Chapter 34
He Zheng died tragically abroad that year. In order to find out the truth, He's father sent someone to find Xie Yinong.
Unexpectedly, the other party was so ungrateful that he even hired someone to impersonate Xie Ning to cheat the He family of their money.
However, that person did find out the truth about He Zheng's death, and started preparing for the trap from that day, so the story Yi Yi made up was a mixture of truth and falsehood.
Xie Yinong was a war correspondent who was hunted down by both sides because he filmed a private meeting between high-ranking government officials and the rebels.
He Zheng died innocently in this dispute.
After reading about this in the newspaper, Xie Yinong fell seriously ill, but her responsibility as a mother made her grit her teeth and get through it, and she did not die as Yi Yi said.
When Xie Yinong was working as a reporter, she met a reporter from Country M. With his help, she secretly went to Country M with her daughter.
This is also the reason why the people sent by the old man have not been able to find the whereabouts of the mother and daughter.
After years of hard work by Xie Yicong, the photo was finally published and caused an uproar in the public opinion.
After revealing the truth and avenging He Zheng, Xie Yinong did not feel relieved, and guilt hung over her all the time.
In recent years, whenever He Zheng’s death anniversary or the twins’ birthday came, Xie Yinong would buy a flight ticket back home.
Once, she even took Xie Ning on a plane, but the moment they stepped on the plane, she began to experience strong rejection reactions such as dizziness, tinnitus, and tremors.
That feeling disappeared only when I walked off the plane with Xie Ning in my arms.
Xie Yinong did not dare to return to China, for fear of hearing her father-in-law questioning her why she was alive and well while his son died. She was also afraid of seeing He Yanting's hateful and resentful eyes.
When Xie Ning grew up, Xie Yinong told her everything.
If Xie Ning wanted to return to China to recognize her relatives, or even if she didn't want to come back, Xie Yinong would not stop her.
In fact, even if Xie Yinong didn't confess, Xie Ning had already sensed something from the clues. She chose to stay with her mother because she knew that if she left, Xie Yinong would do something stupid.
Although she stayed in Country M, Xie Ning always paid attention to the He family.
Xie Yinong died of liver cancer half a year ago, and Xie Ning has kept her ashes at home.
It was not until He Yanting got into trouble that Xie Ning made up her mind to bring her parents back with her ashes. She wanted to bury her parents together and end the grudges of the previous generation.
Hearing Xie Ning's request, He Ranjie looked embarrassed.
The old man can accept his granddaughter, but the possibility of him agreeing to bury Xie Yinong and He Zheng together is... not great.
In the old man's eyes, He Zheng's death was closely related to Xie Yinong, and he hated her for many years.
Before He Ranjie could speak, Zhou Zitan retorted, "How can that be possible? How can my uncle be buried with her?"
He almost said that it was Xie Yinong who killed He Zheng.
Xie Ning was not angry, "It still depends on the person's intention."
Shen Tingzhou was the only outsider present. He had been keeping silent, but when he heard this, he couldn't help but raise his head.
What do you mean?
What myself?
"What do you mean?"
Xiao Zhou also asked in confusion.
Xie Ning smiled softly, "Of course it was my dad's idea."
Shen Tingzhou, Zhou Zitan, and He Ranjie all looked at her, each with a shocked expression.
Xie Ning explained, "What I mean is that my father was willing to come to us overseas, which shows that he has let go of the past and forgiven my mother's mistakes."
Zhou Zitan said, "My uncle might have had a quarrel in the past. Anyway, if someone lied to me like that, I would definitely not forgive her, let alone say that she killed me in the end."
Shen Tingzhou: Xiao Zhou, congratulations to the only fan leader!
Xie Ning groaned, "It's possible. Since you all disagree..."
Shen Tingzhou thought she was going to give up, but then he heard Xie Ning say, "Then I'll find some time tonight to pry open my father's grave."
Shen Tingzhou: ...
Zhou Zitan: ...
He Ranjie: ...
Seeing the three confused faces, Xie Ning smiled sweetly, "I'm just kidding, why would I do this?"
