Captain Song sat Shen Peichuan down and asked, “So, who did you offend?”
“Probably Gu Bei,” Shen Peichuan said.
Captain Song was puzzled. “Gu Bei? I’ve never heard of this guy…”
“I’m referring to Gu Bei from the Gu family,” Shen Peichuan explained.
That was when Captain Song understood what he meant. “Oh… You mean you offended Old Master Gu’s spoilt brat?”
“Yeah…” Shen Peichuan lowered his gaze.
“But you aren’t the type to go around looking for trouble. What’d you do to piss him off? Gu Bei isn’t a public official, and the two of you have zero contact at work. This isn’t a workplace conflict, so that means it’s personal.”
Shen Peichuan made no effort to hide anything from Captain Song. “Remember the incident at the temple? He abducted my friend’s girlfriend, and I was investigating him. I’m guessing he knows I’m on the case and decided to set me up like this.”
Captain Song shook his head helplessly. Old Master Gu’s connections run pretty deep. Considering how he has helped plenty of high-ranking officials get where they are now, doing the opposite would definitely be a piece of cake.
“Don’t worry. At worst, I’ll lose my job. Sure, it’d be regrettable, but I’d accept it anyway.” Shen Peichuan brushed it off casually.
Captain Song glared at him in disapproval. “Have you forgotten what you said when you first joined my team?”
“I wouldn’t want that to happen either, but being accused of bribery is no small matter.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Captain Song said after a brief pause.
“You don’t have to.” Shen Peichuan didn’t want to cause Captain Song any trouble.
Captain Song was displeased to hear that. “Are you even listening to yourself? Your future is at stake here! What happened to the ambitious Shen Peichuan I know?”
Shen Peichuan kept his head low. “Of course, I wish to do what’s right! As much as I hate to face it, what’s happened has happened. I’m simply preparing myself for the worst-case scenario.”
He didn’t want to let anyone know about the matter – especially Zong Jinghao, who was preparing for his wedding.
“Look, you didn’t do it, so we have to try our best to clear your name. Don’t you give up on yourself, got it?” Captain Song advised.
Right as Shen Peichuan was drowning in guilt and shame for the trouble he had caused, Captain Song picked up his hat and announced, “I’m gonna get someone to look into this.”
“Thank you, sir.” Shen Peichuan didn’t know what else to say in response. Captain Song was like a father figure to him, and he couldn’t thank him enough.
Captain Song gave him a light pat on the shoulder. “Hey, no need to thank me. The innocent have nothing to fear, so pull yourself together!”
Shen Peichuan smiled. “I’m really grateful for your trust and support. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to repay you.”
“Keeping up the honest work is the best form of repayment you can give me.” Captain Song left his office after saying that.
Shen Peichuan took a deep breath and returned to his office as well. He picked up Sang Yu’s file on his desk and put it back in the archives.
He bumped into one of his men on his way back. “There’s a letter for you, Deputy Chief.”
“What letter?” Shen Peichuan asked.
“It’s on my desk. I’ll go get it for you.” The man came back shortly after with a letter. “It’s from Ms. Sang Yu. She asked me to pass this to you.”
Shen Peichuan shuddered a little when he heard her name.
“When did she come here?” Shen Peichuan asked as he took the letter.
“Yesterday,” the man replied.
Shen Peichuan frowned. “Yesterday?”
“Yes, that’s right. She came looking for you, but you weren’t in at the time. I gave her your address, but… I’m guessing she wasn’t able to find you if she wrote you this letter.”
“I see… All right, I understand.” Shen Peichuan went back into his office and closed the door. He sat down by his desk and stared at the pink envelope, wondering what Sang Yu wrote him.
After a long pause, he decided to open the envelope and quickly examined its contents.
It was very neatly written with a black pen, and the message was clear and direct.
I wanted to bid you farewell in person, but I wasn’t able to find you before I left. Perhaps we simply weren’t meant to be. I mean, look at the difference in our age. You already have a successful career, while I haven’t even graduated from university. That right there is the gap that separates us. It might be due to a lack of fatherly love, but I did have feelings for you. I like mature men, and you are exactly that. However, I also know that it’s impossible for us to be together. You need a wife who can help you out in life, and I’m obviously not that kind of woman. I’m leaving B City now, and I won’t be coming back, so I’m afraid we may never meet again. Thank you for looking after me all this while. By the way, you should hurry up and get yourself a girlfriend! You’re not getting any younger, you know? Stop hesitating and be brave in your pursuit of happiness! Don’t let any opportunities slip past you now! Lastly, I wish you all the best! Yours sincerely, Sang Yu.
Shen Peichuan lowered his gaze as he folded the letter and placed it back on the desk.
He whipped out his phone and tried dialing her number, but all he got was an automated message saying, “Sorry, that number no longer exists.”
Sang Yu must be really determined to leave B City if she deactivated her SIM card…
Shen Peichuan then pulled up the phonebook and called Su Zhan instead.
Su Zhan was giving his grandmother a massage at the time of that call. Although the old woman had regained the ability to talk, walking remained impossible due to her old age.
“I wonder when Ya will come back… This is all your fault! You’d better apologize to her, you hear? I don’t care if you have to kneel and beg her for forgiveness. You must find Ya and bring her back!” Grandma Su remarked firmly.
“Yes, I understand,” Su Zhan replied.
“I was this close to getting grandchildren of my own… Once I see you two get back together and have a child, I’ll be able to die with no regrets…”
“You’ll live a very long life, Grandma.” Su Zhan held her hand. “Don’t worry; I’ll make sure to bring Ya back with me. We’ll give you so many grandchildren to look after, so you better get well soon!”
Grandma Su chuckled. Su Zhan’s phone began ringing in his pocket, and he answered it when he saw Shen Peichuan’s number on the screen.
“Hello, Peichuan. What’s up?”
“Got time for a drink with me?”
Su Zhan could tell that the man sounded depressed and asked, “What happened?”
“Stop asking so many questions and just come join me if you’re free.”
Su Zhan took another look at the caller ID and saw that it was indeed Shen Peichuan. What’s gotten into this guy? Why is he in such a bad mood?
“Yeah, I’m free now. Where are you?” Su Zhan asked.
“The usual bar.”
“All right, see you there.” Su Zhan hung up the phone and turned towards his grandmother. “It’s Peichuan. He seems to be in a bad mood and wants me to have a drink with him.”
Grandma Su sighed. “Does Peichuan not have a girlfriend yet?”
“Mhmm.”
“Geez, you kids are so worrisome. You should all be having stable relationships by now!”
Su Zhan patted her hand gently and said, “I know, don’t worry, Grandma. I’ll be on my way now.”
Grandma Su waved at him. “Go on, then. Alcohol is bad for your health, so don’t drink so much of it. That goes for both of you, got it?”
“Got it! Rest well, Grandma!” Su Zhan grabbed his car keys and told his maid, “Take good care of my grandma.”
“Yes, sir.”
Su Zhan then drove towards the bar he and Shen Peichuan used to frequent and found the latter already drunk by the time he got there.
“Something on your mind?” Su Zhan grabbed the bottle and poured himself a glass.
“No… I’m just in a bad mood, that’s all.” Shen Peichuan uttered.
Naturally, Su Zhan didn’t believe him. “It’s unlike you to go drinking whenever you’re in bad mood. Come on, tell me all about it. What happened?”
Shen Peichuan began pouring another glass and looked his friend in the eye. “Just shut up and drink with me, okay?”
“Heh…” Su Zhan chuckled to himself. It’s obvious that something is bothering him a lot from his tone of voice.
“Let me guess; you got into a fight with that little girlfriend of yours?”
