TLSOTMTKOGAYWHTDI Chapter 105

Chapter 104: Lin Jianhe’s Deal

When Yu Fengran pushed open the glass door of the office, Zhuo Huaimo was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, drinking coffee, the sunlight outlining his slender waist through his light gray shirt.

“Yo, the Soy Milk Prince is here.” Zhuo Huaimo turned around, a teasing smile on his lips.

Yu Fengran’s ears burned, and he threw his briefcase heavily on the sofa: “Stop it.”

“What’s wrong? Did your date last night not go well?”

Zhuo Huaimo leaned closer, deliberately lowering his voice, “Old Liu isn’t skilled enough?”

“Zhuo Huaimo!”

Yu Fengran grabbed a pillow and threw it at him, “We just had dinner!”

Zhuo Huaimo easily caught the pillow, his smile gradually fading: “Seriously, have you thought it through?”

Sunlight cast dappled spots of light between the two.

Yu Fengran lowered his head and straightened his cuffs, his voice muffled: “Lin Jianhe and I… might really be over.”

“Because of Liu Jinchen?”

“No.”

Yu Fengran walked to the window, overlooking the city’s morning scenery, “I always feel… Lin Jianhe is hiding a lot of things from me.”

Zhuo Huaimo’s coffee cup stopped in mid-air.

“He…” Yu Fengran hesitated for a moment, “seems to be investigating you.”

The office suddenly became eerily quiet.

Zhuo Huaimo put down his cup, the ceramic base making a crisp sound against the glass tabletop.

“Fengran.”

His voice was very soft, “Your relationship is your own business.”

Yu Fengran turned to look at him, noticing that his friend’s eyes were unusually serious.

“Don’t let me, or any external factors, influence your judgment.”

Zhuo Huaimo approached and patted him on the shoulder, “Think clearly first, do you still love him, is he worth your love?”

Yu Fengran opened his mouth, but in the end, he just gave a wry smile: “I’m… very confused right now.”

“Then take your time.”

Zhuo Huaimo turned around and picked up a tablet, “By the way, are you ready for the board meeting this afternoon?”

The topic changed too quickly, and Yu Fengran was taken aback: “Rea-ready.”

“Good.”

Zhuo Huaimo lowered his head and swiped at the screen, his tone returning to normal, “Help me take a look at this report.”

Yu Fengran took the tablet, but keenly noticed a barely perceptible tremor in Zhuo Huaimo’s fingertips.

“Huaimo…”

He hesitated to speak, “If Lin Jianhe really…”

“Fengran.”

Zhuo Huaimo interrupted him, his eyes gentle yet firm as he looked up, “Do you trust me?”

Yu Fengran nodded.

“Then leave this matter to me.”

Zhuo Huaimo took back the tablet, “You just need to… follow your own heart.”

The office door was pushed open, and Qi Yanwang walked in with one hand in his pocket, his suit jacket casually draped over his shoulder, his tie loosely hanging around his neck, looking lazy and roguish.

“Yo, the Soy Milk Prince is here too?” He raised an eyebrow at Yu Fengran, a wicked smile on his lips.

Yu Fengran rolled his eyes: “Qi Yanwang, can you change the nickname?”

Qi Yanwang sat down on the sofa nonchalantly, crossing his long legs: “What’s wrong? Old Liu didn’t bring you soy milk this morning?”

Yu Fengran ignored him, knowing that he would get more and more energetic the more he talked.

“Tsk!”

Qi Yanwang shook his head, “Old Liu is so good, honest, can fight, and dedicated, much better than some surface elites who are secretly scumbags.”

Yu Fengran couldn’t bear it anymore, grabbed his folder, and stood up: “I’m going to the meeting first.”

“Don’t go!”

Qi Yanwang called after him with a smile, “Want to have dinner together tonight? Should I call Old Liu?”

“You two are really, one blanket can’t produce two kinds of people!”

Yu Fengran slammed the door shut without looking back.

The office quieted down, Qi Yanwang’s smile gradually fading as he turned to look at Zhuo Huaimo: “Did you tell him?”

Zhuo Huaimo shook his head: “No.”

“Why?”

