Chapter 74: Scheme 6 – The Villain Has Other Ideas…

Bai Yuanzhi and Zhou Sier discussed how to handle Luo Jiaojiao’s situation.

After all, the incident had occurred at the hospital.

As soon as Luo Jiaojiao fell from the building, medical staff rushed her into the operating room for emergency treatment.

Now, the two sisters needed to discuss the issue of Luo Jiaojiao’s medical expenses.

Zhou Sier told Bai Yuanzhi, “Hong Kong University requires every student to purchase medical insurance. I can ask Jenny and the others to help Luo Jiaojiao apply for it. However, any remaining balance will need to be covered by Luo Jiaojiao herself.”

Bai Yuanzhi suggested, “Let’s not trouble Jenny and the others. They’ve already graduated, right? They might have even started working. It would be better to ask Luo Jiaojiao’s academic advisor to handle this matter!”

Zhou Sier paused for a moment, then nodded repeatedly. “You’re right, that’s more considerate.”

Immediately, Zhou Sier borrowed the hospital phone to call Hong Kong University. She found Luo Jiaojiao’s academic advisor and explained the entire situation in detail. The advisor promised to come over right away to check on things…

Thus, Luo Jiaojiao’s issue was resolved.

Next, Zhou Sier found a private moment to ask Bai Yuanzhi, “When Song Junshu shouted ‘Zhou Pan’er’ earlier… was he referring to you?”

Bai Yuanzhi remained silent.

Zhou Sier pressed anxiously, “Ah Zhi! When did you and Song Junshu… Ah, I know you’re young but you’ve always been clear-headed. How could you get involved with him? Ah Zhi, you know perfectly well he’s not a good person…”

Bai Yuanzhi reassured Zhou Sier, “No! I’m not close to him at all, Sister, don’t worry.”

Zhou Sier didn’t believe her. “But—”

“Really, there’s nothing!” Bai Yuanzhi soothed her. “The only connection I have with him is that when you were still unconscious, he kept trying to get information about you from me…”

“But I didn’t want to engage with him. First, I suspected your accident might be related to him. Second, my first impression of him was terrible—I thought he was scheming and untrustworthy. But at that time, I had just arrived in Hong Kong City and hadn’t figured many things out yet. So I avoided him, kept my distance, and even took all your luggage and books away.”

“The more I tried to avoid him and hide your things, the more he wanted to find me and locate your belongings.”

“As for why he suddenly called me Zhou Pan’er…”

Bai Yuanzhi paused, deciding to pin the blame on Zhou Zhaoer.

“Sister, you know that when I went to the nightclub to catch Fourth Sister, I ran into Song Junshu there. Things got pretty messy, but luckily Chen Shuojie helped me get out of it.”

“It’s possible that Song Junshu got to know Fourth Sister because of that. Maybe Fourth Sister slipped up in front of him and revealed my true situation. Then he probably thought that since you’re Zhou Sier and Fourth Sister is Zhou Zhaoer, it would make sense for me to be called Zhou Pan’er!”

“Anyway, Sister, you have to believe me—I’m not close to him at all,” Bai Yuanzhi said earnestly.

Hearing this, Zhou Sier was about seventy to eighty percent convinced.

But there was still one thing that bothered her. “But Ah Zhi, when he… when he was being taken away by the police, he clearly said… he said he loved…”

“Sister, that’s exactly what’s so disgusting about him!” Bai Yuanzhi interrupted her sister. “Think about it—his biggest financial backer, Ming Zhixuan, is already dead! His biggest bargaining chip, Luo Jiaojiao, has gone mad!”

“And you won’t give him the time of day!”

“In his eyes, I look a lot like you, but I’m younger and easier to fool!”

“That’s why he said those things… Sister, just ignore him, treat him like he’s lost his mind!” Bai Yuanzhi urged again.

Zhou Sier finally reluctantly accepted this explanation. “Then, Ah Zhi, promise me you won’t have any contact with Song Junshu or Luo Jiaojiao.”

Bai Yuanzhi nodded emphatically. “Sister, don’t worry, I promise I won’t pay them any attention!”

And so, the matter was brushed aside.

Next—

Two days later, Bai Yuanzhi and Zhou Sier were both busy again.

