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墨書 Inktalez
Junxi knew that the stingy man was definitely feeling jealous again. Taking advantage of Agent Manager stepping away to grab some clothes, she reached out and hugged Zhou Xuanyu's arm. "My relationship with Mr. Shen isn't deep at all."
Zhou Xuanyu raised an eyebrow.
She felt it wasn't deep, but Shen Yunchong might not think so.
"Don't believe me? Come on."
Zhou Xuanyu remained silent.
He believed in Junxi, but he didn't trust Shen Yunchong. The way that man looked at Junxi was anything but simple, as if he were gazing at a mere tutor.
The flicker in his eyes was the subtle hint of a man's desire for a woman. It wasn't just attraction; it was possessiveness...
"Mr. Zhou, these are the new designs the designer brought over today. Please try them on."
Agent Manager returned with several store attendants, each holding two hangers, showcasing clothes that were elegant, grand, or fashionable.
Zhou Xuanyu nudged Junxi.
"What do you think your parents would like?"
Junxi scanned the clothes. With Zhou Xuanyu's good looks and great figure, he was a typical model. He could pull off any of these outfits. However, if she wanted to please his parents, these bold colors and uniquely designed fashion pieces were definitely not suitable for them.
Junxi casually held a light brown blazer with a simple design, paired with a black shirt and trousers.
"Just go with your usual style," she said.
Zhou Xuanyu nodded, taking off his outer jacket and handing it to Junxi. He then received the clothes she had chosen from the salesperson and walked into the fitting room.
"It seems Mr. Zhou can also be obedient at times," the Agent Manager remarked to Junxi with an envious smile.
Before Junxi could respond, she felt Zhou Xuanyu's jacket vibrate.
It was his phone in the pocket of the jacket. Worried that it might fall out, she reached in to check.
The screen displayed a text message from Mr. Wang. Junxi hadn’t intended to read the message, but she inadvertently caught sight of a name and couldn’t help but look again.
The message read: "There is new progress on Wen Wei's case. Let's meet."
Wen Wei's case?
Had Zhou Xuanyu already started investigating her parents' case?
The light on the phone screen gradually dimmed, swallowing the content of the message.
As Junxi stared blankly at his phone, Zhou Xuanyu emerged from the fitting room. She quickly shoved the phone back into his jacket pocket.
"Oh my, this outfit looks like it was tailor-made for Mr. Zhou."
"Agent Manager," she called out, and several store clerks echoed her words.
Zhou Xuanyu ignored them, his gaze fixed directly on Junxi.
Junxi assessed him; the new outfit made Zhou Xuanyu look even more handsome and elegant. She smiled and nodded.
It was as if Zhou Xuanyu had received a stamp of approval from an authority. Without even glancing in the mirror, he turned to the enthusiastic Agent Manager and said, "I'll take this one."
"Aren't you going to look at yourself?" Junxi asked in surprise.
Zhou Xuanyu ruffled her hair. "As long as you think it looks good, that's enough."
After all, he only wanted to wear it for her and her parents.
Women adorn themselves for those they love, and men do the same.
---
After leaving the store, Zhou Xuanyu took Junxi to a nearby restaurant for a meal.
He stepped out midway to take two phone calls but returned without mentioning anything about them. A sense of unease began to rise within Junxi.
Since Zhou Xuanyu had already started investigating her parents' case and had made progress, why wasn't he telling her anything?
Junxi wanted to ask but hesitated to be too direct. After all, it was impolite to snoop through someone else's messages.
They chatted around the topic for a while, but Zhou Xuanyu consistently avoided it. Junxi finally couldn't hold back any longer. After pondering for a few seconds, she asked, "You promised to help me investigate my parents' situation. When do you plan to start?"
Zhou Xuanyu was focused on cutting the remaining half of the steak on his plate. Upon hearing Junxi's question, his hand paused momentarily before he quickly masked his slip and replied, "I've been quite busy with work lately. Once things settle down, I'll arrange for someone to start the investigation right away."
It was a flawless answer; if Junxi hadn't seen that text message earlier, she would have been completely satisfied and grateful.
However, she had seen the message, which made Zhou Xuanyu's response feel like a lie.
