Chapter 43 [Some Revelation + Plot] A soft cheek gently rubbed against it…

It was already quite late at night, and if you had to get up early the next day, this was a time when you shouldn't waste time sleeping.

Ying Shixue noticed a long time ago that Song Mingli's pupils were very dark, possibly due to genes inherited from his mother, and even in the dark, they emitted a kind of eerie, cold light.

"Can't you sleep?" he asked.

Ying Shixue shook her head, shrank further into the blanket, pulled it up to cover the lower half of her face, leaving only her two eyes blinking.

Song Mingli seemed amused; at least Ying Shixue heard him chuckle softly a few times.

Her ears felt a little hot, and Ying Shixue turned over, her voice muffled from under the covers: "I want to sleep!"

Sleepiness didn't overwhelm him. He quietly waited for the breathing behind him to gradually slow down and become longer. He had noticed it from the first time they met: although the other person had tidied up, he could see that there were some dark circles under his eyes.

Actually, he must be very tired too... Ying Shixue stared blankly into the distance, lost in thought.

He recalled a story he had read long ago: a couple was accidentally trapped in an ice cave on a snowy mountain. As their lives hung in the balance, neither of them was willing to drink the other's blood. In fact, it was because there were things more frightening than not being able to survive.

Human nature is indeed selfish. Ying Shixue moved gently, slowly and almost silently turning her body over to look at Song Mingli again.

His eyes had adjusted to the dim light, and through the blur, he could see the other person's deep, upright silhouette.

What will happen if it doesn't succeed in the end?

Even such a baseless guess sent a chill down his spine.

Ying Shixue hugged the quilt tightly. The Xi family's history is not very long. The fact that they were able to rise to the top position in Liancheng in just a few decades is not only because of the good management of several generations of managers, but also to a large extent because they have some kind of intricate relationship with the political circles of Liancheng.

Ying Shixue's eyelashes trembled, but he tried his best to remain calm. His childhood memories were already blurred, but even the scattered fragments could send chills down one's spine when recalled.

If Xi Zongbo was indeed the mastermind behind it all, the original site of the laboratory would have long been erased from all traces, and countless tears and blood would have been buried deep under the yellow earth.

With just him facing such a behemoth, no matter how hard he tried, how carefully he planned and deliberated, and how he repeatedly pondered and considered the plan late into the night, every step of the entire plan was extremely dangerous and risky, no different from walking a tightrope in the sky. If he was not careful, he would fall into an abyss.

Ying Shixue stared intently at Song Mingli's handsome face in the dim light, tracing the contours of his features with her gaze.

If he were told, Song Mingli would definitely help him do it.

The Xi and Song families have been enemies for a long time and are each other's biggest rivals, each eyeing the other with a covetous look, wanting to take a piece of flesh from the other.

His methods were already pushing the boundaries of the law to the extreme. If he went any further, things would become unclear in court.

Even a wild goose leaves a trace as it flies by, let alone a large conglomerate like SK, which is watched by countless eyes. The slightest disturbance can cause a media frenzy and distort the truth. If you don't want people to know, then don't do it in the first place.

The best way is to keep it a secret, absolutely, absolutely no one can know.

He knew he couldn't bring himself to betray the Song family for their medical treatment and upbringing, given their kindness.

If he ultimately fails, he can simply leave with his eyes wide open, his eyelashes long and slender, each one countable.

Ultimately, he had only known this person for six years. Life is so long, and he had already been in the abyss all along. Why should he drag down another person who should have had a bright future because of his own hatred?

Moreover, Ying Shixue twitched her fingers, mentally calculating the date.

Time is running out for him.

Under current law, the statute of limitations for prosecution is ten years. If evidence cannot be presented within ten years, it becomes even more difficult after the statute of limitations expires, and if any evidence is alerted...

Ying Shixue closed her eyes and wrapped herself up tightly in the blanket.

Summer days are hot, but the temperature drops drastically at night, and the cold air conditioning makes people feel chilly in waves.

