This wasn't the first time they had seen the captain's wife and son. They had met them at the airline when Wang Chenchen went to see Chen Xiaowei. At that time, they had come to the company's leaders to testify and complain about the captain. However, Wang Chenchen knew that the outcome would be that the captain would continue to work as usual, but she hadn't seen the mother and son since.
Zheng Fangyuan knew a little more. For example, a young staff member from the neighborhood committee once took them to seek help, but the report went unanswered. They then took the mother and son to the company to find their superiors, who chose to protect the captain. After the police were called, they were arrested and detained for a few days, but were eventually released. After the captain returned home, the mother and son, having nowhere else to turn, suffered countless hardships at home.
Xu Yan said, "Yes, you could all have provided some clues, but you all chose to remain silent and stand by, allowing the people you care about and love to continue to suffer from workplace violence and domestic violence. To put it bluntly, you are all accomplices."
The co-pilot's parents looked sad, and his father's straight back seemed to hunch over all of a sudden, becoming dejected and powerless.
From a young age, they rigorously trained the co-pilot, instilling in him the importance of obeying orders and being cautious in his words and actions. The boy was obedient, intelligent, and well-behaved. Since joining the company, although we often saw bruises on his body, like those from being whipped with a belt, he never said anything, only smiling and explaining that he had accidentally fallen or was injured during training.
But he has already graduated and joined the company. He is an excellent pilot who is sought after everywhere. How could he possibly get injured?
The co-pilot's father spoke up, "I was wrong. I made my child endure it repeatedly, and I didn't care about him."
The co-pilot's mother comforted him.
Zheng Fangyuan covered her mouth and nose, tears streaming down her face. "I was wrong too. I kept telling him to be patient, that everyone has their limits. I should have encouraged him to fight back, instead of letting him suffer all this..."
Wang Chenchen said bitterly, "I was the one who made a huge mistake. When I saw how hard Xiaowei was working, I didn't understand her at all. I even made her help me sell high-priced insurance and push it to that devil through my colleagues..."
Xu Yan turned to look at the captain's wife and son. "Domestic violence is not a family matter, but a crime. If he beats you and hurts you, it constitutes intentional injury; if he insults you and belittles you, that is emotional abuse, which is also a form of violence. Suffering and experiencing such violence is not your fault, but the fault of the abuser. If you speak out and someone advises you to endure it and says it's normal, I can tell you with certainty that the person you sought help from is wrong. Although they may not be accomplices, they are aiding and abetting the evildoer."
Xu Yan walked over and patted the child's head. The child shrank back and hid in his mother's arms.
“If a child grows up in this kind of family atmosphere, his childhood will not be happy, and his life will not be happy either. As a mother, you should know the importance of the family environment to a child.”
The captain's wife said, "I tried everything. I asked the neighborhood committee for help, I asked the Women's Federation for help, and I even called the police, but it was no use... He was just called in for questioning, and then he told me he was wrong. He apologized to me and begged for my forgiveness. His parents also came to me, saying that family scandals shouldn't be aired in public, that their son was just under a lot of work pressure and couldn't control his temper, and that he would be fine in the future. In the end, even my parents came. They said that the child can't be without a father, and that people outside would point fingers and say that I sent my husband to jail. They asked me to go to the police and say it was a misunderstanding and that they wanted him released..."
“I don’t have a job and stay at home to take care of the children. I have to ask him for all the living expenses. If he really loses his job or even goes to jail, how will we support our family? We will have no source of income. What will happen to me and the children in the future?”
“This isn’t the feudal era where men had to go out to earn money to support the family,” Zhou Luming suddenly said. “You have hands and feet, and you’ve received higher education. Why do you feel like you can’t survive without him? You keep saying it’s for the child, but can your child grow up healthy and happy in such a distorted family environment? He will be afraid, he will be terrified, he will think it’s normal for his father to hit his mother, and when he grows up and encounters trouble, he will imitate his father’s way of violently solving those problems…”
Zhou Luming said coldly, "You keep saying you're enduring for the sake of the child, but the child is just an excuse for your cowardice and incompetence."
Xu Yan looked at Zhou Luming thoughtfully; her words seemed a bit too harsh. Based on her understanding of Zhou Luming, she shouldn't usually say such hurtful things or express her emotions so clearly. It was as if she spoke from the bottom of her heart, as if she truly understood. An indescribable anger shone in her eyes at that moment.
