The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 409 - 411. The Good and Evil of Human Nature (First Update)

Chapter 409: 411. The Good and Evil of Human Nature (First Update)

Shen Qinglan returned home at eight in the evening, Fu Hengyi knew she had gone to see Du Honghai, but he didn’t expect her to be out for so long. If he hadn’t known she was with Jin Enxi when he called her, he would have gone out to look for her.

"Fu Hengyi, do you think I’m wrong?" Standing on the balcony, Shen Qinglan wrapped her arms around herself, speaking faintly as she heard footsteps approaching behind her.

Fu Hengyi opened the balcony door, then closed it, "What did Du Honghai say to you?"

Shen Qinglan looked up at the sky. There was no moon tonight, just a few sparse stars hanging in the night’s curtain. The night was so lonely.

"Du Honghai jumped into the sea to commit suicide, right in front of me," Shen Qinglan said.

She recounted what had happened today, "Fu Hengyi, tell me, was I too cruel? Is that why I drove someone to commit suicide?" Although Mrs. Du’s death might very well have been a conspiracy, in the end, it was because of her that Mrs. Du met an untimely death. And Du Honghai, it was because of her that he ended up wifeless and childless, with his family destroyed, and finally committing suicide by jumping into the sea.

Fu Hengyi had not anticipated such an event; he embraced Shen Qinglan from behind, "No, this has nothing to do with you. You didn’t actively harm anyone."

"Heh," Shen Qinglan chuckled lightly, "No, I did." Just a few days ago, she had agreed to Jin Enxi’s suggestion to deal with Du Nan.

"Qinglan, don’t see yourself as too cruel. Perhaps, even you don’t realize how kind-hearted you are deep down," Fu Hengyi said gently.

"Fu Hengyi, it’s you who see me as too kind-hearted. Mei has never had anything to do with kindness."

"But the Shen Qinglan I know is a woman who may appear cold on the outside, yet has a tender heart. She greets the world with gratitude and awe. She doesn’t underestimate the malice of human nature, nor does she overlook the kindness of the human heart. She cares for her family and friends, she repays the kindness shown to her by others."

"Fu Hengyi, surely you aren’t talking about me," said Shen Qinglan in a faint voice.

"Qinglan, please don’t underestimate yourself; it hurts me to see you like this," Fu Hengyi’s voice echoed in Shen Qinglan’s ears, and in her dreams.

Shen Qinglan’s gaze was profound as she stared into the night sky. Beneath the night curtain, she actually couldn’t see anything at all.

Was she kind? No, she wasn’t kind. Shen Xitong, Annie, Du Nan — none of the people who hurt her or her family ever had a good ending. A kind person wouldn’t act as she did.

"Qinglan, don’t overthink it. You are good, really good," Fu Hengyi felt Shen Qinglan’s emotions and comforted her warmly.

Shen Qinglan’s mood did not improve with Fu Hengyi’s consolation. She seemed to have fallen into an emotional black hole of her own making, trapped and unable to escape.

"Fu Hengyi, what exactly is kindness, and what is evil? You say I’m kind, but Li Xitong, Du Nan, they hate me to the core," Shen Qinglan softly asked, her voice ethereal.

"Qinglan, there is no such thing as absolute kindness in this world. Those who claim to be so aren’t kind; they are saints. And I like you, who are clear about right and wrong. The goodness in human nature shouldn’t lack boundaries."

Shen Qinglan was silent, as if pondering Fu Hengyi’s words.

"It’s getting late, let’s sleep," Shen Qinglan said lightly after a long while.

She dreamt again of the night she was kidnapped, locked in a dark room with a boy who said he would protect her, the boy who would save his bun for her and give it to her when she was hungry.

She dreamt of Qin Mu, dreaming of him shielding her as the whip cracked against his back, yet he was still smiling and saying to her, "Xiaoqi, it doesn’t hurt." Dreaming of sitting with Qin Mu on the grassland under the setting sun, she said, "Xiaoqi, don’t lose your heart to the bloodshed, this world is beautiful, filled with kindness, you should hold reverence for this world." She dreamt of a dagger piercing Qin Mu’s chest, blood dripping down the blade while he looked at her with a smile of relief and reluctance in his eyes, saying, "Xiaoqi, you must survive, go home."

