The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 198. It’s her

Chapter 198: 198. It’s her

A single sentence altered the expressions of the two people present. This year, Xia Fei was only thirty-three years old, merely two or three years older than Han Yi. When she had married Han Zhengshan, she was only twenty-five years old, while Han Zhengshan was almost in his fifties, old enough to be her father.

When it came to Xia Fei and Han Zhengshan, their union was once the butt of many jokes among Beijing’s high society.

Han Yi’s mother came from a distinguished family. Although not from Beijing, in Xinnan City, Han Yi’s mother’s family held significant prestige.

Han Zhengshan met Han Yi’s mother while studying abroad. The two grew affectionate over time, and with their families’ social status being equivalent, they quickly held a grand wedding upon their return from overseas.

The love story between Han Zhengshan and Han Yi’s mother was once a delightful tale. Han Yi’s mother, coming from a noble birth, was naturally well-mannered, and in terms of looks, one only needed to look at Han Yi to know she must have been a beauty as well.

Han Zhengshan truly loved his wife, and they lived a period of enviable affection, but after the passion faded, all that was left of love was monotony.

When Han Yi was still in his mother’s womb, due to insufficient nutritional absorption from the mother, he was born frail and often ill. Naturally, Han Yi’s mother then devoted most of her attention to her son, inadvertently neglecting her husband.

No matter how beautiful the delicate flower at home was, aesthetic fatigue would set in after enough time. Coupled with outside temptation, Han Zhengshan’s focus gradually drifted away from home. By the time Han Yi’s mother noticed something was amiss, Han Zhengshan had already been flaunting his affairs outside. However, because his wife was ultimately the one he desired, the matter never made it to the knowledge of Han Yi’s mother.

Han Yi’s mother only found out about it because a friend told her during a gathering. At first, she could not believe it, as her husband had always been loving and caring. But when the friend presented one photo after another, all depicting Han Zhengshan’s intimacy with different women, the undeniable truth forced her to accept the reality.

She confronted Han Zhengshan at home, who at first denied it all, making excuses and even lost his temper, accusing her of talking nonsense. It wasn’t until Han Yi’s mother threw the photos in front of Han Zhengshan that he was forced to admit the truth, followed by apologies and vows that it wouldn’t happen again.

That year, Han Yi was only ten years old. Thanks to the years of meticulous care from his mother, his health had already become no different from normal children. Han Yi’s mother gradually shifted her attention back to her husband, only then realizing the signs of infidelity.

Han Yi’s mother did not believe that Han Zhengshan could change, but she loved this man, and at Han Zhengshan’s earnest request, she naturally agreed to give him another chance.

However, it did not take long for Han Zhengshan to revert to his old ways. This time, he did not even bother to hide it, and the matter was exposed to the family of Han Yi’s mother in Xinnan City. Mr. Han, having lived outside the region for many years, was only made aware of his son’s misconduct when someone from his daughter’s family contacted him. He rushed back and used economic sanctions to force Han Zhengshan to get his act together. Fortunately, while Han Zhengshan had been indulging outside, he had not caused any loss of life.

He only had one child, Han Yi; there should have been another, but that child was never fated to see the world, leaving the womb at only two months old. That miscarriage severely weakened Han Yi’s mother’s health, and since then, she had been bedridden with illness.

After several years of such living, Han Zhengshan continued to go to work without causing any rumors, showing even more care for his sick wife. Even though the marital affection could never return to what it was at the time of their wedding, in the eyes of most, it was still considered decent. This "most," however, did not include Han Yi.

Just when everyone thought Han Zhengshan had really reformed, the news of his passionate relationship with his secretary Xia Fei broke, and the Han Family once again became hot gossip for the people of Beijing.

The scandal this time was a sensation throughout the city because Han Zhengshan was declaring openly outside that he wanted to divorce Han Yi’s mother and then marry Xia Fei. Even the intervention of Mr. Han was futile.

