Chapter 120 Do me a favor, and I'll let you...
Xiangqin was jolted awake from her dream by a bucket of cold water. Two burly men stepped forward and grabbed her hands and feet. Her silk nightgown, soaked by the water, clung tightly to her body. She screamed and struggled, feeling a fear she had never experienced before. This was her bedroom; how could men suddenly appear here?
Two men dragged her off the bed and pinned her to the ground. Xiangqin hugged her chest, curled up into a ball, and spoke in a trembling voice: "Who are you people? Let's talk this out. If you want money, we can discuss it, as long as you don't hurt me."
She thought she was being targeted by organized crime and was being kidnapped. It wasn't uncommon for movie stars like her to encounter such situations, but for someone as prominent as her, the film company had already made arrangements with various parties, so kidnapping was generally not an issue. However, it couldn't be ruled out that some smaller forces might disregard the rules and take risks.
As long as she can save her life, someone will step in to help her get revenge afterward, so she wants to use money to keep them at bay.
A man in black brought over a chair, and someone sat down.
Xiangqin looked up and saw that it was Uchida Eiko. She felt relieved, but when she saw that Eiko's face was pale, her heart jumped again.
Xiangqin was a little confused about what Uchida Eiko was going to do. Her pajamas were thin and wet, and it was a bit cold, so she couldn't help but shiver.
She glanced at the clock; it was only a little past five.
"My lord, I don't understand what you mean?" Xiangqin stammered. What had she done wrong?
Uchida Ayaka bent down, grabbed her chin, and lifted her head: "Do you know that Sachiko is dead?"
Xiangqin's eyes widened: "How could that be?" She shook her head: "I don't know, I don't know anything, I didn't go out today."
This performance suggests she is genuinely unaware of the situation. Uchida Eiko loosened her grip slightly: "She and Morita were shot dead by Lu Lin just two hours ago. Have you spoken to her recently?"
Xiangqin shook her head: "I... I didn't say anything. I followed your and Miss Xingzi's instructions and kept in touch with Lu Chang. I occasionally tried to get some information from him, and I reported all of this to Miss Xingzi."
She thought for a moment, then suddenly remembered something: "Oh right, a few days ago Miss Sachiko asked me to find out Lu Lin's whereabouts..."
"Lu Chang told you?" Uchida Eiko stared at her. If it was so easy to find out, she had reason to suspect that Xiangqin's identity had been exposed and that Lu Chang had deliberately given her false information.
Xiangqin shook her head: "No, Lu Chang has never doubted my identity. He occasionally mentioned that his elder brother has been frequenting West Street these days, but he only mentioned it briefly. I was very careful."
Uchida Eiko continued, "After you gave the message to Sachiko, did you see Lu Chang again? Did he act strangely?"
Xiangqin paused for a moment, then shook her head: "No."
Uchida Eiko leaned closer to her: "You hesitated, Kyokoto. If Sachiko died because of your information, I have reason to suspect that it's related to you... I can even suspect that you have betrayed us."
They all knew what happened to those who betrayed them.
Xiangqin shook her head frantically, grabbed her leather boots, and pleaded, "No, it wasn't me, I just... I just told her what I knew, I didn't know what Miss Xingzi was going to do!"
"No, Lu Chang... he came to the theater to watch me film the day before yesterday, there was really nothing wrong with him, but he didn't come yesterday, I just thought of this?"
Uchida Eiko frowned: "Has he had this problem before?"
Xiangqin nodded immediately: "Yes, he is a reporter who is often out covering news, so he doesn't come to see me every day."
Uchida Eiko nodded, glanced at Xiangqin who looked disheveled, and had someone fetch her a coat.
He personally helped her up, his tone gentle, a stark contrast to his initial attitude.
“You know, Sachiko is someone who has made meritorious contributions, and Morita is an elite talent specially transferred by the higher-ups. They’ve only been in Shanghai for a few days and they’ve already lost their lives. If the higher-ups investigate, I won’t be able to explain myself. I’m doing this to protect you. Although you are the daughter of the empire, you’ve lived in Shanghai for more than ten years. What if your heart changes?” She tapped Xiangqin’s chest.
Xiangqin bit her lip, looking at Uchida Eiko with some fear, and reiterated her stance: "I just want to sing and act properly. Can I stop doing this kind of thing? I have no intention of betraying my country."
“Homeland?” Uchida Eiko pondered the two words.
Xiangqin was so frightened that she quickly explained, "That's not what I meant, I... I'll be obedient."
Uchida Eiko suddenly laughed, and Xiangqin's arm hairs stood on end, her teeth clenching so tightly they made a grinding sound.
"Don't be afraid. As long as you have your motherland in your heart, that's fine. I'm just here to ask you something. After all, you're not a professionally trained spy. I'm worried that the Lu family will see through you, and then your situation will be very dangerous."
