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"Uh?"
Shen Qingyou looked at Mo Cang Hai with a pair of bright, surprised eyes. They were meeting for the first time; how could he make such a suggestion?
Seeing Shen Qingyou's guarded expression, Mo Cang Hai smiled and said, "Sister Shen, please don't misunderstand. Although this is our first meeting, I feel an inexplicable sense of familiarity with you. If you don't mind, you can call me 'Grandpa' like Ya does. I would be very happy to have a granddaughter like you!"
As the saying goes, one may have intentions, but the other may not reciprocate! Shen Qingyou's current life was already chaotic enough. The only thing she wanted to do now was to quickly understand the grievances between her and Qingguo Cang, hope that Li Luo would wake up soon, and then leave this city for a place where no one knew her, to start anew!
Shen Qingyou's attitude had already informed Mo Cang Hai of her answer. He smiled faintly; although he felt a bit regretful, he couldn't push too hard.
The car slowly stopped at the hotel entrance. Shen Qingyou got out and said, "Master Mo, goodbye!" After walking a few steps, she turned around and added, "Master Mo, to be honest, I don't want to see Moya and Yuan Mufang at all. No matter what their outcome is, could you do me a favor and send them a message? Tell them not to bother me again. I have no money, no power, and no status. If they provoke me, I can do anything in retaliation. At that time, everyone will lose face; don’t blame me!"
Shen Qingyou placed her hands on her hips and deliberately struck a fierce pose. Whenever she felt powerless, she habitually adopted a very tough demeanor in hopes that the other party would back off.
Mo Cang Hai glanced at Shen Qingyou with an amused smile on his lips. "Sister Shen, I hope we truly won't regret this meeting!"
With that, he rolled up the car window, started the vehicle again, and slowly merged into the bustling traffic. When Shen Qingyou reached the hotel entrance, the receptionist mysteriously told her, "Sister Shen, two men are looking for you. They've been waiting for quite a long time!"
In the direction she was pointing, Shen Qingyou saw two men in suits standing up from the sofa by the glass window and walking towards her.
"Excuse me, are you Sister Shen?"
Shen Qingyou looked at the man in front with a standard square face. He exuded an aura of righteousness that was sacred and unassailable; she vaguely sensed who he might be.
In the lobby where conversation was limited, the two men followed Shen Qingyou upstairs to her room. "I'm sorry; I don't have any tea to offer you both. Please make do with some plain water!"
The visitors smiled. "Sister Shen, why do you assume we like drinking tea? Is your impression of us that our first task at work is to brew a cup of tea and then read newspapers in the office?"
Shen Qingyou was taken aback; this middle-aged man had completely understood her thoughts. Could he read minds?
"Sister Shen, do not be nervous. Regarding the report you sent us, since it involves the integrity of a national official, we must investigate this matter thoroughly!"
Director Zhu, Zhu Haitao, who is in charge of all party and government officials' integrity investigations, is known for being impartial and fair. He has always focused on the matter rather than the person. The anonymous report received by the Disciplinary Committee on the first day of the Lunar New Year drew his significant attention because it implicated the Military District Commander of the Jiangcheng Military District. Given the seriousness of the situation, they used modern technology to trace the IP address from which the anonymous email was sent and followed the leads to find this.
"I did not wrong him!"
Shen Qingyou declared firmly: "His private life is dissolute, which is why I exist in this world!"
Her cold face erupted with boundless hatred. This man gave her life but cruelly abandoned her; since he made his choices, he should bear the consequences.
Zhu Haitao gestured for Shen Qingyou to sit down. He did not rush to ask her any questions but instead engaged her in casual conversation for a while. Once Shen Qingyou's hatred had slightly eased, the atmosphere in the room became more relaxed. Only then did he get to the point and inquire about the matters mentioned in the anonymous letter. The more intense Shen Qingyou became, the darker Zhu Haitao's expression grew. The recorder beside them occasionally looked up at Zhu Haitao and then glanced at the agitated Shen Qingyou. From his rapid note-taking, it was clear he was trying his best to record every word Shen Qingyou said because this matter was extremely significant, involving someone of very high status.
"Sister Shen, do you understand that if it is verified that everything you said is fabricated, are you willing to bear legal responsibility for that?"
