Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Lu Zhihong was now living alone in Haicheng.

He had no worries about food and drink, but compared to his previous life, he had become a complete loner. The rest of the Lu family had moved abroad, and since Lu Zhihong had led the downfall of the Lu enterprise, he felt too ashamed to face them.

The conditions provided by Qin Si were actually quite good; he had a nice place to live, and moreover, he could still receive dividends from the Lu enterprise every month. Life was quite leisurely and comfortable, albeit without the adulation and prominence he enjoyed before.

His house was under surveillance, and the people Qin Si assigned in Haicheng would frequently come to inspect. This was one of the prices he had to pay for his current lifestyle, being under constant watch, somewhat reminiscent of how he used to monitor Lu Nian.

However, nothing significant had happened for a long time, and Lu Zhihong noticed that Qin Si had somewhat relaxed his surveillance recently.

He could occasionally venture out and enjoy himself. He had made some acquaintances in Haicheng's social circles, occasionally going out to enjoy himself, finding joy in his own company. Born into wealth and having had a period of being scholarly and elegant, he certainly wasn't lacking female companionship.

Until one day, at a dinner party, a friend introduced him to a young woman with a gentle and elegant demeanor and refined speech. Lu Zhihong found their conversation quite enjoyable.

Lu Zhihong had become accustomed to a certain degree of frivolity once more.

Once they entered the room, the conversation continued to flow smoothly.

Unexpectedly, the woman pulled off her wig and removed her makeup, revealing a tranquil and gentle face.

Lu Zhihong was immediately stunned, his face quickly morphing into an extremely unpleasant expression.

Now, seeing this face, he couldn't muster the slightest bit of good temper, "What are you doing in Haicheng?"

Reflecting on it now, he felt that this woman had a strange sort of allure. If he hadn't listened to her instigations back then, becoming foolishly obsessed with reclaiming the Lu enterprise, he wouldn't have offended Qin Si and ended up being exiled from the Lu family, living alone in this small town, far from home.

"How much have you disclosed about our collaboration to Qin Si?" Su Qingyu asked.

Lu Zhihong was reluctant to answer this question, showing impatience, "I don't know how you found me, but let me tell you, I'm being watched by him right now. I've just managed to sneak out temporarily, his people might come looking for me at any moment."

Su Qingyu's lips twitched upwards slightly, "Is that so?"

Would Qin Si really be unaware?

Would he just let Lu Zhihong meet her?

Her disguise was not to evade Qin Si, but merely to deceive Lu Zhihong.

And now, the ease with which she could arrange a meeting with Lu Zhihong further substantiated her suspicions.

This was her deal with Qin Si.

For Qin Si, he had always wanted to get rid of Lu Zhihong. In doing so, the last uncertain factor between him and Lu Nian would be eliminated. Moreover, Su Qingyu did not believe that Qin Si, with his vengeful nature, would entirely forget how Lu Zhihong and the Lu family treated him in the past.

Due to Lu Nian, he couldn't take action personally, but if he could kill with a borrowed knife, why wouldn't he?

Lu Zhihong had completely lost interest in her, turned around, and started walking towards the door to leave.

However, before he could get far, he realized his limbs were starting to go numb.

Su Qingyu remained seated beside the table, smiling gently as she fiddled with a teacup.

"What did you give me?" Lu Zhihong's lips quivered, his voice hoarse as he stumbled a few steps before collapsing onto the bed.

"Answer my question first," Su Qingyu said, "if you want to survive."

"I didn't say anything, but he probably has already found out. Xiao Honghe has spilled everything about your sister," Lu Zhihong said, his face pale.

This was within Su Qingyu's expectations.

Zhao Yayuan might have already known, after all, she hadn't been particularly secretive about her actions.

What concerned her was another matter, "What about the issue with Tingyuan?"

Like grasping at a lifeline, Lu Zhihong quickly replied, "Nothing, I didn't say anything. I've destroyed the evidence as you instructed. This has nothing to do with Zhao Tingyuan. As long as I keep silent, no one will be able to trace it back."

Su Qingyu's lips curled up slightly.

Even more so, her mood seemed to have improved slightly compared to before.

"I haven't told Qin Si anything," Lu Zhihong pleaded, "Can you let me go? I promise, I won't tell him anything."

Su Qingyu stood up, "Alright."

Lu Zhihong's eyes brightened, and he tried his best to stagger to his feet.

A suitcase was placed in the corner of the room. Su Qingyu dragged it out. Seeing the contents of the suitcase, Lu Zhihong's face turned deathly pale, "What are you planning to do?"

Lu Zhihong cried out loudly, "Help, help!"

"If you kill me, you won't end up any better," he yelled, "You venomous woman, you think they won't trace it back to you after you murder me? You think you can walk away unscathed?"

Su Qingyu calmly responded, "I have no need to walk away unscathed."

After completing these deeds, any previous connection between Lu Zhihong and them would be eradicated. Her association with Lu Zhihong, especially considering the involvement of the Su family, was probably already known to Qin Si.

