Chapter 24: Kidnapping

Zheng Yang hailed a ride and arrived at Golden Era.

Looking at those four glittering characters, he held back tears, forcing himself to appear relaxed as he spread his arms.

“I’m back!”

He didn’t notice that Little Hu’s car was parked not far away.

“Boss Zheng, Yangyang really came…”

“Hmm.”

Zheng Shiqiang’s voice on the other end of the line was unusually flat.

“Wait, when you said ‘even if you have to tie her up and bring her back,’ did you mean it literally?”

“Just get it over with. It’ll save the hassle of pulling and tugging. It’s time she experienced what real, proper fear feels like.”

“Alright, Boss Zheng. I just hope Yangyang won’t hold it against us afterward…”

“She wouldn’t dare! Enough talk, hurry up!”

Zheng Shiqiang realized that while Zheng Yang could make his heart ache, he didn’t feel that same heartache for her anymore.

Because if she were a proper young girl, he wouldn’t have the heart to do this.

But with a man… being a bit rougher was fine!

Though, that seemed to be the only difference.

He suddenly felt that not having to treat Zheng Yang one hundred percent like a little girl was… quite interesting.

On his end, Little Hu, having received the order, immediately got out of the car with his companion.

He held a thick, black bag behind his back, slowly unfolding it as they approached Zheng Yang.

He felt a bit excited.

Kidnapping the daughter of the richest man!

How many chances do you get in a lifetime for that?

Even if the richest man himself ordered it.

Zheng Yang was looking down, paying for the ride, when suddenly everything went dark.

He felt something being pulled over his head, blocking his vision completely.

“Who are you?!”

Little Hu snatched his phone.

While clumsily tying his hands behind his back with his partner, he couldn’t help but let out a mischievous “Heh heh heh” chuckle.

Hearing that laugh, Zheng Yang’s mind went blank for a second, then he exclaimed in shock, “Is this… a kidnapping?”

Little Hu thought for a moment.

“Pretty much!”

Huh?

How can a kidnapping be “pretty much”?

Zheng Yang sneered.

“Big brothers, you’re overthinking it. I have no family, no one. Kidnapping me is useless.”

Little Hu and his partner were stuffing him into the car while thinking, Oh, so she’s had a fight with Boss Zheng?

“Tch, who’d believe that?”

Little Hu decided to play his part to the end.

“Didn’t you see I was about to go into Golden Era?”

Zheng Yang let out a hollow laugh.

“What girl with family would come here to work?”

“Maybe just to piss off her parents. We get it!”

“Sigh, why won’t you believe me? By the way, big brothers, where are you taking me? Is it somewhere even more exciting than Golden Era?”

Little Hu was taken aback.

“Ah… ah, yes! Of course!”

Zheng Yang’s tone seemed to carry a hint of excitement.

“Then, big brothers, how about you… have your way with me first? I’m not bad-looking, right? My figure’s okay too? Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone!”

This time, Little Hu was genuinely stumped.

He awkwardly pondered, Just how big of a fight did Yangyang have with Boss Zheng to be saying things like this?

It wasn’t just him who was awkward.

Zheng Yang’s forcibly mustered excitement quickly crumbled away.

He had thought about just letting everything go to hell, even resorting to actively defiling his own body, but he found his courage was still insufficient.

Little Hu deliberately tried to sound more menacing.

“Sit still! Keep talking nonsense and I’ll stuff a smelly sock in your mouth!”

Why did Zheng Yang feel like this kidnapper was acting like he was teasing a child?

He wasn’t scared, but he really didn’t want to talk anymore—since he lacked the courage to actively sink into depravity.

Then he’d just passively welcome the coming storm.

Whether he was sold, killed, or…

He accepted it.

As long as it could buy a flicker of shock from Lili, a twinge of guilty unease—if Lili even had a conscience…

Arriving at the Zheng family home, Little Hu knocked on the door.

Zheng Yang, still hooded, didn’t know which way to go, so Little Hu gave him a push from behind.

“Get inside!”

Then he hurriedly nodded, bowed, and put on an apologetic smile for Zheng Shiqiang.

