Chapter 69
Cheng Wanting.
She was the librarian at the university library when Zhan Qiwei was teaching there, and she was also the woman the young man holding a cell phone bomb in the jewelry store bombing was pursuing at the time.
When Iris sent her her information, Chuang Cheuk-wah was almost certain that the mysterious "T" who had been in contact with James Chan via email for years was still her.
Who else could it be but her?
Unfortunately, there is no evidence.
What's even more agonizing is that as the truth is gradually revealed, the realization that Ah-Bang was merely an accidental victim of that failed murder plot becomes increasingly clear. Zhuang Zhuohua is constantly in pain. In her mind, before her eyes, Qian Fubang's image seems to appear repeatedly, as he denounces his lover's betrayal. She has forgotten him; she has almost forgotten her former beloved.
"Ah Yuan, come here." Jennie, who was waiting in the living room, beckoned to Zhuang Zhuoyuan the moment he got home from work. She had come from England with a very important purpose: to bring back an address. It turned out that when Qian Fubang and Zhuang Zhuohua were discussing marriage, he had secretly prepared a dream house for her in England. His family was all abroad, and they had even discussed immigrating. However, due to the suddenness of the accident, all their plans were terminated before they could be implemented. To avoid further pain, both Qian's parents and Zhuang Zhuohua's families unilaterally chose to sever all contact. If Jennie hadn't made this special trip, Qian Fubang's last feelings of love would likely have remained buried deep within.
Zhuang Zhuoyuan's eyes flickered; he knew what the key his mother-in-law had given him meant. Optimistically, he could see it as Schrödinger's cat; pessimistically, it could be Pandora's box. He was truly caught in a dilemma.
But in any case, now was not the time to reveal it. Iris gripped Zhuang Zhuoyuan's hand, subtly concealing the key in his palm. She believed their immediate priority should be helping Zhuang Zhuohua catch the real culprit in the bombing case. Ever since she told Cheng Wanting everything, Zhuang Zhuohua had acted as if she had lost her mind, relentlessly pursuing her. Not only were the other team members worried about Madam's condition, but even Ben, who was in the hospital, was concerned upon hearing the news, let alone Zhan Hantao, who had witnessed the entire incident.
That day, Zhuang Zhuohua returned home early. Iris, who was pruning roses in the garden, tried to wave to her, but was simply ignored. Iris rarely saw Zhuang Zhuohua so furious. She handed the pruning shears to the maid and hurriedly followed her.
They hadn't gone far when Zhan Hantao called. His car was actually outside the mansion; worried about Zhuang Zhuohua, he had followed her all the way until she entered. Iris glanced at Zhan Hantao's license plate on the security camera and frowned instinctively: "Brother Tao, what happened? Why didn't you come in?"
Zhan Hantao stopped himself from letting out a sigh and went straight to the point: "When Madam and Cheng Wanting were arguing and pulling at each other, they ran into a patrolling senior officer. The matter was reported to the police station, and she was suspended from her duties. Iris, this was a big blow to her."
Iris was well aware of this, and what she wanted to know was what role Zhan Hantao had played throughout the entire process. There was a brief silence on the phone, and after a few seconds, Iris heard Zhan Hantao speak. This action was unusual for him, and she quickly learned the reason.
“I went to give my statement,” Zhan Hantao said. He did not regret being a witness, but he did feel sorry for Zhuang Zhuohua. “I don’t think Madam is in a good condition to investigate the case right now.”
Qian Fubang was an unresolved knot in Zhuang Zhuohua's heart, an obsession. Iris understood the meaning behind Zhan Hantao's actions, but she couldn't condone his behavior: "Brother Tao, Cheng Wanting does have her suspicious aspects; her character isn't as pure as she appears. My sister's harassment of her was actually a good way to force her to take drastic measures and expose her true colors. Even if my sister's actions were excessive, you shouldn't have fueled the fire and completely excluded her from this case. Isn't that also a form of harm to her?"
Zhan Hantao never intended to go to such extremes. He finally sighed, the breath he had been holding in his chest: "Madam won't listen to reason."
“No wonder my sister…” Iris overheard Zhuang Zhuoyuan saying this as she came out of the bathroom that evening. She slowed down, tiptoed to the edge of the bed, and sat down, her eyes questioning who her husband was talking to.
Zhuang Zhuoyuan subtly mouthed the word "Tao," and Iris understood. She didn't linger by his side, turned around, took her equipment, and went to the small living room to video chat with Ben.
His wife's attitude was too obvious, and Zhuang Zhuoyuan didn't dare to provoke her immediately. The Zhou family was very protective of their own, and they clearly distinguished between being reasonable and being unhappy. They generally wouldn't do anything in public, but as for private matters... well, he was now certain that Zhan Hantao was temporarily disliked by Iris.
