The car moved smoothly through the city, the silence inside heavier than the traffic outside. Zhang Weiyu sat in the back seat, his gaze fixed ahead, unreadable. His expression was calm, but distant too still to be called relaxed. It wasn't just quiet. It was controlled Like something had already been decided long before this drive began.
Xu Shen sat in the front passenger seat, occasionally glancing at the rearview mirror, trying and failing to read anything from that silence. He couldn't. No one ever could when Zhang Weiyu looked like this.
"Where are we going?" Xu Shen finally asked, careful with his tone.
Zhang Weiyu didn't look at him. "…You'll know when we arrive."
Xu Shen paused, then leaned back slightly, exhaling under his breath. Right. Of course. Why did I even ask? His eyes flicked to the mirror again. Mood's worse than usual… someone's definitely going to suffer today.
Outside, the city blurred past, lights reflecting faintly against the window. Zhang Weiyu's fingers tapped once against the armrest just once before going still again. His thoughts were already ahead, moving through steps, outcomes, possibilities.
The car slowed then stopped. Xu Shen glanced outside, his brows lifting slightly. "…Here?" Zhang Weiyu stepped out without answering. The building in front of them stood tall and modern, its glass exterior reflecting the afternoon light in sharp angles. Security was present, but subtle controlled, efficient. Not the kind of place people simply walked into.
Xu Shen followed, along with two bodyguards who remained silent and alert.
"…So we're meeting someone important," Xu Shen muttered under his breath.
Zhang Weiyu walked forward without slowing. "…Lina." Xu Shen blinked once. Ah… so it's her. His expression shifted slightly as realization settled in. Then yeah… this is not going to be simple.
Inside, the atmosphere changed immediately. The office space was wide and structured, every movement within it precise. Employees moved quickly but quietly, focused on their tasks. It felt less like a workplace and more like a system one that ran without error. A few pairs of eyes lifted as Zhang Weiyu entered then lowered just as quickly. No one spoke.Xu Shen noticed, his gaze sweeping briefly across the room. …Yeah. That kind of place.
Inside her private office, Lina sat behind a wide desk, flipping through documents with calm focus. Her expression didn't shift as her eyes moved across the pages sharp, deliberate, catching every detail. A soft knock came at the door. "Come in."
Her assistant entered, placing a cup of coffee beside her along with another file.
"…These just came in," the assistant said quietly. Lina didn't look up immediately. "…From where?"
"…Related to the incident."
That made her pause. She closed the previous file slowly and opened the new one. Her eyes moved quickly across the page details, timelines, inconsistencies.
"…Incomplete," she murmured.
"…We couldn't get more."
Lina turned a page, her tone soft but precise. "…No. You could. You just didn't look in the right place." Before the assistant could respond the door opened.
Zhang Weiyu walked in. Xu Shen followed.
The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly.
The assistant stiffened, then stepped aside without a word. Lina didn't look surprised. She simply closed the file in front of her and lifted her gaze. "…You're early," she said calmly. Zhang Weiyu stopped in front of her desk. "…You're late."
Xu Shen stood slightly behind, expression neutral. …Great. Starting already.
A brief silence settled between them measured, deliberate. Then Lina leaned back slightly in her chair, studying him.
"…You don't visit without reason," she said. "…So I'll skip the formalities." Zhang Weiyu's gaze didn't shift. "…Good. Then skip everything unnecessary."
Xu Shen glanced between them. …I should sit or leave. Lina tapped the file lightly with her finger. "…You're here about him."
"…You already know the answer," Zhang Weiyu replied. "…I prefer confirmation."
"…Then yes."
A pause followed. Lina's fingers stilled against the file. "…He wasn't acting alone," she said. Xu Shen's eyes narrowed slightly.
Zhang Weiyu didn't react. "…Continue."
Lina tilted her head, watching him. "…You're not going to ask how I know?"
"…No."
"…Why?"
"…Because if you're saying it, you want me to know." A faint smile touched her lips. "…Still the same."
