The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 380 - 382. Anonymous email, identity exposed

Chapter 380: 382. Anonymous email, identity exposed

Shen Qian’s eyes were full of gravity as he looked at Fu Hengyi and spoke in a deep voice, "Hengyi, how much do you know about Qinglan’s experiences during the years she was away from the Shen Family?"

Fu Hengyi’s eyes flickered slightly, but his facial expression remained calm, showing no sign of anything unusual. "Dad, what do you mean by this?"

Shen Qian had been watching for any changes in Fu Hengyi’s expression. Seeing his reaction, he hesitated for a moment before starting, "Qinglan left home at the age of five and didn’t return until she was sixteen. During those eleven years, she wandered on her own. I won’t hide it from you; after receiving news of Qinglan, I sent people to investigate her past."

Fu Hengyi was aware of this but didn’t understand why Shen Qian would suddenly bring it up. "Dad, what are you trying to say?"

"At that time, my investigation showed that apart from being adopted and then abandoned by a couple, Qinglan spent most of her time in that orphanage. But you must have noticed, just like I did, that Qinglan knows a lot and is acquainted with many unusual people, things that don’t seem typical for a child who grew up in an orphanage."

Fu Hengyi’s face grew stern as he looked directly at Shen Qian. "Dad, what are you getting at? Are you suggesting that Qinglan deliberately concealed her identity and has ulterior motives for returning to the Shen Family?" His gaze turned cold, implying that if Shen Qian really meant that, Fu Hengyi’s next words wouldn’t be so polite.

Sensing the distance in Fu Hengyi’s demeanor, Shen Qian rubbed his forehead, feeling helpless, "Hengyi, Qinglan is my biological daughter, I care for her no less than you do. She has been back at the Shen Family for so many years; if I had wanted to do something, why would I have waited until now? I asked you here because there’s something I need to show you."

Shen Qian took out a document and handed it to Fu Hengyi, who, upon seeing it, felt a surge of foreboding.

When Fu Hengyi saw the contents of the document, his face changed instantly. "Dad, where did you get this?"

Shen Qian’s expression was inscrutable. "I just received it today. It was sent to the military barracks." If he hadn’t happened to be at the guardhouse because of some business, the letter would surely have gone through inspection before reaching him, and whether it would have remained unseen by others was uncertain.

"So far, only the two of us have seen this. Hengyi, do you believe what it says?" Shen Qian asked. The document detailed Shen Qinglan’s time entering the Devil Base, her performance there, and even included photographs of her during trials, hands covered in blood, coldly harvesting lives, like an Asura from hell.

Shen Qian had been shockingly astounded when he first saw it, standing dumbfounded on the spot. Thankfully, no one was around when he viewed the document, which was also the reason for his hurried return today.

Shen Qian’s gaze stayed on Fu Hengyi, and seeing Fu Hengyi’s expression, his heart sank. "You’ve known about Qinglan’s past all along, haven’t you?"

Fu Hengyi remained silent, neither admitting nor denying, which was as good as a confirmation to Shen Qian, whose heart plummeted, "When did you find out?"

Instead of answering, Fu Hengyi countered, "Dad, now that you know, what do you plan to do?"

This question stumped Shen Qian, who had been pondering the same during his journey. He asked himself, if what the document stated was true, what should he do?

The standings of the Shen and Fu Families in Beijing were high profile. If Shen Qinglan’s identity was exposed, not to mention the Shen and Fu Families, there would be no place for her in all of Z country, and both families would be implicated.

In Beijing, it would be a massive scandal and a laughing stock. Shen Qian did not care about his career, but he cared about the reputation of the Shen Family, otherwise, he would not have investigated Shen Qinglan in the first place.

Fu Hengyi watched Shen Qian intently and began softly, "Before you make a decision, Dad, I’d like you to listen to a story. Once there was a little girl who was born into a wealthy family. She was beautiful, adorable, kind, and lively – everyone’s darling and the apple of her parents’ eye. But one day, just before her fifth birthday, while out with her mother, she was abducted by human traffickers..."

Shen Qian listened in silence, his face a kaleidoscope of emotions.

