Jicheng, outside a certain villa district.
Old Wang’s car had already been parked here for half an hour. To enter the villas here, one could only register at the gatekeeper’s office, and then only after the gatekeeper called to inquire with the property owner could one go in.
Very obviously, Old Wang and Chang Shang had no way to go in.
Chang Shang tilted his head to look toward Old Wang, asked: “How do we go in?”
Old Wang still held an unlit cigarette in his mouth, mumbled: “We’re not going in, we’re waiting for Zhao Chengshan’s younger brother. His younger brother is sixteen this year, during summer vacation he has make-up classes outside every day, in about ten more minutes, probably he’ll be back.”
Chang Shang frowned: “Zhao Chengshan and his wife aren’t picking him up?”
Old Wang smiled slightly: “That’s why I told you tonight probably won’t have much progress, Zhao Chengshan and his wife took their daughter traveling, only left a boy and a nanny at home.”
Chang Shang vaguely felt something was strange, but couldn’t say what.
Originally Old Wang and Chang Shang both thought tonight they wouldn’t have any gains, but the development of things went beyond their expectations. When that young boy got off the taxi, Old Wang got off the car and called out to him.
“Zhao Chengxing.”
The boy carrying a schoolbag froze, he slowly turned around and looked toward Old Wang and Chang Shang behind him.
Chang Shang had seen Zhao Chengshan’s photo before, he found that Zhao Chengxing looked very similar to his older brother, only that right now he was even more inexperienced and youthful.
Zhao Chengxing gripped tightly the straps of his schoolbag, he unobtrusively retreated a step toward the direction of the gatekeeper’s room, he pressed his lips together and asked: “Who are you? How do you know my name?”
Old Wang didn’t plan to beat around the bush with a child, directly said: “I’m Zhao Chengshan’s friend, I have some things I want to ask you, if you don’t want to say, it’s also fine.”
When Zhao Chengxing heard Zhao Chengshan’s name, his expression immediately changed, his complexion gradually turned pale. But after he was silent for a moment, he raised his head and said: “Let’s go to the coffee shop across the street, my house has a nanny, it’s inconvenient.”
Old Wang and Chang Shang exchanged a glance, this nanny sounded like she was monitoring this child.
Five minutes later.
The three arrived at the coffee shop, Old Wang bringing two kids along felt pretty strange, he ordered some drinks and cake for the two kids, then sat at a corner seat.
Chang Shang and Zhao Chengxing both looked like the silent type, Old Wang lightly coughed once, he raised his eyes and met the gaze of the youthful-faced Zhao Chengxing opposite, asked: “About your older brother… I want to know what illness he got four years ago, why didn’t he go to the hospital for treatment?”
Zhao Chengxing held the glass cup and took a sip of water, he didn’t immediately answer the question, instead asked: “How did you two get to know my brother?”
Old Wang had just wanted to say the excuse he prepared earlier, but then next to him Chang Shang suddenly opened his mouth and said: “Your brother flew planes for rich people right, four years ago, he was working under a boss surnamed Wen, you know that?”
Zhao Chengxing’s complexion turned slightly pale, he responded: “I know.”
Chang Shang lifted his eyelids and met Zhao Chengxing’s gaze: “That boss surnamed Wen, is my uncle-in-law.”
As these words fell, both Chang Shang and Old Wang noticed that Zhao Chengxing’s fingers gripping the cup had turned white from the pressure, he lowered his head somewhat embarrassedly, then nervously bit his lip.
Zhao Chengxing paused for quite a while before slowly saying: “I know, they were very generous. After my brother died, they gave our family a large sum of money, that’s why now we can live in such a nice house.”
Speaking up to here, Zhao Chengxing seemed unable to control himself and turned his head to look toward the right side, across the road was that luxury villa, inside lights dotted here and there, countless people wanted to live there.
But Zhao Chengxing wanted to escape from inside.
Old Wang glanced at Chang Shang, continued to ask: “Four years ago, what illness did your brother get?”
Zhao Chengxing’s black pupils slightly dimmed, he said in a low voice: “Cancer, could not be cured anymore.”
Chang Shang immediately furrowed his brows. If it was cancer, Zhao Chengshan could not possibly have continued working at Wen Corporation. All employees at Wen Corporation had to do a physical examination every year around October; if Zhao Chengshan was really that seriously ill, he absolutely could not have hidden it.
Unless someone had replaced Zhao Chengshan’s physical examination report.
Chang Shang suddenly felt cold all over, this matter was far more complicated than he had thought.
Old Wang pondered for a moment, then asked the most crucial question: “Did your older brother have the intention to seek treatment?”
Hearing this, at the corner of Zhao Chengxing’s lips appeared a mocking smile: “The money my older brother earned over those more than ten years was almost all given to the family. He fundamentally didn’t have money to treat his illness. No one cared whether he lived or died.”
Old Wang still wanted to ask something more, but Zhao Chengxing’s phone rang.
He lowered his eyes to the name on the screen, only after a while did he pick up, his tone cold and distant: “The taxi was a little late, I’m already at the gate now, I’ll be back right away.”
After hanging up the phone, Zhao Chengxing stood up and said to them: “I’m going home now, if it gets any later my parents will find out.”
Old Wang and Chang Shang sent him to the gate. The two of them stood in place silently watching this thin and weak child slowly walk into the villa’s gate, his back figure for no reason carrying a kind of sadness.
After Zhao Chengxing walked into the house, the nanny immediately came up. She looked him up and down; only after not finding anything wrong did she say: “Young master, if next time you can’t come home on time again, I’ll have to tell Mister and Madam.”
