The person who arrived was none other than Shang Jingchen himself—the very subject of the obituary they had just released.
The man they claimed was dead now stood before them, full of life. The members of the Shang family stared at him in horror, as if they had seen a ghost. Yin Xiu covered her mouth with a handkerchief, terrified that she might scream. Only Grandpa Shang felt his eyes fill with hot tears at the sight of his eldest grandson. He walked forward, leaning on his cane, with the old butler hurrying to support him.
The man who had been officially declared dead just yesterday had suddenly appeared before everyone’s eyes. It was a stinging slap to the face, though for whom, it went without saying. Not a single reporter present was a fool; they could already smell the scent of a vicious family power struggle.
Assistant Zheng stood beside Shang Jingchen, along with several bodyguards and Ye Zhixing, who had followed them in. Her goal was to find the person who had cast the curse. Ye Zhixing had entered behind Shang Jingchen, trying to keep her presence as minimal as possible. With so many people in the multimedia room, her eyes scanned the area like radar. The reporters in the audience were unimportant; the prime suspects were Shang Jingchen’s own family.
Soon, her gaze settled on a few people on the stage. These must be Shang Jingchen’s family members. Identifying the one who had cursed him was not actually difficult—that person would be tainted by Yin Energy. She quickly locked onto her target.
By now, Elder Shang had reached his grandson, gripping his hands, his eyes burning with emotion. "Jingchen, you’re still alive. This is truly wonderful!"
Shang Jingchen lowered his gaze, patting his grandfather’s hand as he said in a low voice, "I’m fine, Grandpa. Don't worry."
At this moment, Second Uncle Shang and Third Uncle, both still in shock, approached as well. They simply could not believe their eyes. Their expressions were like those of men who had encountered a ghost in broad daylight.
"Jingchen, you… how are you…"
Perhaps paralyzed by fear, he stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence. Shang Jingchen’s expression was chillingly cold.
"What? Are you surprised to see me, Second Uncle?"
"Did you think I should have died yesterday?"
The two uncles looked into Shang Jingchen’s bloodthirsty, murderous eyes and felt a chill run down their spines. Wasn't it supposed to be foolproof? How could this happen? They instinctively looked toward Yin Xiu. Yin Xiu stood with her head bowed, her body trembling uncontrollably.
"Of course not! Jingchen, you are our own nephew. Blood is thicker than water; how could we ever wish you dead?"
"It’s all this stepmother of yours!"
"She came to us yesterday and told us your condition had suddenly deteriorated and that you couldn't be saved!"
Shang Jingchen watched them coldly. *Keep spinning your tales.* He wanted to see just how much they could fabricate. As it happened, every major news outlet in the Capital was present today. They said family scandals shouldn't be aired in public, but he had never considered these people family.
"Your stepmother was the one handling your affairs at the time. We were so grief-stricken that we were a bit negligent—"
"Second Brother is right. You are the most important person in our family; we were simply devastated—"
Second Uncle and Third Uncle chimed in, one after the other, showing no shame whatsoever. Their excuses were clumsy and riddled with holes—even a casual observer could see right through them—but such blatant lying was common enough in social circles. They shifted all responsibility onto Yin Xiu. As a woman without support, she naturally wouldn't dare to cross them.
Shang Jingchen sneered, "So, am I supposed to comfort you instead?"
"No… no need for comfort. You being alive is the best comfort of all!"
"Exactly! We all want you to be well. You are the hope of the Shang Group!"
Knowing Shang Jingchen’s ruthless and decisive reputation, they realized their words might be futile, but with so many media outlets present, they were desperate to make a final stand. Yin Xiu continued to keep her head down, but her expression grew savage, and a strange, eerie smile crept onto her lips. She had prepared for this for so long; she absolutely could not lose like this!
Suddenly, Ye Zhixing lunged from behind and reached the stage in the blink of an eye. With one hand, she clamped onto Yin Xiu's throat, while with the other, she whipped out a talisman and slapped it onto her forehead.
*Click, click, click—*
The sound of camera flashes and shutters erupted like machine-gun fire.
Shang Jingchen’s gaze fell on Ye Zhixing as he strode over. "Ye Zhixing, is it her?" he asked in a low voice. Seeing her cold, grim expression, a sense of unease welled up inside him.
Ye Zhixing nodded. "I’m taking her now. You come with me; we have urgent matters to handle."
"Alright." Shang Jingchen knew how to prioritize. "Assistant Zheng, handle the aftermath here."
"Uncle Chang, take Grandpa back to the old family residence."
Dragging Yin Xiu along, Ye Zhixing walked out of the multimedia hall in full view of everyone. "Bring those two as well," Ye Zhixing added.
"Understood." Shang Jingchen agreed, signaling the bodyguards behind him.
The hall was silent. The reporters, dying to know what was said, had instinctively quieted down. They all heard how readily Shang Jingchen complied with Ye Zhixing’s demands, without a single word of rebuttal. Everyone began to wonder who this girl was. How could the legendary Prince of the Beijing Circle and President of the Empire Group be so obedient to her?
Grandpa Shang knew his eldest grandson was capable of handling things. Since he was alive, he could rest easy.
Once outside, Shang Jingchen followed Ye Zhixing. Yin Xiu, having been hit by the talisman, had passed out; her face was a ghastly blue-grey, and she had heavy, dark circles under her eyes. They boarded a business van provided by the company. The two uncles were forced into the front row. Ye Zhixing sat in the back with the unconscious Yin Xiu, and Shang Jingchen subconsciously sat right beside her.
"Are we going to Yin Xiu’s place now?" Shang Jingchen asked.
"Yes."
Ye Zhixing confirmed. They all knew where Yin Xiu lived. After marrying Shang Jingchen’s father, she had given birth to a son who was now eighteen. She lived in a residence outside the family home, located in one of the most upscale apartment complexes in the Capital. Shang Jingchen had never been to her home; they had never been close. However, the Second and Third Uncles had likely visited before.
Yin Xiu lived in a large flat. Ye Zhixing stood at the door and used Yin Xiu’s hand to unlock the fingerprint scanner. The bodyguards stood watch outside, primarily to ensure the two uncles couldn't escape.
The Second and Third Uncles’ complexions shifted. They felt an inexplicable chill running down their spines. As the door opened, a thick, suffocating wave of Yin Energy rushed out to meet them.
Walking into the house, the temperature dropped so sharply it felt like stepping into an ice cave. The two uncles couldn't help but shiver. They were terrified, wondering how Shang Jingchen would deal with them. Given his character, he would never let them off the hook...
Shang Jingchen felt the atmosphere, which was all too familiar to him.
Ye Zhixing tossed Yin Xiu onto the sofa. The woman, who had been unconscious, suddenly jerked her eyes open as if summoned. Her expression turned twisted, and a sinister, eerie smile curled the corners of her mouth—