Chu Shangluo took a deep breath, suppressing the rising anger within him. Wen Zhengyang was indeed skilled at provoking people.

According to his father’s account, the incident was merely an accidental fire—not a crime deserving death. Moreover, Wen Zhengyang was not entirely blameless in the situation. The events from back then were full of suspicious points. Why had his father lost a portion of his memory? And why had Ren Jiaoming’s father, a perfectly healthy man, died in the fire? It was a case filled with unresolved questions, yet Wen Zhengyang had already sealed the narrative with his conclusion. Whether he had twisted the truth was unclear. Given how stubborn and naive his father was, it was no wonder he had been outmaneuvered by Wen Zhengyang.

After pondering for a moment, Chu Shangluo stood up and said, “I’ll go with you.”

Lin Zhi panicked and grabbed his arm. “Boss—”

Chu Shangluo patted Lin Zhi’s shoulder, signaling for him to stay calm. “It’s fine. We’ve been playing this game of open and secret struggles for years. It’s about time I met Wen Zhengyang face to face.”

He turned to the lead bodyguard and said, “I won’t ride in your car. I’ll drive myself.”

“That’s not possible, Mr. Chu. The meeting location must remain confidential.”

Chu Shangluo wasn’t about to give in. He pointed out the window and said, “See that building? The police station is right on the first floor. I can make a call, and they’ll be here in less than ten minutes. So either I drive myself and follow you, or I’m not going anywhere.”

The lead bodyguard fell silent. Just then, another guard’s phone buzzed. After whispering a few words to the leader, the head guard finally relented. “Alright, Mr. Chu, you can drive yourself.”

Chu Shangluo instructed Lin Zhi to stay at the company and then called over two security guards from the company entrance to accompany him. He followed the bodyguards’ car in his own vehicle.

Half an hour later, the bodyguards stopped in front of a small office building. Throughout the drive, Chu Shangluo was surprised—Beijing was neither too big nor too small, yet after nearly thirty years of living there, he had never known such a secluded place existed.

He parked the car and instructed the two security guards to wait outside. “If I don’t come out in two hours, call for backup.”

The bodyguard tapped on his window. “Mr. Chu, please step out of the car.”

Chu Shangluo opened the door, glaring at the bodyguard. “What’s the rush? I’ve already come this far. Do you think I’m going to run away?”

Striding toward the office building, he pushed the door open, immediately hit by a strong smell of cigarette smoke. His eyes fell on a man sitting at a desk, leisurely smoking a cigarette and sipping tea.

The man had a stern face, his sharp eyes like a hawk’s, and his hair a mix of black and white. Despite being of similar age to Chu Shangluo’s father, Wen Zhengyang appeared much older, yet his aura of dominance remained undeniable.

When Wen Zhengyang saw Chu Shangluo enter, a slight smile appeared in his eyes. He flicked the ash from his cigarette and said, “Sit down.”

Chu Shangluo sat across from him, staring at the seemingly kind smile on Wen Zhengyang’s face. Remembering that this was the man responsible for his brother’s suffering, his chest heaved with anger, and under the table, his fists clenched tightly.

“Tell me what I want to know,” Chu Shangluo demanded.

Wen Zhengyang laughed heartily. “You’re nothing like your father. A weak man like him wouldn’t dare speak to me this way.”

Maintaining his composure, Chu Shangluo reached for the cigar on the table. Under Wen Zhengyang’s watchful gaze, he slowly lit it, took a puff, and said coldly, “Why wouldn’t I dare? What, are you going to kill me?”

Wen Zhengyang’s expression turned subtle. “How could I?”

“Exactly,” Chu Shangluo exhaled a stream of smoke, his gaze turning icy. “If you don’t do it yourself, maybe it doesn’t count as murder, right?”

Wen Zhengyang’s hand, which had been pouring tea, paused slightly. He then replied, “I know you’re implying I had something to do with Ruan Shu’s death, but it was indeed your father. Let me show you something.”

