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Chapter 113: Chapter 112: The Canary in Wanliu Academy
CGG Tower, the reception desk.
Wen Shulin’s steps were steady, but at the moment, her heart was urgent.
Chen Cheng’s last reminder made her decide to go back to the company first to see.
"Chairman Wen."
The receptionist was surprised to see Wen Shulin come to the company on the weekend and immediately stood up with a welcoming smile.
Wen Shulin: "Did someone leave something here for you?"
The receptionist immediately brought out a very ordinary kraft paper bag that was sealed at both ends with white paper to ensure it hadn’t been opened beforehand.
After taking it, Wen Shulin turned around and opened the paper bag.
Just as expected, inside was a memory card identical to the one she had received at Bulgari.
Additionally, there was a piece of paper.
Knowing the lobby was under surveillance, she didn’t look at it on the spot but turned to ask:
"When was this item delivered?"
The receptionist took out the register, "9 am. However, when I came to work, the person delivering was already waiting here."
Wen Shulin’s brows tightened, it seemed Chen Cheng really hadn’t lied to her.
She had reached Bulgari around noon.
Now she realized that Chen Cheng had planned all of this in advance.
Whether or not she agreed to his seemingly absurd conditions, she would be able to obtain this crucial piece of evidence.
"Okay, I understand."
She turned and left, leaving behind only her hastened silhouette.
Receptionist A: "What’s up with Chairman Wen? I’ve never seen her come to the company on the weekend."
Receptionist B: "Sigh, if I were as successful as her, I wouldn’t mind living here 24 hours a day!"
After collecting the items, Wen Shulin went back to her Maserati.
She took a deep breath, opened the paper bag again, and took out the page.
It clearly read: Miss Wen, we are partners forever. ——Chen Cheng
Wen Shulin bit her lower jaw, images of Chen Cheng—his scholarly smile and slightly cunning eyes—kept appearing in her mind, making her feel confused and lost.
She dialed Chen Cheng’s mobile phone again.
Chen Cheng: You got it?
Wen Shulin: Why did you do this?
Chen Cheng: I know Chen Jin will use this matter to blackmail you, which doesn’t meet the premise of "equal conditions."
He continued: "And as long as you are out of the game, Chen Jin will be the most capable person, without a doubt."
"So, to make money, you have to stand on the same front with me."
Wen Shulin’s brows furrowed. She had never heard such a brutal yet reasonable demand.
She was silent for a moment, then said: "Now I have the evidence and I don’t need to flatter Li Hao anymore. So, I don’t have to participate in this underwriting."
Chen Cheng: "Of course, you can."
He paused, "Next time, you can still do so."
"And the time after that, you can still do so," Chen Cheng said with a laugh: "Every time in the future, you can."
That light statement hit Wen Shulin’s heart like a fist; she clenched the piece of paper and crumpled it fiercely.
After a while, she loosened her grip, "Thank you, Mr. Chen."
"Miss Wen, you’re welcome," replied Chen Cheng.
After hanging up the phone, Wen Shulin took a deep breath, picked up the crumpled piece of paper, unfolded it, and reread the text on it.
Countless thoughts surfaced in her mind, but in the end, she carefully folded the paper and put it into her wallet.
The Maserati drove out of the garage, and Wen Shulin was clear on what she had to do now—to first untangle her daughter’s emotional knot. 𝑛𝘰𝑣𝘱𝑢𝑏.𝘤𝑜𝘮
...
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Wanliu Academy, top-floor duplex, four bedrooms.
Since returning to the country, Su Liya had lived here.
Like a canary with clipped feathers, she had confined herself in this multi-million-dollar luxury apartment.
Wen Shulin stood in front of the door, holding the items given by Chen Cheng, and rang the doorbell.
Soon after, the door opened.
"Madam," the housekeeper Mrs. Shen, wearing an apron, bent down to offer her slippers.
Wen Shulin took off her shoes and asked softly, "Where is Li Ya?"
"Miss has not left her bedroom at all today. She hasn’t touched her breakfast or lunch."
Mrs. Shen elaborated, "I’m making tiramisu, her favorite, to take to her later."
Wen Shulin’s heart, which was tough as nails in the outside world, softened at this moment.
"It’s hard on you," she said and then headed toward the staircase.
"You are too polite, Madam."
Mrs. Shen returned to the kitchen, while Wen Shulin was already standing at Su Liya’s bedroom door.
Her hand rose to knock but stopped midway.
She gently pressed her ear against the door, trying to catch any sound inside, but there was only silence.
Wen Shulin felt an inexplicable concern rising. Ever since Su Liya returned to the country, she always locked herself in her room.
She believed she was responsible for another girl’s death, and that incident had become an insurmountable chasm between them, preventing Su Liya from truly moving on from the bottom of her heart.
Apart from getting out at Li Hao’s urging, she had nearly no social life at all.
The person she saw most often was Mrs. Shen downstairs.
The lock on the door had long been removed by Wen Shulin’s orders, just to prevent Su Liya from doing anything foolish.
