“Sweetheart, why are you panicking?”
“Why did you avoid us to answer the phone?”
“Hey—Shuhe!”
Shen Shuhe ushered Shen Yanzhi and Wen Lingyi out of the office, carefully locked the door behind them, and returned inside.
After all that fuss, the phone had already stopped ringing.
Speechless, Shen Shuhe glanced at her phone. After hesitating for only a few seconds, she decisively called back.
Rather than wasting time guessing whether the call had really come from Lu Yanzhou, she decided it was better to take the initiative.
Besides, there was no avoiding Lu Yanzhou’s “meeting” with her anyway.
Beep—
Beep—
The call connected, and Shen Shuhe felt a little nervous.
She hoped it was him.
She had nearly finished organizing the information on everyone involved with the first-generation technology of the “Tianshu” Project.
She was eager for him to arrange a meeting as soon as possible.
Sometimes destruction was the first step toward rebuilding. If she could clear the Shen family’s name in front of Lu Yanzhou, then even if he refused to invest in Shen Corporation, he could at least have the company’s security review reopened and restore its military contracts.
Once that happened, Shen Corporation would come back to life.
After more than ten seconds, the call was finally answered.
Following a faint crackle of static, a cool, deep voice spoke.
“Miss Shen.”
Not “Hello,” but a precise greeting addressed directly to her.
Hearing that long-missed voice, Shen Shuhe let out a quiet sigh of relief before delivering the explanation she had prepared.
“I was tied up with something just now and missed your call, Mr. Lu. I hope you don’t mind.”
“I don’t.”
Unbothered by his reserved tone, she continued proactively.
“Are you calling to discuss everything in detail?”
Lu Yanzhou gave a quiet hum before asking meaningfully,
“Are you ready, Miss Shen?”
Shen Shuhe nodded instinctively before realizing this wasn’t a video call.
“I’m ready. Should I head to the Xishan Villa now?”
Other than the villa, she had no idea where he usually stayed in the capital.
During the past week, besides sorting through the Tianshu Project materials, she had also searched for information about him online.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t even a single clear photograph of him, let alone any personal information.
For example, at Lu Mingshu’s birthday banquet, he had openly stood up for her in front of so many guests. If it had been anyone else, such explosive gossip would have spread throughout the upper-class circles by now.
Yet not a single rumor had surfaced.
Either the Lu family had suppressed the news, or everyone knew the Lu family was untouchable and dared not speak.
As expected of the capital’s most powerful military and political family.
The next moment, she thought she heard a faint chuckle.
Then he asked teasingly,
“Miss Shen, do you really want to come to my home?”
Had those words come from another man, she would have assumed he was being flirtatious or deliberately suggestive.
But this was Lu Yanzhou.
She simply couldn’t believe he would say something so frivolous.
Instead, she interpreted it as another test of her judgment, considering the sensitive nature of what they were about to discuss.
She answered earnestly,
“You specifically told me that our conversation couldn’t be known by a third person. Public places like cafés obviously aren’t suitable. As for security, I don’t think anywhere in the capital compares to the Lu family’s.”
She meant every word, and her sincerity was unmistakable.
“You make a good point. Our meeting is classified,” Lu Yanzhou agreed before making a decision.
“I’ll have someone come pick you up and bring you to my house.”
He deliberately enunciated the last sentence slowly, giving it an almost suggestive undertone.
Yet Shen Shuhe still didn’t misunderstand him.
“All right.”
“When can you leave, Miss Shen?”
After thinking briefly, she answered carefully,
“In about ten minutes.”
The materials were already organized. She only needed to pack them.
“Can you wait twenty minutes?” Lu Yanzhou asked softly. “The driver will need some time to get there.”
“Of course,” Shen Shuhe replied. “I’m free all day today. We can go whenever it’s convenient for you, Mr. Lu.”
Resolving this matter had become her top priority. As long as Lu Yanzhou contacted her, she’d be available even at three in the morning.
She absolutely refused to watch Shen Corporation and the Shen family collapse.
“I’ll text you the license plate number and the driver’s phone number.”
