The two men exchanged a glance. Han Chong gave her a slight nod and tactfully exited the room.
Only when the door clicked shut and the man stood up to approach did An Ruo suddenly shout, "Just stay right there! Don't come any closer!"
Shen Xiaoxing halted abruptly, his dark eyes fixed on her from a distance.
"You heard everything."
"What else did you expect?" An Ruo's hands clenched tightly at her sides, her eyes reddening fiercely as she glared at him. "How long were you planning to hide this from me?!"
"I wasn't trying to hide it..."
"Shen Xiaoxing, why? Why are you helping our enemy?!"
"Before this matter is fully resolved, you can't just arrest her so rashly. Ruoruo, I understand how you feel. I'm grieving the loss of our child too. I want to catch the real culprit..."
"Enough!" An Ruo covered her ears, sobbing uncontrollably. "I don't want to hear your explanations, I don't want to!"
Seeing her so agitated, Shen Xiaoxing didn't dare approach her. When this girl got angry, she was impossible to reason with, and pushing her would only make things worse.
"Since you have your own plans, I won't interfere. But whatever I do next, don't you stop me either!"
"Ruoruo, there are some things I don't want you involved in."
"But I'm already involved, and this child is the sacrifice!" An Ruo coldly wiped the tears from her eyes, and without letting him say another word, she turned and left the study.
An Ruo went to her room, grabbed her phone and bag, and ran downstairs crying. All the servants working in the hall cleared a path, heads bowed, not daring to meddle in the couple's affairs.
"Ma'am—"
Lin Zhaozhao had just walked in and was about to greet her when she saw the girl's terrible expression. She stopped herself mid-sentence, staring blankly as An Ruo hurried past.
An Ruo ran out of the villa. The guards saw her but didn't dare stop her.
"Master, the mistress has left the villa..."
Shen Xiaoxing thought about chasing her in the car, but then reconsidered—the girl was still furious, and showing up now would only earn him a cold reception.
"Have someone follow her," the man instructed specifically. "Don't get too close."
Han Chong acknowledged and withdrew.
Meanwhile, An Ruo walked a good distance before hailing a taxi.
She didn't know where to go. In a fit of anger, she just couldn't stand being in the same place as him, so she'd grabbed her phone and bag and rushed out.
"Miss, where to?" The driver turned to ask when she still hadn't given a destination.
An Ruo thought for a moment, pulled up an address on her phone, and showed it to him. "Please take me here."
Over twenty minutes later, An Ruo arrived at the apartment where An Che had once lived. Luckily, she hadn't canceled the lease—she'd paid six months' rent even though no one was staying there.
She tidied up a bit and went to the bedroom to catch up on sleep.
At the seaside villa, in the study.
"Master, just as you predicted, on the way to the old estate with Steward Xu, the car was intercepted. A truck deliberately rammed the escorting bodyguards. It seems someone wants him dead."
The man toyed with the ring on his finger, his gaze turning icy. "Someone's trying to destroy the evidence."
"The truck driver was hired temporarily. His identity is a bodyguard, and..." Han Chong swiped on his iPad, lifting his eyes. "He's the personal bodyguard responsible for the madam's safety."
"Are you sure?"
Han Chong nodded.
A flicker of coldness passed through Shen Xiaoxing's eyes as he gently twisted his ring, an ominous chill radiating from him.
"By the way, the mistress..."
At those words, the murderous intent in the man's eyes instantly faded. He asked in a low voice, "How is she?"
"The mistress went back alone to the apartment where the young master once lived. She had dinner with Miss Chen at Xirui Restaurant."
Shen Xiaoxing pressed his lips together and said nothing. Han Chong stole a glance at him and ventured, "Master, would you like to go check on her?"
"No need." The man let out a long breath, leaning back in his leather executive chair as he tapped his fingers lightly on the desk, his eyes deep and calm like an unruffled sea.
Let the girl calm down first.
...
Shen Xiaoxing proceeded quietly with his original plan, pretending to have evidence that Fang Yingshe had framed An Ruo for the miscarriage, and had his bodyguards escort Steward Xu to the meeting hall.
Old Master Shen had always valued heirs and abhorred such things happening in the Shen family!
Fang Yingshe knelt trembling, while Shen Yu, still recovering from old injuries, could only watch as she was harshly scolded by the old man, not daring to interject.
After all, everyone knew the old master cared deeply about bloodlines, and with Shen Xiaoxing now fully established, failing to address such a major issue would make it hard to maintain authority.
Shen Xiaoxing was present during the judgment. Though framing an unborn child couldn't directly lead to a conviction, it was still a life—his own flesh and blood—so how could he not pursue it to the end?
Steward Xu knew his wife and children were all in Shen Xiaoxing's hands. As he confessed and accepted his punishment, he glanced at Lin Zhao, who stood by watching coldly.
The two exchanged a knowing look.
"Father, I was just momentarily confused. Please forgive me this once!" Fang Yingshe bit her handkerchief, crying pitifully.
Shen Xingrou was also present as a listener. After all, she was her biological mother. No matter how irredeemable the mistake, she couldn't just watch her go to her death.
She knelt and begged, "Grandfather, Mother knows she was wrong. Our branch will treat Sister-in-law better from now on. Please give her a chance to reform."
The three of them knelt together, pleading for mercy. The old master rested his hands on his cane, his deep eyes glancing at the expressionless man.
"Since the second branch has lost its virtue, from today onward, Shen Yu's subsidiary management rights are revoked. You two reflect on your actions!"
Shen Xiaoxing rubbed his thumb along the rim of his teacup. Hearing this, he raised an eyebrow subtly.
He had guessed before coming that the old master would go easy on this matter.
Though he valued heirs, since the deed was done, he wouldn't press too hard.
But smoothly taking away Shen Yu's management rights wasn't part of his plan.
The old master had revoked them so quickly—he wondered what game he was playing.
This was a family matter for the Shen household. Even if it went to court, it should be judged by Old Master Shen. He acted decisively, shooting Steward Xu dead on the spot, and used the revocation of Shen Yu's rights to compensate for his guilt toward Shen Xiaoxing.
At Jing Garden.
A servant brought fine Pu'er tea. "Congratulations, madam. You've killed two birds with one stone—not only helping the young master solidify his position in the Shen Group, but also eliminating a threat."
Lin Zhao was in high spirits. She picked up the teacup and took a sip, her eyes full of calculation.
She had arranged for someone to impersonate the second branch in an attempt to assassinate Steward Xu, certain that Shen Xiaoxing wouldn't let him come to harm. The hired men would all point the finger at Fang Yingshe.
She had not only gotten rid of the child in An Ruo's womb but also helped Shen Xiaoxing seize the subsidiary's management rights, strengthening his position. It was a worthy sacrifice of that child.
The servant withdrew, leaving Lin Zhao alone in the room. She blew on the few tea leaves floating on the surface, a faint smile curling her bright red lips.
Suddenly, a dull thud startled her. She set down her teacup and stood up to investigate the source of the noise. The window was open, white curtains fluttering in the breeze...
She closed the window, and as she turned around, a pitch-black gun barrel pressed against her forehead.
Lin Zhao looked at the man standing before her, a flash of surprise in her eyes, but it vanished quickly, as if she had already anticipated this outcome.