Knowing they had arrived, Zheng Yang tried explaining again.

“I really have no parents, not even a single relative. Kidnapping me is useless. You’d be better off just having your fun right here…”

Before he could finish, whoosh—the hood was pulled off his head.

“Dad?!”

Once Zheng Yang’s eyes focused on the familiar man before him, the word escaped his lips in shock.

He immediately lowered his head, swallowing hard.

“Ah, no… Boss… Boss Zheng.”

Zheng Shiqiang gestured for Little Hu and the others to leave, saying, “Good work. Go to accounting tomorrow for your overtime pay.”

……

“Boss Zheng, how did you know I went to… Golden Era?”

Zheng Yang asked, a mix of unease and pleasant surprise making him fidget.

“You underestimated me a bit too much, and overestimated yourself a bit too much.”

Zheng Shiqiang sat down in the main seat on the sofa, gesturing for Zheng Yang to sit on the chaise lounge.

This time, Zheng Yang didn’t refuse.

“According to what you said, you’re 38. That means you’ve been an adult for a long time,” Zheng Shiqiang said, crossing his legs.

“I think a conversation between adults can be had without reservations.”

“Right…”

“Even if you want to cut ties with me, why would you go to that kind of place… to punish yourself?”

Feeling there was nothing left to hide at this point, Zheng Yang replied bluntly, “I wanted that Lili to know that not everyone is someone she can just push around. Even if she’s a god, even if I have to sacrifice all my dignity, and my life.”

Zheng Shiqiang smiled appreciatively.

He liked this kind of character.

If Zheng Yang still considered himself his daughter, he would have slammed the table and cheered: That’s my girl!

“Hmm, ‘even if it costs my dignity, my life’… that’s something a real man would say,” he simply nodded.

“Even if it breaks the heart of someone who cares about you?”

Zheng Yang’s heart gave a violent lurch, but the light in his eyes quickly dimmed.

“Who would care about me? I’m just a… a… a shemale…”

Zheng Shiqiang snorted.

“Adults shouldn’t speak emotionally. Can a shemale develop a uterus?”

Cough, cough!

Zheng Yang nearly choked on that sudden statement.

Though it couldn’t be called completely unexpected.

Because his bone age was 15, meaning he was still a minor, Zheng Shiqiang, worried about the potential negative effects of alcohol on his developing body, had taken him for a very comprehensive physical exam.

The results showed he was perfectly healthy.

But to just bring up the uterus like that… that was way too direct!

“You are my daughter,” Zheng Shiqiang continued, his tone flat, as if stating an obvious fact.

“Dad, please don’t say that. I don’t deserve…”

Hearing that “Dad,” Zheng Shiqiang couldn’t help but curl the corner of his mouth, pointing a finger at him.

Zheng Yang was puzzled by his reaction, but the next second, he finally realized and hurriedly covered his mouth.

“No, no… I’m sorry, Boss Zheng… It slipped out…”

That flustered, panicked look of his always pleased Zheng Shiqigh, even knowing he used to be a man.

Zheng Shiqiang had been observing Zheng Yang closely.

In his view, a person’s character is reflected in their face.

This is “Appearance reflects the mind” — one’s inner nature shapes one’s appearance.

And on Zheng Yang’s face, there had always been a kind of humble, endearing self-awareness, even bordering on inferiority.

Yet within that inferiority, there was a certain fortitude, and a sense of responsibility and decisiveness at critical moments.

He was very interested in this complex personality.

Or rather, he greatly admired it.

He understood clearly that such a person, given enough love and trust, could push themselves to be their very best, and would radiate that light and warmth to everyone around them.

So, even purely from a businessman’s perspective, from an investment angle, he couldn’t refuse Zheng Yang.

Moreover, three months of living together had allowed Zheng Shiqiang to experience a feminine warmth and consideration.

It was a warmth completely unrelated to money, the true feeling of “home.”

So what if he used to be a man?

Even among real women, how many could achieve this?

He couldn’t quite articulate whether his feelings for the current Zheng Yang were still the same fatherly love from before.

But he knew that both his reason and his emotions wanted him to stay.