Chapter 86: Xu Xingran vs. Xu Zhongshuang
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An Lan finally understood why Xu Xingran had calmly gotten into Jiao Yun’s car.
“What about you? Are you still going to accept ‘Eden’s’ olive branch?” Xu Xingran asked.
Xu Xingran’s direct question made An Lan nervous.
They left the tunnel, the sunlight shining down, and the car was bright inside.
Jiao Yun skillfully turned the steering wheel and said with a smile, “I personally came to repay a debt of gratitude. If it were someone else, you might already be dead.”
As soon as she finished speaking, two black SUVs sandwiched the sides of the van, and the car windows rolled down. People in the car held guns, pointing at Xu Xingran and An Lan.
A chill ran down An Lan’s back. He looked at Xu Xingran beside him.
“What do you want?” Xu Xingran asked calmly.
“The thing Gu Yunli gave to Gu Liyu. Hand it over,” Jiao Yun replied.
Xu Xingran added, “If this thing is with Gu Liyu, you should ask him when we get to the Alpha Management Committee. See whether he’s willing to give it to you or not.”
Jiao Yun tapped her fingers on the steering wheel twice, and the sound of guns loading came from the car surrounding them.
“Don’t pretend. Gu Liyu will definitely leave the thing behind. He loves his little boyfriend so much; the thing should be given to him.” Jiao Yun’s voice was cold. “As a thank-you, I can spare you, but it doesn’t mean I’ll let him go.”
Xu Xingran’s expression turned cold, mocking, “Is this your idea of gratitude? A woman’s heart is truly incomprehensible.”
Sirens sounded in the distance, and several police cars followed behind them.
“You called the police?” Jiao Yun’s expression twisted.
“We didn’t call the police. In fact, the police have been protecting us from the beginning to the end.” Xu Xingran replied.
With a loud “bang,” the car window shattered as a gunshot rang out. A bullet passed through in front of An Lan and Xu Xingran.
“Either hand over the item, or we’ll all perish together. We’ll kill you now and take your bodies back,” Jiao Yun gritted his teeth.
These guys were serious.
“An Lan, are you willing to give up that thing?” Xu Xingran turned to ask him.
An Lan trembled in his voice, saying, “Gu Liyu only gave me a pocket watch… I still don’t know what it’s used for.”
“Hand it over!”
As Jiao Yun’s words fell, another shot rang out from the adjacent vehicle. If it weren’t for Xu Xingran quickly pressing An Lan back onto the seat, his head would have been blown apart!
Fear surged through their hearts.
These guys were serious; it seemed that whatever Gu Yunli had entrusted to them was extremely important, and they were willing to kill Xu Xingran and An Lan to obtain it.
Xu Xingran pulled the pocket watch from An Lan’s neck, holding it in his hand. “I’ll give you this pocket watch. How do you guarantee that you’ll let us go?”
“The police have caught up. Killing you won’t benefit me! If I let you get out of the car, the pursuit pressure on the police will be much less. You give me the watch, and I’ll let you jump off the car, or you’ll be shot immediately. Xu Xingran, you should know how to choose, right?” Jiao Yun said.
Xu Xingran whispered to An Lan, “Give it to her. There’s nothing left if we die here.”
An Lan nodded.
Xu Xingran threw the pocket watch out, and Jiao Yun opened it, seeing the photo inside. She then tried to open the dial, but Xu Xingran said, “Don’t waste your effort. The dial is welded shut; you need professional tools to open it. We just got this pocket watch a few hours ago; there was no time to open it.”
Jiao Yun carefully examined it, and there were no scratches on the pins of the pocket watch. It indeed hadn’t been opened.
She lowered her voice and said, “One, two, three!”
The SUVs on both sides moved forward, creating space for them to open the doors.
The central locking system activated instantly. Xu Xingran hugged An Lan and opened the car door, and they rolled on the ground, narrowly avoiding being hit by the approaching police car.
Captain Hong applied the brakes urgently, cursing loudly. Sweat covered his back as he quickly got out of the car, helping Xu Xingran and An Lan to their feet.
“Are you two watching too many movies? You dare to play jumping off the car!”
Xu Xingran’s cheek and elbow were both scratched, and he smiled, saying, “As long as I can stay alive, I’m okay with jumping off a building, let alone jumping out of a car.”
Captain Hong was speechless, “Jump off your own building, don’t take An Lan with you!”
Xu Xingran patted Captain Hong’s shoulder, “The rest is up to you. Do we have anything else?”
“Anything else? What else? Shouldn’t you be seeing a doctor now? Look at your little face; it’s all scratched!” Captain Hong half-jokingly shouted.
Another car drove up, stopping beside Xu Xingran. The door opened, and the driver nodded towards Xu Xingran.
