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Li Xichun’s gaze finally settled on Mr. Li, who, at least for the time being, had not fully immersed himself in the atmosphere. Her red lips moved as she called out to her father.
She addressed her father, drawing everyone’s attention.
Li Xichun’s lips curved into a cold smile. “If there’s nothing else, shouldn’t we head back?”
She was the one who had a regular nine-to-five job.
After a night of drama, the old man Li’s face naturally didn’t look too good. He didn’t express concern about the stares directed at Qin Jin. Finally, he didn’t tear into the situation on the spot. Instead, he turned to Li Xiangfu. “Still frozen? What are you waiting for?”
Li Xiangfu seemed to understand. “I’ll stay here and talk with Mr. Qin for a while.” He sat down by the bed. As he did, he gestured for Qin Jin to join him. “He has been stimulated and needs company.”
Mr. Li pursed his lips into a straight line but refrained from rebuking. Compared to this ridiculous reason, he had experienced more outrageous things. To top it off, Qin Jin had sent a distress message to his son.
The real hammer came from Li Huichen, who looked at Li Xiangfu and said, “The car can’t accommodate so many people. I will call someone to pick you up in half an hour.”
Li Shasha, who was forced to leave the hotel without getting into the sentimental atmosphere, asked on the way to the elevator, “Isn’t Dad coming back with us?”
Li Huichen’s words were always ambiguous, and this was no exception when it came to his child. “It’s better for him to stay and gather information than for a group of people to crowd into the guest room.”
Li Shasha understood, but Auntie Zhang couldn’t comprehend.
“I’m sorry to trouble you, but you’re still following us around at night,” Li Huichen did not forget Auntie Zhang’s existence, and said, “Today is overtime, and the wages will be paid according to the triple settlement.”
Meanwhile, the guest room with only two people in it remained as quiet as ever, and this time there wasn’t even the sound of a shower.
Li Xiangfu tidied up his slightly disheveled hair and remained silent, waiting for Qin Jin to speak first. He did not believe that the other party would be so frivolous as to use the fairy jump to set up a trap in order to lure himself here. Therefore, he thought that there was an additional purpose to fulfill.
Qin Jin’s hair was still dripping water droplets, cascading along the neckline and eventually rolling into his clothes.
He didn’t realize the inadvertent charm that appeared on his person. Smoothly pulling open the curtains, he let the room ventilate, as if speaking to the infinite night outside the window: “Qin Jiayu is still alive.”
With just six words, Li Xiangfu had suspicions about this outcome, but upon hearing the confirmation, his breath involuntarily tightened. In a casual tone, Qin Jin easily repeated Qin Jiayu’s words.
“Not allowing us to meet?” Li Xiangfu found amusement in the words.
Anyone who had received nine years of compulsory education would not use such a convoluted method to achieve such a childish scheme.
“…” Li Xiangfu frowned, “After all, after tossing and turning for so long, not a single thing has been accomplished.”
Qin Jin: “This is just an excuse.”
Li Xiangfu finally reacted and raised his eyebrows. “Then what is the real purpose?”
Qin Jin: “To show some presence.”
Li Xiangfu frowned, “The way to make your presence known should be to come out in person and hang around twice.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
The color of the night suppressed a few points of mockery in Qin Jin’s eyes, but the emotion in his voice could not be suppressed. “He does not dare to see you for the time being.” The words fell out of his mouth, and he sidled over to add, “Literally.”
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Qtlif tf kjr qbcvfglcu, Hlc Alc qeiifv bea j rwjii qjqfg yju ogbw tlr mbja qbmxfa jcv tjcvfv la bnfg.
Li Xiangfu opened it, finding a picture of a baby inside.
“This is…”
“The child of Chen Ran and Shi Chen.” Qin Jin: “This child was born abroad and is currently in the care of a specialized person. Shortly before the murder, Chen Ran’s mother successfully completed immigration procedures.”
Li Xiangfu’s eyes darkened: “The formalities are not that easy to complete, and the expenses of living abroad are quite a lot.”
Qin Jin nodded: “So this is essentially a deal. Chen Ran’s side will only give the police misleading information, slowing down the case.”
