The last time Lu Henqin saw Zhong Yi, he learned that he was Xia Tingchan’s ex-boyfriend.
How ridiculous.
Every time he had asked Xia Tingchan about Zhong Yi, she had responded with indifference and unfamiliarity. All her lies, paired with her smiling eyes as she said she loved him, had spun him in circles.
That day, after a long separation, their reunion was anything but pleasant. They had a fierce argument over Lu Wencheng’s death.
Xia Tingchan laid everything out openly, mercilessly tearing through the last layer of pretense with harsh words and throwing them in his face.
She said, “I was the one who installed the listening device. I was the one who copied Lu Wencheng’s list. You might not know this since you were abroad, but I’m now part of the Financial Crime Investigation Unit.”
“How could that be? Zhong Yi isn’t that charming. I only do what I believe is right. An ex-boyfriend can’t influence me.”
She added, “You’re also an ex-boyfriend now.”
Tears gathered at his chin and fell emotionlessly to the ground. Lu Henqin stared at her expressionlessly, no longer even aware that his eyes were crying.
He could have convinced himself to keep making excuses for her, but only if Zhong Yi had never been part of their six-year relationship; only if her initial involvement with him, while stepping over the Lu family to rise and being adopted by the Zhong family, hadn’t been calculated;
Only if she had truly loved him, if there had been even a shred of sincerity in all that pretense—just a tiny bit would have been enough.
But.
The light outlined the sharp contours of Lu Henqin’s handsome face, casting a line between light and shadow. He said, “Zhong Yi will be here soon. Two bullets are enough. Don’t worry, my hand won’t shake.”
Xia Tingchan replied, “I thought you only brought two bullets because you wanted to die with me.”
“A love suicide?” He laughed as if hearing the biggest joke, his pale skin radiating coldness under the light. “If I were still human, Xia Tingchan, if I were even a person… I wouldn’t stoop that low again.”
“—Then shoot.”
His arm, gripping the gun, refused to lift. A Colt M1911, a weapon he had handled countless times, now felt impossibly heavy.
Xia Tingchan stood before him, unmoving, just as she had taken him for granted in their relationship, certain he wouldn’t shoot her.
Lu Henqin frowned tightly, struggling to steady his wrist with his other hand. The gun’s muzzle tilted upward, shifting its aim toward the standing coat rack.
He closed his eyes briefly, reopening them with a calm tone. “Change your clothes.”
“What?”
Lu Henqin stood up coldly, grabbing the Special Investigation Unit uniform by the door and forcing Xia Tingchan into the bedroom.
He raised his hand, letting the uniform spin in the air. After a quick glance, he tossed it onto the bed. “Change.”
He’s insane. Zhong Yi is almost here. I don’t have time for this lunatic.
Xia Tingchan warned in a low voice, “Lu Henqin, Zhong Yi travels with bodyguards now. They’re not like you, coming for revenge with an empty gun that needs loading on the spot. If you’re going to shoot, do it now. Don’t drag this out until Zhong Yi arrives—”
The electronic sound of a password being entered echoed from the door. Xia Tingchan’s expression shifted. Without a moment’s hesitation, she pushed him into the built-in wardrobe against the wall.
Lu Henqin was too tall, having to hunch over completely to squeeze inside, but that long leg refused to be tucked in, brazenly blocking the cabinet door.
He was asking for trouble.
"Lu Henqin!" Xia Tingchan hissed, shoving him in a fit of rage.
He braced his hand against the top of the cabinet, leaning down to scrutinize her expression from above, sneering:
"Not letting me greet your neighbor, and not allowing me to call your ex 'senior' either?"
"Are you out of your mind?"
"I told you, change your clothes."
This guy was utterly unpredictable, his mind a mystery.
Xia Tingchan couldn't out-stubborn this door god. The moment the front door's password was successfully entered, she quickly said, "Fine."
The cabinet door slammed shut with a bang.
She knew the ventilation holes at the top of the cabinet offered a view outside. Lu Henqin was undoubtedly watching her every move intently.
She carelessly draped the jacket over herself, just slipping her arms into the sleeves when Zhong Yi called out to her from outside.
"I'm in the bedroom."
Zhong Yi brought a large e-ink screen and, as usual, entered her room. He pulled out her chair and stood by the desk, leaning over to assemble it for her.
His suit restricted his movements, and after just a few minutes of unpacking, he paused to take off his jacket and casually hang it over the back of her chair.
