Chapter 81 Even if I die, I can remarry, and give myself to a younger woman…
Lu Lin looked at Shen Rong as she pushed open the door and entered. He thought the same thing as Lu Chang, no, it was even more serious.
Shen Rong has never caused a scene in his office, not even when they were going through a divorce in Pingcheng.
Had he really gone too far? He stood up, a rare hint of unease on his face: "You... how did you get here?"
Shouldn't they go shopping? If spending money can make her feel better, Lu Lin has no objection; at worst, he'll lose a month's salary.
Shen Rong's expression was very strange, with a hint of sternness.
Lu Lin felt uneasy. He got up and pulled her in, unconsciously lowering his posture and whispering apologetically, "Why did you come? Let's go home and discuss this properly."
With a hint of sincerity: "I was wrong, I'll go back and apologize to you..."
Shen Rong glared at him with a hint of embarrassment, gesturing for him to look behind her: "I have something important to discuss with you."
Lu Lin then noticed that there was another person outside the door. Lin Wenhui nodded to him somewhat awkwardly: "Commander Lu."
He coughed lightly, feeling a little embarrassed for the first time, and stepped aside to let them in.
As Shen Rong passed by, Lu Lin pulled her aside and asked in a low voice, "Aren't you angry anymore?"
She glanced at him sideways: "Temporary truce, we have important business to attend to."
That's fine, as long as they don't threaten divorce. Lu Lin is now so sensitive to those two words that he can't stand hearing them.
The secretary served tea, and Lin Wenhui kept glancing at Shen Rong, her expression anxious.
Today, Shen Rong had arranged to go shopping with a group of wealthy women, but on the way, she encountered Lin Wenhui, who seemed to be wandering around like a headless fly. Upon asking, she learned that Dong Rongyi had gone missing.
"Missing? How long has it been?" Lu Lin asked.
Lin Wenhui said, "He went out with his friends yesterday afternoon and hasn't come back since. It's been a whole night."
She went to the police station to report the case, but they refused to accept it, saying that one night did not count as missing.
Lu Lin: "Could it be that it's too late and he stayed at a friend's house?" Or maybe he got drunk and spent the night out.
Lin Wenhui shook her head, her eyes reddening: "No, Rong Yi doesn't drink. He told me he would come back for dinner, but I waited all night and he didn't come back. Something must have happened."
Dong Rongyi knew she would be scared to be home alone at night, so she never stayed out all night.
Lu Lin asked her if Dong Rongyi had mentioned where he was going to meet his friends, and who his friends were.
Lin Wenhui bit her lip, feeling somewhat guilty: "I...I'm not really sure."
There's definitely more to this than meets the eye.
Shen Rong took her hand and said solemnly, "Wen Hui, you must trust us and trust Lu Lin. Only by knowing where they last appeared can we find clues. Time is of the essence now. The sooner we find them, the safer we can ensure his safety."
She didn't believe that Lin Wenhui knew nothing. Dong Rongyi never hid anything from her, so maybe she did know something, which was why she knew something was wrong when Dong Rongyi didn't return home for one night.
Considering Dong Rongyi's future identity, could it be...?
"Are they doing some kind of research?" Shen Rong blurted out.
Lin Wenhui was stunned and shocked: "How did you know!"
She knew something was wrong as soon as she said it. Shen Rong hadn't mentioned any research, but her strong reaction indicated that the research direction was unusual.
Since they had already guessed some of it, Lin Wenhui stopped hiding it. Besides, she also wanted to find Dong Rongyi as soon as possible.
"Yes, now that the country is weak, they want to make some contributions with what they have learned. They heard that an expert in this field has come to Bincheng, so they are going to consult him, but his identity is somewhat special."
She glanced at Lu Lin and continued:
“The southern government was after him, which is why I kept it a secret. They went to a small tavern in the Japanese concession, a place where they often gathered, and it used to be very safe.”
"Why is he wanted?" Shen Rong asked, puzzled.
Lin Wenhui glanced at Lu Lin again, then looked down at her shoes, her voice low: "He's from that side."
Shen Rong didn't realize which side it was, but Lu Lin spoke up: "The two sides are still negotiating. The young marshal has not ordered the arrest of these people, and the people from the Jincheng government cannot get involved for the time being, so it should be unrelated to this reason."
He had heard that there were secret purges of these revolutionary figures in various places, and he had some doubts in his heart.
Shen Rong suddenly realized, her expression becoming somewhat agitated.
"What does that person do?" What kind of expert are they?
Lin Wenhui: "It seems to be related to the military industry."
"It must have been the Japanese who did it," Shen Rong said decisively. "Don't forget, the Japanese are also watching us closely."
Shen Rong was speechless. How could they go to Japanese territory? Did they think the Japanese were some kind of good people? And knowing their own identities, why were they so sensitive? Wasn't this like lambs to the slaughter?
Alright, now we've caught all the elites.
Lin Wenhui's face turned pale.
Shen Rong comforted her, "Don't be afraid. Most of them are teachers from Bincheng. Lu Lin can probably ask the Japanese for them, right?"
She turned to ask Lu Lin.