Li Xiangfu stopped asking questions and stared down at the photo in deep thought. Chen Ran did not directly persecute Li Shasha and simply chose to abduct him.
In this city of surveillance, the chances of her escaping smoothly are almost non-existent.
As if thinking of something, Li Xiangfu subconsciously pursed his lips. Since it had been from the hands of the person who provided the funds, extortion wasn’t a valid reason…
Li Shasha.
His heart skipped a beat.
Could the reason for the abduction, including Qin Jiayu not daring to see herself, be related to the system?
This idea could only surface in his mind. Li Xiangfu couldn’t confirm it face-to-face with Qin Jin.
Through the reflection on the glass window, it was impossible to discern any subtle changes in the demeanor of the person behind it. Now, Li Xiangfu felt like a fish out of water, grappling with every emotion.
The first thing to do was to lay hands on some of the most popular products and services in the world, and with the help of personalized products, this could be achieved.
In less than half an hour, the pickup car had been parked outside the hotel, incessantly urging them to hurry.
Li Xiangfu stood up and looked at Qin Jin, who casually said with one hand in his pocket, “What needed to be said has already been said; go back and rest early.”
As he was about to exit the room, Qin Jin suddenly spoke, “If you have time tomorrow, you can come with me to the old mansion and take a look around.”
Li Xiangfu did not decline.
He always had more time than he could imagine.
After all was said and done, the payoff was that he was finally released from physical restraints. That night, Li Xiangfu returned home, and no one inquired about the content of his conversation with Qin Jin. On the surface, the matter seemed to be concluded, but Li Xiangfu was well aware that everyone had their own private investigative motives.
The first thing he did was remind the system about the matter of Qin Jiayu.
Li Shasha exuded a composure different from his appearance. “Qin Jiayu is like a pitiful pawn. Outsiders claim that he and Qin Jin share a deep brotherly love, and you are close friends. But in reality, it’s all an illusion, and now he can only use money to extricate himself.”
Lifting his head with a serious expression, he added, “And Dad, you have everything except money.”
Li Xiangfu narrowed his eyes. “It’s astounding that a person who seemingly disappeared has substantial money at his disposal behind the scenes.”
As if in the span of four years, Jiayu had managed to amass considerable wealth.
“Dad, don’t jump to conclusions. You are a versatile person.” After a pause, Li Shasha emphasized again, “Except for lacking money.”
“……”
Due to the two incidents, the playful child, who could have enjoyed a day off, was reluctantly sent to school.
Following the attempted abduction, Li Shasha was escorted to and from school, and the school’s internal security measures became more stringent.
After Li Xiangfu saw him off, he headed to his meeting with Qin Jin. This wasn’t his first visit to the old building, but each time, it evoked a different sensation.
The two stood side by side on the balcony, spending half the day enjoying the breeze. Li Xiangfu, hesitant to initiate the conversation each time, barely uttered a word before Qin Jin walked past him.
With a gentle twist of the key, a dusty door was opened for the first time in years. Curiously, Li Xiangfu followed.
During his prior visits, his exploration was confined to the living room and balcony; all other rooms were kept locked.
The room was small but absurdly well-organized. The most prominent feature was the bookshelf, occupying half the space, with each book meticulously arranged by size and thickness. Bottles of spray alcohol and expired hand sanitizer were neatly stored in a designated cabinet on the table.
Lifting the corner of a dust cover, Li Xiangfu noted that even the bed sheets were of a single solid color.
Anyone in this space would sense the homeowner’s obsessive-compulsive tendencies.
Qin Jin confirmed this with a simple statement: “He leads a life with a serious obsessive-compulsive disorder.”
It was quite evident who this ‘he’ referred to.
The only discordant element was the coasters on the table; their overly bright azure color clashed with the room’s dark tones. Li Xiangfu found them familiar and picked one up for closer inspection.
The logo on the lower right corner was blurred, but he discerned the words ‘Blue Sky’.
He recalled this establishment–a creative cafe in front of the high school he attended. Purchasing two cups of coffee at once earned customers a set of coasters.
The back of the coaster featured a handwritten line in ballpoint pen:
“If you are well, it is a sunny day. —Li Xiangfu gave it to me.”