She dreamt of being surrounded by R country’s military in the jungle, the man who pushed her away, saying, "An, run, don’t worry about me."

She dreamt of an old, dilapidated house, dark and rundown, and an old lady who came in walking unsteadily, carrying a bowl of thin porridge. Seeing her wake up, a kind smile spread across the wrinkled face, "Little girl, you’re awake. Are you hungry? Drink this porridge first. Don’t worry, I’m not a bad person. It was my husband who found you passed out on the mountain while gathering firewood and brought you back." The porridge was truly water-thin, just a few grains of rice visible, barely enough to satisfy hunger, but she later learned that it was all the rice the elderly couple had left.

"Qin Mu!" Shen Qinglan murmured softly, and Fu Hengyi, as if sensing something, opened his eyes, and a faint light flashed through them when he heard the name Shen Qinglan was calling in her sleep.

He turned on the bedside lamp and indeed noticed that Shen Qinglan’s forehead was covered in fine sweat. When he reached out to check, she seemed to have a slight fever.

Fu Hengyi got up and went to the bathroom to wring out a towel, wiping the beads of sweat off Shen Qinglan.

Shen Qinglan’s brows were tightly furrowed, and she kept murmuring softly, now the name Qin Mu, now a few names he had never heard before.

Fu Hengyi stayed by Shen Qinglan’s side the whole time, changing the towel and wiping her sweat from time to time. To think, they had been married for so long, and this seemed to be Shen Qinglan’s first time falling ill.

Shen Qinglan dreamt of a landscape marred by the flames of war, walking through the streets of a war-torn country, looking at the bloodshed, severed limbs and bodies, she saw mothers shielding their children, husbands protecting their wives, frantically running through the streets amidst stray bullets and bombs that could fall on their heads or beside them at any moment.

She saw young people running for their lives, leaving the elderly to plead in desperation, and people taking advantage of the chaos to rob others of their possessions. She saw men trap women beneath them, committing brutal acts with eyes shining with malevolence.

She saw children clinging to the bodies of their mother or father, crying their hearts out, and she also saw husbands carrying the bodies of their wives through artillery fire, struggling to walk but unwilling to leave behind the wife who had accompanied them for half their lives, even though she had already passed away.

She saw...

Fu Hengyi held Shen Qinglan’s hand tightly until dawn. He opened his eyes and reached out to touch her forehead, which seemed to have cooled down from the fever.

When Shen Qinglan woke up and opened her eyes, there was a look of confusion in them. Her mind was filled with chaotic images, from the past, from the present, flashing by one after another, then fading away.

It took quite a while for her gaze to regain its clarity.

"Fu Hengyi, am I sick?" she asked, feeling weak.

"Yes, you had a fever, but it’s gone now. However, you should still rest well today," Fu Hengyi explained softly.

Shen Qinglan nodded and lay back down, but soon sat up again. "Where’s Anan?"

"Anan was taken out by Aunt Zhao. For the next couple of days, he will be on formula. He might cry at first, but when he’s hungry, he’ll naturally eat," Fu Hengyi replied.

Shen Qinglan, knowing she was ill, naturally wouldn’t insist on breastfeeding Anan. Instead, she just said, "Fu Hengyi, I’m a bit hungry."

"Alright, what would you like? I’ll make you something to eat."

"Noodles with green vegetables."

Fu Hengyi went out to cook, and Shen Qinglan stayed alone in the room. The scenes that emerged in her mind were still those from her dream—or more precisely, scenes she had once seen or experienced.

Is human nature good or evil? Fu Hengyi had said that kindness should have its limits. What about her own limits though? Was she too cruel? Although she had never regretted the deeds of people like Li Xitong or Annie, what about Du Honghai?

Shen Qinglan was lost in a black hole of doubt, and even after a night passed, she still hadn’t figured it out. Fu Hengyi knew she was still puzzled, but he had said all he should. She was smart; sometimes a hint was enough, and more could be useless.

"I added an egg for you." Fu Hengyi brought in the noodles, which Shen Qinglan quietly finished. "Fu Hengyi, I’ll leave Anan to you today. I want to spend some time in the studio."

Her current physical condition wasn’t suitable for being too close to Anan.

Fu Hengyi nodded, "Make sure to rest and not overexert yourself."

Shen Qinglan didn’t say much. She got up, put on a coat, and then slipped into the studio while Anan wasn’t looking.

