Chapter 66. Liu Duanhe still couldn't stop it...
Liu Duanhe still couldn't stop them. Liu Rumeng's words became increasingly outrageous. He seemed to be speaking recklessly, constantly mentioning his mother, Liu Duanhe's grandmother.
His tone was full of resentment and anger, and he demanded that the group's shares be handed over to him, at least in equal proportions.
Liu Yi initially told him his reasons, such as Liu Rumeng's poor personal abilities, which would eventually ruin the group, and that the money he was left with would be enough for his future.
They ended up arguing, and even though they were all present, they couldn't stop it because Liu Rumeng took advantage of her grandfather's love and care for him and his father, and also took advantage of her grandfather's care for her grandmother.
Their argument escalated, and Liu Duanhe, seeing the situation was turning bad, chased them out. But it was too late to undo the damage, perhaps on the night Liu Rumeng was born, or perhaps on the day her grandmother passed away.
After Liu Rumeng was kicked out, her grandfather roared at her to get out, his voice filled with deep disappointment.
While Liu Rumeng was outside the door tidying herself up after being pushed out, trying to make herself look presentable, she still answered loudly, "You don't need to tell me!"
Liu Yireng's face immediately turned ugly. After a long while, he said wearily to Liu Duanhe, "I originally wanted to say goodbye to him properly."
His face was already very thin, so thin that he looked like a skeleton. All the flesh that his once wealthy life and proper exercise had given him had disappeared. Even though he tried his best to hide it, Liu Duanhe could still see the sadness and tears he was trying to conceal.
The doctor arrived quickly. Liu Duanhe knew that even if Liu Rumeng and the others didn't come today, they would come tomorrow. He calmly analyzed the situation and realized that he couldn't stop a father from seeing his child.
But he still couldn't sleep that night; he suffered from insomnia.
Grandpa showed no abnormalities that day, so Liu Duanhe went to class as usual the next day, despite his tired body and mind. It wasn't until the afternoon that the old housekeeper called to say that Grandpa's physical functions had suddenly begun to deteriorate.
After Liu Duanhe asked for leave online and had Feng Xingyun deliver the leave slip to the teacher, he rushed to the sanatorium. After several hours of emergency treatment, his grandfather, who had regained consciousness, finally stopped them.
He couldn't speak, but the tears in his eyes and his trembling hands told Liu Duan and his pain. Inside the transparent oxygen mask, Liu Yi still murmured and tried to move his lips.
Liu Duanhe had to lie right in front of him to hear what he was saying.
Liu Duanhe closed his eyes for a while before repeating, "Grandpa, do you want to leave?"
They all heard Liu Duanhe's words. Liu Yi still managed to move his head with difficulty and nodded, saying, "Don't try to save him."
He wanted to leave quietly and with dignity.
Everyone present heard what he said. In fact, given Liu Yireng's age, it was a happy death, but who could accept it peacefully when it happened to their own relative?
However, his body had reached its limit, especially after yesterday's big argument, which completely exhausted his remaining energy. Liu Rumeng and the others did not get the results they wanted, and both sides suffered losses.
Liu Duanhe and the old housekeeper brought over those who had been with Liu Yi for decades, and they quietly accompanied him through the last part of his life.
He watched as Liu Yi left this world with a gentle smile on his lips, never to breathe again.
Hot tears fell one by one. Liu Duanhe pursed her lips, not crying out, stubbornly holding back her sobs.
Feng Xingyun leaned against the wall and didn't go in. After completing the leave application for Liu Duanhe, he rushed over to accompany him while waiting for his grandfather's emergency treatment. But now he knew that Liu Duanhe needed some space to be alone.
The banknotes swiped through the money counting machine. Liu Duanhe lit a cigarette, something he hadn't done in a long time, but after only a few puffs, he stubbed it out. The man sitting on the other side asked, "Why aren't you smoking anymore?"
Liu Duanhe said calmly, "After making a decision, there's no point in thinking about it too much, and besides, I'm trying to quit smoking recently."
