Chapter Five: Punishment

"You have an idea?" Seeing his sudden excitement, Qin Wu quickly asked. But when she saw him shake his head, her tone turned displeased. "Hmph, you must be thinking something indecent." Clearly, the look in Qin Yang’s eyes earlier had already left a fixed impression on her.

Qin Yang shot her a fierce glare, wanting to focus his energy on opening his Yin-Yang Eyes to scan her body thoroughly, but considering the situation around them, he let it go. Instead, he said, "I'm not thinking what you think I am. I’m wondering what will happen to Gao Xiaolan from now on. Gao Jinfeng was only renting a place. Now that all of Gao Xiaolan’s financial support has been cut off, and her only pillar is gone, she still has to attend school and study."

"That is indeed troublesome. How about this—she can come stay at my place for now," Yang Yaxin suggested after a moment’s thought. "Anyway, my father is rarely home, my mother is always busy outside, and I get pretty lonely myself."

Qin Yang considered it and nodded. For now, that was the best they could do. He couldn’t possibly take her away with him. He still had to go home and explain the car accident. The patriarch was notoriously strict in his memory, and such a major incident would be a tough one to account for. Moreover, if he returned as the young master and then came back to help Gao Xiaolan, it could be much more effective.

The three of them lingered at the entrance for quite a while. When Gao Xiaolan finally woke, they comforted her again, and after Qin Yang’s discharge was processed, they left the hospital. This time, Yang Yaxin drove. Qin Yang didn’t get into the car; instead, he borrowed a hundred yuan from Yang Yaxin. Watching Gao Xiaolan, lost in thought behind the car with her father’s ashes in her arms, he sighed and said, "Xiaolan, I’ll come to see you in a few days."

"Brother Qin Yang? You’re not coming with us?" In her eyes, Qin Yang was someone who truly cared for her. She even felt a fatherly warmth from him. Most importantly, as an orphan, she felt a sense of shared fate with him—an inexplicable dependence that had grown in less than half an hour.

Qin Yang scratched his head. "I have some things to deal with right now. It wouldn’t be convenient to bring you along. Give me a day or two and I’ll come find you. By then, I’ll help you tidy up your house, arrange your father’s funeral, and see you off to school."

"Okay." Gao Xiaolan nodded obediently, murmuring, "Brother Qin Yang, you must come."

"I will."

After seeing off Yang Yaxin and the others, Qin Yang let out a long breath, though he couldn’t help but sigh. Gao Xiaolan’s situation was truly tragic, and having been an orphan himself, Qin Yang felt a natural sense of pity for her. But now was not the time.

He shook off these thoughts, stretched, and asked a passerby for directions. Learning that the bus station was close by, he hurried over to settle matters at home first.

At that moment, the snowfall finally ceased, and the world was blanketed in pure white, immaculate and serene. He had not gone far when a screech of brakes caught his attention. Frowning, he turned to see a black Mercedes parked by the roadside. Raising an eyebrow, he recognized the middle-aged man who stepped out and muttered to himself, "The young master’s identity, indeed—found so quickly."

As for his father Qin Lie, the man’s reputation matched his iron-fisted methods. According to memory, he started from scratch at sixteen, founded Hailong Transport at twenty-four, and quickly rose to prominence in Haitian City’s business world. Thereafter, he became renowned for his decisiveness and ruthlessness, gradually consolidating port enterprises along China’s coastline and eventually earning the title of Asia’s Shipping King. Rumor had it that pirate crews from around the world had dealings with Qin Lie and maintained long-term cooperation, though only a few truly knew the facts. Conquering the seas was not enough for Qin Lie—he would never ignore the vast resources of the mainland. Supported by immense capital, his group had branched into real estate, finance, banking, stock investment, tourism, hospitality, media, and more, rising to become the flagship conglomerate of Southeast Province.

The man approaching was Wang Zhibing, one of Qin Lie’s trusted aides, responsible for the group’s hotel division. He was fiercely loyal to Qin Lie and one of the few subordinates on decent terms with Qin Yang, given the young master’s notorious misdeeds. Few among the staff had truly built a rapport with him.

