Beneath the Marriage Pact

Chapter 1: Red Seal as Evidence, Each gets What They want (3)

A few seconds later, Ling Xu 'an replied: [How is the search going?]

[Not bad, but some of the information was encrypted.] Shen Zhixia replied truthfully.

[Need my help?]

Shen Zhixia looked at the text message and hesitated for a moment. Asking Ling Xu 'an for help would mean owing him a favor, but she really needed more authority now.

[No need, I'll figure it out myself.] She refused in the end. After spending a day at the Shen family, she knew better than anyone that kindness was the hardest thing to repay.

Putting down her phone, Shen Zhixia lay on the bed, looking at the ceiling. My mind was in a jumble, now the cause of my mother's death, now Ling Xu 'an's cold eyes, and then Shen Yuwei's puffy face.

She turned over, saw the pen on the bedside table, picked it up and held it in her hand. The coolness of the pen through her fingertips made her jumbled thoughts a little clearer.

No matter what, she was going to check. For her mother and for herself.

The shadows of the camphor trees outside the window flickered on the curtains like an ink-wash painting that had not yet dried. Shen Zhixia lay down clutching her pen for a while, and finally sat up - encrypted data was like a thorn in her heart, and she couldn't sleep until she figured it out.

She clicked on the login interface of Ling's database, her fingers hanging over the keyboard hesitating. Ask Ling Xu 'an for permission directly? Too passive. Shen Yuwei is right. She can't even stand firm on the Shen family's door now. How can she have the confidence to negotiate terms with Ling Xu 'an?

The phone screen lit up and it was an unfamiliar text message, with only a string of garbled text. Shen Zhixia frowned and was about to delete it when she suddenly caught sight of "@LX" at the end - the initials of Ling Xu 'an's name.

Her heart gave a jolt and she tried to copy the garbled text to the decryption site, but the page that jumped out made her breathe: it was a temporary access code for the encrypted part of the "Starlight Project", valid for two hours.

Who is the sender? No one knew she was looking into the project except Ling Xu 'an.

Shen Zhixia bit her lip and quickly entered the access code with her fingertips. The moment the encrypted file was unlocked, she stared at what was on the screen, her pupils constricting abruptly --

At the end of the project termination report, an anonymous whistleblower said Shen Qingyao "took advantage of her position to leak core technology to rival Qin." The date of the report was exactly three days before the "accidental" death of her mother.

Qin? Shen Zhixia's hand, clutching the mouse, began to tremble. Uncle Li said he had mentioned the Ling family half a year before his mother's death, but how could the Qin family be included in the records?

What shocked her even more was the attached transfer record - Shen Qingyao's private account had received a five million remittance a week before her death. The remitter noted it as "technical consultation fee", but she had never seen the name of the account holder.

Is that true? Did the mother really leak the technology and take the money?

Shen Zhixia suddenly closed the page, feeling as if a huge rock was pressing down on her chest and she couldn't breathe. She couldn't believe that her mother, who would give her the last piece of candy and say, "Be clean," could do such a thing.

It must be fake. Someone forged the evidence and deliberately framed them.

She grabbed her phone and tried to call Ling Xu 'an, but as she swiped her finger across the screen, she remembered that apart from the paper agreement, they didn't even have decent contact information. Finally, she opened the text box and typed: "Did you send the encrypted information?"

Just as the send button was pressed, there was a sudden sound of broken glass downstairs, followed by Shen Yuwei's scream.

Shen Zhixia ran downstairs in a coat, and the living room was in a mess - Shen Yuwei had broken a vase and the pieces were flying everywhere, and Liu Mei was holding her arm and screaming: "It's bleeding! Hurry to the hospital!"

Shen Hongyuan stood aside, his face ashen as he glared at Shen Yuwei: "I told you not to make a fuss! Do you have to tear down the house to be content?"

