Chapter 84: Crisis
"Hahaha—"
Jiang Bailang burst into wild laughter again, sounding like someone who had just escaped from a mental hospital.
"Give me! Five million, right now! Otherwise, I'll have my fun with this b*tch before I kill her!"
Shen Xi frowned and took a deep breath, her voice turning cold.
"Fine. I have five million. Let me talk to Keke first."
There was a brief silence on the other end. Then, she heard muffled sobbing, like someone’s mouth had been gagged. Moments later, Keke’s panicked voice came through.
"Sister Xixi! Don’t come!"
SMACK! A loud slap.
"Don’t touch Keke! How do you want the money? I’ll get it ready right now."
Shen Xi's voice was anxious, but her expression was ice-cold.
How dare he lay a hand on Keke?
Didn’t he know that the three of them were actually the biggest villains in this story?
Sure, right now, they were part of the so-called Heartbreak Alliance, but before this, they were the “Vicious Trio” who could fight the protagonist group until the very end.
They might not have been able to kill the protagonist group, but everyone else? One snap, one gone.
Of course, Shen Xi didn’t want to follow the original script and get herself killed. She just wanted to make some quick cash and run.
"Cash, jewelry, gold—whatever! No cops, and don’t tell your husband!"
"Come alone, or… hehehe~ I’ll ruin this little wh*re right now!"
Jiang Bailang might have been unstable, but he still feared the Gu family behind Shen Xi. However, desperation had driven him beyond reason.
He was broke, in debt, and on the run. This was his only chance to turn things around, thanks to someone else's help. He wasn’t about to let it slip away.
"Alright, I won’t call the cops. Send me the location."
Yeah, right. Who does this idiot think he is? She definitely called the cops.
Shen Xi could tolerate keeping a low profile in front of Lin Yueyue and Shi Jingyan. They had protagonist-level plot armor. She wouldn’t make a reckless move against them.
But Jiang Bailang? He was nothing.
The original story didn’t have this scene. Now, it felt like the world was trying to correct itself, pushing everything toward the worst possible ending once again.
If this were the original Shen Xi, she wouldn’t have cared about Su Kexin’s situation at all. In just a few minutes, she was supposed to step onto that dazzling stage.
As long as she was selfish, tonight would be her breakthrough moment. Endless sponsorships and job offers were waiting for her.
But the current Shen Xi, how could she abandon her best friend? Money can be earned again. If she lost this performance opportunity, there would be another one.
In the original story, Su Kexin sacrificed herself to save the original Shen Xi. This time, it was Shen Xi’s turn to save Keke.
The location the kidnapper sent was an abandoned building near the outskirts. Shen Xi took off her mask and accessories. Just as she was walking to the road to hail a taxi.
A flashy gold Lamborghini pulled up in front of her.
The window rolled down, revealing Shi Jingyan. He looked at her with concern.
“Xixi, aren’t you supposed to be at the competition? What happened? Do you need my help?”
Shen Xi’s eyelid twitched. The male lead again?
Su City was massive, with a population in the tens of millions. How did she keep bumping into "old acquaintances" every single time?
This was too much of a coincidence. The moment she had trouble, Shi Jingyan just happened to appear, like a woman’s last lifeline.
It was as if all she had to do was ask him for help, and Keke would be saved effortlessly.
Which wasn’t exactly wrong. After all, he was the male lead. With plot armor on his side, anything he did was destined to succeed.
Shi Jingyan felt a dull ache in his chest when she ignored him completely.
The Shen Xi he knew used to fight with Lin Yueyue over him, doing all sorts of illegal things just to prove her love.
But now? She was different.
More mature. More attractive.
And worst of all, she no longer liked him. She wasn’t chasing after him anymore.
That sense of vanity, of being adored by a goddess, was gone. And for some reason, it left a bitter taste in his mouth.
“Get in the car. Tell me what’s wrong. I can help you.”
Just then, a taxi pulled up. Without even sparing Shi Jingyan a glance, Shen Xi got into the backseat.
She wanted nothing to do with the male lead.
She knew one thing for certain, when a man helps a woman, he always expects something in return.
