ATD Chapter 3

Qin Xuan had thought he’d just be going home for a day or two to listen to a lecture from his father, but he didn’t expect that this trip would prevent him from returning to school.

When he arrived at the private hospital with Luo Wen, something felt off. “Is the old man sick?”

“Young Master Qin, please get out of the car.” Luo Wen opened the door for him, bowing slightly. “Mr. Qin is inside and has something to discuss with you.”

Sensing that Luo Wen was dodging the question, Qin Xuan’s heart sank. But he hadn’t expected it to be this bad. His father, who had always been strong and imposing, still looked like a man in his prime despite nearing sixty. People would believe he was in his forties. But now? The man before him, hooked up to countless tubes and looking like he was on death’s doorstep—who was this?

“You’re here.” Qin Yang motioned for someone to help prop him up slightly on the bed. His usual commanding presence had softened, likely because of his illness, and the once stern, piercing look in his eyes now held a trace of warmth. “It’s good that you came. Sit down.”

Qin Xuan didn’t argue. He quietly took a seat. Qin Yang smiled, something he rarely did.

“Ol—” Qin Xuan caught himself, changing the word to, “Dad.”

Qin Yang gripped his hand, his palm dry and warm. “Qin Xuan, I’m fine. I called you here to go over a few things.”

This interaction was foreign to Qin Xuan. Their relationship had always been one of Qin Yang ordering him around and Qin Xuan rebelliously pushing back. Now, sitting down and having a calm father-son conversation like any other family felt strange. But as Qin Xuan looked closely at his father’s sickly face, the discomfort quickly gave way to an overwhelming sense of sorrow. His mother had been gone for years, and his father had never remarried, dedicating his life to running the Qin family business. Father-son conversations were rare.

“Go ahead,” Qin Xuan said.

“Qin Xuan, my illness isn’t going to get better.” Qin Yang tightened his grip, signaling his son to listen carefully. “I had hoped to straighten out the company before I passed and leave you with a clean slate. But after the latest tests, I’ve only got three months left. While I’m still here, you need to take over Qin Shi.”

Qin Xuan squeezed his father’s hand. The bony fingers pressing into his palm hurt, and an aching sadness swelled in his heart. He had always thought of his father’s hands as dirty from all the wrong things he’d done, but now he understood: despite his faults, his father’s intentions toward him were genuine. This man was his father, after all.

Qin Yang smiled again. “You never wanted to get involved with the company before, and I had the means to let you live a normal life. But now, if you don’t hold this position firmly, you won’t survive. I never hid how the Qin family built its empire. Turning the company legitimate will be hard. Over the past few years, I’ve paved a path for you, but the rest is up to you.”

“Dad.” Qin Xuan’s voice trembled. Qin Yang patted his hand, his gaze turning sharp.

Qin Xuan took a deep breath. “If they can’t cure you here, we’ll go abroad. I won’t be able to handle this without you.”

“I kept it from you, hoping it would get better.” Qin Yang, having led Qin Shi for decades, remained calm even when discussing life and death. “But life and death aren’t things you can control. My only regret is facing your mother in the afterlife. She never wanted to see you suffer.”

Tears welled up in Qin Xuan’s eyes. He closed them, his voice hoarse. “Dad, I was foolish before.”

“You’re doing well now,” Qin Yang replied, his voice also low and raspy.

Luo Wen knocked on the door. “Mr. Qin, Young Master Qin, everyone is here.”

The transfer of power in the Qin family was a major event, and it didn’t take long for word to spread to the right people. Many, both in the open and behind the scenes, were ready to pounce. The Qin family had made enemies in the process of trying to legitimize its business in recent years, and now, with a twenty-something-year-old set to take over, plenty of people had their sights set on getting a piece of the pie. With Qin Yang on his way out and Qin Xuan still young, it was uncertain if the Qin family could maintain control.

However, in the turbulent times that followed, Qin Xuan acted swiftly and decisively. Within a month, he forced several senior members of the Qin family into retirement and replaced them with younger talents. Despite the massive shake-up, Qin Shi remained stable. The company continued making money, and operations ran smoothly, with no visible signs of the power shift. Whether this was due to Qin Xuan’s skill or Qin Yang’s groundwork was unclear. But even if someone knew, it wasn’t information that would be easily shared.

“Li Wu worked for Qin Yang his whole life, second only to him in the company. Who would’ve thought that as soon as Qin Xuan took over, he’d get rid of him. Accusing him of embezzling large sums of money—enough to put him away for life. No wonder the moment the police showed up, he ‘committed suicide.’” Zheng Min paused her typing, sneering. “Suicide? Li Wu wasn’t the kind of man to end things like that. If he really couldn’t handle it, he wouldn’t be named Li. Qin Xuan is ruthless, but at least the company isn’t falling apart. It’s like watching wolves tear each other apart. Isn’t Qin Xuan worried he’ll drag the company down with him?”

“Li Wu was an old hand in Qin Shi. He knew all the company’s dirty secrets. If Qin Shi wants to go clean, Li Wu couldn’t be kept around.” Zheng Yan was sewing a black button onto his uniform. “No matter how guilty Li Wu was, it should’ve been up to the law to deal with him. Qin Xuan did go to university, after all…” He paused, shifting the topic. “Qin Yang doesn’t have much time left, and Qin Xuan is pushing hard. We don’t have much time, either. If we don’t get evidence before the company goes fully legitimate, Qin Shi will be beyond the reach of the law, and all our efforts will be for nothing.” He finished sewing the button.

“Wear this too.” Zheng Min handed him a black wireless earpiece without looking up. A few clicks later, multiple screens lit up in front of her.

Zheng Yan took the earpiece and carefully hid it under his hair. Zheng Min watched him, concern clear on her face.

“Don’t worry. Weren’t you just asking why Chen Kai hadn’t checked in?” Zheng Yan checked his gear one last time, trying to reassure her. “If Qin Shi hadn’t hit such a big bump, Chen Kai wouldn’t have had anything to report. If the evidence is solid, we’ll finish the mission. Stay optimistic.”

Zheng Min nodded reluctantly. “Just be careful. If something feels off, pull out immediately.”

Zheng Yan patted her shoulder. “Got it. I’m heading out.”

Zheng Yan knew what was on Zheng Min’s mind. Chen Kai had been silent for two months, and now, at such a critical moment, he had suddenly resurfaced, claiming to have an important document. This alone was enough to raise suspicion. What made things worse was that the meeting place Chen Kai had chosen was odd—so odd that Zheng Yan had spent the past week preparing for it.

The rendezvous was set at Yuan Ming Du, practically Qin Shi’s stronghold, with its walls crawling with their spies. But Chen Kai had always been cautious, and if he chose this place, he must have had his reasons. Zheng Yan guessed that Chen Kai wasn’t able to move freely at the moment, and the document must be important enough to warrant taking the risk of handing it over while inside Yuan Ming Du.

It was a reasonable assumption, but the unease in Zheng Yan’s chest wouldn’t dissipate.

Entering Yuan Ming Du through the back door, Zheng Yan changed into his uniform and walked out with a tray, instinctively brushing his earlobe.

“Everything looks normal around the perimeter,” Zheng Min’s voice crackled through the earpiece. “I can’t see inside Yuan Ming Du. Be careful.”

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