"Staring at screens all day isn't good for your eyes. Father asked me to bring this for you… Want to give it a try? Is this okay?"
Xia Tingchan stood behind him, maintaining at least an arm's length between them, and replied, "Mm, thank Uncle Zhong, and thank you."
Zhong Yi glanced back at her, a smile playing on his lips. "What's there to thank?"
Installing the e-ink screen only took a few minutes. Delivering something like this hardly warranted Zhong Yi's personal attention—such trivial matters didn't require him to rush over right after finishing his work, skipping dinner in the process.
His intentions were clearly elsewhere.
But unfortunately, his efforts were wasted on someone who wouldn't notice.
Xia Tingchan's tone was distant: "Next time, just have the driver deliver it, or let me know, and I'll come pick it up myself."
The curve of Zhong Yi's lips faded like a receding tide. The low-saturation gray light from the e-ink screen cast a soft glow on his profile, like diffused sunlight filtering through clouds on a cloudy day.
"Ah, it's on, all set." Xia Tingchan acted as if she hadn't noticed his change in expression, stepping forward to adjust the screen herself and thanking him again. "Sorry for the trouble."
Zhong Yi's arm still rested on the desk. His gaze fell on the mouse just two inches away from his arm, where Xia Tingchan's slender, pale fingers moved it back and forth like an elusive butterfly.
After a brief test, she withdrew her hand, once again widening the distance between them. The slight curve of her lips told him a third "thank you" was coming.
She was essentially using gratitude to usher him out.
"Xiao Chan," Zhong Yi suddenly spoke up, "why don't you come home to live?"
"It's not very convenient."
"What's inconvenient?" Zhong Yi looked at her gently. A strand of hair stuck out from the top of her head, as if hinting at her habit of ruffling it impatiently in daily life.
His eyes softened again at these familiar associations, and he reached out to smooth her hair. "If it's because the distance to your workplace is too far, the driver could—"
His fingers were just inches from her hair when Xia Tingchan calmly called out, "Brother."
That hand abruptly froze in mid-air, as if someone had pressed the pause button.
She met his gaze levelly and repeated calmly, "It's not very convenient, brother."
Zhong Yi's fingers twitched slightly in the air. He stared at her for a long moment before lowering his eyes.
He did not acknowledge that form of address.
Xia Tingchan took a step toward him. "Then I'll walk you to the door—"
Her arm was suddenly seized from behind. Zhong Yi lifted his face to look at her, the black hair falling over his forehead seeming to slice through his pupils. His gaze was uncharacteristically stubborn, the veneer of gentility abruptly stripped away.
He stubbornly locked onto her arm, pulling her toward himself with a force so great it bordered on loss of control. His elbow even knocked against a chair, causing the crisp suit jacket draped over the back to slide off and crumple haphazardly onto the floor.
Xia Tingchan stumbled back a step, turning her face to stare at him in shock. In all the years she had known him, Zhong Yi had rarely made such an impolite move.
He stared directly at her and parted his lips. "Xiao Chan—"
A dull thud suddenly erupted from deep within the cabinet, the entire solid wood panel trembling with resonance. It sounded like a clothes hanger had fallen, striking the door heavily.
But it sounded more like someone had thrown a corpse into a coffin.
Xia Tingchan's gaze flickered for an extremely brief moment, like a feline suddenly caught in a bright light, but soon settled back into calm.
Zhong Yi's words were cut off. He instinctively turned his head toward the dark brown cabinet. The upper part of the cabinet had several horizontal partitions, each with ventilation grooves about a finger's width.
From the outside, it was pitch black inside.
Zhong Yi stared at the cabinet pressed against the wall and suddenly asked, "Has Lu Henqin been in contact with you?"
Xia Tingchan tilted her head slightly, following Zhong Yi's gaze with a composed expression as she looked toward the cabinet.
Lu Henqin felt as if, for a moment, her eyes met his.
The winter coats hanging on either side carried the faint, clean scent of her perfume. Perhaps it was because he was enveloped in such a familiar atmosphere that he could remain so calm now.
Her unconsciously slightly raised pinky finger was a bit too obvious… Maybe Xia Tingchan herself didn't know, but when they first met, the first time she pointed him out for climbing the wall, she had made the same small gesture.