Zhu Haitao looked at Shen Qingyou with sharp eagle-like eyes. Bite gently bit her lip as Shen Qingyou nodded resolutely.
"Very well, Sister Shen, thank you for your cooperation today. Please sign this statement. Additionally, for confidentiality reasons, we hope that Sister Shen will not disclose our identities to anyone."
Zhu Haitao extended his hand and briefly shook hands with Shen Qingyou. He took the record handed over by the recorder. After carefully reviewing it to ensure there were no embellishments or alterations to her words, she solemnly signed her name. Subsequently, both Zhu Haitao and his companion left the room. After they were escorted out, Shen Qingyou felt as if she had been half-paralyzed, lying flat on her back on the bed while staring at the white ceiling above her. She felt a deep sense of exhaustion.
Recalling Qingguo Cang's spirited appearance on television, a wave of guilt washed over her like a tide. However, she quickly reminded herself that how could she have any compassion for this heartless and indifferent man? His downfall today was merely paying penance for his sins committed in youth!
Thinking this way made her heart feel somewhat better...
In the office of the Disciplinary Committee in Jiangcheng, five middle-aged men were solemnly looking down at their documents with furrowed brows. The room was filled with a choking smell of smoke as they anxiously smoked cigarettes between their fingers. Finally, one slightly older man sitting alone across from four others spoke up: "What do you all think about this matter?"
"Minister Lin, I find this situation quite suspicious!"
The person speaking is Zhu Haitao. He had spent more than an hour alone with Shen Qingyou, and the impression that woman left on him was that she spoke very sincerely. Moreover, she articulated each word with great effort. If she were lying and could present herself so convincingly that even his eyes, which were said to be sharp as fire, could not detect any flaws, then this woman must be incredibly skilled—perhaps even more so than a professionally trained actor.
Lin Yuhan took a deep drag from his cigarette, encouraging him to continue. Zhu Haitao cleared his throat and continued, "That woman is the illegitimate daughter of Qing Commander. Back in the day, he had an affair while already having a family and, fearing that the affair would be exposed, abandoned her like trash. A few days ago, when his past misdeeds were revealed, he paid her a million as hush money. Although she insists on her story and claims that it was the doctor who delivered her who told her her father's name, my investigation revealed that the doctor she mentioned immigrated to J Country several years ago and only recently returned to pay respects to his ancestors. However, he was killed in an alley. I spoke with the detective handling the case at the police station, and they said it was a robbery gone wrong. But I can't shake the feeling that this is all too coincidental!"
Zhu Haitao poured out his doubts in one breath. After pondering for a few seconds, Lin Yuhan said to Zhu Haitao, "Get me through to Director Tian of the National Bureau!"
Seeing Lin Yuhan's serious expression, Zhu Haitao understood that this matter was quite tricky. Once the call was connected, they spoke for a long time. After hanging up, Lin Yuhan's grave expression eased slightly as he summoned everyone to his table: "Regarding this matter, there are already instructions from above; we will proceed accordingly!"
A group of heads huddled together, whispering among themselves. Others could not discern their conversation; after all, this was an extremely confidential operation. Aside from a few key personnel involved, no one else in the Disciplinary Committee knew about it.
At this moment, Shen Qingyou was soaking her cold body in the bathtub without realizing that she had become someone else's pawn. Having always been in control of her own life, suddenly finding herself under someone else's dominion would come as a shock when she discovered the truth—by then it would be too late...
The bright moonlight streamed through the white curtains into the dark room where only the flickering light of the television illuminated the space. The news continued about Diaoyu Island; national leaders held another press conference declaring that Chinese citizens would never compromise! The footage then switched back to the azure sea surrounding Diaoyu Island, where several white ships patrolled its waters.
Shen Qingyou hugged her curled legs tightly with her clear eyes fixed on the television screen.
Suddenly, an urgent news bulletin interrupted: The host spoke gravely to millions of viewers: "According to breaking news received by our station, an unpredictable tsunami has occurred near Diaoyu Island. The whereabouts of Sea Monitor 45 are currently unknown. Our maritime search teams are conducting thorough searches in nearby waters in hopes of locating Sea Monitor 45! We will continue to follow up on this situation!"
Sea Monitor 45? Sea Monitor 45?
Shen Qingyou repeated those familiar numbers in her mind over and over again as she stumbled out of bed, feeling an intense chill throughout her body. How could this happen? What does an unpredictable tsunami mean?