At that time, Han Yi’s mother’s health was already failing; she frequently had to be hospitalized. It was during one of these hospital stays that Xia Fei found her way to the hospital, showed Han Yi’s mother some photos and a lab report. Han Yi’s mother was so enraged she spouted blood and fell unconscious, never to awaken again.

Han Yi rushed back from abroad and didn’t even get to see his mother for the last time. At that moment, he almost killed Xia Fei. Had Mr. Han not intervened, Han Yi would have inevitably faced a lawsuit.

Han Zhengshan never expected things to turn out this way. He couldn’t honestly say he didn’t blame Xia Fei, but still, less than three months after Han Yi’s mother’s death, he registered to marry Xia Fei because she was already pregnant with his child, and he couldn’t let his child bear the stigma of being born out of wedlock.

Crushed by his mother’s death, Han Yi heard the news of his father’s remarriage to the very woman who caused his mother’s death. Bursting out of the room, he happened to encounter Xia Fei and, with a push, sent her tumbling down from the third-floor staircase. Her child was lost on the spot, and due to the severity of her injuries, she would never be able to have children again.

The Xia Family naturally wanted to sue Han Yi. Even Han Zhengshan threatened to sever father-son ties with him. In the end, Mr. Han stepped in, settled the matter, compensated the Xia Family generously, and managed to protect Han Yi.

However, Han Zhengshan’s actions had completely infuriated Mr. Han. Due to the sudden death of his daughter-in-law, Han Yi’s mother’s family certainly wouldn’t let things slide. Mr. Han, exhausted from dealing with the aftermath, failed to keep an eye on his home affairs. As a result, Han Zhengshan registered his marriage with another woman, an act that even led his grandson to such irrational behavior. Mr. Han was enraged and stripped Han Zhengshan of his position as CEO of Han Group. He returned to steer the company himself, both as a way to account to Han Yi’s maternal family and to Han Yi, and as a lesson for Han Zhengshan.

At first, Han Zhengshan didn’t care much, as his father was old and he was the only son. Even if his father could manage the company, he wouldn’t be able to do so for many years. In the end, the company would still be his.

But Han Zhengshan never expected that Mr. Han would bypass him and directly transfer control of the company to his son Han Yi, even transferring all his own shares to Han Yi, making him the legitimate chairman and president of Han Group.

That year, Han Yi was just twenty-five, and also in that same year, Mr. Han passed away due to illness, and Han Yi officially took over the Han Group.

With Mr. Han’s death, Han Zhengshan demanded as a father that Han Yi hand over all control of the company. His request was met with rejection by Han Yi. Han Zhengshan even joined forces with the company’s shareholders to collectively oppress Han Yi. But Han Yi was firm and resolutely implemented massive layoffs, driving out those in the company who opposed him.

That year at Han Group was filled with ongoing brutal struggles and weakened the company significantly. If it hadn’t been for Han Yi’s efforts to turn the tide, and the covert assistance from Shen Junyu, Jiang Chenxi, and others, Han Group might not have survived the risk of acquisition, let alone reach new heights.

Over the years, Han Group grew larger and stronger, and Han Yi’s position within the company became ever more secure. Even if Han Zhengshan wanted to fight for power, he didn’t have the ability to do so, and watching Han Yi naturally caused him much dissatisfaction.

Father and son though they were, they resembled enemies more.

Han Yi sneered, "Take advantage of my good mood today, you’d better not provoke me, or you might find your comfortable days are gone."

Han Zhengshan’s complexion turned ashen, his hand shaking as he pointed at Han Yi, "This is my house, Han Yi. Get out."

Han Yi lifted one finger, shaking it, "You’re mistaken. This is my house. Do I need to show you the property deed to see whose name is actually on it? You seem to have forgotten that your house was long ago lost by your ’true love’ to gambling."

Although Mr. Han transferred power over the company to his grandson before his death, he left Han Zhengshan with a substantial amount of money, enough for a worry-free life. However, no one expected that shortly after Mr. Han’s death, Xia Fei would gamble in Macau, and Han Zhengshan’s entire fortune was squandered by her, down to the last penny. She even accrued a considerable gambling debt that forced Han Zhengshan to sell all his real estate to pay it off.

