Chapter 30

The bald man, accompanied by his three lackeys, returned to the Hai Cheng branch. In the pouring rain, a car was parked in the courtyard, its impact on the ground creating scattered shards of raindrops. A tall figure stood in the rain, resembling a deity. The president of the Hai Cheng branch held an umbrella for him, while more than a dozen black-clad special agents stood in the rain, overwhelmed by the oppressive and fierce aura that left them breathless and on edge.

As soon as the bald man and his three lackeys entered the courtyard, they were pushed into the rain.

“What are you doing?!” the bald man shouted.

“Third Master is here! Show some respect!” The president of the Hai Cheng branch sternly rebuked. “What were you doing out so late?”

The bald man, upon hearing the name “Third Master,” was so frightened that he knelt down and confessed everything about tonight’s events. Just as he was about to raise his head to claim credit, a dagger pierced through the air and directly into his arm, causing a wound far more severe than the one he inflicted on Gu Ci.

The bald man gritted his teeth, unable to cry out in pain. His fresh blood stained the water on the ground, creating a red puddle. The president of the Hai Cheng branch’s legs went weak, unable to breathe under the silent and overwhelming pressure.

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“Who’s your employer?” The voice of the Third Master was concealed within the thunderous lightning, yet it possessed an even greater power.

*

In the hospital, Jiang Junlin remained unconscious, while Gu Ci had received 9 stitches for her superficial wound. It was already 3 o’clock in the morning, and a police officer was taking her statement. Gu Ci said, “I happened to pass by and saw someone surrounding him, so I told him to get in the car and leave. Little did I know that those people would continue to chase after him. They followed us all the way to the urban village, but I have no knowledge of what happened after that.”

“Do you know the victim?” the police officer asked.

Gu Ci nodded, “Yes, I know him. He is Jiang Junlin, the president of Hualan Bank.”

She fabricated a story, ensuring it aligned with Jiang Junlin’s potential testimony to avoid any discrepancies. The police officer inquired further, “Why were you out so late? And why did you pass through Lingnan Road?”

“I arrived in Hai Cheng with Lu Zhizhuan earlier today.

Afterward, we went to find Zhang Xiaomei to inquire about some old matters. When we returned to the hotel, I still had some doubts lingering, so I wanted to go see Zhang Xiaomei again. I am not familiar with the city, especially on a stormy day like today, and I ended up getting lost,” Gu Ci replied in a calm tone, feigning pain. The anesthesia had worn off, and the wound indeed hurt.

“Since you arrived together with Lu Zhizhuan, where is he now?”

Gu Ci replied, “When I left, he went swimming. Officer, you can check the hotel’s surveillance footage to confirm. My hand is hurting badly. Can I have some rest?”

“Alright, if there’s anything further, please cooperate with our investigation,” the police officer said.

“Okay!” Gu Ci agreed. “I am a law-abiding citizen and will definitely cooperate with the police.”

After the police officer left, Gu Ci called Gu Ziyu, “Are you okay, Mom?”

“I’m fine. I just wanted to let you know that I’m safe to relieve your worries. You should get some rest. Your uncle is still unconscious, and it may take some time for me to return,” Gu Ci said, uncertain about Jiang Junlin’s condition.

Knowing that she was safe, Gu Ziyu felt relieved. After hanging up the phone, Gu Ci learned that Jiang Junlin’s surgery had been completed. He had suffered a blow to the back of his head, causing a hematoma, and he was still unconscious. The police had informed Jiang Minghua, his brother.

After the anesthesia wore off, the wound throbbed faintly, and Gu Ci looked at Lu Zhizhuan’s profile picture, lost in thought. Her final message to him was that Jiang Junlin had an accident at Lingnan Port, and she wanted to go there.

Lu Zhizhuan did not respond.

A bolt of lightning struck in front of the window, and the thunder resonated within Gu Ci’s eyes. She removed the needle, put on her clothes, and hailed a car at the hospital entrance to return to the hotel.

The hotel appeared as usual. Gu Ci swiped her card to enter the room, which was dimly lit. She entered the adjacent suite, turned on the bathroom light, and saw Lu Zhizhuan’s phone charging on the bedside table. He was sleeping deeply, buried under the covers. Gu Ci’s suspended heart finally relaxed, and she inexplicably sighed in relief.