"Young Master, you nearly scared me to death," Wang Zhibing began, pouring out his grievances. "You have no idea—I was almost driven to despair. If I hadn’t found you, I’d have had to answer for it with my life."

"Well, I’m not dead, am I? Just as well, I was planning to head back. Since you’re here, you can give me a ride," Qin Yang said, stretching as he prepared to get in the car.

Wang Zhibing’s expression suddenly turned odd. He hesitated, glancing at Qin Yang as if wanting to speak but stopping himself. Qin Yang noticed and frowned. "What’s wrong?"

"Young Master, the old master is furious about what happened," Wang Zhibing sighed. "He’s issued strict orders: everything you own has been confiscated. The villa, the cash, the cars—they’re all sealed. The old master wants you to tough it out in Haitian City. Unless you achieve something that satisfies him, you’re not allowed to return to Jianghai, nor will you inherit any of the family fortune."

"What?" Qin Yang scratched his head in frustration. This was truly unlucky. He’d thought he could enjoy an idle, comfortable life, but his father had decided to play this hand instead. In a dejected tone, he asked, "So I only have a hundred yuan to my name now, and even these clothes were bought for me. Couldn’t he at least give me some startup capital?"

Wang Zhibing was a little taken aback—Qin Yang’s response was all wrong. By rights, he should be furious, rushing back to Jianghai to argue with his father. Then the old master would set conditions and perhaps send him abroad. But the young master showed no sign of anger at all. Was this really the same arrogant, domineering heir?

Wang Zhibing felt bewildered, unable to process Qin Yang’s reaction.

"Um, Young Master, you’re not going to argue with him?" Wang Zhibing asked cautiously.

Qin Yang rolled his eyes. "Argue? If I argue, would he just hand everything back? I’d be walking into a trap. I plan to enjoy life now and not fall for his tricks. But that aside, is there any startup capital?"

Wang Zhibing was dumbfounded, but he recovered quickly. "Wait a moment, let me ask the old master." With that, he stepped aside and made a call. Apparently, Qin Lie was equally shocked by the report. After a ten-minute conversation, Wang Zhibing returned. "The old master said he started with a thousand yuan back in his day, so you’ll get ten thousand yuan as startup capital, adjusted for inflation. Also, he’ll notify everyone you know—you won’t be able to get anything from them either."

He handed over a wallet. "Inside are your ID and driver’s license," he said, then produced a bundle of cash. "Here’s ten thousand yuan for you to start with."

Qin Yang took his documents and the cash, pursing his lips. He’d thought he’d return to a billionaire’s life, but now he was just a ten-thousand-yuan man. Wait—there was another card? He examined it closely. It was a bank card. He glanced up at Wang Zhibing.

"Young Master, this is all I can do. You’ll have to rent your own place and find your own work," Wang Zhibing said, blinking. Then, with a touch of bitterness, he added, "You were used to a lavish lifestyle before, but you’ll need to be more careful now. If you can’t handle it, just come home."

Qin Yang grinned. "Alright, let’s leave it at that."

With this money, Qin Yang believed he could carve out a new path for himself and live happily. He swore he would never return to the misery of his orphan days, never again endure hunger and hardship. He vowed to live a life of abundance—with fast cars and beautiful women, lacking none of life’s pleasures. Most importantly, he would have his revenge on those damned jewel thieves!

Seeing the resolve in Qin Yang’s eyes, Wang Zhibing was deeply moved.

When Qin Yang was still a child, Wang Zhibing had been an ordinary hotel waiter. He’d once gotten into trouble with some thugs, and if it hadn’t been for Qin Yang’s help, who knows what would have become of him. It was also thanks to Qin Yang’s constant praise in front of the lady of the house that he had risen step by step to become a leading figure in the province’s hotel and tourism industry. For Wang Zhibing, his feelings for Qin Yang were more than just gratitude—they were hope. Not just for his own future, but for Qin Yang’s as well. No matter how others mocked or doubted the young master, Wang Zhibing never gave up on him. He believed that one day, Qin Yang would take over the family, and he would rise along with him.

It was an investment—one into which he had poured all his gratitude and faith.

After Wang Zhibing left, Qin Yang looked at his meager possessions and managed a wry smile.