That night, Li Yaru decided to return to Hong Kong Island early and booked a flight for the next morning.
As soon as she walked out of the airport terminal, she saw the car Zhuang Qiting had sent.
She hadn’t told Zhuang Qiting that she was coming back early.
Li Yaru narrowed her eyes, scanning her assistant behind her without a word. Ada pursed her lips aggrievedly and explained in a small voice, “Madam, I didn’t tell sir your flight… I just said you’d be back early…”
Li Yaru snorted in annoyance. What was the point of not telling him the flight? If Zhuang Qiting wanted to know, he could find out in minutes.
Once in the car, Li Yaru closed her eyes, exhausted. She hadn’t slept well last night, spending the whole time contacting friends in the Mainland for news, then tossing and turning in her hotel, thinking about Fan Zizhuo’s arrest.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that Zhuang Qiting was involved. This kind of thing had happened before. Men who showed interest in her would disappear without a trace after a few days.
The thought was unsettling. She immediately reflected on her own biases, telling herself she was overthinking and shouldn’t always suspect the person beside her when something happened.
Zhuang Qiting didn’t even know she’d reconnected with Fan Zizhuo— why would he target him out of the blue?
Besides, this was a complicated matter, requiring detailed knowledge of a five-year-old case, finding witnesses from back then, and building connections with both the Mainland Public Security Bureau and Procuratorate. There was no way it could be arranged in just half a month.
Li Yaru still inclined to think it was a coincidence. She sighed helplessly, her head aching. Zizhuo, oh Zizhuo, what have you been up to all these years?
With so much on her mind, Li Yaru had little energy. That night, all three sons came home for dinner, but Zhuang Qiting was nowhere to be seen and hadn’t said anything in advance.
Li Shengming was still thinking about the scallion lobster his mommy made last time, bragging to his two brothers about his special status, only to get two knocks on the head.
“Is something bothering you, Mom?” Zhuang Shaoyan noticed Li Yaru’s silence and asked with concern.
Li Yaru smiled. “Just tired from catching an early flight. How’s work at the company lately? Your daddy hasn’t given you any new tasks, has he?”
A year ago, Zhuang Shaoyan had reached an agreement with the family to give up his claim to inherit Zhuang’s Group.
Over the next two years, he would gradually hand over his business and authority to Zhuang Shaozhou.
He loved academics, enjoyed doing research in the lab, and preferred teaching in the classroom.
He cherished the tranquility of campus life over the cutthroat world of business.
“No, Mom. Zhou is even more capable than me— he’s picking things up fast. I don’t think it’ll even take two years before he takes over my position.” Zhuang Shaoyan looked at his younger brother with satisfaction.
Li Shengming said, “So in the future, if I want money, I’ll have to go to Second Brother.”
Li Yaru rolled her eyes. “Silly boy, can’t you earn your own money to spend?”
Zhuang Shaozhou smiled charmingly, keeping up his usual refined demeanor. “Sure, every cent of your pocket money will be deducted from your future salary. After you graduate high school, you’ll intern with me for two months to pay off your debt.”
Li Shengming pouted. “Second Brother, you really are the worst in our family.”
Zhuang Shaozhou couldn’t help but laugh at the little rascal, tugging his ear. “Am I worse than the Old Man? Eat your crab legs!”
Li Shengming cackled. “I’m telling Daddy you call him Old Man behind his back!”
Zhuang Shaozhou shrugged indifferently, lazily crossing his legs. “Go ahead if you dare.”
Li Yaru watched with a look of anticipation, clearly enjoying the show. Zhuang Shaoyan just shook his head and served his mother a bowl of nourishing pigeon soup with gastrodia.
“I want a Ducati Superleggera, bro— buy it for me and I won’t sell you out.” Li Shengming rubbed his hands excitedly. He’d wanted one for ages, but neither Daddy nor Mommy would buy it. Daddy even mocked his riding skills, telling him to practice for a year first.
Zhuang Shaozhou replied calmly, “Then go tell Daddy.”
“What are you trying to tell me?”
Zhuang Qiting walked into the dining room to a noisy scene. Without him, his wife and sons were a happy, lively bunch—the house was filled with youthful energy.