Wen Zhengyang gestured to the bodyguard beside him. The guard walked over to a projector, fiddling with it for a moment before a video began playing on the large screen.

The footage showed a beautiful villa, almost identical to the one Wen Zhengyang had built for Ren Jiaoming. The camera angle was distant, giving the impression of surveillance footage. In front of one of the villa’s windows, three people appeared. Chu Shangluo recognized two of them immediately—Wen Zhengyang himself and his father, Chu Chendong. The third figure was unmistakable even without guessing.

The three seemed to be struggling. Chu Chendong picked up a candlestick and struck Ruan Shu on the head before pushing Wen Zhengyang. The scuffle continued, and then, suddenly, a flame appeared on one of the curtains. Moments later, the entire curtain was ablaze, obscuring the view of what was happening inside. Only the flickering firelight could be seen dancing within the room.

Chu Shangluo’s expression grew darker as the video played. Wen Zhengyang, watching his reaction closely, smiled and said, “That was the truth back then. I’ve kept this secret for years, sparing your father from prison. And yet, you Chu’s show no gratitude at all.”

Chu Shangluo was still processing the footage, replaying the shocking scenes in his mind. If his father truly had killed Ruan Shu by accident…

Steadying himself, he spoke calmly, “Give me a copy of that video.”

Wen Zhengyang agreed without hesitation. “You think the footage is fake? No problem. Take it and have it thoroughly investigated.”

The more cooperative Wen Zhengyang seemed, the more uneasy Chu Shangluo felt. Silence filled the room.

Seeing Chu Shangluo at a loss for words, Wen Zhengyang gave a faint smile. But his purpose today was far from complete. The bodyguard leaned in and whispered something into his ear. Wen Zhengyang nodded toward the door.

The next moment, the door swung open, and a young man dressed in white stepped inside.

“Dad, I just got out. Why did you call me here? I—”

Wen Yan’s words abruptly stopped when his gaze fell on Chu Shangluo. The smile on his face vanished completely.

The man who followed him in noticed the situation in the room. First, he looked surprised, but then his eyes grew cold and sharp. The large screen on the wall was still replaying the footage of Chu Chendong committing the murder, making the atmosphere increasingly tense and strange.

Chu Shangluo glanced at Wen Yan and the emotionless Ren Jiaoming before turning his gaze toward Wen Zhengyang. “Since your family is having a reunion, I won’t interrupt.”

Wen Zhengyang, smoking his cigarette with a sly smile, said nothing. Wen Yan, however, sat down beside his father with a smug expression. “Chu Shangluo, do you know why I was released so early? Of course, it’s because I caught wind of the investigation in advance and moved all the questionable drugs away, leaving only a batch of fully compliant and legal ones. You think you can take me down? Not so fast.”

Chu Shangluo glanced at Ren Jiaoming, who remained stone-faced, showing no emotion.

Flicking the ash from his cigar, Chu Shangluo couldn’t hold back his irritation as he looked at Wen Yan’s arrogant face. His words turned sharp and biting. “There’s no such thing as a secret that stays hidden forever—just like how, no matter how hard you try to conceal it, everyone still knows you’re an illegitimate child, a disgrace who doesn’t belong in the spotlight.”

Wen Yan’s face twisted with rage as he stood up abruptly, but Wen Zhengyang grabbed his son’s arm, stopping his outburst. “Our family matters are none of your concern,” he said coldly, then gestured toward the screen. “You should be worrying about your father. Will you let personal feelings get in the way of justice, or will you be like how you were with my son and uphold the law even against your own blood?”

Chu Shangluo sneered, tossing the cigar onto the table. “Wen Zhengyang, stop pretending to be so righteous. You know exactly what kind of dirty things you’ve done all these years. You hurt my brother, destroyed my family. Don’t forget—you were nothing but a penniless nobody back then. It was my father who saw potential in you, who helped you meet Ruan Shu and marry her sister. Your first startup capital came from your first wife and my father pooling their money together for you. And how did you repay them? By turning your back on both and betraying their kindness.”

