"Any news?" Xu Yan took a sip of water to moisten his throat.
She had just had a nightmare, and was covered in cold sweat. She tried to struggle out of the nightmare, but couldn't wake up. In her half-asleep state, she heard Zhou Luming's voice, felt her movement, and grabbed her outstretched hand, thus escaping the dream and returning to reality.
In a sense, it was Zhou Luming who extended a helping hand to her.
Xu Yan glanced at Zhou Luming out of the corner of her eye. She was no different from usual, leaning back on the chaise lounge with a slight upturn at the corners of her mouth. Her elbows were on the armrests of the sofa, her hands supporting her head, and her long, slightly curly black hair was draped down. She didn't look like she was in a meeting but rather chatting with friends. She exuded a lazy and comfortable feeling.
Her gaze drifted downwards, and she noticed that Zhou Luming was still wearing her nightgown, her collarbone clearly defined.
Xu Yan's throat moved slightly.
Seemingly sensing Xu Yan's gaze, Zhou Luming looked in her direction, but Xu Yan quickly looked away. Zhou Luming frowned, abandoning his earlier intuition, and looked at Wang Anjing, who had suddenly burst out laughing, not quite understanding what this young, recently divorced woman was laughing about.
Wang Anjing sat on a separate single sofa, watching the two people. One was leisurely leaning back in a chaise lounge, while the other, dressed in a formal suit, sat upright in a three-person seating arrangement with her hair down, yet she was wearing a pair of fluffy rabbit slippers. Wang Anjing suddenly couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Xu Yan and Zhou Luming looked at her with puzzled expressions, their eyes filled with confusion and their expressions innocent. But because both of them were beautiful, their expressions only made the situation more interesting.
Wang Anjing found them adorable, but she had serious matters to discuss, so she cleared her throat and suppressed her laughter, saying, "Xu Yan, Luke's father, Lu Tong, has been trying to see you through connections these past few days. To be more specific, he didn't specifically ask to see you in person, but rather said he wanted to see the mastermind behind the short selling of Lu's Group. He thinks your overseas partner is the one who orchestrated all of this, and he's been relentlessly pursuing him."
Xu Yan refused, saying, "I won't see him. Do you think my partners know how to handle this? We don't need to worry about it."
“I guessed you wouldn’t meet him, so I just had someone keep creating a smokescreen for you, making Lu Tong suffer more,” Wang Anjing said. “Based on market prices, even with other capital intervention, we can’t change control of the Lu family at this stage. The Lu family has been operating for many years and has a solid foundation. Moreover, Lu Tong is mortgaging and selling his assets to try to maintain control of the Lu family. It’s only a matter of time before he gets sufficient funds. We can’t completely shake the Lu family’s control over the Lu family. What are your plans next?”
Xu Yan interlaced his fingers on his lap, pondered for a moment, and said, "Hmm, I'll have my partner back off and sell all his Lu's shares. If Lu's wants to buy them back, let them; it's exactly what I was planning. We can recoup our funds and take our profits."
Her thumbs were circling each other, and her gaze was slightly lowered—a subconscious gesture she made when she was thinking.
"Based on the current stock price, approximately how much money can we make after selling all the shares?" Xu Yan asked.
Zhou Luming discovered that she hadn't brought her phone, so she didn't know the current stock price. This woman's composure was truly remarkable; she handled transactions worth tens of millions with ease, seemingly unconcerned.
Wang Anjing glanced at her phone screen, her mind quickly processing lines of numbers. She roughly reported the reward, which was an astronomical figure. Zhou Luming, who had been listening quietly to her, almost jumped up in excitement.
"They actually made so much money?!"
Xu Yan glanced at her and said, "Don't get excited. This is not the reward we will receive. After deducting commissions and transaction fees, we will only get about 10% in the end."
“Even if it’s only 10%, it’s still an astronomical figure. Will we be able to get a share of the bonus?” Zhou Luming jumped off the chaise lounge, rushed to Xu Yan, squatted down, and looked up expectantly, like a little puppy.