Xiangqin clutched her clothes tightly, only to hear Uchida Eiko continue to ask her in a low voice, "Lu Chang likes you a lot, doesn't he?"
Xiangqin nodded without thinking. Her intuition told her that if she didn't do this, she might be worthless.
People who have no value also suffer a terrible fate.
As expected, Uchida Eiko was very satisfied. She put her hand on her shoulder and spoke softly, but to Xiangqin, it sounded as terrifying as a venomous tongue spitting out a tongue.
"I'll give you a different task. From now on, you don't need to extract information from him. Just unleash your charm and help him get to know our people. You should be able to handle this."
Xiangqin nodded emphatically.
Uchida Eiko wiped the tears from her cheeks with her hand, then wiped her fingers on her clothes with a hint of disgust: "Why are you crying! This is a good thing. You feel guilty about being a spy, but now you're being asked to do something that promotes friendly cooperation between the two countries."
After saying that, she looked up at the clock. It was almost seven o'clock; the news should have spread by now.
The phone rang inside the room. Her subordinate answered it, said "uh-huh" a few times, and then hung up.
"Section Chief, the Director wants you to see her immediately."
Uchida Eiko stood up with an apologetic smile on her face: "I'm sorry to have disturbed Miss Xiangqin's good sleep. It's still early, you should go back to sleep for a while, so that you don't look pale and give people a bad feeling."
Xiangqin lowered her head, not daring to look at her at all.
The group arrived quickly and left just as fast. Hearing the door close, Xiangqin collapsed to the ground and burst into tears.
Why did this happen? Why can't they let her go? She just wants to live her life in peace. She bit her sleeve tightly, afraid to let out a loud cry!
Uchida Ayako got into the car, the driver started the engine, and as the car passed the street corner, she saw a crowd gathered, pointing and gesturing, seemingly discussing something. Her subordinate, observing her expression, asked, "Section Chief, what about Sachiko and Morita's bodies..."
Uchida Eiko turned her head and glanced at it, her eyebrows twitching slightly: "The person is dead, just a stinking shell, no need to bother with them."
The subordinate hadn't expected her to react this way; he felt it was cold-hearted, but dared not say anything.
Uchida Ayaka clenched her fists tightly.
I never expected Sachiko to die like this, and she even dragged Morita into it. Lu Lin deliberately threw the body out so that she couldn't claim it. If no one claims it, Lu Lin can't prove that the two people are Japanese.
If they claim responsibility, Lu Lin will definitely have other tricks up his sleeve. For example, he could claim they are spies who stole important intelligence, giving him an excuse to send reinforcements to Shanghai, which would be very detrimental to their future activities in the city.
Sachiko deserved to die, but it's a pity about Morita. He was originally a trump card prepared to deal with Lu Lin, but unfortunately, the warrior was too simple-minded and was fooled by Sachiko's few words, dying such a pathetic death.
The car drove directly into a small Western-style building. Uchida Eiko carefully straightened her clothes and walked in with a smile.
An hour later, she came out with a noticeable red mark on her right cheek, but she seemed to be in a much better mood than when she went in.
***
With something on her mind, Shen Rong woke up earlier than usual. When she moved, she realized she was being held in someone's arms. She simply stopped struggling and just looked at him.
Lu Lin reached out and covered her eyes.
"You're awake?" Shen Rong asked in surprise.
Lu Lin opened his eyes, which were bloodshot: "I only dozed off for an hour or two."
Shen Rong quickly closed his eyes, feeling very sorry for him: "Then you should sleep a little longer."
Lu Lin hugged her tightly and rested his head in the crook of her neck: "Stay with me."
Shen Rong reached out and touched the bedside table for a while, then picked up her watch: "No, my son has to go to school later, I have to take him."
Lu Lin said with dissatisfaction, "Just let Zhang Ma and the others deliver it."
Shen Rong chuckled, wanting to take a shortcut: "Your son wouldn't agree."
Lu Lin also thought of his son's domineering nature, and smiled wryly while rubbing his forehead.
As they were talking, footsteps echoed down the corridor, and Shen Rong stopped her son before he could knock on the door.
"Dad is sleeping, let's keep our voices down."
Xiao Ming peeked in and saw someone lying on the bed. He immediately replied in a whisper, "Then let's be quiet."
He took his mother's hand and tiptoed down the stairs.
Zhang Ma had already prepared breakfast. She said to Shen Rong, "Mrs. Dong has also gotten up and gone for a walk in the small garden."
She nodded calmly, poured her son a glass of milk and told him to drink it slowly, then went to the small garden.
"Didn't you sleep well?" Shen Rong asked Lin Wenhui.
Lin Wenhui touched her face: "Is it that obvious?"
The two sat down on chairs, and Lin Wenhui began to talk about the past.
