His tone was oppressive, as if bidding her farewell, as if after this embrace they would never see each other again. Perhaps it was the thought of this possibility, or perhaps she was mesmerized by his rare tenderness, that Lin Mei did not move. She let him hold her, leaning against his solid chest, his breath and strong heartbeat near her ears.
The bedroom was quiet in the afternoon. Held by him, Lin Mei fell asleep at some point. She had been suffering from insomnia recently and had never slept so peacefully.
When she woke again, it was already afternoon. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Xing Zheng's face. He was either already awake or had never slept.
"Gu Song and the driver are waiting for you downstairs," Xing Zheng told her. "At most a month."
As she went downstairs, Xing Zheng dragged her suitcase. Lin Mei did not refuse. She pulled her outer garment tighter, lowered her head, and followed him.
The driver put the suitcase in the car. Xing Zheng opened the car door for Lin Mei. After Lin Mei got in, Xing Zheng closed the door and spoke a few words with Gu Song. Lin Mei, sitting in the car, did not hear what they said clearly.
After a brief conversation, Gu Song also got into the car and sat in the front passenger seat.
On the way, Gu Song said to Lin Mei, "The place I'm taking you to is the villa in Anning City, the one you've been to before. Aunt Wen will take care of you during this time, and the environment there is quite good."
Lin Mei replied with a soft "Mm," but her spirits were not high. However, her upbringing dictated that she maintain basic politeness with Gu Song. Gu Song looked back and said, "He has his reasons for doing this. Don't you want to know?"
"No," she answered without hesitation. She used to be curious, but now she didn't care. As long as Xing Zheng kept his word and didn't bother her again after a month, that would be enough.
After Lin Mei arrived at the villa in Anning City, Aunt Wen had been taking care of her. The villa was far from the hustle and bustle of the city, and the surroundings were very quiet. During the day, Lin Mei would meditate, water the flowers with Aunt Wen, or sit alone in the courtyard to clear her mind.
There were only she and Aunt Wen in the large villa. Xing Zheng had never visited, nor was she disturbed by anyone else. Perhaps because of the clean environment, Lin Mei's previous symptoms had slightly improved; at least she could sleep a full four hours each night.
Zhou Yue would come regularly to check on her and provide treatment. Naturally, he noticed her progress. "Your condition has improved a lot this week. Relax a bit more, don't put too much pressure on yourself, and everything will be alright."
Lin Mei nodded in agreement as Zhou Yue spoke, cooperating fully. Her attitude towards treatment was very positive, which greatly pleased Zhou Yue. If only Xing Zheng had such a positive attitude.
With Liu Qinye missing, Zhao Jianghe was the first person suspected by Zhao Rong. The locator he had planted on Liu Qinye had been thrown into the trash, and the nearby surveillance cameras had all been destroyed. Zhao Rong had always wanted to kill Liu Qinye. Now that he knew Liu Qinye was alive and had fallen out with him, he would certainly not let it go.
However, before Zhao Jianghe could go looking for Zhao Rong, he was taken away by the police for investigation. "Zhao Jianghe, is it? You are suspected of intentional homicide and extortion. Please cooperate with our investigation."
After being taken to the police station, Zhao Jianghe learned that the "intentional homicide" the police were referring to was the car accident from years ago.
Zhao Jianghe naturally denied it, but the police provided evidence. "Was the car in that accident a gift from you to the deceased? Here are the purchase invoices and receipts. The consumption records clearly state your name."
Zhao Jianghe argued, "Based on this alone, how can you conclude that I am the murderer? The person who died was my good brother. What motive would I have for committing the crime?"
The police quickly dropped a bombshell. "Because you and the deceased are half-brothers. Your biological father, Liu Qinye, is suspected of illegal lending, organized gambling, and fighting. He has already been apprehended by the police."
Although the police said only a short sentence, it took Zhao Jianghe a long time to process. He believed he had kept his identity a secret very well. How could anyone know his true background?
He hadn't even told Jiang Chubi, let alone mentioned Xie Qin Jia. Unless...
Zhao Jianghe suddenly realized: Jiang Chubi! It must have been Jiang Chubi!
Only the two of them knew Liu Qinye's residence, and she was well aware of the locator on Liu Qinye.
From the moment Jiang Chubi approached him, it was a trap. The project in the laboratory back then was also a deliberate "loss" orchestrated by her and Xing Zheng, which made him impulsive. He stopped all projects and invested all funds into the laboratory, ultimately losing everything. All of this was their scheme!
Zhao Jianghe's expression turned ferocious. He could not have imagined that Jiang Chubi's "devotion" and "unwavering loyalty" were all an act!
As the most important witnesses in this case, Xing Zheng and Jiang Chubi were naturally required to go to the police station to cooperate with the statements. After finishing their statements, they came out and went to see Zhao Jianghe together.
Zhao Jianghe was under control, handcuffed, and bound. Xing Zheng and Jiang Chubi sat opposite him, clearly separated from him. Without needing to ask, their joint appearance was the best answer for Zhao Jianghe.
"You slut..." Zhao Jianghe furiously accused Jiang Chubi, the veins bulging on his forehead, revealing his rage.
His expression was terrifying, but Jiang Chubi was not afraid at all. In fact, she even smiled. "When you killed Ah Yan, you should have known this day would come."
"He deserved to die!" Zhao Jianghe's voice was hoarse. He looked at Xing Zheng beside him, his eyes bloodshot. If looks could kill, Xing Zheng would have been annihilated by now. "You deserve to die too, and Xing Sha, you all deserve to die!"
Jiang Chubi worried that Zhao Jianghe's hysterical state would provoke Xing Zheng. She turned to look, only to find that Xing Zheng showed no reaction. He watched him calmly, as if watching a clown.
This condescending attitude made Zhao Jianghe even more agitated, just like the mentally unstable Liu Qinye. "If it weren't for Xing Sha, she wouldn't have left. Heh heh, so what if she's your nominal mother? She hates you. That's your greatest retribution as Xing Sha's son!"
Zhao Jianghe knew all too well Xing Zheng's sensitivity to this matter. Seeing the undercurrent in Xing Zheng's eyes, he thought he would also lose composure. Unexpectedly, he merely said, "You don't even have the right to call her 'Mom.' Does she remember having a son like you?" He was most skilled at striking where it hurt.
Zhao Jianghe was indeed provoked. He raged, attempting to fight Xing Zheng. His body was bound to the chair, and due to his excessive movements, he fell over with the chair.
Xing Zheng stood up and looked down at him. "Useless. While you still have life, take a few more breaths. Your father and son will soon be reunited in the graveyard." With that, he left, and Jiang Chubi followed.
No matter how angry Zhao Jianghe was, he could do nothing. With conclusive evidence, Zhao Jianghe's death sentence was unavoidable. As for Liu Qinye, even if he wasn't sentenced to death, he would spend the rest of his life in prison. He was riddled with illness and likely wouldn't live much longer.