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墨書 Inktalez
Zhou Yao stopped crying, breathing heavily. Initially a bit scared, her face quickly lost any trace of fear.
She was no longer the obedient girl she used to be.
Xia Mingzhen approached slowly, leaning on her cane, and asked one question:
"What is your relationship with him?"
Zhou Yao's face was streaked with tears, but her expression was exceptionally firm: "He is my boyfriend."
Xia Mingzhen's cheek twitched slightly as she asked again, "How long has it been?"
"I was with him when I was in Yading."
"Was the woman in his room the night before last—was it you?"
"Yes." Zhou Yao's face displayed a clear lack of remorse.
"Good. Just great." Xia Mingzhen pointed at Zhou Yao, disappointment and heartbreak evident in her eyes, which were now red. "Zhou Yao, how could you do this?"
Zhou Yao's heart trembled as she looked at her mother, her eyes also reddening.
"After raising you for so many years—how could you hurt your parents like this?" Xia Mingzhen was both angry and resentful, her face cold as ice. "Look at yourself now, so self-destructive. Look at the kind of people you're associating with! That fraud—"
"He is not a fraud!" Zhou Yao interrupted, tears welling up in her eyes. "Mom, why don't you believe him? He has never doubted that you used a fake Jade Buddha Tower to harm him."
"Knowing your background, going to great lengths to get close to you, gaining the feelings and body of a young girl—what kind of man is so shameless? If that's not fraud, then what is it?!"
Zhou Yao felt her blood boil, wanting to say something. Jiang Han stepped forward and grabbed her arm. "Zhou Yao, don't make your mom angry. Who was injured and hospitalized for whom? Are you still mad at her?"
Zhou Yao looked at Xia Mingzhen in her hospital gown, tears streaming down her face, filled with pain and resentment. "Mom, why do you have to be like this?"
"How old is he, and how old are you? You're young and naive; he shouldn't take advantage of you." Xia Mingzhen gritted her teeth. "Zhou Yao, you're being foolish. You've been deceived."
"He didn't deceive me; I liked him first!" Zhou Yao retorted, utterly disappointed. "I can never communicate with you!"
Zhou Yao turned to leave.
"Stop right there!" Xia Mingzhen shouted coldly.
Zhou Yao replied, "I'm going to find Luo Boss."
"You're not allowed to go." Xia Mingzhen said icily, issuing a command. "At dawn, we are going to the airport."
Zhou Yao turned back, for the first time in her life defying her authority. "I won't go back with you until I find him." She stormed off.
Xia Mingzhen called out, "Jiang Han!"
Jiang Han was also anxious and rushed forward to grab Zhou Yao.
Zhou Yao struggled and resisted, but ultimately lacked the strength of Jiang Han, who forcibly took him away.
The corridor quickly fell silent, and Xia Mingzhen's expression rapidly turned calm, yet she suffered a fatal blow.
She calmly glanced down at Lu Xu and Jiang Peng, saying, "I apologize for the disturbance."
After speaking, she leaned on her cane, refusing any assistance, and slowly left without a hint of unsteadiness.
...
"Are you annoying or what?" Zhou Yao grabbed a pillow from the bed and threw it at Jiang Han. "Get out!"
Jiang Han furrowed his brow tightly enough to crush a mosquito. "Zhou Yao, let me tell you, unless you're on a plane, you won't be able to leave my sight for even a second."
"Who are you to control me?"
"I don't want to watch you go crazy!" Jiang Han shouted.
Zhou Yao shouted back, "Where am I going crazy? I'm completely clear-headed!"
Jiang Han fell silent for a few seconds before suddenly laughing coldly. "Zhou Yao, if you're going to look for someone, at least find someone reliable. What does that guy have besides his looks? At his age still relying on his appearance to attract rich girls—I'm embarrassed for him."
Zhou Yao retorted, "At his age, you're still relying on your dad as a rich second generation."
Jiang Han surprisingly didn't get angry and shrugged. "Yes, I am a rich second generation, but so are you. Why can't you understand? Your mother would never accept that man as her son-in-law. Even if she dies, she would write it in her will. You know your mother's personality well enough."
Zhou Yao pressed her lips tightly together, staring at Jiang Han, tears welling up in her eyes.
Jiang Han was taken aback.
Zhou Yao turned her head and threw herself onto the bed, burying her face in the pillow, remaining motionless.
Jiang Han grew anxious: "Hey Zhou Yao, don't cry. I didn't say anything about you, please don't cry."
She ignored her.
Jiang Han frowned, feeling upset as well, and said, "I just don't understand. What kind of soup did that guy feed you? Send me a portion to try."
Zhou Yao remained silent.
