Pingchuan Technology's bankruptcy had never been the result of poor management. It was the hopeless predicament the novel's author had written for Zhao Pingchuan.
As a publicly listed technology company, Pingchuan Technology had stable operations and ample cash flow. Its financial report for the previous quarter had even shown profit growth. A mature listed company like that should have continued to develop steadily, but the author's plot had forcibly dragged it into the abyss. Every force beyond its control struck within twenty-four hours, leaving even a business genius like Zhao Pingchuan powerless to turn things around.
First, its core technology patents were inexplicably declared invalid. As a listed company, Pingchuan Technology relied on those patents to underpin its market value. But the patent office suddenly issued an invalidation ruling on far-fetched grounds, with a chain of evidence that seemed to have appeared out of thin air. Industry experts openly called it "contrary to common sense," while the appeals process became inexplicably congested, leaving a review nowhere in sight.
The news sent the stock market into an instant panic. Trading in Pingchuan Technology's shares was urgently suspended, and the stock hit its daily limit down as soon as trading resumed. Billions were wiped off its market value overnight, shareholders frantically sold their shares, and the stock price collapsed completely.
Immediately afterward, capital turned on the company en masse.
All its partner banks came knocking at the same time to recall their loans and freeze the company's accounts. Long-term financing agreements that had already been signed were unilaterally terminated.
Major partners breached their contracts one after another, demanded double compensation for breach of contract, and even had the company's associated assets frozen.
Institutional investors withdrew their capital en masse. Even Zhao Pingchuan's own shares were forcibly liquidated.
Overnight, he went from chairman of a listed company to a failure with nothing to his name.
But the most devastating blow was the accident involving his younger sister, Zhao Xiaoran.
That day, Zhao Xiaoran had gone to the company to deliver an important document to Zhao Pingchuan when an out-of-control truck ran a red light and hurtled toward her. The girl died at the scene.
When the police called, Zhao Pingchuan was trapped in a conference room, surrounded by shareholders and creditors.
The subsequent investigation found no drunk driving, no driver fatigue, and no brake failure. It was as straightforward an accident as could be.
With his life's work destroyed in an instant and his only family member gone, the double blow broke Zhao Pingchuan completely. He no longer had the courage to carry on.
And all of it had been done to pave the way for Gu Xingye, the protagonist gong.
On the very day Pingchuan Technology went bankrupt, Gu Xingye's company seized the opportunity to take over its core clients, prime assets, and core technical team. It even secured a major partnership project that Pingchuan Technology had originally finalized.
The Gu Group's market value soared, and Gu Xingye firmly secured his position as heir to the wealthy family, becoming the most dazzling protagonist in the book.
Zhao Pingchuan was nothing more than a stepping stone on his road to success, forcibly crushed by the plot without even a chance to struggle.
Ji Ran thought it was unfair to Zhao Pingchuan.
Now that he had transmigrated into the book, perhaps it was to change Zhao Pingchuan's fate?
As he quietly watched the sleeping Zhao Pingchuan, a curious feeling arose in Ji Ran's heart. He never would have imagined that one day he would live under the same roof as this villainous big shot.
They had met for the first time that day, but Ji Ran didn't find him unfamiliar at all. It was as though they had been friends for years.
"I'll be good to you, I promise."
From that day on, Ji Ran officially began his life of "raising the villain."
He hadn't graduated yet, but he had finished all his classes, so this semester was mainly for interning and looking for work.
On the day he received Pingchuan Technology's offer, Ji Ran had felt as though his first pot of gold after graduation was beckoning to him. He hadn't expected that not only would his high-paying job be gone, but he would also have to support his boss.
He had already found a part-time job as a programmer, writing code and making small programs. The pay wasn't particularly high, but the hours were flexible, the pressure wasn't great, and he could do it from home.
Ji Ran had been an orphan in his original world, and he still had no parents here.
His existence was strange, as though his original world and the world of the book had intersected and "shifted" him over in his entirety.
Everything in his memory fit perfectly with this world, as though it had always been that way.