Zhao Chengxing passed by the nanny expressionlessly.
Mister and Madam? Too ridiculous.
On the wall of the luxuriously decorated living room hung their family portrait, but on this family portrait, there was precisely no Zhao Chengshan. Ever since four years ago, their home no longer had any trace of Zhao Chengshan living.
As if this person had never existed.
Villa entrance.
Old Wang looked at Chang Shang, hesitated a moment before saying: “This matter is a bit complicated, I will continue to investigate Zhao Chengshan’s girlfriend. When do you plan to go back?”
Chang Shang lowered his eyes, said somewhat untimely: “He’s very similar to me.”
After saying this he no longer spoke, Old Wang drove back to the hotel.
Night gradually deepened.
—
Beginning of September, Licheng University starts school.
That day Wen Xian took leave to send Chang Shang to school, she was driving her own little Mini, Chang Shang’s expression was indifferent as he looked at the scenery outside the window. She tilted her head and said: “Shang Shang, if living at school doesn’t feel comfortable, just come live at big sister’s house.”
Chang Shang softly responded with an “en.” Until Wen Xian sent him downstairs to the dormitory building, he only then said: “Jie, if I have time on weekends I’ll go see you. Also, don’t give me money anymore, I have money.”
Wen Xian curved her lips: “Big sister is making money now, I can afford to support you.”
Chang Shang glanced at Wen Xian’s car parked under the tree, asked: “Jie, when is brother-in-law coming back?”
Wen Xian calculated the time: “He said he’d be back in two weeks, when he comes back I’ll have him treat you to a meal.”
Chang Shang’s fingers slightly curled, he said in a low voice: “Jie, you go back, I’m going upstairs.”
Wen Xian uneasily asked: “Really don’t need big sister to go up with you? Can you make your bed by yourself? Remember to wipe the bed and desk once, if anything’s missing just tell me, I’ll bring it over.”
Chang Shang faintly smiled once, he bent down and hugged Wen Xian, only after a long time did he let go: “Jie, I’m not a child anymore, don’t worry.”
Even though he said this, Wen Xian still couldn’t quite feel at ease. She only drove home after watching Chang Shang go upstairs. She did not notice that whether on the way there or on the way back, there were two cars closely following behind her.
Even so, Wen Xian still did not feel quite at ease. Only after watching Chang Shang go upstairs did she drive back home. She did not notice that whether on the way there or on the way back, there were two cars closely following her.
That was Shen Lingge’s private bodyguard team. He had divided most of his people to come protect Wen Xian.
That night, when Shen Lingge video-called Wen Xian, he immediately noticed the little girl seemed somewhat downcast. He looked at her sorrowful little face and asked: “Worried about your younger brother?”
Wen Xian rubbed Qiuqiu in her arms, somewhat dispiritedly nodded: “Mm, Shang Shang still seems not quite right, I don’t know what’s going on. Tomorrow I’ll call my uncle and ask.”
But Shen Lingge already knew the reason why Chang Shang was not quite right. That entire month, everything Chang Shang did, he had seen. But in Jicheng, his people had lost track of that private detective and Chang Shang.
That private detective was very sharp, also very experienced.
But Shen Lingge could also guess that Chang Shang must have learned some things, and it was very obvious the source of these things was on Zhao Chengshan. He had already sent people to investigate Zhao Chengshan’s past, and reckoned there would be news in a couple of days.
Shen Lingge did not want Wen Xian to contact Chang Ligu at this time, so he softly said: “Leave this matter to me. Things with boys, they probably wouldn’t tell the parents. I’ll go help you ask.”
Hearing this, Wen Xian lifted her eyes and blinked at him: “Really?”
Shen Lingge lightly smiled: “Really.”
Seeing Shen Lingge take the initiative to handle this matter, Wen Xian’s mood suddenly relaxed a lot. Even she herself did not know she had already come to trust Shen Lingge so much in her subconscious.
The two chatted for a while. Wen Xian lay on the bed swaying her legs, propping her chin and asking him: “When are you coming back? Really in two weeks?”
This week, their project had progressed unusually smoothly. The new partner was a very good cooperation partner—honest and professional. This made their progress speed up a lot.
Shen Lingge replied: “Might be earlier, at the latest two weeks.”
Hearing that Shen Lingge might come back early, Wen Xian cheered out loud happily. She leaned toward the screen and asked: “My colleague said she wants to meet my boyfriend, do you want to meet her?”
Shen Lingge naturally knew who the colleague she spoke of was. He had carefully checked her profile before, only then did he feel at ease letting Wen Xian work in the same office with her.
Things like this, Shen Lingge always let her do as she pleased. He said in a low voice: “Up to you, as long as you’re happy. As long as you’re happy, I can accompany you to do anything.”
The man on the screen had a handsome face, the look in his eyes when he looked at her was gentle and doting. Wen Xian couldn’t help but secretly blush again.
Why hadn’t she realized before that Shen Lingge was so good at coaxing people?
At 10:30, Shen Lingge urged Wen Xian to go to sleep. Wen Xian carried Wen Xianxian back to her little nest, then threw the energetic Qiuqiu out the door, only then turned off the lights to prepare to sleep.
Shen Lingge softly said good night to her.
Wen Xian hung up the video call, hugged the doll in her arms, and burrowed into the quilt. She also rubbed against the pillow Shen Lingge had slept on before; it still carried his scent, a clear and pleasant cedar smell.
She gradually fell asleep in this scent.