However, Zhao Tingyuan was also involved in this matter, a fact known only to Lu Zhihong.

All the previous actions against Zhao Yayuan were her doing, and would be attributed to her, letting Zhao Tingyuan completely wash his hands of the matter, tarnished only by an unwise marital choice.

Moreover, there was Xiu Yi. After all, they shared the same blood, and the Zhao family wouldn't be too harsh on them. Zhao Tingyuan would no longer have to live in perpetual worry and anxiety.

Lu Nian and Qiu Li had a dinner appointment at a high-end Chinese restaurant, designed in a vintage style, offering a serene and elegant environment.

All three of them were largely silent, with Lu Nian and Qiu Li exchanging a few words occasionally. Many things that Lu Nian initially wanted to say seemed to be stuck in her throat for some reason.

She constantly had a bad premonition, an inexplicable sense of foreboding without clear cause.

Zhao Yayuan did not come.

Qiu Li glanced at the man opposite him and whispered, "Yayuan had said she would come."

It was at this moment that Zhao Yayuan's call came through.

His tone was unusually fast, "That woman surnamed Su has gone mad."

"She's run off to Haicheng, and now everyone at my home is in a frenzy, my brother is nearly breaking down."

"Haicheng?" Qiu Li shared a glance with Lu Nian across the table.

Lu Nian recalled that Lu Zhihong was currently residing in Haicheng.

Zhao Yayuan said, "Tell Qin Si to warn Lu Zhihong to be careful."

Having received information from Qin Si, he was almost certain that Su Qingyu's visit to Haicheng was to find Lu Zhihong.

"Dad?" Lu Nian exclaimed in surprise, her complexion changing as she listened to Qiu Li recounting the situation.

Although Lu Nian had completely lost faith in Lu Zhihong, not expecting anything from him anymore, their many years of faux father-daughter relationship still meant that she didn't want to see him dead.

The Zhao residence was brightly lit, with chaos reigning from top to bottom.

Zhao Tingyuan was on the verge of a breakdown, "Why would that insane woman do something like this?"

He could hardly believe it, "Murder is a crime, punishable by imprisonment. What are we going to do?"

His mind was in complete turmoil now. Being inherently indecisive and malleable, Zhao Tingyuan had grown accustomed to following Su Qingyu's directions in everything over the years, and now everything had escalated to this point.

Zhao Yayuan looked solemn, "Stay home, don't go out."

"Keep an eye on my brother," he instructed the servants.

Recently, the Su family has been heavily suppressed. Initially not having a stable foundation, and after Zhao Quan regained power, all collaborations with the Su family were terminated. Moreover, the extramarital affairs of Su Xiaoxin and Xiao Honghe were exposed, along with the inexplicable weakness that Zhao Yayuan had experienced previously.

Rumors and discussions were rampant outside.

After all, Su Qingyao was a daughter-in-law of the Zhao family. Creating such a scandal was not only a loss of face but also tarnished their reputation. Therefore, the Zhao family tried their best to suppress these rumors and gossips.

However, none of them expected that Su Qingyao would make such a crazy choice.

Lu Nian also started to panic, she said to Qin Si, "I want to go to Haicheng to check on my father."

Although Lu Zhihong had done many outrageous things, Lu Nian didn't wish for his death at all. She feared that Su Qingyao might genuinely harm Lu Zhihong.

Her hands were cold as ice. The man's long, slender hand held hers, warming her with his own body heat.

"It will be fine," he said.

"Rest at home, I'll make a trip to Haicheng," he told Lu Nian. "If you want to go, we can go later."

Lu Nian had never seen Qin Si in a state of panic, and even now, he remained calm. With his refined demeanor unchanged, he showed no signs of surprise or shock when he received the news.

Considering Lu Nian's poor health and the considerable distance from Ancheng to Haicheng, he was reluctant to have her take an overnight flight, enduring the weariness of travel.

Lu Nian didn't say anything, her lips tightly pressed together. She didn't agree immediately. Her gaze seemed somewhat lost, as if her thoughts were elsewhere, not really focused on him.

His mind was incredibly sensitive, particularly attuned to any changes in her emotions. Even the slightest shift could stir his heart.

"... You don't trust me?" he slowly released his grip on her hand.

His eyes were downcast, his expression unclear, and his voice somewhat hoarse, "Do you think I orchestrated all of this? That I wish for Lu Zhihong's death and that's why I'm preventing you from going?"

Lu Nian was taken aback, "Why would you think that?"

He was her Qin Si, her childhood friend and sweetheart, her man and her future husband. In this world, he should be the person she trusts and relies on the most.

She held his hand, preventing him from withdrawing it, "I'm just too shocked."

She was still in a state of shock.

The situation had spiraled completely out of control. She never anticipated Su Qingyao would plan to harm Lu Zhihong. For a moment, many thoughts crossed her mind, including the actions of the Qin Si in the original story, something he was capable of doing.

But not the man before her now.

She hadn't expected that he would be so sensitive to her emotions, especially over something that happened in a fleeting moment.

