Chapter 241: A Close Call (1)

Mighty Secretary Xia who had been eavesdropping by the side could not bear to watch this anymore. He covered his face, and he thought to himself, ‘President, you’ve caused a number of precedents which resulted in today’s tragedy, do you know that? Although I knew your so-called mistress was somewhat deliberate, it looks like you could never escape from the former Mrs. President’s gripe about this for the rest of your life. Amen!’

“The reason why I’ve been acting “cowardly” was because of my family’s situation which I suppose you’ve by now known better than me, right, Mr. Qin? Living under such circumstances where my stepmother and stepsister are wicked women, while my biological father turned a blind eye to me, I have to pretend to look weak in order to survive. After I grew up, only then did I have the capability to fight back. Otherwise, I would have long died.”

“But…” Qin Huai was about to speak, but Zhao Youlin did not give him a chance to do so.

“In fact, during the days I stayed in the Zhao family’s house after my mother died, I had always looked forward to returning to that place to get back everything that belonged to me and avenge my mother. Therefore, I endured the humiliation. I pretended to look weak and pitiful on the surface in order to protect myself, while learning various self-defense skills from a great master discreetly, including the use of firearms and other weapons. I did these all because I wished to leave the Zhao family’s home someday so that I no longer had to be at the mercy of anyone.”

Zhao Youlin raised her chin smugly, trying her best to sound more credible, “In truth, it has been proven that my dormancy over the years is worthwhile. Now, I’m most likely the heir to take over my family’s business among the descendants of the Zhao family. I’m the general manager of Zhao Enterprise, and am entitled to supreme power. I’m not under anyone’s control nor threat. These are my answers to your question, Mr. Qin. Are you satisfied with them?”

Zhao Youlin’s excuses were a little exaggerated. When she was in the Zhao family’s home, it was already difficult for her to get out of that situation, let alone finding someone to teach her self-defense skills under Li Hongyu and her men’s close watch.

However, things went like this in this world. Not everything you refused to believe was a lie, and not everything you believed in was the truth.

Qin Huai had demanded an explanation from her, and she did him the favor. Regardless of whether her explanation was real or fake, it was all up to him if he believed in her. After all, it had nothing to do with her.

“But, all this…” Qin Huai’s eyes met with Zhao Youlin’s eyes that were filled with resolution. A hint of doubt appeared in his eyes.

“But what? Do you think I’m lying, or do you think none of these are true just because they don’t exist in your findings?!”

Zhao Youlin was confronting him aggressively. Qin Huai could not help but retreat slightly even though he had been insistent on this, “I… I don’t mean this.”

“Oh?” Zhao Youlin cocked an eyebrow, “Mr. Qin, if that’s not what you meant? What do you really mean, then? Mr. Qin, you keep relating me with the late Officer Zhao, is it because you think she resembles me, or do you think I am her?”

“I-I…”

“Mr. Qin…!” Zhao Youlin shouted, and she interrupted Qin Huai’s explanation, “I don’t care what’s your relationship with Officer Zhao was, nor do I care about the reason that caused you to believe that I am related to her. I just want to let you know that, when a person dies, that’s it. Stop having any unrealistic imaginations. I am who I am. I am not anyone else. Mr. Qin, I pray you will keep this in your mind. Since you want to be my friend, please don’t repeat such stupid mistakes in the future. Otherwise, I don’t mind losing a friend like you!”

While speaking of this, Zhao Youlin swung her hand that had been grabbed by Qin Huai without hesitation. Then, she turned her hand backward and pushed Qin Huai until he stumbled a few steps back.

After that, she smoothed out her disheveled clothes casually. She sneered, “Mr. Qin, is there anything else you want to say? Otherwise, I have to make a move now. I’ve faced accident after accident since this morning. It’s been a bad day for me.”

It took Qin Huai some time to regain his balance. He looked as if he had lost his soul, and did not seem to hear what Zhao Youlin had said.

Seeing no response from him, Zhao Youlin quirked an eyebrow. Without saying anything further, she turned around and left without turning her head back.

Qin Huai stood in place. Watching Zhao Youlin’s fading silhouette, he felt that his entire body’s energy had been exhausted.

He bent his body, and his back hit the wall behind him. He looked up at the white ceiling above him, and he looked dazed.

For a moment, Qin Huai deeply felt that the walls in his heart which he had taken great pains to rebuild had collapsed.

His usual gentle and spirited eyes drooped slightly, implying heart-wrenching isolation and sadness.

Just then, Xia Zhetao who had been eavesdropping on their conversation at the corner, frowned. He hesitated for a while before he turned around and headed toward Mu Tingfeng’s ward.

Zhao Youlin tried hard to keep her pace smooth. No one knew how perturbed she was the moment she turned around for fear that she might reveal something at the last moment that would lead to suspicion. She was even more afraid that Qin Huai might stop her at that moment and blurt out other shocking remarks. Luckily, once she stepped out of the corridor, Qin Huai did not speak anymore.

She walked forward numbly for about ten minutes. After making sure that Qin Huai was not following her, Zhao Youlin paused mid-stride, and she ran and hid in the corner in a flash. She laid her back against the wall, and she heaved a sigh of relief.

No one knew how nervous she was when she spoke those seemingly confident and compelling words.

Fortunately… Fortunately, facts were so far-fetched beyond the realm of reality that they could be weaved. Fortunately, even though Qin Huai looked aggressive on the surface, he was not confident either. When she shouted at him, she managed to fool him. Otherwise, she also wondered if she could have even talked her way out of such a situation.

After she calmed herself down, Zhao Youlin recalled if she had known Qin Huai in the past, or had they… met before?

Zhao Youlin pondered over it, but failed to recall any interactions between herself and Qin Huai in the past. How could Qin Huai be so sensitive to that point of even linking two people who had no relationship with each other?

Zhao Youlin had been thinking hard about it for some time, still, she could not identify the cause. While she was frustrated over this issue, a familiar voice rang out from the side. Zhao Youlin got a shock, and she shivered.

“General Manager.”

Zhao Youlin jerked forward, straightened up her body, and she looked in the direction, only to meet Xiao Jingyao’s puzzled gaze.

“Uncle Xiao…”

Xiao Jingyao walked up to Zhao Youlin’s side. Looking at her ghastly pale face, he asked worriedly, “What happened to you? Are you feeling uncomfortable? How about your wounds…”

Zhao Youlin had taken Mu Tingfeng away without hesitation just now. Seeing this, Xiao Jingyao knew he was destined to stay up to settle the remnants of the case. Therefore, he did not accompany Zhao Youlin for her medical checkup, and he did not have the slightest bit of idea about Zhao Youlin’s wound. When he looked at her troubled expression, he was a little worried.

“I’m fine. These are only minor injuries,” After confirming the person was not Qin Huai, Zhao Youlin quickly calmed down, “Uncle Xiao, how’s the situation over at the police station?”