Ying Shixue hesitated for a moment, then moved slowly, removing Song Mingli's arm. Like a small, young animal, she rested her head on his shoulder and gently rubbed her soft cheek against him.

Skin to skin, the other person's warmth and vitality seemed to penetrate and resist everything.

One night was enough. Ying Shixue curled up into a small ball, so that I could sleep peacefully in his arms before I embarked on that path.

One night will suffice.

-

"Have you heard? That little prince of SK is really gaining momentum lately."

"I know, I know. It's just that two months ago he got a large batch of the latest chips from their headquarters, held a press conference and made it into the news. It's a big project."

"That's strange. SK and Sheng'an have always been at odds, so what's going on..."

"Hey," the surrounding crowd booed and winked, "Since ancient times, imperial families have been vying for power. If they can't beat the legitimate crown prince, of course they'll seek outside help!"

"President Ying," Fang Zhi, standing just a screen away from the breakfast shop, was furious, his fingers trembling with anger, yet he dared not look at Ying Shixue's face: "Should I go and teach them a lesson about what they should and shouldn't say?"

The person being gossiped about remained calm, his expression unchanged throughout. He calmly finished the last sip of soy milk in his bowl, then put it down and wiped his lips with a tissue.

"Check, that's all. Let's go."

"Hey," Fang Zhi quickly paid the boss and rushed to the driver's seat to head towards their destination.

Despite the constant rumors circulating, after following him for the past six months, while Mr. Ying had indeed done those things, he still felt that Mr. Ying wasn't that kind of person...

This inexplicable feeling of being at odds with everyone, and the desire to stand up for Ying, has led Fang Zhi to genuinely grow more ambitious in the past six months, becoming more and more presentable... no, more and more capable and exuding the aura of a workplace elite.

He straightened the steering wheel. These past few days they had been out conducting on-site inspections and working on projects. They didn't have time to go back last night, so they found a hotel to stay in temporarily. They got up early this morning, ate breakfast, and went to start a new battle.

After a busy and stressful day, as evening approached and it was almost time to leave work, Ying Shixue came out of the office. With just a glance, Fang Zhi quickly followed her.

He was in charge of driving, and even though he'd met many important figures, he was still a little intimidated today. After all, this was someone who had actually steered Sheng'an for decades, standing firm through thick and thin...

People were already waiting in the courtyard. As the car stopped, the servants of the Xi family mansion came forward and respectfully opened the car door for him.

Her red-soled leather shoes touched the ground. Ying Xue combed her hair back to reveal her delicate and sharp eyebrows and eyes. She took the gift from Fang Zhi and carried it herself all the way there.

After several maneuvers, he finally managed to find a clever excuse to visit Xi Zongbo at the old house.

Before formally stepping into the reception room, Ying Shixue took a deep breath, and when she opened her eyes again, her face had changed to a perfectly appropriate expression of humility, enthusiasm, and excitement.

"Grandpa," he stepped in, his voice clear and melodious. Xi Zongbo was teasing the birds; at his age, it was perfectly normal to have a hobby of playing with flowers and birds.

When Xi Zongbo saw him come in, he put down the small stick he was holding. The servant behind him hurriedly took the birdcage. He was still wearing a black Tang suit, and his hair and beard were all white. He looked like a grandfather who loved his grandchildren: "Xiao Ying, you've come."

Ying Shixue put down the gift: "I heard that you have been studying calligraphy recently, so I brought you a small gift." He opened the gift box, and inside were the Four Treasures of the Study, of excellent quality.

Xi Zongbo laughed heartily: "It's good that the person came, why bring all this stuff?"

"Yao Hong?" A younger member of the collateral branch of the family quickly stepped forward from one side of the reception room: "Grandpa."

"Dinner's almost ready. Why don't you take Xiao Ying out for a walk? By the way, isn't Bo Jian coming back soon?"