The conversation deepened from there sharp, controlled, layered with meaning beneath every word. Lina revealed fragments, never full answers. Zhang Weiyu pressed, but only where necessary. Neither wasted a single sentence. "…The man you caught," Lina said, her tone steady, "…he wasn't supposed to be caught."
"…He wasn't supposed to die either," Zhang Weiyu replied coldly.
"…Exactly."
A brief pause. "…Which means," Lina continued softly, "…someone corrected the mistake." Xu Shen felt the shift immediately. …Yeah. That's bad. "…Name," Zhang Weiyu said.
Lina didn't answer right away. Instead, she leaned forward slightly, her gaze sharpening.
"…You're getting closer than you should."
"…And you're delaying more than you should." Silence stretched between them for a moment.
Then She said "…Shen Kaizhe."
Xu Shen's expression changed, the realization immediate. …So it's him.
Zhang Weiyu didn't react outwardly, but something in the air shifted subtle, almost imperceptible. "…I see," he said.
The discussion continued, long and tense, filled with implications that outweighed the information itself. By the time Zhang Weiyu stood to leave, the situation felt far from simple. "…Stay careful," Lina said.
Zhang Weiyu paused."…I don't need advice."
"…No," Lina replied softly, "…but someone close to you might." A brief beat passed.
Then he left.
The hallway outside was quiet, their footsteps echoing faintly against the polished floor. Xu Shen followed a step behind, glancing once at the closed office door before shifting his gaze forward again. For a few seconds, neither of them spoke. Then Xu Shen broke the silence. "…So," he started carefully, slipping his hands into his pockets, "we're just casually dealing with that kind of problem now?" Zhang Weiyu didn't slow. "…If you have something to say, say it properly."
Xu Shen exhaled lightly. "…Shen Kaizhe isn't exactly small trouble."
There was no response. Xu Shen glanced sideways at him, lips pressing together briefly ofcourse ,silent mode activated again. (....)
"…And Lina," he continued, tone more thoughtful now, "she didn't tell us everything."
"…She never does," Zhang Weiyu replied flatly. "…Yeah, but this time it felt deliberate."
Zhang Weiyu's gaze remained forward. "…Everything she does is deliberate."
Xu Shen huffed faintly under his breath. Right. Talking to him when he's like this is like throwing words into a void. They reached the elevator, and the doors slid open with a soft sound. Stepping inside, the silence returned almost immediately. Xu Shen leaned back slightly against the wall, arms crossing loosely, his eyes flicking once toward Zhang Weiyu.
He's already planning something.
No… not planning. Deciding. (...)
After a moment, Xu Shen spoke again. "…So what's the move? Do we dig into Shen Kaizhe directly, or "
"…No." The answer came instantly.
Xu Shen blinked. "…No?"
"…Not yet." He straightened slightly. "…You're holding back?"
Zhang Weiyu's reflection in the elevator doors remained sharp and unmoving. "…We don't move based on what she gives us."
"…Then?"
"…We verify." A brief pause followed.
Xu Shen nodded slowly. "…Fair."
The elevator doors opened, and they stepped out, continuing toward the exit without breaking stride. The air outside felt lighter, but the tension between them didn't ease. "…Still," Xu Shen added, his tone lighter but edged with caution, "if it really is him, things are going to get… complicated."
Zhang Weiyu stopped near the car for just a fraction of a second before opening the door.
"…It already is."
Xu Shen watched him get in, his expression tightening slightly. Yeah… that's not reassuring.
Inside the car, the engine started smoothly as they pulled away from the building. Xu Shen glanced at him again through the rearview mirror. "…You're not going to tell me what you're thinking, are you?"
"…No."
"…Thought so."
Xu Shen leaned back, this time staring out the window, watching the city pass by in a blur. He sighed internally. A brief pause passed before Zhang Weiyu spoke again.
"…Xu Shen."
He straightened slightly. "…Yes?"
