Rebirth from the Ashes

Chapter 651: One Step Behind

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The driver braved the chilling murderous intent. “Nothing for now.”

“Is Fu Qingli behind this? Or the man by her side?” It was hard to tell whether the middle-aged man was asking the driver or mumbling to himself.

“Our men are still looking into it.” The driver answered in a low, albeit trembling tone.

The woman named Zhou Zhen was verified to be the daughter of Li Jingran and Su Yi. The mister had located her and was ready to do away with her. To their dismay, the woman was rescued when they just got their hands on her. They even lost their men amid the scuffle.

“What about the guy? Who the hell is he?” Boiling in peevishness, the middle-aged man’s face contorted, and his eyes turned menacing. Like a wild beast, he was ready to snap.

He was certain that Fu Qingli had begun to doubt Shen Xi’s identity. He needed to kill Shen Xi because a dead man told no tales.

However, the security around Shen Xi was watertight. All the men he sent were on a one-way ticket. Still, the middle-aged man could not figure out the identity of the man by her side.

He proceeded to send his men to capture her friends and family, but he was one step too late. After the failed assassination at the temple, the man by her side had assigned protection to those people and was now investigating him instead.

The middle-aged man had gone too far to stop now. However, another attack would put him at risk of exposing himself. He would be dead meat if Fu Qingli was on his tail.

The bottom line was, he was one step behind. All that planning but he never anticipated a mysterious and terrifying man with her.

“We’re still looking into it.” Breaking out in cold sweat, the driver buried his head to avert the man’s tyrannical gaze. He was afraid that one slip of the tongue would cost his life.

“Tell them I’ll feed you all to the dogs if Fu Qingli gets to her before you kill her.” The man felt the gun in his hand and pointed at the driver. In the end, he did not pull the trigger and retrieved the gun for another stroke.

“Yes, Sir.” The man let out a sigh of relief. The car started and quickly disappeared from the road.

The snowfall was growing heavy outside.

The Shen family was immersed in the joyous occasion.

No one left after the party ended. They stayed to chat and watched TV.

Li Yuan played chess with Shen Zhangqing.

Lying on Li Yuan’s lap, Toffeecito was on its best behavior as it watched the game with wide eyes.

Song Xiaomi sat by Shen Zhangqing, lifting its dignified head, sometimes glancing in ennui at the chessboard and other times peering at Toffeecito.

Ruan Sisi was absent-minded as she was worried about Zhou Zhen. It was not long before she excused herself.

Once Ruan Sisi was gone, Shen Xi asked Jiang Yin. “Ms. Jiang, what’s the matter with Sisi?”

Jiang Yin told the truth. “She suddenly couldn’t get hold of her friend. She has filed a report with the police. I also got my people on the case. It shouldn’t be a problem.”

Shen Xi nodded and hummed a single utterance in acknowledgment. She had little concern for people she had no direct relationship with. Moreover, her teacher said she was on it, so it must not be a major issue.

Since Yun Jinping and Ruan Sisi were close, Yun Jinping was worried about Ruan Sisi. She went over to get to the bottom of the situation. Yun Jinping got a spooky feeling when she heard that the missing friend was Zhou Zhen.

She knew about Zhou Zhen. The latter was the girl who came to the capital to see Sisi at the office bearing gifts. Yun Jinping recalled how the girl took after Su Yi.

Hearing that it was Zhou Zhen, Shen Xi kept an eye out.

Yu Yuanxi knew who Zhou Zhen was. Ever since Shen Xi and Yun Jinping dropped by at the set to see him and the same day Ruan Sisi became Shen Xi’s student, Zhou Zhen was nicer to him. In fact, she was clearly cozying up to him. Nevertheless, Yu Yuanxi was not accustomed to dealing with people like her. They were acquaintances at most and not friends.

To suddenly hear that she was unreachable, even as an acquaintance, he showed concern and conscience as he inquired further.

Jiang Yin did not speak much about it, merely saying that Zhou Zhen would be found. Her connections should be able to locate a living person unless she vanished into thin air. Jiang Yin believed she was taken away by someone.

She just sought information and found out that Zhou Zhen’s mother was a mama-san at a high-end club where men of power and wealth came and went.

Growing up in such a complicated environment, Zhou Zhen fraternized with people of all walks of life regardless of good or bad. It was not strange she was taken away for offending somebody.

Jiang Yin was taking on the whole thing. The others did not ask much about it. Only Yu Yuanxi and Yun Jinping asked to be informed of any updates.

With the liveliest Ruan Sisi gone, Song Wenye quieted down and had a conversation with Jiang Yin since she did not have anyone to bounce her vibrant energy off with.

Jiang Yin had met Li Yuan, but it never occurred to her that the handsome man in the wheelchair was the top gun of China and head of the Li household.

Her student sure had all the tricks in the bag to nail this man.

Song Wenye did not have much inkling either. She had only seen him once and it was a fleeting glance. Still, she had a better idea than Jiang Yin; at least she knew that Shen Xi was secretly in love with him.

She was unaware of the subsequent events as she thought the couple had not expressed their feelings to each other. To her surprise, Toffeecito’s Dad just walked right through the door today.

Jiang Yin was aware of the fact that Shen Xi had a crush. During then, she was not that bothered other than feeling worried for Shen Xi due to the guy’s disability, and concerned as her parents might not approve of the relationship.

Song Wenye soon dragged Yun Jinping and Shen Tang over for a chat. Of course, the subject of the matter was Li Yuan. She wanted to know what Li Yuan did to get Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing’s approval and help.

Like the Fu family, Shen Tang’s family was unable to make it back on time, apart from herself. Her parents were on business in the north where the snowstorm was rampaging. They were unable to return as all flights were canceled.

Shen Feng went abroad with his lecturer for an important project. Since they were at a critical point of the project, Shen Feng was unable to take the time off.

Yun Jinping did not keep the matter from them as they were family after all. This was not an unspeakable secret anyway. She briefly relayed the story about Shen Zhangqing looking for Li Yuan and Li Yuan’s two visits to the home.

Shen Xi did not participate in the conversation. Trying to escape from Song Wenye and Jiang Yin’s clutches and interrogation, she ran off to observe the chess game. Presently, she quietly sat beside Shen Zhangqing.

Shen Zhangqing was not comfortable with the whole situation, to begin with. Tried as he may to demonstrate tolerance and an open mind, Shen Zhangqing still felt a little bitter for his daughter to suddenly have a boyfriend. Seeing that his daughter took a seat next to him instead of Li Yuan, he turned perky and smug.. He was now in his element as he played on.