Two hours had passed when Fu Hengyi emerged from the study, and Shen Qinglan looked at him, puzzled. "What took you so long to talk about?"

Fu Hengyi laughed, "Nothing much, Dad had some military matters to discuss with me, and we got so caught up in it that we lost track of time. Have you been waiting long?"

"It’s okay, Mom and I were watching TV, which was quite interesting." Shen Qinglan said. Fu Hengyi glanced at the television, which displayed several children seemingly buying something on the street.

"It’s getting late; we should go back home," said Fu Hengyi.

Shen Qinglan nodded, and Shen Junyu stood up to escort Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi back to their home.

After Shen Qinglan had finished her nightly routine and got into bed, she looked at Fu Hengyi, "What’s wrong with you? You seem distracted?"

Fu Hengyi came back to his senses and smiled, lifting the book in his hand, "Distracted? I’m reading."

Shen Qinglan... Before she entered the room, Fu Hengyi had been on the same page, and an hour had passed, he was still on that page. But if Fu Hengyi didn’t want to speak, Shen Qinglan wouldn’t press him.

Fu Hengyi placed the book on the bedside table. "Are you tired? Do you want to sleep?"

"Aren’t we having a bedtime story tonight?" Shen Qinglan replied. Fu Hengyi had always been keen on telling bedtime stories to the child in her womb, a ritual he had never missed a night thus far, but tonight, Fu Hengyi was indeed behaving abnormally.

Fu Hengyi nodded, "Yes, no story tonight. Let’s listen to some music instead. It would be nice for our girl to grow up to be a musician, a quiet and gentle lady."

Shen Qinglan was surprised; this didn’t sound like something Fu Hengyi would say.

Fu Hengyi picked up his phone from the side, pressed something, and soothing music immediately spilled out, filling the room. He held Shen Qinglan in his arms and gently kissed her forehead and stomach, whispering softly, "Goodnight, my big treasure, goodnight, my little treasure."

Seeing him close his eyes with a clear refusal for conversation, a thoughtful look crossed Shen Qinglan’s eyes. Fu Hengyi’s unusual behavior had started after coming out of the study, so what exactly had happened in the study that night? What did Shen Qian say to him?

Shen Qinglan couldn’t guess what their conversation was about, but she was certain of one thing: it revolved around her. If it weren’t related to her, Fu Hengyi wouldn’t be acting this way.

"Fu Hengyi," Shen Qinglan called out once, but Fu Hengyi’s breathing was steady, as if he had truly fallen asleep.

Shen Qinglan stared at his eyes for a while, and seeing no response, she turned around and closed her eyes to sleep.

It wasn’t until Shen Qinglan’s breathing stabilized that Fu Hengyi opened his eyes again. He took his phone, pulled up Eden’s contact, and sent a message, then closed his eyes once more to sleep.

**

Shen Family.

Shen Qian waited until Chu Yunrong had fallen asleep before crawling out of bed, carefully leaving the room without making noise. He headed to the study and made sure to close the study door behind him.

The study had a liquor cabinet that Shen Junyu had stocked. He took a bottle from it, poured a glass, and sat on the couch, silently drinking, a cigarette pinched between his fingers.

Shen Qian was not a man given to drinking, and he seldom smoked; a single pack might last him a month. However, the color of his fingertips revealed that his past addiction to nicotine had been quite strong.

It was Shen Qinglan who had inspired him to quit. When she was little, she was very sensitive to the smell of smoke. She wouldn’t let him near her whenever he smoked, waving her little hands and saying, "Daddy stinks, don’t want Daddy."

Over time, Shen Qian gradually gave up smoking in order to be closer to his daughter. Chu Yunrong had even teased him about it, saying he was utterly enslaved by his daughter. They had been married for so many years, and she had urged him to quit numerous times with no success. He always claimed he couldn’t kick the habit, but then his daughter managed it with a single sentence.

