Chapter 55
Holiday

In the days when Tan Yi left Anhai, he visited all the places where Deputy Mayor Shen Moyan had worked, conducting in-depth investigations into the affairs he had handled back then and the resulting interpersonal relationships.

Shen Moyan had a good reputation and was considered upright and unyielding, so it was natural that he had made a few enemies. Most of these people were active in political and business circles, with glamorous appearances and significant power, making it almost impossible to uncover any scandals on a short trip.

All Tan Yi could do was record their names, resumes, and various social relationships. In the future, he would conduct further investigations to verify if any of them were involved in organized crime—if they were, what type of criminal activities they were involved in, and whether they were connected to the Shen Yi case; if they were not, whether they would resort to hiring hitmen to take revenge on Shen Moyan through other means.

All of this was kept strictly confidential, with only Tan Yi and a few top leaders being aware of the details—after all, this matter involved a wide range of people with special identities, and any leak would cause a significant uproar.

As for Anhai, Tan Yi had already conducted checks there shortly after joining the city bureau.

Currently, this criminal gang operated meticulously and was deeply hidden. If it was confirmed that they were the same group involved in the kidnapping case back then, the mastermind behind them would likely possess considerable influence.

Ren Yaguang scratched his short hair, “The culprit is hiding too well. Is there no other way to catch them?”

Xie Qing said, “Such gangs generally don’t remain silent for too long. I think, on one hand, we should establish horizontal connections with other regions and compile similar unresolved cases; on the other hand, we should wait for them to make a mistake. If my guess is correct, they won’t let go of Captain Tan easily. Captain Tan, you need to be careful.”

These were her thoughts on the Shen Yi case, and despite it being the New Year, she didn’t hold back.

Tan Yi smiled and nodded, “Very good, everyone is thinking.”

He took out a cigarette pack from his pocket, habitually asked for Xie Qing’s permission, and then lit a cigarette for himself and Ren Yaguang.

He said, “I agree with Xiao Xie’s opinion. We should focus on unresolved cases involving sensitive identities of the victims in various places. After the New Year, I will report to the bureau, and the bureau will apply to the provincial department to collect as many cases as possible for analysis.”

Although he had already gathered a considerable amount of information, it was through private investigations and difficult to present officially.

Now that the cases were merged, he could openly obtain more information through various channels.

The three of them discussed the Shi case and continued talking until the firecrackers of the first day of the lunar year sounded, then returned to their dormitories, took showers, tidied up, and went off duty on time.

…

Back at Wolong Community, Xie Qing parked her car outside the gate. Just as she was about to enter, she saw Xie Xun coming out in sportswear.

Xie Qing greeted him, “Dad, I’m back.”

“Ah.” A smile appeared in Xie Xun’s eyes, “You haven’t slept all night, your eyes are baggy. Go to sleep now.”

Xie Qing said, “I’m not too tired yet, let me accompany you for a walk.”

Xie Xun hesitated for a moment, “Alright, we haven’t seen each other for a while. It would be nice to chat.”

The sun had not yet risen, but the sky was already bright. Layers of stratocumulus clouds piled up on the horizon, looking exceptionally spectacular.

The father and daughter jogged along a path towards the seaside, leaving the residential area, following the coastal road, looping around a scenic pavilion, and then coming back—a distance of about three kilometers.

As they were about to enter the residential area, Xie Xun switched from running to walking and started talking with Xie Qing.

He said, “I found the house you wanted. There’s a nice villa in Zuilong Bay. It has two floors above ground and one underground, a total of 158 square meters, fitting your requirements. It’s priced at 1,680 yuan per square meter, less than 270,000 yuan total. Everything is good, except the layout isn’t very regular, and the yard is oddly shaped with a small area. You can go and have a look when you’re free. If you like it, buy it; if not, forget it.”

Zuilong Bay, of all places.

Tan Yi lives there, and Xie Yun often visits. Xie Qing wasn’t interested—although Tan Yi had no feelings for Xie Yun, he was still the second male lead, and she didn’t want to get involved with him in real life.

However, Zuilong Bay has sea-view properties and is a high-end community in Anhai. The houses weren’t selling not because of poor quality but because of high prices—over 1,600 yuan per square meter, which was unaffordable for the average person.

If Xie Xun had done his research, it must have been the best value with the highest potential for appreciation; otherwise, Xie Yun, being the main female lead, wouldn’t have considered buying it.

Xie Qing thought for a moment, “Are you also planning to buy in Zuilong Bay, Dad?”

Xie Xun replied, “There’s a discount for buying two units. I’ve set my sights on a duplex, planning to buy a top-floor unit.”

“Well…” Xie Qing responded ambiguously, then thought, what does it matter who lives there? Everyone minds their own business and never interacts. Why should she give up a sea-view property that suits her preferences for unrelated people?

Xie Xun thought she was undecided, “Doesn’t your Captain Tan live in Zuilong Bay? You can check it out on the fifth day of the New Year and decide.”

Xie Qing made up her mind, “Alright, if I like it, I’ll trouble you to handle it for me, Dad.”

Xie Xun said, “Sure. I heard from Yun Yun that the two clothing designs you created are already on sale and doing well. The commissions might be enough to buy and decorate the house.”

Xie Qing was delighted, “That’s great! When you hire someone to decorate, make sure to get the hard furnishings done well. I’ll handle the soft furnishings myself.”

Xie Xun was puzzled, “What do you mean by hard furnishings?”

