[Main Mission: Enter the Hospitality Industry - Build Your Own Hotel Chain
Objective: Accumulate your first fortune -ten million yuan-from food and hospitality ventures.
Daily Mission: Save the man on the No. 3 bridge to the Central District from jumping into the river. Ensure his suicidal thoughts are completely gone.
Reward: To be unlocked.]
Her brow twitched. What? This is… today's mission?
She sat upright. The No. 3 bridge was just ahead.
The car turned, and as the bridge's arch came into view, so did the figure—
A man in his early twenties, standing on the outer side of the railing, his knuckles white as he gripped the metal bar, half his body already leaning toward the rushing river below.
Her pulse spiked.
"Uncle—stop the car! Now!"
The sharpness in her voice startled Li Jianping. Without a second thought, he slammed the brakes and swerved to the side.
Before the vehicle had even fully halted, Li Ziqing yanked open the door and dashed toward the figure. The late summer air hit her face in a hot rush, but she barely noticed. Behind her, Li Jianping threw his door open and followed, Zhou Yichen right on his heels.
"Wait! What are you doing?" she called out, breath slightly ragged as she neared him. "Come down first, let's talk this out!"
The man turned his head, eyes hollow, his skin pale as if he hadn't slept in days. He froze for a moment at the sight of a young girl rushing toward him—but when he noticed two men behind her, his expression twisted into alarm.
"Stay away from me!" His voice cracked, sharp and defensive. "This is my life. It has nothing to do with you!"
Li Ziqing slowed her steps, raising her hands in a placating gesture. "Alright, alright… we won't come closer. Just—please, step back from there. Do you know what will happen to your parents if you do this?"
At the mention of his parents, something flickered in his eyes—pain, sharp and raw. His grip on the railing trembled.
"I'm doing this for my parents!" His voice broke, rising above the hum of passing cars. "Only if I die will they be saved!"
Ziqing's heart clenched. "Saved? From what? Losing you will destroy them—don't you understand? No parent survives burying their child. Whatever trouble you're in, there are other ways—"
"There are no other ways!" he cut her off, his voice hoarse. "The debts, the threats… they're already suffering because of me. At least if I'm gone, they'll… they'll have one less burden!"
Li Jianping stepped forward now, his tone firm but not unkind. "Brother, listen to me. I've seen people survive worse. You think your death will erase the debt? It won't. All you'll do is leave your parents alone to face it without you."
By now, a small crowd had gathered—drivers pulling over, passengers stepping out. The murmurs swelled, some pleading with the man, others whispering to each other.
"Someone call the police!"
"Don't do it, brother! Life's hard for everyone, but you can't just give up!"
But the man's eyes darted wildly, his breathing quickening as if the growing crowd pressed invisible walls around him. "Stay back! All of you—just let me go!"
Zhou Yichen, standing a little to the side, studied him quietly. The man's attention kept snapping between Li Ziqing and the bystanders; his stance was unsteady. The perfect opening.
In a heartbeat, Zhou moved.
He surged forward, gripping the railing, and vaulted over with swift, controlled movement. The man barely had time to gasp before Zhou's arm locked around his torso and yanked him backward.
"Let me go!" the man roared, thrashing violently. His fist flew toward Zhou's jaw, but Zhou twisted his head aside, the blow whistling past his ear. The man kicked, shoved, cursed—but Zhou's hold was like iron.
"Calm down!" Zhou barked, his voice low but cutting through the chaos.
"Please! Please just let me die!" The man's voice cracked again, tears spilling freely now. "I can't… I can't fix anything anymore…"
"No," Li Ziqing stepped forward, her tone steady, even as her own heart pounded. "You can't fix anything if you're gone. But if you're here, breathing, standing—you can still fight. You think it's too late? That's because you've been carrying it alone."
The man's struggles faltered for the briefest moment at her words. His chest heaved, his head dropping forward. Zhou eased his grip just enough to guide him over the railing and onto solid ground, but his hand stayed firmly on the man's shoulder.