Her mind went blank; Shen Qingyou felt as if everything she could think of had turned cold and rigid. Her entire body felt like a kite with its string cut—drifting aimlessly away with the wind...
Grandpa! Grandpa!
Shen Qingyou had no time to put on clothes and rushed out of the door. The streets were filled with dazzling neon lights, but they couldn't illuminate the darkness in her heart. She hailed a taxi and hurried toward the hospital—Grandpa, you must be okay!
She threw a hundred-dollar bill to the driver, not waiting for him to give change. Shen Qingyou immediately pushed open the car door and rushed out. In the VIP exclusive ward area, it was completely silent. Shen Qingyou let out a long sigh of relief. From the looks of it, there was still no news. She gently pushed open the door and saw Qingbo Nation peacefully asleep, signaling the caregiver not to make a sound. She quietly sat down beside Qingbo Nation and then asked the caregiver to go rest.
After this bout of illness, the always spirited Qingbo Nation could no longer pretend to be strong. She gently took his hand that was stretched outside the blanket, intending to tuck it back in, but inadvertently disturbed the lightly sleeping Qingbo Nation. He opened his eyes and looked at Shen Qingyou, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Girl, why haven't you come to see me for so long? Is it because Qing Cang is not around that even you, this girl, have forgotten about this old man?"
Seeing his expression, she guessed that Qingguo Cang had not informed her grandfather about their conversation. A heavy stone in her heart quietly fell away. "Grandpa!"
Shen Qingyou called out Qingbo Nation's name with deep affection. To Qingbo Nation, this "grandpa" was how his granddaughter-in-law addressed him; however, for Shen Qingyou, she thought of it as calling him from the perspective of a granddaughter. Regarding the Qing Family, she always carried a complex emotion. If it weren't for her relationship with Qing Cang, perhaps she wouldn't feel so awkward facing them. When facing Qing Cang, she thought that if it weren't for her connection with Qingguo Cang, maybe she wouldn't feel such pain when dealing with him. After all, it was a secret unknown to the world; at this moment, she was bearing this endless suffering alone.
"Hey, girl, why are you crying? Do I make you feel this sad?"
Looking at Qingbo Nation's playful demeanor, Shen Qingyou suddenly broke into a smile through her tears. What was she doing? Trying to gain sympathy from this old man with her tears?
"It's nothing; I just got something in my eye when I came over!"
Turning her head to wipe away the tears at the corners of her eyes and putting on a smile again, Shen Qingyou met Qingbo Nation's wise gaze once more.
"Do you have something on your mind?"
"No, nothing at all!"
"How can that be? Although I'm old and my eyesight is failing, my heart is still sharp. Can't I tell if you have something on your mind?"
"No, really nothing!"
Why was she so stubborn? Did he have to pry until he got an answer?
Although Qingbo Nation didn't believe Shen Qingyou's insistence that there was nothing wrong, since she was determined not to share, how could he force a girl to speak?
Sighing, she then changed the subject and chatted with Shen Qingyou for a while. As they talked, a wave of sleepiness washed over her, and she blinked her heavy eyelids. Soon, Qingbo Nation fell asleep again. Knowing he was a light sleeper, Shen Qingyou lowered her breathing as much as possible. Looking at Qingbo Nation, she suddenly regretted her actions. Now that Qing Cang's fate was uncertain, if Qingguo Cang also got into trouble, how could this old man bear such a double blow?
"Shen Qingyou, what are you thinking? Do you want to regret it?"
Shen Qingyou pinched her thigh hard; the pain made her heart a little harsher...
In the building of the Military District Commander, the lights in the top-floor office remained on. From time to time, a figure moved back and forth inside. The other three men included Minister Li from the Ministry of Defense, Minister Tian from the National Ministry, and Lin Yuhan. All three of them couldn't help but focus their attention on Qingcang Nation. Each felt as if a heavy hat was pressing down on them. Finally, Minister Li spoke up slowly, "Commander, the situation is unstable now; J Country is already stirring. Are you really going to do this?"
"In military affairs, one must enter the tiger's den to catch the tiger cub. Anyway, I’m already at this age; it's time for retirement. As the saying goes, the waves of the Yangtze River push forward the waves in front; these rising stars will eventually replace us!"
