Seeking Dreams
On the afternoon of Lunar New Year's Eve, Tao Guohua, his family of three, and Tao Chu boarded the "Dream Seeker on the River" cruise ship.
This is a brand-new white riverboat with seven decks including the top deck. The hull is decorated with colorful ribbons and slogans to celebrate its maiden voyage, and it is quietly moored on the banks of the Yangtze River.
Unfortunately, the weather wasn't cooperating. The gloomy weather made it impossible to take pictures as beautiful as those taken under a blue sky with white clouds. A group of reporters carrying long lenses kept looking for the best angles on the dock.
After check-in, the cruise ship began to move slowly.
Tao Chu booked his boat ticket late and stayed in a private cabin on the 5th floor, while Tao Guohua and his family of three stayed on the 4th floor.
She took out her evening gown and changed into it, specifically choosing a long-sleeved style that didn't expose her shoulders or back. Cen Le also helped her choose a suitable makeup look, and she took out her phone, opened a video, and applied makeup to her face as a reference.
Before she had even finished her makeup, Tao Guohua knocked on the door, squeezed in, and waited attentively to the side, saying that Xu Jing and her daughter couldn't wait and that he had already let them go ahead.
Tao Chu guessed that he had something to say, and sure enough, as soon as he stepped out of the cabin, Tao Guohua said with a troubled look, "I just heard that Wen Tao and his son seem to be on the ship as well. I guess we'll run into them at the banquet later tonight."
Upon hearing this, Tao Chu immediately stopped in his tracks.
Tao Guohua advised her: "Speaking of which, the two families have a long history of friendship. There were indeed some conflicts before... but so many years have passed, there's no need to make things too awkward. We still need to maintain appearances and listen to her."
Tao Chu looked up at him, her gaze firm: "No, I won't be going to the banquet."
Tao Guohua was secretly pleased to see her reaction.
If it were just about old grudges, given Tao Chu's recent obedient and compliant behavior, he would definitely agree to swallow his anger.
Her current firm stance clearly indicates that she suspects Wen Tao is involved in her mother's death.
Having probed his daughter's true feelings, Tao Guohua finally felt confident. He sighed and said, "Actually, I suspect that your mother's car accident was not an accident."
Tao Chu's round eyes stared at him without blinking, but she pursed her lips and didn't say a word.
Seeing that she was still wary, Tao Guohua cleared his throat and decided to try appealing to her emotions first.
"I had no choice but to testify back then—it was your mother's 40th birthday that day. In order to make her happy, I specially went back to your grandmother's house to get a camera, thinking that I could have a gathering with her friends at noon and then we family members could record it in the evening."
Tao Chu's heart skipped a beat—a camera?
Back then, smartphones weren't widespread, so people used cameras to take clearer photos.
Since it was for the purpose of recording and keeping as a memento, a lot of photos and even videos should have been taken at the time—if Wen Tao or Tao Guohua appeared in them, it would prove that they committed perjury at the time!
Tao Chu immediately pressed, "Do you still have the photos taken back then?"
Tao Guohua thought to himself that his daughter was quick-witted, but he was also involved in the perjury. If he used the photos to implicate Wen Tao, he would also be in deep trouble.
So he said, "The photos... I don't remember if they were developed or not, and Aunt Xu also threw away a lot of things when she moved in. Many of the old film rolls and photos are gone."
"That means there are photos," Tao Chu thought.
But it wasn't time to reveal the truth and force him to produce the photos yet, so Tao Chu just nodded silently.
"Your mother's death is most likely related to Wen Tao and Zhou Bingcheng. These past few days, looking at you, I've been thinking, if I had stood up for myself back then and hadn't fallen for Wen Tao's threats, maybe your mother would have... Alas, it's too late to say anything now."
Seeing his bitter and resentful expression, Tao Chu also frowned and asked, "Then what should we do now?"
Tao Guohua grasped his daughter's hand and said earnestly, "If you want to avenge your mother, we, father and daughter, must be of one mind!"
Upon hearing this, Tao Chu's eyes welled up with tears.
She sobbed, "Actually... I've been wanting revenge all this time, but I didn't know how. If I had known you felt the same way, I would have told you what I really wanted to say."
"Fine, then you have to listen to your father!" Tao Guohua looked like he had finally made up his mind. "Your mother must have found a crucial clue before she was silenced. Do you know what she found out?"
“Every time my mother visits me at C University, she transfers to Maoyu Island for a few days. I overheard her mentioning ‘casinos’ on the phone.”
"Maoyu" and "Casino"!
Tao Guohua immediately thought of the "Sea Chaser" cruise ship owned by Jianglin Yuanmao Group, which was known as a "sea money pit" and had not only a casino, but also more "good things" for top VIPs.
I've heard that only important figures can be invited to become top VIPs, and even wealthy businessmen would try their best to squeeze in—money is worthless in the face of power.
And the headquarters of Xiaoyun Capital, which invested in this cruise ship, is located in Maoyu!
Tao Guohua was overjoyed and, pressing Tao Chu's shoulder, asked, "Do you know anything else?"
Tao Chu frowned and thought for a long time, finally shaking her head: "My mother never brings up work with me."
Tao Guohua was slightly disappointed, but these clues were already very valuable. So he instructed Tao Chu, "Don't mention these things to anyone else. Dad will contact a high-ranking leader right now—with his support, there's hope for avenging your mother!"
