C17 He Jumped off the Building

The heavy mood seemed to provoke the sky into a series of thunderous rumbles, and by the time she reached the Nian Family's place, a light rain had started to fall again. She jogged inside, noticing the sparse crowd in the lobby. Some were seated on sofas, while others, lacking seats, had spread newspapers on the floor to sit on. As she entered, they looked at her like wolves spotting a lamb, ready to pounce if she was who they thought she might be.

This wasn't the first time she'd encountered such a scene. The Nian Family had been on the brink before, with a crowd demanding debts. If it hadn't been for her arranged marriage with Qin Yanting, they might not have survived.

"Why does she look so familiar?" someone in the crowd suddenly remarked, comparing her image on their phone with the woman from the news, as if an answer was about to reveal itself.

Nian Wanwan quickly made her way to the elevator, where a few security guards stood, likely to prevent these shareholders from causing trouble upstairs. Upon seeing her, they stepped aside to let her through.

"It's her! Nian Yongchang's daughter! Nian Wanwan!" someone shouted, rushing forward. The others, like hungry wolves spotting prey, surged toward her.

Already drenched from the rain and having skipped meals, Wanwan felt her strength waning. As the crowd closed in, her heart raced, and she feared she might faint at any moment.

"Miss Nian, you go on ahead! We've got this!" The security guard urged Wanwan into the elevator. She didn't hesitate, pressing the button for her father's floor, leaving the chaos behind.

"Pei Chenglin." In her weakest moments, her true thoughts surfaced. Wanwan smiled. "Why go to such lengths?"

She had thought his threats about making headlines were just jokes, but it turned out he was serious. Pei Chenglin really went through with it. "Do you really hate me that much?" she murmured, tears slipping down her cheeks. She wiped them away and headed straight for her father's office.

The entire floor was deserted. As she walked through the corridor, she nearly collided with someone at the secretary's office door.

"Wait!" Wanwan called out.

The person looked startled at first, then composed themselves, asking, "Ah, are you... Miss Nian?"

"Yes," Wanwan nodded weakly. Her clothes had dried somewhat but were wrinkled, and her hair was a mess, making her look quite disheveled—unlike her usual neat self.

"I was just about to call you!" the secretary confirmed, not asking further questions. "The chairman went upstairs, and everyone followed him, just a moment ago."

The chairman's office is on the top floor.

"Going upstairs? What for?"

Wanwan felt a sudden unease, a bad feeling sweeping over her. Without hesitation, she quickly headed toward the emergency stairs and hurried up.

"What's the current situation with the company?" Wanwan asked the secretary who was following closely behind.

"I tried calling you this morning, but your phone was off... Miss Nian, I'm afraid the company can't be saved."

"Can't be saved..."

Those words echoed in Wanwan's mind as she reached the top floor, where the wind was fierce. The rain was falling steadily, and a few people stood near her father, though they kept their distance, as if any closer and he might jump.

"Nian Yongchang! Pay back the money! Nian Yongchang! Pay back the money!" Voices blared from loudspeakers below.

Wanwan moved to the side, seeing the investors she had noticed in the lobby now gathered below, looking up.

"Dad!"

Wanwan shouted. He was her only family in the world; she couldn't lose him too.

"Wanwan. Oh, Wanwan." Nian Yongchang turned to her, his face filled with despair. "I'm useless, I'm sorry."

"Dad, it's my fault! Dad! It's all a misunderstanding, please come down!" Wanwan yelled desperately.

Even though her marriage with Yan Tine fell apart, at least the Qin family had invested in the Nian company. If they could discuss it, maybe there was still a chance to salvage the situation.

"Nian Yongchang! Pay up!" came another shout from downstairs.

"Dad!" Wanwan stepped forward, moving toward Nian Yongchang.

"Miss Nian, please stay calm. Don't upset the chairman," the secretary whispered, holding Wanwan back.

The situation was at a standstill. The Nian company's stock had been suspended overnight, and with the scandal of Wanwan's alleged affair, the ties with the Qin family were completely severed. It seemed like there was no hope for the Nian company.

"Now, we're here at the Nian building. You can see the old structure can't withstand the heavy rain, with paint peeling off the walls. As we pan up, you can see Chairman Nian Yongchang on the rooftop, ready to address the shareholders. But is this really a responsible way for Nian Yongchang to handle things?" the reporter said, before the camera switched to the shareholders. She quickly approached one of them for an interview.

Seeing the reporter, the shareholder immediately shouted at the camera, "Nian Yongchang, pay up!"

"Sir, I'd like to ask your opinion. What do you think of Nian Yongchang's actions? If he really intends to jump, what are your plans afterward?"

"Jumping off a building? Don't even think about it!" The investor's reaction to the suggestion of a jump was as urgent as if it were a matter of life and death. How could Yongchang even consider such a thing?

"If he dies, it's over for him, but what about us investors?" Another investor stepped forward, his face full of anger. "I heard the SEC is investigating his company this afternoon, and he might even face prison. Maybe jumping is his best option."

The reporter chimed in, seemingly trying to stir up the investors' emotions, and their expressions grew darker. The Nian family had once formed a business alliance with the Qin family, boosting stock prices and allowing major shareholders to profit significantly. The previous crisis had passed, and with the Qin family as a strong ally, the stock was only expected to rise steadily. No one anticipated... the scandal involving the Nian family's eldest daughter!

"I think it's that Nian Yongchang's daughter—she's nothing but trouble!" one investor exclaimed.

The reporter quickly added, "So if Yongchang does jump, are you going to hold Wanwan accountable too?"

"That's not a question a reporter should be asking."

A man's voice boomed, cutting through the tension and immediately quelling the anger the reporter had incited among the investors. "Which company are you with?" The man stepped forward, standing tall and looking down at the reporter with confidence.

The reporter took a closer look and realized it was none other than Pei Chenglin. Instantly, his demeanor changed, and he offered a few awkward laughs.

Pei Chenglin glanced at the camera, and the cameraman hiding behind it seemed to shiver, as if ready to drop everything and run.

“Is this live?” Pei Chenglin asked, walking toward the cameraman.

“No, no, no...” The cameraman shook his head vigorously, along with the camera. “It’s not, it’s not.”