Jiang Han plopped down on the edge of the bed and turned to look at her back: "How about I go with you to Cuba? Didn't you really want to go to Cuba? Maybe after a trip there, you'll forget all about him."
Just then, there was a sound at the door.
Jiang Han immediately stood up from the bed and sat in the chair. Seeing Xia Mingzhen being pushed in a wheelchair by a caregiver, she hurried over to help.
Xia Mingzhen was assisted to sit on the sofa, resting her hand on her forehead, saying nothing.
Jiang Han asked, "Auntie, do you want to go back to your room to rest?"
"No need," Xia Mingzhen replied. "The flight is at seven-thirty; it won't be long before we leave."
Zhou Yao suddenly sat up in bed, pouting, "Even if you drag me to the airport, I won't get on the plane!"
Xia Mingzhen didn't even glance at her. After several seconds, he looked at Jiang Han and said calmly, "Jiang Han, convey a message to Zhou Yao: I won't say a word to her until she admits her mistake and guarantees that she won't have any further contact with that person."
Jiang Han replied, "Zhou Yao, don't make your mom angry."
"You're emotionally blackmailing me! I won't break up with him!" Zhou Yao exclaimed anxiously. In a moment of despair, she glanced at the wheelchair and felt a pang of sympathy. Overwhelmed with mixed emotions and pain, she abruptly kicked the blanket aside and buried herself under it.
After a while, Zhou Yao lifted the blanket and said, "Boss Luo found out that Assistant Ruan is the mole. You can't contact him now, right? Boss Luo is really a good person; why can't you try to understand?"
No one responded.
The betrayal of the assistant paled in comparison to her daughter's betrayal.
The room was filled with several people, yet it was eerily silent.
Zhou Yao lowered her gaze to Xia Mingzhen's cold and resolute profile. She felt a mix of anger and deeper sadness.
...
Late at night, two blocks away from Golden Peacock Entertainment Club.
Luo Yi and the assassin hurriedly crossed the street and reached the dense shade at the corner where an SUV was parked. The two quickly opened the doors and got in.
Inside the car were three undercover agents, all members of the task force that had come from Beijing with Lu Xu.
Luo Yi threw the gun to one of them and said, "It's been handed over."
The person examined it for a moment and said, "This gun, my colleague over there mentioned, is often confiscated on the border." He glanced at Luo Yi again, "You're pretty impressive, managing to take a gun from that group."
"Had to be prepared in advance, or I'd end up full of holes," Luo Yi replied, thinking of Zhou Yao.
She wondered how worried she must be right now.
Luo Yi looked down at his cigarette and noticed the large hole in his sleeve, cursing softly, "That bastard Lu Xu really shot."
"His aim is good."
Luo Yi scoffed and distributed cigarettes to everyone. The assassin declined and waved his hand to stop him.
Luo Yi bit down on a cigarette and asked, "How's it going on Lu Xu's side?"
"Everything's going smoothly. However, they said he got kicked by some girl, right in the face."
"…"
The lighter flicked on, and Luo Yi forgot to inhale.
"How did she find out?" Luo Yi frowned.
"They just happened to run into each other."
Luo Yi slowly inhaled the smoke and asked, "What did Lu Xu say to her?"
"He said you were shot, refused to surrender, and escaped. Then that girl went crazy, crying and throwing a fit."
Luo Yi took a deep drag from his cigarette, remaining silent for a while.
After a long pause, he asked, "Lu Xu didn't do anything to her, right?"
"How could he hold it against a young girl? Oh right, that girl's mother is taking her back to Beijing, just this morning."
Luo Yi fell silent again for a moment. Director Xia noticed. He had imagined several scenarios for confronting Director Xia but never thought he would end up facing her alone.
"Luo Yi, we retrieved your phone from the casino," Undercover said as he handed it to him. When Luo Yi reached for it, he pulled it back. "I turned it off. You can't contact anyone for the next few days."
"Okay." Luo Yi took it and expressionlessly put it in his pocket.
"Although Lu Xu was kicked hard, he said the effect was good; many people saw it. This place is under Dan Shan's territory, with many eyes around. They will likely get the news soon," Undercover continued. "You and Lu Xu are in an 'internal conflict,' and the cooperative camp is falling apart. One is exhausted from fleeing while the other is busy hunting down criminals. We can only hope that Dan Shan's people let their guard down and show some flaws."
Luo Yi asked, "What about the assistant next to Director Xia?"
"He slipped away as soon as something happened at the club. Our people are keeping watch without alarming anyone," Undercover said with some regret. "I never expected those few leaders to escape; they probably blended into the crowd during the stampede."
"What did the captured subordinates say?"
"Those guys were hired locally and don't know anything about Boss's background."
Luo Yi coldly smiled, "Just now, Dao San entered the lounge and shot that Gambler dead with the first shot."
