Chapter 43

Lu Ping’an felt uncomfortable listening to his grandfather and Lu Jiaoyang’s conversation.

He admired Lu Jiaoyang but also envied him.

Lu Jiaoyang was only three years older. Growing up together, Lu Jiaoyang’s excellence always made Lu Ping’an feel inadequate.

His father favored Lu Jiaoyang.

His grandfather favored Lu Jiaoyang.

Only his mother loved him.

He wanted everyone’s approval, studied hard, worked hard, but still couldn’t compare to Lu Jiaoyang.

But he knew they were connected; their fates were intertwined.

They had to be united.

Old Chief Lu instructed Lu Jiaoyang before hanging up.

Turning to Lu Ping’an, he said, “Ping’an, if you want to reconcile with Hongxing, you need to change your attitude. Otherwise, you’ll regret it for life!”

He was an experienced man.

After Shen Hongxing broke off the engagement, Lu Ping’an’s actions were attempts to win her back. He was spoiled by Qin Xianglan and Lu Zhonghua and couldn’t bring himself to humble himself.

Lu Ping’an hesitated on how to respond.

He was torn.

He wanted to marry Shen Hongxing but couldn’t resist Shen Jiaojiao.

This had troubled him for a long time.

He tried to give up Shen Jiaojiao, but he found himself drawn to her whenever she appeared.

But he didn’t want to lose Shen Hongxing.

He enjoyed her obedience.

“Ping’an, what are you doing?”

Disappointment filled Old Chief Lu’s eyes.

Lu Ping’an gritted his teeth, “Grandpa, I’ll listen to you!”

Old Chief Lu nodded, “That’s right!”

When Lu Ping’an went to find Shen Hongxing, Old Chief Lu stopped him, “Ping’an, be soft. Say nice things to her. She’s sensitive and needs care. Do as I say, and she’ll come back to you!”

“Grandpa, I understand!”

Lu Ping’an left.

He thought about how to apologize to Shen Hongxing, but he felt unwilling.

It was Shen Hongxing who started…

He hadn’t done anything wrong, so why should he apologize to Shen Hongxing first?

No!

Absolutely not!

He was a man; how could he apologize to a woman, especially someone like Shen Hongxing?

People would ridicule him.

Lu Ping’an had an idea.  Confidently, he went to the guesthouse.

The detectives had already met him.

They didn’t stop him from seeing Shen Hongxing.

He knocked on her door.

“Who is it?”

Shen Hongxing sat up in bed.

Lu Ping’an remained silent; he wanted her to open the door and invite him in.

He knocked again.

Thinking it was the detectives, Shen Hongxing got up and opened the door.

Seeing Lu Ping’an, she said angrily, “Lu Ping’an, are you mute?”

“If you’re sick, go to a mental hospital!”

Lu Ping’an was annoyed.

He narrowed his eyes, chuckled, and threatened her, “Shen Hongxing, don’t you want to know if Cao Hongxia is alive or dead?  Just coax me, and I’ll tell you!”

Old Chief Lu never expected Lu Ping’an to disregard his advice and try to blackmail Shen Hongxing.

Shen Hongxing laughed angrily, “Lu Ping’an, are you shameless? Do your uncle and grandfather know?”

She knew he was irresponsible, but she didn’t know he was so underhanded, using Cao Hongxia’s situation to threaten her.

Did he think she was still the obedient Shen Hongxing, completely subservient to him?

Seeing Shen Hongxing’s defiance and insults, Lu Ping’an’s anger flared, “Shen Hongxing, look at your situation! What right do you have to be so strong with me?”

“Just say a few nice words, and I’ll tell you about Cao Hongxia and ask my grandfather and uncle to get you out!”

Shen Hongxing pointed at him, “Lu Ping’an, stop dreaming! I, Shen Hongxing, would rather coax a pig or a dog than you!”

“You…”

Lu Ping’an was speechless with rage.

“Lu Ping’an, never appear in front of me again. You disgust me!”

Shen Hongxing pushed Lu Ping’an out and locked the door.

Lu Ping’an shouted angrily through the door, “Shen Hongxing, you dare treat me like this! You’ll regret it!”

Only silence answered him.

And the detectives’ laughter.

After Lu Ping’an left, Shen Hongxing tossed and turned in bed.

That night, everyone was sleepless.

At dawn, two detectives brought a woman wearing a headscarf to the police station.

“Sit down!”

The woman struggled but was forced into a chair.

The officers handcuffed her.

She pretended to be crazy, “Officers, you’re mistaken. I’m a respectable woman. I was going to my aunt’s in Haicheng. Why are you arresting me?”

“Dai Chunhua, stop the nonsense. We’ve been waiting for you!”

Captain Luo was woken up.

He went to Dai Chunhua and pulled off her headscarf.

As the witnesses described, her right cheek was severely scarred, horribly disfigured.

She wore the headscarf to hide it.

This was the only clue.

He instructed his men, “Bring Shen Hongxing and the joss paper shop owner to identify her.”

She kept seeing Cao Hongxia lifeless in a pool of blood.

She couldn’t close her eyes.

A knock came at the door, “Miss Shen, the woman is caught. Captain Luo wants you to come.”

The woman was caught?

Shen Hongxing jumped out of bed, rushing to the door without putting on her shoes.

Three detectives stood before her.

Two were guarding her.

The other was Xiao Zhang, who had interrogated her.

She was excited, “If the woman confesses, can I go to Haicheng to see Hongxia?”

“Yes, Miss Shen. Once she confesses, you’ll be cleared, and you can go anywhere…”

Shen Hongxing couldn’t wait, “Let’s go!”

She wanted to fly to Haicheng.