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墨書 Inktalez
Junxi looked at Zhou Xuanyu, her eyes glistening with tears.
"What am I supposed to do? Didn't you say you wouldn't let me marry Shen Yunchong? Fine, I won't marry him. But after you are wrongfully imprisoned, what am I supposed to do?"
The tears in her eyes made his brow furrow. Yet, her words of "I won't marry him" eased his heart.
"I’m sorry for what I've done to you."
"It’s not that you’ve wronged me. It’s that you simply don’t love me enough. Zhou Xuanyu, if you continue to be so cruel to yourself, I won’t forgive you."
Zhou Xuanyu was speechless. Even though he had many things he wanted to say to her, when he opened his mouth, no words came out.
"I'm sorry."
"Even if I won’t forgive you, you still choose to take the blame for your brother, don’t you?"
"For whom am I taking the blame?" The door to the visiting room was suddenly pushed open.
Zhou Ziyan stood at the entrance, followed by a man dressed like a lawyer.
"Junxi, who do you think my uncle is taking the blame for?" Zhou Ziyan glanced at Junxi and then at Zhou Xuanyu.
Junxi was taken aback by Zhou Ziyan's sudden appearance. After a moment of panic, she instinctively glanced at Zhou Xuanyu, who subtly shook his head at her.
She understood what Zhou Xuanyu meant and remained silent.
"I asked you a question!" Zhou Ziyan exclaimed, his excitement palpable. "I heard everything just now. Uncle is doing this for my dad..."
"Zhou Ziyan," Zhou Xuanyu interrupted coldly, "do you even realize where you are? You and Junxi should leave. I'm tired."
Junxi stood up.
Zhou Ziyan remained stubbornly at the door, while Junxi squeezed his sleeve gently.
"Zhou Ziyan," Zhou Xuanyu suddenly called him back. "You don't need to find me a lawyer. I have no intention of defending myself in this matter."
"Uncle, you..."
"Just go!"
Zhou Xuanyu firmly ushered them out, forcing the visit to an early end.
Junxi walked ahead while Zhou Ziyan hurried to catch up.
"Junxi, since Uncle won't explain, you have to tell me what's really going on," Zhou Ziyan said, gripping Junxi's arm with a seriousness she had never seen before.
Junxi realized that there was no way to keep this from him any longer. Besides, Zhou Ziyan was half involved in this situation; he had the right to know the truth.
"Let's talk somewhere else," Junxi suggested, glancing at the reporters lingering by the entrance. "This isn't a good place."
Zhou Ziyan nodded. He instructed his lawyer to step outside first, successfully diverting the reporters' attention before quietly leaving with Junxi.
His car was parked nearby. Once inside, Zhou Ziyan drove swiftly until they reached a deserted area on the outskirts, where he finally came to a stop.
"Can I speak now?" Zhou Ziyan parked the car, pulled up the handbrake, and turned in the driver's seat to look at Junxi. "Did you just say that my uncle took the blame for my dad? Is that true?"
"Yes."
"So five years ago, it was my dad who framed your parents and sent them to prison?"
"Zhou Ziyan..."
"Just tell me if it's true or not." Zhou Ziyan's face was ashen.
Junxi hesitated for a moment. She knew that this truth would be somewhat cruel for Zhou Ziyan, who was completely unaware, but she nodded nonetheless.
"It is."
Zhou Ziyan's gaze suddenly turned icy, and he slammed his fist onto the steering wheel. The pain in his knuckles surged to his chest, making him unable to look at Junxi any longer.
All these years, although he had harbored resentment towards his father, Zhou Xuan Yong, he had never imagined that his father could be such a terrifying person.
Five years of imprisonment, the decline of a family, and all the hardships Junxi had endured along the way... it all turned out to be connected to his father.
"Junxi, I'm sorry..." Zhou Ziyan lowered his head. The series of revelations left him feeling utterly defeated.
Junxi shook her head.
"This isn't your fault."
Although she knew that when she learned the truth, she had indeed been blinded by hatred and wanted to sever ties with everyone from the Zhou family, it was still unfair for those caught in the crossfire.