Xu Yan noticed the bruises on her wrist and frowned. "Donate every last penny to the foundation."
"Hmm? A fund?" Zhou Luming tilted his head.
“I have completed the foundation procedures. These are the foundation’s documents.” Wang Anjing took out a stack of documents from her bag. The top one read “Red Bracelet Aid Foundation” and was stamped with a red seal. “Once the funds are in place, it can start operating. We have set up a website and an app. As long as you have an internet connection, you can apply for foundation assistance at any time.”
Xu Yan smiled and said, "Sister Anjing, you're really quick. I told you about this idea less than three days ago, and you've already completed the paperwork and the website."
"How about that? You're even faster than Li Li, right?" Wang Anjing winked at her, revealing a mischievousness rarely seen at her age.
Xu Yan knew that she had always been competing with Li Li and with herself. Now that Li Li was gone, she was doing her best to help herself in order to prove that she was better than Li Li and that she was no less than Li Li.
"What does this foundation do?" Zhou Luming had only a vague understanding.
Wang Anjing said, "It was Xu Yan who came up with the idea. She said she wanted to establish a foundation to help women. Let her explain the specifics. I'm just the one who runs the errand."
Xu Yan then chimed in, "It's not a big deal. I've had this idea for a long time, but it's been delayed by various things, such as the source of funds, the recipients of aid, the location of the office, the standards and methods for receiving aid, etc. It would probably be very complicated to operate, so the establishment of the foundation has been postponed again and again. But Lu Qi's matter has given me a sense of urgency. This matter absolutely cannot be delayed any longer."
"About Lu Qi?" Zhou Luming's mind raced, waiting for Xu Yan's answer.
But Xu Yan didn't answer. She stood up and said she was going to get her phone. When she went to the study, Wang Anjing and Zhou Luming said, "You know that Xu Yan once refused Lu Qi's request for help, right?"
"Yes, I know. She once wrote to Xu Yan for help, but Xu Yan probably felt guilty for not accepting the case. So this time, after hearing that it was Lu Gang's case, he unusually accepted the case."
Wang Anjing slowly said, "Xu Yan is just an ordinary person. She can't accept every request, and she can't take care of everyone. Lu Qi's situation isn't really her fault, but she's always felt guilty. So this time, she used the funds from short selling to set up an aid fund to help many girls like Lu Qi. Their experiences deserve sympathy. While a few people muster the courage to point out the evil, we hope that at least they won't collapse because of financial difficulties, and that they will have the courage to speak out about their grievances and injustices, because at least this time—someone will listen."
Zhou Luming was delighted, "I knew I hadn't misjudged him."
Xu Yan is still the same Xu Yan, gentle and considerate.
"Sister Anjing, can you take me somewhere?" Xu Yan came downstairs with her phone, replying to a message. "This time it might really be a clue about Lu Qi's case. I need to meet with her."
Before she could finish speaking, Xu Yan slipped and landed hard on the building's facade, staring blankly at Zhou Luming and Wang Anjing in the living room who had witnessed the scene.
Zhou Luming's lips twitched slightly when he saw her embarrassing state, and Wang Anjing's lips also curved into a smile. The two of them looked at each other simultaneously, pretending not to have seen anything.
--------------------
Author's Note:
Long wait
Chapter 45
===================
As promised, Zhou Luming, being a natural follower, shamelessly stuck with him.
When Wang Anjing, who was addicted to driving, saw that Zhou Luming's foot seemed to be almost healed, she asked Zhou Luming when he could drive again. At that time, Zhou Luming was holding Xu Yan and using her as a support. When he heard the question, he looked up and replied in a flustered manner, like a student who had been called on by the teacher in class, "The doctor said that it needs to rest for a while. We should listen to the doctor and follow the doctor's advice."
Xu Yan expressed doubt, "Didn't the doctor tell you not to move around and to rest in bed?"
Zhou Luming, however, argued righteously, "Lying down all day can easily lead to depression and a bad mood, while occasionally moving around and breathing fresh air is beneficial to physical and mental health."
Xu Yan and Wang Anjing exchanged a glance, indicating they had no solution.