With nothing left, Han Zhengshan had no choice but to turn to Han Yi. After all, he was his biological father. If Han Yi didn’t want to bear the stigma of being unfilial, he couldn’t ignore Han Zhengshan, especially as his company grew larger; he, as the helmsman, couldn’t afford to have such a reputation.

Han Zhengshan and Xia Fei returned to the old Han Family house. Without their own wealth, they lived off the monthly allowance provided by Han Yi. To outsiders, their life seemed comfortable and pleasant, but only they knew the bitterness within.

It’s quite amusing when you think about it. Mr. Han was once a formidable figure in the business world, yet his son, Han Zhengshan, turned out to have little talent for commerce, the classic case of the apple falling far from the tree. If it weren’t for Han Yi, it’s likely that the small fortune of the Han Family would have been squandered away by Han Zhengshan eventually. Perhaps it was for this reason that Mr. Han decided to hand over the group to his grandson in the first place.

Xia Fei’s complexion turned quite ugly at the mention of the past, but she dared not speak, as she was well aware that she currently had no standing to challenge Han Yi.

"Han Yi, I am your father, and even if I’ve done something wrong, I’m still your father. I brought you into this world and raised you," Han Zhengshan roared, his chest heaving dramatically, clearly furious.

A smile still played on Han Yi’s face, "I never said you weren’t my father, so isn’t that why I’m supporting you right now? I am fulfilling my duty to provide for the elderly, am I not?"

Han Zhengshan fell silent and had nothing else to say because, indeed, they were being supported by Han Yi. Though the allowance Han Yi provided each month could not be considered a lot, it was certainly not meager.

With Han Zhengshan not speaking, Xia Fei naturally didn’t dare to make a sound either. She knew she was a deeply loathed figure in Han Yi’s heart; if it weren’t for Han Zhengshan’s protection, she would have been thrown out of the house by Han Yi long ago.

Han Yi glanced at the two silent figures, let out a cold laugh, and was about to head upstairs when Han Zhengshan hurriedly called out to him, "Han Yi, wait."

Han Yi paused mid-step and looked towards Han Zhengshan, "Is there something else?" His tone was cool, tinged with impatience.

"I want to start a business on my own. Give me some startup capital," Han Zhengshan demanded as if it were his due. This was also the reason he had waited up so late at home for Han Yi today.

Han Yi rarely came home, but with the anniversary of his mother’s death approaching, he would definitely return.

Han Yi laughed, pivoted on his heel, and sat down on the sofa, crossing his legs, his gaze filled with mockery as he looked at Han Zhengshan, "How much are you thinking of asking for this time?"

"Not much, just fifty million."

"Heh," Han Yi chuckled, "That’s ’not much’ indeed." Fifty million was indeed a minuscule amount for him; he might donate more than that in a single charity event.

"I’ve got my eye on an investment that’s a sure win, no loss. Consider the fifty million as a loan from you; I’ll pay you back later," Han Zhengshan continued, aware of his strained relationship with his son and opting to frame it as a loan for fear that Han Yi might refuse.

Han Yi’s legs shook with laughter, looking irresistibly charming. Even Xia Fei, accustomed to Han Yi’s looks, was dazzled by the smile on his face.

She felt a slight regret in the depths of her heart. If only she had hooked up with Han Yi instead. Even with all of Han Yi’s notorious affairs, he was still better than Han Zhengshan, with no power, no money, no physique – a washed-up old man. But hindsight is 20/20, and who would have thought that the young upstart would knock his own father down from his perch?

"I do have money, and I certainly won’t miss the fifty million, but the money I have was hard-earned, not blown in by the wind. While you were busy cozying up to your mistress, I was working overtime in the office. Now you’re asking for fifty million as if it’s nothing; do you think I’m an ATM? Between work and providing for you, I’m quite exhausted," Han Yi claimed fatigue, but his expression did not show a hint of it.