The matter concerning Zhou Xuanyu made her suddenly realize that one person should take responsibility for their mistakes, and she shouldn't blame everyone around. Moreover, everything that had happened recently made her understand that no matter what, she couldn't let go of her feelings for Zhou Xuanyu and Zhou Ziyan.
"I won't stand by and do nothing about this. Whoever is at fault must bear the consequences. I can't allow my uncle to do something so foolish."
"Are you going to prioritize justice over family?"
"Right now, they are all my family. I just don't want innocent people to suffer any more injustice."
Zhou Ziyan initially wanted to rush to the hospital to confront her father, but she was stopped by Junxi. Their immediate priority was to find evidence of Zhou Xuan Yong's wrongdoing.
Junxi knew that Zhou Xuanyu must have enough evidence in his possession, but since he was determined to take the blame, he wouldn't let them discover it.
"Do you know who my uncle commissioned to investigate the evidence?" Zhou Ziyan asked.
Junxi suddenly recalled a message he had seen on Zhou Xuanyu's phone from Mr. Wang.
Mr. Wang had said, "There has been new progress in Wen Wei's case; let's discuss it in person."
That must be him.
"It's a man with the surname Wang. But I don't know who he is."
"There are many people with the surname Wang. Your description is too vague; it's hard to find."
"But I don't know; there is definitely someone who knows." Junxi looked at Zhou Ziyan. "But this person won't listen to me; she might only listen to you."
"Who?"
"Galen."
As Galen's assistant, Zhou Xuanyu had arranged many of his schedules. While he might not know everyone she had met, he certainly had a good idea in his mind.
However, given the current chaotic situation and the fact that Junxi had left Hengfu Group long ago, Galen would definitely not meet her.
"Then I'll ask Manager Gao."
"You can't ask directly. Galen has been with your father for over ten years; if she is loyal to her old master, she won't be open with you."
"What should I do then?"
"I don't know. You'll have to rely on your ability to adapt to the situation. If she truly doesn't want to speak, you shouldn't force her. We will find other ways to approach this."
"Do you think Manager Gao, having been with my dad for so many years, might know everything that happened back then?"
"Possibly. If she does know, she certainly won't help you. Just go and try. I need to return to Yilan for a couple of days." Junxi changed the subject.
"Going back to see Grandma?"
"No. I need to find someone."
The person Junxi referred to was her father's former assistant, Li Mu.
When she first encountered Li Mu in Yilan, she had already suspected something from the way he avoided her gaze. Now that things had developed to this point, connecting the dots from previous events, she was almost certain that Li Mu was involved in this matter.
Li Mu claimed that he did not live in Yilan, but whether that was true or not remained uncertain. Therefore, returning to Yilan to find Li Mu felt like searching for a needle in a haystack, much like Zhou Ziyan's quest to find Galen; it might not yield any results.
After discussing their plans, Junxi and Zhou Ziyan packed their things and prepared to set off for Yilan.
Before heading to Yilan, Junxi contacted Shen Yunchong.
She had made up her mind; she could not marry Shen Yunchong. Although this decision seemed contradictory, she decided to clarify things with him before leaving.
Shen Yunchong also seemed to have something to say to Junxi, as he specifically invited her to meet at the Shen Residence.
On the day Junxi went to the Shen Residence for dinner, Minya was not there; she had gone out for class and would return later.
That was just as well; Junxi was unsure how to face Minya anyway.
When Junxi entered, Shen Yunchong was sitting in the living room, casually lounging on the sofa with a table full of fresh flowers in front of him.
"Mr. Shen."
Junxi called out to him as she stood beside him.
"Oh, you’re here," he said, seemingly lost in thought and unaware of her arrival.
Junxi smiled at him, and he gestured toward the sofa. "Please, have a seat."
She walked over and sat down across from him. The air was filled with the fragrance of flowers, and she felt inexplicably more relaxed.
“Mr. Shen. I came to find you because I have something to say.”
