“President Lou…”
The assistant watched helplessly as his boss brushed past him without even glancing his way.
Though his face betrayed nothing, the whole body radiated sparks as if fire was about to burst out.
Experience told him—at this moment, never ever bump into the muzzle of the gun.
Inside the car, Lou Mingshen closed his eyes, feigning rest.
The assistant hardly dared to breathe.
Who knows how long passed—
“Go check up on Ling Qingzhou and Yi Hansheng…”
…
The next day, the assistant carried an investigation report and pushed open the president’s office door.
“…Here’s their basic info and whereabouts for the past week.”
Lou Mingshen tore open the envelope, scanning ten lines at a glance.
Five days ago, the two arrived in the capital from Linhuai, checked into the Hilton Hotel.
The next day, they went to the teahouse to meet Fang Ye.
After that, they stayed at the hotel most of the time, occasionally going out for walks, but never for long.
These two looked genuinely like they came on vacation, and while at it, gave Fang Ye a little scare.
But… could things really be that coincidental?
They arrived in Linhuai, met Fang Ye, then Liu Yuande immediately had an accident.
To say they had no hand in it—Lou Mingshen absolutely didn’t believe.
“Other than this, nothing else?”
The assistant paused: “…What do you mean?”
“Anyone they met? Things they did? Places they went?”
The assistant: “The feedback we got was that these two rarely went out. The few times they did were just aimless wandering and chatting. My contact thought nothing was suspicious, so he didn’t bother recording such trivial details.”
Lou Mingshen fell into thought. Then from the pile of documents, he pulled out two phone numbers.
The assistant’s eyelid twitched violently. Boss couldn’t possibly be thinking of…
“President Ling, this is Lou Mingshen. You’ve come to the capital without even giving a call? After all, we’re old acquaintances.”
Ling Qingzhou: “President Lou, you flatter me. Acquaintances, after all, the key lies in the word ‘old.’ Whether we meet or not, it makes little difference.”
“Tonight, allow me to host. Bring President Yi along too, a proper welcome banquet?”
“Oh, what bad timing. We’re just about to head back to Linhai, already at the airport. Dinner will have to wait till next time.”
Lou Mingshen’s gaze dimmed: “Very well. Wishing you both a safe trip.”
The call ended. He paced to the floor-to-ceiling windows, phone still in hand.
The assistant held his breath, knowing his boss hated being disturbed when thinking.
Suddenly—
“Let’s go. To the airport!”
With just Ling Qingzhou and Yi Hansheng’s power, they could never topple Liu Yuande so quickly—unless…
There was someone behind them!
And that someone was the true key to felling Liu Yuande—perhaps even counting him, Lou Mingshen, in their scheme!
…
Airport, VIP lounge.
“Who is it?” Yi Hansheng leaned over, looking at the phone in Ling Qingzhou’s hand.
The latter lifted his eyes straight at Jiang Fuyue. Her guess was right: “Lou Mingshen.”
Jiang Fuyue curved her lips, lowered her head, sipping her hot latte.
Yi Hansheng scratched his face: “What kind of riddles are you playing? That call just now was from Lou Mingshen? What does he want?”
Ling Qingzhou: “Inviting us to dinner.”
“More than twenty years with no contact, and suddenly a dinner? Makes no sense.”
“Because—” Jiang Fuyue spoke lightly, “he’s begun to suspect.”
Yi Hansheng: “Impossible! We covered everything flawlessly. He won’t find evidence.”
Ling Qingzhou: “Suspicion doesn’t need evidence. If he thinks it’s true, he’ll come to confirm.”
“Good thing we’re leaving fast.”
Ling Qingzhou instinctively glanced at Jiang Fuyue. Today’s decision to leave had been hers.
As though she had foreseen this phone call from Lou Mingshen.
Yi Hansheng sat back down, munching on snacks: “Honestly, I don’t get his mentality. We removed Liu Yuande for him, so he could crush Fang Ye. From a cooperation standpoint, it’s win-win. Got the benefit, he should be laughing in secret—why’s he still gnawing on it?”
“Because,” Jiang Fuyue’s eyes narrowed, lips curving faintly, “some people allow themselves to scheme others, but never allow others to scheme them.”
“Even if the scheme is beneficial?”
“That’s right. Beneficial or not, doesn’t matter.”
“Tsk…” Yi Hansheng curled his lips. “What kind of twisted mindset? By the way, Ling Qingzhou, aren’t you the same type?”
