Chapter 120: Testing the Waters

Qiao Jiu frowned slightly as she looked over the documents in her hands.

Liu Changyong had supposedly been busy tending to his father’s grave illness, taking him everywhere in search of medical treatment, yet he claimed he couldn't spare the time to return for the funeral. The more she thought about it, the less it made sense.

She closed the file, crossed her arms, and leaned back in her chair. Her mind drifted back to the conversation she had overheard outside the restroom. If her suspicions were correct, Liu Changyong must have been involved in some unsavory business back in Yun City—and her father had either been privy to it or a participant himself.

Qiao Jiu closed her eyes, feeling a knot of unease in her chest. Lacking the patience to continue reading, she gathered the documents and headed to Liang Xiucheng’s office.

Liang Xiucheng was busy reviewing papers; it seemed he genuinely had work to attend to. Qiao Jiu placed the stack on his desk. "I'm done. I don't want to read any more."

Liang Xiucheng looked surprised. "Finished already?"

"Not exactly." Qiao Jiu offered a forced smile. "I just skimmed the latter half. His business is truly massive, far larger than my father’s. Our family business couldn't even compare."

Liang Xiucheng’s lips curled into a faint smile. "Some people are just born to be business tycoons; fortune favors them."

Qiao Jiu glanced at the time. "I have nothing left to do here. Are you staying?"

Liang Xiucheng didn't answer directly, asking instead, "What do you plan to do next?"

"I'm not sure," Qiao Jiu replied. "Probably go home and sleep. I didn't sleep well last night."

Lu Fengzhou had been relentless the previous night, and it wasn't until she had started lashing out at him that he had finally stopped. Despite catching a few extra hours of sleep that morning, she still felt completely drained.

Hearing this, Liang Xiucheng nodded. "You head back then. I still have some things to wrap up here."

Qiao Jiu nodded, bid him farewell, and turned to leave.

She hailed a taxi downstairs and initially gave her home address, but halfway through the drive, her agitation grew. She suddenly said, "Driver, change of plans. I’m not going there anymore."

She provided a new destination, and the taxi turned at the intersection, heading toward Taiping Temple.

When they reached the foot of the mountain, the temple was teeming with pilgrims; there wasn't even a parking spot in sight. Qiao Jiu got out. She had intended to have the driver wait, but seeing the lack of parking, she decided against it.

She climbed the mountain at a leisurely pace. Halfway up, the sound of Buddhist chanting drifted toward her. She paused, suddenly recalling the memorial tablet Lu Fengzhou had placed there. He had never mentioned it, and she had never seen him come to pay his respects, though he was so busy and rarely home that he could have visited without her knowledge. Everyone had their secrets, and she was the only one playing the fool.

Once inside the temple, she joined the devotees in their prayers before making her way to the Hall of Rebirth. After searching for a while, she found the memorial tablets for Lu Fengzhou’s parents, as well as her own father's.

She bowed before her father’s tablet first, then walked over to the tablets for Lu Fengzhou’s parents and noted the names. If her intuition was right, there was some sort of entanglement between Lu Fengzhou and Liu Changyong, though she couldn't pinpoint when it had begun. They were both prominent figures in the business world, and with Liu Changyong owning numerous companies—some involved in real estate—they were bound to have crossed paths in one way or another.

She stood in the hall for a while longer before turning to leave.

Just as she reached the stone steps outside, Lu Fengzhou’s call came through.

Qiao Jiu answered, "What is it?"

"Where are you?" he asked.

Qiao Jiu didn't really want to answer. "Is something the matter?"

"Nothing in particular," Lu Fengzhou replied. "Just calling to see if you want to grab a meal."

Qiao Jiu checked the time. They hadn't eaten much that morning, and she was indeed hungry. However, her foul mood made her reluctant to be pleasant. "I’m not eating. Don't worry about me."

Lu Fengzhou sensed it instantly. "Are you in a bad mood?"

Qiao Jiu took a breath, not wanting to elaborate. "Just leave it."

She hung up, stood there for a moment, and then walked toward the pond where fish were released. It was crowded; some pilgrims were being guided by monks, while others, like she had done in the past, were releasing birds or fish they had purchased themselves.

Qiao Jiu sat in a nearby pavilion, leaning against a pillar. She thought about many things, yet upon reflection, it felt as though her mind were completely blank. She sat there for who knows how long, watching waves of pilgrims pass by, until her stomach finally gave an audible growl.

Then, she heard a soft chuckle from nearby.

Startled, Qiao Jiu jumped to her feet and spun around. Even without seeing him, she recognized the voice immediately. Standing behind her was Lu Fengzhou. She had no idea how long he had been there.

"What brought you here?" he asked.

Qiao Jiu glared at him. "Did you come here specifically to look for me?"

Lu Fengzhou glanced at the pond, recalling the sight of Qiao Jiu kneeling by the water’s edge, releasing fish one by one. At the time, he hadn't felt much, but remembering it now, a dull ache stirred in his chest.

His gaze darkened slightly as he changed the subject. "Let’s go. Time to eat."

He turned and walked out of the pavilion. Qiao Jiu followed him. "Did you really come just for me? How did you know I was here?"

Lu Fengzhou’s tone was indifferent, laced with absolute confidence. "Is it really that hard to track your whereabouts?"

Qiao Jiu watched his back, unable to define the feeling in her heart. She had once been arrogant and self-assured, but it was easy to see that her confidence was a hollow facade—nothing more than the bravado of someone with money. Lu Fengzhou’s confidence, however, was genuine; it had nothing to do with wealth. It came from his own capability.

Was that why her father had finally decided to leave the company to him in his will?

Lu Fengzhou stopped after a few steps and turned back, holding out his hand. "Come here. You’re walking too slowly."

Qiao Jiu’s eyes dropped to his hand, her expression growing complex. Lu Fengzhou remained where he was, patient, his hand still extended. After a long moment, Qiao Jiu took a deep breath, walked over, and placed her hand in his.

The gesture was small, but the implications were heavy.

Lu Fengzhou smiled—the first time she had seen him smile without any hidden agenda. He interlaced his fingers with hers and led her out of Taiping Temple.

After descending the mountain and getting into his car, Qiao Jiu fastened her seatbelt and said, "I went back to the office this morning to finish some work, and I happened to run into A-Cheng. We talked about Uncle Liu."

Lu Fengzhou focused on the first part. "You ran into Liang Xiucheng?"

"Yes," Qiao Jiu said. "He was working overtime too. He told me the cooperation contract with Uncle Liu was already drafted, but then he left for Shen City in such a hurry. No one knows what happened."

Lu Fengzhou started the car. "He didn't tell you?"

"No." Qiao Jiu looked out the window. "When I was little, he visited our home often, and he and my father were on good terms. But we haven't seen each other in years, and with my father gone, things have grown distant. When we met, it was just polite formalities. He didn't feel it was necessary to tell me anything."