Chen Hua was startled by Xing Zheng, but didn't know why he was so angry. He quickly said, "This, this is Liu Qinye and his wife, their wedding photo. It was hanging in their living room at the time!"
Xing Zheng asked, "How much do you know about Liu Qinye and his wife?"
"Not much. His wife didn't say much and usually didn't interact with us. She probably looked down on us. I heard she was a rich young lady before, but her family fell into decline, so she married him..." Chen Hua dared not neglect Xing Zheng and told him everything he knew, one by one.
According to Chen Hua, Liu Qinye's wife married him after her family's decline. Liu Qinye was a good-for-nothing, loved to drink, and had no skills. He did some small business, but lost all his money. Later, he became addicted to gambling. After losing, he would go drinking. When he was drunk, he would go home and beat his wife. However, his wife did not stop him from gambling like other wives, nor did she talk to the neighbors. Therefore, no one knew what Liu Qinye's wife thought. Not long after she became pregnant, their old house was demolished. Chen Hua didn't know anything about what happened after that.
After finishing his conversation with Chen Hua, the bloodshot eyes of Xing Zheng had not subsided. Li Xun did not know what was going on. After seeing Chen Hua off, Xing Zheng and Li Xun returned to the room upstairs. Li Xun handed Xing Zheng a cigarette and asked, "Liu Qinye's wife is...?"
Xing Zheng showed Li Xun the photo, and Li Xun immediately recognized the woman in the group photo. "How is it her?"
"I also really want to know, how is it her," Xing Zheng laughed. He reached for his lighter, intending to light the cigarette, but his hand was trembling. Several times, he failed. Li Xun lit it for him. He took a quick puff of the cigarette, as if seeking comfort through this action. "I've guessed this, but I didn't expect..."
The smoke entered his lungs, and he coughed, his eyes watering. Li Xun sighed, not knowing how to comfort him.
Lin Mei's studies had been going on for more than half a month. After the training, Xu Ying returned to Nanjiang City with her. The investigation in Runcheng had not made any progress. Lin Mei was still concerned but felt powerless. Her abilities and connections were too limited to help him.
After returning to Nanjiang City, Lin Mei went to the Xing family villa to visit Xie Qin Jia. Before her, Zhao Jiang He had already arrived.
Zhao Jiang He had not visited the Xing family for a long time. Today, he brought Xie Qin Jia her favorite fresh lilies, which moved Xie Qin Jia greatly. "Before, A Yan always prepared them for me. Fortunately, there's still you."
Zhao Jiang He smiled and said, "If you like them, I will prepare them for you every year. My parents passed away early. Fortunately, you and Uncle Xing have taken care of me all these years. It is my duty to be filial to you."
Xing Sha sat on the sofa beside them, listening to Zhao Jiang He's words word for word, his expression complicated. Xing Zheng's question that day kept echoing in his ears. It was so absurd, yet he kept thinking about it. Xing Sha stared intently at Zhao Jiang He. The more he looked, the more he felt that this face was extremely similar to Xie Qin Jia's...
"Uncle Xing, why are you looking at me like that?" Zhao Jiang He adjusted his glasses and asked with a smile, "Is there something on my face?"
"No," Xing Sha said with a faint smile. "You and A Yan seem to be looking more and more alike."
Zhao Jiang He: "Uncle Xing must be missing A Yan. A Yan is much more handsome than me. The female classmates like A Yan more!"
Xing Sha laughed. He stopped talking to Zhao Jiang He and went to the bathroom. As for Xie Qin Jia, she had just mentioned the girl she had a crush on, and she thought of Xing Yan again. She asked Zhao Jiang He, "Did A Yan have a crush on a girl back then? Do you know?"
"I know. A Yan has been waiting for her." That year, he had rejected Jiang Chu Bi's confession because of her. "I wonder how outstanding a girl she is to make A Yan think of her for so many years."
"It's Lin Mei," Xie Qin Jia said, smiling and sighing to Zhao Jiang He. "This is truly fate. The first time I met Lin Mei, I felt that this girl was very good and very well-matched with A Yan. I didn't expect that the person A Yan had been thinking about for so many years was actually her..."
Zhao Jiang He fell silent. He smiled at Xie Qin Jia, but his eyes behind his glasses flickered with a dangerous light.
Xing Yan had told him that the person he liked was someone he met in his youth in Xiangxi, and they had agreed to meet in Nanjiang City.
Zhao Jiang He knew how much Xing Yan cherished that girl. He had sent her love letters, diaries, and even a jade pendant engraved with his name. He just didn't expect that person to be Lin Mei!
Lin Mei was indeed from Xiangxi, which matched what Xie Qin Jia had said. She was the woman Xing Yan liked...
Zhao Jiang He had lost interest in Lin Mei, but this sentence reignited his desire to conquer her. If he could win over the woman Xing Yan had a crush on for many years but never obtained, what would be his reaction if he knew from the underworld?
Zhao Jiang He laughed, his eyes filled with schemes. Just then, the doorbell rang. Xie Qin Jia wondered, "Who would come at this time?"
"I'll get the door. You sit down." When Zhao Jiang He saw Lin Mei behind the door, his smile became even brighter. He was about to hunt, and the prey had delivered itself. "Manager Lin, long time no see. Are you back from training?"
"Yes, Mr. Zhao is here too." Lin Mei greeted Zhao Jiang He and said no more. She came in and sat down, chatting with Xie Qin Jia. After Lin Mei arrived, Xie Qin Jia no longer talked about Xing Yan and Lin Mei with Zhao Jiang He. She hadn't seen Lin Mei for a long time and had endless things to say to her, and she also cared about her and her "boyfriend's" situation.
They chatted until evening. At dinner, Xie Qin Jia invited Lin Mei and Zhao Jiang He to stay for dinner. During the meal, Lin Mei and Zhao Jiang He sat together. Zhao Jiang He actively initiated many topics to chat with her, but Lin Mei's responses were all very polite.
Zhao Jiang He was so smart; how could he not notice her distance? After dinner, Lin Mei and Zhao Jiang He left together. After they walked out of the Xing family villa, Zhao Jiang He smiled and asked Lin Mei, "How are things with your boyfriend recently?"
Lin Mei: "Not bad, thank you for your concern, Mr. Zhao."
Zhao Jiang He: "You're welcome. Are we friends?"
Lin Mei: "Of course, every client is my friend."
With her flawless rhetoric, Zhao Jiang He could not break through for the time being. He parted ways with Lin Mei. On the way back, he came up with a plan. He steered the car and laughed. It was just a woman. If he put his mind to it, was there any woman he couldn't conquer?
During this week of work, Lin Mei always felt uneasy when commuting to and from work, as if someone was watching her from the shadows, tracking her. But when she looked back, she saw nothing.
One day, Lin Mei went to the factory to settle accounts again. It was getting dark when she finally finished. She hurried to the bus stop, but there were footsteps following her.
Lin Mei broke out in a cold sweat and quickened her pace. The person behind her seemed to have anticipated this and threw something at her.
Lin Mei cried out in pain and clutched her head. Several men behind her surrounded her.