Zhou Luming had her own ulterior motives. Xu Yan had only been kind enough to let her stay at his house because she was injured. Once she recovered, given Xu Yan's temper, he would probably kick her out without hesitation. She had finally found an opportunity to get close to Xu Yan, and she wanted to seize it and make him develop feelings for her before he kicked her out, so that he wouldn't want to leave her.
After discovering that Xu Yan was Q, Zhou Luming felt a silent resentment towards Xu Yan for a while. But then he thought, Xu Yan had deceived him, but hadn't he also deceived Xu Yan? They were even. Besides, he would continue to work with Q in the future, and Q was an important partner he couldn't afford to offend.
Furthermore, Xu Yan stepped in to teach the spoiled brat Luke a lesson, leaving the kid to spend the night at the police station with some drunkards, which helped Zhou Luming vent his anger. As a result, Zhou Luming's resentment towards Xu Yan dissipated considerably.
They're all liars, just with varying levels of skill. Xu Yan is a master liar, and I'm just a small-time liar being manipulated by her. So who can really be angry with whom?
Now, Zhou Luming became curious about Xu Yan herself. Why did she become Q? What is she really like?
Zhou Luming followed his heart and wanted to stay by Xu Yan's side, and in fact, he did just that. He could earn a living while also punishing evil and promoting good—it was a worthwhile deal.
The person who provided the clue only sent an address via email. Xu Yan and Zhou Luming were stunned when they got out of the car and stared at the shop sign, both wondering if the address was wrong.
The agreed-upon location wasn't some upscale coffee shop or a private venue, but rather an ordinary noodle shop. Despite being called a noodle shop, it actually offered everything: rice bowls, spicy hot pot, noodles, and fried rice. The owner clearly had a complex business strategy, aiming to cater to all the customers in the neighborhood.
Xu Yan doesn't often come to places with such a lively atmosphere, and Zhou Luming, who has lived abroad for many years, rarely comes into contact with street stalls in China, so he was also surprised by this scene.
Wang Anjing stayed in the car to observe the situation outside.
Xu Yan led Zhou Luming inside. Business was slow during the day, and it was past lunchtime, so there were no other customers inside.
Zhou Luming found a seat, glanced down at the stool, and felt it was greasy and uncomfortable. She noticed that Xu Yan hadn't sat down either. Xu Yan took out a pack of tissues from her pocket, spread them out for Zhou Luming first, then spread them out for herself, and sat down in a seat towards the back, without touching the table or the wall.
Zhou Luming sat down contentedly, glancing at Xu Yan beside him with a smile.
The proprietress came over and asked what they wanted to eat. Xu Yan was about to say no, but Zhou Luming interrupted, "Two bowls of wontons, please."
The proprietress went off to work.
Xu Yan said, "I'm not hungry, I don't want to eat."
Zhou Luming said, "If you don't eat in a small shop like this, they might kick you out." She broke off a pair of disposable chopsticks and offered them to Xu Yan. Xu Yan frowned and was about to refuse, but Zhou Luming coaxed and tricked her, saying, "Even if you have to pretend to eat, you have to eat, but you can eat slowly. What time did you two meet?"
Xu Yan raised his wrist and glanced at it. "Three o'clock."
"It's 2:50, just ten minutes to go," Zhou Luming said.
Two bowls of pork wontons were quickly served, their surfaces covered in oil and not very appealing. Xu Yan found it difficult to eat them and could only frown as she looked at Zhou Luming.
Zhou Luming happily scooped up a spoonful, blew away the steam, and said, "Don't you think it smells delicious? They use lard. You can't find such fragrant and authentic wontons at the restaurants you go to."
Xu Yan looked at her chubby little face, which was full from eating, and smiled gently.
When Zhou Luming saw her smile, his heart blossomed as well. He handed Xu Yan a spoonful of wontons and fed it directly into her mouth without giving her a chance to refuse.
Xu Yan instinctively wanted to spit it out, but her good manners prevented her from doing so. So she chewed it and swallowed it, only to find that the wontons were indeed delicious, with thin skin and a hint of pork fat aroma.