Even if men aren't interested in the gossip about wealthy families, they've still heard about the fact that the shrewd and capable heir of the Liu family is with another man, as well as the news of the death of Liu Duanhe's grandfather, the former head of the Liu family who has recently caused the biggest uproar.
Even though the other party also comes from a wealthy family and is on the rise, it has attracted much discussion. Whether the alliance between the rising star and the established family is genuine or not, there are all sorts of opinions.
The enormous fortune that Liu Duanhe inherited after the death of the old chairman has also attracted the covetous eyes of many. During the transition between the old and new generations, many ambitious people are eager to try and tear a piece of flesh from the behemoth that is the Liu family.
Even though Liu Duanhe is well-known, there are always people who don't take him seriously, overestimate their abilities, and try to test the depth of the new leader of the Liu family. These are things he has to go through.
Thinking of what Liu Duanhe had told him before and asked him to investigate, Liang Qi felt that there were indeed many troubles and conflicts in wealthy families.
He had done too many dirty work for these people when he was in Hong Kong, which forced him to give up his renowned detective work in Hong Kong and come to the mainland to make a living. However, if he wanted to make money, he still had to do these kinds of things.
After counting the banknotes, he smiled with satisfaction, revealing his shiny tiger teeth. "The money is all there. Don't worry, I'll definitely handle things perfectly for you."
He picked up his suitcase and was about to walk outside.
Liu Duanhe warned from behind, "Make sure it's handled cleanly. Once we're out this door, we're strangers."
The man raised an eyebrow and said, "Don't worry, I never leave any trace of what I do."
This box of cash was, of course, his reward. We live in a society governed by the rule of law, and he's not a killer; he's just a detective with a wide network of connections and a knack for persuasion.
Before leaving, he suddenly remembered something, stopped in his tracks, and said, "Please accept my condolences."
Liu Duanhe was somewhat surprised and nodded, "Yes."
In Liang Qi's opinion, Liu Duanhe has actually changed a bit. People used to say that Liu Duanhe, the eldest son of the Liu family, was a smiling tiger, but now that the smiling tiger is no longer smiling, he finds him even more terrifying.
At least before, he had a smile to numb and soothe his prey. Now, he is expressionless, making him impossible to guess, and only giving people a chilling feeling.
Liang Qi waited for a long time, pacing back and forth in the same spot, until Liu Duanhe became impatient. Only then did he say gently, "Life and death are determined by fate, and wealth and honor are determined by heaven. Don't think too much about it, just live your life well."
Liang Qi felt that it was because Liu Duanhe was so handsome that he felt compassion for him. After all, he had been a detective for so many years and had witnessed so much ugliness within wealthy families. He had long since become immune to these human tragedies.
Moreover, the most ugly thing between wealthy families is the pursuit of profit. Those who have no money, those who are poor and struggling to make ends meet, are the ones who truly live in hell.
Liu Duanhe finally smiled because of Liang Qi's clumsy attempt at comforting him. Since his grandfather's death, so many people had come to comfort him, but they all had ulterior motives. He could tell what they were thinking even with his eyes closed—it was all about how much benefit he could bring them.
After a series of back-and-forth negotiations and feigned compliance, now, apart from Feng Xingyun and his group, the only people who truly care about him are these strangers who have almost no vested interest in him and are genuinely comforting him.
He stood up and joked with Liang Qi, saying, "Even if you say nice things, I won't give you any more money."
Liang Qi smiled and patted the suitcase. "You've given me more than enough."
Liu Duanhe always kept business to himself, but since he was in a good mood, he said, "That was just a joke. I'll add another 10%."
Liang Qi could tell that he was serious this time, but he only accepted the agreed-upon money and did not want to change the contract. He was a detective with principles.
After all, the detective profession already operates in a gray area, on the edge of black and white. Without bottom lines and principles to restrain him, he doesn't know how far he might degenerate.
So he still refused.
Liu Duanhe did not press the matter further.
After leaving the house, Liu Duanhe went to find Feng Xingyun first, because he was going to find Feng Xingyun's parents about the matter they had agreed on before.
He really needs their help right now.
He didn't let Feng Xingyun hear the conversation, mainly because he was afraid he would worry. He was well aware of the risks involved, and he knew Feng Xingyun would definitely not agree to it.