Black, the entire paper was drenched in blackness, thick and dense to the point where not a trace of white could be seen. At the bottom of the painting, from a deeper darkness, hands began to emerge slowly—scarred, blood-stained, reaching upward. Some clenched into fists, as if fueled by anger; others stretched out desperately, as though pleading for help; some were sullied with blood, exuding malevolence...

The painting was solitary, cold, permeated with despair, anger, and a morbid delight...

Shen Qinglan’s expression was cool and detached as she gazed at the painting with unflinching eyes.

She truly struggled to comprehend why some people chose to take their own lives. If they weren’t afraid of death, then why fear living? Could death truly liberate one’s soul from the abyss of suffering?"

A fire burned in her heart, radiating both sorrow and rage. Her brushstrokes became more and more frantic, splashing the paper with shades of light and dark. Her eyes flickered with brilliance, like frames of a movie, incessantly playing.

Suddenly, the sound of a baby’s cry pierced through the dark world, jolting Shen Qinglan’s turbulent thoughts back to reality.

Her breathing became slightly erratic as she looked at the painting on the paper—the third she had completed today, leaving only one last streak of blank space.

The wails of Anan echoed by her ear as she fixed her gaze on the blank space on the paper. Picking up another clean brush, she dipped it in ink and bestowed the finishing touch.

She laid down her brush and stood silently in front of the three paintings for a long while before letting out a light laugh.

What is kindness? What is sin? Those are but shackles imposed by the world. She was Mei, but those who died by her hands were never innocent. There were those who hated her and those who were grateful to her.

She was Shen Qinglan who had done deeds both good and bad. In the eyes of many, she was a good person, while to a few, she was a devil. But what did it matter? Having lived for twenty-three years, her conscience was clear. Those who harmed her might find forgiveness, but those who harmed her family or friends would never be spared.

**********

Anan hadn’t seen his mother since he woke up that morning. His eyes had been roaming the house, clearly searching for Shen Qinglan. Fu Hengyi casually handed him a toy to distract him. Not hungry, Anan was content with his father’s company.

But once hunger struck, Anan began to fuss.

Fu Hengyi prepared the formula and offered it to his son. Anan took one sip and immediately spat it out—the taste was entirely different from what he was accustomed to.

"Ah," the little guy protested, waving his tiny fists, expressing his displeasure to his father.

Old Sir Fu was also aware that Shen Qinglan was sick and couldn’t breastfeed, and he knew Anan would inevitably make a fuss today. His heart aching, he had escaped upstairs early on, for the older one gets, the softer the heart becomes—unable to bear the sight of a child’s tears.

In the living room, Fu Hengyi held his son in one arm and the bottle in the other. "Your mother is sick today and can’t feed you. Can you drink this instead?" he explained patiently to his son.

But Anan was too small to understand his father’s words. Every time Fu Hengyi brought the bottle to his mouth, he pushed it away with surprising strength for his size.

Fu Hengyi didn’t force him to drink, knowing that when hungry enough, he would eat.

Anan’s eyes reddened, and with tearful eyes, he looked up at his father, deeply dissatisfied with the perceived mistreatment. Fu Hengyi felt helpless, "Anan, Mommy is sick; we need to be understanding."

Unable to breastfeed and being hungry, Anan finally couldn’t hold back and began to cry loudly.

His cries were always loud and piercing, and even Old Sir Fu, who had hidden himself upstairs, could hear them, gradually coming to understand why Fu Hengyi had been so heartlessly strict with his son previously, intent on correcting Anan’s bad habits.

Anan’s tantrum didn’t get him what he wanted. His voice went hoarse from crying, and still, he hadn’t seen his mother, and the formula in the bottle still tasted wrong. However, he was very hungry and eventually had no choice but to drink the formula to stave off his hunger.

Seeing his son finally eat, Fu Hengyi breathed a sigh of relief. The little guy really was picky,

Because it wasn’t breast milk, Anan couldn’t get used to it and didn’t eat much. After a few bites, he refused to continue. Fu Hengyi watched him for a while and, seeing that he wasn’t crying anymore, decided to let it be.

Because of the rumors, Qinglan hadn’t been out recently, leaving all the banquet preparations to Fu Jingtong. So, she and Gu Bowen left early in the morning and were completely unaware of Qinglan’s illness.

