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墨書 Inktalez
In the early morning, Qiao Nuo woke up early. She had been sleeping lightly these days, or rather, she was suffering from insomnia. Last night, she had intended to spend some time alone to adjust herself, but unexpectedly, Jin Chengyan had brought Chu Yuxiu along.
As she got up and prepared breakfast in the kitchen, even if she didn’t want to help Jin Chengyan, she felt obligated to prepare something for Chu Yuxiu!
In truth, she really liked children. Just look at how adorable Chu Yuxiu was! Although sometimes mischievous, at other times, she acted like a little adult.
If only she could have a child like that herself; her life would be so much more interesting!
“Puff puff puff…” The porridge in the pot bubbled over, snapping Qiao Nuo out of her reverie. She quickly lifted the lid and turned down the heat.
What was she thinking?
Having a child with Jin Chengyan? Don’t be ridiculous! Jin Chengyan was a man who could indulge in physical pleasures with her while simultaneously engaging in a spiritual romance with Ruan Shengyu. If she were to have a child with him, that poor kid would be so wronged!
Qiao Nuo would never allow her child to live such a life!
“Creak—” The sound of the front door opening echoed from the entrance.
Qiao Nuo glanced into the living room and saw Jin Chengyan uncomfortably sleeping on Qiao Chen’s bed. Chu Yuxiu was also in the room. Who could it be at this hour?
Before she could ponder further, the front door swung open.
“Hey, sis? Is that you?” Qiao Chen exclaimed as he opened the door and noticed the kitchen light on. He immediately looked over and spotted his sister.
Then he glanced into the living room and saw Jin Chengyan curled up on his bed!
“What’s this person doing here?” Qiao Chen frowned upon seeing Jin Chengyan asleep on his bed. Of course, his deeper resentment stemmed from not liking Jin Chengyan at all.
First came the sounds of clattering from the kitchen, then the creaking of doors opening and closing, followed by Qiao Chen’s displeased voice. All these noises combined with the stark contrast between his modest bed and Jin Chengyan's luxurious one at Jin Mansion finally stirred Jin Chengyan awake.
He rubbed his shoulders and looked at Qiao Chen. “You’re back from school at this hour?”
“Yeah, what about you? You’re back from school too?” Qiao Nuo asked as she checked the time. It was just past seven; Qiao Chen should have been preparing for class at school. How could he be back already?
Qiao Chen put down her backpack. "I need to fill out some forms. I'll go back to get my ID and household registration book."
"Oh..." Qiao Nuo nodded. "Can it wait a bit?" She thought about using Qiao Chen's documents for something today, and if Qiao Chen took them away, it would delay things.
"It can't wait. I need it urgently; otherwise, I wouldn't have come back this morning. Do you need it too?" Qiao Chen asked.
"No, no..." Qiao Nuo quickly covered up. "Have you had breakfast yet?"
"Not yet, but I probably won't have time now. I need to hurry back for class; the teacher is handing out the final exam papers, so I must go." Qiao Chen walked over to her locker, opened it, and looked for her ID but couldn't find it. "Sister, have you seen my ID? And the household registration book?"
Qiao Nuo remembered she had taken them out yesterday and washed her hands. "It's damp outside, so I put them away for you. I'll get them right now."
As she reached for a paper towel to dry her hands, she accidentally grabbed a rag instead and ended up smearing oil all over her hands.
This action caught the attention of Jin Chengyan and Qiao Chen.
Could it be that she woke up too early this morning and hasn't fully come to her senses?
Jin Chengyan watched as Qiao Nuo entered the room, feeling that she seemed a bit dazed.
Qiao Chen looked at Jin Chengyan, who was half-sitting on his bed, and couldn't help but say, "Brother-in-law, why aren't you up yet at this hour?"
Hearing Qiao Chen call him "Brother-in-law" brought a satisfied smile to Jin Chengyan's face, even though he sounded somewhat reluctant.
