TLSOTMTKOGAYWHTDI Chapter 109

Chapter 108: Even a Prodigal Son Wants to Settle Down

Yu Fengran dragged his suitcase through the airport terminal.

He looked down to check the gate information when someone suddenly grabbed his wrist.

“Fengran.”

The familiar voice made Yu Fengran’s body stiffen.

He slowly turned around. Lin Jianhe stood before him, heavy dark circles under his eyes, his suit wrinkled, and his tie askew.

“There are many people here,”

Yu Fengran lowered his voice, quickly glancing around, “Let’s all maintain some dignity.”

Lin Jianhe released his hand, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Just ten minutes, at the coffee shop. I promise to be civil.”

Yu Fengran hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

In a corner of the coffee shop, the two sat facing each other.

Yu Fengran stared at the swirling milk foam in his cup, while Lin Jianhe’s gaze was glued to his face, as if trying to etch every detail into his memory.

“You’ve lost weight,” Lin Jianhe said.

Yu Fengran tugged at the corner of his mouth. “I’m alright. My appetite’s been pretty good lately.”

Silence stretched out. In the background, the airport broadcast was announcing the delay of a certain flight.

“I checked the weather in Yunnan,”

Lin Jianhe suddenly said, “The rainy season is coming. Did you bring enough clothes?”

Yu Fengran raised his eyes. “Is that all?”

“I…”

Lin Jianhe’s fingers unconsciously tapped the cup. “I miss you.”

The coffee cup landed heavily on the table, drawing a sideways glance from the neighboring table.

Yu Fengran took a deep breath. “Lin Jianhe, we’ve already broken up.”

“I know,”

Lin Jianhe forced a smile. “But I regret it every day.”

“Regret what?”

Yu Fengran looked directly at him. “Regret using me to investigate the Zhuo family’s case, or regret being found out by me?”

Lin Jianhe’s face turned pale instantly.

“You see,”

Yu Fengran shook his head, “There will always be these things between us. Even if we get back together, every time we argue, you’ll suspect that I’m taking revenge on you, and I’ll wonder if you’re using me again.”

“No, I won’t!”

Lin Jianhe eagerly grabbed his hand. “I’ve already given the information to Zhuo Huaimo, I—”

“And then what?”

Yu Fengran pulled his hand back. “Use that to threaten him to help you win me back?”

Lin Jianhe seemed to have been slapped, dejectedly leaning back in his chair.

“Qi Yanwang also lied to Zhuo Huaimo back then,”

He suddenly said, “Aren’t they doing well now?”

Yu Fengran laughed, the smile not reaching his eyes. “That’s different. Qi Yanwang lied because he was afraid of losing. There was never a problem with their feelings. But us…”

“It’s not a problem with our feelings either. Our feelings have always been good, haven’t they?”

Lin Jianhe leaned forward abruptly. “I admit that I approached you with a purpose at first, but later I really did—”

“Really what?”

Yu Fengran interrupted him. “Really love me?”

Lin Jianhe’s lips trembled, but he couldn’t say anything.

“You don’t even know yourself.”

Yu Fengran answered for him. “You’re afraid that if you admit your feelings, you won’t be able to continue investigating the case. Lin Jianhe, you don’t even dare to say you like me, what are you talking about now about winning me back?”

The airport broadcast sounded again, announcing the boarding of Yu Fengran’s flight.

He stood up and picked up his backpack. Lin Jianhe suddenly grabbed his wrist.

Yu Fengran looked at the once-spirited man before him, who now seemed like a child who had done something wrong, at a loss for what to do.

He suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion.

“Lin Jianhe,” he said softly, “We should both grow up.”

From the direction of the boarding gate came Liu Jinchen’s shout: “Old Yu! Over here!”

Yu Fengran turned his head and saw Liu Jinchen waving at him, his flowery arm particularly eye-catching in the crowd.

He turned to leave, and Lin Jianhe suddenly stood up.

“If…”

His voice trembled. “If I said I dared now?”

Yu Fengran stopped, not turning around.