Han Zhengshan’s face turned even paler, watching Han Yi blatantly lie, "I’m your father, is asking you for fifty million too much? Would you rather I go borrow money from others, then let it be known that my own son is unfilial and won’t even give his old man money to spend?" This was clearly a threat.

Was Han Yi someone to be threatened? He shrugged dismissively, "You can try, and see who would lend you the money. Even if you find someone willing to lend it, don’t expect me to help you repay it. Do I need to remind you how much money you have lost in your business endeavors over the past two years?"

Anyway, the Han Family was already a joke in Beijing’s high society. Han Yi couldn’t care less if the joke got even bigger. So, you want to threaten me? Try to guilt-trip me? Go ahead and see if I care.

As soon as Han Zhengshan said those words, he wasn’t really going to do it. No matter how outrageous he might act, he knew he was a part of the Han Family. Disgracing the Han Family was the same as disgracing himself. Family disputes should be resolved behind closed doors at home.

"Han Yi, are you really that heartless?" Han Zhengshan asked.

Han Yi raised an eyebrow. He didn’t consider himself heartless. In fact, he thought he had been too much of a saint. Look at these two before him, they had conspired to drive his mother to her death, yet here he was, not holding past grudges, and still providing for them, offering them the life of a rich lord and lady. If there were an award for the ’Best Saint,’ it would certainly go to him.

"I’m a businessman. If it’s a losing deal, do you think I would go through with it? Do I look that stupid in your eyes? Or perhaps, do you have any valuable assets left to use as collateral? If its value is equivalent to fifty million, I can give you fifty million."

"Han Yi, I am your father, do we really need to be so calculative with each other?" Han Zhengshan didn’t have any valuable possessions left to use as collateral. Xia Fei had gambled away everything they had, and anything of value left in the past two years had been taken away by Han Yi under various pretexts. Now, he truly had nothing, and it was because of this he wanted to start his own business, to make some money. After a year or two, he had learned that only with money in hand can one speak with authority.

"Even brothers should settle accounts clearly. Even if Grandfather were alive, he would agree with what I’m doing. I’m warning you as your son, if you don’t have the ability to do it, don’t attempt it."

Having said that, Han Yi stood up and returned to his room.

His room was on the third floor, and the entire floor was just his room. Aside from him and the cleaning staff, even Han Zhengshan was not permitted to go up there.

In the living room, Xia Fei’s expression was sorrowful. She looked up at Han Zhengshan with teary eyes, "Zhengshan, this is all my fault. If I hadn’t loved you too much, wanting to be with you, your relationship with Han Yi wouldn’t have ended up like this."

Han Zhengshan’s anger had not yet subsided, but seeing his young wife like this, he felt pained and gently patted Xia Fei’s hand, "What nonsense are you talking about? Even without you, my relationship with Han Yi wouldn’t be any better." Ever since Han Yi was ten years old, his relationship with his son had never been good. He knew that deep in Han Yi’s heart, there was resentment towards him for not treating his mother well. Xia Fei only intensified the father-son conflict. He just couldn’t understand why Han Yi, born to such a gentle-natured mother, could have such a temper.

"No, it’s my fault. I know Han Yi always blames me for his mother’s death, but I didn’t do it on purpose. I just went to her because she refused to divorce, intending to plead for her blessing. But then she just... I didn’t know she was so sick. If I had known earlier, I definitely wouldn’t have gone to her. I would have left you, and been content just watching you from a distance. Zhengshan, I really didn’t mean it." She sobbed softly, her voice full of pain and regret.

Han Zhengshan kept saying, "I know, I know, this isn’t your fault, I didn’t handle things properly."

He held Xia Fei in his arms, comforting her softly. He definitely loved Xia Fei; otherwise, he wouldn’t have insisted on divorcing Han Yi’s mother to marry her. And any pang of regret that might have arisen from the unpleasant conversation with Han Yi just moments ago was now gone, drowned by Xia Fei’s crying. This was the woman he had chosen—what was there to regret?

Han Zhengshan had many women, but the only ones who bore his children were Han Yi’s mother and Xia Fei. For the years he had been married to Xia Fei, there had been no other women. Even after Xia Fei had squandered the family fortune left by Mr. Han, he hadn’t said a word. If this wasn’t true love, what was?