"I'm not wrong!" Shen Yuwei stomped her feet in tears, "It's her! It's Shen Zhixia! She must have spoken ill of me in front of Dad, and that's why Dad is looking into my account!"

She suddenly turned to Shen Zhixia, her eyes as red as a rabbit: "You b***h! As soon as she got back to the Shen family, she wanted to sow discord. I'll fight you!"

Just as he was about to rush over and tear Shen Zhixia's hair, Shen Hongyuan grabbed him: "Enough! What do you look like!"

"Dad!" "Did you not want me anymore?" Shen Yuwei cried even harder. Now that you've found this bastard, are you treating me as a burden?"

"Pop!"

A crisp round of applause burst into the living room. Shen Hongyuan slapped Shen Yuwei and froze himself, his hands stiffening in mid-air.

Shen Yuwei covered her face and looked at Shen Hongyuan in disbelief, her tears falling more fiercely, but she didn't cry any more and suddenly turned and ran towards the door.

"Yuwei!" Liu Mei screamed and chased after him, leaving only Shen Hongyuan and Shen Zhixia in the living room.

Shen Hongyuan had his back to her, his shoulders trembling slightly. After a long while, he turned around, his eyes bloodshot: "I'm sorry to have made you laugh."

Shen Zhixia did not speak. For the first time she felt that this nominal father didn't seem so hateful, just a pitiful man worn down by life.

"She..." Shen Zhixia hesitated for a moment, "embezzlement..."

"I know." Shen Hongyuan waved his hand wearily. "Not just this time, I've secretly taken it a few times before, I just turned a blind eye." He went over to the sofa and sat down, grabbed the cigarette box on the table, his hand shaking for a long time without pulling out a cigarette.

"Why?" Shen Zhixia couldn't help asking, "If you knew, why didn't you manage earlier?"

Shen Hongyuan gave a wry smile: "Her mother passed away early. I always feel indebted to her. Besides... The Shen family is in such a situation that it's better to mind one's own business."

He raised his head and looked at Shen Zhixia seriously for the first time: "Zhixia, Dad knows it's unfair to you. But your mother... Shen Qingyao's matter is too deep. Don't investigate it. Just live with Ling Xu 'an, okay?"

Shen Zhixia's heart sank sharply: "Dad, do you know my mom was killed?"

Shen Hongyuan's face turned deathly pale in an instant and he stood up abruptly: "I don't know! Don't guess!" He hurried towards the study, stopped at the door and turned his back to her, saying, "Go to the civil affairs office next Wednesday and I'll have the driver take you."

The door of the study slammed shut and Shen Zhixia was left alone in the living room. Looking at the glass shards all over the floor, she suddenly felt that the old house was like a huge maze, with everyone hiding secrets and everyone lying.

The phone vibrated in her pocket. It was a text from Ling Xu 'an: [Yes. What do you see?]

Shen Zhixia stared at the screen, her fingertips hanging for a long time, and finally typed out a line: [My mom couldn't have leaked the technology. Someone forged the evidence.]

When the message popped up, she seemed to see her mother standing under the camphor tree, smiling and saying to her, "Xia Xia, don't be afraid."

Ling Xu 'an looked at the text message on his mobile phone screen and tapped gently on the table with his fingertips.

Shen Zhixia's certainty coincided with the clues he had found. The handwriting of the tip-off letter was seven parts similar to that of Ling Zhengxiong's secretary, and the person in charge of the Qin family back then was Qin Zheng, Qin Yu's father - the man who always wore gold-rimmed glasses and had a hidden smile.

"Boss," Uncle Zhao came in with a cup of hot milk, "it's time to rest. You're going on a business trip to Europe tomorrow."

Ling Xu 'an made a "mm-hmm" and did not look up: "Where did Shen Yuwei go after running out?"

"She was picked up by her friend and is drinking at a bar." Uncle Zhao opened the surveillance footage and saw Shen Yuwei crying while holding a heavily made-up woman. "Do you need someone to keep an eye on her?"