Because Luo Jiaojiao had woken up, crying and insisting on seeing Zhou Sier;

And because Song Junshu told the police that he had to see Bai Yuanzhi one more time before he would confess to his crimes.

So, Zhou Sier went to the hospital, and Bai Yuanzhi made a trip to the police station.

After finishing their tasks, the sisters dragged their weary feet back home one after the other.

After dinner,

Zhou Sier first told Bai Yuanzhi about her conversation with Luo Jiaojiao at the hospital:

—Luo Jiaojiao had begged Zhou Sier to help her contact a man, saying that if Zhou Sier didn’t do this for her, she would die right in front of her. She also said that if Zhou Sier helped her, from then on, they would go their separate ways.

So Zhou Sier still helped Luo Jiaojiao make a phone call, and the man on the other end agreed to come to the hospital to pick up Luo Jiaojiao.

While waiting with Luo Jiaojiao for the man to arrive,

Luo Jiaojiao told Zhou Sier, “That man may be a bit old, but he’s very rich and really likes me.”

“Right now, I have fractures in seven places all over my body, along with a severe concussion. Even if I have medical insurance, what does it matter? I’m penniless—I can’t afford a caregiver, I can’t pay for expenses beyond what’s covered, and I certainly can’t afford any follow-up rehabilitation.”

“That rich man is willing to come to the hospital to pick me up. I have to seize this opportunity.”

As she spoke, Luo Jiaojiao began to cry. “Sier, I only fell from the third floor… but you, back then, you fell from the seventh floor of the Bilanting Hotel… you must have been in even more pain than me… right?”

Zhou Sier remained silent.

Luo Jiaojiao sobbed, “I’m sorry! Sier, I’m sorry! If I hadn’t tricked you back then, you never would have gone upstairs! I’m sorry… I’ll get my retribution. Don’t worry, falling from the third floor isn’t my final punishment. In the future, I’ll suffer a hundred times more than I am now, I promise…” Luo Jiaojiao shook her head with a bitter laugh.

Zhou Sier said calmly, “Whether you face retribution or not, or whether you suffer or live in misery, has nothing to do with me anymore, because we are no longer friends.”

“From now on, I won’t waste my time on people who don’t matter. I have my own sister to care for, and I’ll focus on myself…”

In the end, Zhou Sier was too kind-hearted to kick someone when they were down, especially when Luo Jiaojiao was at her lowest. She said softly, “Take care of yourself. This will probably be the last time I see you. Let’s not disturb each other anymore.”

Luo Jiaojiao burst into loud sobs.

Later on, Zhou Sier finally saw the man who came to pick Luo Jiaojiao up and take her home.

At this point,

Zhou Sier let out a long sigh before saying to Bai Yuanzhi, “Ah Zhi, do you know? The man who came to pick up Luo Jiaojiao was Sun Baoluo! Sun Baoluo even smiled and told me he would take good care of Luo Jiaojiao. Once Luo Jiaojiao has recovered her health, he would marry her, and he even said he would invite me to the wedding banquet…”

Bai Yuanzhi was taken aback and asked in surprise, “Sun Baoluo? Which Sun Baoluo?”

From her sister’s account earlier, she already knew two things about the man:

First, he was older in age.

Second, he was very wealthy.

An old, wealthy man named Sun Baoluo…

“Is it that… Fish Ball King Sun Baoluo?” Bai Yuanzhi asked doubtfully.

Zhou Sier frowned and nodded.

Bai Yuanzhi showed an expression of disbelief. “Huh? Isn’t he disabled?”

—Fish Ball King Sun Baoluo was born with a disability.

He had a pigeon chest and a hunchback, a curved spine, and disabled legs. His facial features were also distorted and ugly due to his disability.

It seemed only his hands were healthy.

It was said that he used to make a living by begging and only saved up enough money to start a fish ball business in his thirties, gradually building his fortune.

This year…

He must be at least in his fifties!

For a moment, Bai Yuanzhi was speechless.

Meanwhile, Zhou Sier, thinking of Sun Baoluo’s ugly appearance she had seen during the day, kept rubbing her arms with her hands, trying to get rid of the goosebumps all over her body.

