Chapter 19: Three Thousand Miles? He Said It Was On the Way

Boundless desert yellow sand; as the sun gradually dipped below the horizon, a streak of lonely crimson bled across the edge of the sky.

Sitting inside his car, Shen Jin looked at the message sent by Zhuang Yumian, spat out a curse, and was genuinely so infuriated that he burst into a laugh.

He sent He Lian to Luocheng, and this dog of a man turned right around and went to Yangcheng instead!

He immediately dialed He Lian’s phone.

“Hello?”

The voice on the other end was lazy and carefree, lacking even a shred of guilt over being brought to task.

Shen Jin: “Where did you take Team 1?”

“Yangcheng.”

“What the hell are you going to Yangcheng for?!”

“It was on the way.”

Shen Jin’s nose almost turned crooked with rage as he ripped off the glasses on the bridge of his nose: “Who are you trying to fool?! Yangcheng and Luocheng are in completely opposite directions! Traversing Qishan Mountain means three thousand miles of rough terrain! It takes a whole day and night to drive! And you tell me it’s on the way?!”

“Stop whining. Chairman Huo is keeping an eye on Luocheng—it doesn’t matter if I get there a little late.”

Without waiting for Shen Jin to finish, He Lian hung up the phone. He glanced at the car window, where a layer of hazy mist had clung to the glass. Extending a fingertip, he gently traced the damp moisture and rubbed the chill between his fingers.

This was the exact feeling.

The convoy wove through the mountain roads, driving even faster than usual.

Looking at the Pebeo oil paints that he had specially ordered someone to deliver on short notice, He Lian drew a deep breath and barked a sharp command: “Faster!”

Checking the rearview mirror, Zhuang Yumian had no choice but to slam her foot on the accelerator.

The off-road convoy sped toward the old mansion like crazy.

Upon their arrival, both branches of the Song family were waiting for him at the main gate.

Seeing the sea of special forces personnel disembarking from the convoy, Song Xun’s legs trembled so violently he almost collapsed. In the end, it was his eldest brother who pressed down on his hand, casting him a warning glare.

In case He Lian wasn’t here to conduct a search, they couldn’t afford to throw themselves into disarray first.

Zhuang Yumian stepped down first and opened the door to the backseat.

The man was still wearing the same shirt and combat trousers from yesterday, but his expression was much calmer than before. Although he wasn’t as fully geared as the Fortress team members behind him, he could hardly conceal the arrogant swagger in his bones.

Seeing Song Qian extend his hand from afar, He Lian shook it purely out of politeness.

“Mr. He, long time no see.”

Carrying a proper, dignified smile, Song Qian asked probing manner while rubbing his hands together like a fly: “May I ask what brings you to grace us with your presence this time?”

Song Xun’s entire body was wound tight like a spring. When He Lian’s gaze swept over, his face turned deathly pale in an instant.

Fortunately, He Lian didn’t pay him any mind, raising a sharp brow at his eldest brother instead: “Aren’t you going to invite me in for a seat?”

Those words sounded distinctly overbearing. Song Qian felt as if a heavy weight were pressing down on his head, making even his neck feel sore. He hurriedly stepped aside: “Yes, yes, of course! I was just so overjoyed that I forgot my manners as a host.”

Taking broad strides forward, He Lian’s gaze landed on the faces of the Song family members.

Finally, it locked onto Song Xueyan.

The woman trembled all over under his stare. With the previous incident of Zhou Yun falling into the water and the profile picture change fresh in her mind, she couldn’t squeeze out a bit of flattering smile, managing only an awkward, forced smirk: “Mr. He?”

He Lian didn’t speak, giving a subtle wave of his hand behind his back.

With seamless tacit understanding, Zhuang Yumian handed over the box of paint: “Miss Song, this is a retirement gift from President He.”

Song Xueyan froze, momentarily losing her train of thought and forgetting to reach out.

It was Su Xuning beside her who hurriedly stepped in to accept it, thanking him repeatedly.

“Thank you very much for your generosity, Mr. He.”

“It’s nothing valuable,” after He Lian spoke, Zhuang Yumian pulled out another box, “This box is for Miss A-Yu. Please be so kind as to accept it on her behalf as well.”

Song Xueyan’s brows knitted tightly in suspicion— there was actually a share for that lunatic too?