After the conversation, he also told Feng Xingyun's parents not to tell Feng Xingyun about what he had said, and to keep the conversation a secret until things were over.
Feng Xingyun waited outside the door, completely unaware of what was happening. He sat on the sofa, holding his laptop, working on the tasks he had been doing for the past few days. Compared to before, he was now so diligent that he was almost unrecognizable. In the past, his parents thought he didn't care about anything and would study, but it was clearly aimless and unmotivated; he only studied because he was bored.
But now he finally has his own goal. Their eyes were complicated as they watched him immediately shut down his computer when he noticed Liu Duanhe coming downstairs.
I went straight up to him and asked how things were going.
Feng Xingyun's parents looked at him with even more complicated expressions. "Child, you're completely under their thumb!" they thought. They couldn't bear to watch anymore and even suspected that he hadn't noticed that the two of them had also come downstairs, right behind Liu Duanhe.
Thinking about what Liu Duanhe had discussed with them upstairs, they felt uneasy. If they were the child's parents, they would never allow him to do something so dangerous.
Feng Xingyun's parents stared at him, seemingly wanting to say something but then hesitated. However, after Liu Duanhe exchanged another glance with them, they smiled and nodded, choosing not to tell Feng Xingyun about it.
Liu Duanhe reassured Feng Xingyun by holding his hand. Feng Xingyun did not ask Liu Duanhe what he wanted his parents to do. He would not ask them if Liu Duanhe did not say. A tacit understanding had silently formed and been maintained between them.
After Liu Duanhe had arranged everything, Secretary Wei, who had been involved in most of the work, knew exactly what Liu Duanhe was planning to do. He had been struggling with this for several days, hesitating several times, and repeatedly trying to persuade Liu Duanhe to consider things carefully and adopt a more reliable method to deal with what Wu Xiuyi and Liu Rumeng had prepared. However, Liu Duanhe could no longer wait and did not want to wait any longer.
"You don't need to persuade me anymore. I know what I'm doing, and I cherish my life just as much."
Secretary Wei did not doubt his words. Although Liu Duanhe was a workaholic, he rarely disregarded his health. However, Secretary Wei doubted whether he was calm now.
However, after receiving the message from the detective, everything was almost settled in Liu Duanhe's place. He firmly told Secretary Wei that this matter would never be changed again and there was no need to persuade him anymore.
Secretary Wei knew he couldn't persuade him, so he had no choice but to give up and repeatedly confirm with people in each department to ensure that there would be no oversight.
The more steps involved, the easier it is to make mistakes, so they only planned a few.
He nodded and said, "Since the boss insists, then so be it."
Liu Duanhe nodded in satisfaction. Because of the recent events involving Liu Rumeng and Wu Xiuyun, the secretary had not yet arrived at the company in Taicheng to take over the negotiation matters there and the business of the branch office in Taicheng. There were still many problems there, and he needed to resolve them as soon as possible. Fortunately, everything was about to be over.
Liu Duanhe's eyes were filled with confidence.
Secretary Wei closed the door and left, his eyes filled with deep worry. Since the old chairman left, although the boss hadn't said anything, they could all sense that Liu Duanhe was becoming increasingly anxious.
After returning home, Liu Duanhe opened the package Liang Qi had given him. Inside were pieces of evidence—evidence of Liu Rumeng and Wu Xiuyi's actions—but one crucial piece of evidence was missing.
To catch fish, you need bait. Liu Duanhe planned to create an opportunity for them to lure the snake out of its hole.
Liu Duanhe sat on the rocking chair on the balcony. It was hard to see stars in the city. A few scattered lights dotted the dark sky, completely overshadowed by the colorful neon lights of the city below. He lit a cigarette. The April weather was not very warm yet. The wind made the cigarette butt glow and flicker. His slender fingers held the cigarette holder, holding up the snow-white cigarette.
The gemstone on the cigarette holder, as blue as a lake in the Tianshan Mountains, is so beautiful that it looks incredibly valuable.