With her head buried in Han Zhengshan’s chest, Xia Fei continued to weep softly, but not a single tear was on her face. The corners of her mouth, however, curled up into a slight smile. She knew how to capture Zhengshan’s heart. It was just a pity that she had acted too rashly back then, which led to the old lady’s death; otherwise, she would now be the wife of the chairman of the Han Group, commanding the wind and summoning the rain, without any need to look at Han Yi’s face.

Han Yi threw himself onto the large bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, his earlier devil-may-care attitude gone.

This house hadn’t felt like a home since his mother passed away. Had it not been for the fact that this was where his mother had lived for more than twenty years, he probably would have sold the place a long time ago.

Han Yi thought of the two people downstairs and laughed, mocking at how his mother hoped to live a leisurely life after pissing him off. She’d have to ask for his approval, wouldn’t she?

Wasn’t it supposed to be true love? Well, he was curious to see how long this true love would last. Since Han Zhengshan could betray his mother, he could naturally betray this woman as well. Han Yi was determined to return every blow they had inflicted on his mother, one by one.

Although he had promised his grandfather he wouldn’t neglect his father, he hadn’t promised to let go of the matter with his mother, had he?

Han Yi, wrapped up in his own affairs, suddenly pictured a pair of crescent eyes that would light up when smiling, a flash of amusement in those peach blossom eyes. He picked up his phone to scroll through his WeChat Moments, and then he saw a post from Yu Xiaoxuan.

"Today I went to a bar with my besties, but ended up only drinking juice [Feeling wronged]." The post was accompanied by a photo of her pouting unhappily.

Han Yi tapped on the picture with his finger, "You ungrateful little thing, I’ve been so good to you, and yet you dare to bite the hand that feeds you."

Then he chuckled again, as if even he found his behavior childish, and continued to scroll down only to notice Shen Qinglan had given Yu Xiaoxuan’s post a like.

After some thought, Han Yi called Yu Xiaoxuan. She was in the middle of taking a shower and didn’t answer the call, so Han Yi put down the phone and headed for the bathroom.

His bedroom was very spacious, with the bathroom alone as big as someone else’s entire room, luxuriously furnished to fit his hedonistic lifestyle. Even though he didn’t come home often, he had the place decorated to his taste.

Yu Xiaoxuan stepped out of the bathroom, seeing the missed call, she felt somewhat puzzled but dialed back, finding no answer; she assumed Han Yi had dialed by mistake and didn’t think much of it, turning off her phone to sleep.

Today was a rare occasion that she came home, laying on her familiar bed, Yu Xiaoxuan closed her eyes in contentment, indeed, nothing beat the comfort of her own bed.

**

After sending Fang Tong home, Shen Qinglan headed straight back to his place and then called Andre. Andre was in the middle of shooting an advertisement, his assistant answered the call and handed the phone to Andre, who moved to a corner.

"Hi, Andre, what’s up with you calling me today?" Andre’s voice was cheerful; he had just made his new romance with Cissily public and was naturally in high spirits.

"Are you coming to Beijing?" Shen Qinglan was direct.

Andre paused, then laughed, "Wow, Andre, you’re well-informed. I wanted to surprise you, but now there’s no surprise." Andre had kept it a secret from even Jin Enxi to surprise Shen Qinglan.

"...Andre..." Shen Qinglan was at a loss for words.

"Andre, this really is for work. My agent showed me an amazing script, and I’ve never been to Z country before, so I decided to take it. Seeing you is just a bonus, and I know you don’t want people to know about our relationship. Don’t worry, I won’t tell." Andre explained but didn’t mention his and Eden’s suspicions, fearing that if that person was still alive, it might endanger Shen Qinglan.

This movie shoot would primarily take place in Beijing, allowing them to stay in the city legitimately for an extended period. With this opportunity, they could be close to Shen Qinglan and be ready to help if he encountered any trouble.