Shen Tingzhou didn't think she was joking, it seemed quite serious.
He Ranjie twitched her lips, trying hard to show her usual gentleness. She said to Xie Ning, "Don't worry, I'll go and persuade your grandfather, maybe he will agree."
If you don't agree, just wait for your son's grave to be broken into.
Xie Ning smiled, "Thank you, Auntie. Mom always says you are a good person. You really are a good person."
He Ranjie gave a false smile.
Zhou Zitan took advantage of Xie Ning's absence and quickly leaned close to He Ranjie's ear and whispered, "Mom, should I go to look after my uncle's grave tonight?"
Shen Tingzhou, who could hear Zhou Zi's voice from more than two meters away, said: ...Xiao Zhou, you could have spoken louder.
Xie Ning, who was closer, naturally heard everything clearly. She comforted Zhou Zitan, "No need to go and watch. I'm not going now."
Zhou Zitan said "oh" and put his head back.
Looking at the sweet smile on Xie Ning's baby face, Shen Tingzhou finally agreed with Xu Xun's words -
How can someone who smiles all day be a good person?
You squinty freaks!
-
After the real and fake daughter was exchanged, Mr. He dealt with the instigator of this incident with thundering means.
Although Yi Yi is a fake daughter, the old man still admires her spirit of sacrifice for her family. Because he is also a person with a strong sense of family honor, he did not retaliate against Yi Yi.
If Mr. He admired Yi Yi, he was very satisfied with Xie Ning.
Xie Ning looks too much like a member of the He family, so he intends to train her to take over the company. As long as she agrees to join the company, Xie Yinong can compete with He for a burial together.
For the sake of the living, he can choose not to pursue the dead.
Xie Ning came back this time just to meet her relatives, but she didn't expect that the other party would give her such a heavy burden.
Xie Ning did not immediately agree to her husband's request.
The old man did not rush and gave Xie Ning enough time to consider. At the same time, he sent someone to watch over He Zheng's grave. It was obvious that he was also afraid that his son's grave would be dug up.
Zhou Zitan likes Xie Ning very much. Although they have different opinions on Xie Yinong, as long as they don't talk about this, he is just a puppy who listens to his sister.
Zhou Zitan thought, his sister is beautiful and kind-hearted, isn't she better than that fake one called 'Yinyin'?
If Shen Tingzhou can fall in love with Yiyi, how could he not like his sister?
So he began to actively match Shen Tingzhou and Xie Ning, and invited them to dine at a very popular internet celebrity couple restaurant.
The restaurant is decorated in a pink and bubble-like style, and the customers who come here to dine are all young couples. There are also many friends like Shen Tingzhou who come here to join in the fun.
Xie Ning was not as simple as Shen Tingzhou and Yi Yi. She quickly realized Zhou Zitan's intention.
Xie Ning took a sip of cherry wine and said, "By the way, didn't I tell you that I'm a lesbian and I like girls?"
The exit from the closet was quite unexpected.
But Shen Tingzhou served four employers, three of which were the same, so he quickly digested the news.
Zhou Zitan looked at Xie Ning and was stunned for several seconds.
The table also fell silent because of this lively person.
In this silence, a man chuckled from behind the booth, "What lesbian? That's because you've never had a boyfriend and don't know the good of men."
Shen Tingzhou frowned.
Not only because of the man's cancerous speech, but also because he kicked a piece of iron plate that was big enough to break his leg.
Zhou Zitan, who was in a daze, passively triggered the mechanism to protect his family. He immediately turned into a vicious dog, stood up and rushed to the booth behind him, picking up the man who said those frivolous words.
Zhou Zitan's face was gloomy, "What the hell did you say!"
Shen Tingzhou's reaction ability had been trained by Qin Shiyao, and when Zhou Zitan was about to swing his fist at the man, he stopped him in time.
"Calm down, you're still on bail!"
Xie Ning poked her head out, "Yes, you are still on bail for attempted murder, you can't commit a crime."