After a long moment of thought, she knocked on the door, "Li Ya, it’s Mommy."
The room remained unresponsive, but Wen Shulin could feel a thick sense of sorrow seeping through the crack of the door.
Wen Shulin hesitated for a moment, but ultimately decided to push the door open.
She gently turned the doorknob, and the door opened.
The curtains were tightly closed, and only dim sunlight filtered through the gaps, casting a weak glow into the room.
She walked to the bedside and saw Su Liya lying there, eyes tightly shut, wearing headphones.
Wen Shulin sat down, stroking Su Liya’s hair, and softly called out, "Li Ya."
Su Liya’s eyelashes trembled slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes to look at Wen Shulin.
"Mommy," she sat up, leaning against the headboard, and took off her headphones.
Wen Shulin touched her tender cheek, "Haven’t eaten again?"
"I’m not very hungry."
Wen Shulin sighed, "Li Ya, you can’t go on like this, your body won’t be able to take it."
"Mommy, I know. But I really have no appetite."
Wen Shulin looked at Su Liya, her heart filled with tenderness.
During this period, her beloved daughter was living like a soulless ghost, devoid of her usual vivacity and spirit.
In Wen Shulin’s eyes, no matter how old Su Liya was, she would always be that ponytailed doll.
"Li Ya, your..." Wen Shulin clenched the memory card she had acquired, "Where’s your computer?"
"Here." Su Liya turned over and brought over a MacBook from beside the bed.
Wen Shulin held her hand, "Li Ya, mommy wants to show you something."
"Okay."
"But you have to promise mommy not to get agitated."
Su Liya smoothed her disheveled hair and nodded firmly, "Okay!"
Wen Shulin inserted the memory card into the slot, and soon a pop-up dialog appeared on the computer desktop.
"Make some room for mommy," she said, still uneasy.
Su Liya shifted to the side, Wen Shulin hugged her into her arms, placed the laptop on her laps, her hand sliding over the touchpad.
"Li Ya, mommy loves you," she said tenderly.
Su Liya hugged Wen Shulin’s arm, "Okay."
Wen Shulin gathered her shoulder, "Ready?"
"Ready."
Wen Shulin opened the dialog box and then clicked play.
The surveillance footage from the Bulgari room once again appeared before the mother and daughter.
Su Liya’s eyes widened.
Familiar scenes, familiar people, familiar events—all surged into her heart, causing her entire body to tremble uncontrollably.
Wen Shulin felt that Su Liya had suddenly fallen into an ice hole, her body turning abnormally cold.
She hugged her tightly, trying to provide some warmth.
After the video finished, Su Liya’s tears burst forth.
She buried her face in Wen Shulin’s embrace, weeping loudly.
While saying, "Mommy! I’ve said it, I didn’t kill her! I didn’t!"
Wen Shulin couldn’t help but shed tears herself, knowing the pain in Su Liya’s heart.
She regretted even more for having believed Li Hao in a moment of haste, having paid money as well as agreeing to join CGG.
"Li Ya, mommy was wrong."
Wen Shulin’s heart was a mix of emotions; she could only hold the sobbing Su Liya, "Mommy should have believed you."
Su Liya looked up, her eyes brimming with tears, speaking incoherently, "Mommy, I really... didn’t... at that time... I really... I can’t remember what happened."
Wen Shulin cried and wiped away Su Liya’s tears, "I know, I know."
"Mommy, I really hate myself! I feel like my existence is a mistake!"
Wen Shulin’s nerves tightened at these words, "Li Ya, don’t think nonsense! You’re also a victim!"
She wiped away her own tears and asked seriously, "Can you tell mommy, did you get drunk that night?"
Su Liya froze.
Clearly, her dilemma was more serious than just being drunk.
She touched the sobriety medallion on her neck and shook her head.
"Then what?" Wen Shulin asked.
"That night at the dance, Li Hao came."
Su Liya recalled the segments before her memory loss, saying, "He wasn’t called by me, it was her..."
She pointed to the girl in the video and continued, "Then she took out a pack of cigarettes, said they were nicotine-free, coffee vanilla flavor, just for fun. I smoked one."
"Then, I don’t remember."
Wen Shulin’s brows immediately furrowed, staring at the daughter she thought she knew best.
"When did you learn to smoke?" she asked.
Su Liya: "In junior high..."
"But, I swear, just a few times, I really never touched them again!" She held up three fingers.
Wen Shulin looked at Su Liya, her heart filled with conflict and worry.
She did not grow up by her side, the time that Wen Shulin spent with Su Liya was even less than that of Mrs. Shen downstairs, who had cared for her since she was young.
From the bottom of her heart, Wen Shulin felt she owed Su Liya.
Su Liya grasped Wen Shulin’s hand, just as she had when she was born.
She looked at the screen again and asked, "Mommy, where did you find this video? Didn’t the police fail to find it at the time?"
Wen Shulin came back to her senses, reminded of Chen Cheng, and said, "A friend gave it to me."
She quickly changed the subject, "Li Ya, mommy will definitely help you get justice."
"Okay!"