“Let’s go, get in. We’re going to meet your ‘little boyfriend’ at the Alpha Management Committee.”
Captain Hong led the police car convoy to continue chasing Jiao Yun.
“Are you not afraid that the people from ‘Eden’ will follow us to the Alpha Management Committee at this time?” An Lan asked.
“At this time… their focus should be on researching that pocket watch. Going to the Alpha Management Committee to inform Gu Liyu that he lost the pocket watch is just a normal thing. We just got the pocket watch a few hours ago and haven’t had time to open it.” Xu Xingran blinked at An Lan.
An Lan understood what Xu Xingran was planning.
He replaced the photo inside the pocket watch. The person who got the pocket watch would go to the address written on the back of the photo by Xu Xingran. Captain Hong from the police department only needed to dispatch someone to “wait for a hare to rush into a trap.”
Even if they continued to be tracked by the people sent by “Eden” after handing over the pocket watch, there was nothing to worry about. The pocket watch was lost, and going to the Alpha Management Committee to see Gu Liyu was a normal thing.
In this way, everything was interconnected, Xu Xingran was indeed calculating well.
“Why are you looking at me like that… do you think I’m handsome?” Xu Xingran turned his face and smiled.
An Lan found a band-aid and stuck it on Xu Xingran’s cheek. “The first time I saw you, I thought you were handsome. Your charming eyes, the smile full of intellect, it’s just…”
“Stop… why does this sound a bit familiar?” Xu Xingran asked.
“The lyrics of ‘You’re So Charming,'” An Lan replied.
Xu Xingran lifted his hand and pressed it on An Lan’s head, “Get lost.”
For An Lan, today had quite a few “first times.”
The first time he saw a sober Gu Yunli, the first time he visited Xu Xingran’s home, and also the first time he came to the Alpha Management Committee.
It looked like a square box, with dark gray walls, giving a visually oppressive and gloomy feeling, as if…
After parking the car, Xu Xingran approached An Lan and whispered, “Doesn’t it look like a large coffin?”
An Lan elbowed him, “There must be many high-quality alphas inside. Can you please not talk nonsense?”
“Everyone’s life eventually goes into a coffin.”
Xu Xingran led An Lan inside.
The spacious reception hall surprised An Lan. The office windows were arranged in a circular pattern, each window handling specific tasks.
For example, windows 1 to 5 mostly handled the isolation of uncontrollable alphas. Window 6 seemed to be about complaints regarding alphas’ excessive behavior, with an omega crying while complaining.
Xu Xingran typed a line of small text on his phone screen: “Be detailed and complete the whole process. Go handle the visiting procedures.”
An Lan nodded and went to window 7, took his ID card, and filled out a form.
The place looked spacious, and there were few people in the hall around seven or eight o’clock, but the security was strict.
Xu Xingran walked to the reception desk in the lobby, spoke a few words with the receptionist, and the receptionist’s expression immediately became serious. After confirming the information Xu Xingran provided, they were about to lead him through another door.
An Lan quickly followed.
They walked in a long and quiet corridor, the door behind them closed, leaving only the bright lights overhead and the almost mirror-like tiled floor. Ahead was the door to the safe deposit vault.
An Lan’s heart was beating rapidly. Gu Yunli’s safe deposit box was inside, and what he hid there played a crucial role in understanding the true face of “Eden.”
The safe deposit boxes at the Alpha Management Committee were special. As long as you could state the box number and the password to open it, you could take out the contents. They didn’t require identification, and the person taking the item and the depositor didn’t have to be the same person.
The manager who had brought them in gestured to the location of the safe deposit boxes, reminding them, “Gentlemen, you have ten minutes to open the safe deposit box. You only have one chance to enter the password. Once the password is wrong, you must leave.”
After saying that, he left, leaving only Xu Xingran and An Lan in the safe deposit vault.
“Do you still remember the password?” An Lan was somewhat nervous.
After all, the manager had mentioned that they only had one chance to enter the password.
“Do you remember the password?” Xu Xingran half-jokingly asked in return.
“I do. But after the manager said that, I started to doubt it a bit.”
Xu Xingran lifted his chin, indicating for An Lan to input the password.
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll make a mistake?”
“Don’t doubt yourself. This is something left by your ‘future father-in-law’; it’s not quite appropriate for an outsider like me to open it,” Xu Xingran said solemnly.
However, An Lan knew he was teasing him, yet he felt a kind of solemnity in his heart.
Taking a deep breath, he entered the password and then looked at Xu Xingran.
Xu Xingran smiled and said, “Don’t doubt yourself, open it.”
An Lan pressed the “open” button, and the safe made a slight sound, then popped open.
Inside was quite empty, without any valuable items. There was only an envelope with words written on the cover: “Read and Destroy.”