Wen Zhengyang’s face turned pale with fury. His deepest, most shameful secret—one he had buried for years—was now being exposed by this young upstart. It was the part of his past he considered the most humiliating, and Chu Shangluo had struck precisely where it hurt most.

Chu Shangluo, observing Wen Zhengyang’s reaction, could see he was starting to lose his composure. He knew this kind of heartless, hypocritical man couldn’t stand having his dirty history revealed. If he kept pressing, it would be enough to break him completely.

“Wen Zhengyang, you’re being flattered now, with everyone thinking the Wen family is one of the top elites in Beijing. But they don’t know the truth—I do. You swallowed your first wife’s entire family estate and then turned around and married another rich woman to climb the social ladder. Shameless behavior like that? Only you could pull it off.”

Wen Yan, teeth clenched in fury, wanted to defend his father, but a single sharp glance from Wen Zhengyang silenced him.

Chu Shangluo noticed the cracks forming in Wen Zhengyang’s facade. The man was on the verge of losing control. With a cold smirk, Chu Shangluo turned and began to walk toward the door.

“Stop right there.”

Wen Zhengyang’s icy voice echoed behind him. Chu Shangluo turned around, only to see Wen Zhengyang pulling something from the drawer.

Ren Jiaoming’s expression shifted instantly, his face tightening with alarm.

“And why should I listen to you? What else can you possibly—”

Chu Shangluo’s words cut off as he stared straight into the black barrel of a gun aimed directly at him.

Wen Zhengyang’s voice dropped to a menacing whisper. “You’re sharp-tongued—far more than your father ever was. And killing? Killing doesn’t scare me. Tell me, do you think I won’t pull the trigger right now?”

In Beijing, possessing a gun is illegal. This was the first time Chu Shangluo had ever seen a firearm, and also the first time someone had pointed one directly at him.

The dark barrel of the gun still seemed warm, as if it had just been used recently. His hand clenched tightly behind his back, yet he met Wen Zhengyang’s gaze without a trace of fear, his voice unwavering. “Go ahead, try it.”

Wen Zhengyang’s face darkened, his index finger twitching slightly, clearly tempted to pull the trigger.

At that moment, a pale hand reached from behind Wen Zhengyang, firmly grasping the barrel of the gun.

Wen Yan exclaimed in alarm, “Ruan Ge! What are you doing? Let go! That’s a real gun—it’s dangerous!”

Wen Zhengyang, as if anticipating this, narrowed his eyes at the bold figure daring enough to grab the gun barehanded—Ren Jiaoming.

“So, you’ve finally decided to turn against me, my dear nephew?” Wen Zhengyang said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Ren Jiaoming’s other hand grasped Chu Shangluo’s damp, trembling hand and pulled him behind him. His voice remained calm. “You invited Chu Shangluo here today just to test me, didn’t you?”

“Smart,” Wen Zhengyang sneered, lowering the gun onto the table. “Since you already figured it out, why couldn’t you stay calm? Got too attached?”

Ren Jiaoming remained composed, unmoving.

Chu Shangluo glanced at him, then shook off his hand and turned to leave. He had no intention of getting involved in their uncle-nephew conflicts.

Wen Zhengyang smirked. “See? He doesn’t even appreciate what you’ve done for him. That’s why love and affection are the most useless things.”

“If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving,” Ren Jiaoming said, turning to follow.

Suddenly, Wen Yan shouted, his voice shaking with anger, “Ren Jiaoming, wake up! His father killed your father!”

Ren Jiaoming paused, his back still turned. “You know better than anyone what really happened back then.”

Wen Yan froze for a moment, then his expression twisted with rage. His eyes filled with hatred as he suddenly grabbed the gun from the table and aimed it directly at Chu Shangluo.