Sure enough, the moment he spoke, the room fell silent, everyone wordlessly accusing him of ruining the mood.
Zhuang Qiting was a bit displeased.
Zhuang Shaozhou cursed his own luck inwardly. If the Old Man really took it seriously, he’d be in big trouble. “Daddy, we were just joking.” He knew when to yield, warning his brother under the table with a pinch.
“Ming, you tell me,” Zhuang Qiting looked at his youngest. The eldest was steady, the second sharp, the third still a child.
Li Shengming groaned inwardly. He didn’t want to sell out Second Brother, but Daddy was just too scary. In the end, under his father’s pressure, he stammered, “Second Brother… Second Brother said you…”
Li Yaru couldn’t take it anymore and blurted out, “Second Brother called you the Old Man. Which isn’t wrong, really. Alright, enough—don’t turn the house upside down. Second Brother, finish eating and get lost, don’t be an eyesore. Ming, you have French class tonight—go get ready, your teacher will be here soon. Shaoyan, walk the dog.”
The three sons were dismissed swiftly, the dining room quickly emptying out, leaving only the husband and wife staring at each other.
Zhuang Qiting was tall and imposing, dressed in a sharp suit. Standing before Li Yaru, he blocked out the light. He pinched her cheek in punishment, his voice low: “Don’t undermine me in front of those brats again.”
But Li Yaru refused to yield, a smile blooming on her red lips as she enunciated, “Old Man!”
Zhuang Qiting raised an eyebrow.
When night fell, the entire cliffside sank into tranquility. Waves crashed against the rocks in layers, and the distant city, ablaze with lights, looked like a mirage above the sea.
Li Yaru’s waist was gripped tightly, five fingers leaving red marks. She trembled as she leaned over the glass railing, goosebumps rising on her exposed skin.
“Husband…” She gripped the railing hard.
Zhuang Qiting didn’t answer, just stared at his wife in silence. His dark eyes glowed in the night, and the neatly trimmed patch of hair was a bit prickly, leaving red marks on her tender skin.
Zhuang Qiting was a man who loved cleanliness, detesting any untidy part on his body—be it hair, beard, or body hair, he kept it all trimmed. As a result, Li Yaru sometimes couldn’t take it.
The freshly trimmed stubble was neat, but also coarse and prickly—truly wicked, leaving a dense, itchy sensation.
“How did it become ‘husband’ now? Wasn’t it ‘Old Man’ just now?” Zhuang Qiting leaned down, his lips brushing her earlobe.
Li Yaru really regretted calling him Old Man tonight, provoking his crazy revenge. She wouldn’t dare insult him again—if she did, she’d only do it behind his back.
Her neck arched back, she was eating, dodging his kisses, and couldn’t stand steadily. “I was wrong, I was wrong…! You old rascal! Stop pushing me!! I’m going to fall—!!”
They were at the second-floor railing.
She clung to the handrail, almost losing her balance, like a bumper car sent flying. In a flash, a strong arm yanked her back, landing her safely in the protected zone.
Her heart pounded, and she gasped for breath, nearly losing her soul.
Scared to death.
Zhuang Qiting scooped her up, his arm slipping under her knees like he was carrying a child.
Li Yaru tensed, immediately closing her eyes, not daring to look up.
He carried her inside, his breath hot and husky. “Baby, if you dare call your husband ‘old’ in front of others again, I definitely won’t let you off.”
As his palm landed, her heart raced wildly—she couldn’t care about anything else. Her scream startled a flock of sparrows from the camellia bushes.
The mountain night was quiet, the birds flapping noisily as they took flight.
Afterward, the sweet, stifling air gradually faded. Exhausted, Li Yaru had no energy to think about anyone else, curling up in her man’s arms and soon falling asleep.
Her phone was wedged under the sofa cushion, a call coming in that she didn’t answer.
It wasn’t until noon the next day that Li Yaru saw the three missed calls.
The caller was a friend from the Mainland, whose husband worked in the Binhai City public security system and was well-connected. She had asked this friend to look into Fan Zizhuo’s situation.
She called back. The other end picked up quickly, voice excited and high-pitched, “Zhuang Tai, you finally returned my call! There’s news about what you asked me to check!”