“Looks like you already know what’s going on,” Liang Heng said as he closed the file and leaned back lazily in his chair. This shabby detention center was completely out of place with the refinement he carried, just like Wen Quhua appearing in this run-down small county.
“The facts themselves aren’t important. What you’re up against is background and connections, and unfortunately, that’s exactly what you don’t have.” Liang Heng calmly exposed the truth. “Or are you planning to take this opportunity to earn substantial compensation?”
Yang Qin immediately shot him a cold look. Neither of them was willing to back down, as if trying to see through each other.
“My matters have nothing to do with you,” he said, his gaze dark and sharp, carrying a mocking edge.
“If it has nothing to do with her, then it has nothing to do with me,” Liang Heng replied, not particularly bothered by his hostility.
Yang Qin suddenly curled his lips into a cold smile. “Then go back and tell her not to meddle in other people’s business.”
At this, Liang Heng stood up directly. Before leaving, he turned back and said meaningfully, “It seems you’re quite self-aware.”
Yang Qin stared coldly at the door after it closed.
Sweet soup shop
Wen Quhua walked over carrying iced tea. “I didn’t expect Uncle Liang to have you come personally.”
“I overheard the call between my father and you, so I volunteered to come,” Liang Heng said with a smile. Compared to the deliberate gentleness he showed at the detention center, the smile in his eyes now was more genuine, though it carried a trace of doubt. “Quhua, shouldn’t you explain something?”
Wen Quhua sat down lazily. “Explain what?”
“Explain why you didn’t go to your grandmother’s house in Beijing, but instead appeared in this small place like Langcheng.”
Probably, aside from him, no one in the Wen family knew that their treasured young lady had outwardly agreed but secretly disobeyed, not going to Beijing but instead sneaking off to a backward little county town to open a sweet soup shop, and even getting involved with a laborer.
He also wanted to ask what her relationship with Yang Qin was and why she wanted to help him.
But he knew Wen Quhua’s temperament. She was not as gentle and obedient as she appeared. A pampered young lady would not go out of her way to care about others’ feelings.
“So what?” Wen Quhua rested her chin on her hand and smiled faintly. According to the course of her previous life, she should indeed be at her grandmother’s house in Beijing now.
But in this life, ever since she woke up and saw the task panel, she had changed her plans. She had concealed things from both Beijing and Hong Kong and came to Langcheng.
These things did not need to be explained to Liang Heng.
“You just need to tell me whether his matter can be resolved.”
“He asked me to tell you not to meddle in other people’s business,” Liang Heng said with a deeper smile, waiting to see her get annoyed.
But Wen Quhua merely raised her brows. Not a trace of anger appeared. Instead, she even commented approvingly, “He’s quite smart. Very distinctive.”
No wonder he would become a high-IQ criminal in the future.
Liang Heng was surprised. He took a sip of the iced tea and said, “Stop getting involved in this kind of matter. Even though the Wen family… Langcheng is far away, and the local forces aren’t easy to deal with. Let me take you back to Hong Kong.”
“I asked a lawyer to solve my problem, not to solve me,” Wen Quhua said with a smile, though there was no warmth in it. She was not particularly close to Liang Heng either.
Liang Heng paused slightly, then chuckled. She was still the same.
But the more unchanged she was, the more certain he became that she would never fall for a laborer from a small county town.
“Alright then. If the young lady wants to play, then enjoy yourself. I’ll be waiting for you in Hong Kong.”
Did he need to wait? Hong Kong was her home. She would naturally return.
“Wait. Leave the materials you investigated.”
Liang Heng had always been cautious. Before meeting Yang Qin, he had likely already investigated everything thoroughly.
Liang Heng did not mind. He took out the documents from his briefcase and placed them on the table. He added a subtle reminder, “It’s possible he wants to take the blame to earn a large compensation. Don’t ruin someone’s plan with your good intentions.”
“He wouldn’t.”
Liang Heng did not understand why she was so certain, but he did not say more. He got into the car and left.
Yang Qin had rejected her help. Wen Quhua was not particularly angry. She did not know that man personally. She simply did not want to watch events repeat themselves.
She was worried that if the task failed, she would lose everything.
Wen Quhua frowned and carefully reviewed the stack of materials Liang Heng had left behind. From them, she identified a key person.
Old He.