Though she didn't know what had transpired, her appetite vanished instantly.
They finished their meal, each lost in their own thoughts, and Zhou Xuanyu drove her home. Upon returning, he didn't linger as usual but instead stated that he had something to attend to and needed to leave.
"What is it?" Junxi asked.
She had never interfered with his whereabouts before, so her sudden inquiry caught Zhou Xuanyu off guard.
"There’s an urgent matter at the company that I need to handle," he said.
Junxi didn’t press further or try to stop him; she stood there watching as Zhou Xuanyu's car disappeared from view.
In her mind, it felt like two little figures were fighting—one urging her to trust Zhou Xuanyu while the other reminded her that he was lying to her.
Lies between couples can be trivial or significant. As a suspicious woman, Junxi felt compelled to be sensitive about this issue since it involved her parents.
After standing downstairs for a while, Junxi did not go upstairs but instead hailed a taxi.
"To Hengfu Group," Junxi told the driver.
She wasn't trying to follow Zhou Xuanyu; besides, his car was good and he drove fast, making it impossible for her to keep up with him.
Junxi kept telling herself that she was just going back to the office to get something and would take the opportunity to see if he really had urgent matters to attend to or if this was merely an excuse to shake her off...
Zhou Xuanyu did not go to the office.
He met Wang Tianhai at the gym where they last saw each other.
Wang Tianhai's speed in investigating was truly worth the price he charged. Zhou Xuanyu had never expected that there would be progress on this matter so soon.
"Guess who I found?" Wang Tianhai exclaimed excitedly upon seeing Zhou Xuanyu.
Zhou Xuanyu admired Wang Tianhai; no one could maintain such enthusiasm for their profession like he did.
"Who?"
"Li Mu."
Zhou Xuanyu nodded, not surprised. Li Mu was a crucial figure in the Corruption Case back then. If someone else had taken on the investigation, they would have also considered Li Mu as a key point of entry, just like Wang Tianhai did.
"What did Li Mu say?"
"Li Mu looks completely guilty, as if he's a thief caught in the act. I haven't even pressured him much, yet he keeps begging for mercy, claiming he was forced back then."
"Forced? By whom? Could it be his brother, Zhou Xuan Yong?"
Zhou Xuanyu pondered for a moment. "Did he say who?"
"No. Although this guy is timid, his lips are sealed tight. No matter how I threaten or entice him, he refuses to speak."
Zhou Xuanyu nodded. Hearing Wang Tianhai's response, he felt an inexplicable sense of relief. This indicated that deep down, he was unwilling to accept any connection between his brother and the case involving Junxi's parents.
"I will continue to follow up on Li Mu. I'm confident that sooner or later, he will confess to me," Wang Tianhai said with assurance.
Zhou Xuanyu remained silent.
This matter might be far more complicated than he had imagined. He even began to regret whether he should have intervened in the first place.
"Mr. Zhou," Wang Tianhai suddenly called out to him.
Zhou Xuanyu looked up at him, noticing his hesitance. "Speak."
"Alright, since you want to know what happened back then so badly, why not ask your brother, Mr. Zhou Xuan Yong? After all, all signs indicate that your elder brother is definitely one of those who knew about it back then."
"I'll handle things with my brother." Zhou Xuanyu patted Wang Tianhai on the shoulder. "Just focus on your duties: get paid, do your job, and keep it confidential."
Wang Tianhai gave an 'OK' gesture and then made a zipping motion across his lips.
"Don't worry, I still have some professional ethics. Unless..."
"Unless what?"
Unless someone can offer a price higher than Zhou Xuanyu's. But within Qingcheng, who could possibly afford to pay more than Zhou Xuanyu?
So...
"There are no unlesses."
After parting ways with Wang Tianhai, Zhou Xuanyu's thoughts were a bit chaotic. He didn't want to return to Yatian, so he wandered around and ended up back at Junxi's place.
Junxi was still awake. She had just finished showering, and when she opened the door, her hair was still half-dry.
Seeing him standing outside, she paused for a moment before seeming to snap back to reality and gave him a slight smile.
"Are you done with work?" she asked casually.
The question seemed to strike a chord with Zhou Xuanyu; he averted his gaze and nodded lightly.