When they returned at noon and learned that Qinglan was feeling unwell, she couldn’t help but blame Fu Hengyi. "You know, how could you not take her to the hospital for a check-up when she’s sick? Or give her some medicine? Just letting her tough it out, what if her condition gets worse?"

Fu Hengyi was eating with one hand while holding his son; since mother couldn’t see him, Anan refused to leave Daddy’s embrace. Left with no choice, Fu Hengyi had to hold his son.

"Auntie, her fever broke this morning; she’s fine."

"Then I’ll bring some food to her," Jingtong stood up.

"Auntie, there’s no need; she’s in the studio, don’t disturb her."

Jingtong frowned. "She’s sick, and instead of resting properly, she’s in the studio? What is she doing there?"

Old Sir Fu was also looking at Fu Hengyi. He had thought that Qinglan was resting in her room.

"Du Nan’s father committed suicide by jumping into the sea, and she was a witness. She’s been impacted emotionally and needs some time to be alone," Fu Hengyi said calmly, adjusting his son’s position to make him more comfortable.

"How could such a thing happen?" Jingtong frowned. "What’s with this family, clinging to ours, right? Or do they target Qinglan because they see she is good-natured and easy to bully?"

Jingtong now had a strong dislike for the Du family.

"Keep your voice down, be careful not to scare the child," Gu Bowen spoke softly.

Jingtong immediately hushed her voice, "What’s this about, a suicide addiction?"

"It was an accident," Fu Hengyi explained the incident. After listening, Jingtong sighed, "Have they found the body?"

Fu Hengyi shook his head, "They say they’re still retrieving it. I’ll ask about it another day."

Jingtong hurried through her meal, picked up Anan, "You eat first, I’ll hold him." She meant to take the child to the living room, but Anan didn’t want to, insisting on staying by his father’s side.

With no other choice, Jingtong sat down next to Fu Hengyi. Anan, now able to see his father, finally calmed down and stayed quietly in Jingtong’s arms.

Knowing Qinglan was not in the best of spirits, no one in the family disturbed her in her studio. Old Sir Fu only ordered Aunt Zhao to keep some food warm for Qinglan in the kitchen so she could eat whenever she wanted.

By the time Qinglan left the studio, the sun had already set, and Aunt Zhao was starting to prepare dinner. It was the first time Anan saw his mother today, and the instant he did, he burst into tears. Unlike before, Qinglan didn’t rush to embrace him; instead, she just smiled at her son, rubbing her forehead. "Hengyi, I have a bit of a headache, I’m going to sleep early. I won’t have dinner."

Hengyi nodded, "Go ahead; remember to drink a glass of water before sleeping. If the pain gets too bad, there’s medicine in the second drawer of the nightstand."

"Okay."

Anan watched his mother leave, crying even more heartbreakingly. Fu Hengyi picked him up and walked out of the room.

Qinglan slept straight through until waking up at one in the morning. As soon as she sat up, Fu Hengyi awoke. "You keep sleeping, I’m just going to use the restroom."

Fu Hengyi closed his eyes but didn’t really fall asleep until Qinglan returned. He reached out to feel her forehead. "Hmm, the fever is completely gone. Do you feel unwell anywhere else?"

Qinglan shook her head, "No. Hengyi, I’m sorry to have worried you."

Fu Hengyi’s sleepiness faded; he turned on the light, casting a soft glow in the bedroom. Looking at Qinglan, he asked, "Feeling any better?"

Qinglan’s lips curled slightly, "Is that a bit melodramatic?"

Fu Hengyi spoke softly, "Everybody has moments when they can’t make sense of things. How is that being melodramatic? Have you figured it out now?"

Qinglan chuckled lightly, "It seems I have, Fu Hengyi. I still don’t think I’m a good person, but I’m not a bad person either. I’ve done things that leave me with a clear conscience, and I think that’s enough. If anyone dares to harm my family in the future, I would still make the same choices. That’s just who I am."

Fu Hengyi looked at her tenderly, "Yeah, that’s right. That’s the Shen Qinglan I love."

"But I want to find a grave for Du Honghai. It’s the last thing I can do for him."

"Okay. I’ll go with you."

"Mm, Fu Hengyi, come with me to visit Granny tomorrow. I haven’t seen her in a long time. I dreamt about Granny just now; she said she misses me."