The man who was picked up by Zhou Zitan's pupils trembled when he heard the words "attempted murder".
Xie Ning came over and said, "Let me do it. I'm not from here anyway."
The man's fear instantly faded when he saw a sweet girl with petite stature, delicate features and a harmless look approaching.
Until the other person rolled up his sleeves, revealing the string of skulls on his wrist, which were all human chewing teeth.
He played with the Kabara when he was pretending to be cool, but the ones he wore were all fake, and he didn't dare to wear the real ones at all.
Xie Ning said to Zhou Zitan, "Brother, let go."
Zhou Zitan immediately obeyed and let go, making way for Xie Ning.
Xie Ning walked up to the man and showed two pear-shaped swirls, "I will give you two choices now. Either you drink this bowl of Maoxuewang soup and I will pretend I didn't hear you, or I will knock out all your teeth and make a bracelet out of them."
Shen Tingzhou thought that the man would continue to use his taunting skills, and then be taught a lesson by Sister Xie's iron fist, and finally surrender.
I didn't expect him to slide down to his knees.
Amid the curious looks from the crowd, the man closed his eyes, picked up the bowl of Maoxuewang that was still bubbling with oil, and started drinking.
Shen Tingzhou: Oh, no, how come...
The restaurant waiter came over to ask about it, and Xie said innocently, "I was just joking, he asked for it himself."
The man paused when he heard this and looked over.
Xie Ning glanced at him, and he seemed to be struck by something. He immediately lowered his head and continued drinking. His face turned red and his mouth was covered with blisters. His female companion at the same table thought he was embarrassing and left early.
The waiter advised him a few times, but the man didn't listen and drank up the whole bowl of Maoxuewang soup. Then he hurriedly paid the bill and left.