Qi Yanwang frowned, “He has the right to know Lin Jianhe’s purpose for approaching him.”

“Because I don’t want him to make decisions out of guilt or anger.”

Zhuo Huaimo walked to the window, the sunlight outlining his slender profile, “His relationship is his own business, it shouldn’t be influenced by our grudges.”

Qi Yanwang was silent for a moment, then got up and walked behind him, gently wrapping his arms around his waist: “You always think too much for others.”

Zhuo Huaimo leaned into his embrace, closing his eyes: “What did you find out?”

Qi Yanwang rested his chin on the top of his head, his voice low: “Lin Jianhe is the illegitimate son of Lin Zhenye, the chairman of the Lin Group. He was only recognized a few years ago, but he hasn’t officially entered the family tree yet, so not many people outside know.”

Zhuo Huaimo’s body stiffened: “Lin Zhenye?”

“Yes, the same Lin Zhenye who cooperated with your parents twenty years ago.”

Qi Yanwang tightened his arms, “Later, that money disappeared, your parents had an accident, but he got away unscathed. Looking back now, it’s probably not that simple.”

Zhuo Huaimo’s fingers unconsciously clenched the edge of the windowsill, his knuckles turning white.

“There’s something even stranger.”

Qi Yanwang continued, “After Lin Jianhe was recognized by the Lin family, he didn’t enter the Lin Group’s core business, but was arranged to work at PricewaterhouseCoopers as an auditor, specializing in projects related to financial crime investigations.”

“What is he investigating?” Zhuo Huaimo’s voice tightened.

“I guess…”

Qi Yanwang paused, “He’s looking for the whereabouts of that money, or rather, he’s looking for the evidence your parents left behind.”

Zhuo Huaimo suddenly turned around: “Are you saying that my parents’ death was related to Lin Zhenye?”

Qi Yanwang didn’t answer directly, but took his hand: “Huaimo, this matter is more complicated than you think. There might be someone behind Lin Zhenye.”

Zhuo Huaimo took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down: “So Lin Jianhe approached Fengran in order to…”

“To get close to you through him.”

Qi Yanwang’s eyes were sharp, “He needs to confirm whether that money is in your hands.”

Zhuo Huaimo closed his eyes, his chest rising and falling: “Then Fengran is now…”

“Temporarily safe.”

Qi Yanwang squeezed his fingers reassuringly, “Although Lin Jianhe’s motives are impure, his feelings for Fengran may not be entirely fake.”

Zhuo Huaimo smiled bitterly: “What is this? Love born from hate?”

“People’s hearts are complex.”

Qi Yanwang sighed softly, “Just like you, you could have told Fengran the truth, but you still chose to respect his feelings.”

Zhuo Huaimo was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked: “Does Liu Jinchen know about this?”

Qi Yanwang shook his head: “I didn’t tell him, but he’s not stupid, he probably sensed that there’s something wrong with Lin Jianhe.”

“He this morning…”

Zhuo Huaimo hesitated, “Really brought soy milk to Fengran?”

Qi Yanwang couldn’t help but laugh: “He did, and he even went half a city out of his way to buy it, saying that the one from that shop is the most fragrant.”

Zhuo Huaimo also smiled, his eyes softening: “I hope Fengran can figure out what he wants.”

Qi Yanwang lowered his head and kissed his forehead: “With us here, we won’t let him suffer.”

Outside the window, the sunlight was still bright, and the city’s hustle and bustle were blocked out by the glass.

On the other side of the city, Lin Jianhe stood on the top floor of a high-rise building, holding a file that had just been delivered.

The file cover was prominently printed with the names of Zhuo Huaimo’s parents.

Zhuo Huaimo’s phone vibrated on the conference table, the screen displaying an unfamiliar number.

Qi Yanwang glanced at it, his brow slightly furrowed: “Who is it?”

Zhuo Huaimo shook his head and pressed the answer button: “Hello?”

“Director Zhuo, I’ve admired you for a long time.”

On the other end of the phone, Lin Jianhe’s voice was low and clear, “Is it convenient to meet?”

Zhuo Huaimo’s fingertips tapped lightly on the table: “Is there something you need, Director Lin?”

“Regarding my investigation of you, I would like to explain it in person.”

