Deliberately Approaching
Chapter 180: Play the Long Game to Catch Big Fish

Chapter 180: Chapter 180: Play the Long Game to Catch Big Fish

Between their conversation, Li Weilian and Chen Xin had already approached.

The four of them exchanged polite greetings.

Just as Tang Xiaowan was preparing to follow Leng Lingxiao to the main hall of the police station, Li Weilian suddenly quickened his pace and blocked her way.

"Is there something wrong?" Tang Xiaowan arched her eyebrow.

"Xiao Wan, I apologize for what happened with Su Luoyi. I will take responsibility for all the damage caused."

"She is her, and you are you."

"But after all, I brought her here, and she is my secretary. Since this incident occurred, I really am responsible. I just hope to rely on—"

"It’s time to go inside, let’s talk later." Leng Lingxiao suddenly interjected.

"Yes, it is time to go in."

"Xiao Wan, won’t you reconsider?"

Without responding, Tang Xiaowan walked away with Leng Lingxiao, leaving Li Weilian with a troubled expression, suddenly looking as forlorn as a frost-stricken eggplant.

He knew he was at fault but was also helpless.

"Don’t worry, Lady Tang is tough on the outside but soft on the heart."

"I know, but with the tension between Leng Lingxiao and Zishen... I don’t know if there will be a conflict later." Li Weilian shook his head.

Chen Xin frowned, "It shouldn’t be, wouldn’t Lady Tang’s wishes matter in this?"

"Ah, hopefully!"

...

One hour later, outside the main hall.

As Leng Lingxiao had predicted, Su Luoyi only admitted to illegally entering to steal books. When discovered, she attempted to take her own life with a knife, not to hold anyone hostage.

Tang Xiaowan cooperated throughout the process, smoothly going along with the situation.

On one hand, she remembered how Li Weilian had brought Su Luoyi to see her for medical consultations a few times—after all, one mustn’t be too ruthless. Moreover, she was laying a trap to catch a bigger fish related to the electronic tones.

Though Su Luoyi’s "I love you" call was fake, Tang Xiaowan deduced their relationship was certainly no ordinary one.

"Lady Tang, thank you." Chen Xin sincerely said and bowed to Tang Xiaowan.

"Ah, Brother Chen, you’re too polite. We know each other so well... so, what will happen to her? She won’t be sentenced, right?"

"She can go after paying the bail."

Tang Xiaowan nodded, "That’s good!"

"Brother Shen said to pick you up and take you back to Li Garden after everything is settled. Should we head out now or—"

Leng Lingxiao gently coughed twice.

The word "return" particularly stung his ears, and he almost wanted to lift Chen Xin up and throw him into the trash can.

"I still have to tidy up my study; I won’t go over today. Please pass on my thanks, bye-bye."

Playful and fast-speaking.

"Lady Tang, Brother Shen said—"

Before he could finish, Tang Xiaowan dashed off like a shot.

Hearing this outcome, Leng Lingxiao was delighted to leave, though he walked very slowly, as if strolling through his own garden.

"Ah, how do I explain this when I get back!" Cheng Shi frowned and shook his head.

...

Half an hour later, at Jinyuan Academy.

Just as Tang Xiaowan got out of the car, her mouth still full of pig’s trotter, she was stopped by someone.

It was Li Zishen.

The man was dressed in professional attire, just having finished a meeting.

"Xiao Wan, I’m sorry you were troubled today. For safety’s sake, perhaps you should consider moving back to Li Garden for now, would that be okay?"

Leng Lingxiao: "..."

Just as I thought, you want to make the most of this crisis!

In your dreams!

"Why go to all that trouble, just come to my place, it’s convenient." Leng Lingxiao said.

Holding her pig’s trotter, Tang Xiaowan glanced at the two men, "I’m not going anywhere, just back to my own home. I acknowledge your kindness, bye-bye."

"Xiao Wan, didn’t we agree to revamp the vegetable garden together? Have you forgotten?"

"Maybe another day!"

"Let’s go, we’ve been at it all morning, and we haven’t even let them rest." Leng Lingxiao responded irritably.

As the words ended, Tang Xiaowan bit her lip and left.

"I told you to stay away from Tangtang, you didn’t believe me, you had to pester her. This time you were lucky... you escaped Su Luoyi’s knife. What if next time it’s a man?"

Li Zishen’s heart violently clenched. "Weren’t you saying it was a burglary?"

"Believe it or not."

After saying that, he headed to his car.

"Leng Lingxiao, thank you."

"I’ve known Tangtang for over a decade, it’s not your place to thank me."

"You love her, don’t you?"

Leng Lingxiao paused, did not answer, then opened the car door and left abruptly.

...

Building 29, first-floor study.

"She’s been bailed, why did you let her go?"

"Because I want to catch a bigger fish, let’s not talk about this; how is your part going?"

"Oh, everything is going smoothly, I scoped out the place beforehand. They’ve visited three times, no, counting today makes four."

While talking, Cheng Shi handed his smartphone to Tang Xiaowan.

He had gone out late last night.

He left a message for Tang Xiaowan, saying he had thought of a way to get the surveillance footage from the property management.

At this moment, Tang Xiaowan smelled a faint scent of alcohol and instantly understood.

Looking at the video in her hand, it was indeed as she had guessed.

"Is it all Su Luoyi?"

"Yes, and each time she used a different mode of transport—a small car, an electric tricycle, a bicycle, but she didn’t change clothes."

"It must be deliberately bought men’s clothes, just that one outfit, which is quite stupid."

"Miss, what’s the next step?"

Tang Xiaowan took out a voice recorder and a smartphone from her pocket: "These are her items, please listen and try to recover the deleted stuff from the phone. I want to know whose calls she has received lately, and where the photos went."

"Photos?" Cheng Shi asked.

"She photographed all the books on the shelf, I don’t know what she was searching for?"

"These were moved from Mei Garden."

"Yes, but I, they were just randomly picked because they seemed interesting. Strange, what could there be worth stealing in these?"

"Surely it’s not treasure?"

Tang Xiaowan chuckled: "Treasure? Have you been watching too much TV? If it was, why set a fire? What if it destroyed everything?"

"Oh well, no idea then."

[Check if any books are missing, if they don’t match up with yesterday’s, go look in the bedroom, especially under the pillow.]

Suddenly, Tang Xiaowan remembered the voice recorder.

The words spoken by the electronic voice were actually the answer.

"Is it to see if after setting the fire, I would move the books? Which book is missing would show which one is problematic? But if there really was a secret, would I keep it there, not hide it somewhere?"

While Tang Xiaowan was talking to herself, Cheng Shi was struggling with his thoughts intensely.

"Miss, there is something I want to tell you, please don’t get me wrong, I have always been fiercely loyal to you." Cheng Shi stammered, his eyes not daring to meet Tang Xiaowan’s.

Tang Xiaowan frowned, "What is it?"

"Well, I’ve received several strange calls, hinting at something about to happen, but that person warned me not to tell anyone, otherwise..."

"The processed electronic voice?"

Cheng Shi exclaimed, "You know?"

"I guessed."

After saying that, Tang Xiaowan walked towards the kitchen, cooing, "Granny Yu, I’m starving, isn’t the food ready yet?"

"Almost, just five more minutes."