Chapter 67 Whispers in the Shadows
The charity dinner ended amidst hypocritical prosperity and undercurrents.
On the way back, the atmosphere was even more depressing than on the way there. Su Yan tilted his head to look out the window at the rapidly receding lights, his fingertips unconsciously touching the cold brooch on his collar. It felt like an invisible yoke, weighing heavily on his chest, reminding him of how he had been publicly marked tonight, how he had become completely part of Huo Shen's display of power.
Huo Shen closed his eyes and seemed quite satisfied with the outcome of the dinner. He rested his hands on his knees, tapping his knuckles lightly, revealing a sense of relaxation after having gained control of the situation.
The car drove into the apartment's underground garage. Just as Su Yan was about to push the door open and get out, Huo Shen suddenly spoke, his voice clear in the closed car:
"Assistant Zhou seems a little too quiet lately."
Su Yan paused as he pushed the door open, his heart skipping a beat. He turned and looked at Huo Shen. Huo Shen still had his eyes closed, his face expressionless, as if he had just said it casually.
But Su Yan knew that Huo Shen would never say meaningless words.
Was he reminding himself? Or testing himself? Or had he noticed something unusual about Assistant Zhou's behavior?
Su Yan lowered his eyelashes and replied softly, "...I don't know much about Assistant Zhou."
This is the safest answer that best fits his current personality.
Huo Shen opened his eyes, and his deep gaze fell on his face, with a sharp insight that seemed to see through everything, but it quickly faded away. He pushed open the car door and didn't continue the topic.
However, Huo Shen's seemingly casual words cast a huge stone in Su Yan's heart.
Assistant Zhou…the man who always lurked in the shadows, as calm and dangerous as a venomous snake. After the USB flash drive incident, he had indeed become much quieter, but that silence seemed more like he was gathering strength, waiting for a fatal blow.
Su Yan's previously numb heart was once again stirred by this potential crisis. He couldn't let Assistant Zhou find any evidence against him. Otherwise, not only would he be doomed, but his brother's slim chance of survival might also be completely cut off.
The next day, Su Yan behaved more obediently than before. He even took the initiative to ask Huo Shen if he needed anything, and his attitude was impeccable.
Huo Shen didn't comment on his "progress" and just asked him to stay in the living room.
In the afternoon, Assistant Zhou came to report on his work. Still wearing a neat suit and with a meticulous expression, he reported to Huo Shen in detail the follow-up progress of the "Prometheus" project and the latest trends of several competitors.
Su Yan sat on a sofa not far away, pretending to read, but his ears were perked up. He noticed that when Assistant Zhou mentioned the name of a foreign investor, there was an extremely subtle pause in his speech. Although he quickly returned to normal, Su Yan still caught the abnormality at that moment.
After the report, Assistant Zhou prepared to leave as usual. As he passed by Su Yan, his steps slowed down almost imperceptibly for half a second, and his eyes seemed to casually glance at the book on Su Yan's lap before he walked away as if nothing had happened.
The moment he turned around, a piece of paper folded into a small square slipped out of the pocket of his suit jacket and fell silently on the carpet.
Assistant Zhou seemed unaware and walked straight to the door.
Su Yan's heart instantly jumped into his throat! His eyes were fixed on the note that had fallen not far from his feet. Was it an accident? Or... a test?
To pick it up or not to pick it up?
If he picked it up, it might be a trap, and Assistant Zhou was waiting for him to fall into it.
If I don't pick it up, what if there really is some crucial information inside...
The huge risks and possible opportunities fought fiercely in his mind.
Just as he was hesitating, Assistant Zhou, who had already walked to the door, seemed to suddenly remember something. He stopped, turned around, and cast his eyes accurately at the fallen note, with a perfect look of "surprise" on his face.
"Sorry, I dropped something." Assistant Zhou said, walked back quickly, bent down to pick up the note, put it back into his pocket naturally, and gave Su Yan an almost polite but cold smile.
The whole process was smooth and there was no flaw to be seen.
But Su Yan felt a chill rising from the soles of his feet. He was almost certain that Assistant Zhou had done that on purpose! He was testing him! Testing whether he would be curious and take action!
If he had really reached out to pick up the note just now, what would be waiting for him?
After Assistant Zhou picked up the note, he left the apartment without stopping.
Su Yan froze on the sofa, a layer of cold sweat on his back. He once again clearly realized the dangerous situation he was in. Huo Shen was the one in control of the situation, while Assistant Zhou was the venomous snake lurking in the shadows, ready to strike a fatal blow at any moment.
He had to be even more careful. At the same time, a thought was growing wildly in his mind—how could Assistant Zhou, someone so cautious, "accidentally" drop a note? Was the content of that note truly crucial? Should he...find a way to find out what was written there?
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