Kidnapping the Heroine at the Start

At Nanshan Manor in Beijing, a classical Chinese courtyard residence, Wang Laojiu, also known by his self-styled scholarly alias, "Nanshan Hermit," was leisurely feeding fish in the yard.

But the fish weren't in a pond.

Instead, they were kept in several antique blue-and-white porcelain vats from the late Ming Dynasty—something Wang Laojiu had acquired at great expense.

This was a trend borrowed from the Qing Dynasty's old aristocrats in the capital.

It didn't matter if the fish thrived or not. Even if he had to replace them every day, the important thing was the appearance of sophistication—letting others see that he was a connoisseur of fine living.

As he tended to his fish, a housekeeper approached, holding an elegant red invitation card with gold embossing, and respectfully presented it to Wang Laojiu.

Upon seeing it, Wang Laojiu's eyes lit up with interest.

There weren't many people these days who still understood the importance of proper etiquette.

He washed his hands in a silver basin before sitting down to open the letter and read.

[To the Esteemed Nanshan Hermit, from Lin Han, Chairman of Lingxiao Capital—With Deepest Respect:]

I have long admired your refined residence and profound wisdom, and I have been eager to visit and learn from you. Thus…

The entire letter was handwritten, using an elegant, flowing calligraphy style, making it a pleasure to read.

The format and wording strictly adhered to traditional etiquette, with flawless phrasing and expressions of reverence.

"Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!"

Wang Laojiu stroked his beard and laughed heartily, repeating the word three times—his delight obvious.

This letter had truly touched his heart.

"Do you know anything about this Lin Han of Lingxiao Capital?" Wang Laojiu asked with a smile.

The housekeeper bowed and replied, "Master, this Lin Han should be the direct heir of the Lin Family in Beijing."

Sssss!

Wang Laojiu sucked in a sharp breath.

So he's from the Lin Family!

"No wonder! No wonder!" He sighed in realization.

"I underestimated him. A mere commoner wouldn't have this level of cultivation and bearing."

After a moment of contemplation, Wang Laojiu remarked,

"This young Lin Han is quite thoughtful. Despite his noble birth, he doesn't mention his family background at all in the letter—only referring to himself as the chairman of a company."

"This is clearly a sign of humility and respect. Rather than flaunting his status, he approaches as a junior seeking wisdom.

He is noble yet modest and courteous, neither arrogant nor overbearing.

Truly worthy of a great family's upbringing! His manners put one at ease."

The housekeeper asked, "Master, should we invite the person who delivered the letter inside? He is still waiting at the door."

"No need."

Wang Laojiu waved his hand.

"He is waiting for a reply—but he will not enter. That is proper etiquette."

"Fetch my purple sandalwood brush from Manchuria and prepare the inkstone.

I will personally handwrite the response."

Back at Lin Han's Residence

Not long after, Lin Han received the reply letter.

Wang Laojiu had accepted the visit request and even arranged to host the meeting at his own home, a sign of great favor and hospitality.

Lin Han smirked.

It was settled.

He casually tossed the reply letter into the trash can.

Of course, he hadn't written the original letter himself.

It was crafted by a professional steward from the Lin Family, someone skilled in such refined correspondence.

But Wang Laojiu's reply?

That was personally written.

And dear lord, it was ugly.

So damn ugly.

Lin Han almost felt secondhand embarrassment reading it.

This so-called "scholar" clearly only learned the surface-level aesthetics of calligraphy but had no real skill.

Just then, Old Six returned.

"Young Master, about that Shen Ningning you told me to watch—she was kidnapped after school this afternoon by an unknown group."

"It looked like a real abduction."

Lin Han nodded.

"Did you lose track of her?"

Old Six quickly reassured him, "No, Young Master. Our men are still watching.

She was taken to a villa in the suburbs."

"Also, Shen Qiang is about to go crazy.

He's offering a 10-million-yuan reward for any information."

"Good. Don't intervene. Just keep watching." Lin Han said calmly.

He wasn't the least bit worried about Shen Ningning's safety.

Not a single hair on her head would be harmed.

Because—this kidnapping wasn't what it seemed.

By the original plot, after about fifteen days, Ye Fan would stumble upon her location and dramatically rescue her.

So Lin Han wasn't in any rush.

As long as Ye Fan didn't get involved, everything was fine.

Besides—if she was rescued too soon, an important part of her personality wouldn't activate.

Shen Ningning was one of the top three "loli-type" heroines in the novel.

She had a cute, naive personality.

But her hidden trait was: Hopeless Romantic!

Only by being held captive for too long, falling into despair, and losing hope in the world could this trait fully awaken.

Then—her obsession and attachment would be permanently locked onto her rescuer.

"One more thing," Lin Han added.

"In the Amsterdam branch of Defeng Investment Bank in the U.S., there's a manager named Su Wanqing.

She'll be returning to China soon.

Keep an eye on her. The moment she lands, I need to know."

"Understood, Young Master."

Old Six took his orders and left.

Meanwhile, in the Villa

"Uuuuh… someone, please save me…."

In a pink princess-style bedroom, Shen Ningning lay on a soft bed, sobbing softly.

She wore a school uniform, her twin ponytails slightly disheveled.

Her short skirt revealed two fair, delicate legs, smooth and flawless.

Her big, teary eyes, like black gemstones, shimmered under the dim light.

With her petite and fragile frame, she looked so pitiful that anyone would want to hug and protect her.

Although only sixteen, she was already developing into a true beauty.

She had a pure, youthful charm, exuding an innocent cuteness that was irresistible.

The room was beautifully decorated with plush toys and soft lighting—clearly prepared in advance.

On the desk, there were snacks, drinks, and even a lavish dinner.

Yet, despite the comfortable environment, Shen Ningning was terrified.

To her, this was a real kidnapping.

A traumatizing experience.

She had never been through anything like this before.

And the worst part?

The guards outside the villa wouldn't even talk to her.

She felt completely alone—as if the whole world had abandoned her.

Meanwhile, at Nanshan Manor

Even though Lin Han's visit was scheduled for the next day, the Wang Family's servants were already busy preparing overnight.

"Dear, who is this VIP you're preparing such an extravagant feast for?"

Wang Laojiu's wife, Liu Ya, asked curiously after returning home.

Wang Laojiu chuckled mysteriously.

"He's a very important guest. And he's only 24 years old."

"…Wait a second."

Liu Ya's expression changed.

Even Wang Chuxue, who had been sitting quietly, looked shocked.

"You're not setting up an arranged marriage for Chuxue, are you?!"

As soon as those words left her mouth—

Wang Chuxue's face turned pale, her heart sinking in unease.

Wang Laojiu paused.

That wasn't his original intention.

But now that his wife mentioned it…

Hmm. Actually… this might not be a bad idea.