"Yes, yes," he replied quickly. "Brother Bo Jian just called. There's a bit of traffic on the road, so we'll have to wait a while."

Xi Zongbo gave a noncommittal snort and waved his hand.

Yao Hong quickly led him downstairs.

Only after leaving the living room did the lingering pressure dissipate slightly. Yao Hong calmed down and turned his head to look, only to find that Ying Shixue's face was unusually indifferent.

He found it odd that such a controversial outsider was invited to the family dinner, but the man was undeniably handsome. And how could he be so calm? Even he, who shared a real blood relation with the old man, was always terrified of Xi Zongbo...

Unbeknownst to him, from the moment they left, Ying Shixue had been secretly observing the layout and location of the rooms, calculating the best opportunity to explore Xi Zongbo's study...

Not many people attended this small banquet; it seemed to be just a simple meal to strengthen cooperation. Ying Shixue showed no sign of this, and to show her sincerity, she drank several cups of mixed wine.

He got up somewhat apologetically, saying he needed to use the restroom.

Ying Shixue's face flushed from drinking, and when he stood up, he couldn't hide the redness on his face. The person in the main seat waved for him to leave, but the moment he turned his back to the person in the main seat, the drunkenness on his face disappeared and his eyes became clear.

The restroom on the first floor was at the far corner, decorated simply and cleanly. He had observed it when he arrived, and Xi Bojian had also drawn a map for him.

He had gone through all the account books he could get his hands on over the past ten years, but many of them didn't add up. Sheng'an had always operated steadily and soundly, and everything seemed peaceful on the surface, but every year when the accounts were closed, the profits on the books would suddenly increase.

With time running out, he didn't have time to explore the specific secrets. He searched all the places and traces he could find, and finally concluded that the place with the lowest probability at the beginning was now the place with the highest probability—Xi Zongbo's study.

He put on rubber gloves in the restroom to avoid being seen by outsiders, and went up to the third floor via a hidden staircase around the corner.

Perhaps because guests had arrived, there was no one guarding the corridor. He carefully reviewed the entire operation to make sure there were no oversights. The surveillance cameras inside the mansion had also been replaced beforehand.

Before entering the study, Ying Shixue instinctively stopped, keenly noticing the position of the lock cylinder and door handle. Half a second later, she took a light breath and pushed open the study door.

His time was limited, and even going to the restroom could not exceed fifteen minutes. He had already spent some time coming up, not to mention that someone could be discovered and barged in at any time.

You should hold your breath and concentrate, quickly flipping over each item one by one, moving swiftly and silently, noting the location of each item before flipping, and immediately restoring the original state after flipping.

The ledgers were eventually found in the bottom drawer, and Ying Shixue took pictures of them one by one and put them back in their original places.

Every corner of this place holds secrets, and there may be hidden mechanisms lurking in the shadows that he is completely unaware of. He searched the entire outer room but found nothing. Ying Shixue stood in the center of the room.

The more critical the moment, the calmer his mind became, his sharp gaze searching every inch of the room.

Where else?

There are other places I've overlooked.

As the sunlight gradually shifted, Ying Shixue squinted under the bright light. Just then, he suddenly noticed that the exquisite iron lamp post on the table was so smooth that it reflected light slightly.

That's actually a bit strange. Given Xi Zongbo's personality, he wouldn't allow people to come to his study to clean all the time, and most people wouldn't touch the back of the lamppost when they turn on the desk lamp.

As if sensing something in the darkness, Ying Shixue stepped forward and gently twisted the handle.

A slight turning sound was heard, and at the same time, a small box popped out of the wall.

Ying Shixue's heart skipped a beat; she had found it!

He quickly stepped forward; inside the small box, a thin plastic film contained tiny, pale pink round pills.

Ying Shixue's breathing trembled. He bit his tongue to keep himself from making a sound, inserted the prepared replacement, rotated the lamp post, and checked one last time to make sure the position was correct before leaving.

Just then, footsteps suddenly came from the corridor.