The captain's wife was speechless, unsure of what to say for a moment.
Xu Yan scanned the faces of everyone present and then said, "To get back to the point, I didn't call you here today to pursue the captain's domestic violence or workplace bullying incidents. I'm here on behalf of the insurance company to process your insurance claims."
Upon hearing about the claim, everyone looked up and stared at Xu Yan.
Xu Yan said slowly, "According to the current investigation results, everyone can receive full insurance compensation."
Wang Chenchen asked, "When can we receive the insurance money?"
Xu Yan replied, “You are an employee of an insurance company, so you should know that you can receive compensation after completing the insurance procedures. However—the processing time varies, and there may be delays at various stages. Although the money will eventually be delivered to you, when you can receive it depends entirely on how smoothly the process goes.”
The captain's wife asked, "When is the latest we can expect to receive this money?"
Xu Yan remained silent and looked at Wang Chenchen instead.
Wang Chenchen explained, "The longest it should be is no more than two years."
Xu Yan shook his head, "But if I don't end the investigation, or—if we file a lawsuit, then it will take even longer."
Wang Chenchen asked warily, "What do you mean?"
"I just want one of you to be honest with me."
Whose honesty do you want?
Xu Yan pointed to a small private room, "I will wait inside for your honesty. To avoid mutual suspicion and to prevent that person from being afraid of being exposed, please come in one by one."
The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, looking at those around them. Their relatives and friends had died because of the plane's disappearance, which, legally, was considered an accident and thus covered by insurance. However, if it were proven that someone intentionally caused the crash, that person would not only be ineligible for insurance compensation but would also be liable for damages to others.
Xu Yan suspects that one of them was responsible for the accident and wants him to come forward and confess. However, the problem is that Xu Yan doesn't know what evidence he has, and the person who comes forward might end up with nothing, or even have to pay compensation.
Only a fool would step forward and walk right into a trap.
However, if they don't admit it proactively, it might delay everyone's insurance claims for a year or two. Moreover, given the methods of insurance companies, it's hard to say how much compensation they will ultimately receive or when they will receive it.
Xu Yan and Zhou Luming were already waiting inside. The first to go in were the co-pilot's parents. They came out about ten minutes later, with a relieved expression on their faces.
As they left the VIP room, Zheng Fangyuan caught up with them and asked, "Uncle and Aunt, what did you say?"
The co-pilot's parents said, "We talked about his work at the company and his diary entries... He's a good kid."
Zheng Fangyuan asked, "Aren't you going to stay and wait for the insurance payout?"
The parents said, "We don't mind, girl. You stay here on our behalf to handle these matters. You are also one of the designated beneficiaries, and you deserve a share of the compensation."
Zheng Fangyuan saw them off, her eyes stinging with tears. She turned and resolutely went into the small private room to see Xu Yan.
After Zheng Fangyuan came out, Wang Chenchen went in.
After Wang Chenchen came out, only the captain's wife remained inside.
The wife carried the child in and came out smoothly in just ten minutes. She looked relaxed when she came out, even smiled, and sat down with the child in their usual spot on the sofa to wait.
Xu Yan and Zhou Luming came out of the private room and announced to everyone, "You can both leave now."
Wang Chenchen, "The insurance money..."
"We'll have news soon," Xu Yan said.
After a long day, Zhou Luming returned to Xu Yan's home and asked, "Are you really going to close the investigation and fully compensate them for the insurance money?"
Xu Yan took off his coat and hung it on the hanger. "Well, apart from using psychological warfare to force her to tell the truth, we have no other evidence to show that this was not an accident but was caused by someone deliberately poisoning her. Although this 40 million insurance compensation is a large sum of money, I have increased its value for you a lot these days. This money will not have any impact on the inheritance you will receive."
Zhou Luming sat on the sofa hugging a cushion. She wasn't heartbroken about the 40 million, but rather resentful about the hidden truth.
Upon hearing that the captain's wife had replaced his vitamin C tablets with tranquilizers, Zhou Luming was shocked and for a moment felt he had uncovered the truth of the matter.
Given that no one else had the ability or motive to cause a plane crash, the fact that the captain's wife drugged him, rendering him incapacitated and unable to fly, greatly increased the probability of an accident and could very well be the real cause of the crash.