Shen Qian took a drag of his cigarette, blowing out a ring of smoke. All that appeared before his eyes were scenes of Shen Qinglan’s childhood—from Chu Yunrong’s pregnancy, to the birth, to the full moon celebration, then day by day, to her first birthday, the second, third, fourth, all the way up to her fifth. Each memory was like a frame in a film, each scene so vivid it was as if it had happened only yesterday.

Some events he even remembered more clearly than Chu Yunrong did. He thought if it weren’t for Shen Qinglan’s later disappearance, he might not have held on to those memories with such clarity. It was the loss that made every remaining recollection all the more precious.

He emptied his glass in one gulp and poured another, but the fiery taste on his tongue did not lull his brain to sleep. All he could hear were the words Fu Hengyi had spoken to him that night.

He had said, "In her heart, her father is a soldier, a hero who defends his country. She believed her father would surely come to rescue her. So even though she was taken away and brought to a strange place, she did not cry. She kept waiting, waiting for that hero to take her home, but in the end, all she got was despair."

He had said, "When she was five, while other children were still being coddled in their mother’s arms, crying for toys, she had already learned that tears are the most useless thing in the world—that without effort, one would simply be beaten to death."

He had said, "When she was seven, while other children were still tattling to teachers in school about being bullied by a classmate, she had already come to understand the coldness and cruelty that lie beneath the warm flow of human blood."

He had said, "At the age of eleven, while other children were still enjoying their childhood, dreaming of their teenage fantasies, she was already carrying scars all over her body, embarking on a path of no return where it was either kill or be killed."

He had said, "At fifteen, while other kids were confused by their first loves, basking in their carefree youth, she was already fighting with her battered body and her deeply wounded heart to gain that sliver of freedom for herself."

He had said, "At sixteen, full of hope, she searched for her family, imagining that long-missed warmth, but what awaited her was a place taken over by others, a foreign home."

He had said, "She is a person struggling in hell, yet the very one who cast her into hell is completely unaware, still silently wondering what intentions she has in returning to her homeland."

He had said, "The world has been so cruel to her, making her experience things at a young age that should never belong to her life. Seeing her, my heart aches. Does yours?"

He had said, "I can forsake this world, let go of the honor of being a soldier, cast off the responsibilities on my shoulders, all for the sake of keeping her. If there is no place for her here, then to the ends of the earth I shall follow her. Wherever she finds solace will be where my soul belongs."

Warm tears trailed down his crinkled eyes, landing on the back of his hand, causing his heart to sink into a sea of bitterness, struggling in vain for redemption.

He clutched at his chest, Qinglan, my Qinglan, it’s Daddy’s fault. Daddy is so sorry, Qinglan. How can Daddy make up for everything you’ve lost?

I had imagined countless possibilities, thought that your extraordinary abilities came from a legendary experience, but never foresaw that in my absence, you had struggled so desperately in despair.

Qinglan, my daughter, how should your daddy cope?

There is a saying, "A man’s tears don’t easily fall, but only when the heart’s deepest cords are touched."

**

The next morning, when Chu Yunrong got up, she didn’t see Shen Qian. She looked around but couldn’t find him, so she decided to give him a call. However, Shen Qian’s ringtone was coming from the bedroom, which meant Shen Qian hadn’t left the house.

Just as she was wondering where he could be, she saw Shen Junyu coming out of his room, "Jun Yu, have you seen your dad?"

Shen Junyu shook his head, "I just got up, did he go for a run?"

Chu Yunrong considered this possibility; Shen Qian indeed had a routine of exercising in the morning.

"Well, let’s not worry about him then. Let’s go have breakfast. I’ve made plans to go shopping with Xi Yao’s mom today."

Shen Junyu also had plans today to meet Han Yi and then head to Lin City to bring the two elders back.

While they were having breakfast, Shen Qian came down from upstairs. Chu Yunrong saw him first, "So you were here. Why couldn’t I find you just now?"

Shen Qian had a hangover after a night’s sleep and couldn’t compare to the vitality of the young anymore. He looked somewhat haggard. Hearing Chu Yunrong’s words, he gave a laugh, "I remembered something I hadn’t dealt with in the middle of the night, so I went to the study. I didn’t want to disrupt your sleep, so I stayed there."