"No." Ling Xu 'an turned off the screen. "Let her make a fuss. She'll come back naturally when she has had enough." He picked up his phone and sent Shen Zhixia a text message: [I'm going to Europe tomorrow and will come back next Wednesday to accompany you to the civil affairs office. We'll talk about the encrypted information when I get back.]

He put down his phone and went to the floor-to-ceiling window, where the lights of the city flickered before his eyes. Shen Qingyao's case involved far more people than he had imagined and might even be related to his grandfather's decision back then.

Shen Zhixia is now like standing on the edge of a cliff. If she takes one more step forward, she might fall.

He picked up his coat: "Uncle Zhao, get your car ready."

"Boss, where are you going so late?"

"To the old Shen house." Ling Xu 'an's voice was particularly clear in the night. "Some things need to be informed in advance."

Shen Zhixia had just cleaned up the glass shards in the living room when the doorbell rang again. She thought Shen Yuwei had come back and pulled the door open in a bad mood, but froze in place.

Ling Xu 'an stood at the door, his black windbreaker smeared with night dew, his eyes colder than the moonlight.

"Mr. Ling? Why are you here?"

"Not inviting me in for a seat?" He stepped in sideways, his eyes sweeping over the mess in the living room, his eyebrows slightly raised, "The Shen family is well-bred."

Shen Zhixia closed the door, not responding to his taunt: "Mr. Ling, you're so late. What's up?"

"Let me tell you," Ling Xu 'an walked over to the sofa and sat down, his posture as natural as if he were at home. "I might not be able to come back next Wednesday. The matter of getting the marriage certificate has to be postponed."

"For how long?" Shen Zhixia frowned. She couldn't wait.

"It's hard to say." Ling Xu 'an leaned back on the sofa and tapped his finger lightly on his knee. "There's something wrong with the project in Europe. We may have to stay for a few more days."

Shen Zhixia stared at him, hoping to see something on his face. Was there really something wrong with the project, or did he regret it?

"If Mr. Ling regrets it," she said slowly, "you can just say it directly without making excuses. The agreement will be kept confidential and will not affect Ling's share price."

Ling Xu 'an suddenly laughed. It was the first time Shen Zhixia had seen him laugh, not mocking, not sneering, but really curved the corners of her mouth, the ice in her eyes seemed to have melted a little: "Miss Shen wants to marry me so much?"

"I just want to look into my mother." Shen Zhixia turned her face away, her ears burning a little.

"Just wait for me to come back." Ling Xu 'an stood up, walked to the door and stopped again. "Right," he took something out of his pocket and handed it to her. "This is for you."

It was a small alarm, silver, like a brooch.

"The Shen family is not at peace," he said in a flat tone. "Press this and my men will come at once."

Shen Zhixia held the alarm, the cold metal pressed to his palm, but felt a strange warmth in his heart: "Thank you."

Ling Xu 'an said nothing more and turned into the night. The black Bentley slid silently into the driveway and soon disappeared at the end of the road.

Shen Zhixia stood at the door, holding the alarm for a long time, and didn't come to her senses until the cold wind blew into the collar. She closed the door, walked over to the sofa and sat down, her phone screen lit up, Ling Xu 'an's last text message still stuck on the interface.

Perhaps, when he came back, he could really find some clues.

She picked up the pen and placed it gently beside the alarm. Moonlight shone through the gap in the curtain, gilding two things with a silvery glow, like two silent promises.

When Shen Zhixia pinned the alarm to the collar of her nightgown, her fingertip accidentally touched the cold metal, and she felt a sense of relief for no reason. She went back to her room, tossed and turned in bed, her mind filled with the whistleblowing letter of the Starlight Project and Shen Hongyuan's evasive gaze.

The phone was vibrating on the bedside table. It was a wechat message from Lin Yue: "Xia Xia, are you asleep? I just saw a Bentley parked near the Shen family. Could it be that Ling Xu 'an has come?"