“I love you,”

Lin Jianhe said. “I fell in love with you a long time ago. I was just… afraid to admit it.”

The noise of the airport seemed to fade away suddenly.

Yu Fengran felt his heart clench in the grip of an invisible hand. He slowly turned around.

“It’s too late,”

He said. “We can’t go back.”

Lin Jianhe’s eyes reddened. “Give me a chance, just one chance…”

“Perhaps…”

Yu Fengran took a deep breath. “When we’ve both truly learned how to love, then we can talk about a chance.”

He turned and walked towards the boarding gate, not looking back at the tottering figure behind him.

Liu Jinchen took his luggage, glancing worriedly in the direction of the coffee shop.

“Are you okay?”

Yu Fengran shook his head and took out his phone to send Zhuo Huaimo a message: [What information did he give you?]

A reply quickly popped up: [Evidence of Lin Zhenye’s connection to the cross-sea bridge. It’s being verified. How did things go with you?]

Yu Fengran looked at the flashing indicator light above the boarding gate and replied: [It’s over.]

As the plane soared into the clouds, Yu Fengran saw the sunlight reflecting off the glass of the airport coffee shop through the porthole, like a drop of solidified tears.

Qi Yanwang pushed open the office door with two cups of coffee, only to find Zhuo Huaimo staring blankly at the computer screen.

The sunlight shone on the side of his face through the French windows, outlining a faint golden contour.

“Your favorite caramel macchiato.”

Qi Yanwang placed the coffee on the desk, taking the opportunity to rub his shoulders. “What are you thinking about so intently?”

Zhuo Huaimo leaned back in his arms. “Lin Jianhe chased Yu Fengran to the airport.”

Qi Yanwang’s fingers paused for a moment. “Didn’t Old Liu beat him up?”

“No, Fengran said they just chatted in the coffee shop for a while.”

Zhuo Huaimo picked up the coffee and took a sip. “He seems… really regretful.”

Qi Yanwang walked around to the desk, casually picking up a document and flipping through it. “If regret was useful, what would we need the police for?”

“When did you become so righteous?” Zhuo Huaimo raised an eyebrow.

“From the moment he knew my wife’s secret.”

Qi Yanwang leaned over, propping himself up on the edge of the desk, trapping Zhuo Huaimo between his arms. “Is the information he gave you reliable?”

Zhuo Huaimo pushed his face away. “I just had the technical department analyze the watermark on the document. It’s definitely an official file from twenty years ago.”

He pulled up a scan on the computer. “Look at this—the engineering acceptance form from July 15, 2003, co-signed by my father and Lin Zhenye.”

Qi Yanwang narrowed his eyes. “The cross-sea bridge?”

“Yes.”

Zhuo Huaimo clicked on another document. “The car accident happened on July 28th, exactly thirteen days after the acceptance.”

Qi Yanwang’s fingers tapped rapidly on the keyboard, the data on the screen turning page after page.

“Your father was responsible for the financial auditing of the cross-sea bridge at the time,”

He frowned. “But three days after the acceptance, he submitted an anomaly report.”

Zhuo Huaimo stared at the document marked “Confidential.” “What did he find?”

“The steel grade was falsified.”

Qi Yanwang clicked on an engineering drawing. “The actual steel used was less than 70% of the designed standard. If we encounter extreme weather…”

“It will collapse.”

Zhuo Huaimo’s voice turned cold. “So the missing 2 billion was Lin Zhenye embezzling the construction funds?”

“More than that.”

Qi Yanwang pulled up a bank statement. “When your father investigated, he found that the money was divided into three parts—500 million went into a Swiss account, 1 billion was transferred to the Cayman Islands, and the remaining 500 million…”

“Should be the missing part, maybe, it wasn’t taken by my father…”

Qi Yanwang held him in his arms. “It’s okay, we’ll investigate slowly. We’ll definitely make Lin Zhenye pay the price!”

The office door was kicked open with a “bang,” and Li Yang swaggered in, his suit jacket casually draped over his shoulders, his tie loosely hanging around his neck, glaring at Qi Yanwang and Zhuo Huaimo with a disgruntled expression.

