"Borrow?" Jiang Feifei shoved her arm away, exasperated. "That's easily said. You know what kind of people they are. Given our family's current situation, they'd be more likely to mock us than lend us money."
Seeing Xu Jingya still trying to persuade her, Jiang Feifei cut her off. "Alright, stop talking. I'll see if there's any way to get money to tide us over. But don't get your hopes too high."
"Okay, okay, we'll listen to you," Xu Jingya said, now pinning all her hopes on Jiang Feifei. She inwardly marveled that at least Jiang Feifei was pretty enough to attract some men with her looks.
Leaving the rented room, Jiang Feifei looked back several times on the short stretch of alleyway. She had a nagging feeling someone was watching her.
Her pace quickened and slowed erratically. Jiang Feifei wanted to confront whoever it was but failed every time.
Was she mistaken?
Standing at the mouth of the alley, she turned to face it, staring for a long time but seeing no one appear in her line of sight.
Convinced she was mistaken, she hailed a car and left.
...
The Di Residence.
Jiang Ziyu and Di Mingjue returned home at the same time.
They said nothing to the servants, only speaking when they reached their room. Jiang Ziyu took a file bag out of her backpack.
"This is information about the Jiang family's driver from before. I investigated based on my childhood memories today."
Di Mingjue opened it and scrutinized the contents. "I'll take photos and send them to Shen Lin. Have them go to this location and look for this person."
"No need, I've already sent people," Jiang Ziyu replied.
After finding the driver's address that afternoon, she immediately dispatched people. Glancing at the time, they should have already arrived at the location.
"You've worked hard," Di Mingjue said, looking at Jiang Ziyu with concern.
They only had seven days, and three had already passed. Apart from general clues, they hadn't made any significant progress.
Di Mingjue noticed the dark circles under Jiang Ziyu's eyes, understanding that she hadn't slept well these past few days.
"How was your meeting with Jiang Wenbin today? Was he badmouthing my mother the whole time?"
"Mhm."
She didn't need to say it; she already knew.
She had witnessed Jiang Wenbin's ability to twist the truth even as a child. In public, he would praise her mother like a flower, boasting about their good relationship. But away from prying eyes, his attitude towards her mother turned malicious, even calling Xu Jingya in front of her mother.
Unfortunately, she was too young back then to understand how truly wicked the deceitful Jiang Wenbin was.
"Don't worry, I've had people following them. As long as he can't resist making a move, we'll know what he's done immediately," Di Mingjue reassured Jiang Ziyu.
This was a game of cat and mouse. Once the mouse couldn't resist showing itself, it would surely be caught and killed by the cat, with no chance of survival.
Jiang Ziyu leaned against his shoulder, the physical contact seeming to recharge her, making her feel much better.
...
The airport was deserted in the early hours of the morning, with only a few people waiting in the departure lounge. The arrival gate was equally quiet, with tired-looking people pushing their luggage as they exited.
Ye Shaoting arrived in the capital alone. Outside the airport, the pre-arranged pick-up was already waiting.
"Young Master Ye," the assistant opened the car door.
"Is everything arranged?" Ye Shaoting got into the car.
The assistant in the front passenger seat turned and handed him a document, explaining, "We've investigated and found that Lu Yuman was harmed by Jiang Wenbin. Di Mingjue currently suspects Jiang Wenbin and invited him to Di Jue Group for a talk earlier today. However, there's no movement from Di Mingjue yet; he likely hasn't found concrete evidence."