Li Ziqing took a steadying breath, her gaze locked on the young man, the river wind ruffling dirty messy hair. She spoke clearly, her voice carrying over the hum of idling engines and the murmurs of the gathering crowd.
"Listen, sir," she said, "suicide is a crime—and life is precious. I'm sure if you're ready to take such a drastic step, you must have a reason. But we can't just stand by and watch a life be thrown away. Please, calm down. Let's sit somewhere, talk it through. Maybe—just maybe—we can find another way."
She gestured behind her. "There's my car. We can talk there."
When the crowd followed her finger and spotted the sleek, jet-black Rolls Royce Phantom VII parked a short distance away, a ripple of gasps spread like wildfire.
"Oh my god… which family's heiress is she?"
"That's a Rolls Royce. You don't just drive one like that unless you're obscenely rich."
"Hey, brother, you're lucky today! A wealthy heiress is here personally to help you. At least give her a chance!"
But the man didn't seem to hear a single word from them. His eyes were clouded, trapped in whatever storm was raging inside his mind. For several long seconds, the only sound was the distant rush of the river below. Finally, his shoulders slumped, and he gave a slow, reluctant nod—less out of trust, more out of resignation.
In truth, he had no choice. With this many people watching, there was no way to jump now. He would simply wait until the girl left, then find another opportunity.
---
A few minutes later, he found himself sinking into the plush leather seat of the Rolls Royce.
Zhou Yichen, who had taken the passenger seat earlier, turned to Li Ziqing. "Miss Li, I'll head to the restaurant first. The HR agency we booked is already waiting. I'll start the interviews."
She nodded. "Go ahead. And don't forget to collect your car this evening—it's already arrived."
"Got it," he replied, stepping out and disappearing into the crowd.
As the door shut, Li Jianping restarted the engine. While keeping his eyes on the road, he kept darting glances into the rearview mirror, watching the stranger seated beside his niece, ready to intervene at the first sign of trouble.
The man, however, was still absorbing the shock of his surroundings. At first, he hadn't noticed, but now, with the scent of leather in the air, the smooth purr of the engine, and the hushed luxury all around him, his suspicion solidified. His gaze fell on the steering wheel—there, gleaming under the sunlight, was the unmistakable double "R" emblem. His throat tightened. Rolls Royce.
He bit his lower lip, suddenly aware of how out of place he was in this vehicle. His fingers fidgeted in his lap.
Li Ziqing caught the movement and smiled faintly, her tone gentle but firm.
"Don't be nervous. Just relax. Tell me—what's your name? And why… why do you want to end your life?"
Her eyes were steady, not filled with pity, but with the kind of resolve that made it impossible to shrug her off.
"I'll do my best to help you," she continued. "Whatever your problem is, there's always another way. I don't know why the heavens put you in my path today, but since you're here, I'm not going to turn away."
Inside, she was already planning her next steps. She didn't know why the system had given her this mission, but if it asked her to save this man, then she would see it through—no matter what it took.
The man hesitated before speaking, his voice trembling. "M… my name is He Zenyu, and I'm a lawyer."
At the mention of his name, Li Ziqing's brows knitted faintly.
She couldn't place it exactly, but something about that name felt… familiar.
He Zenyu lowered his gaze, fingers tightening around the edge of his chair as if it were the only thing keeping him anchored.
"Two years ago," he began slowly, "I graduated from Beijing University. Since then, I've been working day and night to build my own firm. At first… everything was going well, but—"
Li Ziqing said nothing, sensing he wasn't ready for interruption. She simply let the silence stretch until he continued.
Tears welled in his eyes as he forced a smile that didn't quite reach his face.
"When I was still a student, I sat through countless guest lectures, listening to industry veterans share their journeys. They made it sound possible—to rise from nothing and become… a phoenix. I carried that dream with me. So when I graduated, I didn't want to become another faceless nine-to-five employee. I wanted something of my own."