“You bastard! Go to hell!”

The sound of the trigger being pulled echoed in the room, followed by Wen Zhengyang’s furious shout: “You fool! What the hell are you doing?!”

The bullet shot toward Chu Shangluo just as he stepped through the door. The gunfire made him halt abruptly, his body tensing.

Then, someone shoved him forcefully out of the doorway. He stumbled forward a few steps and turned around, only to see Ren Jiaoming clutching his bleeding arm, his face pale.

Chu Shangluo rushed back. “Are you okay? Damn it! Wen Yan’s a complete lunatic!”

Ren Jiaoming grabbed his wrist, his voice calm but firm. “Get in the car first.”

They both got into a car where a man wearing a baseball cap sat in the driver’s seat. As soon as they entered, the driver immediately started the vehicle.

Ren Jiaoming’s down jacket was torn. He removed it and rolled up his sleeve, revealing the bullet lodged shallowly in his arm. The button on his sleeve had absorbed some of the bullet’s force, preventing deeper penetration.

He reached to pull the bullet out himself when Chu Shangluo grabbed his hand. “Let’s go to the hospital for that.”

“I’m fine.” Ren Jiaoming gave a firm tug, pulling the bullet out. A bloody hole was left behind, and Chu Shangluo quickly pressed a tissue against the wound.

The car was silent. Ren Jiaoming watched Chu Shangluo, who remained quiet and serious, and spoke again, “I’m fine, don’t worry.”

Chu Shangluo stared out the window, his voice calm but distant. “I’m not worried. That wound of yours isn’t a big deal.” Then, he grabbed Ren Jiaoming’s other hand. “Cover your own wound properly.”

Ren Jiaoming felt slightly disappointed but still obediently pressed against his injury.

Chu Shangluo contacted security and instructed them to drive back. After that, he leaned back in his seat, silent.

Ren Jiaoming noticed his worried expression and added, “I wasn’t the one who leaked the information about the sanatorium to the Wen family.”

Chu Shangluo lowered his gaze. “Hmm.”

He simply felt defeated. Today, Wen Zhengyang had made it clear that bringing down the Wen family wouldn’t be easy. If the video Wen Zhengyang had was genuine, it would be even harder.

Right now, he had too little evidence to take down the Wen family. The investigation into the drugs hadn’t progressed, and Wang Yuanhao hadn’t recovered yet.

Chu Shangluo picked up the bloodstained bullet, staring at it in silence.

When the car arrived at the Chu residence, he said nothing and got out.

Only Ren Jiaoming and the man in the baseball cap remained in the car.

The man spoke, “You knew Wen Zhengyang was testing you. Once we secure the final piece of evidence, we can send him to jail. Falling out with him now isn’t worth it.”

Ren Jiaoming kept his eyes on Chu Shangluo, watching his figure disappear.

He knew Wen Zhengyang’s intentions well. Wen Zhengyang wouldn’t really shoot—but Chu Shangluo had provoked him. Whether he fired or not, Ren Jiaoming couldn’t let anyone aim a gun at him.

The man in the cap continued, “We’ve been planning for so long. You’ve endured so much at the Wen house. Don’t you remember how Wen Zhengyang tested you the first time he met you? He deliberately started a fire during dinner just to see how you’d react, knowing about your family’s fire incident. You’ve never let emotions disrupt your plans before.”

Ren Jiaoming finally turned to him, his voice calm. “The situation isn’t that bad. It’s nothing I can’t handle. Let’s go to the hospital now.”

The tissue pressed against his wound was already soaked through with blood, dripping onto the car seat.

—

That afternoon, due to the shooting incident, Wen Yan was once again summoned for questioning.

That night, Chu Shangluo was on night duty. Sitting by the fireplace, he tried calling Chu Chendong, but there was no answer.

Suddenly, the large guard dog outside began barking furiously, followed by the sound of knocking at the door.