He sat down beside Chu Yunrong, and she smelled something as she wrinkled her brow, "Have you been smoking and drinking?"

Shen Qian sniffed himself, "Is it that strong? Then I’ll go take a shower first." Saying that, he got up and went upstairs.

Chu Yunrong called out to him, "At least eat your breakfast first."

Shen Qian, as if he hadn’t heard her, went straight into the bedroom. Chu Yunrong and Shen Junyu exchanged a glance, "What’s gotten into your dad?"

Shen Junyu shrugged, "If you don’t know, how would I?" He had a lot on his plate today and quickly finished breakfast before leaving.

Chu Yunrong had finished her meal and Shen Qian still hadn’t come back down, so she had to go upstairs to look for him. Shen Qian was sitting at the edge of the bed, flipping through a photo album.

Chu Yunrong leaned in to take a look. It was an album of Shen Qinglan’s childhood that had always been locked in a box before they took it out, "What made you think to look at this? Not even coming down for breakfast?"

Shen Qian gave a smile, "Maybe it’s because I’m getting old. Last night, I dreamt of Qinglan as a child. Time really flies. In a blink of an eye, Qinglan is going to be a mother, and we’ve grown old."

Chu Yunrong nodded with a smile, "Yes, we’ve grown old, and soon our grandchild will be here. It’s quite a wonderful thing to think about."

"Yun Rong, wouldn’t it be nice if time could go backward and we could return to Qinglan’s childhood? We could watch her grow up." He would be sure to protect her and not let her get hurt in the least.

The smile on Chu Yunrong’s face faded, "Aqian, are you hiding something from me?"

Shen Qian shook his head with a forced smile, "No, it’s just the dream I had last night made me reflect. Time spares no one. I’m going back to the military base this afternoon. I’m going to visit Qinglan."

Shen Qian went downstairs, his hands behind his back. Chu Yunrong watched his retreating figure, feeling that he was somehow off today. After tidying up the bedroom, she walked into the study to be greeted by the strong smell of cigarette smoke and alcohol. She frowned, pulled open the curtains, and opened the windows to air the room out. Only then did she notice the floor littered with cigarette butts and empty bottles.

"How much did he drink? Acting like he’s still young, without a thought for his body. This is sheer folly," Chu Yunrong muttered to herself, yet her eyes were filled with concern.

Today’s husband was definitely acting abnormally, but he was unwilling to tell her what had happened, leaving her to guess on her own. This made Yun Rong feel very uneasy.

Meanwhile, when Shen Qian went to the Fu Family’s home, Qinglan had not yet gotten up, and he only saw Hengyi. The two seemed to have an unspoken understanding as they entered the study together. By the time they emerged from the study an hour later, Qinglan had just gotten up.

Seeing Shen Qian, Qinglan was somewhat surprised. "Daddy, why did you come over so early?"

Shen Qian smiled warmly, "I came over to have breakfast. It’s been a long time since Daddy has had breakfast with you."

Qinglan raised an eyebrow, looking toward Hengyi. She always felt that these two were hiding something from her. Smiling, she said, "Daddy, then let’s have breakfast."

During the meal, Shen Qian peeled an egg and put it in Qinglan’s bowl, saying, "Eat an egg in the morning to replenish protein."

"Thank you, Dad."

After breakfast, Shen Qian stayed at the Fu Family’s home for quite a while, making small talk with Qinglan, until he received a phone call and then left. Qinglan looked at Hengyi, "Do you think Dad was a bit strange today?"

Hengyi asked lightly in return, "Strange how?"

Qinglan shook her head, "I don’t know, I can’t say exactly, it just feels odd."

Hengyi chuckled, "Isn’t it good that Dad cares about you?"

Qinglan glared at him, "You know that’s not what I mean."

"Don’t overthink it. You’re pregnant now, and Dad has been in the military all year round, hardly seeing you. It’s normal for him to be concerned when he takes a leave and comes home," Hengyi reassured her.

Qinglan, who was not one to dwell on issues, shook her head, "Maybe I’m really overthinking it."

"By the way, I need to go out for a while," Hengyi suddenly said.