"…Keep an eye on internal movement."
Xu Shen's expression shifted immediately, his tone sharpening. "…You think it's already inside?" "…I think it's careless to assume it isn't." A beat of silence followed.
Xu Shen nodded once. "…Understood."
He looked forward again, quieter now.
Great. So now we're dealing with problems outside… and inside. (....)
His gaze flicked once more to the mirror. Zhang Weiyu had already gone still again, eyes forward, his expression completely unreadable.
…And he's definitely not telling me the worst part. (....)
The car continued moving toward the company, the silence returning but this time, it felt heavier than before. Back at his company, the atmosphere was entirely different. The moment Zhang Weiyu entered, people straightened instinctively. Conversations died down. Fear spread quietly, settling into every corner. "…President Zhang." "…Good afternoon, sir."
No one dared hold his gaze for long.
Xu Shen followed behind him, hands in his pockets. …Yeah. Definitely bad mood confirmed.
Inside the office, the door shut.
And in the next second files were thrown across the room. Paper scattered across the floor. The silence shattered. Xu Shen stepped in carefully. "Sir..."
"…Leave."
"But...im"
"…I said leave."
There was no room for argument in that tone.
Xu Shen stopped, then nodded once. "…Understood."He turned and walked out without another word. Outside, employees exchanged uneasy glances as whispers began to spread. "…What happened?"
"…He looks furious…"
"…Something big?"
Xu Shen passed by them, expression neutral. You have no idea.
Elsewhere in Zhang mansion ___
Zhou Yiran stood in front of the mirror for a moment, her expression calm but her eyes weren't. There was something unsettled beneath the surface, something that hadn't quieted since earlier..She adjusted her sleeve, then turned and walked out of the room.
Her steps were steady as she made her way downstairs, the familiar interior of the mansion stretching out before her. A staff member near the entrance noticed her immediately and stepped forward.
"…Miss Zhou, where are you going?" he asked politely.
Zhou Yiran didn't slow. " Do I have to report everything?" The staff stiffened slightly. "No, Miss Zhou. I just thought… in case Master Zhang asks about your whereabouts "
She stopped. Then turned just enough to look at him. "…He doesn't need to know."
The words were calm, but firm.
The staff lowered his head slightly. "…Understood." Without another word, Zhou Yiran walked past him and stepped out of the mansion.
The car moved quietly along the road, the distance between her and the Zhang residence growing with every passing second. Zhou Yiran sat by the window, her gaze fixed outside but her mind was far from the streets in front of her.
What is Zhang Weiyu hiding?
Her fingers tightened slightly against her lap.
Why does he always decide everything for me?
The memory of his voice echoed faintly in her mind cold, controlled, shutting her out without hesitation. Her expression hardened.
"…No," she murmured softly. She looked at her reflection in the window, faint and blurred by the moving lights. "I can't repeat my past life's mistake." A brief silence followed.
Her eyes darkened slightly, determination settling in where confusion had been.
"I have to know… what the truth is."
Her fingers curled tighter. "…The truth behind my death." The car continued forward, carrying her toward the Zhou Mansion.
Elsewhere, at the Zhou Mansion Zhou Yiran stepped inside, her movements slower than usual. Her grandmother sat in the main hall. Her cousin leaned casually nearby and her brother stood by the window. All of them turned to look at her. "…You came back," her grandmother said.
"…I needed to," Zhou Yiran replied quietly.
Her cousin smirked slightly. "…He let you come alone?"
Zhou Yiran's gaze sharpened. "…I didn't ask for permission."
Her brother stepped forward slightly, his expression steady. "…Something happened."
Zhou Yiran paused. "…Why do you say that?"
"…Because you're not good at hiding it," he replied calmly.
Silence lingered for a moment.
Her grandmother studied her carefully.
"…You're involved in something now," she said slowly. Zhou Yiran didn't answer immediately. Her fingers curled slightly at her side, her thoughts still unsettled, still circling.
"…I don't know yet," she admitted.