Inside the room, Qiao Nuo took out the household registration book and Qiao Chen's ID from the document bag. Inside were also their passports.
She let out a sigh of relief, sealed the document bag, and placed it back in the drawer.
As she turned around, she saw Jin Chengyan leaning against the doorframe, looking at her with a meaningful expression.
Not sure if it was nervousness or something else, Qiao Nuo instinctively moved closer to the drawer, blocking it with her body.
He shouldn't notice anything, right?
"I just came in to see if Chu Yuxiu is awake," Jin Chengyan said, his gaze shifting from Qiao Nuo to the bed where Chu Yuxiu was still sleeping soundly like a little pig.
Qiao Nuo responded with an "oh," and suggested, "Let's step outside and let him sleep well." She walked over first and closed the door behind her.
As she brushed past Jin Chengyan, he caught her wrist.
The heat radiating from him made Qiao Nuo instinctively want to pull her hand back, but Jin Chengyan wasn't about to let her withdraw so easily.
"Qiao Nuo, did I do something to upset you?" Just a couple of days ago, everything was fine. There were minor irritations, but they were within Jin Chengyan's understanding. However, since last night, Qiao Nuo had been acting unusually excessive, which made him anxious.
Qiao Nuo looked up and smiled sweetly, "How could that be? You could never do anything to make me unhappy!"
You just did something that made me lose hope.
"Don't overthink it; every woman has those few days each month when she can't think rationally! After all, women are the only creatures on this planet that bleed for four or five days every month and still survive." Her words inexplicably sent a chill down Jin Chengyan's spine.
Indeed, women are the most incomprehensible and terrifying beings in this world!
Thus, when a woman is deeply in love, a man should know to tread carefully.
She gently pulled her hand from Jin Chengyan's grasp, and he didn't stop her again as he watched her walk away.
"Here you go. I'll come by your school tomorrow to pick it up," Qiao Nuo said softly. "Stay for breakfast; don’t rush back to school. It’s so cold outside."
"Okay," Qiao Chen replied.
Since Qiao Chen had arrived, Qiao Nuo served him breakfast first and also prepared a portion for Jin Chengyan. Once he finished washing up and came out, he automatically sat beside Qiao Nuo, feeling satisfied—though slightly dissatisfied—as he ate his breakfast.
Because Qiao Chen had eggs while all he had in front of him was a bowl of plain porridge.
“I want to eat a fried egg too…” Jin Chengyan scooped the porridge in his bowl with a spoon. In truth, he didn’t really want a fried egg; he just wanted Qiao Nuo to treat him fairly.
“There are no eggs left,” Qiao Nuo replied succinctly.
Jin Chengyan turned to look at the kitchen, where there were clearly two eggs still sitting on the counter!
“But there are still…”
“Those are for Chu Yuxiu!”
“Who is Chu Yuxiu?” Qiao Chen asked, happily enjoying the fried egg his sister had prepared for him.
“My nephew,” Jin Chengyan said somewhat resentfully, his eyes fixed on the fried egg in front of Qiao Chen.
“Oh…” Qiao Chen took a big bite of the fried egg, savoring it with delight. “Sister, what university do you think I should apply to? The teacher said I need to prepare early, so I’m asking for your opinion. I scored second in the grade on the final exam. I think I should have been first, but the Language teacher in our grade unanimously believes my essay shouldn’t have received full marks.”
Qiao Chen was indeed studying diligently, and with his natural talent, standing out in that school was almost effortless.
He had originally planned to show his report card to his sister during the break, but unexpectedly ran into her today and wanted to share this good news quickly.
However, his sister didn’t seem to react much.
“Sister…” Qiao Chen called out to Qiao Nuo, noticing she was lost in thought. “Sister!”
“Huh?” Qiao Nuo snapped back to reality. “What’s wrong?”