“Can’t you two have a little humanity?”

Li Yang plopped down on the sofa, stretching out his long legs, his face full of resentment. “I’m so bored I’m about to grow mushrooms!”

Qi Yanwang raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with Young Master Li again?”

“What’s wrong?”

Li Yang grabbed an apple from the coffee table and took a vicious bite. “Look at yourselves!”

He counted on his fingers. “Qi Yanwang, the most devoted husband, always hovering around you, doesn’t even drink anymore! Liu Jinchen, chasing after Yu Fengran to Yunnan, now his Moments are full of chicken soup articles and landscape photos, doesn’t even care about the Azure Dragon Gang’s territory!”

The more he talked, the angrier he became. “I’m the only one left, without a brother to even drink with!”

Zhuo Huaimo couldn’t help but laugh. “So?”

“So it’s all your fault!”

Li Yang pointed at Qi Yanwang. “You’ve set a bad example! Everyone’s settling down, making me feel like those little celebrities are boring!”

Qi Yanwang raised an eyebrow. “Oh, is Young Master Li thinking of turning over a new leaf?”

“Get lost!”

Li Yang grabbed a pillow and threw it over. “I just think…”

He paused, suddenly feeling a little awkward. “I just think it’s pretty good for you guys.”

Qi Yanwang and Zhuo Huaimo exchanged a look, revealing knowing smiles at the same time.

“Oh—”

Qi Yanwang drawled out. “So Young Master Li is lonely.”

“Bullshit!”

Li Yang’s ears turned red. “I just think you guys are being unfair. You’re in love, but you don’t even want your brothers anymore?”

Zhuo Huaimo smiled and poured him a glass of water. “Then what kind of person do you want?”

“How would I know!”

Li Yang grabbed his hair irritably. “Anyway, not someone as silly as Old Liu, and not someone as annoying as Qi Yanwang…”

Qi Yanwang grinned. “Want me to introduce you to someone?”

“Get out of here!”

Li Yang glared at him. “It’s not like no one wants me!”

“Then tell us,”

Qi Yanwang raised an eyebrow. “What kind of person do you like?”

Li Yang suddenly fell silent, his eyes drifting to the window. After a long while, he mumbled, “…Someone who can control me.”

Zhuo Huaimo almost choked on his water. “What?”

“Nothing!”

Li Yang stood up abruptly. “I’m leaving. It’s even more boring being with you two!”

Just as he reached the door, Qi Yanwang suddenly called out to him. “Wait.”

Li Yang turned his head impatiently. “What?”

Qi Yanwang shook his phone. “Old Liu just sent a message saying there’s an outdoor music festival in Yunnan, asking if you want to go.”

Li Yang’s eyes lit up, then quickly turned serious. “…When is it?”

“Next weekend.”

Qi Yanwang grinned. “Yu Fengran seems to be filming a documentary. Old Liu is worried about no one to play with.”

Li Yang snorted. “I’ll think about it.”

He turned to leave, and Zhuo Huaimo suddenly added, “Oh, right, I heard there’s a very talented female photographer at this music festival, just back from abroad…”

Li Yang’s footsteps faltered. “…How talented?”

“Won an international award,”

Zhuo Huaimo said slowly. “A terrible temper, said to even dare to scold sponsors.”

The corners of Li Yang’s mouth lifted unconsciously. “…A little interesting.”

Qi Yanwang and Zhuo Huaimo exchanged a glance.

“If you want to go, book your ticket quickly,”

Qi Yanwang said. “It’ll be too late to get a seat.”

Li Yang waved his hand without turning his head. “Got it! Stop being so annoying!”

After the door closed, Zhuo Huaimo finally couldn’t help but laugh. “How long do you think he can last before bothering her?”

“Three days.”

Qi Yanwang wrapped his arms around his waist. “Wanna bet?”

Zhuo Huaimo raised an eyebrow. “I bet one day. In one day, he’ll be tamed!”