“…”
Qin Jin remarked, “You gave me one too.”
As if that wasn’t embarrassing enough, Qin Jin retrieved a photo from his phone, displaying a rose-colored coaster with the inscription: “The eyes are raining for him, but the heart is holding an umbrella for you.”
“……”
Li Xiangfu’s throat tightened as he grasped a realization: “We’ve crossed paths before?”
Qin Jin smiled.
Li Xiangfu pondered for a moment: “So, I’ve overlooked both of you brothers. The treatment is quite impartial.”
This so-called equal treatment was just that.
“…”
Qin Jin expected him to delve into the topic further, but until their parting, Li Xiangfu refrained from inquiring about their shared history. Having gained insights into Qin Jiayu’s character, he was unsure of what to make of it.
After sharing lunch at a nearby restaurant, Li Xiangfu wiped his mouth and proposed, “I’m heading to the café. Would you like to join me?”
Qin Jin shook his head, “I have a meeting this afternoon.”
Li Xiangfu took the initiative to settle the bill, and the two went their separate ways at the intersection.
In the morning, Qin Jin had temporarily postponed some tasks, resulting in a packed schedule for the afternoon. During the meeting, the secretary unexpectedly knocked on the door.
The serious atmosphere in the meeting room was momentarily disrupted. Under the scrutiny of several superiors, the secretary, feeling as if his left and right feet were about to sync, believed he should inform Qin Jin promptly. Working with the boss for an extended period should involve some basic understanding.
“Li Xiangfu had an accident,” the secretary walked straight to Qin Jin, bent down, and lowered his voice: “He fell from the footbridge, suffered a brain injury, and has been transferred to a private hospital.”
The pen in Qin Jin’s hand tightened suddenly, the excessive force causing it to break. The others exchanged bewildered glances, struggling to comprehend what had transpired to elicit such emotional fluctuations from their usually composed boss.
His phone kept vibrating in his pocket. Noticing an unfamiliar number, Qin Jin answered it, striding out with purpose. He stopped in the stairwell, asking in a cold voice: “Qin Jiayu, do you want to die again?”
The other end fell silent for a moment.
A few beats later, a gentle voice responded, “Mr. Qin, it’s me.”
Qin Jin’s rarely wavering tone stuttered: “Li Xiangfu?”
“Yes, it’s me.”
Qin Jin did not expect the secretary to jest about such a serious matter and patiently awaited further explanation.
“I’m afraid you heard the news and got worried… I’m not injured; it’s just a minor scrape on the arm. In fact, I intentionally staged the fall to create a spectacle, making things bigger so that news could circulate on my second brother’s side.”
Qin Jin, accustomed to facing adversaries with ulterior motives, could usually analyze their intentions accurately. However, Li Xiangfu was clearly an exception in his life.
Rubbing his forehead, Qin Jin leaned against the staircase handrail and inquired, “Why go to such lengths?”
Li Xiangfu responded, “Before the abduction case, Qin Jiayu sent a message. The gist was that he was displaying memories between him and me, and once the entire display was complete, there would be closure.”
After a brief pause, he continued, “Qin Jiayu is an obsessive-compulsive person, and he always finishes what he starts, right?”
Qin Jin affirmed this.
“Tomorrow, I’ll stage a recurrence of my old condition, and rumors of amnesia will circulate in social circles. According to normal reasoning, he should go back to the beginning, starting with sending the cactus flower, and retrace the process.”
“…”
“I’ll take advantage of this time to embark on a painting tour to a neighboring city under the pretext of healing. My sister mentioned that their gallery is currently accepting paintings. With the reputation of being the Grand Prize winner of the tour, my paintings could fetch a good price.”
“…”
The sound of music and the crunching of an apple could be heard from the other end.
Li Xiangfu continued speaking between bites, “The human brain is amazing. Next time, I plan to use the excuse of memory confusion. The amnesia act can be prolonged for at least three years.”
The author adds a note: Li Xiangfu: I want to let him know what it feels like to return to square one.
The villain: … Do you know what these three years have been like for me?
Just say the truth bud, you wanna earn some cash with this excuse….