“Qiao Chen is asking you which university he should apply to,” Jin Chengyan reminded Qiao Nuo. “But I think, Qiao Chen, you should decide which university to attend yourself. Don’t ask your sister about everything; she has many things to worry about too. You’re eighteen now; it’s time you learn to make your own decisions.”
“My sister hasn’t said anything yet; who are you to say that?” Qiao Chen retorted unhappily.
“When I was your age, I was already earning money,” Jin Chengyan said calmly.
Qiao Nuo felt a slight headache; how could it be that these two would inevitably start arguing within three sentences of meeting?
“Alright, can you both say one less thing?” Qiao Nuo said softly.
Jin Chengyan replied, “Oh…”
Qiao Chen echoed, “Oh…”
Jin Chengyan thought to himself that Qiao Nuo was acting a bit strange today! So he could only lower his head and sip his porridge. Even without an egg, he had to swallow his frustration.
“Qiao Chen, as for your aspirations, just fill in what you like. I can’t make decisions for your life; I hope you can do things you enjoy.”
In truth, Qiao Chen wanted to say that not studying was what he truly enjoyed. However, since his sister had insisted from the beginning that she hoped he would get into college, he knew that saying otherwise would surely earn him a beating. So he kept silent.
“Thank you, sis.”
Later, Qiao Chen took a taxi to school by himself. By the time Chu Yuxiu woke up and helped him wash up and have breakfast, Jin Chengyan had already taken him to the Chu Family.
…
Jin Zhongshu had undergone surgery and was recovering well, but needed to rest quietly. After spending a few days in the hospital, he returned to the Jin Family Mansion and declined all visits from outsiders.
Even members of the Jin Family rarely got to see Jin Zhongshu.
Qiao Nuo knew that Jin Chengyan was very busy—busy with his open and covert battles against Yan Beiting, busy navigating relationships, busy figuring out how to paint perfect colors on his hypocritical facade.
Seeing that it was about time and everything was prepared, while Jin Chengyan and Yan Beiting were locked in their deadly struggle, she decided it was time for her to do her own thing.
She wrote her name on the statement and handed it to Xiao Yuanshan.
Xiao Yuanshan closed the document. “I’ve obtained the arrest warrant; we can go apprehend them shortly. Once we start making arrests, what follows will be beyond my control. I hope you can hold up.”
“Thank you.” Besides expressing her gratitude, Qiao Nuo didn't know what else to say.
Jin Chengyan chose to protect a criminal instead of helping her, leaving her no choice but to seek out those who desired a fair trial. She refused to believe that everyone was afraid under the weight of power; otherwise, where would justice come from?
“It’s part of my duty.” Perhaps there was a hint of personal interest as well.
Xiao Yuanshan emerged from the conference room, calling a few trusted aides before driving straight out of the police station.
He had been conducting this matter in secret to prevent any interested parties from discovering it and leaking information. Whether it was Jin Chengyan's side or Liu Mingzhang's, if anyone found out about this, it would complicate his efforts.
Three police cars were stationed outside Jiang Bian Villa, each on high alert, officers donned in bulletproof vests and armed with handguns.
Xiao Yuanshan pressed the doorbell, and it wasn't long before someone answered the door.
“Miss Ruan Shengyu, we are from the Municipal Public Security Bureau. We suspect you are related to a kidnapping case. Please open the door immediately to assist us in our investigation. Here is the arrest warrant!” Xiao Yuanshan held up the warrant in front of the surveillance camera for those inside to see clearly.
With a click, the door swung open, and the person inside seemed to hesitate for only a moment.
Xiao Yuanshan remained cautious, suspecting there might be an ambush inside, and carefully stepped in with his team.
However, the interior was empty except for Ruan Shengyu herself. She stood there in a white nightgown, her hair cascading down without any makeup, quietly waiting.
The officers recognized Ruan Shengyu as a goddess; seeing her like this truly made her seem like an immortal descended to earth!
Yet professionalism kicked in quickly as they confirmed there were no other dangers within the villa.