“My mother passed away when I was young. My father worked away from home most of the year. My other older brothers and sisters were all older than me and didn’t care to play with little kids. Only my third brother loved me the most and was the most patient. I used to follow him around every day. Later, when he went abroad to study, he wrote a letter to my father saying that he wanted me to study abroad and that he would find a way to pay for the tuition.”
This also made Lin's father start to reflect on whether he had been too negligent as a father, to the point that even his nephew doubted him.
Shen Rong patted her hand to comfort her: "Don't worry too much, maybe it hasn't gotten to the worst yet."
The two exchanged a few more words before going back to have breakfast.
Lu Lin didn't sleep for long before coming downstairs. After he finished breakfast, Shen Rong told him the purpose of Lin Wenhui's visit.
"Lin Wenxuan?" Lu Lin was a little surprised, as he didn't know anything about this.
However, he promised Lin Wenhui that he would ask around, and that evening, Lu Lin went home and told her what he had found out.
"This matter is somewhat complicated. Although he has not been convicted yet, it seems that Director Lin has already obtained some evidence."
Lin Wenhui's face turned pale; she had been mentally prepared for this: "Can I see him?"
Lu Lin nodded: "I can arrange it, but you two shouldn't meet alone. Director Lin will send someone to accompany you."
Lin Wenhui nodded: "I understand."
That night, Shen Rong quietly asked Lu Lin, "Is there really no way to save him? Hasn't he been convicted yet?"
Lu Lin used one hand as a pillow for her, and loosely wrapped his other arm around her.
"It's difficult. It seems they've recruited an inside liaison who can testify against Lin Wenxuan. The reason they haven't convicted him yet is simply because that person hasn't arrived."
To exonerate Lin Wenxuan, the person who testified against him must be removed.
Lu Lin looked down at her and said, "Don't get involved in these things." He looked wary.
Shen Rong understood what he meant. Nowadays, the Jincheng government sees everyone as a Communist and wants to arrest them all. Lu Lin's inquiries about Lin Wenxuan were definitely noticed. If she actively campaigned for him, some people might start to suspect Lu Lin.
Even though she knew it, she was still unhappy. She snorted and turned around to make her stance clear.
Are we just going to watch Lin Wenxuan be persecuted like this? Shen Rong couldn't sleep and tossed and turned.
Lu Lin was also kept awake by her: "You and Lin Wenxuan aren't even that close, why are you acting like this?"
In the darkness, Shen Rong sat up, staring directly at him: "We're not close, but we know each other. What heinous crime did he commit? What crime did he do that he has to die for, just because he's not from your party..."
Lu Lin covered her mouth: "You really are..." You're getting bolder and bolder, more and more unscrupulous. You don't even pretend in front of me anymore.
"What do you want?" Lu Lin asked her.
What could Shen Rong do? She felt powerless because she couldn't do anything: "I want to save him, I don't want him to die. Wen Hui is my good friend, and her brother is also my brother. Besides... he shouldn't die like this. Please help me think of a way."
She quietly tugged at his sleeve, and when he didn't shake her off, she was overjoyed. She climbed onto his arm and shook it, saying, "Isn't that good? Besides, he and Wen Zhongda are comrades and comrades-in-arms. You and Wen Zhongda are good friends, and he is also a good friend of Wen Zhongda. So, you're practically good friends too."
Lu Lin was amused by her logic: "Who told you that he and Zhongda are friends?"
Shen Rong: "I saw him in Bincheng."
One sentence left Lu Lin speechless for a long time. He already knew Wen Zhongda's identity, and it would be hard to believe that they didn't know each other since they were both in Bincheng.
Lu Lin rubbed his forehead, not understanding why Shen Rong was so close to them.
He said with a hint of helplessness, "Then why are you so proactive? These things have nothing to do with us."
Shen Rong held his hand, her tone sincere: "It's related, it's related to each and every one of us. Let's not look at it from a position of power, but from a human perspective, Lin Wenxuan is someone we know, and Lin Wenhui has helped me a lot. Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda!"
They've even brought this up; they're determined to achieve their goal.
He turned on the bedside lamp and looked at Chen Rong: "Releasing him is impossible. However..."
His tone shifted, and Shen Rong knew something was amiss, so she listened attentively to what he would say next.
“As I said, the key lies with that witness. If no one comes forward to identify him, I can try to mediate. The Lin family has connections in the government, so it shouldn’t be difficult to save his life.”
"Can Lin Wenhui get rid of that witness?" Lu Lin asked her.
Shen Rong hesitated for a moment: "I'll ask her tomorrow."
Both of them understood that Lin Wenhui did not have the ability to do so; it was up to her to contact the people over there and eliminate the traitor.
"Is that person in Lin Shaojie's hands?" Shen Rong wondered where he might be hiding the person, and whether she should help investigate.
Lu Lin shook his head, categorically denying it: "No way!"