Qingguo Cang looked out at the pitch-black night with remarkable calmness. At this moment, it was clear that J Country's spies were targeting him because, given China's current situation, if war broke out, he would be the most suitable naval combat commander. Their goal was to ruin his reputation and have him dismissed; they even wanted to implicate Qing Cang and ruin his career. However, he never expected that they would use Shen Qingyou to fabricate such a flawed lie. That girl Serene seemed quite intelligent on ordinary days; he just didn't expect her to make such a foolish mistake on this issue. However, her foolishness might just allow him to take advantage of the situation and make the other party mistakenly believe they had fallen into a trap.
"Commander!"
The three men called out to Qingguo Cang in unison, showcasing an air of great leadership around him. Although there was regret in his heart, Qingguo Cang still felt no complaints; after years of ups and downs, retiring early meant he could enjoy life sooner. Ideally, Serene would give him a grandson by then so he could play at home—what a wonderful life that would be! Thinking of this, a faint smile unconsciously appeared on Qingguo Cang's lips; but what about his father?
"Sister Shen, are you there?"
In the corridor, Shen Qingyou listened to the polite and gentle voice coming from the phone. Was it Liya? Fang Yuwei's secretary? Why was she calling herself tonight?
"Sister Shen, our chairman has a few words for you. May I ask if you're available now?"
"Um!"
Regarding Fang Yuwei, although she knew she was her mother, Shen Qingyou subconsciously resisted this person. She always felt that this woman was too shrewd. As a man, Qingguo Cang had his own family and career and had no choice but to abandon her; but what about her? It seemed she was still single even now. If that were the case, why did she have to cruelly abandon her back then?
Thinking of this, a flash of inspiration suddenly crossed Shen Qingyou's mind: if parental love is vast and selfless, then why did Fang Yuwei show no trace of maternal feelings when she first saw her?
No, no, something seems off about this matter!
At first, because I was still immersed in the shock of Doctor Li revealing my father's name and the complex emotions surrounding Qing Cang, I failed to calmly consider her words. I rashly went to find Qingguo Cang without mentioning the events of that year, and Fang Yuwei also avoided discussing what happened back then. Could it be?
“Sister Shen, are you still there?”
On the other end of the phone, Liya urged me. I quickly set aside my doubts. After Liya informed me of the meeting location, I hung up and stared blankly into the dark void. Why did I feel as if I were enveloped in a fog?
Before seeking out Fang Yuwei, should I first look for Qingguo Cang?
On the table, my phone's notification light flickered incessantly. Upon seeing the displayed name, Qingguo Cang looked puzzled. Why would Serene call him at this time?
“Whose call is it?”
Minister Tian asked as he noticed his indecision about whether to answer.
“It’s a call from Shen Qingyou!”
Hearing it was her call, everyone present furrowed their brows again and instinctively glanced at their watches. It was now twelve o'clock in the early morning; her calling Qingguo Cang at this hour surely had some significant intent.
Moreover, judging by how persistently the phone rang, it seemed she wouldn't give up until she got through. Minister Lin slowly said, “You should answer it. If you don’t, it will only raise her suspicions more!”
“Hello!”
Qingguo Cang deliberately made his voice sound a bit sleepy. Upon hearing his voice, Shen Qingyou bit her lip; she had impulsively wanted to call him, but what should she say?
“Uncle, do you have a moment?”
Early Morning At twelve o'clock, I asked if anyone was free.
Shen Qingyou wondered if the person asking this question was out of their mind.
“Serene, do you have something to discuss?”
“Uncle, I, I…”
Shen Qingyou felt very troubled, what should she do?
“Serene, if you have something to say, just say it.”
Taking a deep breath, Shen Qingyou gathered all her courage and asked, “Uncle, did you stay in Beiyuan City before?”
Qingguo Cang turned on the speakerphone, and everyone present heard Shen Qingyou's question. The atmosphere became tense; could it be that she really had suspicions? But how did she find out about the issue?
“Serene, why are you calling me at this hour to ask this?”
Qingguo Cang's voice sounded somewhat displeased. Shen Qingyou braced herself and continued to ask, “Uncle, do you know a woman named Fang Yuwei?”
There was silence. On the other end of the line, Qingguo Cang remained silent. Shen Qingyou felt her heart sink again; how could Doctor Li, whom she had never met, possibly deceive her?
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