Shen Yunchong nodded; he could guess what she was about to say. Ever since she had run away at the airport, he had been waiting for this moment.
“I’m sorry,” Junxi said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“What are you sorry for?”
“I can’t keep my promise to marry you,” Junxi looked up at Shen Yunchong.
Shen Yunchong didn’t respond, but he didn’t show much disappointment either.
Taking a deep breath, Junxi continued, “I’m really grateful that you extended a helping hand when I was at my lowest…”
“No need to mention it; after all, my help could be seen as opportunistic,” Shen Yunchong interrupted lightly.
“No. Regardless, I should thank you. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t know how to take care of my brother. You not only covered his medical expenses but also took Minya to see him every day—opportunism doesn’t require such thoroughness.”
Shen Yunchong raised an eyebrow. “It was Minya who wanted to see him.”
Junxi smiled. “Mr. Shen, why not give yourself a little credit? I know that although you helped me under the guise of a transaction, you are definitely a kind-hearted person. Minya is so well-behaved all because of your good teaching.”
Shen Yunchong remained silent, casually picking up an unknown flower and lightly sniffing it.
“Mr. Shen has done me a favor, yet I ended up going back on my word at the last moment; that’s my fault,” Junxi said sincerely.
She truly felt remorseful towards Shen Yunchong. Although their time together had been short, Junxi could sense the loyalty and warmth in this man.
Apart from his love for Minya, his care for Jun Xuan, and his honesty towards her, what stood out the most was his clear sense of right and wrong. Even with Zhou Xuanyu, who had never been friendly towards him, he was still willing to extend a helping hand generously.
Shen Yunchong lowered his head, playing with the flower in his hand, revealing no emotion.
"I hope Mr. Shen can accept my apology. I will gradually repay Jun Xuan's medical expenses. As for Minya, whether I marry you or not, I will always treat her as my own daughter."
Shen Yunchong curled his lips slightly.
Junxi saw this and quickly added, "I am serious."
"I know. Even when you agreed to marry me, I never doubted your love for Minya."
"Mr. Shen..." Junxi was somewhat moved.
"You don't need to apologize. Since this is a transaction, everyone has the right to call it off. Moreover, the one wanting to call it off is not just you."
Junxi was taken aback.
"Mr. Shen, what do you mean?"
"What I mean is that even if you hadn't said these words to me today, I would still cancel our engagement."
"Why?"
"This is Minya's wish. Of course, I share the same sentiment as Minya."
"Minya's wish?" Junxi was astonished.
“Although Minya longs for a mother like you, someone who can care for her and accompany her at all times, she is a kind-hearted child. She doesn’t want to make you sad for her own selfish desires.”
“It must be that I didn’t perform well before, and she sensed something was off.”
“You’ve done very well. It’s just that some emotions are etched into your bones, and no matter how much you try to hide them, you can’t. And the child, her gaze is too pure; she sees everything.”
“Then now it’s me who has made her sad because of my own selfish desires.” Junxi lowered her head, feeling full of guilt towards Minya.
“Minya will be fine.” Shen Yunchong said this, unsure if he was comforting Junxi or himself.
Junxi felt so guilty that she couldn’t find the words to speak.
“It’s my lack of consideration. I thought that finding someone who loves Minya would mean giving her a complete home. But the best love in the world isn’t like that.”
The best love in the world is when a father loves a mother, and a mother loves a father, and both parents love her together. So, he should help Minya find her mother back.
“Although our engagement has been dissolved, don’t worry. I won’t neglect your brother’s illness. And regarding Mr. Zhou, if there’s anything you need help with, I will do my utmost to assist you.”
“Mr. Shen…” Junxi’s tears welled up in her eyes, unable to express her gratitude.
“After going through so much, even if we can’t be husband and wife, we can still consider ourselves friends. Just because you say you will always love Minya, I should treat you like family.”
Tears streamed down Junxi’s face; Shen Yunchong’s demeanor and kindness renewed her faith in this world. She hadn’t expected that due to her impulsive decision, she could gain such an extraordinary “relationship.”