“Okay.”
She politely signaled the end of the conversation.
“See you shortly, Mr. Lu.”
His voice was quiet, carrying the faintest trace of amusement.
“See you soon.”
After hanging up, Shen Shuhe immediately packed everything.
She placed both her laptop and the printed documents into a large tote bag.
That way, she would have both electronic and paper copies ready, whichever Lu Yanzhou preferred.
Just after she finished, her phone vibrated.
It was a text from Lu Yanzhou containing the license plate number and a phone number.
Without hesitation, Shen Shuhe texted the driver.
Hello. Would it be convenient to add each other on WeChat? I’d like to send you my location.
The reply came almost instantly.
Of course, Miss Shen. This phone number is also my WeChat ID.
She copied the number, searched for it on WeChat, and sent a friend request.
While waiting, she tapped on the driver’s profile picture.
It showed the back of someone wearing a hiking jacket while watching the sunrise from a mountain peak.
He looked like a young man who loved the outdoors.
The sight unexpectedly reminded her of endless green grasslands… and then of her husband, who seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth after never replying to her messages again.
Her thoughts were interrupted by another vibration.
The driver had accepted her friend request almost immediately.
She quickly sent him her location.
Please pick me up here.
It was an intersection about a ten-minute walk from Shen Corporation.
Since the meeting was “classified,” she couldn’t risk boarding an unfamiliar car directly outside the company.
Otherwise, Shen Yanzhi and Wen Lingyi would undoubtedly ask questions.
The driver replied at once.
Got it. I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes.
Then he added,
My name is Chen Lin. You can call me Xiao Chen.
Shen Shuhe replied with an “OK” emoji, found her sunglasses and sun hat, picked up her heavy tote bag, informed her secretary Wu Qian that she was leaving work early, and took the private elevator downstairs.
When she arrived at the designated intersection, a black sedan pulled up in front of her.
Just as she was about to verify the license plate, Chen Lin stepped out from the driver’s seat and opened the rear door for her.
“It’s hot outside, Miss Shen. Please get in.”
The familiar gesture immediately reminded Shen Shuhe where she had seen him before.
He was the one who had driven her out of the Lu family’s private parking area at the Xishan Villa more than a week ago.
“It’s you.”
She bent slightly as she got into the car and smiled warmly.
“So your name is Chen Lin.”
Seeing that she still remembered him, Chen Lin grinned.
“That’s right. I’m really happy you still remember me, Miss Shen.”
He politely closed the rear door before walking back to the driver’s seat and starting the car.
The understated black sedan merged smoothly into the flow of traffic.
Meanwhile, at Shen Corporation’s chairman’s office…
After listening to his assistant’s report, Shen Yanzhi’s face grew grim.
“Are you certain?”
The assistant nodded, opened the photo album on his phone, and handed it over.
“Chairman Shen, President Shen really did disguise herself thoroughly before getting into this car.”
Shen Yanzhi swiped through the photos. After seeing them, his breathing grew heavier.
“Immediately investigate the owner of this vehicle. I want every piece of information you can find. Make it your top priority.”
“Yes, Chairman Shen.”
The assistant hurried out.
Wen Lingyi paced anxiously, her face full of disbelief.
“How could this be? Old Shen, you must be mistaken. I don’t believe our precious daughter would ever do something like this.”
Shen Yanzhi shot back,
“If she isn’t hiding something, then why was she acting so suspiciously? It’s scorching outside, yet instead of driving her own car, she deliberately walked to an intersection just to get into a stranger’s vehicle. Something’s definitely going on.”
Wen Lingyi frowned, irritation creeping into her voice.
“How can you, as her father, say something like that about your own daughter? You know exactly what kind of person Shuhe is. She’s been clever since she was little—always full of ideas.”
“And that’s exactly what I’m worried about,” Shen Yanzhi sighed heavily. “I’m afraid she’s clever enough to outsmart herself. I sincerely hope this is all just a misunderstanding. Let’s wait until we find out who owns that car. My head already hurts enough—please don’t argue with me.”