The master craftsman's handmade leather shoes stepped mercilessly over the water stains on the ground. He stood up, peeled back the paper on the table, and softly read out the key red text: "License plate number jaf86479".
How much his parents must have hated him! They hated him so much that he was a thorn in their side, and they wished he were dead. They even wanted to hire someone to run him over with a car.
Her phoenix eyes closed for a moment, then opened again, overflowing with mockery. Liu Duanhe carefully folded the paper.
Perhaps, as they say, his cold-hearted nature and gentleness are merely a facade. Even if he truly reached the point of no return with his biological parents, aside from disappointment and coldness, there was no more heartbreak.
He will not give them another chance.
The next day, Liu Duanhe got up very early. After breakfast, he packed everything up and made all the necessary preparations. He then sent a message to Feng Xingyun, who had already arrived at the company and was ensuring smooth communication with all the staff. The funds required for their work had also been sent to them through other channels. Everything was ready, and they were just waiting for the fish to take the bait.
He was well prepared, but unfortunately, many things are subject to various unexpected events. Human calculations can't compare to the will of Heaven. There are always various coincidences in life. For example, Liu Duan and Mingming had already sent Feng Xingyun away in advance. They even sent a message in the morning.
He was told to focus on his work at the company and not get involved in this dangerous situation. However, he didn't expect that Feng Xingyun, who had gone to the company to work, would run to this street in just a short while, suddenly wanting to buy him a gift, and ended up on the same street as Liu Duanhe.
As for how Liu Duanhe knew, the street was so long, because Feng Xingyun had already appeared in front of him.
His eyes held the smile that Liu Duanhe knew best—the smile that would appear whenever he saw him—but Liu Duanhe wanted to turn around and leave.
The person monitoring the situation spoke through the earpiece, "Boss, the license plate number you gave us has appeared. It's five kilometers from your location."
His men are everywhere outside this street; he would never joke about his own life.
Upon seeing Liu Duanhe's familiar figure, Feng Xingyun quickly walked to Liu Duanhe's side.
Liu Duanhe was stiff and incredulous. His mind was almost blank as he stared blankly as Feng Xingyun walked to his side. His heart was filled with anxiety. Feng Xingyun's appearance made him realize how dangerous this matter was.
He didn't want Feng Xingyun to get involved in this matter, but things didn't go as planned.
He quickly scanned the surrounding crowd. Several people who were lying in wait met Liu Duanhe's gaze and shook their heads to make sure there was no danger at the moment. Then Liu Duanhe said to him, "You need to leave now, immediately. I have something urgent to attend to. Can you go and get it for me right now?"
Liu Duanhe quickly came up with an excuse, but his previous unusual behavior had already caught Feng Xingyun's attention.
Feng Xingyun sensed that something was wrong with Liu Duanhe. This morning, according to their usual routine, Liu Duanhe should have been at the company. Why would he suddenly come to this remote place?
What is he hiding from me that makes him so flustered?
Feng Xingyun's expression turned serious. "What's wrong with you? Are you hiding something from me? Is it dangerous? Is something about to happen?"
He asked about the most dangerous points in the whole incident, and Liu Duanhe's eyes darkened.
Feng Xingyun was very perceptive. Liu Duanhe hadn't revealed anything yet, but from just a few words, Feng Xingyun already sensed that Liu Duanhe was definitely hiding something from him and had grasped the key to what Liu Duanhe didn't want to tell him.
Although there is no danger at all, and there is no warning from monitoring personnel in the earpiece, they are probably still far away.
But concern clouded his judgment, and Liu Duanhe sensed impending danger. Just then, an uninvited guest appeared before him: Guan Du.
He was dressed in sportswear, as if he were going for a morning run.
Liu Duanhe's heart sank even further. It was such a secluded place, yet so many people had come today. Liu Duanhe didn't even want to smile anymore; all he wanted to do was curse.
After seeing the two of them clearly, Guan Du walked over without hesitation.
Feng Xingyun had grabbed his hand without him noticing, and Liu Duanhe was so angry that he didn't even realize it until Guan Du's gaze fell on him. Liu Duanhe then coldly shook off Feng Xingyun's hand.