An Lan opened the envelope, finding a piece of paper inside with names written all over it.
Sure enough, in the first row, An Lan saw the three words “Xu Zhongshuang.”
It could be said that back in the day, Xu Zhongshuang also invested a considerable amount of funds in the foundation. At that time, the organization wasn’t called “Eden”; it had a normal and ordinary name, “Yunshuang Foundation.”
An Lan subconsciously looked at Xu Xingran.
Xu Xingran’s expression was calm, and he said, “Read and destroy, remember it quickly.”
The list included many well-known figures, who had now achieved success in their respective fields.
As they continued to scroll down, a familiar name made them both freeze.
“Don’t be surprised too early. This is just the cultivation list of the ‘Yunshuang Foundation,’ and it doesn’t mean that this person must be a member of ‘Eden,'” Xu Xingran’s reminder allowed An Lan to approach the list more objectively.
“Do you remember?” Xu Xingran asked.
“I’ve remembered it.” An Lan nodded.
Xu Xingran took out a USB drive and hung it around An Lan’s neck.
An Lan instantly understood that this was Xu Xingran’s double insurance for him. If the people from “Eden” came to chase them again, this USB drive could confuse “Eden” once more.
They left the safe deposit vault, and Xu Xingran took the list into the bathroom, completely burning it.
At this time, An Lan received a reply from the Alpha Management Committee about the appointment for a visit, scheduled for the next day with Gu Liyu.
He also received over a dozen calls from Gu Qingchuan.
An Lan immediately replied, “Big Brother Qingchuan, have you woken up? Is everything okay?”
“I’m fine. Where did you go? Little Yu was taken away by the Alpha Management Committee for investigation. According to the plan, after Aunt finishes today’s charity visit, she should come to see Uncle, but she didn’t. The people from the Alpha Management Committee informed the police that Aunt may have been taken away by ‘Eden’…”
Gu Qingchuan explained the current situation to An Lan over the phone.
An Lan suggested, “Big Brother, see if you can represent the Gu family and talk to the Alpha Management Committee to release Gu Liyu as soon as possible. As for Aunt Song, I believe Uncle Gu left this time to find her. The police are also looking for their whereabouts… two living people wouldn’t disappear for no reason.”
Gu Qingchuan let out a long breath on the other end of the phone. “You’re calmer than I imagined. Or perhaps, you already have your own plan with Gu Liyu.”
“Big Brother, don’t overthink it. Do you have any medication that can help me complete differentiation as soon as possible?” An Lan asked.
Gu Qingchuan hesitated for a moment and answered, “That requires a large amount of pheromones, specifically Gu Liyu’s pheromones. After separating Aplus, you must maintain the concentration and it will cause very negative damage to your body.”
“No growth comes without a cost, right?” An Lan smiled.
Gu Qingchuan didn’t ask more questions and only mentioned that he might provide more help in the laboratory.
Sitting in Xu Xingran’s car, An Lan jokingly said, “I feel like a homeless child, relying on the hospitality of various alpha bosses.”
Xu Xingran laughed, “Come on. Others have to pay a price for a free meal and place to stay. On the contrary, you’re the one being offered rides and hospitality by us alpha bosses.”
An Lan’s stomach made a “growl” sound, and he realized it was already past eight o’clock.
Xu Xingran made a call back home, mentioning that he would bring a classmate home for dinner, asking the housekeeper to prepare.
By the time they opened the door to the Xu family home, they saw Xu Zhongshuang sitting on the sofa, holding a newspaper. He wore glasses and had a somewhat reserved expression.
“Back.” Xu Zhongshuang raised his eyes, seeing An Lan behind Xu Xingran. Originally expressionless, his face naturally showed a smile. He put down the newspaper and stood up. “Is this… An Lan?”
“Hello, Uncle! I’m An Lan.” An Lan respectfully replied.
“Dad, there was a little trouble in the Gu family today, so I brought An Lan back. He’ll stay with us for a few days. Our home should be safe, right?”
The last sentence had a hidden meaning.
Xu Zhongshuang looked at his son and answered, “Our home is, of course, safe.”
“That’s good,” Xu Xingran smiled.
It was apparent that Xu Zhongshuang had been waiting at home for Xu Xingran’s return and had something important to discuss with him. An Lan’s arrival seemed to have made it difficult for him to bring up the matter.
If An Lan guessed correctly, Xu Zhongshuang probably didn’t want Xu Xingran to get involved in matters related to “Eden” anymore.
The two sat at the dining table, with three dishes and a soup steaming hot. It was evident that the Xu family’s daily life was not extravagant, and everything was ordered as needed.
An Lan was starving, and since Xu Zhongshuang didn’t join, An Lan didn’t hold back.