Junxi stepped aside to let him in.
"Did the meeting last this long?" Junxi asked as she took his coat from him.
Zhou Xuanyu remained silent.
"What's wrong? Didn't you have a meeting?"
Zhou Xuanyu didn't want to continue this topic, but Junxi was relentless, pressing for answers. He thought maybe he shouldn't have told her he was at the company handling urgent matters.
Telling one lie meant needing more lies to cover it up.
It felt terrible, but there was no way around it; Zhou Xuanyu still responded.
"Were you in a meeting?" Junxi's expression was becoming increasingly uncomfortable.
"Junxi..."
"I asked if you were in a meeting!"
Her raised voice made her seem somewhat aggressive, and Zhou Xuanyu paused for a moment before realizing that his lie had been seen through.
"Junxi..."
"Why did you lie to me? I went to the company this afternoon, and you weren't there at all!"
Zhou Xuanyu frowned. "You..."
"I'm not stalking you!" Junxi emphasized, then added, "Of course, if you were behaving properly, you wouldn't have to worry about me stalking you."
Zhou Xuanyu took a deep breath and pressed down on Junxi's shoulder.
"Listen to me. I didn't go to the office this afternoon, but I really have something going on."
"What is it?"
"Junxi..."
"What is it that you can't tell me?"
"I'll tell you when the time is right."
"Why wait for the right moment? Do we really need any secrets between us?" Junxi looked up at Zhou Xuanyu.
There was a sense of helplessness in his expression, and that helplessness made Junxi feel anxious. She reached out and grasped Zhou Xuanyu's arm. "Tell me, is it because of my parents' case that the investigation results are bad?"
Zhou Xuanyu fell silent for a few seconds. "How did you know I was investigating your parents' case?"
Junxi was taken aback, her hand slipping quietly from Zhou Xuanyu's arm.
"I... I just happened to see your text messages."
"Junxi!"
"I really didn't mean to!" Junxi emphasized.
Zhou Xuanyu held her back, "Alright, I believe you didn't mean it."
He truly had no intention of holding this against her, but Junxi had no plans to let go of the fact that she had lied to him.
"Are you investigating my parents' case?"
She had seen it, so Zhou Xuanyu naturally wouldn't hide anything from her.
"Yes."
"Then tell me, what have you found out?"
Junxi's piercing gaze fixed on Zhou Xuanyu, leaving him nowhere to escape.
"Nothing much."
"You're still lying to me!" Junxi stepped back in agitation, pointing at the pocket of Zhou Xuanyu's coat. "I saw the message that said there was progress."
"Junxi," Zhou Xuanyu seemed to have lost his patience. "This matter is not as simple as we think. Until we have results, there's nothing more I can say."
"No results? The process matters too. I'm just concerned about my parents; do I not even have the right to know this much?"
Zhou Xuanyu sighed, picking up his coat and turning away. "You should rest for now. Let's both calm down and talk about it tomorrow."
"Zhou Xuanyu! You're avoiding me!"
Junxi stepped forward and grabbed Zhou Xuanyu's sleeve, forcefully stopping him at the door.
"I'm not avoiding you. It's just that your current state isn't suitable for discussing this matter," Zhou Xuanyu replied, turning his back and leaving.
In truth, he was avoiding her.
He was afraid of seeing the intensity in her gaze, afraid that the case from years ago was indeed inextricably linked to his brother and the Zhou family.
If that were the case, then Junxi wouldn't be arguing with him like this now.
He might lose her.
Junxi watched as Zhou Xuanyu walked out. It was cold outside, and he quickly closed the door behind him as he left.
The sound of his car starting soon followed.
He left in such a hurry, yet claimed he wasn't avoiding her.
Junxi felt a wave of injustice wash over her. How could he lie to her? How could he keep investigating her parents' case without updating her on the progress? How could he brush her off with a few words and then evade her… How could he!
Tears streamed down her cheeks in an instant. Junxi ran over and collapsed onto the sofa, burying her face in the cushions as she cried uncontrollably.
Aside from the time when her parents were imprisoned, she rarely cried so desperately.
It turned out that Zhou Xuanyu could also bring her such unease.
The next day was visiting day.
