An unprecedented fear enveloped Lin Xingwan. Although the temperature wasn't high that morning, a chill crept up from her feet.
Even though Lin Xingwan wore a very realistic mask, it couldn't hide her emotions.
Just as Duan Muxing was about to speak up for Lin Xingwan, Zhou Jinbai surprisingly interjected first.
"I've lost a few notebooks. I checked the surveillance footage yesterday and found that Ms. Xu took them. Of course, I believe Ms. Xu must have taken them by mistake. I hope you can return them to me, as those notebooks are very important to me."
Zhou Jinbai wasn't foolish. After reviewing the surveillance footage last night, he had also watched the footage of how Xu Qingdai had escaped.
She had run out from the small courtyard where Zhou Bingwen lived, her face full of furtiveness, clearly guilty.
Coupled with the fact that Zhou Jinbai had seen this woman looking at those small notebooks in his room, he was certain she had taken them from his uncle's room.
Although Zhou Jinbai had no idea what was written in the notebooks, they belonged to his uncle, and this was one of his excuses for coming to find Xu Qingdai.
Lin Xingwan's eyes widened, her face filled with disbelief.
It seemed nothing could be hidden from Zhou Jinbai. But if she returned the diaries to him, she didn't know what his reaction would be.
Moreover, Zhou Jinbai would become even more suspicious of her identity, and everything they had done would be in vain.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Do I look like someone who can't afford notebooks? Why would I take your notebooks for no reason?" Lin Xingwan retorted, but her eyes, due to her guilt, didn't know where to look.
After Lin Xingwan finished speaking, Zhou Jinbai smiled, but his smile sent a sense of foreboding to everyone present.
Lin Xingwan, in particular, understood Zhou Jinbai well.
This man usually smiled so brilliantly when he was plotting against someone.
"It's alright if Ms. Xu doesn't admit it. However, I will find a way to make you return those few diaries to me."
Zhou Jinbai's words were too confident and arrogant. Lin Xingwan gritted her teeth, suppressing the urge to beat him.
Duan Muxing looked thoughtfully at Lin Xingwan. It seemed that the long time she spent in the restroom last night was to steal someone's diaries.
Finally, Zhou Jinbai left.
Only after the two private speedboats disappeared on the horizon did Duan Muxing ask, "The diaries you have are Zhou Bingwen's?"
Lin Xingwan looked at Duan Muxing with surprise. "How did you know?"
"Because I've heard that Zhou Bingwen has a habit of keeping a diary. Coupled with the fact that you didn't let Qingluan follow you to the restroom last night, I suspected you were up to something."
Duan Muxing was very smart, and all his guesses were correct.
"Yes, I stole Zhou Bingwen's diaries." Lin Xingwan answered directly, and Duan Muxing's smile widened.
"Foolish. You could have read them and then put them back. That way, when Zhou Bingwen remembered them a few days later, he would discover his diaries had been stolen." Although Duan Muxing was reprimanding Lin Xingwan, his tone was more doting.
It was as if his girlfriend had made a mistake, but he couldn't bring himself to scold her.
"Foolish? I don't think so! When Zhou Bingwen discovers his diaries are missing, he'll be incredibly flustered and anxious. At that time, he might just reveal his true colors. This man has been planning for so long, and now it's all for naught. I'm quite happy about that."
After speaking, Lin Xingwan asked again, "By the way, do you know what's written in the diaries?"
"Zhou Bingwen killed Zhou Nianqing and then intended to use Zhou Jinbai to bring the entire Dongfang family under his control."
Lin Xingwan's eyes widened. "You... you read the diary?"
"Does this require reading? I knew the true face of this hypocrite, Zhou Bingwen, a long time ago. And when my parents were alive, they also disliked Zhou Bingwen. It's just that over the years, those who were familiar with Zhou Bingwen have grown old and passed away, so few people know what the real Zhou Bingwen is like."
"But if even you understand this, why doesn't Zhou Jinbai understand?" Lin Xingwan was puzzled. Zhou Jinbai was so smart; he should know Zhou Bingwen's true nature.
"Because he can't bear to lose Zhou Bingwen. To Zhou Jinbai, he has always regarded Zhou Bingwen as the person he respects most. Zhou Bingwen, in order to achieve his goals, has never held back any selfish intentions towards Zhou Jinbai. Even if Zhou Jinbai occasionally has doubts, he is unwilling to accept the truth."
"Alright, what were you going to tell me just now?" Lin Xingwan suddenly remembered the interrupted topic and asked again.
This time, Duan Muxing gave a mysterious smile.
"This matter should be told to you by the person involved."
Lin Xingwan: ???
She really hated Duan Muxing's habit of only saying half the story.
The pleasure boat returned to Yan Jing's port. Just as Lin Xingwan thought Duan Muxing would take her back to her residence, they instead got into a car and headed for another destination.
Lin Xingwan didn't know where Duan Muxing was taking her. Even when she asked, he wouldn't tell her the truth, so she eventually gave up.
The car drove from the bustling city into the mountains and then wound its way up the mountain road.
As Lin Xingwan's view became more expansive, she began to suspect that Duan Muxing was going to take her to the mountaintop.
Did this man have a special fondness for mountaintops? After all, his previous residence was also on a snow-capped mountaintop.
But the road they were taking today was even more desolate.
Lin Xingwan was so sleepy that she leaned her head to the side and fell asleep.
Duan Muxing, sitting beside her, felt a weight press down on his shoulder. He turned his head to look and saw that Lin Xingwan had leaned against his shoulder and fallen asleep.
Duan Muxing was usually repulsed by others touching him, but as he raised his hand to straighten Lin Xingwan's head, he saw her peaceful sleeping face and lowered his hand.