His voice trembled, but there was pride beneath it. "That's when I partnered with my senior—someone I trusted implicitly—and we set up a small law firm, here in Wuhan. Last year, I rented an office in the Eastern District, and we began practicing in earnest. The first few months were harmonious, productive.
Then came my first major case—a high-profile corporate lawsuit, an intellectual property and patent infringement battle between two pharmaceutical giants. It was worth over 400 million yuan. I was based in Beijing during the proceedings, so my senior handled all the miscellaneous tasks back at the office.
We won. The victory was splashed across industry circles, and my name began to carry weight. The client paid me ten million yuan. I used it to give my family a better life—bought a house in the Central District, a car, everything my parents and younger sister had ever wanted. Business surged. Cases piled onto my desk faster than I could handle them. Clients insisted on working with me directly, which… made my senior restless. I could see the frustration in his eyes."
He paused, his hands curling into fists. "Still, I didn't want to create conflict. So when he suggested bringing in interns, I agreed. That's when I met the assistant who would work directly under me. And that… is when it all began."
His voice dropped, gaining a sharp edge.
"I was handling another multi-million-yuan corporate dispute at the time. I entrusted my assistant with compiling Annexure 4—a crucial financial report that proved the opposing party's breach of contract. But instead of attaching the 2006 audit report, he filed an old, irrelevant market analysis with the court. The petition became technically defective.
The opposing counsel pounced. They filed an objection, claiming the petition was incomplete and should be struck out. My assistant panicked, utterly useless. The client—a powerful company here in Wuhan—was furious. They were calling me day and night, demanding a fix. That's when my senior stepped in, telling me there was an 'informal' way to smooth things over—bribing the court clerk and registry officer."
He gave a bitter laugh. "I was desperate. I sold my car, mortgaged my house, emptied my savings, and handed it all over. But by then, the petition had already been sealed. The court had moved on. The clerk and officer denied ever agreeing to anything, and my money was gone.
Not long after, the client sued my firm for fifty million yuan… and destroyed my reputation. Word spread like wildfire. Every single pending case was withdrawn. I sold my house, repaid part of the debt, and was left with barely a few hundred thousand yuan."
He Zenyu's face twisted with anger and grief.
"My senior then told me the banks would demand collateral I no longer had. He offered to help, introducing me to a man in a small, dimly lit bar in the Western District. He is called Boss Lu, he looked like any ordinary businessman—polite, reasonable. He offered me fifty million yuan at what seemed like a low interest rate.
I was desperate. I didn't read the entire contract—only the interest terms and repayment period. I signed. I thought I'd finally found a lifeline. But there was a hidden clause: the money could be used at low interest for one month only. After that, the debt would double every month, and a new interest rate would apply.
The month ends in a week. If I can't repay the fifty million, it will become a hundred million by September 1st."
His voice cracked. "And then… I discovered the truth. My senior, my assistant, even the boss Lu—they were all working with the other company, the one I was fighting against with. Every step of my downfall was orchestrated out of jealousy, because I was becoming too successful by my senior and the other company who wanted to win this lawsuit with underhanded means."
By now, his shoulders were shaking, his legs trembling so violently that the chair beneath him scraped softly against the floor.
"I've already cleared the lawsuit paid the money to the company. But this debt… I can't escape it. Not in a week."
He buried his face in his hands, the sound of his sobbing heavy in the quiet room.
Li Jianping's brows knitted as he let out a low sigh, his voice carrying both pity and indignation. "This is extortion. Forcing such terms in exchange for a loan… it's not just illegal, it's inhuman."
He Zenyu's eyes reddened further. He spoke between trembling breaths, his voice laced with despair. "But there's nothing we can do. I don't even have the original contract—the IOU is in his hands. Even if I somehow got hold of it, filing a complaint would be useless. He could easily claim it was made up."
Li Ziqing's gaze sharpened instantly. So that's it… the contract itself is the trap.