“Alright, stop crying. If Minya comes back and sees this, she might think I’m bullying you.” Shen Yunchong casually handed her a tissue.
Junxi quickly took it and wiped away her tears.
"Anyway, thank you."
Shen Yunchong waved his hand. "If you really want to thank me, why not help me think of how to use these flowers to decorate my dull house?"
Junxi carefully examined the flowers in front of her. The variety was abundant, and the colors were diverse, creating a tapestry-like display on the coffee table.
"I remember you said you didn't like flowers."
Shen Yunchong placed the small flower he was holding back into the bouquet and smiled gently.
"But the person who loves flowers, she's coming back."
?
Yilan wasn't too big, but it wasn't small either. Junxi had spent two days searching for clues but had found none.
Grandma knew nothing; when Junxi mentioned she was back for work, Grandma believed her without question.
After two fruitless days, Junxi felt a bit disheartened. Could it be that Li Mu wasn't lying? Was he really just visiting Yilan for family reasons?
"Junxi, have you run into some trouble?" Grandma asked as she sat on a small stool in the yard, shelling soybeans while watching her. "If you're having difficulties, why not go find County Chief Bai? Ever since Xuan Yu asked him to take good care of me, he's been genuinely devoted to looking after me!"
"Oh? How has he been taking care of you?"
"He often comes to see me and always remembers to save a portion of any new treats he gets at home. A while ago, I caught a bad cold, and it was County Chief Bai who arranged for a doctor to come see me." The old lady paused as if recalling something. "Oh right, there's also that pile of supplements inside; they must have been sent by County Chief Bai too. They were right at our doorstep when I opened the door the other day... But it's strange; County Chief Bai wouldn't just leave such valuable items at the door without even telling me. If you go find him today, take those things back to him. Compared to food, those are far too precious for me to accept."
Junxi glanced around.
The room was indeed filled with a lot of supplements. Just a quick glance revealed enough for the old lady to last a year.
Unexpectedly, Bai Zigou was so obedient to Zhou Xuanyu.
Junxi had no choice; after thinking it over, she decided to seek Bai Zigou's help. After all, he was the head of the county, and finding someone would be much easier for him than for her.
Bai Zigou was quite straightforward. He promised Junxi that as long as he was in Yilan, he would definitely provide results within two days.
Junxi expressed her gratitude and also returned the supplements from her grandmother's house to Bai Zigou.
Bai Zigou felt a bit embarrassed. "Miss Wen, please don’t put me in such a difficult position. If Mr. Zhou finds out that I helped you and accepted such valuable items from you, how will I explain that?"
"Aren't these things gifts you sent to my grandmother?"
Bai Zigou looked surprised. "I have never sent anything to the old lady's house!"
His sincere reaction didn’t seem like a deliberate lie.
Now it was Junxi's turn to be puzzled. Who had left these valuable supplements at her grandmother's doorstep?
Before she could figure this out, Bai Zigou had already found Li Mu. His efficiency truly impressed Junxi.
When Li Mu saw Junxi, he immediately guessed why she had come to find him.
Since Wang Tianhai had approached him, many people had been looking for him lately. This made him acutely aware that his past actions were about to come to light.
"Uncle Li, I thought you really didn't live in Yilan," Junxi coldly exposed the lie beneath.
Li Mu wore a face full of regret.
"Miss, it's my fault. I shouldn't have lied to you."
"You've deceived me in more ways than one. I think you know why I'm here to find you."
Li Mu nodded.
"I know, and I don't intend to hide anything anymore. For these years, I've lived in fear, burdened by the guilt towards Director Wen and your family. Every day has been painful. I feared encountering old acquaintances and dared not reveal my whereabouts. Yet, I still want to stay in Yilan. Because I want to look after Director Wen's elderly mother. Only by doing this can I alleviate some of my sins."
Junxi realized, "So it was you who left the supplements at my grandmother's door?"
"Yes, it was me. I received those supplements recently, and I couldn't bear to eat them, so I thought to give them to the old lady." As Li Mu spoke, tears welled up in his eyes. "It's all because of my wavering stance that the old lady has had to endure such hardship in her later years."