That night, in an alley beside a mahjong hall, Old He was blocked by a beautiful woman.
He had just finished gambling and lost quite a bit, so he was already in a bad mood. Seeing such a beautiful woman, his eyes immediately lit up.
Wen Quhua gave a signal. Her driver and bodyguard stepped forward, twisted Old He’s arms behind his back, and pinned him against the wall.
“Ow, ow, ow…”
Seeing Old He’s fat face pressed and distorted against the wall, Wen Quhua’s gaze was filled with disgust. She crossed her arms and threatened softly, “Do you really think hiding means no one can find you?”
“Who are you?” Old He’s voice turned vicious.
Wen Quhua threw a few sheets of paper onto his face. “Who I am doesn’t matter. But taking money and pocketing it instead of purchasing and installing safety nets, causing workers to fall from scaffolding and suffer death and injury, is a serious responsibility.”
“You!” Old He’s face twisted instantly as he glared at her. “I advise you not to meddle in other people’s business. I—”
“You’re going to say you have people backing you,” Wen Quhua said with a light laugh. “But if someone must pay the price, who do you think it will be? You, or Liu Jun?”
Hearing Liu Jun’s name, Lao He’s expression changed drastically. He had not expected this woman to know everything.
“You came for Yang Qin? What are you to him?”
“I suppose I’m his… benefactor.”
“And I really can’t stand seeing innocent people get splattered with blood,” Wen Quhua said, shaking her head, her gaze cold. “Are you going to turn yourself in, or wait for the Liu family to deal with you?”
“Haha, you’re too naive. My sister is carrying the Liu family’s only grandson. How could the Liu family possibly—”
“You said it yourself. It’s your sister who’s pregnant, not you,” Wen Quhua said with a smile. “Yang Qin has sufficient evidence and a lawyer to defend him. When the time comes, between you and Liu Jun, who do you think the Liu family will choose?”
Old He did not believe her. If Yang Qin could really be acquitted, why would she go through the trouble of finding him?
He spat. “Stop trying to scare me.”
“Why would I need to scare you? I already have all your evidence. If you turn yourself in, you can still receive a lighter sentence. Maybe the Liu family will even help you for the sake of that grandson.”
“But if you act foolishly, then I can only make multiple copies of your evidence and send them everywhere. Public relations, the Liu family, the victims’ families, the Langcheng Daily… I’ll send them all out. By then, debts will be settled properly. As for your whole family… well…”
“You—”
This time, Old He was completely frightened. Cold sweat poured down his forehead.
He had not expected that such a delicate and beautiful woman could be so ruthless when threatening someone.
“Let’s go.”
After Wen Quhua finished speaking, the driver released his grip. Old He collapsed onto the ground, watching helplessly as the hem of her dress swayed while she walked away.
Soon after, several more people entered the alley, carrying sticks. Old He had barely recovered when he was surrounded again.
“Who the hell are you guys?!”
“He Youdao, you pushed all the blame onto our Brother Qin. Did you think you could still live freely?” The men were just about to raise their sticks and threaten him.
Old He immediately hugged his head and broke down. “Don’t hit me, don’t hit me! I’ll turn myself in, alright?!”
*
“Brother, He Youdao has already been taken in for questioning. You’ll probably be out soon.”
Before Yang Qin was brought in, he had arranged for someone to find He Youdao. Hearing this, he gave a soft response, already understanding the situation.
“He Youdao won’t confess so easily. The money he pocketed, you’ll still need to—”
“Brother, he turned himself in.”
Yang Qin immediately lifted his gaze. He turned himself in?
Yang Tian was also confused. “When we found him last night, we hadn’t even done anything yet. He suddenly broke down and said he wanted to turn himself in.”
Yang Qin felt there must be something behind this that he did not know. As the procurement and safety supervisor on the construction site, with Liu Jun backing him, He Youdao had been abusing his position. Without a reason, he would never have turned himself in.
“Last night, did anyone else go looking for him?”
“I… I didn’t ask.” Yang Tian had simply followed Yang Qin’s instructions. He was not that meticulous.
“What’s wrong, Brother? Isn’t it a good thing that he turned himself in? Your responsibility will be lighter, and the victims’ families will shift their focus.”
Of course it was a good thing that He Youdao turned himself in. Yang Qin simply thought of the lawyer from Hong Kong. He lowered his eyes, concealing the gloom within them.