Qin Si remained silent, allowing her to hold his hand. Then, gently pulling her closer, he held her fingertips, enveloping her in his embrace.

His previously tight-lipped expression gradually eased, revealing a gentle curve on his lips.

He gently brushed his lips against hers, whispering, "Lu Zhihong will be fine."

"Don't worry."

The fire did not ignite in Haicheng.

Before Su Qingyao could light the gasoline, Fang Deng and his team broke in.

Panting heavily, sweat covering his back and forehead, he shouted at her, "Stop, don't move, the police are here."

Su Qingyao was restrained.

She couldn't believe what was happening.

Did she bet on the wrong hand?

Initially, she believed that Qin Si was just like her, assuming that her finding Lu Zhihong was done with his silent consent. Why was he obstructing her now?

Fang Deng had rushed over yesterday. Upon learning that Su Qingyao was in Haicheng, Qin Si instructed him to come immediately. They had already installed surveillance in Lu Zhihong's room and placed a tracking device on his phone.

Monitoring Lu Zhihong's activities that night, he grew increasingly uneasy as he watched.

Initially, with no signs of any unusual activity for a long time, they had started to lower their guard, preparing to withdraw from Ancheng. Unexpectedly, this woman had become so desperate.

Now it seems, they managed to intervene just in time, just as the boss had said.

Lu Zhihong was rescued.

She had been used.

Used even more thoroughly, she still couldn't outmaneuver that man.

Suddenly, everything became clear to Su Qingyao. She let out a few bitter laughs. However, before the police could act, her lips turned pale, and suddenly, she collapsed weakly to the ground.

She was also rushed to the hospital.

"This lady had already ingested poison," the doctor said, "We are arranging for emergency treatment, but…"

Fang Deng understood what he meant. Su Qingyao truly didn't want to live anymore, seemingly prepared to meet her end.

Lu Zhihong was in good condition. Due to the timely rescue, he hadn't sustained any significant injuries, although he was incredibly shaken.

Lu Nian went to Haicheng to see him, sitting beside him and talking.

Qiu Li gazed at the man on the hospital bed, his expression exceptionally complex.

He had aged completely, bearing no resemblance to the shrewd, cold-blooded man they remembered.

Lu Nian exited the hospital room, gently closing the door behind her.

Lu Nian noticed that Qin Si seemed to be unusually silent.

Outside the window, the Milky Way was brilliantly dazzling, a rare sight in the mining city of Haicheng where the night sky is seldom this clear.

Lu Nian held his hand, sensing that he seemed to have something he wanted to say.

As expected.

The man gazed at the night sky outside the window, his voice very low.

"Since childhood, I have always had a premonition," he said, his expression softening, "that I wouldn't live a long life, I even had dreams about it."

In those dreams, there was no Lu Nian, only the Miss Lu from before.

His situation in the Lu family worsened progressively, enduring beatings, hunger, cold, and countless humiliations. Once, during the winter, he was forcibly plunged into a frozen lake, nearly losing the use of his legs when rescued... he had experienced the worst kinds of horrors a child could endure.

In the end, he retaliated against each one of them, not letting a single person escape.

And so, he died before his 29th birthday.

It was suicide.

Because his heart had become empty and hollow, his whole person like a soulless shell, a walking corpse. He felt that yesterday, today, and tomorrow were all exactly the same - no desires at all. After getting his revenge, his heart had completely emptied out, long since rotted and withered away.

So he chose to resign it all to tranquility.

When he died, no one would grieve. He would soon vanish from everyone's memories.

Just a fleeting existence in this world, without leaving a trace.

He had never enjoyed anything -

Kinship, friendship, love - they had all eluded him. The only taste he knew was that of hatred.

Lu Nian's little face was wet with tears as she clung to his waist, a sudden terrifying thought occurring to her. She asked him, "You aren't still thinking of suicide now, are you?"

He gave a rueful laugh, averting his gaze. "No, I'm not."

How could he bear to leave her now?

Now that he had her, he only wanted to live well and long with her.

Lu Nian held him tightly, nuzzling against his embrace. "You're not allowed to leave, or have such thoughts."

They weren't married yet, and hadn't had enough intimacy. It was just recently that she had nearly misunderstood him.

He hasn't fully let go of his reservations yet, to wholly embrace the love she offers him.

She hasn't yet brought a lovely little baby into his life.

There are still many things left undone.

Having looked after Lu Zhihong for so long, Lu Nian was exhausted. She had been on edge for far too long, but now, everything had come to an end.

Lu Nian leaned on his shoulder, already lost to deep slumber.

He gently kissed her cheek, lifting her in his arms, intending to take her home.

Life is unpredictable; sometimes a mere shift in perspective or a fleeting thought can lead you down a drastically different future.

He bowed his head, suddenly indulging in a fond bite on her lips. Lu Nian did not awaken, familiar with his taste, she offered no resistance. He avidly absorbed her essence, their tongues intertwining, kisses deepening gradually, coaxing her response. The man's expression remained serene, yet his actions were far bolder than usual.

She was a gift from fate. Regardless of whether she chose to love him in the future, he would never let go again.