"Alright, we’ll go first thing in the morning. Let grandpa and aunt look after Anan for a while."

Shen Qinglan turned her head to look at Fu Hengyi, "Fu Hengyi, I’ve missed you." As she spoke, her hand slipped into Fu Hengyi’s pajamas, touching his firm chest.

The look in Fu Hengyi’s eyes instantly became deep and dark. He stared into Shen Qinglan’s eyes for a few seconds, then flipped over and unceremoniously kissed her lips.

Like dry tinder meeting a flame, they ignited on contact. The temperature in the room soared instantly. Fortunately, Anan was taken to Jingting’s room to sleep tonight, otherwise Mr. Fu wouldn’t have been able to enjoy such a passionately fiery moment with Miss Shen.

From the time Shen Qinglan got pregnant until now, Fu Hengyi had barely ’eaten meat’ for almost a year; the few times he did, it wasn’t even enough to whet his appetite. Now that such an opportunity had finally come, and it was the perfect time for a spring night, he naturally performed with all his might.

It wasn’t until three or four in the morning that Shen Qinglan fell into an exhausted sleep.

Fu Hengyi went to the bathroom first to tidy up, then opened the windows of the room before climbing back into bed. He held Shen Qinglan in his arms, watching over her with tenderness.

The matter with Du Honghai had indeed left a mark in Shen Qinglan’s heart. The next day, she called Jin Enxi and told her to stand down.

"An, this is a ticking time bomb," Jin Enxi disagreed.

Shen Qinglan naturally knew this was a hidden danger, but she couldn’t bring herself to kill someone’s son immediately after his father had died.

Seeing that Shen Qinglan remained silent, Jin Enxi immediately understood her intentions. "Okay. I got it."

After hanging up the call, Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi set off for the cemetery together. Granny Shen’s gravestone was very clean. When she arrived, Qinglan saw a bunch of fresh white chrysanthemums at Granny’s grave.

"Somebody has visited Granny," Shen Qinglan said, noting that the flowers were fresh and likely from today.

"It might have been grandpa," Fu Hengyi replied.

"No, if grandpa had come, we would’ve run into him on the way here."

Shen Qinglan looked around. The cemetery was quiet in the morning; besides the two of them, there was no one else. She withdrew her gaze and looked at Granny Shen’s photograph on the tombstone.

"Granny, I’ve come to see you. Unbelievably, it’s been two years since you passed away. I’ve rarely visited you in these two years; I hope you aren’t angry with me. Granny, I’m a mother now. I have a boy, his nickname is Anan. Next time, I’ll bring him to see you..." Shen Qinglan sat in front of the gravestone and talked to Granny Shen.

Even though she was only facing a cold tombstone, Shen Qinglan’s expression was as gentle as if Granny Shen was still alive.

This old woman was the first person to show her kindness and genuine care from the moment she returned to the Shen family, and until the very end, she was the one Granny was most worried about.

"Granny, I’m very happy now. Fu Hengyi treats me better than anyone else, and Anan is so adorable. He has grown quite a bit, and now weighs twenty pounds, a true little chubby boy. He loves to smile, and when he does, there are two shallow dimples on his face..."

Fu Hengyi sat quietly to one side, listening to Shen Qinglan and Granny Shen chatting. He was not a stranger to this elderly lady; after all, he had grown up under her watchful eye.

Shen Qinglan spent a long time in the cemetery, staying until the sun was directly overhead and it became very hot, before the two of them left.

When they returned home, they saw Old Sir Fu standing at the door, holding Anan. Shen Qinglan’s illness had come quickly and left just as quickly. She was actually fine now, but to prevent the possibility of transmission to Anan, who was still young with a weak immune system, she still refrained from hugging him.

Anan, unable to receive a hug from his mom, had a look of grievance in his little eyes.

Shen Qinglan reached out and touched his little hand, "Anan, be good, Mommy will hug you tomorrow."

She entered the house and then noticed Eden was there, "Eden?"

"Qinglan."

"When did you get back?"

"Last night."

Eden had returned to Country Y a month ago. His return this time was still for the sake of examining Fu Hengyi’s leg. Although it no longer affected normal life, he had not started his regular training yet.