Guan Du raised an eyebrow leisurely. He was panting heavily, looking like he had been running for a long time, and was covered in sweat. He looked at Liu Duanhe, his voice laced with a sweet, cloying laugh, "What's wrong? Did you have a fight?"
He made no attempt to hide his joy.
Although he knew he had no hope, he was still happy to annoy Feng Xingyun, who had taken Liu Duanhe away. He smiled and said to Liu Duanhe, "Some people don't cherish what they have. If I were your boyfriend, I definitely wouldn't want to argue with you. Xiaohe, you should carefully examine him so that you don't run into some good-looking beasts and get fooled."
Liu Duanhe was anxious inside, but he kept his composure on the surface. He knew he had to distinguish between close and distant relationships, so he simply gave Guan Du a perfunctory "hmm" in response.
Guan Du's expression dimmed for a moment, and he sneered at Feng Xingyun, "You should cherish the people in front of you. If you don't, there are plenty of others who will."
Feng Xingyun clenched his fist stiffly and glared at him coldly, "That's none of your concern."
Then, as if asserting sovereignty, he stood beside Liu Duanhe and shook their clasped hands.
Feng Xingyun reached out and intertwined his fingers with Liu Duanhe's, a smile that didn't reach his eyes, and said, "It's better to keep some distance. After all, he's my boyfriend now, so we need to be mindful of our boundaries, don't you think?"
Guan Du looked at Liu Duanhe, who ultimately didn't give Luo Fengxingyun any face, even though they weren't actually lovers.
At this point, the claim that they were in a romantic relationship was completely unfounded, but he still gave him face and didn't refute him in public. Instead, he said to Guan Du, "We just had a little tiff and will leave right away. Is there something you need?"
He subtly urged him to leave quickly, a hint of hurt flashing in Guan Du's eyes. He could, of course, understand Liu Duanhe's intention to get rid of him.
Neither Liu Duan nor Feng Xingyun wanted to talk to each other. However, they were like enemies meeting, their old and new grudges surging up in their hearts. They exchanged sharp words, with Guan Du constantly trying to talk to Liu Duan, while Feng Xingyun kept blocking him.
Liu Duanhe was caught in the middle, constantly being pulled and tugged around, feeling only awkwardness and speechlessness. Then he quickly pulled the two of them forward, especially after noticing the gossipy gazes of the people he had arranged to meet.
After walking a distance, he no longer cared about fishing and wanted to get rid of the two of them as soon as possible, especially Feng Xingyun.
After several rounds of entanglement and exhausting his words, Guan Du was driven away after only a few words. But unexpectedly, Feng Xingyun refused to leave. After Guan Du left, he even came closer, clearly pretending to be ignorant after discovering something.
Feng Xingyun hugged Liu Duanhe tightly. "I know you had something to hide from me today. I went to the company this morning but I couldn't put my mind at ease. I had a feeling that something was wrong, so I looked for you everywhere."
Finally, I asked the old housekeeper where you went. Don't blame him; he didn't tell me anything except where you went. Please don't hide things from me anymore, okay? No matter what happens, we'll face it together. You're really making me anxious.
Besides, when I'm not around, you'll inevitably encounter other people who come up to you, and how many of them aren't up to no good?
He covered Liu Duanhe's eyes with his dark gaze and muttered to himself, "I'm such a terrible person. Even though I know you like me, I still feel jealous and angry when someone else confesses to you."
Especially at this stage, he's known you for so long, seen so many different sides of you. You must have been so cute as a child; I've never even seen that. We met so late, missed so much—I'm not reconciled.
Liu Duanhe scanned the surrounding environment. He did not intend to involve or implicate others. He had prepared a secluded spot on the road to the park, and the few people he had arranged were all far away, just to ensure that they could capture the key evidence.
Feng Xingyun seemed to have gone mad. When Liu Duanhe ignored him, he gently kissed his cheeks, nose, and lips, his emotions growing increasingly intense.
Finally, as if unable to contain herself, she kissed him deeply, licking open his teeth, her red tongue entwining with his, sweeping through every corner of his mouth and the tip of his willow branch.
