Chapter 9: A Treasure Found, More Delightful Than Imagined

Jin Yuchuan nodded slightly, then turned his head to look at Ye Chunxi, who was trailing half a step behind him.

"The city is far too noisy. This place is quiet and peaceful; no one will disturb you, and it will be beneficial for your recovery."

He gestured toward the elderly man and introduced him: "This is Steward Kong. If you have any needs or questions, just speak to him."

The girl stood at the bottom of the steps, her gaze resting on the distant mountain scenery. Droplets clung to her long, delicate lashes, and a fine mist of rain dampened the tips of her hair. The fresh air, carrying the scent of earth and greenery, brought a slight chill that pricked at her skin—not cold, but instead, unexpectedly comforting.

In just a moment, her chaotic, troubled mind had found a profound sense of calm, and the stifling heaviness she had carried while confined in the hospital for these past days dissipated significantly.

Hearing Jin Yuchuan’s words, Ye Chunxi turned back and looked up at the old man, calling out with a hint of reserve, "Steward Kong."

Steward Kong studied her briefly, a warm, kindly smile breaking across his face as he heard her voice. "Miss Ye."

Jin Yuchuan glanced inside. Apart from a few servants coming over to help with the luggage, he saw no one else. "Where is Ling Qiao?" he asked.

Steward Kong replied respectfully, "Young Master Ling went out early this morning and has not yet returned. He didn't take his phone with him, so we haven't been able to contact him."

Jin Yuchuan remained silent for a moment, then turned to Ye Chunxi. "You go with Steward Kong to your room first; I have matters to attend to."

Ye Chunxi nodded obediently.

Steward Kong stepped aside and gestured. "Miss Ye, please."

In the center of the garden lay a large artificial lake, with a wooden footbridge spanning the narrower section. He led Ye Chunxi across it to a building on the far bank. It was a three-story Chinese-style pavilion, with the words "Water-Adjacent Pavilion" written in bold, sweeping calligraphy on a plaque above.

Inside, the antique architecture blended seamlessly with modern technology, creating no sense of dissonance. Steward Kong stood by the door, maintaining a respectful distance.

"Miss Ye, everything here has been arranged according to the young master's instructions. The books you brought from the hospital have been placed in the study on the second floor. Please settle in and familiarize yourself with the surroundings." He took out his phone. "This is my number. If you need anything, feel free to instruct the servants or contact me directly."

Ye Chunxi saved the number, and the old man took his leave.

In the spacious building, servants moved about frequently, yet her solitary figure appeared particularly lonely. A faint tinkling sound reached her ears. Ye Chunxi looked up to see a string of vintage wind chimes hanging under the eaves of the platform that extended outdoors, sheltered from the rain. Potted plants formed a natural fence, cordoning off this small private world.

A rattan chair was placed in the sheltered area, and a tea set was neatly arranged on the table beside it. The atmosphere was truly inviting.

Ye Chunxi snapped back to reality, went upstairs, and found her bedroom with the help of the servants. It was on the third floor—the only room on that entire level. The space was vast, wide, and very quiet.

She had very few belongings. After a simple unpacking, she went back downstairs and sat in the rattan chair. Several heavy books were laid out on the small table, and she began to leaf through them with a sense of contentment.

The rain had eased, becoming a fine, light drizzle; one could neither hear its patter nor feel the dampness of the shower. In the distance, the mountain forests were shrouded in a thin mist, making the scene even more serene.

On the opposite bank, inside a towering building, Jin Yuchuan stood on a balcony, looking down at the small, lonely, and tranquil figure below. He watched her silently while Qingya stood behind him, reporting with professional efficiency.

"As it stands, the other party has likely obtained all relevant information regarding Bai Lan's medical condition. Because we kept the family's information confidential in advance and our security protocols were not breached, they are unaware of your true identity."

He paused, then continued, "We used the security cameras near the hospital to perform facial recognition on those two individuals. After comparing the data against geographic information and their own skill sets, we have confirmed several suspects."

Qingya stepped forward and handed over a tablet for his review. Jin Yuchuan turned his gaze slowly; the men in the files were all physically formidable. He frowned. "What about the other person?"

Qingya pursed his lips. "The facial information wasn't accurate. Initially, we did identify a few targets, but upon closer inspection, I discovered that one person's identity information was very strange—their social records were incomplete."

"Incomplete?" Jin Yuchuan asked, puzzled.

"Yes," Qingya nodded. "The investigation revealed that the identity data was very generic, consisting only of a basic framework without any detailed record of social activity, as if... it had been fabricated in advance."

"Therefore, I suspect this person's identity is forged." As a fellow hacker, Qingya understood how difficult that was to achieve. "There are fewer than ten people in the world capable of this. Most of the top hackers in the Xia Kingdom have been recruited by us, which leaves only one person—'X'."

"Interesting." Jin Yuchuan’s lips curled slightly, and he looked downward with an intrigued expression. His gaze settled on Ye Chunxi, who was leisurely reading her books.

At such a young age, her attainments in Traditional Chinese Medicine were astonishing, and she was revered as a treasure by the Medical Alliance. And now, she was revealed to have a significant connection to the world’s undisputed top hacker, 'X'.

His pitch-black eyes were dark and inscrutable, his gaze, filled with possessiveness, a blend of admiration and a desire to claim the young girl for himself. This treasure he had accidentally "picked up" was even more surprising than he could have imagined.

"Regarding this person..."

Qingya was about to continue his report, but the tablet was suddenly taken from his hand. Jin Yuchuan withdrew his gaze and began to walk inside.

"There is no need to continue investigating that man's identity."

He sat in his office chair and glanced at Qingya. His expression seemed calm and indifferent, yet it carried an undeniable weight of authority.

"Find a way to contact Ling Qiao and have him return as soon as possible."

Qingya was confused, but seeing Jin Yuchuan's demeanor, it seemed he already had a guess about the identity of the skilled man, so he did not ask any further questions.

"I understand."

...

Ye Chunxi rubbed her sore eyes and looked into the distance to relieve the fatigue caused by long hours of reading.

Having spent so many days in the hospital, reading had been her only pastime, and she had already finished all the books Jin Yuchuan had brought her. She had found a few new ones in the study earlier. However, the intensity of her reading over the past few days had begun to feel tedious.

She picked up her phone and opened Weibo to see if Yin Xinyao had any new updates. Even though she felt frustrated by her inability to recall things she worked so hard to remember, Ye Chunxi couldn't help but keep probing.

During this time, she had frequently listened to Yin Xinyao's music. She had downloaded Weibo specifically to learn more about her and had since come across information related to her. The sense of familiarity was so overwhelming that Ye Chunxi became increasingly certain that they knew each other. Moreover, for some reason, she harbored indescribable emotions toward one of Yin Xinyao's songs.

Exiting her personal profile, Ye Chunxi completed the daily tasks in the fan group and browsed through the posts below. Amidst the praise and sympathy, the condemnations from some users were particularly prominent. The fallout from the previous apology letter had not yet fully subsided.

Ye Chunxi scanned through them lightly and happened upon a post about Yin Xinyao's upcoming performance schedule for the next few days. One of the shows was taking place right in Jin City.