Lin Yue works the night shift at the convenience store near the Shen family and is always well-informed. Shen Zhixia replied with a "um", thought for a moment and added: [He said he's going to Europe tomorrow and getting the marriage certificate will be postponed.]

Lin Yue immediately replied: "Postpone? This man won't play tricks on you, will he? If not, run away quickly. Don't get ripped off by the big family!"

Shen Zhixia looked at the screen and laughed. Lin Yue was always like this, like a little cat with a flaring fur, single-mindedly protecting her. She replied: "Don't worry, I have my limits."

Putting down the phone, the moonlight outside the window just moved to the desk and illuminated the pen. Shen Zhixia suddenly remembered Ling Xu 'an's smile just now, which was quite good-looking, but he always had a stern face as if someone owed him millions.

She picked up her pen and sketched a simple sketch on the draft paper - a man wearing an electronic watch staring at the stock market screen, with a girl holding an agreement standing beside him. When she finished drawing, she found it amusing, crumpled the paper and threw it into the trash can.

As soon as Ling Xu 'an's Bentley drove out of the alley of the old Shen family house, Uncle Zhao couldn't help saying, "Boss, are you really going to delay getting the license?"

"What else?" Ling Xu 'an, leaning against the back seat with his eyes closed, "let her be targeted by the Shen family right now?"

Shen Yuwei is doing this tonight, and it's obvious to anyone with a discerning eye that it's aimed at Shen Zhixia. Getting married now is like roasting Shen Zhixia over a fire.

"That European project..."

"Let Chen Mo handle it." Ling Xu 'an opened his eyes, a cold light flashing in his eyes. "I'm going to the old site of the Qin family."

Uncle Zhao was stunned for a moment: "The old site of the Qin family? It's been abandoned for years. Why go there?"

"Shen Qingyao's 'accident' happened in the warehouse nearby." Ling Xu 'an looked out of the window at the street lamps passing by. "I want to see what Qin Zheng was hiding there back then."

As the car drove along the quiet street, Ling Xu 'an picked up his phone and sent a text message to Chen Mo: [Check the surveillance footage of the warehouse at Qin's old site, ten years ago, the more detailed, the better.]

Shen Zhixia was woken up by the chirping of birds. The sunlight shone through the curtain seams on her face, warm and cozy. She touched her phone and saw that it was already nine o 'clock in the morning.

It was quiet downstairs, probably Shen Hongyuan and Liu Mei hadn't gotten up yet. She changed her clothes and went downstairs. As soon as she reached the dining room, she saw Shen Yuwei sitting at the table, with dark circles under her eyes and a bad look on her face.

"Awake?" " Shen Yuwei's tone was still sharp, but not as sharp as yesterday.

Shen Zhixia ignored her and poured herself a cup of milk.

"My dad..." Shen Yuwei hesitated for a moment. "Did you hit me yesterday?"

"No." Shen Zhixia took a sip of milk, "because you embezzled public funds."

"I..." Shen Yuwei bit her lip. "I'll pay that money back."

Shen Zhixia was a little surprised and raised an eyebrow: "Oh."

"Also," Shen Yuwei took something out of her pocket and placed it on the table. It was the pen. "This is for you. Yesterday... Sorry."

Having said that, she stood up and went upstairs, her back looking a bit awkward.

Shen Zhixia picked up the pen, which seemed a little warmer than yesterday. She suddenly felt that this "sister" didn't seem so hopeless.

She took out her phone and sent a text message to Ling Xu 'an: [The pen is back. Thanks.]

This time I got a quick reply, just two words: [Little thing.]

Shen Zhixia looked at the screen and smiled, her fingertips paused on the word "little thing", and suddenly felt that this deal of mutual benefit seemed to have a somewhat different flavor.

She went to the window, pushed it open, and the fragrance of the camphor tree rushed in. The sky in the distance was blue, like a freshly washed canvas.

Whether it was next Wednesday or the Wednesday after next, she could wait.