Shen Qinglan, unaware of their plans, did not try to dissuade Andre from coming; instead, he said, "When you arrive, I’ll treat you to dinner, cooked by me."

On hearing that, Andre raised an eyebrow, "Andre, maybe I should cook for you?" he suggested tentatively.

Shen Qinglan’s usually cool face darkened slightly. Was this a vote of no confidence in her cooking skills? Although she had once made them some disastrous dishes back at Devil Base, she had greatly improved over the years. At least the few dishes she could make now were edible and not terrible.

"Let’s talk about it when you get here," Shen Qinglan said stubbornly and hung up the phone.

By Wednesday, the news of the international superstar Andre’s arrival in Beijing was known to everyone. Shen Qinglan didn’t go to the airport to pick him up but she could see from the news the massive fanfare that greeted him.

Shen Qinglan knew that Andre was popular in Z country, but she hadn’t expected his popularity to be quite so immense. From the news, she could see him wearing sunglasses, smiling and occasionally waving to fans who had come to greet him at the airport. He was surrounded by several assistants and a few burly men that looked like bodyguards clearing the way for him.

Shen Qinglan smiled wryly, thinking of Yu Xiaoxuan’s admiration for Andre.

That evening, she received a call from Andre, "Andre, I’m in Beijing, where are you?"

Shen Qinglan replied, "At home."

"Let’s meet up."

"Don’t you need to adjust to the time difference since you’ve just arrived?"

"I can’t sleep right now. Eden and Cissily came with me, though not on the same flight as me; we arrived separately. Eden got here this morning. Cissily is with me now. Where do you live? We’ll come to you." Andre didn’t give Shen Qinglan a chance to refuse.

She was speechless but gave him the address of Shangya Garden and then called Jin Enxi. Jin Enxi had been asleep, having not rested for three days and nights as she had been absorbed in perfecting the positioning system that had been previously tested on Eden, finding many flaws in it. She was immersed in research, barely visible outside of meal times, even to Ya Xi, who lived under the same roof.

Jin Enxi, not having slept for three days and nights, had just fallen into a deep sleep when her euphoria at a breakthrough had just set in when her phone rang, "Who is this, calling in the middle of the night—are you calling for spirits?" She grabbed her phone, not even looking and yelled at the person on the other end.

Shen Qinglan recognized immediately that Jin Enxi had fallen into her nocturnal habits again. Back at Devil Base, whenever there were no missions, Jin Enxi loved to lock herself in her room and work on her coding and programs. Shen Qinglan had learned her skills from her, Jin Enxi indeed had a gift; as her expertise matured, the safety during their missions significantly increased.

"Enxi." Shen Qinglan said calmly, her clear voice carrying over the phone to Jin Enxi, whose bleary eyes suddenly snapped to attention.

"An, it’s you." Jin Enxi sheepishly realized that she hadn’t meant to shout at Shen Qinglan. She had no idea it was her.

"Ya Xi?" She had called Ya Xi, but no one answered. It wasn’t until after she had given Andre their address that she remembered Ya Xi was still at Shangya Garden; it was inconvenient to let the two sides meet, so she could only ask Ya Xi to stay away.

"Huh, she’s not at home?" Jin Enxi tousled her messy hair, climbed out of bed, and sure enough, Ya Xi was nowhere to be found in the house. "An, I slept so deeply that I didn’t notice where she went."

Jin Enxi’s gaze paused as she noticed a piece of paper stuck on her door. She picked it up, glanced at it, "An, it looks like your little friend went out to meet with classmates, said something about a study group."

These past few days, Ya Xi had been staying with her, always obedient and never bothering her. Jin Enxi had almost forgotten there was another person in the house. Now, with Shen Qinglan’s inquiry, she felt somewhat embarrassed, right, An had asked her to take good care of this little friend.

"Then don’t worry about her, Andre and the others will be coming soon. You should stay indoors," said Shen Qinglan.

"What, Andre and the others are coming?" Jin Enxi dug at her ears, suspecting she heard wrong.

Shen Qinglan hummed a sound of acknowledgment, then hung up the phone and left the house with her car keys.