Because of this little episode, Shen Tingzhou obviously felt that the voices of people around him became much quieter.
Xie Ning seemed unaware of this and focused on eating.
Shen Tingzhou: It turns out that strong people always try to change others to make themselves comfortable.
-
On the third day after that meal, Zhou Zitan called Shen Tingzhou to say goodbye.
Zhou Zitan said energetically, "I'm going to the temple to pray for my brother."
But that's not why you're calling at 5 a.m.!
Shen Tingzhou asked carefully and found out that Zhou Zitan was not going to go to just one temple, but was planning to visit all the temples in the country.
Shen Tingzhou finally came to his senses. "Why do you suddenly believe in metaphysics? Didn't you say you didn't believe in it?"
Zhou Zitan: "My sister told me that. She said it works."
...He knew that this couldn't be something Zhou Zitan came up with on his own.
沈亭州忍不住問：“你這兩天是不是得罪你姐了？”
周子探一頭霧水，“我沒有啊。”
沈亭州：“……你再想想。”
周子探：“我真沒有，我這兩天一直忙着找認識的拉拉，還建了一個兩百人的群，讓我姐進去挑，哪兒有時間去得罪她？”
沈亭州的沉默長達一個世紀。
難怪謝凝要趕周子探走，如果是他，他會送這個小周去火星。
兩百個拉拉，你擱這兒給你姐選後宮呢。
沈亭州能說什麽呢？他只能祝周子探成功。
周子探受到沈亭州的鼓勵倍感欣慰，“謝謝沈醫生，我會誠心拜佛的。”
沈亭州：“……加油。”
周子探：“嗯嗯。”
-
周五許殉約沈亭州給橘貓去做絕育。
吃過早飯，沈亭州開車去了許殉家，路過立交橋的時候看見橋下圍着不少人，心神微動。
一般這種情況是有人自殺跳河，人才會聚集到一起圍觀。
沈亭州想了想還是變換車道，下了橋去看看具體情況，如果真有人跳河，那需要專業的醫護人員救治。
下車走過去一問，果然是有人跳河。
現場不少熱心人跳河去救，因此沈亭州沒有下水，在河邊等着。
很快一個身強力壯的大哥拖着一個昏迷的長發女孩，岸邊的人幫忙把女孩擡了上來。
沈亭州快步上前，“我是醫生，先把人放到地上。”
幾個人扶着女孩放到一塊平坦的地方，這才發現女孩的身量非常高，難怪好幾個人一塊扶着還覺得沉。
“真瘦，真高。”
“是模特嗎？”
“還挺漂亮，就是有點像男人。”
他不是像男人，壓根就是男人。
沈亭州看他一頭烏黑的長發，下意識也以為是女孩，近距離一看，原來是一個男生女相的漂亮男人。
從衣着到氣質看着家世很好，不怎麽像是會輕生的樣子。
但沈亭州管不了那麽多，開始給他做心肺複蘇。
胸外摁壓了半分鐘，昏迷的人吐出一口河水，眼睛也無意識睜了一下。
沈亭州正要給他做人工呼吸，一個俊逸的青年撥開圍觀群衆，走到包圍圈。
看到地上的人，他大驚失色，“先生。”
沈亭州被他頗具戲劇性的顫嗓叫得耳根微麻。
只見他一個跪鏟，從一米開外的地方，絲滑無比地跪到地上男人的身旁，然後掰開男人的嘴，開始做人工呼吸。
沈亭州這才發現青年戴着白色手套，西裝革履，頭發一絲不茍，口袋還疊着一方手帕。
一股熟悉感油然而生。
這副打扮……
眼熟，眼熟，感覺太眼熟了。
青年應該是學過急救，做完人工呼吸，又在長發男人的胸口摁壓了兩下，兩個動作反複着來，很标準。
見他手法熟練，沈亭州放下心來，沒有繼續待下去。
沈亭州走後，意識半昏迷的男人擡了一下手，青年立刻握了上去。
男人想抽出去，又沒太多力氣，只好給他握着。
-
沈亭州重新回到車上，這次雖然耽誤了一些時間，但他今天出門本來就早。
到了許殉家，沈亭州下車就看到在前院侍弄花草的管家。
白手套、黑西裝、頭發一絲不茍，手帕。