“Are you really hungry?” Xu Xingran lowered his eyes, smirked while looking at An Lan’s belly, “Could it be that there’s a little baby in there?”
“You as an alpha can show me what it’s like to be pregnant.” An Lan replied unkindly.
“Alright, tonight we’ll give it a try.” Xu Xingran rested his chin on his hand, looking very interested.
“Eat your meal; your old man is still waiting outside.” An Lan warned Xu Xingran in a hushed voice.
The two of them chatted about trivial matters, keeping a light atmosphere, occasionally bursting into laughter. It was hard to believe that they had experienced so much during the day.
However, Xu Zhongshuang remained seated on the sofa, reading the newspaper, and his brow furrowed more and more.
After dinner, Xu Xingran gestured towards the stairs. “Let’s go; I’ll take you to your guest room.”
“Okay.” An Lan subconsciously glanced back in the direction of Xu Zhongshuang.
At this moment, Xu Zhongshuang spoke up.
“Both of you, come over; I have something to say.”
Xu Xingran nodded and walked over with An Lan, sitting across from Xu Zhongshuang.
Xu Zhongshuang put down the newspaper and calmly brewed tea.
“Are you two still investigating ‘Eden’?” he asked.
“Yes. Xiao Chen was taken away by them, and the parents of Gu Liyu are missing. We can’t not investigate,” Xu Xingran replied.
“Why not leave it to Captain Hong?” Xu Zhongshuang asked.
His gaze was cold, with a hint of oppression, even in front of An Lan, the guest. He was warning Xu Xingran not to overstep, as his father, he couldn’t help him once he did.
“Not possible. Ask Captain Hong. Without us, he wouldn’t have found a single clue,” Xu Xingran approached his father and looked into his eyes. “The target of ‘Eden’ is us, the upper-class alpha families, right? If we, the bait, don’t make any movement, how will ‘Eden’ surface? You’re well aware of this. If we tacitly approve of their existence, over time they will infiltrate deeper. By the time you feel the pain, there won’t be the ability to eradicate them root and branch.”
“So, I say, let me handle it. Shouldn’t you be studying now, you should be taking exams and going to college like ordinary students,” Xu Zhongshuang added.
“Then, Father, what can you do for us?” Xu Xingran smiled and asked. “It seems like you’re negotiating with us. There must be some tempting chips, right?”
“I will find a way to get them to release Xiao Chen.”
Upon hearing this, both Xu Xingran and An Lan were stunned.
“What about Gu Liyu’s parents?” Xu Xingran asked.
“The couple is far more capable than you imagine,” Xu Zhongshuang said, then used tweezers to lift the teacup and placed it in front of them. “Savor it slowly. The taste in the tea requires you to calm down to feel. Life is the same. When your abilities are insufficient, attempting to pluck stars and chase the moon is a dangerous thing.”
At this moment, Xu Zhongshuang’s phone rang, displaying Captain Hong’s name on the screen.
Although they had known earlier that Captain Hong was affiliated with Xu Zhongshuang, the fact that he directly informed Xu Zhongshuang without notifying Xu Xingran directly made him uncomfortable.
Xu Zhongshuang glanced at them and directly pressed the speakerphone.
“Brother Xu, didn’t Xingran and others give false information about the safe deposit box to the person from ‘Eden’?” Captain Hong said.
“Yes, did someone go to that safe deposit box to retrieve something?” Xu Zhongshuang asked.
“Yes, a young man we haven’t seen before. But he’s definitely just hired to pick up things; we’re watching him now. He has entered an internet cafe.”
Xu Zhongshuang smiled. “Track his internet records. If I’m not mistaken, his employer probably wants him to transmit the contents of the safe deposit box over the internet. If the content looks real, the person who hired him will show up. If it’s fake, we won’t be able to ‘lure the snake out of its hole.'”
After hanging up, Xu Zhongshuang looked at Xu Xingran and said, “You knew I rented a fake safe deposit box.”
“Yes.”
“Did you replace the contents I put in the safe?” Xu Xingran asked again.
“Yes. The things you prepared were too hastily arranged, full of loopholes that could easily be exposed. If you want to fish, then use real bait,” Xu Zhongshuang pinched his teacup and took a small sip. “That’s why I told you, let the adults handle this matter.”
“I rented a private safe under the Gu family’s property. I set the password. How did you change the things in my safe?” Xu Xingran inquired.
An Lan remembered that Xu Zhongshuang’s name was also on the list. Was the current Xu Zhongshuang still associated with “Eden,” or did he break away after the transformation of the “Yunshuang Fund”?
Author’s note:
Experience comes with age. Xu Zhongshuang is right. Kids, hurry back to your schoolwork; these matters should be handled by the grown-ups.
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