Lin Jianhe paused, “You can bring Qi Yanwang, I guarantee your safety.”

Qi Yanwang raised an eyebrow, silently mouthing: “Him?”

Zhuo Huaimo was silent for a moment: “Time, place.”

—

Six o’clock in the evening, a private clubhouse in the suburbs.

Lin Jianhe sat in the innermost part of the private room, dressed in a neat suit, his eyes behind his glasses calm and unreadable.

When Zhuo Huaimo and Qi Yanwang pushed open the door and entered, he stood up and made a “please” gesture.

“Let’s get straight to the point.”

Zhuo Huaimo didn’t intend to sit down, “What do you want to talk about?”

Lin Jianhe smiled, took out a document from his briefcase, and pushed it over: “Take a look at this first.”

Qi Yanwang took the document one step ahead, and after quickly browsing it, his face changed drastically: “Where did you get this?”

“That’s not important.”

Lin Jianhe interlocked his fingers on the table, “What’s important is, where is that money?”

Zhuo Huaimo sneered: “You investigated me, approached Fengran, just for this?”

“It’s just a matter of mutual need.”

Lin Jianhe’s eyes were sharp, “Director Zhuo, that money doesn’t belong to your parents, and it certainly doesn’t belong to you.”

“Then tell me first,”

Zhuo Huaimo looked directly into his eyes, “What exactly is that money? Why does your father have to get it?”

The private room fell silent. Lin Jianhe’s fingertips lightly stroked the rim of the glass, without answering for a long time.

Qi Yanwang suddenly chuckled: “It’s dirty money, right? In that financial fraud twenty years ago, Lin Zhenye used the Zhuo family to launder money, and as a result, the Zhuo couple discovered the truth, so—”

“Enough!”

Lin Jianhe abruptly interrupted him, a hint of panic flashing in his eyes behind his glasses.

Qi Yanwang and Zhuo Huaimo exchanged a look – they guessed correctly.

“It seems we don’t need to continue.” Zhuo Huaimo turned to leave.

“Wait!”

Lin Jianhe stood up and stopped them, “I can make a deal.”

Qi Yanwang raised an eyebrow: “What will you trade with?”

“Information.”

Lin Jianhe lowered his voice, “I know more than just this, including… the person who really killed your parents and related evidence!”

Zhuo Huaimo’s back stiffened noticeably.

“What are the conditions?” Qi Yanwang asked calmly.

Lin Jianhe took a deep breath: “The money is mine, the evidence is yours!”

Zhuo Huaimo sneered, “The situation is very clear now. The murderer is Lin Zhenye. You would be willing to send him in?”

“I believe you have also investigated me. I’m just an illegitimate son. I haven’t officially returned to the Lin family yet. He let me come back to deal with these dirty things for him, so why can’t I profit for myself? He has so many children. How could the Lin Group ever be inherited by me!”

He continued, “Even if you know he’s the murderer, do you have evidence? Without my help, you still can’t do anything to him!”

Zhuo Huaimo sneered, “That’s dirty money. Aren’t you afraid of having the life to get it but not the life to spend it?”

“Don’t pretend to be noble.”

Lin Jianhe’s eyes were sinister, “Do you think your parents were clean? They knew it was dirty money, yet—”

“Shut up!” Zhuo Huaimo grabbed his collar.

Lin Jianhe didn’t dodge or evade: “Do it, like your parents, and end up in a car crash.”

Qi Yanwang quickly pulled Zhuo Huaimo away: “Calm down.”

Lin Jianhe straightened his disheveled tie and suddenly smiled: “Director Zhuo, we are actually the same kind of people. You want to avenge your parents, and I want to get back what belongs to me.”

He handed over a business card: “Contact me when you’ve thought it over. Remember, I’m not the only one who knows about this. You don’t have much time.”

Walking out of the clubhouse, the setting sun stretched the shadows of the three people very long.

Qi Yanwang squeezed Zhuo Huaimo’s cold hand: “He’s bluffing.”

“No.” Zhuo Huaimo shook his head, “He knows more than we think.”

The night breeze messed up his bangs and scattered the barely audible sigh:

“What about Fengran? Does he really love Fengran?”