If the captain is involved in an accident, his wife and son will not only receive a huge insurance payout, but will also gain their freedom and no longer be threatened or oppressed by the captain at all times.
“The plane is now missing and its whereabouts are unknown. We haven’t found the plane or the black box. The incident two years ago remains a mystery, and no one knows what happened back then. Perhaps the captain didn’t take a tranquilizer, perhaps he did and was unconscious but the co-pilot took over and continued flying normally, or perhaps the plane encountered other problems… We cannot prove a direct link between the two, nor can we explain the situation at the time. It’s all speculation. We cannot refuse their reasonable claim based on speculation, so I will close the investigation and let the insurance company pay the full amount,” Xu Yan said.
Zhou Luming: "You're my boss, you make the decisions. Xu Yan, tell me the truth, are you just sympathizing with that mother and child, which is why you ended the investigation so quickly and gave them insurance compensation?"
Xu Yan glanced at her. "You're the one who sympathizes with them. I'm just simply following my own rules."
"I sympathize? Where did you get the idea that I sympathize?"
Xu Yan smiled without saying a word, and casually deleted a recording from her phone that took place in the private room.
Some secrets are best left to vanish forever, just like that disappeared plane.
Chapter 27
===================
Xu Yan helped Zhou Luming out of the VIP room, and Wang Chenchen followed.
"Wait a minute," Wang Chenchen pressed, "Are you really just going to let it go like this?"
Xu Yan looked at him indifferently, seemingly not quite understanding Wang Chenchen's words.
Zhou Luming patted Xu Yan on the shoulder, winked at Wang Chenchen, and said, "Xu Yan won't take back what she says, but if you keep bothering her, she might change her mind."
She knew Wang Chenchen's concerns; after all, it was tens of millions of yuan, how could the insurance company just hand it over like that? But since Xu Yan had made the promise, he must be confident.
Wang Chenchen stared blankly at the two of them, still looking uneasy. He had tried every possible way to find out about the compensation through internal channels, but to no avail. He had even received information that the company probably wouldn't pay out in this case. But if they really didn't pay, there was nothing he could do about the insurance company, and he couldn't explain it to Chen Xiaowei's parents who lived far away in the countryside.
He even kept it a secret from her parents, planning to make amends to the couple once the compensation arrived, at least ensuring their future livelihood. After Xu Yan and Zhou Luming appeared, he knew their identities were not simple, and he sought opportunities to approach them, wanting to know the inside story. After learning about the various circumstances surrounding these four people who had purchased insurance, he initially thought the insurance company wouldn't pay out, but then things took a dramatic turn. Xu Yan promised them that the insurance company would provide full compensation, which was a truly unexpected and delightful surprise!
Zhou Luming saw Wang Chenchen still standing there, and then he saw the group of people slowly emerging from the VIP lounge behind him. They were probably just as worried as Wang Chenchen that Xu Yan's promise wouldn't be kept. Especially the captain's wife; besides worrying about not getting compensation, she was also afraid that Xu Yan would reveal their secret. Then she would be investigated, and her young son would be left without anyone to care for him.
Zhou Luming walked to Xu Yan's side, took her hand and said, "Xu Yan, let's run! We'll never be able to explain it all. Let's prove everything with our actions."
Xu Yan agreed with Zhou Luming's idea, but didn't understand why she was holding her hand while talking about this.
Zhou Luming raised his hand and smiled, "I'm not very mobile right now, and I'm afraid you'll lose me, so I have to hold on to you tightly so you won't run away."
Xu Yan: ...
When the two returned to the booked ride-hailing car, it started to drizzle again outside. There was no music playing in the car, and the two sat side by side in the back seat, listening to the sound of the rain hitting the car, which was like a natural percussion piece.
Zhou Luming observed Xu Yan out of the corner of his eye for a while, staring at her beautiful profile. The more he looked, the happier he became, and the more he liked her. When Xu Yan had no expression, she had a completely unapproachable face. If someone didn't know her well, they would probably mistakenly think that she was cold, mean, and difficult to get along with.
But Zhou Luming knew that Xu Yan was a complex and contradictory person. At first, he couldn't see through her, always feeling that she was shrouded in a fog, knowing only her outward appearance but not her inner self. However, through these two cases, Zhou Luming deeply felt the kind and warm heart hidden beneath Xu Yan's cold exterior.
