Chu Hongyu frowned and tapped the armrest of the sofa lightly with her index finger: "If Instructor Rong didn't mention Aunt Zhou and her family to you before, then it's troublesome. This behavior can't prove anything now."
Ah Heng paced restlessly in the room, her usually boyish short hair now a mess, making her look like a bristling hedgehog.
"No! I have to see him! If it weren't for Captain Brother, I don't know where I'd be eating chaff and wild vegetables and being someone's child bride! I'm sure I'll recognize him!"
Ning Yuan closed her eyes and took a deep breath: "I'll ask my mom; maybe she knows something."
Only Mom and Aunt Zhou Zhujun had the most contact. They had met "Xiao Ai" from back then and knew about the Zhou family, a wealthy family that had disappeared.
Just then, Ning Bingyu pushed open the door and entered. He looked somewhat tired, clearly having just finished a conversation downstairs.
He glanced at Ning Yuan with a complicated expression and said in a deep voice, "Mom has already received the call and will be flying back to Hong Kong from Japan tomorrow."
He paused, then turned to Chu Hongyu and Aheng: "It's four in the morning. We can talk about it tomorrow. You two should go back and rest."
Chu Hongyu walked to Ning Yuan's side and gently hugged her: "Yuanyuan, don't think too much, get some rest. No matter what, we'll be with you."
After she finished speaking, she pulled Ah Heng, who was still somewhat unwilling, to get up and leave.
Ah Heng kept turning back to look at Ning Bingyu until Ning Bingyu impatiently tried to close the door, at which point Chu Hongyu dragged him out.
After the two left, only Ning Yuan and Ning Bingyu remained in the room.
Ning Bingyu, with his hands in his pockets, walked to the sofa and said casually, "I heard earlier that a young senior superintendent with a very powerful background has come to the Hong Kong government, and some senior members of the police force are quite dissatisfied with him."
He looked at her with a complicated expression: "After all, there are no superintendents of the same rank who are under 45 years old. I didn't expect her to be this kind of person."
Ning Yuan looked up at Ning Bingyu and chuckled self-deprecatingly, "No one would have expected that I would be confronting a stranger who looks like my husband in a police station."
Ning Bingyu walked to the liquor cabinet, poured himself a glass of water, and said calmly, "The legal team and public relations department are already handling it. We will demand an explanation from the police department. The Ning family is not someone that can be easily manipulated."
He paused, then asked, "Did you have someone investigate Zhou Yan's background?"
Ning Yuan rubbed her temples, her exhaustion evident: "Of course, I can't sleep until I find out who this person of unknown origin is in such a high position."
Ning Bingyu chuckled lightly: "That's the Ning family for you. Cautious and careful, they never fight a battle unprepared."
Ning Bingyu's gaze fell on the antique Patek Philippe on Ning Yuan's wrist: "This watch, was it given to you by Rong Zhaonan?"
Ning Yuan's gaze also fell on the watch, her eyes somewhat dazed: "He gave it to me."
Ning Bingyu pondered, "Zhou Yan... did he really not react at all when he saw this watch?"
Rong Zhaonan has disappeared without a trace, neither alive nor dead, and now a bizarre 'Zhou Yan' has appeared, almost identical to him.
Twins, plastic surgery... or is there another secret hidden?
Ning Yuan closed her eyes, leaned wearily against the sofa, and said in a low, hoarse voice, "No, he didn't even glance at it. It was as if he didn't recognize the watch at all."
Ning Bingyu drank water in silence; the room was so quiet that only the ticking of the wall clock could be heard.
After a long silence, he finally broke the silence: "Get some rest. There are still many things to deal with tomorrow. Don't let this affect your mood and judgment."
He put down his water glass, his tone softening—
"I know you're feeling very confused right now, but regardless of whether the other party has ill intentions or not, we can remain calm and composed. The Ning family has stood for hundreds of years; what kind of situation haven't we seen?"
He paused, then added, "I've actually been investigating Anan's matter. Don't worry, I'll continue."
Ning Bingyu then turned and left the room.
Ning Yuan opened her eyes, looking at the sea view outside the window, her mind filled with countless thoughts that she couldn't sort out or cut off.
That night, Ning Yuan thought she would toss and turn and have trouble sleeping, but to her surprise, she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
In her dream, she returned to the dock that had broken her heart.