"Where to?"

"To meet with Han Yi to discuss some things."

Qinglan didn’t mind and simply said, "Come back early."

**

At Eden’s home.

Eden looked at the man on the sofa in shock, "You just said that An’s father has already learned about her past identity?"

Hengyi, with a serious expression, nodded, "Yes, he received an anonymous email yesterday, full of Qinglan’s information and even photos."

"That’s impossible!" Eden exclaimed, "When we left that place, Enxi had already destroyed all the data. Even if someone tried, they couldn’t find it. How could there possibly still be any?"

But he fell silent after speaking, as the information had indeed surfaced, not only appearing but also landing in Shen Qian’s hands.

"What now? What’s An’s father’s stance?" Eden asked.

"He’s Qinglan’s biological father after all; he won’t harm Qinglan. I’m here today to ask you to help investigate who sent this material," Hengyi said.

Eden thought for a moment, then spoke, "The number of people who could know An’s identity and even have her information is very few in this world."

Who that person was, both knew without saying. It was precisely because of this that Hengyi needed Eden’s help; his leg had not yet healed, and he was powerless to do many things.

"I’ll take care of this. I’ll find a way to get to the bottom of it. As for An’s father..."

"You can rest assured about him."

Eden was not at all at ease. People like them found it difficult to truly trust anyone; their mutual trust had been forged through many years of life-and-death challenges and gradual understanding.

The more people who knew Qinglan’s identity, the greater the danger, especially since Enxi’s investigation portrayed Shen Qian as a man who valued family honor above all. But he also believed what Hengyi said; they had all seen how that man treated Qinglan.

"An once revealed her identity to Yan Anbang. Now someone has sent her information to Shen Qian. Do you think these two things could be connected?" Eden suddenly thought of the previous incident when Enxi and Qinglan went to Nancheng to find Yan Anbang.

Hengyi’s expression became grave as he looked at Eden, "Are you saying Qinglan told Yan Anbang her identity?"

Eden nodded, recounting the whole incident to Hengyi, whose eyes grew dark, like a deep abyss with no end in sight.

"Yan Anbang couldn’t have obtained such detailed information on his own. This must be Allen’s doing," Hengyi said in a low voice. If it weren’t for those photos, Yan Anbang might have been a possibility, but those photos were not so easy to come by.

**

Time rewound to ten days ago, in an estate in Country Y.

Allen wasn’t there. He had gone to Beijing, but he hadn’t taken her with him. Xu Nuo quietly opened the dungeon door, looking at the woman held inside, and said, "You asked for me?"

Qin Yan looked at Xu Nuo, sizing her up carefully, and nodded, seeming relieved as she said, "Seeing your complexion, I know you’ve been doing well recently. That sets my mind at ease, dear."

Just as Qin Yan began to display her maternal affection, Xu Nuo turned to leave, but Qin Yan called out to her, "Wait."

Xu Nuo paused and spoke, "If you’re thinking of asking me to let you out, don’t bother; Grandma won’t do it."

Qin Yan chuckled softly, "You are really devoted to Allen, doing whatever he asks. Xu Nuo, have you forgotten? I am your mother. I was the one who brought you out of the orphanage and raised you to be who you are today. Would you have your current life without me?"

Xu Nuo turned around and silently gazed at Qin Yan. "So should I thank you? If it hadn’t been for you, maybe I would have grown up alone in an orphanage, struggling in life because I couldn’t find a good job due to lack of education; or maybe I would have been adopted by another family, having a healthy and complete home. But either of these would have been better than what I am now. What am I? A person who lives in darkness forever, with hands stained with blood that even my life can’t wash clean."

Qin Yan’s face changed slightly. "But you met Allen."

"Yes, I met Allen. But who can say clearly whether Allen was my fortune or misfortune? Qin Yan, you are my foster mother, but you are also the demon who pushed me into this pit of fire, do you know? The person I hate most in this world, besides Shen Qinglan, is you. I wish I could flay and dismember you alive."