Liu Duanhe's eyes widened in surprise, and he pushed him away. The soft feeling that had been stirred by Feng Xingyun's words was now overshadowed by shock. He pushed Feng Xingyun away abruptly, his mind a mess. He heard his informant's voice through his earpiece, "Boss, two more kilometers."
Seeing his anxiety, Feng Xingyun didn't say anything more. He just hung his head, looking as listless as a wolfhound despite his tall stature.
Liu Duanhe glared at him, then pulled him along quickly toward his destination; thankfully, they still had time.
The voice of the eyeliner came through the earpiece, "Boss, we've reached the traffic light, one kilometer to go."
Liu Duanhe arrived at the location he had originally scouted out.
The car was definitely coming, but Feng Xingyun refused to leave. No matter how much Liu Duanhe assured him that nothing would happen to him, he stubbornly refused to leave.
Liu Duanhe had no choice but to keep him.
Soon, the license plate number Liang Qi gave him arrived as accurately as a rabbit being chased by a hunter, and Liu Duanhe calmly examined it.
The car was incredibly reckless, speeding towards us. The man in the driver's seat had an almost ferocious, swollen, and excited expression on his face.
Rushing straight towards Liu Duanhe, Feng Xingyun had no idea what might be coming. Therefore, in the instant the danger arrived, he only had a subconscious reaction, and his mind went blank.
He instinctively pulled Liu Duanhe behind him, and Liu Duanhe quickly pulled him back as well. According to his original plan, using this excellent vantage point, neither of them was hurt.
Feng Xingyun's heart was still pounding. He realized that this was Liu Duanhe's doing, deliberately putting himself in danger to lure out those who wanted to harm him.
The front of the car crashed into the wall with a loud bang.
Liu Duanhe's eyes were cold and calm. He did nothing but record everything. He took out his phone and followed the normal procedure to call the police, sent a message to Secretary Wei, and the group's legal team took over the remaining matters.
Secretary Wei finally breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the message from Liu Duanhe. His clothes were almost soaked with cold sweat. When he took a step, he realized that his legs had gone weak and he couldn't even stand up.
Feng Xingyun pulled Liu Duanhe away from the car, wanting to get him away from danger as quickly as possible. He didn't know who had hired the driver, but it was probably someone Liu Duanhe's parents had found. If he wasn't dead, who knew what he would do to Liu Duanhe? Besides, the car was already on fire.
Once they reached a blind spot in the surveillance footage and confirmed that the matter was largely over, Liu Duanhe visibly became pleased, while Feng Xingyun stared at his expression with a gloomy expression.
Feng Xingyun lowered his head, cupped his face, and kissed him urgently and fiercely, forcefully turning his chin to the side to suck on his tongue, his soft tongue hooking around and sucking on his tongue.
Her face still held a hint of anger and resentment, angry that he had kept everything from her and that he didn't care about her safety.
Feng Xingyun kissed him until the corners of his eyes turned a faint red, a bright red of desire. The surge of adrenaline after the danger caused him to have great emotional fluctuations, and Feng Xingyun felt a burning sensation in his heart.
Compared to his roguish yet profound and ruggedly handsome appearance, Liu Duanhe was even more handsome, the kind of handsome described in books, possessing the best of both masculine and feminine qualities, a face that even men would admire and appreciate, with deep, three-dimensional eyebrows and eyes, full and sensual lips, and smooth and soft facial contours.
Feng Xingyun looked at him quietly. Liu Duanhe caught his breath, pushed his face away, and wanted to scold him, but he was indeed a little guilty that he had been caught doing something so dangerous.
But Feng Xingyun had just been so intimate with him, offending him, and he was also annoyed.
Liu Duanhe remained silent, but Feng Xingyun was about to speak, "You know how scared I was just now? Do you know what would have happened if something had gone wrong?"
At this point, he was so angry he was practically grinding his teeth, wanting to bite Liu Duanhe to pieces.
Liu Duanhe loved gazing into Feng Xingyun's eyes; the intense love adorned them dazzlingly, and he was completely unable to resist.
Some say that a lover's eyes are the seventh ocean, because they are filled with the most precious love.
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