The more Zhou Sier thought about it, the more disgusted she felt, so she quickly changed the subject. “Ah Zhi, what about you? Did you see Song Junshu at the police station today? Why has he been pestering you nonstop?”

Bai Yuanzhi then recalled her encounter and conversation with Song Junshu at the police station earlier that day.

Song Junshu mainly wanted to ask her one thing:

“Pan’er, if I become a tainted witness and expose the illegal activities of those wealthy people… then the incident where I accidentally pushed Luo Jiaojiao down the stairs might only result in a sentence of three to five years.”

“Of course, there’s one prerequisite—I might still need your help to talk to Luo Jiaojiao and get her to sign a letter of forgiveness for me.”

“Pan’er, I also want to ask you one more thing—”

“Would you… be willing to wait for me until I’m released? If you are, I can confess everything to the police right away… I promise I won’t hide anything!” After saying this, he looked at Bai Yuanzhi with hopeful eyes.

Bai Yuanzhi sneered. “Whether you can get Luo Jiaojiao’s letter of forgiveness is your business. Why should I help you? Whether you’re willing to be a tainted witness or not… has nothing to do with me. Why should I wait for you to be released?”

Song Junshu: …

“Pan’er!” Song Junshu said urgently. “Don’t you have any feelings for me at all? What about the four years we spent together… what does that count for?”

Bai Yuanzhi said word by word, “Mr. Song, I’ve only been in Hong Kong City for a year, and I’ve known you for less than a year. So how exactly are you calculating this? Where did you and I… get four years from?”

“Also, my name is Bai Yuanzhi! I don’t know who this Pan’er you’re talking about is…”

“Furthermore, the relationship between you and me is limited to acquaintanceship. We are merely strangers who know each other’s names, not at the point of depending on each other for life and death. How do you have the nerve to ask me to remain chaste for you while you’re in prison?”

“Ultimately, whether you receive lenient punishment after becoming a cooperating witness or face severe penalties for refusing to cooperate… none of it has anything to do with me! Whether you’re sentenced to ten or twenty years, or three to five years… I don’t care!” Bai Yuanzhi showed him no mercy whatsoever.

Song Junshu’s face turned deathly pale. “Pan’er, to put it bluntly… you just won’t acknowledge me!”

Bai Yuanzhi frowned. “Mr. Song, I’ve already made it very clear just now. My name is Bai Yuanzhi, not Pan’er.”

“Pan’er!” Song Junshu broke down. “Alright, if you prefer me to call you Ah Zhi, then so be it… Ah Zhi, we were in love! Please believe me, won’t you? We were once deeply in love… I beg you, please try to remember!”

“Or perhaps, wait for me to get out, and we can pick up where we left off!”

“I promise you, you really… used to rely on me so much! In your heart, I was your entire world! You would have done anything for me…” Song Junshu pleaded anxiously.

Bai Yuanzhi laughed. “Mr. Song, one shouldn’t be so shameless!”

Song Junshu looked at her with sorrow. “I beg you… just believe me this once, please! Pan’er… no, Ah Zhi, you’re all I have left!”

“In our past life, I truly didn’t mean to push you. I regret it so, so much… I regret it to the point where I wish I could have died in your place!”

“It’s just a shame that when I was reborn in this life, I had already missed the chance to meet you. Otherwise, I could guarantee that you would have fallen in love with me again… Ah Zhi, let’s not leave any more regrets between us, okay?” Song Junshu pleaded desperately.

Bai Yuanzhi sneered. “Mr. Song, it’s not as if you don’t know—the men pursuing me… are either sons of the Zhou family or sons of the Chen Family.”

“Compared to them, what exactly are your advantages? Are you more handsome than them? Or perhaps, are you wealthier?”

“Moreover, even with them… I only want to be ordinary friends. So, why would I ever be interested in a man like you, who’s about to go to prison and has nothing to his name?” As she spoke, Bai Yuanzhi looked at Song Junshu with a mocking gaze.

Song Junshu’s mouth fell open.

After regaining the memories of his past life,

Song Junshu was ecstatic, thinking that in this new life, he was destined to walk a path of greater wealth than before.