Silently, Gu Ci left the room. At that moment when she turned off the bathroom light, Lu Zhizhuan, who was lying asleep in bed, suddenly opened his eyes. His eyes were as dark as the night, calmly watching her figure.

“Am I going crazy?” Gu Ci murmured to herself. She found herself harboring some doubts about Lu Zhizhuan, though she couldn’t articulate what exactly she was doubting. But Lu Zhizhuan’s behavior was too out of the ordinary, leaving her perplexed.

Gu Ci changed her shoes and placed them on the shoe rack at the entrance. However, she noticed that the rainwater on Lu Zhizhuan’s shoes had not dried yet. Her pupils contracted, and she stared fixedly at the raindrops and… bloodstains on his shoes.

Nonchalantly, Gu Ci walked further inside, quietly changed into her pajamas, and lay in bed as if she had never paused at the entrance. Yet her heart pounded in the darkness.

Lu Zhizhuan, where did you just go?

Gu Ci spent a sleepless night. The torrential rain and typhoon gradually subsided in the second half of the night, and in the morning, the aftermath was a mess. Drizzling rain persisted as Gu Ci opened her eyes at dawn. She had just dozed off in a daze when Lu Zhizhuan woke her up.

He furrowed his brow tightly, his eyes bloodshot, showing a mix of pain and anger. However, he never asked who had harmed her. Lu Zhizhuan asked, “Does it hurt?”

“It’s quite painful,” Gu Ci replied, looking at him. “I sent you a text last night when you were swimming, but you didn’t read it.”

“I… I was too tired after swimming, so I went straight to sleep,” Lu Zhizhuan said, gazing at the light rain outside, his fists clenched. “This won’t happen again.”

In Gu Ci’s embrace, the softness of the young girl pressed against Lu Zhizhuan’s shoulder. With a slight turn of his head, he could kiss her ear. A tingling sensation coursed through Lu Zhizhuan’s waist as he held her tightly.

He gazed at her fair neck swaying before his eyes, longing to lower his head and take a bite, like a wolf seizing a rabbit. A desire to tear her apart surged within him.

Gu Ci said, “Lu Zhizhuan, please hold me. It really hurts.”

The warmth reddened his ears and tingled his heart. “You… You… How old are you that you still act so spoiled.”

While resisting with his words, he held her even tighter and gently patted her back. Gu Ci looked at his ears, flushed as if bleeding, feeling dry-mouthed and restless. He truly was consumed by lust beyond redemption.

The two clung to each other tightly, her fragrance permeating his nostrils as heated blood rushed to unspeakable places. Lu Zhizhuan lifted his leg, shifting to a sideway seated position, changing their posture. His breathing grew heavy as if he had just finished running ten kilometers. He wanted to push her away, but at the same time, he held her even tighter.

Upon smelling her hair fragrance, his gaze burned intensely on her nape. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and his heated ears were touched by Gu Ci’s chilly nose tip. Lu Zhizhuan felt as if he had been electrocuted, hastily retreating and his face still flushed.

“I’m hungry. Let’s go have breakfast,” he said.

Before they could have breakfast, a call from the police station came in. Jiang Minghua had also arrived at the hospital and requested Gu Ci’s presence. Lu Zhizhuan accompanied Gu Ci to the hospital, where Jiang Minghua, disheveled yet dignified, greeted them with a gentlemanly and gentle demeanor.

She looked too much like Mingyue. She resembled Mingyue too much.

Jiang Mingyue, six years younger than Jiang Minghua, was primarily raised by Jiang Minghua during their childhood. Their parents, the Jiang family patriarch, and matriarch, were busy with their business affairs at the time. Jiang Minghua would change his sister’s diapers and take her out to play with toy cars.

As Jiang Mingyue grew older, Jiang Minghua would accompany her to extracurricular classes and engage in activities such as playing the piano and painting. Their sibling bond was strong, and when Lin Chunli started dating Jiang Minghua, she had experienced jealousy over Jiang Mingyue’s presence. They even had a breakup due to Jiang Minghua’s attachment to his sister, as he would bring her along wherever they went. Jiang Minghua couldn’t stand to see his sister suffer even the slightest bit.