Xu Yan was speechless again.
Zhou Luming walked to the desk, sat in the leather swivel chair, glanced at the monitor, and discovered that it contained surveillance cameras in various corners of the house.
Zhou Luming said, "You still say you're not a pervert? Confess honestly, did you peep at me while I was showering?"
Xu Yan walked over and stood next to her, her hand resting on the back of the chair. "You've asked too many questions. I'll refuse to answer them for now." She turned Zhou Luming towards herself. "I don't like other people sitting in my seat. You can get up."
This time, Zhou Lu was unusually obedient. After standing up, she noticed that Xu Yan was dusting off the seat with a look of disgust. She silently told herself not to get angry, and after organizing her thoughts and questions, she asked, "I've always wanted to know, since you hired me to impersonate Zhou Luming, why didn't you just tell me your identity directly? Instead, you kept testing me and being wary of me. Aren't we teammates in the same boat? Shouldn't we help each other instead of undermining each other?"
Xu Yan comfortably sat down in the swivel chair. "I concealed my identity because I didn't want to get too involved with you, and I didn't want you to know who your employer is. Another reason is that I want to know the extent of your abilities. You need to be able to fool me in order to fool others."
The chair was still warm, which almost made Xu Yan jump up, but looking at Zhou Luming who was still in front of him, Xu Yan thought for a moment and decided to stay still.
“Alright, now it’s my turn to ask you a question,” Xu Yan said carefully. “Have you ever lived in XX Street?”
Zhou Luming was taken aback. She believed that the background information provided to Xu Yan would not be so detailed. How could Xu Yan know about this?
"I did live there, but how did you know?"
Upon hearing this reply, Xu Yan smiled slightly.
Zhou Luming keenly caught that smile, and a thought flashed through her mind for a moment, but she felt it was unlikely. She remembered the dark basement, the ventilation window, and the people constantly throwing canned food, water, and clean food from outside…
Xu Yan sat comfortably in the swivel chair, turning to face Zhou Luming, her long legs crossed, her hands also crossed on her lap, and her rabbit slippers, which clashed with her clothes, were particularly eye-catching at that moment.
Zhou Luming's heart skipped a beat. She slowly squatted down, cupped her hands around a small square, and peered into the area around Xu Yan's legs...
Childhood memories surged back, and she wasn't sure if they were real or an illusion. She wasn't sure if her memory was wrong, but her intuition told her that it was her!
Shocked for a long time, Zhou Luming squatted on the ground, unable to get up. She felt as if she were floating on clouds.
"Xu Yan, was it you back then?"
Xu Yan smiled at her, making a throwing motion with her hand, "I thought it was a trash can, one of those buried underground, but then I found out it was a basement, and there were people inside—"
Zhou Luming remained motionless, feeling like his head was about to explode.
Xu Yan then asked, "Do you remember the first time we met?"
When they first met, Xu Yan appeared in a wheelchair, leading everyone to believe that she had difficulty walking. Zhou Luming noticed her pretense through some details, ruthlessly exposed her, and proved her intelligence and observation skills.
At that time, we thought that Xu Yan was in a wheelchair to test Zhou Luming's eyesight and adapt to Li Li's perspective, because Li Li himself was disabled and we needed to find his will.
It turns out that Xu Yan's purpose in using a wheelchair was not just that; all along, she had been hinting to herself that she wanted to confirm whether she was the little girl in the basement back then.
She deliberately wore incongruous slippers at home, and specifically chose herself from among many candidates. Later, she even let me live in her house and stay with her...
The more Zhou Luming thought about it, the more it fit, and the more confused he became.
She suddenly stepped forward and grabbed the armrest of Xu Yan's swivel chair, looking her in the eye seriously and asking, "Xu Yan, you cunning fellow, have you been playing dumb all along to deceive others?"
Q clearly knew her identity but pretended not to, toying with her and playing a nerve-wracking game of deception. He had met her before, and even helped her, yet he feigned ignorance, bringing her to impersonate Zhou Luming to seize someone else's inheritance…
Zhou Luming was truly angry this time. Xu Yan had been playing her for fools, treating her like an idiot! Furious, Zhou Luming felt like strangling Xu Yan.
But she was only momentarily enraged. Soon, her exceptional mental fortitude was on full display. After suppressing her anger, she looked at Xu Yan with a different thought in her mind.
"Why are you suddenly bringing up this relationship? What are you plotting?" Zhou Luming became alert again.
She realized that Xu Yan's initiative to play the truth game tonight was mainly to tell her that Xu Yan had helped her back then.
Sure enough, Xu Yan said leisurely, "I helped you back then, shouldn't you repay me wholeheartedly?"
Zhou Luming raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to renege on your debt? Or try to reduce my share of the profits?"
“I don’t have such plans for the time being. I want you to give up some of your messy ideas and cooperate with me in a down-to-earth manner,” Xu Yan said. “For example, you can give up investigating me, because it’s pointless. I’ve helped you before, and there’s an idiom called ‘gratitude,’ so I hope you won’t cause trouble or delay my work by acting on your own.”