Eden’s return this time was to conduct a thorough and comprehensive check-up for Fu Hengyi. If it was confirmed that Fu Hengyi had no lingering after-effects, he could start his regular training.

Knowing that Fu Hengyi was due for a check-up, they went to the hospital after lunch, taking Anan with them this time.

Anan was very happy to go out with his parents. Eden carried the child, who was not afraid of him, reaching out to touch Eden’s face. Eden smiled affectionately and did not stop him. Upon arriving at the hospital, the examinations went smoothly.

"There’s definitely no problem. The strength of your leg won’t have any impact compared to before," Eden said, smiling at the examination results and speaking to Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi.

Hearing this, the corner of Shen Qinglan’s mouth curved lightly, "Eden, I won’t say thank you, but come have dinner at our place today."

Eden did not refuse since he also had some things he wanted to talk to Shen Qinglan about.

This time, the ride back was with Fu Hengyi driving, and Eden and Anan sat in the back seat.

"Qinglan, there’s been word on the street recently that someone has put a high price on Mrs. Jin’s life."

Shen Qinglan raised an eyebrow, "Who?"

"It’s not you?" Eden asked back.

"No."

Eden frowned, "The word came out yesterday, I thought it might be you."

Shen Qinglan’s eyes darted, and an idea came to her, "Maybe it’s Yan Anbang."

Yan Anbang must be getting desperate, unable to wait any longer for Qin Yan to appear. Shen Qinglan’s guess was not wrong; the deed was indeed done by Yan Anbang. She just did not know how he managed to find these channels to spread the word, considering the underworld has its own rules and it’s very difficult for outsiders to find a way unless they have connections there.

"I had actually forgotten about Yan Anbang," Eden said. Currently, Yan Anbang was so off their radar that they hardly remembered such a person existed.

"What’s the word on the street?"

"It’s said that someone has taken the contract."

"Is it one of Allen’s men?" Fu Hengyi asked calmly, having been silent until now.

Eden glanced at Fu Hengyi and nodded, "Yes, indeed it is his man, but when they’ll act is unknown."

Allen and Qin Yan’s feud had a long history, and now, because of Shen Qinglan, the conflict between the two had intensified. If Allen were to find Qin Yan, her fate would likely be no better than if she fell into Shen Qinglan’s hands.

"Keep an eye on Allen’s movements. If you find Qin Yan, bring her back," Shen Qinglan said indistinctly, not avoiding Fu Hengyi when she spoke.

"Alright." They had also been annoyed with Qin Yan for quite some time.

Meanwhile, Qin Yan had also received news that someone had put a price on her head, and finding out it was Yan Anbang, she was surprised. She was unclear if he knew about the incident with Ya Xi being Mrs. Jin’s doing or because he had found out that she was Mrs. Jin.

"I underestimated him," said Qin Yan with a cold smile on her lips.

"Madam, do you want us to take care of him?"

"Not for now. I still want to meet him in person; after all, I was his wife for a while."

"Madam, there are many people looking for you outside. It’s better for you not to go out for now."

"I know. Did you find what I asked you to look for?"

"No, we have searched all possible places but haven’t found it. Madam, could it have been..."

Qin Yan’s expression changed slightly, "It’s impossible. He wouldn’t dare. After all, that’s his biological father. Moreover, it’s the only thing that can threaten me. Even to protect that wretch, he wouldn’t destroy it. Continue the search. If it doesn’t work, then activate the last piece. As long as we can find it, even sacrificing it would be worth it."

The subordinate was momentarily startled. This was Mrs. Jin’s most hidden piece placed by Allen’s side. Using it would make it difficult to get information about Allen in the future.

"Alright. I understand. I’ll arrange it right now."

*****************

Beijing Fu Family.

A week had passed since Wen Xiyao had experienced being followed. Online discussions about Mrs. Du’s suicide had completely died down. The authorities had released Mrs. Du’s autopsy report, proving it was homicide, not suicide, and there was no truth to the allegations that the Shen Family had driven her to death. It was highly possible that the real motive was Mrs. Du’s inability to repay a high-interest loan. Meanwhile, the psychiatric hospital holding Du Nan also released a statement saying Du Nan exhibited significant aggression. Several doctors had been injured by him, and keeping Du Nan’s parents from seeing their son was entirely for their own safety. They also released a video of Du Nan attacking people.