After last night's argument, Junxi was uncertain whether Zhou Xuanyu would still accompany her to the prison to visit her parents.
As she packed her things and left in the morning, Junxi did not contact Zhou Xuanyu. Zhou Xuanyu also did not take the initiative to call her.
Junxi was still simmering with anger, thinking that if he didn't reach out, so be it. After all, she hadn't definitively promised her parents that she would bring her boyfriend this time.
The bus stop was quite far from A District Prison.
After getting off the bus, Junxi didn't take a taxi but chose to walk there instead. The road was secluded, with few vehicles passing by. Junxi strolled slowly, glancing at her phone screen as she walked.
But there wasn't a single call.
As she continued on, suddenly a sports car zoomed past her. Junxi didn't have time to see the license plate before the car sped away. She paid it no mind, keeping her head down as she walked.
Suddenly, a horn blared beside her.
When Junxi looked up again, the sports car had reversed and stopped right in front of her.
The window rolled down, revealing Zhou Xuanyu.
"Don't be ridiculous," Junxi said, ignoring him.
"Why didn't you wait for me?" Zhou Xuanyu asked, irritated.
They had clearly agreed that he would pick her up this morning. However, when Zhou Xuanyu arrived early, he found that Junxi was already gone.
He guessed it was because of what happened yesterday; she was still upset and had left him behind to come here alone. He followed her, and sure enough...
Junxi remained silent, focused on walking ahead.
Zhou Xuanyu's car slowly trailed behind her.
"Get in the car."
Junxi pretended not to hear.
"Get in the car!" Zhou Xuanyu repeated.
Junxi still ignored him.
After a few seconds of silence, Zhou Xuanyu suddenly decided to stop caring. His car sped off just like it had when he first arrived.
Watching the car drive away, Junxi couldn't help but stomp her foot in frustration.
She was so heartless; did she really think that if she didn’t let him manage her, he would just give up?
Junxi stormed up to the entrance of A District Prison, and Zhou Xuanyu hadn’t left yet; his car was parked right at the door. This discovery eased her a little.
Seeing her approach, Zhou Xuanyu got out of the car.
He was wearing the outfit they had bought together that day, looking spirited and lively. Junxi's heart softened at the sight, but she didn’t show any emotion on her face.
“If you don’t want to go in with me, you don’t have to,” Junxi said, turning her face away as she spoke.
Zhou Xuanyu walked over and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
“When did I ever say that?”
Her eyelids were slightly swollen and red; he could tell she had cried last night. Zhou Xuanyu felt a pang of pain in his heart and naturally didn’t want to upset her further.
“You didn’t say it, but you…”
“Shh!” Zhou Xuanyu placed a finger on Junxi’s lips. “No loud noises allowed here.”
“You’re lying to me again!” Junxi bit down on his finger but didn’t dare to apply too much pressure.
Zhou Xuanyu let her bite him, and seeing her angry expression made him unable to resist pulling her into his embrace.
“I’m not lying to you.”
"You've deceived me!" Junxi's grievances, which she hadn't had the chance to express in front of him last night, surged back as he embraced her.
Her eyes felt so sore that it seemed tears would spill out with just a blink; she didn't dare to blink at all.
Zhou Xuanyu sensed her emotions and quickly released her, looking into her eyes.
"Please don't cry; otherwise, your parents will think I bullied you."
Junxi clenched her fists and pounded on his chest. "Isn't it you who bullied me?"
She hit him repeatedly, but Zhou Xuanyu didn't stop her. If this was what it took for her to feel better and let go of last night's grievances, he was more than willing to endure it, no matter how hard she hit.
This was his fault. However, he had his own reasons.
"Once you've vented your anger here, we can go back inside," Zhou Xuanyu said.
Junxi pouted. "I can't let it go."
Zhou Xuanyu couldn't help but smile at her expression.
The fact that she could speak to him like this meant that her anger had diminished significantly. She was a kind girl; she had always been this way, habitually thinking the best of people. So when she felt a little disappointment, it would hurt her. But once she came to terms with the reality of the situation, accepting that everyone has their own struggles wouldn't be too difficult for her.
"If you can't let it go, then let's take a break. After we see your parents, you can slowly punish me at home."
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