Xiao Yuanshan signaled for his team to relax slightly while he held a pair of handcuffs in his hand.
He noticed that Ruan Shengyu's phone was open to her contacts page; she had just made a call—looking for help?
Now, she could only seek rescue.
“Is it really necessary to put handcuffs on me, considering we’re friends?” Ruan Shengyu said, looking at Xiao Yuanshan with a calm expression.
“Sorry, it’s my duty,” Xiao Yuanshan replied as she instructed her team to bring Ruan Shengyu a coat, which she put on before unceremoniously cuffing her hands.
The ease with which they apprehended her made Xiao Yuanshan feel that things might not be as straightforward as they seemed.
Thus, when she encountered Jin Chengyan at the police station entrance, it felt like the situation was finally taking a turn for the expected.
Jin Chengyan had received a call from Ruan Shengyu, informing him that Xiao Yuanshan had arrived at Jiang Bian Villa with an arrest warrant. That villa was well-hidden, and it was unlikely for anyone to find it easily.
Yet, somehow, Xiao Yuanshan had managed to locate it.
Now was not an ideal time; he had just distanced Ruan Shengyu from Liu Mingzhang. If Ruan Shengyu were to be arrested now, Liu Mingzhang would undoubtedly come to her aid.
Moreover, the fact that Xiao Yuanshan had obtained an arrest warrant without Jin Chengyan hearing a whisper about it left him stunned as he watched Ruan Shengyu’s hands being cuffed right before his eyes.
Outside the City Police Department, numerous officers were waiting. It seemed Xiao Yuanshan was deliberately making a spectacle of this; with so many reporters outside and Jin Chengyan’s car also present at the station, it was shaping up to be quite a show.
“There are so many people outside. Let’s go inside after we get out of the car,” Xiao Yuanshan casually remarked as she unbuckled her seatbelt.
Ruan Shengyu hadn’t realized there were so many reporters outside. Hearing Xiao Yuanshan’s words made her heart sink; this must have all been prearranged!
“Should we put a hood over the suspect’s head?” one of the officers asked, showing some concern for Ruan Shengyu.
“Absolutely! Of course we should! Suspects have rights too!” Xiao Yuanshan replied, her mood inexplicably good.
Then, Ruan Shengyu was fitted with a black hood as they all stepped out of the vehicle.
The reporters had already surrounded their car and began snapping photos of Ruan Shengyu, who was obscured by the black hood. Unfortunately, they couldn’t capture her face, which left them somewhat disappointed.
“Officer Xiao, do you have evidence for bringing Miss Ruan in? Are you able to charge her with murder?” one reporter shouted.
“Why has the case dragged on until now before the suspect was brought back? Is someone obstructing this?”
…
One question after another was thrown at Xiao Yuanshan, but the only response he could offer was a curt “No comment.”
Then, they led Ruan Shengyu inside.
It was unclear whether it was due to the crowd or their lack of willingness to protect Ruan Shengyu, but her hood was pulled off during the commotion.
The flashbulbs popped incessantly, capturing Ruan Shengyu’s unadorned yet somewhat haggard face as it was thrust into the spotlight!
Ruan Shengyu raised her hand to shield her eyes. It had been a long time since she had been under such bright lights, and she was somewhat unaccustomed to it. However, in this situation, she couldn’t afford to act like a diva and walk away.
Now, she was a handcuffed suspect!
Once they had taken enough photos, Xiao Yuanshan symbolically attempted to shield the suspect by putting the hood back on her and leading her further inside.
The main door kept the reporters outside.
However, those inside were no easier to deal with than the reporters outside.
This time, Jin Chengyan did not bring along the Jin Family’s bodyguards; instead, he was flanked by the elite members of the Jin Group’s legal department.
While the reporters outside were still frantically snapping pictures, Jin Chengyan naturally wanted to avoid being caught in such a situation and had no choice but to enter alongside Xiao Yuanshan.
