Lu Zhengting pondered Ning Nan's words. Based on his understanding of Xia Yan, she wouldn't have such a thorough plan, nor would she pull it off without a trace. But now, he wouldn't let any clue slip by. Suddenly, a thought flashed through Lu Zhengting's mind.
Zhan Meng! That woman feared nothing. She was highly likely to have taken Xia Yan away.
Ning Xi, who knew Lu Zhengting's temperament well, was completely stunned the moment he heard Ning Nan's words. Lately, Zhan Meng seemed to have vanished too, and no matter how hard he searched, he couldn't find her.
Suddenly, Lu Zhengting's cold, stern gaze shifted to Ning Xi. "Where is Zhan Meng now?"
"Well, I'm looking for her too."
"What's up? Is it really what I thought? Your woman took Xia Yan and ran?" Ning Nan, as if adding fuel to the fire, said to Ning Xi.
"Shut up."
"Third brother, is that how you talk to your brother?"
Hearing this, Ning Xi fumed and shot Ning Nan a glare. "Stop spouting nonsense here."
Nonsense? Ning Nan tilted his head and looked at Xu Su, asking with his eyes, "Was I really talking nonsense?"
Xu Su's composure shattered completely. In a low, slow voice, he uttered two words, "No."
Ning Xi frowned helplessly, ignoring the two of them, and turned to the silent Lu Zhengting. "I've already sent people to find Zhan Meng."
Lu Zhengting nodded, then suddenly remembered something. "If you find them, don't alert them for now. Send people to protect them."
Xu Su, after calming Ning Nan down, heard his words and pondered for a few seconds. "Are you worried that Yang Jinkuan and Xia Minghui will find out and send people after them?"
"Yeah. Xia Minghui, that old fox, has been hiding deep. Suddenly telling Xia Yan about this now—his goal is to make her leave my side. It seems he's still after the legacy Xu Guang left for Xia Yan."
"Isn't that thing always in your hands?"
"Yeah, but Ning Xi recently found some leads. Xia Minghui is probably worried about things coming to light and wants to prepare in advance."
******
In his office, Xia Minghui received a call from his subordinates reporting on Xia Yan. Learning that she had resigned from Lu Corporation, he breathed a sigh of relief, a faint, ambiguous smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
"Keep a close watch on her."
"President Xia, our men have lost her. And the woman with her seems to have noticed we were tailing them."
"Lost her? A bunch of idiots! Can't even keep track of two women? What use are you? Get people to find them immediately. You must locate them."
"And the other woman?"
Xia Minghui narrowed his eyes, his voice icy. "If necessary, kill her."
He had investigated Zhan Meng before and knew she was just an ordinary person, no threat to him. The only downside was that this woman was too clever, too easily influenced Xia Yan, and too likely to ruin his plans.
As long as Xia Yan believed him, everything he had set in motion would have a good start. Lu Zhengting had been squeezing him too tightly. If not for the recent intel, he wouldn't have noticed Lu Zhengting's latest moves.
But while he was on edge, someone else was living carefree. Furious at the thought, Xia Minghui picked up the phone and dialed a number.
"What is it?"
As soon as the call connected, Xia Minghui heard a hoarse, excited voice on the other end, punctuated by the dull thud of a belt whipping, and faintly, a woman's cries—a mix of pain and pleasure.
Everyone knew Yang Jinkuan had a peculiar fetish in that area. Few of the women he toyed with survived.
Xia Minghui frowned deeply, his expression sour, and said in a low voice, "I've received word that Lu Zhengting has found the evidence from back then."
"Oh? He found it?" Yang Jinkuan replied nonchalantly, his tone dismissive. Lin Xujia, bound hand and foot, caught every shift in his expression.
"President Yang, I'm sure you haven't forgotten how Lu Jingcheng died, have you?" Xia Minghui dared to say this because, as Lu Zhengting suspected, he was caught between internal and external troubles and had to turn to Yang Jinkuan for an alliance.
The external threat was Lu Zhengting's relentless advance; the internal one was Ye Yunchen's scheming. From the moment Ye Yunchen used Xia Siyue to take Xia Corporation shares from him, Xia Minghui knew his target.
In his eyes, Ye Yunchen was an ungrateful wolf, his mind hard to read. But now, with no way out—a wolf ahead and a tiger behind—Yang Jinkuan, who was also involved in the events back then, was his only ally on the same boat.
If he suffered, Yang Jinkuan wouldn't have it easy either. It was a matter of mutual destruction.