—Luo Jiaojiao, who was utterly devoted to him, and Zhou Pan’er, who had once relied on him completely, were his greatest assets and capital.

He could follow the same path as in his past life: first offering Luo Jiaojiao to Ming Zhixuan in exchange for initial capital;

then, he still remembered the few speculative stocks that Zhou Pan’er had manipulated in their previous life…

This time, as long as he could amass a massive fortune through stock trading before Zhou Pan’er arrived in Hong Kong City, becoming a prominent new elite in the city,

he could grow into a true powerhouse, envied by all the outstanding men in the world and admired by every wealthy, beautiful woman.

When Zhou Pan’er eventually arrived in the city,

he—handsome, worth hundreds of millions, with no criminal record and utterly perfect—could unhesitatingly rescue the poor girl from her plight, becoming her great hero!

He could finally, openly, let the whole world know that he, Song Junshu, possessed such a beautiful woman!

He no longer had to live as he did in his previous life—desperately needing Zhou Pan’er’s stock market talent to fill his coffers and save his teetering tech company, yet terrified that once she realized her own worth, she would look down on him, leave him, and strike out on her own.

At the same time, he feared that if others discovered Zhou Pan’er’s beauty and brilliance, they would snatch her away…

So he could only keep her hidden away like a precious treasure.

He dared not let the outside world know of her existence, erasing all traces of her and pretending her talents were his own… Such was his predicament.

Originally, Song Junshu had been filled with anticipation,

believing that in this new life,

powerful and wealthy as he was, he could once again win Zhou Pan’er’s unreserved love…

But,

Song Junshu never expected,

that even after returning to the past, he seemed to have fallen into an even worse situation:

—His financial backer, Ming Zhixuan, had suddenly died!

—Luo Jiaojiao, the source of his initial capital for amassing wealth, had not only gone mad but was also accidentally pushed off the third floor by him… if not dead, then crippled!

—The woman he loved most had arrived in Hong Kong City ahead of time, not only changing her name and undergoing a drastic change in temperament but even… harboring extreme disgust toward him!

This…

It shouldn’t be like this, it couldn’t be like this!

Song Junshu felt panic in his heart.

Looking at the girl before him, radiant and poised without a trace of makeup,

he opened his mouth,

intent on correcting the course of his life, wanting to persuade Pan’er to follow his plans,

but he had already said all he could,

and the adoration, dependence, and admiration in her eyes were gone.

In their place,

were mockery and disdain filling her gaze as she looked at him,

along with the contempt and scorn that leaked from the corners of her mouth.

Song Junshu opened his mouth again.

It seemed… he was at his wit’s end!

How could this be?

No, it shouldn’t be!!!

At that moment, Bai Yuanzhi said with a smile, “Mr. Song, everyone should take responsibility for their own life. I also ask you to stop parasitizing on women from now on—it’s truly degrading!”

With that, she stood up and left without looking back.

“Pan’er! Pan’er, don’t go… Ah Zhi! Ah Zhi, stop! I beg you, I beg you…” Song Junshu cried out frantically, his voice filled with panic and fear, and made as if to chase after her.

Unfortunately, he was restrained by the police and dragged into the inner room of the detention cell.

This was the detailed account of Bai Yuanzhi and Song Junshu’s meeting and conversation.

Of course, Bai Yuanzhi did not tell Zhou Sier anything related to the “past and present lives.”

She merely embellished Song Junshu’s shameless remarks slightly.

Zhou Sier was successfully disgusted. “Good heavens, how can he be so shameless? It’s truly revolting! Is Luo Jiaojiao blind? What on earth did she see in him!”

The two sisters exchanged bitter smiles.

However, after the incident involving Luo Jiaojiao and Song Junshu, no other unpleasant events occurred.

The Bai and Zhou sisters enjoyed a few peaceful days.

Until—

Chen Shuojie finally returned from the United States.

He asked Ah Bin to relay a message to Bai Yuanzhi, saying he would come to pick her up after school that evening and that he had something very important to tell her.

Bai Yuanzhi neither agreed nor disagreed.

That night, after night school ended, Bai Yuanzhi had just walked to the school gate…

Suddenly, someone called her name.

She instinctively turned around—

With all her attention focused behind her,

Bai Yuanzhi failed to notice the person beside her.