Her tone was calm but deliberate. "What if we can prove that the entire thing was a setup? What then?"
He Zenyu froze, caught off guard by the suggestion. Slowly, hope flickered in his eyes. He gave a hesitant nod. "Yes… yes, in fact, I already have evidence. But it's worthless without the original loan agreement and IOU. Legally, we need him to nullify the agreement himself and sign off the IOU. Once we have that, we can tie him to it beyond dispute. With those documents and the rest of my evidence, we could send him to prison for twenty years—maybe more. Even my senior and that assistant could be looking at over a decade behind bars. But…"
He let out a bitter laugh. "The only way to make him bring the original loan agreement is to pay him the fifty million principal… and the two million interest for the month. Only when he believes I'm settling will he nullify the agreement and sign off the IOU."
Li Ziqing didn't hesitate. "You don't need to worry about the money. I'll arrange fifty-two million. Tell me—what evidence do you already have?"
He Zenyu stared at her, stunned. The idea that a young woman could casually offer fifty-two million seemed absurd—until he glanced around the backseat of her Rolls-Royce. Suddenly, it didn't seem absurd at all. He swallowed hard and began speaking, his tone low but steady.
"I have bank transaction records. Two transfers made by my senior—one right before the court hearing, to my assistant; the other between Boss Lu and another company. The company even paid my senior before the lawsuit and again after he lured me into Boss Lu's den. I have both records. I also obtained CCTV footage showing my senior visiting a nightclub the night before and the day after I was taken there.
I have landline call logs linking all four people involved. And my most damning evidence… I convinced another court clerk to help me. From him, I obtained the internal document handling log and courier records—they clearly show my assistant's name. The internal case file movement log even has his signature. This proves it wasn't a mistake. He sabotaged the file deliberately."
Li Jianping's eyes widened. "This alone could put them all behind bars."
But He Zenyu's expression remained grim.
"Even if we clear my name and expose their plot, the other company's president will escape untouched. He never involved himself directly—the transactions and communications all went through his secretary. Even if Boss Lu, my senior, and the assistant go to prison, the company will wash its hands clean by sacrificing the secretary."
Li Ziqing leaned back, quietly impressed. The sheer thoroughness of his preparation, the way he had gathered damning evidence piece by piece—it spoke of more than just desperation.
Then she remembered something. He had earlier handled that high-profile intellectual property and patent infringement case in Beijing… and the fact that he was a Beijing University alumnus. That alone marked him as someone extraordinary. Her curiosity deepened.
Silently, she activated her Jinshi Coupon and opened the system interface. Her heart skipped a beat. His profile was glowing in golden light—signifying a highly capable individual.
Suddenly, it clicked. The name He Zenyu… it had sounded familiar the moment he mentioned it. And now she remembered why.
In her previous life, when she was struggling in southern China, waiting tables in a cramped restaurant, the owner would often keep the television tuned to the news. She had heard his name again and again, seen his face in the papers.
He Zenyu had been one of the country's most sought-after corporate lawyers, handling top-secret cases for VIP clients. It was said that just a five-minute consultation with him could cost millions. Hiring him to take on a case required hundreds of millions in reserve—and even then, few succeeded.
Rumor had it he had lost only one case in his entire career.
And if she wasn't mistaken… this was that case.
Meeting him now, at his lowest point, was nothing short of a blessing in disguise. She almost laughed with delight but kept her face neutral.
Inwardly, she murmured, "So this is what you were planning, system? I owe you for this one."
[Ding… Didn't I tell you, host? Every mission and every reward is given for a reason. Now that you know how valuable this man is—keep him close.]
Taking a steadying breath, Li Ziqing's eyes glinted with resolve.
"Who is this company that went to such great lengths?"
At once, He Zenyu's body tensed. Fear flickered in his gaze. He had seen hope in her willingness to help—but now… now he dreaded that telling her the name would make her walk away. His shoulders sagged as he accepted the possibility.
His voice was heavy with defeat.
"The Gong Group."