"Wife~" As soon as the phone hung up, Zhuang Zhuoyuan quickly appeared from behind the wall and snuggled up to Iris. Iris snorted, taking her anger out on him and refusing to be hugged anymore: "Go away!"
"I'm not leaving!" Zhuang Zhuoyuan clung to her, tightening his arms around her. He was careful, leaving some space around her waist, but Iris, finding fault, complained, "You're pressing down on your son!"
"Where's it pressing down? Let me see." He bent down to look, intending to take the opportunity to turn back, give her a kiss and a hug, and she'd be done with it. But Iris suddenly turned around at that moment, her movement startling him: "Wife, watch out!"
He blurted it out, and Iris immediately reacted: "Say it again!" Just a few days ago, she was annoyed by his constant reminders to sit carefully every time he sat down, and she had repeatedly forbidden him from saying it again. But after only a short while, Zhuang Zhuoyuan had already forgotten about it again.
The words had been spoken and couldn't be taken back, so Zhuang Zhuoyuan quickly changed his form of address and tone: "My dear wife, be careful."
Iris rolled her eyes at him and crossed her arms to create distance between them: "Zhuang Sheng, my premarital medical report is perfectly normal."
Zhuang Zhuoyuan paused for a moment, then nodded.
"After moving in with you, my period has been very regular."
Zhuang Zhuoyuan naturally knew this as well.
"So here's the question: what exactly are you worried about Tangyuan? He's still small, but he's not so small that I could just sit down or move and he'd be gone. Honey, don't tell me it's because your sperm quality is bad."
Jesus! He was most afraid of Iris's unreasonable demands. But having gained experience, the best approach was to use her own tactics against her. Zhuang Zhuoyuan had exaggeratedly told her, "Of course not!"
Iris thought the conversation had gone off on a tangent, but instead, she used it to bring it back. She slapped Zhuang Zhuoyuan's thigh and raised her chin: "See, this is what it means to be in sync."
Clearly, he was playing a double entendre again. Zhuang Zhuoyuan's heart skipped a beat, and he tentatively asked, "Are you referring to my older sister and A-Tao?"
"Otherwise what?" Iris retorted loudly and frankly, shifting a cushion under her arm and leaning back. Zhan Hantao was indeed a good man, but after this incident, she began to feel that he wasn't quite right for Zhuang Zhuohua.
Zhuang Zhuoyuan was a little uneasy. He made a cutting gesture with two fingers and asked hesitantly, "Wife, you don't mean to break them up, do you?" Strictly speaking, the two of them hadn't even started dating yet.
In response to this inquiry, Iris had a new idea and asked, "Zhuang Zhuoyuan, do you not believe me?"
"Two things, two things!" Zhuang Sheng quickly clarified. Keeping someone at home always requires some sacrifice. Iris, with nothing to do lately, couldn't stop thinking; besides helping with the case, she was constantly finding ways to torment him. Zhuang Zhuoyuan had been reflecting on whether he was being too overly anxious. It's better to guide than to suppress; if this continued, even if he didn't mind, Iris would probably go crazy first. He was even more afraid that in the next two months, when he wasn't around, she would take things even further.
“Baby, baby,” Zhuang Zhuoyuan hugged his wife and coaxed her gently, “Actually, I think only the people involved know how to solve relationship problems. Maybe outsiders see things more clearly, but in the end, the one who tied the knot must untie it.”
Iris snorted unhappily, "I never said I was going to get involved." Pregnant women's tempers are truly unpredictable; one moment they can be incredibly sweet, and the next, the person in your arms can instantly change their expression. Zhuang Zhuoyuan stared blankly as his wife left, scratching his head, unsure what to do. He leaned back on the sofa, gazing up at the chandelier on the ceiling. In the twinkling light of the crystal chandelier, he finally remembered Edward. Perhaps the person he should consult was his father-in-law, who had had similar experiences.
It's quite common for fathers-in-law and sons-in-law to discuss such topics, but Edward was somewhat surprised when he answered Zhuang Zhuoyuan's call. He was still smiling and approachable, as if his initial astonishment had never appeared on his face. Encouraged by the other party's words, Zhuang Zhuoyuan gradually opened up and talked more and more, eventually even consulting his father-in-law about his sister's problems. Edward flicked his cigarette ash, his hand holding the cigar paused inadvertently, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, not very noticeable, yet impossible for those who paid attention to guess what he was thinking. But fortunately, his advice to Zhuang Zhuoyuan was very clear: "Once this case is over, you can give the keys to Ah Hua. By the time you and Iris have your second wedding, I believe she will have finished dealing with this matter. As for Iris, it's simple, she's not someone who responds only to force. Sometimes, you have to change her mind."
Taking a hard line? Zhuang Zhuoyuan gave a wry smile. His father-in-law's suggestion seemed more like an upgraded challenge. Whether he could succeed was another matter, but if he did it now, his wife might come after him someday.
These are turbulent times. Looking ahead and behind, every word and every event lately seems rather unfavorable.
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