He spoke with absolute certainty, and Shen Rong looked at him, puzzled: "Are you so sure?"
Lu Lin smiled and said, "Lin Shaojie doesn't have the ability to dig out Lin Wenxuan."
He mostly arrested small fry, but suddenly he dragged out Lin Wenxuan, a big fish. I'm afraid there's someone behind him, someone who's been hiding very deep.
Shen Rong felt a chill run down his spine: "You mean..."
"Lin Shaojie didn't report Lin Wenxuan's matter to me immediately." That can only mean that Lin Shaojie reported it to someone else.
People from the Military Intelligence Bureau? But it seems the Military Intelligence Bureau didn't exist at that time.
"They must be from the Special Service Department," Lu Lindao said.
These people are not under Lu Lin's jurisdiction, but they can interfere in some of the things Lin Shaojie does.
Lu Lin held her fingers tightly: "Don't go to join the fun tomorrow. Tell Lin Wenhui to be careful and not say anything she shouldn't." He meant the meeting.
The next day, Shen Rong accompanied Lin Wenhui to the government building. She stayed in Lu Lin's office, while Lin Shaojie personally led Lin Wenhui to meet people.
Half an hour later, Lin Wenhui returned with red eyes.
"How is it?" Shen Rong asked her.
Lin Wenhui shook her head: "Third Brother... is badly injured."
Seeing Shen Rong looking at him in shock, Lin Shaojie spread his hands: "We were just questioning her according to the rules, we didn't use any severe torture." He was explaining this to Lu Lin.
Lu Lin nodded, frowned, and said coldly, "Since you've already seen it, go back. Lin Wenxuan is a wanted criminal now, so it's best if you avoid contact with him."
Shen Rong pouted, somewhat displeased, and helped Lin Wenhui away.
On the way, Shen Rong asked her if Lin Wenxuan had said anything, and if she had revealed his meaning.
Lu Lin's words made a lot of sense. Shen Rong had also told Lin Wenhui that the only way to save the person was to prevent the witness from showing up, but that was beyond their capabilities. If they could contact Lin Wenxuan and his people, that would be great.
Lin Wenhui shook her head in disappointment: "He told me to ignore him."
The car returned to the Lu family home, and to their surprise, Lu Chang was home. Upon seeing them return, he was somewhat excited: "I heard you went to see Lin Wenxuan?"
Shen Rong looked at him suspiciously: "How did you know?"
Lu Chang laughed and said, "Never underestimate a reporter's ability to gather information."
He leaned closer: "What did you two talk about? Is he really a communist?"
Shen Rong was in a bad mood and pushed him away: "Go away, get out of the way, what's it to you?"
Lu Chang stepped aside: "Don't speak too confidently. What if I can be of help?"
His words reminded Shen Rong that using public pressure might be a solution.
But first, we need to clear Lin Wenxuan of suspicion. So let's go back to the question: we need to find that witness!
Shen Rong questioned Lin Wenhui in detail about what she had said when they met.
“There were people watching over me at the time. They only said a few simple words of greeting. I just mumbled a few words, and they probably didn’t understand me. They also told me that they wanted to eat wontons from Lao Yang’s family in Xikou, their hometown.”
They racked their brains but couldn't find any clues, so they had to give up.
When Lu Lin returned, Shen Rong looked at him expectantly.
"I can't interfere too much, not only for myself, but also for him."
Shen Rong knew this in her heart, and sighed deeply.
After dinner, Lu Chang went upstairs to sleep early, which Sheng Ruyue found strange and glanced at him a few more times.
Sheng Ruyue was half asleep when she was suddenly awakened. There was a figure standing in front of her. She acted faster than she thought and subdued the person in the next moment.
"It's me!"
Sheng Ruyue could make out the appearance of the person in front of her by the moonlight.
"You're scaring me in the middle of the night!"
Lu Chang rubbed his shoulder: "You're really strong."
Sheng Ruyue snorted coldly. This was already a lot of her strength. If she had used her full power, her arm would have been broken long ago.
"You're really skilled; most people wouldn't be a match for you." He suddenly leaned closer and asked, "Have you ever killed anyone?"
Sheng Ruyue released him and jumped up: "Of course not!"
Murder is a crime, do you think she's stupid and doesn't know that?
Lu Chang moved closer, standing very close to Sheng Ruyue, close enough to see his thick eyelashes.
Sheng Ruyue felt a little uncomfortable, her eyes drifting to the side.
"Do you like me?" Lu Chang suddenly asked.
His words were like a thunderclap, leaving Sheng Ruyue's mind blank.
She took a few steps back and loudly denied it, saying, "No way!"
But the shyness on her face and the avoidance of her eyes were not the real reason; her whole body was as red as a ripe shrimp.
Lu Changming understood and said with a smile, "How about this, you do me a favor, and I'll make you like it."
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