Hearing these words, Qin Yan was not scared but instead laughed. "True to being my daughter, you’ve finally shown your claws. Good, that’s very good. If you could put your words into action, it would be even better. Xu Nuo, remember my words, if a woman’s heart is not ruthless enough, anyone in this world can bully her."

Xu Nuo was expressionless, and it was unclear whether she remembered the words or not. Qin Yan didn’t care whether she remembered or not. "I didn’t come to reminisce with you today, Xu Nuo. You hate Shen Qinglan, and now I’m giving you a chance to utterly destroy her. Do you want it?"

"Do you want it?" The temptation seemed to come from the devil of hell, causing Xu Nuo’s eyes to flicker slightly. The name Shen Qinglan was a synonym for pain in Xu Nuo’s world. If not for her presence, she wouldn’t have had to suffer unrequited love for Allen.

"What do you want to do?" Xu Nuo asked in a hoarse voice.

Satisfaction flashed in Qin Yan’s eyes; she knew Xu Nuo wouldn’t pass up this opportunity. "You know about Mei, right?"

Mei was a legend of the Devil Base, but also a taboo. She naturally knew, and thinking of something, Xu Nuo stared intently at Qin Yan. "Shen Qinglan is Mei?"

"Hmm, not too stupid," Qin Yan nodded. "Your task is very simple: just make Mei’s identity public. At that time, you won’t need to lift a finger; the people from the underworld alone will leave Shen Qinglan no room for self-defense."

Xu Nuo was silent, her face showing hesitation. Qin Yan scoffed, such a useless blockhead. She spoke so clearly, yet still, there was hesitation. "I’ve given you the chance. Whether to take action or not is up to you to decide. I can tell you with certainty that as long as Shen Qinglan is alive, Allen will not forget her, and in Allen’s eyes, you will only ever be a shadow with no presence."

Xu Nuo’s eyes flashed with indecision, clearly tempted by Qin Yan’s words, but in an instant, she regained her composure. "I won’t do it." If Shen Qinglan’s identity truly got exposed, Allen would definitely not stand by idly. Enemies swarming in would not only destroy Shen Qinglan, but Allen would not escape unscathed either. She wanted Shen Qinglan dead, but didn’t want Allen to get hurt because of it. Besides, if Allen found out she had done this, he would never let her go.

With this thought, Xu Nuo’s look toward Qin Yan suddenly changed. "What do you really want, Shen Qinglan’s death, or Allen’s?"

Of course, Qin Yan didn’t want Allen to die. Allen was Carl’s only child and also the only other person in this world, besides herself, who still remembered Carl. How could she bear to see Allen die? Eight years ago, it took her so much effort to save Allen.

"Xu Nuo, do you know why Allen doesn’t like you? It’s not because you’re not pretty enough, nor because you lack ability, but because you lack guts. You are always apprehensive and overthink things," seeing her expression change, Qin Yan softened her tone and continued, "But I understand you, and what you say make sense. If Shen Qinglan’s identity is widely known, then Allen will also be implicated. Well, that’s simple, just disclose Shen Qinglan’s identity to the Shen Family. Her mother has a mental illness and can’t withstand shocks. If she finds out her daughter is an assassin, she definitely won’t be able to take it. Her father is a family-first person, and for the sake of the family, he will surely choose to abandon her. And her husband? Even simpler. A soldier, how could he want a wife like that? Do I need to say more about what her identity exposure would mean?"

This would mean Shen Qinglan would no longer have a place in Beijing; she would become everyone’s castoff, a pitiable person. Thinking this, Xu Nuo was actually excited.

"Without evidence, they won’t believe me," Xu Nuo said.

Shen Qinglan’s identity, even she didn’t know, which goes to show how strong Allen’s security is. Probably all materials related to Shen Qinglan were destroyed.

"Who says there’s no evidence? The evidence is in the safe in Allen’s bedroom," Qin Yan dropped a bombshell.

Xu Nuo looked at her in shock, but quickly understood and eyed Qin Yan with suspicion. "How would you know this?"

Qin Yan just smiled. If Allen had someone at her side, couldn’t she have her people by Allen’s as well?