Someone pressed a handkerchief soaked with a strong chemical odor over her mouth and nose, instantly clouding her consciousness.

Then a pair of powerful hands gripped her waist, effortlessly lifting her up and carrying her toward a car parked nearby…

At that moment—

Ah Bin was waiting in his car by the roadside and witnessed everything!

He had no time to get out and stop it or rescue her.

He watched helplessly as Bai Yuanzhi was forced into the car, desperately clawing at the window…

But her efforts to save herself seemed futile.

Slender and delicate, how could she possibly contend with those two burly men in black!

She was shoved into the back seat,

and the two men in black quickly climbed into the car before it sped away with a whoosh!

The entire ordeal took less than five seconds.

In a panic, Ah Bin’s first reaction was to pick up his mobile phone and press the call button twice—the first press would display the last dialed number, and the second would initiate the call.

The last call Ah Bin had made was from Ming Jiayao, inquiring about Bai Yuanzhi’s situation.

Soon, Ming Jiayao answered the call.

Ah Bin immediately reported the incident to Ming Jiayao, providing the make, model, color, and license plate number of the car that had taken Bai Yuanzhi.

At the same time, without wasting a second, Ah Bin started his car and swiftly gave chase.

After finishing the call with Ming Jiayao, Ah Bin also called Chen Shuojie to inform him of what had happened.

Chen Shuojie was furious and berated Ah Bin harshly.

Just then, Ah Bin had already caught up with the other car. In his urgency, he stepped on the accelerator and rammed into it!

A soft “thud” echoed

as the two vehicles collided!

Of course, concerned for Bai Yuanzhi’s safety, Ah Bin didn’t dare to crash too hard,

but the impact caused the car ahead to panic and accelerate even more frantically in its attempt to escape.

The collision caused the mobile phone Ah Bin was holding in one hand to fall aside…

The call was cut off,

and Chen Shuojie, losing contact with Ah Bin, grew both alarmed and enraged.

Yes, at that moment, Chen Shuojie, Chen Shen, and Xu Wenrui were having a late-night meal at Jiahong Seafood Restaurant.

They had arrived in Hong Kong City three hours earlier.

Then—

Chen Shuojie was shocked to hear the tragic news of his uncle Ming Zhixuan’s passing!

“How is this possible!” Chen Shuojie muttered to himself. “Uncle was perfectly fine before I went abroad… How could it happen so suddenly? Dad, Aunt, did you know about this? Why didn’t you tell me!”

Upon hearing Chen Shuojie’s words—

Chen Shen’s eyes flickered,

and Xu Wenrui hesitated, holding back her words.

In truth, Chen Shen and Xu Wenrui had been closely following the news in Hong Kong City. They were well aware of everything Ming Jiayao had done—such as Ming Zhixuan’s death and Ming Jiayao’s relocation of Xu Wenli’s grave.

But if they were to explain it clearly,

Chen Shuojie’s true origins would be exposed!

Chen Shen and Xu Wenrui held different views on the matter, and since they couldn’t reach an agreement,

they had no choice but to keep it hidden from Chen Shuojie all along.

Chen Shen spoke vaguely, “We did know… but at the time, your treatment was more important. And your uncle… he was already gone. What’s done cannot be undone. Telling you wouldn’t have helped and would only have delayed your treatment, so… we didn’t mention it.”

Xu Wenrui also evaded the topic, saying, “He wasn’t as important as you…”

Chen Shuojie stared at Xu Wenrui in disbelief. “Aunt! He’s your husband! I’m just your nephew!!! In your eyes, is your husband less important than your nephew?”

Xu Wenrui was momentarily stunned, stammering, “I—I mean… I mean, well… of course the living are more important than the dead, hahaha…”

Chen Shuojie still couldn’t believe it. “So, you didn’t even return to Hong Kong City when your husband died? You insisted on staying in the United States to accompany me through my treatment?”

“Aunt, how could you do this!”

“It’s not like I have some terminal illness!”

 

“Your husband passed away, and as his wife, you were neither present nor made an appearance. Even when your cousin held the funeral for your husband in Hong Kong City, you, the widow, still didn’t show up… How will others view the Ming Family and the Xu Family, and how will they see our Chen Family…”

“Aunt, are you really sick in the head?” Chen Shuojie grew more shocked as he spoke, and the more shocked he became, the more agitated he felt.

