Deliberately Approaching
Chapter 178: Why Are You Coming to My House?

Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Why Are You Coming to My House?

Leng Lingxiao handed the phone to Tang Xiaowan with a puzzled and perplexed expression.

"Hello, you’re looking for..."

"Meijuan, it’s me. Did you go to buy groceries with Granny Yu? Have you made it home yet?" Tang Xiaowan said.

Upon hearing Tang Xiaowan’s voice, Wang Meijuan glanced at the phone number again: "Not yet, Miss. Are you awake? Aren’t you at home? Why are you using..."

"It’s okay, nothing. You guys go ahead and buy the groceries."

"Miss..."

Tang Xiaowan hung up the call and ran off.

Behind her, Leng Lingxiao was in hot pursuit. The short distance between them quickly aroused the suspicion of the people around them.

— What’s going on here, are they police?

— Doesn’t seem like it, no shouting or anything. Maybe they know each other. Did a little couple have a fight?

— This guy is no good!

Two days ago, Leng Lingxiao had managed to intercept Tang Xiaowan in Mei Garden purely by luck. Right now, despite his rapid sprinting, he was coming up short.

After all, there was the matter of their ages; one was 30, the other only 20.

Dodging obstacles was Tang Xiaowan’s forte. She weaved through the crowd, now left, now right, without once touching any person or any tree, flower, or grass.

Leng Lingxiao wasn’t nearly as agile, knocking over several people along the way.

Apologize and help them up? Impossible!

He could hardly attend to that, only earning a barrage of curses.

— Are you out of your mind?

— Dressed up all nice, but without a shred of decency. In a hurry to be reborn?

— So rude, what’s the point of having eyes?

Five minutes later, Tang Xiaowan, panting heavily, returned to the building at number 29 and rushed straight to the study on the first floor.

However, no one was inside.

Tang Xiaowan quickly went upstairs, only to see a shadow flicker past, footfalls gradually halting on the third floor.

There were three rooms on this level, two doors were shut, so Tang Xiaowan deduced that the person must be hiding in the one with the door open.

"Come out if you have the guts!"

"If you behave, I promise I won’t call the police."

"Well, what do you say?"

After three shouts, there was no response.

"Then don’t blame me for not being nice!"

Just as she finished speaking, footsteps sounded from downstairs.

"What’s the matter, Tangtang? What happened?" Leng Lingxiao asked breathlessly.

"There’s a thief in the house; go get a kitchen knife."

Leng Lingxiao: "..."

"Hurry up!"

Yet Leng Lingxiao didn’t comply, continuing to move forward instead; how could he possibly leave Tang Xiaowan alone in such a situation.

The friend-foe situation was too unclear, too dangerous.

"Faster!" Tang Xiaowan urged again.

"No need for a kitchen knife, I’m enough."

Seeing Leng Lingxiao’s lack of cooperation made Tang Xiaowan seethe with frustration. She had no choice but to slowly advance toward the furthest room.

Approaching the door, Tang Xiaowan yelled, "I’m giving you one last chance, I’m going to count to three."

1, 2...

"Stop, stop counting. I’m coming out."

Tang Xiaowan: "?"

Leng Lingxiao: "?"

Both were taken aback and exchanged glances, because the voice sounded too much like a woman’s, gentle at that.

Could it be a glamorous female thief?

Tang Xiaowan touched her nose, silently speculating in her mind.

"I’ll handle this!"

Swiftly, Leng Lingxiao took a few quick steps to stand in front of Tang Xiaowan as the thief emerged slowly.

Tall and slender, standing around 170 centimeters.

This person was the one Tang Xiaowan had spotted from afar in the garden earlier, someone she felt looked very familiar.

With a light grey duckbill cap, dressed in dark grey casual wear, this person was covered from head to toe, even wearing a grey mask and gloves.

You could tell this was premeditated.

Dressed as a man, but the voice was undoubtedly female.

Either a traitor or a thief, too suspicious!

Tang Xiaowan’s lips curled into a faint smile as she raised an eyebrow, "Who are you, and what are you doing in my house?"

"Don’t worry about it, Tangtang. Leave this to me," Leng Lingxiao waved at Tang Xiaowan, then prepared to make a phone call.

"Don’t call the police, please don’t."

"Afraid of the police?" Leng Lingxiao scoffed.

"Yes, it’s me."

Just as the thief reached for the edge of her hat, Leng Lingxiao pinned her to the ground in a swift motion, so rapid that no one could react in time.

"Stay still, or you’ll end up dead!"

"Lady Tang, it’s me, it’s me!"

Behind Leng Lingxiao’s towering figure, Tang Xiaowan seemed to have realized something, her heart skipped a beat.

So, she stepped closer and slowly removed the thief’s mask.

"What are you searching for, sneaking around like this?"

"Lady Tang, please don’t get me wrong, I’m not a thief. I just wanted to get some of your hair or nails to examine... the cause of your amnesia."

"Oh, is that so!"

Leng Lingxiao frowned, "Do you know her?"

"Yes, how could I not? She’s Li Weilian’s personal secretary, Su Luoyi."

Tang Xiaowan enunciated every word, especially the name, speaking so slowly as if afraid Leng Lingxiao couldn’t hear her clearly.

"Which Li Weilian? The one from Yishen Pharmaceutical Factory who just returned from abroad?"

"Yes, that’s him."

"Lady Tang, I’m telling you the truth."

"Don’t tell me this is Li Weilian’s idea, or perhaps Li Zishen’s?"

"No, it’s not, it’s my own."

"Well then, let’s go downstairs to talk." Tang Xiaowan touched her nose and her lips curved into a slight smile, then turned to Leng Lingxiao, "Take her to the study."

"Please, Miss Su." Leng Lingxiao released his grip and said indifferently.

Even though the man’s tone had softened, Su Luoyi felt a chill run down her spine, as if a cold breeze had hit her, and with a sideways glance, she quickly followed Tang Xiaowan who had moved ahead.

Humph, no good deed goes unpunished!

Daring to play tricks, you’ll get what’s coming to you!

Thinking this, Leng Lingxiao casually took out a brass lighter and flipped it open and shut, the sound crisp and clear.

Each click weighed heavily on Su Luoyi’s heart.

...

First floor, study.

Tang Xiaowan walked straight to the bookcase.

"Miss Su, you’ve rifled through all these books, haven’t you? Did you find anything?"

"I, I came to get your hair, why... why would I search through the bookcase?"

Su Luoyi clenched her fists, stuttering as she spoke.

"Yes, it is odd, isn’t it?"

No sooner had Tang Xiaowan said this than she reached behind the bookcase and pulled out a cylindrical black object.

It was a very sophisticated recording pen.

Leng Lingxiao: "?"

Su Luoyi: "..."

"Lady Tang, what is this..."

"Ah, couldn’t help it, there was a fire here yesterday, and the surveillance was out of order, so... had to resort to the old ways. Come on, let’s listen."

"Lady Tang, may I make a quick phone call first? Just one minute, is that okay?"

Leng Lingxiao: "?"

Seeing the tears in Su Luoyi’s eyes, Tang Xiaowan couldn’t help but feel a twinge of compassion.

"Go ahead, make your call."

"Lady Tang, thank you."

Su Luoyi took out her phone and rapidly tapped the screen multiple times, saying earnestly, "I’m sorry, I love you, from the very first moment I saw you..."

Just as Tang Xiaowan wondered who the call was for, she saw Su Luoyi reach her other hand into her pocket.