Tao Chu nodded repeatedly.
She watched as Tao Guohua walked to the railing on the deck to make a phone call, his back slightly bent, his neck hunched, and his face full of a fawning smile—it would be a waste not to show this obsequious demeanor to his superiors via video call.
In the phone call, Tao Guohua deliberately emphasized how he deduced the true purpose of Zhou Bingcheng's faction based on his ex-wife's car accident, and described how difficult it was to protect his daughter and find out the clue about the "casino".
Sui Liyong was naturally very interested in the dirt on his old rival Zhou Bingcheng, but firstly, the clues were still unclear, and secondly, Tao Guohua's daughter might still be in danger. He instructed Tao Guohua to dig deeper while ensuring his daughter's safety.
After hanging up the phone, Tao Guohua was overjoyed and strode back to his daughter's side.
"I remember you used to be on good terms with Wen Tao's son, Wen Yunsheng. If you see him later, try to get as much information out of him as possible—you need to uncover the inside story to avenge your mother!"
"I...I haven't been in contact with him for a long time."
Seeing his daughter's embarrassment and timidity, Tao Guohua encouraged her, "The bond between childhood sweethearts is still there—you're dressed so beautifully today, if you run into him, I guarantee that boy will be head over heels for you!"
Seeing his daughter hanging her head and remaining silent, Tao Guohua grew anxious.
He had already made a bold promise to Sui Liyong. If he returned to Jianglin in a few days with no progress, how would he explain it?
So he asserted his authority as a father, his face hardening as he lectured, "You're twenty-five or twenty-six years old now, not a teenager who can act spoiled and willful as he pleases. Adults have many things beyond their control—you should think more about your mother."
Tao Chu raised her eyes and looked at Tao Guohua, whose face was full of solemnity and earnestness, and felt a chill in her heart.
Her decision to walk a path strewn with thorns and sharp blades for her mother's sake is entirely different from Tao Guohua's deliberate coaxing and deception, leading her into a predicament surrounded by wolves and tigers.
He downplayed the dangers she might face, using her mother's blood feud as a moral blackmail to cut off her escape route.
He thought he was playing the role of a loving father protecting his daughter and a guiding light for those who were lost, but in reality, he was just using her as a sacrifice to power.
Fortunately—fortunately, she wasn't a daughter who was completely dependent on her father.
Tao Chu nodded slowly, earning Tao Guohua a relieved smile.
She took Tao Guohua's arm and stepped into the bustling banquet hall.
The dazzling lights illuminated Tao Chu's tall and slender figure.
She wore a silver sequined diamond-patterned dress, the white feather-trimmed hem swaying gently with each step in her matching pointed-toe heels.
Her smooth, shiny hair cascaded behind her ears, revealing long teardrop diamond earrings that accentuated her slender neck.
As she looked around, her earrings swayed, her eyes sparkling like stars, attracting many people to stop and admire her.
Tao Chu felt like a fledgling deer that had wandered aimlessly into a dark forest, and in this magnificent and glamorous place, she was the only one in the open.
She had no way of knowing who, when, or where a bullet would be fired.
All she could do was grab onto the next vine as quickly as possible and climb toward the top of the cliff—but she had to test whether the vine was reliable.
Tao Guohua led her to exchange pleasantries with the crowd, and several men came up to chat with her. However, Tao Chu did not see Wen Yunsheng until the banquet started, nor did she see Cen Le or the other celebrities and internet celebrities.
She took out her phone to ask Cen Le, and just then she received several messages from her.
"Are all the people in the banquet hall uncles and aunties?"
"The rich kids are all having private parties on the rooftop."
The next image is a photograph showing the interplay of light and shadow, a dancing crowd, and Cen Le holding a champagne glass.
At this moment, a young man in a suit stepped onto the main stage of the banquet hall: "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the maiden voyage of the 'Dream Chaser on the River'. I am Li Yue, the deputy general manager of Jianglin Yuanmao Group, and also the organizer of this event..."
Tao Chu put away her phone, took out a mint from her handbag and put it in her mouth, silently observing Li Yue on the stage, who had slicked-back hair and thick eyebrows and narrow eyes.
"There is also a special surprise in this maiden voyage event: a lucky draw based on everyone's ticket number."
One grand prize winner will receive two tickets to a six-day, five-night luxury balcony cabin on the "Sea Chaser" cruise ship.
Two first-prize winners will receive a free cruise ticket on the "Dream Chaser on the River".
Three second-prize winners will each receive a 5,000 yuan shopping arcade voucher.
Five third-prize winners will each receive a travel photography package worth 3,000 yuan.
The winners will be announced before the return voyage. Please keep your tickets safe and enjoy your trip!
Amid cheers, Li Yue bowed in thanks. As he stood up, he seemed to be looking in Tao Chu's direction. Tao Chu quickly lowered his head, clapping along with the others.
Tao Chu was worried that Li Yue had already set his sights on him—within Jianglin City, hiding at Tao Guohua's house could ensure his safety for the time being. But once he was on Li's side, relying solely on Tao Guohua would definitely not be enough to protect him; he needed to meet with Wen Yunsheng as soon as possible.
She took out her phone again and replied to Cen Le: "I want to go to the top floor."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