Su Xuning accepted this one as well, handing both over to the servants behind her.

By the time she turned back around, He Lian had already walked far ahead with the Song brothers. Hurriedly tugging on Song Xueyan and seeing her daughter remaining motionless, she urged in a low voice: “What are you daydreaming about?”

Staring at the man’s tall, broad back, Song Xueyan’s eyes held no admiration whatsoever, only an anxious, unsettling feeling that stuck in her throat like a fishbone.

“Mom, why do I feel like… He Lian came here for Jiang Yu?”

She wasn’t the only one who thought so; Su Xuning also felt something was off.

However, now was not the time to whisper about it.

Inside the main hall, unlike last time, Zhuang Yumian stood behind He Lian, with two armed guards standing on the left, sending a wave of apprehension through everyone’s hearts.

Song Qian had someone brew the family’s finest Maofeng tea, eagerly taking it from the servant’s hands to present it in person.

“Mr. He, please have a taste.”

He Lian didn’t reach out: “Leave it there.”

Song Qian offered a sheepish smile and could only comply.

This completely different attitude from a month ago made Song Xun swallow hard continuously. Pressing down on his trembling legs, his lips felt as though they were stitched shut—how could he dare introduce himself now?

If he had known today would turn out like this, he would never have brought his son over for a visit!

To actually run into this star of calamity!

He Lian leaned back, resting his fingertips against his forehead. His sharp, narrow eyes swept over the room. Seeing every member of the Song family trembling with fear, the thought in his mind grew even firmer.

Sure enough, they attempted to commit arson to kill that little fool.

They were already feeling guilty before he even started asking questions.

He reached out and flicked the tea lid, producing a sharp clack .

Even Song Xueyan’s heart leaped into her throat along with it.

As the moon hung low, only traditional lanterns were lit inside the main hall. The paper-wrapped lanterns swayed wildly in the wind, casting a dim yellow light back and forth across He Lian’s face, making the atmosphere look intensely oppressive.

“I heard the old mansion caught fire, so I came to visit on my way.”

He Lian finally opened his mouth.

The moment this subject was raised, Song Xun finally let out a long sigh of relief, unclenching his sweaty fists as his entire body grew soaked in cold sweat from the tension.

So it was for this matter—he had been scared out of his wits.

Song Qian also calmed down covertly, his tone becoming far more composed and fluent: “Thank you for your concern, Mr. He. It was nothing major, just a lightning strike that sparked a fire. It was extinguished in time the night before last, and already…”

He Lian abruptly cut him off: “Was it Jiang Yu’s small wooden building that caught fire?”

Song Qian froze slightly. Beside him, Song Xueyan subtly lowered her head, her fingertips fiercely pinching the fabric of her skirt as her breathing grew dark and rapid.

He Lian really was here for Jiang Yu!

But why?!

Since he hadn’t discovered the ghostpainting fraud, could it be that he had actually taken a liking to that lunatic?!

How was that possible?!

What was so good about that lunatic?!

“Uh… yes,” Song Qian said softly, “It was indeed that wooden building that caught fire.”

He Lian stood up and marched straight toward the South Court. This time, he didn’t even offer a polite inquiry, acting as insolently as if this were his own territory.

Zhuang Yumian and the two guards followed in tacit agreement.

The Song family had no choice but to bite the bullet and tag along behind them.

Reaching the South Court, that wooden building had already been burned into charred, blackened ruins. Only the main structural frame remained, surrounded by police tape, with a lingering burnt stench still wafting through the air.

He Lian’s heart sank abruptly. The darkness of the night melted into his eyes, making his emotions unreadable.

He turned around, no longer bothering to conceal the interrogation in his tone: “Where is Jiang Yu?”

As his deep, icy voice echoed overhead, Song Qian shivered too. Lowering his head, he exchanged a glance with his younger brother, both reading the exact same suspicion from each other’s expressions.

Was this He Lian really here for Jiang Yu?!

During this slight pause, He Lian lost all his patience. The veins on his neck bulged one by one from anger as he raised his voice in a near-scolding tone: “Where is Jiang Yu?!”

“The wooden building is destroyed—where is the person?!”

“Where have you placed her?!”

Support Sansukini on Ko-fi