Taking Zhou Luming to the Zhou family's old residence is the real test Zhou Luming faces. Xu Yan's previous tests of her were half-hearted, not truly genuine, because he already knew her identity. But tomorrow they're going to a real den of wolves; the slightest mistake could arouse suspicion. Xu Yan is here today to confront Zhou Luming about their past entanglements, to eliminate any barriers, and to gain Zhou Luming's trust and obedience.
Zhou Luming sighed, shrugged helplessly, as if accepting his fate, "I feel like I've been deceived by you all along..."
She was overwhelmed by the amount of information at once and needed time to process it.
Chapter 48
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After Xu Yan and Zhou Luming clarified their past relationship under the guise of a game, Zhou Luming left Xu Yan's room in a daze. She felt like she had entered a wolf's den, with Xu Yan as a wolf in sheep's clothing and herself as a puppet being manipulated by her.
Xu Yan, who was left in the study, dialed a voice call, and a woman answered.
"I told her the truth as you suggested, and I do feel much better. The little thing that was weighing on my mind has temporarily disappeared. I hope I can get a good night's sleep tonight," Xu Yan said casually.
The woman she was talking to was a psychologist with a very gentle and calming voice. Xu Yan was a patient she had been seeing for many years, but she had never truly entered Xu Yan's inner world. She had once suggested that Xu Yan change psychologists, but Xu Yan didn't care. Every time she visited, she would only chat for a few minutes about her recent daily life before lying down on the therapist's recliner to rest and sleep.
After sleeping for 1-2 hours, Xu Yan woke up and left, marking the end of one treatment session.
The female psychologist is of mixed race and her name is Cathy. Influenced by her parents, she speaks fluent Mandarin with a Northeastern accent. Xu Yan prefers to speak to her in Chinese and doesn't use English.
This time when she returned to China, Xu Yan could no longer visit her home, so the two of them maintained therapy through voice or video calls. Xu Yan's study served as a kind of psychotherapist's space, as it was soundproofed to ensure that she could have her 1-2 hours of therapy sessions.
Cathy suggested the candid talk with Zhou Luming. Xu Yan said she had been feeling very depressed lately, and it would worsen every time she saw Zhou Luming, even making her feel suffocated. Especially after Zhou Luming was injured protecting her, Xu Yan's symptoms became more and more pronounced, and each relapse was increasingly unbearable.
After hearing all this, Cathy felt that Xu Yan felt guilty towards Zhou Luming and suggested that she try talking to him to release the pressure in her heart. After much deliberation, Xu Yan decided to confront Zhou Luming today. The result of the confrontation made Xu Yan feel a little relieved, and she realized that the crux of the problem really was there.
Cathy was playing soothing music on the other end of the line. Although they were in different time zones, she was waiting for Xu Yan. "Yan, I can clearly feel the change in you through these few consultations. This is a very good sign. As your therapist, I am very happy that you have such a change."
Xu Yan was slightly taken aback. "I've changed?"
"Well, you used to never say anything, always keeping your thoughts to yourself. Although I guided you many times, and you said a lot of trivial things, you were too smart. You always knew I was guiding you, and you could deduce the test direction and standard answer for each question. You knew how to protect yourself, so your answers always left me helpless."
Cathy paused, then continued, "But in these last few sessions, both your questions and your answers have clearly changed, becoming more authentic and credible. As a professional psychological counselor, I can clearly sense this from the recordings. And I don't know if you've realized, but in these consultations, the person you mentioned most often was Ms. Zhou Luming."
Xu Yan did not reveal Zhou Luming's identity or his own plans to Cathy, but only briefly mentioned that Zhou Luming was the core of his recent troubles.
Cathy is undoubtedly a professional, and she deserves the high consultation fee that Xu Yan paid.
Xu Yan smiled slightly, "Really? How many times have I mentioned it?"
“In the 360 hours of consultations you’ve conducted recently, you’ve mentioned her name at least 720 times.”
Xu Yan smiled wryly, "You actually counted the number of times her name was mentioned?"
"This is my job; I keep a record of the frequency of the keywords you mention."
"Understood." Xu Yan said thoughtfully. Then next time, remember to be more restrained.
Cathy had anticipated this, saying, "I am your therapist, and you can show me your most authentic self. Our relationship is protected by law and supervised by the Psychological Counseling Association, so you really don't need to hide your true self from me anymore."
Xu Yan happily replied, "Okay, I will give it my all."
Cathy felt helpless. She knew that Xu Yan was still the same Xu Yan as before, and hadn't really changed. Moreover, she gradually felt that Xu Yan seemed to be secretly learning from her, using the excuse of seeking psychological counseling to secretly influence the people around her using psychological techniques.
Ms. Zhou Luming was somewhat affected by this. She was hired by Xu Yan, learned that Xu Yan had helped her before, and was even rescued from a crisis by Xu Yan. If Cathy's prediction is correct, after this confession, Ms. Zhou Luming will be even more devoted to Xu Yan.
