can go alone if you want.”
Hong Zixiao gritted his teeth, jawline tense, clearly still torn.
Then, all of a sudden, he smacked the steering wheel hard.
With heroic resolve, he declared: “Damn it, you might be the fastest man alive when it comes to losing interest, but this is the first time you’ve chased someone all the way to their in-laws’ house. Now I’ve gotta see for myself—what kind of divine beauty actually managed to charm my brother this bad!”
Jiang Chi didn’t really know what to say. After a moment, all he could manage was: “…Thanks, brother.”
With a look of grim resolve, Hong Zixiao slammed down the accelerator. The red Ferrari’s engine roared to life and tore off with a growl.
As he bit nervously at the peeling skin on his lip, Hong Zixiao muttered anxiously, “First, we need to switch cars. I read online that black Volkswagens around the 100k mark are the most common—harder to notice. I got us a secondhand one, not too new, not too old. Super low-key.”
Jiang Chi turned his head to glance at him.
“We’re just going to pick someone up from the Qin house, not carry out a kidnapping.”
Hong Zixiao nearly lost it.
“You’re not picking someone up—you’re stealing someone! And not just anyone, you’re stealing Qin Yan’s person! The guy’s been running the Qin family business for years—everyone knows he’s ruthless, cold-blooded, and never lets a grudge go!”
Just thinking about Qin Yan’s reputation, Hong Zixiao sucked in a sharp breath.
“Word is, he’s involved in some military-grade business overseas. Anyone who dares betray him ends up disappearing. They say those people get filled with concrete and dumped in the open sea to feed sharks!”
Jiang Chi: “……”
Getting filled with concrete and dumped into the sea to feed sharks… that sounds pretty explicit, actually?
Though he found the logic a bit off, Jiang Chi didn’t bother to point it out. Hong Zixiao looked genuinely terrified and was already spiraling into nonsense.
Once again, Jiang Chi said, “Zixiao, Qin Yan is dangerous. Just drop me off and go home, alright?”
Hong Zixiao frowned and immediately refused.
“Jiang Chi! We’ve been best friends since we were kids—so close we could share the same pair of pants! Say that again and I’ll seriously be pissed!”
Jiang Chi could only back down.
“Alright, alright. Young Master Hong, your loyalty knows no bounds. We’ll go together… and if Qin Yan catches me, I won’t rat you out.”
Hong Zixiao replied instantly, “Damn right you won’t!”
Jiang Chi couldn’t help but laugh, then leaned back in his seat, reclining half-down like he was lounging on a beach chair.
He looked so relaxed, it was hard to believe they were about to steal someone from the clutches of a cold-blooded villain—it was more like they were headed off on vacation.
…
The two of them first stopped at a mechanic shop to switch cars, then headed straight for the Qin family estate.
The Qin residence was located just outside the Second Ring Road, far from the hustle and bustle of the city center. It was a large, gated compound—a stand-alone courtyard mansion.
The estate had three inner courtyards and three outer ones, exuding extravagance in every detail. It was said to have once been the residence of a top imperial scholar. During the Republic era, a wealthy businessman bought and renovated it. After changing hands a few more times, it eventually ended up with the Qin family as an ancestral property, originally called Qin Manor.
The name “Qin Manor” had a flashy, bourgeois ring to it, hinting at an air of opulence and exclusivity. But after public sentiment shifted toward modesty and integrity, the name was quietly changed—now people just called it Qin Garden or Qin Residence.
Outside the estate, the gray-blue walls stood tall and old-fashioned. Lush phoenix trees grew over the perimeter, their branches reaching beyond the walls and casting dappled shadows that danced across a pristine, metal street sign.
White background, blue characters: Guangfu Road No.12 — Qin Garden
Hong Zixiao let out a sigh.
“Renaming ‘Qin Manor’ to ‘Qin Garden’ isn’t even the craziest one. The name change at my family’s restaurant is even more ridiculous.”
Jiang Chi zoomed in on the 3D map on his phone, carefully analyzing the building layout.
“How ridiculous are we talking?”
Hong Zixiao replied, “It used to be called Blue Sea Palace. Now it’s Home-Style Dishes for the People.”
“……”
Jiang Chi pinned a few key spots on the map, trying to figure out where surveillance cameras might be absent.
The Qin estate still retained the distinctive architecture of a traditional Chinese courtyard: winding covered walkways, rockeries and water features, lush plantings, and a variety of garden pavilions—crafted with the ideal of a new view with every step. Willow trees swayed, koi ponds sparkled, and arched bridges connected different parts of the property.
Beautiful, yes—but buildings like this were notoriously hard to secure.
As someone who worked in security system design, Jiang Chi had always found it a headache to plan surveillance for this kind of estate.
The rich always wanted privacy and top-tier protection—two things that didn’t really go hand-in-hand.
He slipped his phone into his pocket and pulled up his mask.
“I’m going in.”
Hong Zixiao’s heart was pounding.
“Be careful. There might be dogs in the backyard. Don’t get bitten again.”
Jiang Chi pushed open the car door.
“No way. Animals love me.”
Hong Zixiao frowned.
“Come on, don’t joke. Your family’s dog tries to bite you the second it sees you—even chains can’t hold it back.”
Jiang Chi: “???”
How was that possible? He used to be a magnet for animals. Whenever he ran into stray cats or dogs on the street, they’d follow him for blocks. How could there be a dog that just wanted to bite him now?
Suppressing his confusion, Jiang Chi braced with one hand and flipped over the wall into the Qin estate.
There were no dogs in the Qin residence’s backyard, so he couldn’t verify whether his animal magnetism still worked like it did before he got pulled into the book—but what was clear was that his professional instincts were still as sharp as ever.
Every area Jiang Chi had predicted wouldn’t have surveillance? They truly had none.
Landing inside the courtyard, Jiang Chi walked with ease, as if he were back in his own home. He casually brushed past flowers and branches, heading toward the little south building where, in the original novel, Qin Yan and Ji Yu lived.
Little south building. Judging by the name, it should be somewhere to the south, right?
The estate was winding and maze-like. Just before he got completely lost, Jiang Chi caught sight of “Ji Yu,” dressed in a perfectly tailored suit.
That formal? Don’t tell me he’s going to register the marriage?!
Jiang Chi halted mid-step, quickly ducking behind a rockery. He leaned out to take a peek.
“Ji Yu” wore a charcoal gray suit and was followed by someone who looked like a secretary, chattering nonstop. “Ji Yu” looked indifferent, visibly a bit impatient, but kept it bottled up. His long, phoenix-shaped eyes were lowered, concealing every trace of emotion.
Sunlight glinted off his jet-black hair, casting a platinum sheen, making his pale skin look almost translucent.
Leaning against the rockery, Jiang Chi picked up a small pebble and tossed it toward “Ji Yu.”
**TN
Oedipal effect — A reference to the myth of Oedipus, who tried to escape a prophecy, only to fulfill it through his actions.