The man frowned: “Talk properly. Why drag me into this?”
Yi Hansheng shrugged: “Just an analogy. Vivid and fitting.”
Ling Qingzhou: “…Fitting my *ss!”
“Let’s go,” Jiang Fuyue stood, checked her watch. “Time to board.”
…
On the way, the assistant had already found out their flight number: “President Lou, it’s PT367.”
“Book me a ticket.”
“Eh? Now?”
“Now.”
By this time, Ling Qingzhou and Yi Hansheng had likely cleared security, waiting to board.
He had to get in to see what he wanted to confirm.
“Drive faster.”
“Yes, President Lou.”
Speeding all the way, they arrived twenty minutes before departure.
Lou Mingshen slipped through the VIP channel, PT367 showing boarding in progress.
Holding a business-class ticket, he easily passed through and boarded via the VIP jet bridge.
As expected—Ling Qingzhou and Yi Hansheng, seated in business.
Only the two of them!
“Well, what a coincidence, President Lou? We just spoke, and here you are on the plane. You’re also flying to Linhuai?”
Lou Mingshen straightened his collar, calm: “Mm. Something came up.”
“Looks like that dinner was doomed. Even if we hadn’t left, you would’ve been too busy last minute.”
He deliberately pressed heavy on “last minute,” smiling faintly, as if seeing straight through.
Lou Mingshen remained impassive, sitting in his seat.
Half-joking, half-serious: “You came to the capital, I hosted. Now I go to Linhuai—shouldn’t you host me?”
Yi Hansheng waved generously: “No problem!”
Ling Qingzhou nodded in agreement.
A flicker of doubt crossed Lou Mingshen’s eyes, but he quickly hid it clean.
Could it be there really wasn’t a third person?
Until the flight took off, no one else entered business class.
In other words—indeed just Ling and Yi, no other allies.
Maybe…
That person was in economy class?
He decided to keep watching.
Three and a half hours later, the plane landed at Linhuai Airport.
Yi Hansheng: “Come on, President Lou, weren’t we having dinner?”
Lou Mingshen went along.
The three left the airport together, Ling Qingzhou’s secretary already booked the restaurant.
Only after sitting down, dishes served, did Lou Mingshen truly believe—no third person.
At that moment—Jiang Fuyue, on a different flight, had just landed.
Fight him?
“Ah Shen, looks like you still haven’t grown enough…”
A derisive laugh spilled from her lips. But when her eyes fell on Little Brother Jiang rushing over, the coldness in them instantly warmed.
“Sis, you’re finally back! I missed you so much—”
Jiang Fuyue patted his head, realizing the kid had grown taller again.
“Dad and Mom are here too, over there—”
She lifted her gaze, spotting Jiang Da towering like a dark mountain in the crowd, Han Yunru leaning close beside him like a little bird, eyes brimming with tears of excitement.
“Mom.” Jiang Fuyue stepped forward. The couple also approached. “Dad.”
Han Yunru pulled her into an embrace, hands brushing her thin shoulders, heart aching nearly to tears: “You’ve gotten thinner again…”
Jiang Da, ever the man of few words, only nodded repeatedly, muttering, “Good you’re back, good you’re back…”
“Sis, let’s go home!”
“Alright.”
The family of four returned joyfully to Yutian Huafu.
That night, after her shower, Jiang Fuyue sat in her bedroom, laptop open, fingers flying over the keyboard.
First, she wiped the airport surveillance—no doubt, after finding nothing from Ling Qingzhou, Lou Mingshen would check the footage.
Then she contacted Niu Rui: “…Erase it clean. Don’t let his people trace it.”
“Relax, this is what I do best. Covering tracks is child’s play!”
At 10 p.m., Jiang Fuyue lay in bed, sighing in contentment: home was still the most comfortable.
Sleepiness soon came. Just as she was about to doze off—“dingdong”—a WeChat notification popped up.
She reached for her phone, intending to switch it off, but suddenly froze.
It was from Xie Dingyuan!
First a reply: [You’re welcome.] —in response to the “thank you” she’d sent ten days ago from Zurich.
Jiang Fuyue: [You can contact the outside now?]
Xie Dingyuan: [I saw the news. Congratulations on the IMO gold.]
Their messages sent almost simultaneously.
Xie Dingyuan: [When not at base, I can use my phone.]
Jiang Fuyue: [Didn’t you already say congratulations the night before you left for F Continent?]
