Jiang Nan Fang went to Zhou Jin Xiu's studio and didn't get home until past 11 p.m.
After work, Zhou Jin Xiu was urged by a group of friends to go out for the night. Jiang Nan Fang got out of the car alone at the entrance of the residential complex.
As she walked in, preparing her access card to enter the lobby, she unexpectedly encountered a familiar pair of figures at the entrance.
The man was tall and imposing, dressed smartly and impeccably. From behind, he bore a striking resemblance to Zhan Bei Jue.
She initially thought Zhan Bei Jue had moved into the same complex with his new lover.
Jiang Nan Fang muttered a curse and, before they noticed her, planned to slip away.
However, Ah Zhong had already seen her. Seeing her about to leave, he quickly stepped forward: "Miss Jiang!"
It turned out to be Ah Zhong and Zhou Jin Bei.
Jiang Nan Fang stopped, her expression calm as she looked at them: "What a coincidence. What are you two doing here so late?"
Ah Zhong came over: "We came to find a friend, but they didn't answer their phone and we can't get into the lobby."
"Miss Jiang, do you live here now? Could you do us a favor and let us go in with you?"
So that was it.
Jiang Nan Fang took out her access card.
The three of them entered the lobby together and then the elevator.
Jiang Nan Fang went to press the floor button and asked them which floor their friend lived on.
"Twenty," Zhou Jin Bei said.
Such a coincidence?
Guanlan International was a luxurious, single-unit per floor flat. Only one household lived on each floor.
Floor twenty clearly meant only that woman lived there.
She hadn't expected such a coincidence, that they were friends with Zhou Jin Bei.
But it had nothing to do with her, so Jiang Nan Fang didn't say much.
Soon, the elevator reached the twentieth floor. Ah Zhong and Jiang Nan Fang said their goodbyes.
As she watched their departing figures, Jiang Nan Fang felt something was slightly off.
Recalling the strange scene she had witnessed in the parking lot a few hours earlier, she returned home. Ah Zhong's contact information was still in her WeChat contacts.
Out of curiosity, Jiang Nan Fang sent Ah Zhong a WeChat message.
"Did you find your friend?"
Naturally, she hadn't.
For the past two days, Zhou Jin Bei had been secretly following Fang Yuan.
Yesterday, she saw her go to the hospital for surgery and thought the matter was almost resolved.
However, after her father visited today, Fang Yuan became unreachable.
Zhou Jin Bei tracked her father's phone and discovered his movements were erratic today. Fearing her father might act rashly and cause any accidents,
Zhou Jin Bei dragged Ah Zhong, who had just finished working overtime, back here.
Fang Yuan had disappeared from under their noses for several hours. Zhou Jin Bei was extremely anxious now.
Ah Zhong told Jiang Nan Fang the truth: no, they hadn't.
"Miss Jiang, how long have you lived here? Have you seen the woman on the 20th floor?"
Jiang Nan Fang also told the truth: yes, she had seen her.
And she recounted the chance encounter with her and the strange scene in the parking lot that afternoon to Ah Zhong.
It's over. It seemed Fang Yuan was really in trouble.
Ah Zhong thanked Jiang Nan Fang and hurried back to the Zhou family with Zhou Jin Bei.
The night passed without incident.
The next morning, Jiang Nan Fang woke up and got ready.
Since there were no groceries at home, she needed to go shopping. At seven o'clock, she went out.
She didn't expect such a coincidence; the elevator arrived at the 20th floor, and the door opened again.
The man who had been struggling with Fang Yuan in the parking lot that day caught her eye.
The man was pushing a large suitcase. He didn't make eye contact with Jiang Nan Fang at all. He wore a baseball cap pulled low, looking shifty.
Considering the events of the past two days, Jiang Nan Fang knew something was wrong. Subconsciously, she quietly observed him and went with him to the parking lot.
The man started his car and drove out. She followed him at a moderate distance.
And she called Ah Zhong.
Upon learning that Jiang Nan Fang was following Zhou's father, Ah Zhong feared something might happen.
After reminding Jiang Nan Fang to be careful, he immediately called Zhan Bei Jue to request leave.
There was a project launch meeting today, and the schedule was very important. Why request leave now?
Zhan Bei Jue asked what was so urgent.
Seeing that the situation was getting more serious, Ah Zhong dared not hide it from Zhan Bei Jue anymore. He told Zhan Bei Jue everything about what Zhou's father had been up to recently and that Jiang Nan Fang was currently tracking him.
At the Zhan family's residence, Zhan Bei Jue frowned and put down his coffee cup.
"You're getting bolder and bolder. Why didn't you tell me about such a major incident sooner?"
"Where is Jiang Nan Fang now? Send me her location."
The morning rush hour hadn't arrived yet.
Zhou's father drove his car very fast. Jiang Nan Fang followed him closely, and soon they arrived in front of an inconspicuous residential building in the suburbs.
Zhou's father got out of the car, first threw the suitcase into the community's garbage collection point, adjusted his hat, and stepped into the building.
Jiang Nan Fang took out her phone, took pictures of the environment around the garbage collection point, and then quietly followed him upstairs.
Reaching the fifth floor, Zhou's father stopped, took out his key, and opened the door.
Jiang Nan Fang hid around the corner of the stairs.
A moment later, the door opened. Jiang Nan Fang slipped to the door and heard a woman's pleading voice from inside.
"Please, let me go. I won't dare again, I won't dare ever again!"
"I'll return all the money you spent on me, the car, and the house. Let's just pretend we never met. Uncle, please be kind and let me go!"
Zhou's father's ferocious voice was heard.
"You damn bitch, you dare to play me. You're messing around with other young men behind my back. I seriously suspect those two children aren't even mine!"
"You want me to be the scapegoat? Fang Yuan, you are incredibly audacious!"
"I've lived for so many years, and I've never been played like this! I'm very angry now. You want me to let you go just like that? Impossible!"
"Then what do you want? I've already apologized to you, and I'll return the money you spent. You've suffered no loss. Must I atone with my death?"
"Hmph, die? It's not that easy! You dare to betray me, and I'll let you know today what it's like to wish you were dead!"
Zhou's father's voice was sinister.
"Don't you like that young man? Does he like you too? Call him, let him come over, let him come save you!"
"I'd love to see how affectionate you two are in front of me. Give me your phone!"
"Didn't you already smash my phone? Uncle, please believe me, I didn't. I really didn't. I just met him..."
"Slap!"
A crisp slapping sound was heard.
"Make it up! I caught you red-handed, and you still dare not tell the truth? Make up a better story!"
"You ungrateful thing, it's all my fault for treating you too well and spoiling you! You won't say a word of truth, and you deserve to be taught a lesson!"
With that, several heavy thuds were heard from inside the room.
Fang Yuan's piercing screams made Jiang Nan Fang's hair stand on end. She quickly retreated to the stairwell and quietly called Ah Zhong.
"The situation is very bad. That man seems to be trying to kill the woman."
"What's your relationship? Can you call the police?"
"No!" Ah Zhong told Jiang Nan Fang as he drove the car at high speed.
"That's Zhou Jin Bei's father. Miss Jiang, please be merciful."
"Can you think of a way to stabilize the situation for now? I'll be there soon. No one should die!"