Zheyuan

Shao Linyin hung up the phone, walked into the room, leaned over the bed, and glanced at the sleeping Tong Xiaolai. He had just taken antipyretics and was sweating all over. His body was still curled up in the quilt, and his eyelashes trembled slightly.

He used a towel to wipe the sweat off Tong Xiaolai, leaned over to his ear, and whispered, "Xiaolai, I'm going out for a while and will be back soon."

He paused, seeing that the other person was still asleep, not knowing if he had heard anything, but continued: "If you wake up, wait for me. Don't go out by yourself, and don't open the door if someone knocks. Okay?"

The person under the quilt rubbed his head, not knowing whether he heard something or was dreaming.

Shao Linyin gently rubbed his hair and stood up. After thinking for a while, he wrote another note and rewrote what he had just said.

He shouldn't go out at this time, but if he wanted to help Xiao solve this problem, he had to go out.

He stood up and placed the note on the bedside, in the most conspicuous place, and kissed Tong Xiaolai on the forehead: "I will be back soon, wait for me."

The cake on the table had been left for a whole day and night and had already gone bad. He sighed, carried the cake downstairs and threw it into the trash can.

When he arrived at the principal's office, the principal had already checked the video of yesterday's auditorium.

In the video, Tong Xiaolai was holding the award certificate in his hand and speaking expressionlessly. His eyes suddenly fell on the leaders in the front row of the audience. His face suddenly turned pale, his eyes widened, and he bit his lips. The microphone and the certificate in his hand fell to the ground, and he turned around and fled.

The angle of the video is facing the podium, and only the backs of the heads of the leaders in that row can be seen.

Shao Liyin pointed at that row and asked, "Is there any surveillance camera that can see the faces of the people in this row?"

The principal was embarrassed. "This is a citywide commendation ceremony for outstanding students and competition winners. It's held in the city auditorium, not our school's. Adjusting the surveillance cameras is very troublesome. I thought you wanted to see Tong Xiaolai, so I only requested this."

Shao Liyin was silent for a moment: "Does the principal have a list of this row of leaders? Is there anyone named Fang? Do you have a photo?"

"Yes. It was reported on the school forum. Tong Xiaolai won the gold medal in the math competition. The guests invited to present the award to the students are all nationally renowned scholars. It was reported on the school forum."

When Shao Linyin heard the word "famous scholar", his eyes darkened and he stopped talking. His chest was filled with rage and he just wanted to tear off the skin of this beast in human clothing and expose his sinful face in broad daylight.

I found this Professor Fang, Fang Zhiheng, on the forum, and there was also a photo of him giving a speech. He looked really well-dressed.

Shao Linyin thanked the principal and was about to leave, but the principal stopped him and said, "Hey, Xiao Shao, what about Tong Xiaolai's college entrance examination results...?"

Shao Liyin glanced at him and said, "I'm sorry, Xiaolai is not feeling well. If he recovers, I will advise him to take the college entrance examination on time."

Shao Linyin left without staying for too long. He was anxious, wondering if Xiaolai had woken up. He wondered if she would be anxious or scared if she didn't see him.

He ran all the way home from school. It took him only two minutes, which usually took him five minutes. As soon as he got out of the elevator, he felt his breath hitch.

The door of the house was open and two policemen were standing at the door.

"I don't know him! Go away, I don't know him!" It was Tong Xiaolai's crying and collapsed voice.

Shao Liyin rushed over and hugged Tong Xiaolai, protecting him in his arms. He looked around vigilantly. In the middle of the four policemen stood a well-dressed man wearing gold-rimmed glasses.

Shao Linyin had seen this face three minutes ago, in a photo.

He carried Tong Xiaolai and said with a stern face, "This is my home. Why are you trespassing?"

A police officer spoke up: "We received a report that someone is trafficking teenagers here."

"Did this person report the case?" Shao Linyin glanced in the direction of Fang Zhiheng, who smiled elegantly and appropriately.

"I didn't traffick teenagers. It's just me and my brother here. You've checked, there's nothing here, you can leave."

The officer didn't move. "Mr. Shao, Mr. Fang reported that this teenager was his missing child three years ago. He was only discovered living here yesterday. We reasonably suspect you used improper means to trick a minor into living with you."

Tong Xiaolai trembled in Shao Linyin's arms: "Brother Li, Brother Li, let them go, go! I don't know them, they are all bad people, I don't know any of them!"

Shao Liyin hugged Tong Xiaolai and kept comforting her: "Okay, okay, don't be afraid, I'm here, I'll let them go."

After Tong Xiaolai calmed down a bit, Shao Linyin stood up and straightened his back. "You said I deceived you? Please provide evidence. We have a legal resident registration booklet, and Xiaolai's school can also provide information about his academic performance. Xiaolai is a healthy person with a sound mind and an independent personality. How could he be deceived by me?"

Also, Mr. Fang, you said Xiaolai is your child. Please provide proof of parentage."

The police officer was about to say something when Shao Liyin interrupted him: "If it's an adoption relationship, please provide proof of adoption. Also, for a 13-year-old teenager with an outstanding IQ, how did he get lost? Why didn't you report him after he went missing?

If you can't provide evidence or a reasonable explanation for these things, why should I trust you and hand my brother over to you?

besides……"

He glanced at the police officers in the room: "You are trespassing and searching my house. Excuse me, do you have a search warrant? Or any other necessary documentation? Do you have it?"

If not, get out of my house right now!"

The quarrel attracted onlookers from residents upstairs, downstairs and on the same floor. Neither the sanctimonious Fang Zhiheng nor the police officer who served the people could stand being watched like this.

The police quickly retreated. Fang Zhiheng paused in the room for a moment, staring at Shao Linyin with interest. After the police and the neighbor disappeared, a sinister smile crept into his lips.

Shao Linyin finally saw the appearance of the "madman" that Xiao Lai mentioned that frightened him.

"After reuniting with Zheyuan yesterday, I checked you out. You're just an ordinary mortal, an ant dealing with dirt. What right do you have to fight with me? You even want to tarnish the bloodline of our genius. Are you worthy?"

Shao Liyin looked directly into the "madman's" eyes that were vaguely revealing madness: "You are wrong. Xiaolai is a genius, and you are just a madman."

The madman ignored him, as if saying even one more word to such a lowly mortal like him would be a desecration of his own identity.

He just turned his head to look at Tong Xiaolai, and Shao Linyin held him in his arms, blocking the obscene gaze.

The other party was not annoyed, and said with the most gentle smile: "Zheyuan..."

As soon as this name came out, Shao Linyin felt the person in his arms and his whole body stiffened.

"Get out!" Shao Liyin glared at him with red eyes.

The madman took a step forward, looked at the stiff Tong Xiaolai and said: "Zheyuan, the knife you stabbed me with still hurts from time to time even on rainy days, but Daddy doesn't blame you, this is the mark you left on Daddy.

Just wait for Dad for a few more days, Dad will come to pick you up soon."

"Get out!" Shao Liyin was so angry that his whole body was shaking. He held Tong Xiaolai in one hand and picked up a book beside him and threw it at him with the other hand.

Fang Zhiheng finally left. Shao Linyin felt a pang of pain in his heart. Looking at such a smile, he didn't know what to do.

For the first time, he felt his own insignificance, the insignificance of Shao Linyin.