They each had a role to play, and everything was progressing according to plan.
“Come with me. I need to talk to you.” Zong Qifeng then walked to the reception room, where the sunlight was coming into the spacious room through the window. Zong Qifeng waited for Zong Jinghao at the window with his hands behind his back before asking, “What’s going on? Did you offend somebody?”
It was obvious to him that what had happened was not natural but deliberate.
After all, Zong Qifeng was once a formidable figure. Even though he had retired, he was still as sharp as ever.
Zong Jinghao stood beside his father at the window with his hands in the pockets, still wearing the clothes he had on the day before.
There was stillness in his eyes, and his facial features looked cold but gorgeous, giving Zong Jinghao an intimidating aura that kept people around him on their feet.
Zong Qifeng knew there was still estrangement between his son and himself, but he offered to help anyway, “Is there anything I can do?”
He decided to disregard Zong Jinghao’s indifference towards him. It was much more important to deal with the problem at hand.
“There’s none, so go home,” replied Zong Jinghao coldly.
Before Zong Jinghao could walk away, Zong Qifeng inquired, “Do you know who’s behind it?”
Zong Jinghao paused briefly after the question but did not reply, “Take good care of Xichen and Ruixi for me.”
“You don’t have to worry about the children, but we need to talk when this is over. Some things are not what they seem on the surface,” insisted Zong Qifeng as Zong Jinghao continued to walk away from him.
Zong Jinghao had a pretty good guess of what his father wanted to talk about. It had to be about Cheng Yuxiu, the reason for the estrangement between the two.
“We’ll see.”
That was Zong Jinghao’s final response before leaving Zong Qifeng in the quiet room. The former’s phone rang when he got back to the Department of Public Relations’ office. It was Shen Peichuan calling. “Chen Shihan’s not coming out. We need to find a way to lure her out.”
Chen Qing had told Chen Shihan not to go outside for that period of time, and she had listened and stayed home, only taking occasional walks in the neighborhood park.
Living in a secured neighborhood, Chen Shihan would be difficult to capture as long as she stayed inside.
“Why don’t you ask to meet her?” suggested Shen Peichuan. Even though it was not a good time for them to meet, they needed to capture Chen Shihan to stop Chen Qing and Wen Qing from using Lin Xinyan to force Zong Jinghao to marry Chen Shihan.
“Done! The rest is up to you,” informed Li Zhan, who had successfully acquired the IDs of those internet trolls before letting Su Zhan handle the next part.
Su Zhan, who specialized in law, would know how best to prosecute the trolls.
Looking at Li Zhan, Zong Jinghao realized that he could not personally draw out Chen Shihan because of Lin Xinyan’s condition, but Li Zhan definitely could. After all, Li Zhan was familiar with Chen Shihan, and Wen Qing was close with Chen Qing.
“Ji, come with me to the office,” Zong Jinghao ordered.
The timing could not be better for Li Zhan, who wanted to talk to Zong Jinghao about the current situation.
Li Zhan jumped to his question before they even had time to close the door behind them. “Who is framing Lin Xinyan?”
The answer to that question would only further complicate things for Li Zhan, so Zong Jinghao turned his back to Li Zhan, refusing to reply.
“I need you to do something.”
“Name it. I’ll do whatever I can.” Li Zhan would never turn Zong Jinghao down.
“You’re familiar with Chen Shihan, aren’t you?” asked Zong Jinghao as he finally turned to face Li Zhan, who then nodded. The latter was unsure of how Chen Shihan was relevant to the seemingly complicated situation.
“Does this have anything to do with the Chen family?” Li Zhan could not help but ask.
“You don’t need to know. You just have to draw Chen Shihan out.”
If Li Zhan knew why Zong Jinghao wanted Chen Shihan, he would be able to see the big picture, but he also knew that that was not what Zong Jinghao wanted. After staring at Zong Jinghao for a few seconds, Li Zhan made him a promise before leaving, “I’ll draw her out.”
Li Zhan decided that he would stop asking questions. He would just get the job done if Zong Jinghao did not want him to know the whole truth.
After reaching the underground parking lot, Li Zhan’s phone rang when he got inside his car. It was Fatty Long calling.
Li Zhan was supposed to go to the mall with Lin Xinyan because the game was not over yet.
“I don’t have time for this now.” After turning on the speakerphone and throwing it onto the passenger seat, Li Zhan drove out of the parking lot.
“But you have to come… “ insisted Fatty Long because the game was bound to a contract, which stated that failure to complete it would result in penalties.
“I just told you. I don’t have the time now,” repeated Li Zhan before hanging up the phone, but it soon rang again.
Li Zhan answered the call and roared, “Figure it out yourself!”
After that, he turned off the phone to prevent Fatty Long from calling again.
Speedily, Li Zhan drove to the Chens’ place near his house. He had gone to the same school as Chen Shihan, and she would always follow him around.
After parking by the roadside, Li Zhan knocked on their door. Only Chen Shihan and Mrs. Chen were home – Chen Qing was nowhere to be seen. Mrs. Chen was the one who opened the door, and she was glad to see Li Zhan. “When did you come back, Ji?”
“Just recently,” replied Li Zhan smiling.
“Come on in,” invited Mrs. Chen as she stepped aside to let Li Zhan in. “I know you always had a bad temper, but you really should visit your father more often. After all, you’re his family.”
Given the relationship between the two families, Mrs. Chen had no reason not to be straightforward.
“Can I have some water?”
Li Zhan was already an adult who knew what he was doing, so he had no interest in discussing the matter.
Mrs. Chen patted her thighs abruptly. “Where are my manners! Let me get you something to drink first. What would you like?”
“Plain water will do.” Li Zhan sat on the sofa, glanced at the second floor, and asked tentatively, “Why don’t I see Shihan? Is she at home?” It feels like I haven’t seen her in a long time. “
“She’s upstairs. Been cooped up at home for the past two days,” answered Mrs. Chen as she poured him a glass of water.
“I see.” As long as she’s home, I’ll find a way to get her out.
“Here’s your water.” Mrs. Chen handed Li Zhan a glass.
“What’s she doing all day at home? Doesn’t she get bored?”