Lu Lin nodded: "Don't worry, we will definitely find them."
Shen Rong's words were just a guess; things might not be that bad.
Lin Wenhui could only go back and wait for news for the time being. Lu Lin arranged for his men to search along the route they took before they disappeared. It was impossible for seven or eight people to disappear without leaving any clues.
Shen Rong reminded him from the side, "It's most likely the Japanese who did it. You should focus your investigation on them." Besides, they're the only ones in Bincheng with that kind of capability.
Lu Lin asked her why she was so sure; surely the Japanese needed a reason to arrest people.
Shen Rong looked at him, hesitant to speak. Should she tell him it was intuition, a painful lesson from history? But would he believe her?
"Do you think the Japanese will attack?" Shen Rong asked him.
Lu Lin stared intently at her, his lips pressed tightly together.
Shen Rong understood and smiled: "If you know that, then you understand why the Japanese are arresting these people."
She took the paper from his desk, unscrewed his pen, and wrote down the list of missing persons.
“He is a military expert.” She circled Dong Rongyi’s name. “He is a physicist.”
Then he circled a few more names: "They are mechanical engineers, mechanics engineers, mathematicians..."
These are all future pillars of the nation, and the Japanese are perfectly clear about their purpose in capturing them.
A country without talent is truly hopeless.
As she marked them one by one, Lu Lin's expression grew increasingly grim. He had to admit that Shen Rong's guess was correct.
The Japanese first created riots, and now they're targeting talented individuals; their ambitions have been completely exposed.
Lu Lin pulled her hand, suddenly lifted her onto the table, and imprisoned her within his reach, which startled Shen Rong.
"What are you doing?" She felt very uncomfortable and pressed her hand against his chest.
"So that you can listen to me finish speaking in peace."
Lu Lin sighed: "Since you have some understanding of the situation, you should also know that Bincheng will become increasingly unstable in the future. No one knows what might happen. I hope you will take your son back to Pingcheng, or you could go back and keep your mother-in-law company."
Seeing her raise her eyebrows, Lu Lin immediately explained, "It's not a divorce, there's no divorce, and it's absolutely impossible for us to get divorced. I'm just sending you back to the interior first, and you'll come back once the situation here has stabilized."
Shen Rong moved her lips twice, but seeing the deep concern in his eyes, she couldn't bring herself to say anything more.
“Aren’t you most afraid of war? There’s definitely going to be a tough battle in Bincheng. I can’t rest easy with you all here.” Lu Lin brushed the hair behind her ear.
With a calm expression and lowered eyes, he thought, "Who would like war?" When did he realize that?
"The New Year is just around the corner, and my third brother is about to head south to report on his mission. If you go back with him, it won't attract any attention."
Shen Rong remained silent, her hand gripping his belt so tightly that her fingers turned white.
"Or... you can take the child and go abroad first. Haven't you always wanted to go to the United States? I've asked my older brother to open an overseas account for you, and I'll have someone transfer the money to that account later."
Shen Rong covered her ears and yelled at him, "I won't listen! I won't listen!"
So he knows everything! Her eyes reddened: "You're playing me!" Tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably.
Lu Lin hurriedly helped her dry off: "Don't cry. I was just saying what if? It might not come to this. I didn't say I was definitely going to die."
Shen Rong glared at him, pushed him away fiercely, and wiped away her tears haphazardly.
"So what if you die? I can remarry and find Xiaoming a foreign father."
Lu Lin's face was as black as the bottom of a pot.
She jumped off the table, turned around to tidy her appearance, and said in a cold and distant tone: "Remember to rescue Dong Rongyi and the others as soon as possible."
Lu Lin took two steps after her, feeling somewhat powerless, as if she had messed things up again. Had she said something wrong again? Wasn't this something she had been secretly planning all along?
He looked dejected, and Shen Rong turned back at the door.
Before Lu Lin could even feel happy, Shen Rong left without looking back after saying a few words.
“Your sister brought Wu Xinbai back for dinner. Remember to come home early.”
He leaned on the table, head bowed, and sighed. What a mess this was! Zhongda was right; he'd gotten himself into this mess.
***
Shen Rong's mind was in turmoil, with countless voices arguing inside her. She walked aimlessly down the street, but rationally she knew that Lu Lin was right, and if she were smart, she should do as he said.
This way, you can leave openly and honestly, you won't lack money, you won't have to fall out with either family, and you'll still have a way out. There's no better or more perfect solution than this.
But... but why did she feel so unhappy? She didn't want to hear Lu Lin say that.
Why did I become so angry and embarrassed when I heard Lu Lin say that?
She felt a tightness in her chest and pounded it with her hand. She didn't want this sticky, uncomfortable feeling, but she couldn't bring herself to be cruel.
She knew she hesitated because she couldn't bear to part with it.
Lu Lin is such a good person, anyone would like him. She is just an ordinary person, it's only natural. Yes, that's it. She just likes a good person. She tells herself this and convinces herself that Lu Lin is not special at all. She can't let him delay her plans. Is liking someone more important than life?
But just thinking about it made her heart ache as if it were being squeezed. She held back her tears and looked up, only to unexpectedly run into someone she didn't want to see in her disheveled state.