The Undercover agent added, "Because only that Gambler knew the details."
"They are from the same village." Luo Yi recalled the photo from Boss Gao's house and said, "It's very likely that their village is the hideout.
Now that the club has been sealed off and Dan Shan's group has suffered heavy losses, they should be hiding at a temporary shelter. With no money, no people, and no resources, they need to return to their old nest to regroup.
I guess they will stay around Jinghong for a day or two. Once they discover that I have been wrongfully accused of 'murdering someone' and that you all are in conflict, and since the police have lost any new leads in capturing Dan Shan's group, it will seem like the club has collapsed and the clues have dried up. They will feel safe and return home quickly."
"But are you sure Yan Lin will believe that you two are in conflict?"
"Absolutely." Luo Yi smirked in the dark night, "She knows that Lu Xu and I don't get along. Moreover, Lu Xu talked to Yan Lin once while in Yading. Regarding Wu Ming's death, he didn't suspect Yan Lin but hinted at me. Yan Lin will notice this detail."
The Undercover agent was taken aback, not expecting Luo Yi to be capable of such manipulation.
He nodded in admiration and soon smiled, saying, "Let's send a few scouts to the village first to investigate. Once confirmed, we can call in the main force to ambush them and wait for them to fall into our trap."
...
At five-thirty, Zhou Yao and her group checked out of the hotel, preparing to head to the airport.
Xia Mingzhen continued to avoid speaking to Zhou Yao, even refusing to let her push her wheelchair and only allowing Jiang Han to help.
Zhou Yao slowly followed beside the wheelchair, softly saying, "Mom, can you go back first? I'll finish up here and come back. Is that okay?"
Xia Mingzhen's expression was cold.
"Mom, please don't do this. I promise I'll listen to you about everything else in the future, okay?"
Zhou Yao felt helpless; on one hand, she didn't want to upset her mother, and on the other hand, she was worried about Luo Yi's situation, feeling as if she was being torn apart.
She stood at the hotel entrance, watching the staff help load luggage into the car, her feet seemingly rooted to the ground, unwilling to take another step forward.
Xia Mingzhen was settled into the car, her wheelchair folded and placed aside. Jiang Han turned to Zhou Yao and said, "Let's go."
Zhou Yao remained still. "Jiang Han, I really can't leave. Please help me take my mom back with Nurse Sister."
Inside the car, Xia Mingzhen heard this and glared at Zhou Yao but remained silent.
"Mom, I'm sorry," Zhou Yao said. "I'm sorry. I'll come back once I find him. I can listen to you about everything else, but not about him."
Xia Mingzhen's face was cold. "Jiang Han, I'm begging you."
Jiang Han grabbed Zhou Yao and tried to pull her toward the car.
"Let go! Let go!" Zhou Yao struggled to break free.
At that moment, a business vehicle drove up. Jiang Peng opened the door and called out, "Little sister, are you coming or not?"
The group was momentarily stunned, and Zhou Yao took the opportunity to break free from Jiang Han, running towards the car while shouting, "Mom, I'm sorry! Mom, I'm sorry!"
Jiang Han immediately chased after her, but Zhou Yao grabbed Jiang Peng's hand and jumped into the car.
Zhou Yao turned back, clasped her hands together in a gesture of pleading, trembling as she looked at Xia Mingzhen with tears in her eyes.
As the car door closed, the business vehicle accelerated away instantly.
Jiang Han chased a few steps before angrily kicking the ground.
Xia Mingzhen thought about the way Zhou Yao had mouthed "I'm sorry" in the car, biting her lip and closing her eyes as she let out a deep breath.
...
The car sped along the road.
Zhou Yao lowered her head, wiped the mist from her eyes, and turned to Jiang Peng. "Do you have any leads on Boss Luo? How is he doing now? Where is he? Is he seriously injured?"
"I have no leads," Jiang Peng replied, lighting a cigarette.
"Oh." Zhou Yao lowered her head again, lost in thought for a while.
"But I found out who was 'killed' by him at the casino yesterday."
"Who?" Zhou Yao raised her head. "If we go to him for clues, could we possibly uncover something related to Boss Luo?"
Jiang Peng shrugged and said, "For now, this is all we can do."
Zhou Yao replied, "Then let's hurry up and go."
"Wait a minute," Jiang Peng said with a strange smile.
"Wait for what?"
"Little sister, before we set off, I need to tell you a few rules."
"Huh?"
Jiang Peng continued, "No matter what happens, you must strictly follow my instructions. No acting on your own and no letting emotions get in the way. We are secretly looking for clues and cannot confront the enemy directly. If there's danger, we must retreat immediately. Do you understand?"
Zhou Yao listened carefully and nodded.
"Tell me! Can you do it?"
"I can!"
"Let's go."
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