Lin Xujia, naked, dared not look up at the man radiating cold menace, especially when he was impeccably dressed. She could never overcome her inner shame—this was a piercing, bone-deep humiliation.
And the one who had brought her to this was the man she loved most.
Lin Xujia clenched her teeth, curling up silently, not daring to breathe. Every time Yang Jinkuan did this to her, it was when his emotions were at their peak. Only one thing could ease her pain.
When she let out a heart-wrenching scream, his excitement would peak quickly, but it never lasted long.
Yang Jinkuan put down the belt, gave Lin Xujia a cold smirk, and said, "Get dressed and leave."
Lin Xujia softly hummed in acknowledgment, waiting until he left before reaching for the nearby stand to slowly stand up. Without any clothing, she was like a lamb to the slaughter.
Helpless to fight back, she could only endure.
She crept over to the table holding Yang Jinkuan's torture tools, where her clothes from earlier lay. Trembling, she grabbed them, biting her teeth hard as if it could ease her pain.
Beyond this room was Yang Jinkuan's bedroom. This was a hidden chamber built within it, with dim or crimson lighting that resembled blood. Handcuffs, candles, spiked whips, and things she couldn't name or had never seen before...
The thin air carried a faint smell of blood. She lowered her head, expressionless, scanning the bruises on her body that hadn't healed. Old wounds still fresh, and now new ones were added.
Once fully dressed, she was still the glamorous Lin Xujia. No one would know what she had just endured, nor would anyone see the shocking scars on her body.
Large red sheer curtains occasionally fluttered in the air. Every time she saw them, her scalp tingled involuntarily, because she didn't know how many women had been tortured to death in this confined space like her.
Study.
Yang Jinkuan, now in clean clothes, sat in a chair, his hands lazily resting on the armrests. After a long silence, the middle-aged man standing before the desk said nothing. Yang Jinkuan mulled over Xia Minghui's words on the phone, then suddenly leaned forward, narrowing his eyes. "Go find someone for me. Make sure you find them before Lu Zhengting does."
"Who?"
"Xia Yan. Here's her photo."
"A woman?"
"This woman is Lu Zhengting's Achilles' heel. As long as we have her, Lu Zhengting will have no choice but to comply." Yang Jinkuan lit a cigarette, brought it to his lips, and took a deep drag.
The middle-aged man frowned in confusion, dismissive. "I'll find her in no time."
"Don't underestimate Lu Zhengting's abilities. You must find her before him."
"Relax. Don't you trust my skills?"
Yang Jinkuan stubbed out his cigarette. "Better to be cautious."
"Since when did President Yang become so timid?"
At that, Yang Jinkuan's cold gaze shot toward the middle-aged man. "I don't need you to tell me how to do things."
"Of course." The middle-aged man spread his hands, speaking leisurely.
******
Zhan Meng had basically slept all day again, only getting up for meals. Ever since Xia Yan heard about Yuzhou from the landlady, she had grown increasingly interested in the place.
The weather was quite warm today. Xia Yan wore jeans and a shirt, her hair tied back in a ponytail. Her naturally fair, clean face was lightly made up, accentuating her delicate features.
The landlady loved roses, so the boss had set aside a spot outside the door to plant them. Among the flowers, a round coffee table and a few wooden chairs were placed. Xia Yan loved sitting here, brewing a pot of rose tea, and spending entire afternoons.
Zhan Meng woke up and came downstairs to find Xia Yan daydreaming. Without thinking, she said, "What are you thinking about? Lu Zhengting?"
"No."
"Answering so fast? Guilty conscience?"
Xia Yan didn't deny it. She had indeed been thinking about Lu Zhengting—wondering what he was doing right now. It had been almost half a month since she left Jiangcheng. Had he noticed she was gone? How had he reacted when he found out she wasn't there?
And Ke Yaru? Was she with him now?
These questions kept flooding her mind, refusing to leave. She lowered her head, avoiding Zhan Meng's eyes, holding her cup and staring intently at the petals sinking at the bottom. She quietly changed the subject. "You finally woke up?"
"Yeah, I wonder when I got so sleepy?" Zhan Meng pulled out a chair and plopped down.
"Sleepy? Little girl, have you felt nauseous or wanted to throw up?" The landlady, carrying her bag, just returned from outside and overheard Zhan Meng, chiming in.
"Nauseous? Want to throw up?" Zhan Meng was silent for a long time, as if an eternity had passed. She looked up at the landlady and asked cautiously, "If I say yes, what then?"
"Really? You might be pregnant. But I'm not the one to say for sure. I suggest you go to the hospital for a checkup. By the way, has your period come?"