A brief pause. Her voice steadied.
"…But I will."
The staff member who had accompanied her earlier cleared his throat gently. "…Miss Zhou, the Old Master wishes to see you upstairs." Zhou Yiran nodded and followed him up the stairs, her steps measured but slightly tense. She entered the dimly lit study, where her grandfather sat in a shadowed chair, the light casting long, sharp lines across the room. His presence was heavy, commanding.
"You are back," the Old Master said, his tone neutral but firm.
"Yes, I am," Zhou Yiran replied, straightening slightly.
The Old Master's gaze sharpened. "Do you remember the reason why you married him?"
"Reason?" she murmured, a faint frown crossing her face. "Ah… yes, I remember."
"Don't get too close to him," the Old Master warned, his voice low but edged with authority.
Zhou Yiran nodded, thoughtful. "Hmm."
A long pause, then he gestured for her to leave. She bowed slightly and made her way downstairs. At the dining area, her brother noticed her first. "Dinner?" he asked, voice casual, though a slight edge of concern showed. "I… not right now," she replied, brushing off the invitation. He studied her for a moment, expression softening. She sighed, noticing his look, and finally agreed. "Alright… let's eat."
The family gathered quietly around the table. Plates were served, and the soft clatter of utensils filled the room. Zhou Yiran's brother glanced at her as he picked up his chopsticks. "You've been busy lately. Is everything alright at the office?"
Zhou Yiran shrugged lightly, trying to appear casual. "Yes… just the usual work. Nothing out of the ordinary."
Her cousin, leaning back slightly in his chair, smirked. "So, you finally decided to come home. Did someone miss you?"
Zhou Yiran rolled her eyes but allowed a small smile. "Maybe a little."
Their grandmother, sitting at the head of the table, raised an eyebrow, her voice gentle but firm. "Yiran, don't forget to eat properly. You've been skipping meals lately, haven't you?"
"I know, Grandmother. I'll eat more carefully," she replied softly, placing a spoonful of rice into her mouth.
Her brother added, "Don't stay cooped up in your room after dinner. You should take a walk or at least spend some time downstairs. Fresh air does good."
"I will," Zhou Yiran said, nodding. She glanced at each of them, feeling the calm rhythm of the household seep into her nerves. "Thank you… all of you."
Her cousin chuckled lightly. "Look at you, finally showing manners. Progress at last."
Zhou Yiran laughed quietly, shaking her head. "Don't push your luck."
The conversation remained light after that small talk about trivial matters, the weather, a recent household event, and the odd joke from her cousin that drew a brief chuckle from everyone. It wasn't grand, but the warmth of routine offered a comforting pause from the tension she carried. After finishing, Zhou Yiran rose. "I'm going," she said softly, excusing herself. Her brother called after her, "Don't stay up too late."
"I won't," she replied, offering a small smile before making her way to the door.
By the time she reached the Zhang mansion, night had fully settled. The living room was cloaked in darkness, shadows stretching across the floor. She hesitated at the doorway, sensing someone there. Her voice trembled slightly. "Who are you?"
A low, familiar voice responded from the dark. "Why can't you recognize your husband now?"
Her breath caught. "Why… are you sitting here like a ghost?"
"This is my house," Zhang Weiyu replied, the calm in his tone almost unnerving. "I can sit however I want."
Zhou Yiran exhaled slowly. "Okay… I'm tired. I'm going to sleep." She turned toward the stairs.
Suddenly, a firm hand gripped hers from behind. She froze. "Aren't you going to explain where you were at this time?"
Her eyes widened. "What are you doing? Are you planning to give me a heart attack?"
His tone hardened, sharp and angry. "Answer what I asked." Zhou Yiran blinked, exasperated. "Don't you remember what you said to me this morning?" she replied, shaking her head. "And now you're asking me this question? Don't you think you're very funny?"
He said nothing more, releasing her hand, and left the room silently, leaving her standing there, caught between relief and irritation.