If that person had intervened, he would rather have taken more time to resolve it himself.
What relationship did he have with Wen Quhua? Why would he listen to her and come help him?
And the familiarity and closeness in his tone when speaking of Wen Quhua made Yang Qin uncomfortable.
He was not incapable of getting out of this himself. It would only take some effort. He did not need her to find another man to help him.
“Brother?” Seeing his unclear expression, Yang Tian thought there was still some other trouble.
“Go back first. Take the brothers and keep working. If I get out, their wages are probably gone. In the future… I’ll lead everyone to earn it back.”
If he got out safely, the Liu family would never compensate the workers in his team, and their wages would be impossible to recover unless they caused trouble at Liu’s doorstep. But the Liu family had deep roots. This was not something that could be resolved in a short time.
“It’s fine. Money can be earned again.” Yang Tian truly believed Yang Qin was capable. Even if this time they suffered a setback, he could still lead them to find work and earn money again.
“It’s just Xiao Xin’s compensation… Xiao Xin keeps saying he doesn’t blame you, but his mother…” Thinking of Xiao Xin’s mother, Yang Tian also found her difficult.
“It’s fine. I’ll take responsibility for Xiao Xin.” Yang Qin was not someone who shirked responsibility. Xiao Xin had been brought up under him. Since something had happened, he naturally had to bear the responsibility he should.
As long as Xiao Xin was alive, that was already fortunate.
As for the worker who died on the spot, he was not from Yang Qin’s team. It was said that he had drunk alcohol before going to work that day. In terms of responsibility, it could not be pushed onto Yang Qin.
“My grandmother…”
“Don’t worry, Brother. We’ve kept it from her. The old lady doesn’t know anything.”
“Mm.”
“Brother, we’ll come pick you up when you’re released.”
On the day Yang Qin was released, the sun had already set. The sky was dim. He was still wearing the same clothes he had worn when he came in. He planned to go back, wash up, and then visit Xiao Xin at the hospital.
As he passed the barbecue stall, he casually glanced toward the sweet soup shop.
The shop sign showed it was open. Through the window’s light, he could see a slender figure in light green moving back and forth.
She wore a bright smile, as if she had never been affected by any man.
If Yang Qin had not seen that lawyer, he would have thought that he was insignificant in Wen Quhua’s life.
But instead, a lawyer had come all the way from Hong Kong, claiming to defend him.
And He Youdao had turned himself in.
Whether it had anything to do with her, he wanted to know.
Suppressing his thoughts, he stepped into the sweet soup shop for the first time while it was open.
“Welcome~” she said with a soft smile as she turned around, only to meet Yang Qin’s sharp gaze.
She froze. It had been several days since she last saw him. Her memory of him was still stuck on that day upstairs, when she had fallen into his arms and questioned him, and his undisguised gaze had been fixed on her.
Now, she suddenly felt awkward and uneasy. Various emotions surfaced in her heart, but in the end, she pretended nothing was wrong and said, “Are you ordering?”
Yang Qin had not come to drink sweet soup. He stared at her directly, wanting to ask clearly, but the words were difficult to say.
Suddenly, a burnt smell filled the air, and smoke rose from the cooking area.
Wen Quhua hurried to the back kitchen. Seeing her ingredients, she realized they had burned. She reached out to move the small pot to the sink, but her fingertips were scalded—
A pair of hands reached out from behind her, turned off the fire, and carried the pot to the sink, running cold water over it.
He worked steadily, neither hurried nor slow, his expression firm and focused.
Wen Quhua parted her lips, about to say something, but he had already wet a towel with cold water and walked over to look at her fingertips. They were slightly red.
He wrapped her fingertips in the towel, the coolness easing the burning pain.
She looked up at him. His eyes were only focused on her hand.
Just when she thought he would not speak, he suddenly said, “Wen Quhua, you…”
“What?”
He lifted his eyes and met her puzzled gaze.
“Have you found your fiancée?”
She was about to say what fiancée, then suddenly remembered the story she had made up for herself. She stumbled over her words. And the way he was looking at her felt strange.
Wen Quhua’s heart started beating faster.
He was not about to confess to her, was he? Then how should she reject him?
But he was still holding her hand. Wen Quhua subconsciously tried to pull it back when she heard him say—
“If you haven’t found him… do you want to try someone else?”