Zhou Luming moved closer to Xu Yan, but Xu Yan didn't move. Zhou Luming took advantage of the situation, leaning on Xu Yan's shoulder, taking her arm, and closing her eyes. This time, Xu Yan clearly tried to move away for a moment, but the car was cramped, and she obviously couldn't escape Zhou Luming's clutches.
So Xu Yan gave up. Although she looked like she was still staring intently at her phone screen, she was actually stuck on that page and hadn't turned the page. The rain outside the window was pattering down, just like the drumbeats beating in her heart, dense and rhythmic.
Xu Yan glanced quickly at the top of Zhou Luming's head. From this angle, she could clearly see her long, thick eyelashes and the warmth of her soft skin pressed against hers. Since arriving in Haishi, she had always felt cold and had a damp, sticky feeling, but having Zhou Luming against her brought her a warm and comfortable sensation.
Xu Yan put down her phone, no longer looking at the messy news and stock market charts. She closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair. When she finally got home, she found herself snuggling up to Zhou Luming, leaning against him affectionately.
The ride-hailing driver even joked, "You two sisters have such a good relationship."
Zhou Luming smiled without saying a word, and then insisted that Xu Yan help her home.
They returned to their lodgings safely and changed out of their outer clothes. Xu Yan changed back into his fluffy rabbit slippers, exposing his ankles. Zhou Luming sat on the sofa in the living room, looking at the foggy weather outside the window, and her heart sank for no reason. She and Xu Yan lived together, waiting for a good opportunity, but Xu Yan was like a flawless egg, with no opening to exploit, which really dampened Zhou Luming's confidence.
When Xu Yan came downstairs after changing her clothes, she had a paper investigation report in her hand, with her signature on it, still the two neat and beautiful characters.
"Give it to Manager Ma in 10 days," Xu Yan instructed Zhou Luming.
Zhou Luming took the report, shook the papers, and raised an eyebrow. "You clearly completed the investigation in less than a few days... Do you know that you've swindled my money?"
Xu Yan didn't care. "I've earned far more for you than the insurance payout, and the insurance company has other shareholders who share the losses with you. Overall, your assets have not only not depreciated, but have actually increased in value."
Zhou Luming thought for a moment, then suddenly reached out and pulled Xu Yan towards her. Xu Yan didn't expect her to do this so suddenly, and she stumbled towards her. Just before hitting Zhou Luming, she instinctively stretched out her hands to brace herself on either side of her and stopped in front of her. The two then looked at each other.
"I don't care about any of that. Since you took it upon yourself to make me take some risks, shouldn't you pay a price?" Zhou Luming's bright eyes stared straight at Xu Yan's handsome and aloof face. She keenly noticed the fleeting panic hidden in Xu Yan's eyes and smiled triumphantly.
“I’d like a little interest—” Zhou Luming said as he lunged at Xu Yan’s lips.
The so-called seduce must be put into practice.
In fact, Zhou Luming had taken on similar seduction missions before. Thanks to her beauty, she was never unsuccessful, almost always succeeding effortlessly. She could play various roles perfectly; she could be an innocent college student or a glamorous nightclub queen. No matter how difficult the targets were, they all eventually succumbed to her charms, lowering their guard and surrendering to her allure.
Because everything was going so smoothly, she felt there was no one she couldn't win over, including her target, Xu Yan. Coincidentally, the real Zhou Luming was attracted to women, so since she was playing Zhou Luming, it wasn't a problem for her to like being close to Xu Yan; in fact, it would make Xu Yan more convinced that she was Zhou Luming.
Zhou Luming was confident she could win over everyone, but Xu Yan became her biggest setback. When Zhou Luming threw herself at her, Xu Yan simply turned her head away, avoiding her advances.
Zhou Luming's lips lightly brushed against Xu Yan's cheek. After noticing Xu Yan's avoidance, she paused in disbelief. She heard herself ask Xu Yan unwillingly, "Why are you avoiding me? Don't you really like me at all?"
“I am not a plaything for you to play with on a whim.” Xu Yan straightened up and said calmly, “The Zhou family’s old residence said they want to take you back to recuperate. Pack your luggage, and they will send someone to pick you up this evening.”
Zhou Luming's eyes widened. Is this how you get rid of me? This is a complete disaster in her career.