So Ji Ran didn't feel much like he had transmigrated into a book, and he quickly adapted.
He did very well in his studies. Thanks to his excellent grades in his major, he had worked on projects with his supervisor since his second year. He had also taken part in several national and provincial competitions with senior students and won quite a few awards, making for an impressive résumé.
Pingchuan Technology had promised him a high salary, but now he had to find another job.
Besides, his current part-time income definitely wasn't enough to support two people. He needed to take on a few more jobs.
Zhao Pingchuan had built his fortune from nothing and raised his younger sister. He was no stranger to hardship, but Ji Ran wanted to do his best to give him the best.
Zhao Pingchuan slept through his entire first day there. Ji Ran, tired after a long day, tidied up briefly and climbed into bed as well.
There was only one bed in his little home, so the two of them had to squeeze into it together.
The next morning, Ji Ran got up early to make breakfast.
He quite liked cooking and usually made his own meals at home whenever he had time.
Not knowing what Zhao Pingchuan liked, Ji Ran thought it over. He had drunk so much yesterday that his stomach must have been uncomfortable, so something light would be best.
He cooked minced pork congee and stir-fried a small dish of vegetables.
After bringing the food to the table, Ji Ran went to wake Zhao Pingchuan, only to find when he entered the room that the other man was already sitting up, staring blankly at the doorway.
When Zhao Pingchuan saw Ji Ran come in, his gaze shifted to him.
There was still no other reaction.
Ji Ran broke into a radiant smile. He looked quite young for his age, and the smile made him look even more well-behaved. No one could lose their temper at a smiling face like that.
"Mr. Zhao, you're awake?"
Zhao Pingchuan hadn't blacked out. He still remembered Ji Ran and his introduction.
It was very strange.
An employee who hadn't even started work yet had been so determined to bring his bankrupt boss home.
What was he after?
Was he hoping Zhao Pingchuan would repay him someday?
Zhao Pingchuan couldn't make sense of the person in front of him, nor did he want to think about it so much.
His sister was gone, and his company had gone bankrupt. It didn't matter what happened to him.
Ji Ran wasn't upset when he didn't answer. Smiling, he said, "I made breakfast. Come have something to eat."
Zhao Pingchuan had no appetite and was about to refuse.
But before he could speak, he met Ji Ran's expectant gaze.
Those large, round eyes were utterly clear, and the emotions in them were plain to see.
Zhao Pingchuan swallowed his words.
He got up and followed Ji Ran into the living room like a walking corpse.
Ji Ran placed a new toothbrush and towel in his hands. "The bathroom's over there. Go wash up first. The congee is still a little hot anyway."
Zhao Pingchuan walked silently into the bathroom. The space was very small, and there weren't many things in it.
The home was neither particularly new nor old, but even the corners had been cleaned thoroughly.
After washing up, he hesitated before hanging the towel on the towel rack-Ji Ran had deliberately left half of it free for him.
Ji Ran had already set out the bowls and chopsticks. The meal was simple: white congee with minced pork and stir-fried greens, along with two golden fried eggs.
A little smiley face had been drawn in ketchup on his egg.
Ji Ran explained with a smile, "I didn't know what you like for breakfast, so I made what I usually eat today. Just tell me what you'd like from now on."
The words "from now on" sounded jarring to Zhao Pingchuan. Unwilling to say much, he gave a slight nod.
That tiny response greatly encouraged Ji Ran. He chuckled before finally starting his breakfast.
Zhao Pingchuan spooned some congee into his mouth. The white congee with minced pork had been cooked to a smooth consistency, and it must have had some pepper added, because it had a savory flavor.
Ji Ran was someone who knew how to enjoy life and made his modest life colorful and lively.
As the warm congee settled in his stomach, his mechanical body seemed to regain a trace of life.
Even though the two of them had barely exchanged a word throughout breakfast, Ji Ran was still very satisfied. He briskly cleared away the bowls and chopsticks.
He turned around while wiping his hands and paused when he saw that Zhao Pingchuan had stood up.
Zhao Pingchuan said, "Thank you. I have to go."