Junxi was speechless.
Uncle Li had once been a person of deep feelings; it was hard to understand why he had been led astray and committed such heinous acts.
Li Mu recalled the events of that year with lingering fear.
On a rainy night five years ago, his son was arrested for drunk driving after hitting someone and fleeing the scene. He faced the grim news of his son's impending detention while also having to bear the high medical expenses of the injured party.
Zhou Xuan Yong seized the opportunity, wanting to pull him into his scheme. In desperation to save his son and for the sake of his family, he agreed to that devil's deal with Zhou Xuan Yong.
Later, he abused his position and conspired with Zhou Xuan Yong to frame Wen Wei, creating the sensational Corruption Case at that time.
After Wen Wei and Yang Tingfang were imprisoned, Zhou Xuan Yong fulfilled his promise by getting Li Mu's son out of jail and also provided him with a substantial sum for retirement. Their family left Qingcheng; although their lives became affluent, Li Mu's heart felt shackled from that moment on, each day heavy with burden.
He said that by now, his wife and son still did not know about the things he had done. Looking at the satisfied and happy faces of his wife and son every day, he often thought of Junxi and Jun Xuan, the siblings.
That pair of siblings, who should have lived without worries, had suddenly fallen from Yaochi into Purgatory, and he didn't even know how they managed to survive.
"The ones I feel most sorry for are you two kids," Li Mu said as he looked at Junxi, tears of regret falling from his eyes. "Now, as long as I can make amends for my mistakes, I'm willing to do anything. I should also lighten my own sins a bit and accumulate some virtue for the child in my daughter-in-law's womb."
"Thank you, Uncle Li."
"Miss, please don't say that. If it weren't for my mistakes, Director Wen and his wife wouldn't have suffered unjustly for so many years."
Junxi pressed her lips together.
Li Mu was indeed at fault. But living poorly these years was the greatest punishment for him. Compared to Zhou Xuan Yong, who had lived a glamorous life for five years without any sense of guilt, at least Li Mu's heart had not rotted; his conscience was still intact.
?
Galen knocked on the hospital room door.
There was no response from inside, so she pushed the door open.
Zhou Xuan Yong was not in bed; his wheelchair had been pushed to the window by someone. He was sitting by the window, watching the bustling scene below in the hospital.
"What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you not to come for a while?" Zhou Xuan Yong's tone was not pleasant.
"I was worried about you, so I came to check on you," Galen said as she locked the door behind her.
"I'm not going to die anytime soon."
"Don't say that," Galen said as she walked over and pressed her hand on Zhou Xuan Yong's shoulder. "Please, don't say that."
Zhou Xuan Yong glanced at her and saw the tears in her eyes; he sighed softly.
"What’s the situation outside? How is Xuan Yu?"
"After he turned himself in, he refused to see anyone and didn't hire a lawyer. It seems he's determined to take the blame for you."
"Take the blame for me?" Zhou Xuan Yong pushed a glass off the windowsill. "That fool is clearly trying to harm me! Everything was fine, and then he goes and pulls this stunt. Now all the attention is on him, which means all the attention is on Zhou Group, on me!"
"He's doing it for you..."
"He's doing it for that little girl from the Wen Family!"
"Regardless, at least he hasn't wronged you," Galen said softly in defense of Zhou Xuanyu.
Zhou Xuan Yong was too angry to hear her words. He brushed Galen's hand away and took a deep breath.
"I heard Zhou Ziyan is back?" He changed the subject.
Galen nodded.
"This kid, why does he choose to come back now of all times? What’s he trying to stir up?" Zhou Xuan Yong said irritably.
"Speaking of Zhou Ziyan, he's also started getting involved in this matter."
"What did you say!" Zhou Xuan Yong exclaimed in shock.
"Zhou Ziyan came to see me a couple of days ago, and he was subtly probing me about things from back then..."
"You told him?"
"Of course not."
However, Zhou Ziyan returned empty-handed, looking quite furious.
This matter probably wouldn't stay hidden from him for much longer.
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