At the end of the day, his goal was always the same.
And Shen Xi? She understood perfectly.
She had played this game in her past life too. Only to realize that without enough beauty, she was just another pathetic fangirl.
Right now, the only man Shen Xi could stand being close to was her big brother.
Any other guy? Just the way they looked at her made her feel disgusted.
“Let’s go, driver.”
The taxi started up and disappeared from Shi Jingyan’s sight. He clenched his left hand into a fist and slammed it against his car door in frustration.
Meanwhile, at Su City TV’s live broadcast studio.
“Next up, our highly anticipated fifth contestant, the Moon Goddess, performing her original song, ‘Lone Warrior’!”
However…
No one came on stage.
The live audience was confused.
The online viewers had already surpassed one million, and now—this huge mistake?
The comment section exploded with question marks:
“????”
“Where is she? Where did she go?”
“Did she get scared? Maomao’s song ‘If I Became Super Rich’ was too good.”
“LOL, Su City TV is literally livestreaming nothing. Easiest million-yuan paycheck ever.”
“She totally chickened out! No way the Moon Goddess can beat Maomao’s song!”
Backstage was absolute chaos.
Director Chen’s face turned pale.
But compared to the fact that the CEO’s wife had mysteriously vanished, this mix-up was the least of his worries.
“She’s not picking up the phone… What if something happened?”
A cold sweat covered Director Chen’s forehead as he swallowed nervously.
“If I run now, would it be too late…?”
………………………………………
On the other side of the city.
An abandoned high-rise, over ten stories tall, stood in complete darkness.
Only a few dim streetlights barely illuminated the surroundings.
Shen Xi and Shen Zekai met on the outside.
“Sister, I brought the stuff.”
Zekai lifted two large black duffel bags, heavy and packed with something inside.
“Stick to the plan. Be careful.”
The woman nodded, her usual playful and carefree attitude gone, replaced by an unusually serious one, exuding a sharp, commanding presence that rivaled even the bravest of men.
The siblings put on their earpieces and moved into the darkness.
The unfinished building was nothing but an empty shell. No walls, just a hollow structure. The inside was pitch black, but the outside world was still clearly visible through the gaps.
“Don’t move!”
Jiang Bailang's voice rang out as he called Shen Xi's phone.
He had already spotted her and Shen Zekai approaching the abandoned building.
“Why did you bring someone else?! Do you want her to die?!”
Shen Xi laughed softly, her voice sweet and delicate.
“Brother Jiang, I’m just a weak girl… How could I possibly carry so much cash and jewelry by myself?”
“Zekai isn’t an outsider. You’ve met him before, he’s my little brother.”
Jiang Bailang hesitated.
Hearing her call him ‘brother’ sent a wave of emotions through his mind. He couldn’t help but picture her stunningly beautiful face.
For a moment, he felt dizzy with nostalgia and desire. He peeked out from his hiding spot, scanning their figures carefully.
Sure enough, it was the same boy from Shi Jingyan’s birthday party. Jiang Bailang relaxed slightly.
“Fourth floor. Now.”
The siblings turned on their phone flashlights and carefully climbed the stairs.
“Brother Jiang, I’m here. Where are you?”
Shen Xi’s soft, gentle voice echoed through the empty floor.
“Long time no see, my little beauty… You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.”
Jiang Bailang’s voice drifted out from the shadows, his tone laced with insanity.
Then, he stepped forward. The dim light revealed his figure. A knife glinted in his hand. He stood behind Su Kexin, the blade pressed against her pale, delicate neck.
Tears streamed down Keke’s face, but she seemed unharmed, at least for now. Her clothes were a little dirty, but there were no visible injuries.
Shen Xi and Zekai stopped moving. Shen Xi let out a quiet breath of relief.
Then, she lifted her gaze. Her delicate features softened, her eyes filled with feigned helplessness. Her voice gentle, almost pleading.
“Brother Jiang… I brought the money. Let Keke go.”
Jiang Bailang let out a low, manic laugh. His eyes burned with madness.
“Sure… But you have to stay.”