China, Ji Group Headquarters, Top-Floor Office
“Xiao Wei, Zhenzhen hasn’t called me for several days now. I’m a bit worried.”
“She’s always been such a good and sensible girl. No matter how busy she is, she makes sure to call me at least once a day.”
“I’ve been trying to reach her, but her phone is always off. Have you heard anything from her?”
On the other end of the line came Nie Zhenzhen’s grandmother’s gentle voice, though it carried a hint of anxiety and concern.
“Grandma, please don’t worry. Zhenzhen went on a trip to Southeast Asia with her college roommate, Xiang Wan.”
“The signal there is probably not great, so she can’t get in touch with you for now.”
Ji Wei reassured her in a calm, measured tone.
“Even if the signal is bad, it shouldn’t be off… How strange.”
A note of confusion crept into the voice on the other end.
“Grandma, rest assured, nothing will happen to Zhenzhen.”
“How about this—I’ll think of other ways to reach her, and the moment I have any news, I’ll call you.”
“Grandma, please get some rest. It’s getting late. Don’t let your mind wander, alright?”
Ji Wei tried his best to soothe her, even with a coaxing tone.
“Mm, I understand. You get some rest too. Don’t work yourself too hard at your age.”
After those parting words, Grandma hung up.
The office instantly fell into silence.
Night had seeped into the entire city. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, neon lights flickered on one by one, and the endless stream of traffic on the roads wove into a winding river of light.
Twenty-four-year-old Ji Wei stood by the floor-to-ceiling window.
A deep navy tailored suit accentuated his tall, well-proportioned frame.
His naturally fair skin, cast under the interplay of warm indoor light and cold outdoor glow, appeared even more refined and gentle.
His features were handsome and sharp, his brow and eyes distinctly defined, carrying the innate aristocratic air of the Ji Group’s young heir.
But at this moment, he had lost the calm composure he usually maintained in handling affairs.
His brows were slightly furrowed, his thin lips pressed tightly together. His deep gaze stared out at the night, his eyes churning with barely concealed anxiety, worry, and self-reproach.
The voicemail inbox on his phone was filled with messages Nie Zhenzhen had sent before her departure.
Over the past two days, he had listened to them countless times.
But with each replay, the guilt in his heart grew heavier.
Why hadn’t he listened to them sooner?
If he had, he would never have allowed—at the very least, never allowed two young women to travel alone to Southeast Asia, that complex triangle of territories. It was no different from lambs walking straight into the tiger’s den…
“Brother Ji, I’m going to Southeast Asia with Xiang Wan in a couple of days to visit our idol painter’s solo exhibition.”
“Brother Ji, I sent you a WeChat message, but you didn’t reply. Have you been really busy these past few days?”
“Brother Ji, don’t worry. We’ll be back soon. I’ll bring you some tropical fruit!”
“Brother Ji, no matter how busy you are, remember to eat on time and take care of yourself. Wait for me to come back, okay~”
…
“Brother Ji, Xiang Wan and I have safely arrived at the Southeast Asian airport. It’s even more run-down here than I imagined! Gotta go now—we need to find our local contact. It’s all locals here, not a single person who speaks Chinese.”
That was the last voice message Nie Zhenzhen left him before she went missing.
Yes, he had been too busy. So busy that he’d even missed his girlfriend’s messages.
As the sole heir of the Ji Group’s multinational conglomerate, he carried the weight of his family’s mission, his parents’ earnest expectations, the salaries and benefits of every employee in the company, and the happiness of the countless families behind them all.
Just as Ji Wei was sinking into deep self-reproach and worry over Nie Zhenzhen’s fate—
A knock sounded from outside the door.
It instantly shattered the silence in the office and pulled Ji Wei back from his drifting thoughts.
“Come in!”
Ji Wei’s voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a hint of exhaustion.
“Wei Shao, regarding the information you asked me to look into about Miss Nie’s whereabouts, I’ve gathered some leads and came to report to you.”
Danny, a similarly young assistant, wore a black suit. His features were clean and sharp, yet he exuded a composure and restraint far beyond his years.
With that, he respectfully presented a document with both hands and placed it on Ji Wei’s desk.
“Go on.”
Ji Wei picked up the document from the desk, flipping through it with careful scrutiny, and nodded at Danny to continue his report.
“Yes, Wei Shao.”
“Our people found that the last place Miss Nie was seen in Southeast Asia was at the airport exit. After that, she was picked up by an old-style van.”
“We traced the license plate captured on surveillance footage and used local connections to investigate, but it turned out the plate was fake.”
“According to the locals, this is a very common occurrence in their area. The police don’t bother with it, and frankly, they couldn’t handle it even if they tried.”
Danny paused after speaking and looked up to carefully gauge Ji Wei’s expression.
Seeing no significant change on his face, he continued in a low voice,
“Miss Nie landed in a remote suburb in the far west, close to the border. The situation there is complicated—various factions are deeply intertwined, both legitimate and underground. It’ll take some time to thoroughly investigate each one.”
Silence fell over the room once again.
After a long moment, Ji Wei spoke in a low, firm voice, “Danny, I don’t care what methods you use. Spare no expense in manpower and resources to find Zhenzhen’s whereabouts as soon as possible.”
The man’s voice was steady and forceful, carrying an unyielding resolve.
“Also, keep this confidential for now. Aside from you and me, I don’t want this to reach anyone else’s ears.”
After a brief pause, he added another instruction.
“Understood, Wei Shao. I’ll get on it right away.”
Danny spoke at a measured pace with appropriate composure, his expression remaining calm and collected throughout.
“Alright, you may go.”
There was a hint of weariness in Ji Wei’s tone.
The office instantly fell back into silence.
He slumped back against the chair, shedding the calm and restraint he usually maintained, his exhaustion and helplessness now fully exposed.
He leaned forward slightly, propping both elbows on the desk.
His hands pressed heavily against his face, fingers digging into his temples, fingertips resting on his brow—yet he couldn’t dispel the anxiety and unease weighing on his heart.
His thoughts began to drift, involuntarily wandering back to his past with the girl.