Xie Qing explained, “Hard furnishings are the flooring, walls, and other fixtures that are hard to change. Soft furnishings are the furniture, lights, and various decorations.”

Xie Xun laughed, “Interesting terminology.”

The father and daughter strolled home. Chen Yuehua and the two kids were still asleep. Xie Qing found some leftovers in the kitchen and cooked half a packet of noodles. After they ate, they each returned to their rooms.

Xie Qing spent the first day of the New Year sleeping.

On the second day, they visited the Chen family.

Whether someone had spoken to her or she simply didn’t want any trouble during the New Year, the old lady of the Chen family smiled at Xie Qing, and the atmosphere was pleasant until they left.

Back home, Xie Qing excused herself to go to the bathroom, went upstairs to her room, and was about to lie down when Xie Chen knocked and came in. He sat down on the chair in front of the desk, “Qing Qing, do you have a moment?”

Xie Qing asked, “Of course, do you want to talk about that plot of land, brother?”

Xie Chen gave a thumbs up, “Yes, that’s what I came to discuss.”

“I just have a good memory,” Xie Qing smiled, “You’re discussing it with me because Dad doesn’t agree?”

Xie Chen said, “Dad says that area won’t develop anytime soon, and the money would be tied up and not worth it, so he won’t let me buy it.”

Xie Qing took out a bag of five-spice sunflower seeds from her bag and placed them on the table, “So what’s your plan?”

Xie Chen grabbed a handful, “I want to buy it, but I’m worried it won’t develop. You know, I just have a bit more pocket money than you, but very little liquid capital.”

That’s true; the money that the Xie family’s eldest son has is still actually Xie Xun’s money. If Xie Xun doesn’t agree, he can’t buy that piece of land.

Xie Qing responded decisively, “If you want to do it, I can provide 900,000 yuan.”

The sunflower seeds in Xie Chen’s hand fell in shock, “Where did you get so much money!?”

Xie Qing smiled mysteriously, “Take a guess.”

Xie Chen wasn’t slow to catch on, “Did you invest in the stock market?”

Xie Qing gave him a thumbs up, “That’s my big brother, smart as always.”

“Hahaha…” Xie Chen laughed, “You little girl, are you making fun of me?”

“Big brother, Qing Qing.” The door opened, and Xie Yun poked her head in, “What are you talking about that’s so funny?”

Xie Chen asked, “Yun Yun, who do you think is smarter, Qing Qing or me?”

Xie Yun quickly glanced at Xie Qing, “You both are smarter than me.”

Xie Chen smiled and shook his head, “Yun Yun, you are too modest. You first opened a dance studio, then started a clothing company. Qing Qing and I can’t compare to you.”

This was true, but it was also true that Xie Chen and Xie Qing were good students and both attended prestigious schools.

Xie Yun had been learning dance since childhood and was quite gifted in the arts. However, she wasn’t very interested in studying and didn’t like talking about who was smarter. She smiled awkwardly, “We are all our parents’ children, none of us are stupid. You guys talk, I’ll go back to my room and practice my basics.”

When Xie Yun left, she didn’t close the door. When she returned to her room, she left her door open as well.

Xie Chen frowned slightly and stopped talking about buying land, saying a few casual words before returning to his room. At first, Xie Qing didn’t understand why, but then she thought about it and understood.

Xie Yun could compete with her and naturally could compete with Xie Chen, too. Even though they were siblings, as the older brother, Xie Chen wouldn’t want his younger sister to overshadow him completely.

The next two days were interesting.

Xie Yun was always on guard but didn’t actively provoke Xie Qing.

Xie Qing was always on guard against Chen Yuehua and actively avoided her.

With everyone’s efforts, the New Year passed very peacefully.

At nine o’clock in the morning on the fifth day of the New Year, the three Xie siblings headed to Tan Yi’s invitation and made their way to Zuilong Bay.

The car had just stopped when Tan Yi came out of the villa to greet them.

Xie Chen joked, “Captain Tan, are you heading out?”

Tan Yi nodded, “I forgot to buy cilantro. Old Chai is inside. You all go in first. I’ll make a quick trip to the market.”

Xie Qing volunteered, “Captain Tan, I’ll go buy it. My brother’s car is still running.” Zuilong Bay is not close to the market, so they needed to drive to make it in time. Since she was Tan Yi’s subordinate, it made sense for her to run the errand.

Tan Yi hesitated for a moment and was about to speak when Gu Ling’s Audi arrived. He said, “Alright, you go. Be careful on the road.”

Xie Chen took the driver’s seat, “I’ll go with Qing Qing. Captain Tan, you can continue with your tasks.”

Xie Yun said, “I’ll go help in the kitchen.”

…

The siblings drove to the nearest market.

Xie Chen said, “The total cost of that land is 1.2 million yuan. If you can provide 900,000 yuan, Qing Qing, we won’t need Dad’s approval.”

Xie Qing nodded, “Go ahead and buy it. It won’t be a loss.”

In this era, 900,000 yuan was not a small amount.

For Xie Qing to lend this money to Xie Chen meant she had immense trust in him.

Xie Chen said earnestly, “I’ve thought about it. Your job doesn’t allow you to invest, so I’ll consider this money a loan from you. I’ll give you a promissory note, but rest assured, I won’t let you down.”

Xie Qing smiled, “No need for a promissory note. Just give me a few more houses when the time comes.”