If Xu Yan were a man, this might have been easier, but since Xu Yan is a woman, she has to spend more time and energy on Zhou Luming to gain his complete trust.
Cathy had to warn Xu Yan, "Yan, you better not let me find out you're doing something bad, or I'll report you." She had sensed the danger emanating from Xu Yan long ago, but only now did she feel the urgency.
Xu Yan shrugged. "I hold a lawyer's license myself, so how could I knowingly break the law?"
Cathy thought to herself, "It's precisely because you're so smart and knowledgeable about the law that I'm even more afraid you'll exploit loopholes to do bad things." But this was just her guess, without any evidence. Moreover, she genuinely admired outstanding girls like Xu Yan—high-achieving students with superior intelligence and appearance. When she first met Xu Yan, she was puzzled as to how someone like her could have psychological problems. Only after several encounters did she gradually realize Xu Yan's uniqueness.
Xu Yan insisted on returning to China to handle some work matters, and Cathy felt that this matter must be more than just a formality. All of Xu Yan's previous efforts were merely background; her return marked the beginning of her true plan.
The consultation ended quickly, and Cathy looked at the disconnected computer screen, feeling worried about the future of Ms. Zhou Luming.
Hopefully, this little lamb won't be sold off by Xu Yan, that wolf, and then end up counting the money for her. But that's probably not the right way to think, because wolves don't sell sheep; sheep are their food.
Zhou Luming, feeling sympathized with by the stranger Cathy, inexplicably sneezed. She was taking a shower, and as she tilted her head back to rinse herself under the showerhead, she inexplicably wondered if there were any cameras in the bathroom. Could Xu Yan be spying on her? She recalled the monitor screen in the study, accurately comparing it to the obvious and subtle cameras found in Xu Yan's house, confirming that there was indeed no surveillance in such a private area as the bathroom.
After drying herself off and putting on a bathrobe, Zhou Luming sat in front of the dressing table in her room, staring blankly at her reflection in the mirror for a while. Her background was complicated; she had met all sorts of people and experienced many desperate situations that other girls had never faced. But none of this had broken her; on the contrary, it had honed her current character and skills.
Xu Yan's honesty stirred her emotions. After calming down, she felt that since Xu Yan had been so honest, she should no longer have any intention or conspiracy to deceive her. Her openness was an olive branch extended to her in order to build a stronger alliance, and she had no reason not to accept it.
After combing her hair, Zhou Luming saw that her reflection in the mirror seemed to come alive. She smiled, revealing eight perfect teeth. She could control her emotions well and easily play any role.
"Believe in yourself," she told herself.
After this job, I'll leave all of this behind and start a new life.
Xu Yan returned to her bedroom, which was completely dark. She drew back the tightly closed curtains, and the afterglow of the setting sun shone through the one-way glass, casting its light onto the bedroom floor and illuminating a hidden corner—the wall in Xu Yan's bedroom covered with photos.
Xu Yan stood in front of the photo wall, holding a plastic bottle of water, staring intently at everything on it—a family photo of three, old news photos of a car accident, a family portrait of the Zhou family, and photos of plane tickets with dates marked…
The room behind her was empty except for a bare mattress on the floor, with blankets and pillows scattered haphazardly.
After unscrewing the cap and taking a sip of water, Xu Yan used a red marker to cross out a photo of a man. The man had recently been photographed rushing to a board meeting; he was Lu Yong, the chairman and helmsman of the Lu Group and Lu Ke's father.
Although the Lu Group is still under his control, its commercial value has been greatly reduced, and its stock price is at a historical low. Although it will not have a long-term impact, it has at least allowed Xu Yan to earn a sum of money from the aid foundation.
Luke is embroiled in criminal proceedings, and as a result, some of the things Lu Yong did for Luke back then are gradually being revealed, making the market even more pessimistic about the Lu Group. As for Luke himself, in addition to being beaten up by a homeless man he was detained with, he also had a minor accident at the hospital where he was treated—he fell and broke his leg.
Xu Yan smiled faintly. It seemed that the person knew how to be gentle and did not delay other matters.
Before she knew it, Xu Yan had finished the water in the plastic bottle. She wiped the marks off the bottle opening with a tissue and then carefully and accurately threw it into the trash can in the room.
"Clang—"
As the light gradually dimmed, Xu Yan squinted and stared at the wall in front of him.
Luke was the fiancé chosen by Old Master Zhou for Zhou Luming. Lu Yong was very happy to be able to connect with the Zhou family. Inter-family marriages were a tradition among the wealthy. However, there was an eyesore – Zhou Luming's father opposed the marriage and did not agree to an arranged marriage.
This brave man, who betrayed his family and abandoned his wealth for true love, also rejected the family's arrangements for his daughter, thus becoming a stumbling block for Lu Yong.
According to the investigation, Lu Yong happened to be in the country the week before Zhou Luming's parents were involved in the car accident...
Xu Yan rubbed her eyes and sat down on the ground. She watched the sun set outside the window, its afterglow spilling across the lawn in the backyard.
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Author's Note:
It's a two-day weekend.
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#Volume 4: Scarlett
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