When Qu Jinghong and Shu Ye rushed back, Shu Ying had just witnessed the little girl’s scars with her own eyes.
Suppressing her heartache and burning rage, she walked out of the room and bumped straight into Qu Jinghong: “Mom.”
“Where’s Zhizhi?”
“In the room.” Shu Ying blocked the doorway, “Mom, Zhizhi is changing clothes. She’ll be out in a moment.”
Hearing the conversation outside the door, Wen Zhile hurriedly dressed as quickly as possible.
She and her family had the same unspoken understanding: they absolutely must not let the elderly know she was often beaten at the Dai Family.
“Grandma, Uncle.” The door opened from inside, and Wen Zhile stepped out.
Qu Jinghong and Shu Ye immediately moved past Shu Ying: “Child, you’ve suffered.”
[Sister, do you want to find out who killed you in your previous life?]
A line of text suddenly appeared. Wen Zhile froze momentarily.
In her daze, she was embraced by Qu Jinghong and Shu Ye from both sides.
“Yes.” No one wouldn’t want to know who their murderer was. Moreover, if they could kill her in her previous life, they would surely harbor malice toward her in this life too, threatening her life.
[If so, I’ve received instructions that you can buy clues with money. Clues cost 200,000 each.]
“…” Wen Zhile couldn’t help but ask, “Is the space-time rule short on money too?”
[Yes, sister, he’s very short on money. To show sincerity, we can provide you with one free clue. I’ll tell you when the time is right.]
“Alright then, thank you.”
At seven in the evening, the family had a reunion dinner at the largest hotel in Jingzhou City.
After the meal, as they were leaving, Shu Ying and Wen Shuren looked at the young girl supporting the elderly woman: “Zhizhi, do you want to come home to stay tonight?”
“I’d like to go to Grandma’s house.”
Dai Nuan was still occupying her room at home, and Wen Zhile didn’t want to go back and make herself uncomfortable.
Disappointment flashed in Shu Ying’s eyes: “Mom will visit you as soon as I’m off work.”
“Okay.”
Shu Cheng’an helped her open the car door. Wen Zhile suddenly turned back: “Goodnight, Mom and Dad.”
Shu Ying and Wen Shuren smiled: “Goodnight.”
Considering they needed to gather evidence first to bring the Dai Family to justice and vent their hatred, Shu Ying and Wen Shuren showed no signs of anything unusual after returning home.
Wen Nuan came home from school every night and left for school early the next morning.
Shu Ying stood by the window watching her get into the Zhou Family’s car and frowned: “Old Wen, she’s getting too close with the Zhou Family’s second son.”
As two university professors, they had no contact with the well-established Zhou Family, but her eldest brother had dealings with the Zhou Family, so she knew a bit about their status.
Zhou Yusheng’s father held a high and powerful position. If Zhou Yusheng and Dai Nuan became too close, would he use his family connections to help the Dai Family?
Even if her eldest brother would help, the situation would likely be unfavorable.
The Shu Family had shallow roots in the military, relying entirely on her eldest brother and sister-in-law for military connections. The older generation’s connections weren’t in the military and couldn’t help.
The Zhou Family, however, had solid foundations, with connections passed down through generations, firmly rooted at the pinnacle of both military and political pyramids.
The Shu Family competing with the Zhou Family wouldn’t be a good thing.
Wen Shuren finished tying his tie and waited for Shu Ying by the door, having already set out her shoes for her: “A family like the Zhou Family must have strict family principles. They won’t easily interfere in others’ family matters. Don’t worry.”
Fang Xiuxiu checked in the new guest and told him his room number.
The phone on the front desk rang. She reached for the receiver: “Hello, this is Shuhai Inn.”
“Hello, I’m looking for Dai Zhi.”
Fang Xiuxiu guessed who was on the other end of the line from the tone of voice: “Comrade, Xiao Dai has moved away.”
Zhou Jihuai set down his fountain pen and pushed the notebook away. “Where did she move?”
“Mudan Hutong. She rented a place there, but I don’t know the exact address.” Fang Xiuxiu deliberately withheld the specific location, thinking she’d tell the young woman next time they met and let her share it herself.
Zhou Jihuai: “Alright, thank you.”
He hung up the phone, stared at his notebook for a while, then picked up the pen again to continue drafting training plans. He hadn’t returned home these past few days, staying instead at the military office.
During his spare time, he’d thought about checking on his “little sister’s” progress in reconnecting with relatives, never expecting she’d already moved out. She didn’t even bother calling him about it.
If he hadn’t made this phone call, he probably wouldn’t have been able to find her after leaving the military base.
Ungrateful little thing.
As he wrote, Zhou Jihuai considered that Mudan Hutong was where Grandma Qu lived, and Shu Cheng’an often drove his police car over there, so the neighborhood’s security should be quite good. But would she change locations last minute?
Judging by the hotel staff’s tone, she hadn’t actually witnessed her moving there personally.
Zhou Jihuai’s brow unconsciously furrowed. This kid was getting bolder – daring to rent and move alone in an unfamiliar city.
He accelerated his writing to finish the training plan, then took the notebook and left his office.
Yang Quan, the political commissar of the 21st Regiment, was waiting outside his door. As soon as it opened, he said: “Regiment Commander, we’ve been training too intensely these past two days. Don’t you think we should give the recruits a day off?”
“Intense?” Zhou Jihuai headed downstairs. “Training continues today. I’ve already prepared a new training schedule.”
Yang Quan sighed: “Our soldiers here can’t compare to the troops you used to serve with. I understand you want to build a strong unit, but haste makes waste…”
Zhou Jihuai rubbed his forehead: “Tonight’s extra training will end one hour early.”
This was a rule he’d established after arriving – two nights a week with additional training until 8 PM.
Yang Quan felt relieved: “Excellent.”
At 7 PM, Zhou Jihuai drove away from the military base.
The drive from the South Military Region to the northern part of the city took at least forty minutes. Zhou Jihuai drove from twilight into full darkness, parking his car at the end of the hutong.
He wanted to directly ask Qu Jinghong about Wen Zhile’s whereabouts.
He hoped Grandma Qu hadn’t gone to bed yet. If she had, he’d have to wait until tomorrow.
Wen Zhile was in the courtyard holding a bowl of traditional Chinese medicine, bathing in moonlight while trying hard to recall details about the murderer, when she suddenly heard knocking and someone calling “Grandma Qu.”
Surprised, she walked to the gate and asked from behind the door: “Who is it?”
Zhou Jihuai: “…”
“It’s me, your brother. Open the door.”