"It's almost time, why hasn't anyone arrived yet?" Zhou Luming asked.
The area was indeed empty, not even a fly. During those ten minutes, a male customer came in. He was wearing work clothes, which were covered in paint and stains, and his fingernails were also very dirty.
Zhou Luming thought it was him, but he ordered five yuan worth of noodles with minced meat sauce, ate it quickly, and then left the noodle shop.
Xu Yan thought for a moment and said, "Boss lady, check please."
Zhou Luming was surprised. We're not going to wait anymore? Is there another conspiracy? But it doesn't seem like it…
The plump proprietress wiped her hands on her apron, glanced at the table, and said, "Two bowls of wontons, 8 yuan."
Xu Yan took out a 10-yuan note and a bank card, stacked them together, and handed them over. "This is your payment. Where is what I asked for?"
Zhou Luming was stunned. She never expected that the ordinary owner of this small street noodle shop was the one who was supposed to provide the clue!
The proprietress noticed the bank card under the 10-yuan bill. "There's an ATM over there. Let me check. Here's what you wanted. It's stored in there. I have a computer inside; you can plug it in and take a look."
She gave Xu Yan a USB drive with a pink Chibi Maruko-chan pendant hanging from it, indicating that it had previously had another owner.
Xu Yan took the USB drive and walked out with the proprietress. The proprietress asked curiously, "Don't you want to open it and take a look?"
Xu Yan said, "There's a computer in the car. I'll go there and check it out. Besides, your shop is still here. I'm not afraid you'll run away."
The proprietress smiled and said, "That's true."
She took the card, checked the balance, and confirmed the payment. Seeing that Xu Yan's car was still there, she hesitated for a moment, then walked over and knocked on Xu Yan's car window.
Xu Yan rolled down the car window, and the landlady said, "Actually, I'm moving out after I get the money. Don't tell anyone that I gave you this..."
"Hmm." Xu Yan closed the car window. The USB drive had been opened, and inside was a video that had obviously been secretly filmed. Although the footage was quite shaky at times, the situation was clearly visible: Luke's ferocious face, the bystanders standing by indifferently, and Lu Qi, who was clearly drunk and no longer sober...
Luke helped her into the elevator and dragged her into the guest room. During this time, Lu Qi was unconscious, as if she were asleep. Before entering the elevator, her last bit of consciousness made her grab the elevator door. She had already fallen down, and the elevator door couldn't close the first time. The second time, Luke dragged her into the elevator, so the elevator door closed smoothly.
After watching the video, the car was silent for a long time. Zhou Luming gritted his teeth and said, "Damn it, scumbag." If Xu Yan hadn't appeared in time during the dance break, and if he hadn't kept a backup plan, Luke would probably have succeeded as before.
Afterwards, he would say it was consensual, using his power to silence the victim and manipulate public opinion to make the crime disappear without a trace.
"Xu Yan, how did you know the person who invited you was the noodle shop owner?" Zhou Luming took a breath and remembered this question.
Xu Yan said, "This shop clearly had no business in the afternoon, but it was still open, probably waiting for someone. There was a prominent 'For Rent' sign on the door. We were obviously different from the regular customers, but the owner treated us very naturally, which means she expected us to come."
"It makes sense, but it's also a bit arbitrary." Zhou Luming lowered his voice. "Now that we have the video footage, shouldn't we hand it over to the police so they can file a case and prosecute?"
“This was filmed secretly, and the legality and authenticity of the video cannot be proven. Giving it to the police won’t be of much use.” Xu Yan held the USB drive, pondered for a moment, and said, “It’s better to put it online and let the public judge whether it’s right or wrong.”
"But--"
“Luke is a repeat offender, there must be other victims. We will put the video online and announce the aid foundation. Other victims may come to seek help.” Xu Yan looked at the road ahead. Although the road was rugged and uneven, it was still a road.
"Lu Qi's case may lack sufficient evidence, but other cases may not. I believe that God will not let Luke off easily, and what we need to do now is to be patient and wait."