Once inside, Jin Chengyan couldn’t act recklessly. He looked at Ruan Shengyu; she appeared frightened, helpless, and somewhat… disillusioned, with a hint of reproach in her gaze.
Earlier on the phone, she had said: “You promised you would protect me. Is this how you protect me?”
“Xiao Yuanshan…”
“Jin Chengyan, we have an arrest warrant, and since this involves murder, bail cannot be granted,” Xiao Yuanshan spoke first, cutting off Jin Chengyan.
Jin Chengyan truly despised Xiao Yuanshan. They were clearly related by blood through A Shan, so why was A Shan so likable while Xiao Yuanshan was just insufferable?
Could it be because he had always been hanging around Yan Beiting?
“Xiao Police Officer, we are Miss Ruan's lawyers. Miss Ruan has the right to deny the charges against her. If bail cannot be arranged, she still has the right to meet with her legal representatives, and you cannot obstruct that,” one of the lawyers said, exuding an intimidating presence.
“I’m not stopping Ruan Shengyu from finding a lawyer. Since I entered her home, every moment has been recorded by cameras to prevent you legal loophole exploiters from finding any traces,” Xiao Yuanshan replied, patting his chest, clearly recalling past experiences where he had suffered losses.
“Xiao Yuanshan, you will pay for what you’ve done today,” Jin Chengyan said in a calm voice.
“Are you threatening me? I, Xiao Yuanshan, have never been afraid of anything in my life,” Xiao Yuanshan retorted nonchalantly. “But tell me, do you really think Ruan Shengyu is worth everything compared to Qiao Nuo?”
At the mention of Qiao Nuo’s name, Jin Chengyan froze.
Before he could utter another word, a woman descended from upstairs.
Qiao Nuo.
Jin Chengyan watched as Qiao Nuo walked down the stairs step by step. Why was she here? How could she be here?
Ruan Shengyu also looked at Qiao Nuo, her expression complex but unmistakably hostile.
“I didn’t expect you would gather the entire Jin legal team just to exonerate Ruan Shengyu,” Qiao Nuo said as she stood before Jin Chengyan, smiling tragically.
“Qiao Nuo, don’t tell me this is all your idea,” Jin Chengyan felt a chill run down his spine.
He hadn’t realized at all that she had been doing all this while acting as if everything were normal; she had hidden so much from him.
She collaborated with Xiao Yuanshan and ultimately captured Ruan Shengyu! There was no discussion with him at all!
Qiao Nuo glanced at Jin Chengyan, then turned to Xiao Yuanshan and said, “Xiao Police Officer, if there’s anything unclear in my statement, feel free to contact me. I’m available at any time.”
Jin Chengyan grabbed Qiao Nuo's arm and pulled her back to his side. “Qiao Nuo, do you even realize what you’re doing?”
His grip was strong; even through thick clothing, she could feel it.
But why was he so angry?
“I’m just doing what I need to do!” Qiao Nuo replied.
“Mr. Jin, don’t forget this is the police station. If you have any excessive behavior towards Miss Qiao, we can detain you for more than seven days but less than fifteen!” Xiao Yuanshan said calmly.
Jin Chengyan felt completely thrown off balance; everything was in disarray!
He turned to his legal team and said, “You stay here and handle Ruan Shengyu’s situation!” Then he turned back to Qiao Nuo. “You’re coming with me!”
With that, he yanked Qiao Nuo along as he attempted to leave.
Xiao Yuanshan knew when to stop; he couldn’t hold back Jin Chengyan, especially since Qiao Nuo was his wife. Leaving Ruan Shengyu behind while taking Qiao Nuo away seemed like a significant blow to Ruan Shengyu as well!
Xiao Yuanshan clapped his hands and said, “Alright, we have things to do now!” He looked at the team of at least ten lawyers sent by Jin and felt that before the court session even began, they would have to engage in a battle of wits!
Once outside the police station, Jin Chengyan shoved Qiao Nuo into the car and started the engine, speeding away.
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