Never mind, he didn't particularly dislike this feeling.
Lin Xingwan didn't know how long she slept. When Duan Muxing woke her up, a house with green tiles and blue eaves had appeared before her.
The house was surrounded by bamboo, a very antique Chinese-style building.
The main gate alone exuded the grandeur of a wealthy family from ancient times.
However, such a large mansion appearing in the middle of a deep mountain forest looked very eerie.
"Qingluan!" Duan Muxing called out, and Qingluan immediately stepped forward to knock on the door.
Soon, an old man with a stooped back opened the door. Upon seeing several unfamiliar faces, the old man looked at them with a vigilant and confused gaze. "Who are you?"
"Old sir, I am Duan Muxing, a descendant of the Duan family, here to visit Mr. Xu."
The old man shook his head. "My master said he sees no one."
After speaking, the old man was about to close the door.
But Duan Muxing spoke again, "Then please trouble the old sir to inform Mr. Xu that the daughter of Helian Lingruo has come to see him."
Upon hearing this, the old man's wrinkled face showed fear. His gaze swept back and forth between Lin Xingwan and Qingluan, finally settling on Qingluan.
He then said, "Then you wait here. I'll go and inform him."
As he turned around, the old man seemed to be muttering, "How can Miss Lingruo's daughter be so ugly? She didn't inherit any of her mother's beauty at all."
Since they were the only ones around, Qingluan almost spat out a mouthful of blood.
This old man wasn't exactly covered in thorns, so why were his words so hurtful?
After about two minutes, the old man reappeared.
"Master has agreed to let you in."
Lin Xingwan and the others then walked inside.
Qingluan pushed Duan Muxing. Despite being a girl, she could lift both the wheelchair and Duan Muxing.
Lin Xingwan was already used to it. However, upon seeing this, the old man's cloudy eyes widened again, filled with disbelief.
Miss Lingruo's daughter, she's this strong?
So, she's here to see Master to rip off his scalp?
The old man quickly shook his head. Why would he have such a horrifying thought?
The mansion was decorated with a small river, pavilions, and gardens, all designed like a Suzhou garden.
A man in linen clothing was picking vegetables in a vegetable patch.
Yes!
That's right!
In such a luxurious mansion, a plot of land had been set aside for growing vegetables. At first glance, Lin Xingwan saw dozens of varieties of vegetables, all thriving.
"Master, they're here."
The old man said this to the man squatting in the vegetable patch, picking vegetables. The man, after picking a few tomatoes into his basket, turned around and looked at the three of them, finally focusing on Duan Muxing.
"I didn't expect to see someone from the Duan family again after so many years. You look exactly like your father."
After saying this, Xu Jingkuan walked to the faucet, briefly washed the tomatoes he had just picked, and placed them under a stone table nearby.
"Sit down. You're lucky, these tomatoes are naturally grown without pesticides." Xu Jingkuan sat on a stone stool first, and Lin Xingwan and Qingluan also sat down.
"When my parents were alive, they often mentioned Mr. Xu, saying you were a very kind philanthropist, and that your kindness had changed the destinies of many people."
Duan Muxing was telling the truth. Xu Jingkuan was born into a wealthy family. Although his brilliance was overshadowed by people like Cen Jue and Zhou Nianqing,
Xu Jingkuan had forged a new path in the charity world through his kindness.
Whenever Xu Jingkuan attended a charity gala, many people would donate money. Even those whom Xu Jingkuan wanted to support would eventually become pillars of society.
Xu Jingkuan was not a thousand-mile horse, but he was a discerning judge of talent.
He had also invested in many industries, and over the years, Xu Jingkuan's personal wealth had consistently ranked among the world's richest.
"That was in the past. Let's not talk about it." After Xu Jingkuan finished speaking, the old man standing nearby began to pour tea, and he said, "I heard you came because of Lingruo's daughter?"
After speaking, Xu Jingkuan's gaze swept back and forth between Lin Xingwan and Qingluan.
Frankly, Xu Jingkuan couldn't believe that either of the two girls present was Lingruo's child.
After all, Lingruo was exceptionally beautiful back then, and her child, even if not as beautiful, wouldn't be as ordinary as the girls in front of him.
Especially... their eyes didn't resemble Lingruo's at all.
But the moment Xu Jingkuan thought of Helian Lingruo, the sad memories of the past resurfaced.
Reason told Xu Jingkuan not to interact with these people, but he just couldn't bring himself to be rational.
It was the same then as it was now.
"Yes, she is Helian Lingruo's daughter, and you could also say... your daughter." When Duan Muxing said this, not only did Xu Jingkuan's eyes widen in disbelief, but even Lin Xingwan looked at Duan Muxing with surprise.
This man was silent, but when he spoke, he was astonishing!
They had discussed whether she should look for her father this morning, and now he had brought her biological father right in front of her?
Lin Xingwan didn't know what to say about such efficiency.
"What nonsense are you spouting? How could Lingruo have had my child? Duan Muxing, I'm speaking to you kindly because I consider you a junior, but you're spewing lies and slandering me and Lingruo. Get out, get out immediately!"
After speaking, Xu Jingkuan was so angry that he stood up from his chair and then ordered the old man, "Throw these people out! From now on, don't let them set foot here again."
Xu Jingkuan was truly furious. As he was about to turn and leave, Duan Muxing said something that made Xu Jingkuan freeze again.
"What, Mr. Xu, do you think no one else remembers what happened back then? Or perhaps... we are so foolish that we can be toyed with by your mere declaration?"
Duan Muxing's tone remained calm and steady. After he finished speaking, Xu Jingkuan fixed his resentful gaze on Duan Muxing.