Xu Wenrui couldn’t bear the humiliation of being spoken to like this by her own son. Her expression darkened, and she couldn’t help but flare up.

Chen Shen, afraid that her outburst would expose the truth, quickly said to Chen Shuojie, “Alright, alright, we’ll talk about your uncle’s matter later…”

Chen Shuojie couldn’t help but retort, “What could possibly be more important now than the fact that our uncle has passed away and we didn’t attend his funeral?”

Chen Shen pretended to be serious and said, “Of course there is! For example, the most important thing right now is to settle the matter between you and Bai Yuanzhi…”

Chen Shuojie was stunned. “Daddy, what are you saying?”

Xu Wenrui was also displeased. “Brother Shen, don’t talk nonsense!”

Chen Shen shot Xu Wenrui a sharp glance,

then spoke kindly to Chen Shuojie, “My dear son, since you like Bai Yuanzhi so much, your aunt and I, as your elders, should indeed accept and embrace her. Why don’t you call her over? We’ll have a good talk with her.”

“If we can come to an agreement, we hope she can attend the memorial for your uncle as your fiancée…”

“Your uncle cared about you deeply when he was alive.”

“Even though he’s no longer with us, as long as he knows your lifelong commitment has been settled, I’m sure his spirit in heaven will be happy for you.” Chen Shen said hypocritically.

Chen Shuojie found this absurd.

—The Ming Family had few descendants, and the Chen and Xu Families were important in-laws to the Ming Family. Yet when the only son of the Ming Family head passed away, neither the Chen father and son nor even Xu Wenrui, the Ming Family’s daughter-in-law, attended!

Was that acceptable???

Moreover, the Ming Family was in mourning,

while the Chen Family was joyfully preparing to welcome a daughter-in-law?

That was even more unacceptable!

Chen Shen seemed to understand his son’s expression.

So, the old fox changed his tone. “Of course, the main reason I’m doing this is that when our whole family goes to apologize to the Ming Family, I hope your Uncle Ming and cousin won’t blame us too harshly in front of our new daughter-in-law… Shuojie, tell me, does Daddy’s reasoning make sense?”

Chen Shuojie still felt something was off.

But what troubled him most was that he loved Bai Yuanzhi, yet no one supported him.

He also believed that Bai Yuanzhi refused to accept him because she was too clever and knew his family would never approve of their relationship.

If he could take this opportunity to make his father and the Xu Family accept Bai Yuanzhi,

it would indeed be an unexpected blessing.

But—

Chen Shuojie cautiously asked Chen Shen, “Daddy, what do you want to talk to Ah Zhi about?”

Chen Shen replied without changing his expression, “I need to ask her what she truly thinks of my son. If she is to become our Chen Family’s daughter-in-law in the future, or even take over our family business when I’m old and no longer managing affairs, how does she plan to handle it…”

Hearing this, Chen Shuojie took his words at face value.

He happily asked Ah Bin to relay a message to Bai Yuanzhi, intending for Ah Bin to bring Bai Yuanzhi to Jiahong Seafood Restaurant so they could all sit down and properly discuss the matter.

Unexpectedly—

Chen Shuojie received a call from Ah Bin and learned that Bai Yuanzhi had been kidnapped?!

In an instant, Chen Shuojie was both frantic and furious!

Chen Shen and Xu Wenrui quickly exchanged glances.

Xu Wenrui gave Chen Shen a meaningful look.

Understanding her signal, Chen Shen cautiously asked Chen Shuojie, “My boy, what did Ah Bin say? When will Ah Zhi arrive?”

Chen Shuojie, filled with worry and anxiety, replied, “Daddy, Ah Bin said someone suddenly snatched Ah Zhi away! What should we do, Daddy?”

As he spoke, he quickly recounted the emergency situation described by Ah Bin.

Upon hearing this—

Chen Shen and Xu Wenrui exchanged another glance.

Although the sudden incident shocked them both,

Bai Yuanzhi’s mishap meant they now had more time to figure out how to delay before facing the crisis of “how to deal with the Ming Family.”