Under the weight of multiple pieces of evidence, the accusations against the Shen Family of abusing their power and driving someone to death were finally put to rest. Of course, there were still some who doubted, but these voices were in the minority and were soon drowned out by the majority.

Shen Qinglan, looking at the current results, just smiled and said nothing. Certain things the public knows are always what some people allow them to know. Take the so-called high-interest loan, for instance—the police hadn’t even found the killer, not to mention them, even Jin Enxi couldn’t find any leads.

This made Shen Qinglan even more certain that the incident was related to certain individuals. After all, she didn’t have that many enemies.

In the past few days, the police hadn’t recovered Du Honghai’s body. Shen Qinglan bought a plot for him in a cemetery, right next to Mrs. Du’s grave, and then donated the money Du Honghai had given her.

"Enxi, help me find a way to contact Allen," Shen Qinglan said lightly.

Jin Enxi was taken aback, "An, what do you need him for?"

"I have a question for him."

"Okay, I understand." Although Jin Enxi didn’t have Allen’s contact information either, as long as the message got out, Allen would show up on his own.

And three days later, Shen Qinglan received a call from a stranger, with a Beijing number.

"Xiaoqi, I heard you were looking for me," Allen’s harsh and unpleasant voice came through the phone.

"Are you in Beijing?"

"As soon as I heard you were looking for me, I hurried over non-stop. Xiaoqi, are you moved?"

Shen Qinglan ignored his words, "Where are you now? I’ll come to you."

"Xiaoqi, you miss me that much? You can’t wait to see me." Allen chuckled, in a very good mood.

Shen Qinglan’s expression turned slightly cold, "Allen."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, someone becomes nicer after becoming a mom, Xiaoqi, why are you the opposite? You get mad just from a few words? Alright, alright, I’ll tell you." Allen gave an address, "Xiaoqi, you’re only allowed to come alone. If I see anyone else, I’ll be angry."

"Got it." Shen Qinglan hung up the phone and didn’t hide it from Fu Hengyi. She told him about her plans to meet Allen. Fu Hengyi’s face was grave, "Be careful."

Shen Qinglan smiled, "Don’t worry, Allen won’t do anything."

Fu Hengyi was uneasy and wanted to accompany her, but Shen Qinglan refused, "Fu Hengyi, if I want to deal with Qin Yan sooner, I must work with Allen. Qin Yan is like a bomb that could go off at any time, making me very uneasy."

Fu Hengyi hugged her, "I’m sorry, I’m useless."

"What does this have to do with you? Qin Yan has her own power, and it’s not small. She’s crafty, and even though everyone has been looking for her, no one has found her."

Shen Qinglan went to the meeting alone. When she arrived, she didn’t see anyone, which didn’t surprise her at all. She quietly sat down to wait and, sure enough, after ten minutes, Allen appeared.

He didn’t have anyone with him. Shen Qinglan raised an eyebrow, "Not bringing a single person, Allen, are you certain I won’t do anything to you?" The current Allen was like a tiger defanged and declawed, looking ferocious but without any actual power.

Allen gave a slight smile, "If you want my life, I’ll offer it up with both hands."

Shen Qinglan didn’t take the bait, but went straight to the point, "Do you have something that Qin Yan wants?"

"Uh, is that what you came to me for? Xiaoqi, we haven’t seen each other in so long, shouldn’t you catch up with me first?" Sadness appeared on Allen’s face.

Shen Qinglan’s gaze chilled, "Allen, there’s no catching up between us."

Allen seemed even sadder, "Xiaoqi, you’re always this ruthless. That’s good; you’re worthy of being someone I trained, you haven’t disappointed me. Remember, you must keep this ruthlessness." By the end, Allen’s sad expression faded away, showing no signs of sorrow.

"I indeed have something that Qin Yan wants, and that’s my father’s ashes," Allen said, not beating around the bush with Shen Qinglan.

Shen Qinglan was slightly startled; she truly hadn’t expected it was just someone’s ashes.

"Xiaoqi, you looking stunned is really cute," Allen chuckled lightly. His gaze rested on Shen Qinglan’s face, the depths of his eyes carrying an undetectable deep longing and infatuation.

Tip: You can use left, right keyboard keys to browse between chapters.Tap the middle of the screen to reveal Reading Options.

If you find any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report