The roar of helicopters was deafening, the sirens were piercing and shrill, and the sounds of gunfire, waves, and terrified screams mingled together...
It was like a giant net that tightly wrapped around her, making it hard for her to breathe.
A thick night fog enveloped her as she stood blankly at the dock, the cold wind cutting her face like a knife.
Suddenly, she saw the Flying Tigers' helicopters pierce through the thick fog and fly back from the sea.
After the plane landed smoothly, a familiar figure jumped down.
Rong Zhao was wearing a black leather jacket, and his tall and upright figure stood out in the night.
He was talking to the police officer next to him when he suddenly turned his head and his eyes accurately caught Ning Yuan in the crowd.
He raised an eyebrow, a wicked yet familiar smile playing on his lips, and asked, "What are you doing here?"
Seeing that he was safe and sound, Ning Yuan was overjoyed, and all her fear and worry vanished instantly.
Ning Yuan's eyes instantly reddened. She involuntarily ran towards him, hugged his strong waist, buried her head in his chest, and felt the familiar warmth of his body.
Her voice choked with emotion: "You're finally back! I've been looking for you for so long, you know? I thought..."
"You thought I was dead?" Rong Zhaonan chuckled, gently stroking her hair with his large hand, and then lowered his head to kiss her.
However, the next moment, a cold and anxious voice came from behind her: "Ning Yuan!!"
She turned around abruptly and saw another Rong Zhaonan, wearing the Flying Tigers uniform.
He was covered in blood and his face was covered in wounds. He was standing in the surging seawater, his eyes anxious and deep.
Ning Yuan was stunned, her mind went completely blank!
Suddenly, a sharp cry rang out, shattering her dream. She awoke with a start, finding herself covered in cold sweat.
Outside the window, the sky was already bright, the sea shimmered, and everything seemed to have returned to calm.
The baby's cries pulled Ning Yuan from her chaotic dream.
She instinctively stood up abruptly and went out of the room. She saw in the living room a maid pacing back and forth, holding her youngest daughter Jiajia and muttering words to soothe her. Another maid looked helpless.
But the little one still cried his heart out.
"Seventh Miss, we can't soothe the young lady no matter what we do. We've changed her diaper, fed her, and the doctor just came to see her!" The two maids looked at Ning Yuan as if she were a lifeline.
Ning Yuan walked over quickly and took her daughter from the maid: "Thank you for your hard work, let me do it."
The little one stopped crying immediately as soon as he was in her arms, his little mouth pouting like a wronged little rabbit.
Her big eyes were red and she stared intently at Ning Yuan, as if accusing Ning Yuan of disappearing for a whole day.
She gently patted her daughter's back with tenderness and whispered in the baby's ear, "Little Jiajia, be good, Mommy's here."
Holding her daughter's soft body, Ning Yuan's anxiety dissipated considerably.
At that moment, all doubts and fears were replaced by maternal tenderness.
She looked out the window and told herself that for the sake of her child, she had to be careful in everything she did.
...
The next day, Ning Yuan was in the office of Ji Yuan Zhi Xin, looking through the information about Zhou Yan that the legal team had sent over, her brows furrowed.
On the thick stack of papers were striking photos of Zhou Yan's life abroad:
Riding a tall horse across the green field, driving a cool sports car at breakneck speed on the racetrack, and excerpts from a Cambridge University dissertation and graduation photo—
That face, except for being a few years younger than Rong Zhaonan, was almost identical, as if they were carved from the same mold.
Each photo reveals his privileged background and extraordinary demeanor.
With such complete information, it seemed there should be no more questions, but...
Ning Yuan rubbed her temples, feeling a sudden headache.
Are there really two people in this world who look so alike? Even the feeling of embracing each other is so similar?
Ah Heng was also stunned, muttering, "They look so alike! They're practically identical! But Captain has never mentioned having a younger brother..."
She scratched her neat short hair, looking puzzled.
Just then, the phone rang abruptly, breaking the tense atmosphere in the office.
"Hello, big brother." Ning Yuan answered the phone.
“Ah Yuan, Police Commissioner Evan has booked a private room at the Regent Hotel for a banquet tomorrow and would like to invite you to come with me. Zhou Yan will also be there.”
Ning Bingyu's voice came through the receiver.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
