PROOFREAD BY AFREANA

Chapter 44.1

Liu Ze seemed to have a hard time. After hesitating briefly, he said: “To be honest, I think what Miss An said is true. If it were up to me, I would want you to help me ease the pain in my wife’s heart. But my wife has always valued her appearance. When she fell ill yesterday, she sometimes talked nonsense, pulled her hair, and tore her clothes. Her appearance was haggard and disheveled. If I agreed to allow you to see her now, then if she is not polite to you or blames me for not being considerate and respectful, my heart would not be at ease. After I finish my work here, I will return to the house to accompany her. If she gets better and is in the mood to meet guests, I will send someone to invite you. How about that?”

These words were so courteous that An Ruochen naturally could not say “no.” She could only say goodbye and leave.

An Ruochen walked out of the door of the Zhaofu Restaurant. She slowly walked around the restaurant twice and felt reluctant in her heart. She was observing the restaurant again and again, thinking again and again, but she got nothing. She could not think of a good way and could only return to the Purple Cloud House to discuss again with Big Long.

While guests of the Zhaofu Restaurant were flowing around, An Ruochen brushed shoulders with a blue-clothed man as she was leaving. The man’s appearance and demeanor were nothing special. An Ruochen paid no attention to him, without realizing she had heard his voice and seen his back before.

An Ruochen’s lack of reaction made the blue-clothed man smile as he walked into the restaurant and said politely to Liu Ze, who greeted him, “Boss Liu, I made a reservation in the Fu Ru Hai private room.”

“Young Master Min.” Liu Ze made an inviting gesture and beckoned to a waiter: “Take Young Master Min to Fu Ru Hai.”

The waiter answered loudly: “Okay, Fu Ru Hai. This way, please, Sir.”

The blue-clothed man entered the Fu Ru Hai private room and ordered three dishes without waiting for the waiter to inform him of the menu. The waiter poured the tea, responded to his order, and went down. Not long after, Liu Ze pushed the door in, leading a servant to serve the dishes. After the waiter served the dishes and went down, Liu Ze did not leave and asked, “Young Master Min, please taste if the dishes are to your liking?”

Young Master Min used chopsticks to pluck the dishes and lowered his voice: “Why did you entice An Ruochen?”

Liu Ze said softly, “She is deliberately looking for trouble. I should deal with her.”

Young Master Min glanced at him: “How do you want to deal with her?”

“Everything is according to your instructions. Just pretending that nothing happened. Let An Ruochen seek for nothing. She will naturally focus on other places if she cannot find any clue.”

“Really?” Young Master Min clamped a piece of food and asked: “Is your daughter missing?”

Liu Ze stiffened briefly and replied as if nothing had happened: “Yes. I’m looking for her.”

“It’s strange.”

Liu Ze pursed his lips. He knew Young Master Min was well-informed and had contacts at the local government office. Liu Ze naturally did not dare to tell a lie, so he said: “Young master is coming for this? Don’t worry. I will take care of it. Yesterday when I went out to socialize, my wife reported it to the authorities due to panic. I have already made arrangements. It will not cause a big problem.”

“You’ve made a scene until it reached the governor’s office and attracted An Ruochen, wasn’t that big enough?” Young Master Min said, “As long as your daughter is still missing, the case will not be closed, and the consequences will be endless.” He slammed his chopsticks down and stared at Liu Ze: “What exactly happened?”

“It is true that my daughter is missing. I have sent someone to look for her. I’ll take care of it.”

“Are you hiding something from me?”

Liu Ze answered respectfully, “Young master can investigate it. I know how serious the matter is. All the matters that Young Master has ordered me, which one didn’t I do properly?”

“What about your wife? Is she also honest and does not cause any trouble?”

“Naturally.”

Liu Ze answered affirmatively, but Young Master Min was not satisfied. “An Ruochen has been watching you. Long Teng’s side has instructed someone to go to Fengan County again to investigate your mother and Pin Xiang Brothel, of course, you as well. Is this called not causing trouble? For no reason at all, how could your daughter disappear? She slept in her own home and disappeared out of nowhere like An Ruofang. Your wife is powerful. She actually ran to the authorities. Does she want to be the second An Ruochen?”

Liu Ze stiffened. He really did not expect Big Long would investigate again. “Young Master Min, don’t be angry. This must be An Ruochen’s tactics. That day on the street, she abducted Yin’er, then pretended to be a good person and sent her back. I will find out what really happened. Besides, the Pin Xiang Brothel has nothing to do with us, so it’s useless for them to go there even ten times.”

“An Ruochen’s tactics? How do you plan to find out?” Young Master Min snorted coldly.

“I am an ordinary citizen. I am reporting my daughter’s missing case just like ordinary citizens. Since the authorities already know about it, naturally, I will let the authorities do it. As for An Ruochen, she doesn’t have any connection with my Liu family. My wife likes peace and quiet, and after my daughter’s disappearance, she suffers from depression and doesn’t want to meet any guests. If the kidnappers use my daughter to ask for any conditions, I will not give in.”

In other words, they will live like ordinary people, and others cannot grasp any handle on them. They also won’t provoke An Ruochen and won’t allow her to check out any traces. His daughter will not be a bargaining chip to blackmail him. He would rather sacrifice her instead.

Young Master Min did not speak.

Liu Ze also stopped talking, quietly standing aside and waiting.

After a while, Young Master Min asked, “Is there any news about An Ruofang?”

“No. No one heard any clues about identical little girls in this city or outside the city. I’m afraid it’s true that she died in an accident, but her body still has not been found yet.”

Outside the door, there was a call: “The food is coming.” With the sound of the words, a waiter pushed the door in, holding a tray of dishes.

Liu Ze spoke to Young Master Min: “Okay, then another pot of warm wine for Young Master Min.” After saying that, he turned to the waiter, “Young Master wants another pot of warm wine. Hurry up.”

“Okay.” the waiter put down the dish.

Young Master Min said, “Okay, this will be enough.”

Liu Ze answered and retreated together with the waiter.

Meanwhile, after An Ruochen returned to the Purple Cloud House, she read the case file of Liu Yin’s disappearance intensely but did not find anything new. She was frustrated and blamed herself for making the wrong decision. She wanted to meet Big Long and admit her mistake, but the General was not there. She wanted to ask Xie Gang for advice, but he was already out.

An Ruochen waited until nightfall. She couldn’t sit still, so she took her short sword to the training grounds and practiced. After practicing by herself, her mood did not change for the better. She sat on the ground while looking at the target under the moonlight alone. Remembering the embarrassment she made in front of the General, hugging that target with tears and snot, she could not help but sigh: “Pigs, dogs, cattle, sheep, chickens, ducks, and geese.” Hopefully, the General will lose his memory and forget that part.

“Hungry?” A voice suddenly emerged from behind.

An Ruochen turned her head abruptly but found it was not Big Long.

Zong Zeqing came over and sat beside her: “Didn’t you just have a meal not long ago?”

An Ruochen’s face fell. How did she build up the image of a rice bucket? “Why is General Zong here?”

“I’m going to the battlefield tomorrow. I saw you here, so I came to talk to you.”

“Is there going to be a war?”