With Qin Yang gravely ill in the hospital and Qin Xuan now running the household, it was no surprise that when Qin Xuan realized his beloved teacher was being targeted, he quickly arranged for Zheng Yan to move into the Qin family mansion.
Zheng Yan naturally complied, but he hadn’t forgotten what Chen Kai had told him: crucial evidence of Qin Shi’s past crimes was hidden in the study at the old Qin family residence.
“What do you want for dinner?” Zheng Yan asked as he straightened Qin Xuan’s tie and smoothed the creases on his suit.
Qin Xuan thought for a moment. “You.”
Zheng Yan turned away, a hint of discomfort on his face. “Don’t joke around.”
“Why so shy?” Qin Xuan grumbled, leaning in to steal a kiss. “Teacher, you’d better get used to it slowly. I won’t be home tonight. You can just ask the servants to make something simple for you. I’m heading to the hospital to see the old man.”
Zheng Yan’s heart skipped a beat. Casually, he patted Qin Xuan’s collar. “How’s Mr. Qin doing these days?”
“Not bad. Much better than before.” Qin Xuan smiled faintly. “The specialists from abroad are pretty capable. The old man might have a few more years left in him.”
“Maybe I should make some soup for you to bring to him, something to help him recover.” Zheng Yan suggested cautiously. “I could take some over to my sister too.”
Qin Xuan thought for a moment, then shook his head, frowning. “You don’t need to go. I already have people looking after your sister. As for the old man, he’s got Luo Wen by his side. Luo Wen’s been with him for years and now has nothing to do but take care of him. The old man is practically living like a king.”
Zheng Yan sighed. “Is it still not over? When will everything finally end?”
Seeing Zheng Yan’s gloomy expression, Qin Xuan tried to comfort him. “Soon. No more than a month. After that, you can go wherever you want. I promise.”
“Really?” A glimmer of hope appeared in Zheng Yan’s eyes.
“Of course.”
Watching Qin Xuan leave, Zheng Yan sat down in a wicker chair in the garden. If Qin Xuan wasn’t lying, then he only had one month left.
During his time at the Qin family estate, Zheng Yan had mostly figured out the layout of the mansion. The only place likely to contain the incriminating evidence was the study, just as Chen Kai had mentioned. But during the day, the door to the study remained locked, and without Qin Xuan’s fingerprint, there was no way to get in. He needed to meet with Zheng Min to ask for something. Luckily, Qin Xuan wouldn’t be home tonight.
Zheng Yan waited patiently for the night to come.
When the clock struck midnight, Zheng Yan opened his eyes and quietly got out of bed. The servants were all asleep, and the bodyguards were in the middle of switching shifts.
He reached the back door, listening as one of the guards yawned and walked away into the distance.
Zheng Yan carefully opened the door just wide enough to slip through and, like a shadow, silently left the Qin estate.
Zheng Min had already “recovered” and been discharged from the hospital. Zheng Yan went straight to the rented apartment. At 1 AM, as promised, a light flickered on, and he snuck up to the window to meet with her.
“In three days, you need to leave this apartment and move.” Zheng Yan said, taking the fingerprint membrane from her.
“You’re going to make your move.” Zheng Min murmured, trying to hand him a gun, but Zheng Yan declined.
“I have nowhere to hide it. Remember, move out in three days.”
The night wind was chilly, and Zheng Min shivered slightly.
She had so much she wanted to say to Zheng Yan, but the words stuck in her throat, leaving her speechless. Finally, she managed a single word: “Okay.”
Zheng Yan spoke with resolve. “Don’t worry. I will successfully complete the mission.”
After taking the necessary item, Zheng Yan immediately headed back. Halfway there, he realized he was being followed again. This time, it wasn’t one of Qin Xuan’s men. Whoever it was, he needed to shake them off.
The path was a dark alley that led to a busy street. His pursuer was still about ten meters behind him, but just as Zheng Yan picked up his pace, the figure sped up too. Clearly, this was no ordinary follower—they were just as fast as Zheng Yan.
Zheng Yan hesitated. Should he reveal his skills? That split second of indecision gave his pursuer enough time to catch up, and soon, the swish of a blade whizzed past Zheng Yan’s ear.
He ducked just in time to avoid it, but his attacker quickly drew another knife and aimed for his right side. Zheng Yan barely dodged, rolling forward and narrowly escaping the blade. As he stood, he reached back to find his shirt had been slashed open.
“No wonder Qin Xuan is so fond of you.” the attacker said with a surprisingly young voice. “Turns out, you’re not just an ordinary teacher.”
Zheng Yan stepped back cautiously. “You’re the one from last time.”
“That’s right.” the man replied lazily. “Last time, I just wanted to invite you for a little chat. But this time… I’m afraid you have to die.” He pulled a gun from his coat and pointed it at Zheng Yan’s chest, freezing him in place. “Don’t try anything. My finger’s on the trigger, and it doesn’t take much for this gun to go off.”
Zheng Yan raised his hands slowly, indicating he was unarmed. “Mind if I ask why?”
The man seemed to consider it for a moment, then shrugged. “Sure, why not? Qin Xuan killed my father and won’t give me a way out. So, I figured I’d kill the person he cares about most. But I’ll tell you what—I’ll ask you a question. If you answer well, I might just spare your life. How about that?”
Zheng Yan had already guessed the man’s identity. “Ask away.”
The man straightened up, his eyes shining brightly in the darkness. “Are you… an undercover agent?”
Zheng Yan didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”
The man was taken aback by how quickly he answered but then burst into laughter. “Qin Xuan, you poor fool… Hey, how about we work together?”
Zheng Yan stared at him coldly. “And what do you have to offer?”
The man narrowed his eyes. “What do you think?”
Zheng Yan glanced at the gun in his hand. “No killing.”
The man sneered. “And what if I do kill?”
“Then you’ll spend the rest of your life in prison.” Zheng Yan said icily. “That is, unless you want to face justice, Li Si.”
The man’s pupils contracted in surprise.
The person trailing Zheng Yan was Li Si, the son of Li Wu. He had been watching Zheng Yan for a while, looking for an opportunity to make Qin Xuan suffer. Although he hadn’t planned to avenge his father, the situation had escalated when his father left him a file that attracted the attention of some powerful figures. Now, everyone was after him. Even though Qin Xuan wasn’t directly involved, he had helped spread the word. Li Si had figured out that Qin Xuan was using others to do his dirty work.
Having been on the run for so long, Li Si had concluded that Qin Xuan was the one to blame for his predicament. Just when he thought he’d have to get his hands dirty, fate handed him an unexpected ally in Zheng Yan. Maybe, just this once, he could play the role of justice.
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