Thus, Chen Shen and Xu Wenrui desperately suppressed the overwhelming joy that surged in their eyes.

“Wow, someone actually dared to do such a thing in broad daylight?” Chen Shen feigned righteous indignation. “This is absolutely outrageous! Don’t worry, my boy, Daddy will immediately find a way to send someone to intercept the car that took Ah Zhi…”

Before he could finish his sentence,

his mobile phone rang urgently.

Chen Shen glanced at the number, his eyes flickering slightly. “My boy, you and your aunt should head back first. I’ll go handle Ah Zhi’s matter right away!”

With that, Chen Shen answered the call. “…Hello? Ah Bin?”

He stepped out of the private room.

Chen Shuojie was taken aback.

He stared at his father’s retreating figure in confusion.

He wasn’t sure if he had misheard,

but it seemed like the voice coming from his father’s mobile phone sounded like his deceased uncle-in-law, Ming Zhixuan???

Meanwhile, Chen Shen quickly left Jiahong Seafood Restaurant while talking on the phone.

Indeed, the call was from the “deceased Ming Zhixuan.”

“Where are you?” Chen Shen asked vaguely.

—Having been brothers-in-law for nearly two decades, they naturally knew each other’s secrets and backgrounds.

Liu Rong’s voice came from the other end of the line. “Brother Shen, you know how it is—I’ve been completely ruined by that little brat Ming Jiayao! Now I can’t show my face in public anymore… Brother Shen, I won’t hide it from you—I need your help.”

Chen Shen pretended not to understand. “Oh, really? What exactly happened? I just got back from the United States and don’t know anything!”

Liu Rong lowered his voice. “Brother Shen, we both know each other well… Don’t worry, I still understand the rules. So, I’ll send you a big gift first. After you’ve enjoyed it, you can decide whether to help me or not. Brother Shen, go to the usual place—I’ve prepared a surprise for you. Have fun tonight, and when you’re free tomorrow, give me a call!”

With that, Liu Rong hung up first.

Chen Shen put away his mobile phone and lowered his head in deep thought.

For some time now, he had been hiding in the United States to avoid trouble.

But he couldn’t hide forever like an ostrich!

He still had to face reality eventually.

During his escape to the United States, Xu Wenrui had kept a close eye on him, leaving him without any taste of “meat.”

As for Liu Rong’s taste and judgment when it came to women,

Chen Shen had great confidence.

Since Liu Rong mentioned “a surprise,” Chen Shen couldn’t help but feel a tingling anticipation.

After much deliberation,

Chen Shen decided to go check out the old haunt.

Tonight, he would relax and enjoy himself first, and deal with that mess tomorrow!

With that, Chen Shen immediately drove off to that “old haunt”…

= =

After finishing the phone call, Liu Rong gently placed the receiver back on the landline.

Yes, Liu Rong had sent his men to kidnap Bai Yuanzhi.

Liu Rong was no fool; he knew perfectly well that Ming Jingxing’s demand for him to take revenge on Chen Shen… was nothing but a trap!

—If he were foolish enough to go after Chen Shen, he would end up offending both the Chen Family behind Chen Shen and that madwoman Xu Wenrui.

But he had already become a discarded pawn of the Ming Family, and no one would protect him!

So Liu Rong came up with a brilliant plan:

He decided to first deliver Bai Yuanzhi to Chen Shen’s bed, then find a way to notify Xu Wenrui to catch them in the act!

This way, the simple-minded and jealousy-prone Xu Wenrui would surely hate Bai Yuanzhi to the bone,

and since Bai Yuanzhi was Chen Shuojie’s beloved,

once Xu Wenrui retaliated against Bai Yuanzhi, Chen Shuojie would undoubtedly protect Bai Yuanzhi at all costs.

When the three members of the Chen Family turned against each other, and some unexpected incident occurred among them…

Wouldn’t that be far better than doing it himself?

Liu Rong reviewed his plan once more, convinced it was a flawless and ingenious scheme.

He lit a cigarette, took a few puffs, and revealed a confident, triumphant smile.

Author’s Note: Sorry, I’ve been too busy during the New Year period, so it might take another week to finish ^_^