His heart was as still as water, almost completely certain she would give him away. To her, he was a course destined to be failed—whether at their first meeting, during the faction struggles, or now.
"Not very clear. We lost contact after he went abroad," Xia Tingchan said flatly, as detached as ever.
"Is that so?" Zhong Yi looked at her, his fingers slowly tightening.
She frowned, twisting her wrist to break free. The cabinet door suddenly opened a crack, and a cold voice came through. "Let go of her hand."
Xia Tingchan closed her eyes in exasperation, then opened them again.
Lu Henqin leaned against the wall inside the cabinet, one leg propped forward, his spine curved into a slight arc. He used the barrel of his gun to push aside the coat hanging in front of him and stepped out, the dark muzzle sweeping menacingly through the air.
Zhong Yi's gaze remained fixed, his posture upright. "I heard you returned to the country today."
Xia Tingchan decisively stepped in front of Zhong Yi, blocking the two men poised for confrontation. "Lu Henqin, put the gun down."
Lu Henqin's footsteps faltered slightly, the corners of his eyes still tinged with red, as if dust had gotten into them while he was in the cupboard.
Just moments ago, he had been crying and telling her he hated her. Now, with Zhong Yi appearing, he suddenly went into full attack mode, relentless and unyielding: "Did you hear that, Xia Tingchan? Your brother keeps tabs on you and everyone around you every single day. How terrifying."
Zhong Yi shot back, "Keeps tabs every day? You're no better."
He pulled Xia Tingchan behind him and, without another word, took out his phone to make a call. But she stubbornly resisted like a little calf, insisting on blocking his way and even grabbing his phone to stop him from dialing.
Lu Henqin watched their sincere back-and-forth with a cold gaze. Earlier, in that cramped space, every time he aimed at Zhong Yi through the narrow crosshairs, she would silently and precisely step in front, anticipating the direction of his aim.
How could two people be so in sync?
Her figure appeared in his sights again and again. From her protection and favoritism, he felt anger, heartbreak, and finally, a strange calm.
Xia Tingchan stopped one, then the other, turning to Zhong Yi with clear logic: "Lu Wencheng's affairs are his alone and have nothing to do with his wife and children. The asset liquidation is already underway, and Jiang Min's bail has been paid. Don’t stir up trouble. Think about your own position now, think about Uncle Zhong."
Having intervened on both sides—blocking a gun and snatching a phone—she thought she had balanced things fairly. But looking left and right, it seemed she had managed to anger both sides.
Zhong Yi’s expression showed no sign of clearing up as he sneered, "With everything happening in your family, you still have the nerve to cling to Tingchan. Lu Henqin, sometimes I really have to admire you."
Lu Henqin nodded calmly and replied, "You flatter me, brother-in-law… Could you let go of her arm? Otherwise, I’ll shoot."
Zhong Yi seemed provoked by the term "brother-in-law." He smiled, his tone unnervingly gentle: "What does it have to do with you?"
Then he turned his gaze to Xia Tingchan: "Come stay with me. That way, you won’t be haunted by ghosts day in and day out."
"Go home? Would Zhong Liqun allow it?" Lu Henqin’s laughter was sharp and biting, like a storm brewing. "I used to wonder why Zhong Liqun looked at Tingchan with such a complicated expression. Now I understand."
"It turns out someone else was the one clinging desperately. Mr. Zhong had no choice but to adopt her as a daughter, help her rise to great heights, and incidentally cut off certain people’s hopes."
"Zhong Yi, if you’re going to be a brother, act like one."
Zhong Yi’s gaze shot over like icicles, his expression turning extremely grim.
Lu Henqin stared at Xia Tingchan with a faint smile, his words meant for Zhong Yi: "Besides, do you think you’re any better than me? How did she catch Zhong Liqun’s attention through you while she was still in the orphanage? This person has no heart."
Zhong Yi’s expression remained indifferent, as if he didn’t care at all: "I did it willingly. As an ex, you don’t need to meddle in our family affairs."
"Ex?" Lu Henqin tilted his head slightly, his tone cold and calm. "Xia Tingchan, did we break up? Can the debts between us ever be settled?"
"Zhong Yi doesn’t care, and neither do I. Xia Tingchan, wait until I’m dead before you talk about breaking up."
Zhong Yi abruptly pulled her behind him, shielding her.