"Hey, An, did you miss me?" As soon as the door opened, a fiery figure flung herself at her. Shen Qinglan did not dodge, letting the person embrace her fully.

Cissily succeeded in grabbing hold of Shen Qinglan, turned back towards Jin Enxi and others with a triumphant raise of her eyebrows, and rubbed her chest against Shen Qinglan, "An, don’t you think my figure has gotten even better?"

Feeling the softness pressed against her, Shen Qinglan’s face darkened, her expression unreadable as she pushed Cissily away, "Your figure is already on par with the devil’s."

Cissily giggled, "An, you’re still so adorable."

Sitting down next to Shen Qinglan with a cheerful grin, "An, aren’t you surprised or startled to see me? I managed to evade the public eye and sneaked over to see you."

Shen Qinglan’s expression remained unfazed, "Very surprised, quite unexpected."

Cissily pouted uninterestedly, then no longer teased her. She leaned into Andre’s arm, looking boneless, "Enxi, you’re the lucky one, being able to stay with An frequently, unlike us, having to cross oceans just for a glimpse."

Jin Enxi rolled her eyes, wanting to say that even living in Beijing, her encounters with Shen Qinglan could be counted on one hand. This person never thought to look for her unless it was for business.

Thinking it over, she decided not to give them another chance to laugh at her and stayed quiet.

"Cissily, are your injuries all healed?" Shen Qinglan asked, concern visible in her eyes.

Eden smiled gently, "I’ve been fine for a while now, all healed, so don’t worry. Both Cissily and I are without any residual effects."

Hearing Eden say this put Shen Qinglan at ease, "Tell me, what’s the real purpose of you all coming to Beijing en masse? Don’t give me that nonsense about missing me."

The group exchanged looks, before their gaze unanimously landed on Eden.

Eden touched his nose; he knew it would ultimately be up to him to spill the beans.

Organizing his thoughts, Eden pulled out a photograph from his pocket and handed it to Shen Qinglan, "An, have you ever seen this woman?"

Shen Qinglan took the photograph and her eyes narrowed, "Where did you get this photo from?"

"You’ve seen her?" Eden’s expression shifted as he pressed on.

Shen Qinglan nodded. Not only had she seen her, they had even had dealings. This woman had once caused quite a stir in Beijing, impersonating Leng Qingqiu.

But after that art exhibition, the woman had disappeared, never to be seen again.

Jin Enxi glanced at the photograph, "It’s her!"

Andre looked at her, "You’ve seen her too?"

Jin Enxi nodded, serious now, "This woman once followed An. I found her, and I had caught her, intending to find out why she was trailing An. But then Eden was in trouble, and before I could question her, she escaped. It wasn’t until after I returned from Y country that I learned she was posing as An, claiming to be Leng Qingqiu."

"Why do you have a photo of her?" Jin Enxi asked.

"It’s because of this woman that Eden was captured by BK," said Andre somberly.

Shen Qinglan turned to look at Eden.

Speaking calmly, Eden continued, "Originally, I went into the primitive jungle to search for a certain plant for drug research, but I accidentally lost my way and encountered a member of a Primitive Tribe. I spent several days with the tribe and stumbled upon a plant. Its sap shared some similarities with opium, but its addictive properties were even stronger. However, at the same time, the sap contained another element that had a powerful analgesic effect. Curious, I brought this plant back to the lab.

I extracted these two components from the plant, but my research was stolen by an assistant who sold it to others. After returning from BK, I’ve been investigating this matter and managed to find that the assistant was approached by a woman who offered him a large sum of money. Following this lead, I tracked down this woman."

Shen Qinglan listened intently, and so far, she hadn’t heard anything amiss in the conversation. The only certainty was that none of them knew this woman, meaning a vendetta was unlikely. It was more probable that there was someone behind this woman, harboring ill will toward them.

Eden then produced another photograph which Shen Qinglan looked at, and her expression immediately changed. The photograph showed a woman with her back turned, wearing a strappy dress, with a dark red tattoo on her right shoulder.