破案了，那個青年跟管家一套行頭！
管家擡起頭，微笑着打招呼，“沈醫生來了？”
沈亭州走過去問，“要幫忙嗎？”
“不用。”說完，管家扭頭對屋內說，“少爺，出來接客。”
話都對，但沈亭州怎麽感覺這麽別扭？
沒一會兒許殉拎着貓籠走出來，剛靠近沈亭州，他面色微變，“你身上什麽味道？”
沈亭州第一個反應是——“我沒撸外面的貓。”
“不是貓。”許殉圍着沈亭州一直在嗅，仿佛一只緝毒犬。
沈亭州被他弄得渾身不自在，僵硬着身體，向後梗着脖子，“那……那是什麽味道？”
許殉說，“香水味。”
還說了一個很繞口的牌子或者是香水味道，總之學霸小沈沒聽懂他那句發音。
懂了的管家放下了噴壺，“沈醫生，你今天見什麽人了？”
沈亭州從出門到許家，就只有在橋下接觸到人。
因此沈亭州把有人跳河的事，告訴了許殉跟管家。
管家繼續澆水，“那應該不是了，那位就算自殺也不會選擇跳河，他應該會買一堆白玫瑰鋪在周圍，然後割開手腕，讓血把白玫瑰染紅，這樣死得才有儀式跟美感。”
沈亭州：……
好神經……不是，好充滿戲劇跟張力的死法。
許殉不屑撇嘴。
“不過——”沈亭州突然想到，“他身邊有一個青年跟管家您穿得一樣。”
這下撇嘴的不僅只有許殉，管家也同步了這個動作，就連步驟都是一樣的——
先是擡起下巴，露出矜傲之色，然後撇嘴以示不屑。
第一次見管家露出這樣表情的沈亭州：？
許殉冷漠說，“看來是回來了。”
管家冷漠說，“應該是水土不服，一回來就喝吐了。”
沈亭州：……您果然是會吐槽的。
沈亭州好奇心作祟，“這人你們認識？”
許殉避開這個話題，“該走了，預約的時間快到了。”
管家也說，“早去早回。”
看來都不願說，沈亭州只好把滿肚子的好奇心咽回去。
能讓他們二人諱莫如深的人，應該……
“不重要。”
沈亭州一驚，轉頭去看車座旁的許殉，對方好像知道他在想什麽，說，“他對你不重要，只是我的一個親戚。”
見許殉有交談的欲望，沈亭州順勢問了問，“不對付的親戚？我看管家也不是很喜歡。”
許殉解釋，“他只是跟桑岩的父親不對付。”
沈亭州困惑，“桑岩是水土不服，喝吐那個？”
許殉：“不是，是戴白手套的青年。”
沈亭州：“哦。”
原來是黑執事與黑執事之間的恩怨。
-
做了絕育的橘貓吐着舌頭，無聲流淚地躺在地板上。
沈亭州在一旁靜靜觀察它，看它沒有過激的行為也就沒有管它，給它時間消化這件事。
看着一邊戳貓毛，一邊注意橘貓動态的沈亭州，許殉突然問，“你為什麽這麽喜歡貓？”
沈亭州不假思索，“因為它們可愛。”
許殉：“還有呢？”
沈亭州：“因為它們毛茸茸，摸起來手感很好。”
許殉：“還有嗎？”
沈亭州：“因為它喵喵叫很好聽。”
許殉啧了一聲，沈亭州一下子收心，謹慎地問，“怎麽了？”
許殉癱着臉說，“聽起來都是因為外在才喜歡。”
沈亭州承認他膚淺，他就是喜歡外在的東西，也因為這些外在的東西，覺得只要它是貓，它幹什麽都可以。
畢竟他又不是找朋友跟伴侶，需要知道對方的三觀是否跟自己一致。
貓貓難道不是漂亮就可以為所欲為嗎？
沈亭州溫潤的眼睛映着許殉，“那你呢，你有喜歡的東西嗎？”
許殉點頭，“有，但不能說。”
沈亭州來了興趣，“為什麽？是很特殊小衆的愛好？”
許殉搖搖頭，把那些從貓身上梳下來的浮毛揉成小球，“管家說我告訴你了，你會吓跑。”
沈亭州靜了幾秒，露出幾分小心翼翼，“你是……喜歡往棺材裏躺？”
那次真把他吓了一跳。
許殉：……
-
周子探走後，沈亭州每天都會收到他的電話或者消息。
每求到一個平安符，周子探都會跟沈亭州炫耀。
他除了給賀延庭求了平安符，賀然婕、賀老爺子、謝凝、沈亭州都有。
短短一個星期的時間，周子探就拜了三十多間廟，簡直就是拜佛界的特種兵。
求佛搞玄學，總比他搞刑法上的事要好。
所以周子探無論發來什麽奇葩祈福的東西，沈亭州都予以支持。
今天晚飯的時候，周子探已經打來一通電話，沒想到臨睡前他又接到了對方的電話。
怕周子探旅行出了什麽事，沈亭州秒接。
這通電話好像是周子探不小心打過來的，沈亭州接通後，那邊一直沒人說話，還有沙沙的噪音。
最後手機被丢了出去，好像掉到了地上，但聲音總算清晰起來。
沈亭州聽到周子探說——
“那天晚上沒把你弄死算你走運，沒想到今天你還敢找過來，老子今晚不弄死你，我就跟你……”
那天晚上？
沈亭州立刻明白，周子探是找到那天拱他的那個人了。
依小周的性格，這是要鬧出人命的架勢，沈亭州頭皮發麻，緊接着又聽到他憤怒噴火的聲音。
“別扒我褲子，滾。”
周子探打架一直是很厲害的，但聽他這個氣急敗壞的口吻，好像是被對方壓着……
這到底什麽情況？
沈亭州一直喊他的名字，試圖跟他聯系上，但那邊似乎已經扭打了起來，沈亭州聽到周子探的咒罵跟衣料摩擦的聲音。
這兩個聲音之外，還有一個低沉模糊的男聲。
沈亭州覺得這個聲音很耳熟，似乎在哪裏聽見過。