"You don’t need to know that. Just know that the person who gets that document and sends it to the Shen Family, exposing Shen Qinglan’s identity and making her lose everything, will be able to see her in agony and despair," Qin Yan said indifferently.

Xu Nuo’s gaze flickered as she looked at Qin Yan. "What’s the combination to the safe?"

Qin Yan scoffed. "If I told you the combination, what would I need you for?" It would be better to have someone else take the documents and send them to the Shen Family.

Xu Nuo pursed her lips. "I understand. I’ll get those documents." With that, she turned and left, aware that Qin Yan was using her, but as long as it made Shen Qinglan’s life miserable, she was willing to be used.

"Wait, Xu Nuo." Qin Yan called out to her again. "I’ve helped you so much, don’t you think you should return the favor?"

Xu Nuo paused in her steps but did not turn around. "I won’t let you out, I can’t go against Allen’s orders."

Qin Yan’s eyes turned cold in an instant. "Xu Nuo, I am your adoptive mother."

"Yes, I’ve never denied that, which is why I will ensure that you are sent a more sumptuous meal. I absolutely wouldn’t shortchange you on food." Xu Nuo spoke and walked away, leaving Qin Yan to stare bitterly at the closed door, her eyes seeming to be laced with venom.

Xu Nuo wandered in the castle’s living room for a long time, occasionally glancing upstairs, hesitant to make a move. When Peter walked in and saw Xu Nuo, he asked, "Xu Nuo, why are you sitting here all alone?"

Xu Nuo looked at Peter with an expressionless face and, without saying a word, turned and walked out. Peter shrugged nonchalantly and greeted the housekeeper. "Hey, Housekeeper, I’m going to get something from Allen’s room. Do you want to come with me?"

The housekeeper nodded. No one was allowed to enter or leave Allen’s room without his presence, not even the maids cleaning the room; they needed two people to supervise. Peter grimaced, thinking that Allen’s paranoia was the reason why he had no friends.

Peter went in and grabbed a book that he had left there a few days ago.

Before he left, he glanced out of the window and saw Xu Nuo below, seemingly about to pick flowers. He greeted her, only to receive a cold look from Xu Nuo.

"Housekeeper, you think Allen is cold, but even the people he trains are just as icy. It’s like there’s no life in them," Peter complained to the housekeeper, who, like a wooden stake, stood silently without replying.

Peter sighed. "I forgot you’re an icicle too. This castle is filled with either madmen, idiots, or posts. I’m the only normal one. How did I ever get on Allen’s ship?" He muttered to himself as he walked, with the housekeeper following him out of the room after ensuring the door was locked and handing the key to Peter.

Allen’s room had a double security system. There were no precautionary measures when he was present, making the room indistinguishable from any other bedroom. However, once he left, the room’s safety systems would activate automatically. One of these measures was that the door had two locks, requiring both keys to enter the room unless someone used the fingerprint access like Allen himself.

That night, at three in the morning, Xu Nuo woke up on time, jumped from the bed, dressed in black athletic clothes. She silently opened the window of her room and climbed out.

There was no one outside the castle at this hour. Having lived there for some time, she knew exactly where the cameras were and where the surveillance blind spots lay. Her figure darted through the darkness, swiftly avoiding all cameras until she reached the window of Allen’s room on the third floor. Xu Nuo looked up at the room, took out an Eagle Hook, and with a light toss, hooked onto the balcony of Allen’s room.

Like an agile monkey, Xu Nuo quickly climbed up to the balcony. The balcony door was locked from the inside and couldn’t be opened from the outside. She pulled a hairpin off her head and retrieved a thin wire from it, picking the lock in moments. The door, recently broken and replaced by Allen, was not the original high-tech door and provided no difficulty for someone like Xu Nuo.

Xu Nuo entered the room and surveyed it, her gaze settling on a corner. She was familiar with the layout of Allen’s room; there were only a couple of places that could conceal a safe without drawing attention.

She walked toward the northeast corner, looking up at a painting on the wall. It was one painted by Shen Qinglan, which Allen had bought at an auction and had always kept hanging there, forbidding anyone to touch it. Xu Nuo reached out and lifted a corner of the painting.