The two arrived at a private tea room, where Uchida Eiko stood up to pour her tea.
"Does Mrs. Lu like tea? This is Da Hong Pao from Wuyi Mountain; I quite like it."
Shen Rong glanced at her and said, "Mrs. Uchida seems to know a lot about our country's things." Perhaps she was in a bad mood, because her tone was a bit sharp.
Uchida Eiko showed no embarrassment whatsoever; her smile remained gentle, which annoyed Shen Rong.
"Did you need something?" Shen Rong didn't want to play guessing games with her today.
Uchida Eiko pushed the tea over, noticing that something was wrong with her, and without beating around the bush, she got straight to the point.
"Mrs. Lu, don't worry too much. Your friends are all doing well."
Shen Rong's expression changed: "So it really was you who captured them!"
Uchida Eiko smiled apologetically: "Ever since Commander Lu entered the Marshal's Mansion, I have tried to see you several times but have been unable to, so this was the only way I could come up with."
Shen Rong clenched her fists, staring at her suspiciously: "You arrested them just to see me?"
Isn't this excuse a bit too far-fetched? Who is she that important that we have to resort to this kind of method to meet? Are you kidding me?
Uchida Eiko smiled and took a sip of tea. "This tea is really fragrant. Would Mrs. Lu like to try some?"
Seeing the wary look in Shen Rong's eyes, she smiled helplessly: "I genuinely consider Mrs. Lu a friend. I just felt that you must be very worried about your friend going missing, and I was just about to go look for you when we happened to run into each other on the road."
She's quite lucky; she's probably been keeping an eye on Lin Wenhui and her all along.
“Your friend was just accidentally involved in this. He's not the person we're looking for. Releasing them is just a matter of a word.” She stared intently at Shen Rong, clearly implying there was more to her statement.
"What are the conditions?"
Uchida Eiko fiddled with her teacup: "Sachiko is my cousin after all. I'm very worried about her being held captive by you for so long."
Shen Rong smiled and leaned back, saying that as long as the conditions were met, that was fine.
"Mrs. Uchida said she considered me a friend, but you're just trying to fool me like a child. Even if I'm naive, I know she's connected to the assassination of the Marshal and is a spy for your Kwantung Army. Do you think the young Marshal would agree to exchange her for a few civilians?"
It seems this Sachiko has an unusual identity! She set up such a trap to switch people.
"I heard that Sachiko is at the Security Command. All you need is Commander Lu's order." Uchida Kage stared at Shen Rong's face, not missing a single change in her expression.
She knew that Shen Rong and Mrs. Dong were good friends, and that those people were all teachers at Bincheng University. She was sure that Lu Lin could persuade Dou Wenliang to change the person.
"That's impossible, the young marshal will not agree." Shen Rong's tone was firm.
"Do you think I'm stupid? Do you think Lu Lin has a future if he does this? You said it yourself, you only arrested my friends. Friends are just friends, I can make new ones. But I only have one husband, and his future is more important!"
Uchida Eiko was speechless, seemingly unable to find a reason to refute her.
Her smile froze slightly: "I underestimated you. I thought you were a kind and gentle person."
"That's conditional, depending on who it's applied to?" Shen Rongduan looked at her.
Uchida Eiko probably hadn't expected this reaction, and was momentarily stunned.
"Why don't you think of a more tempting offer? It seems like we're at a disadvantage if we just change the person. This Sachiko must be very important."
Shen Rong rested his right hand on the table, watching her with a leisurely air.
Uchida Eiko finally stopped laughing: "She's just my sister..."
Shen Rong suddenly stood up: "There's no need to say these things. I can see that Mrs. Uchida can't make the decision, and neither can I. Why don't we all go back and talk to the people who can make the decision before we come back to talk?"
She took a few steps, then stopped: "The premise for this discussion is that all my friends are safe and sound."
Uchida Eiko smiled and said, "Of course, we will certainly treat your friend well."
After the person left, Uchida Eiko's face darkened, and she swept the teacup to the ground. Someone heard the noise and came in.
"She didn't agree?"
Uchida Ayaka turned to look at the newcomer: "I told you this wouldn't work, but you insisted on trying. Now she's shown us our true strength!"
Dean Ito: "It was my carelessness, but it's nothing. She's right, this matter should be discussed with the person who can make the decision."
Although those teachers were useless and Dou Wenliang might not care, the students in Bincheng might not think the same way. If they leaked the news of the teachers' arrest and the students went into chaos, Dou Wenliang would have a headache.
However, this is a suicidal and desperate measure, and he doesn't want to use it until the very last stage.
He glanced at Uchida Eiko's face and sighed, "I know you're against bringing Sachiko back, but it's a decision from above, so we'll just have to do it."
Sachiko has another important use.
Uchida Eiko frowned.
Dean Ito glanced at her, then looked at Shen Rong walking away outside the door, and said meaningfully, "This Mrs. Lu is different from what you described."
Uchida Ayaka scoffed, "I said she was a naive and ignorant noblewoman, but I didn't say she was a fool!"
Ito was immediately put in an awkward position.
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