"Alright, call a car to the airport and put him on the earliest flight out. Zhong Yi, don’t listen to his nonsense, and don’t stir up trouble that could backfire. If Uncle Zhong calls for me, I’ll come home for dinner." Xia Tingchan raised her hand to end the conversation. "Lu Henqin, I’ve said everything I needed to say. I told you earlier—if you want to shoot, then shoot. I’ve wronged you, I admit it. You shoot, and we’re even. After this, don’t come looking for me again."
Her gaze swept over the two of them. "Any other questions?"
…
"Hey, hey, snap out of it! Snap out of it!" Bai Haoying waved a hand in front of Lu Henqin’s face. "Are you done yet?"
Lu Henqin suddenly snapped back to attention, a hint of weariness on his face. As he lowered his head to look at his phone, several messages popped up in the company’s main group chat.
He tapped into it just as Bai Haoying leaned over to glance at the screen:
So it really was work-related after all—my apologies to the patient, Bai Haoying thought, pulling his neck back.
In the group chat, after forwarding the post, the intern sent a long string of "hahahahahahahaha."
In the dead silence that followed for five seconds, someone tapped the intern who had posted in the wrong group.
The intern finally realized the mistake and hurriedly apologized: 【Sorry for disturbing everyone. I wanted to retract it but accidentally deleted it. Please just ignore it.】
Lu Henqin usually wouldn’t click into this group, but the title of the mistakenly posted article stood out, with the first three paragraphs clearly previewed in the chat:
Dog Travels 100 Kilometers to Bite Its Owner Who Abandoned It. ①
A Puppy’s Diary: I miss my owner. They really liked me and treated me well, taking me everywhere. But they were so silly—they tied me to a lamppost and forgot to come back for me—
The above wobbly handwriting was angrily crossed out by the puppy, followed by a furious, frantic addition:
Your dad’s dead! You abandoned me!
The main group chat fell silent as a tomb, and Lu Henqin remained quiet as well.
After a long while, he exited the page and scrolled through his contacts, finding Min Fengyu, the head of the company’s drug research and production division. Abruptly, he sent a message:
【Send me the test reports for the Phase I and Phase II clinical trials.】
Min Fengyu knew which drug he was referring to, as Lu Henqin had already pressed him about it several times. He promptly sent over the reports and updated him on the progress:
【The Phase III report is almost ready too, Chairman Lu. You might want to wait a bit longer. Using the drug now still carries some risks.】
Amid Bai Haoying’s incessant chatter, Lu Henqin finished reading the reports and even specifically requested a copy of the new drug’s toxicology study. After careful consideration, he suddenly asked:
"Bai Haoying, is there any drug that’s colorless and odorless but can… kill an animal?"
Bai Haoying was reviewing Lu Henqin’s test results, which were quite good—all indicators had improved. Feeling reassured, he spoke with a bit more patience. "What kind of animal? Cockroaches, spiders, or rats?"
"Mammals," Lu Henqin closed his phone. "Preferably something fast-acting, with a decent-looking death, and not too painful."
Bai Haoying frowned and set down the test report in his hands. "Dosage usually depends on body weight."
"About 72."
"72 what?"
Lu Henqin: "72 kilograms."
"Haha!" Bai Haoying's eyes looked utterly lifeless as he threw the examination report at him, nearly going mad himself. "Don't tell me that mammal is still 189cm tall? I was just about to praise you for looking much more energetic these past couple of days, even having a spark in your eyes when focusing on company matters, and now you pull this stunt again?? Screw you, you bastard!"
He scanned the room for suspicious bottles and containers, immediately locking onto the atropine on the bedside table.
Better safe than sorry!
Bai Haoying snatched the medicine bottle, and the moment he held it in his hand, he was horrified to find it almost empty.
Disbelieving, he raised it to his ear and shook it—only two pills rattled inside, as if mocking him.
Bai Haoying's voice instantly turned shrill, and he nearly fainted: "What happened to this medicine?? Are you eating it like candy??"
Lu Henqin remained calm: "I wasn't careful when closing the lid and accidentally dropped it, spilling the pills everywhere. So I threw them away."
Bai Haoying held his forehead, panting heavily. His suspicious gaze swept over Lu Henqin's face several times before he decided, just to be safe, to confiscate the medicine, glaring fiercely: "You don't need to take this anymore."
Hearing this, Lu Henqin showed no signs of withdrawal.
He nodded indifferently and said, "Alright, forget about the mammal thing. I was just joking."