He remembered the first time he met Sang Ning at the matchmaking event.

“You’re so pretty, and you’re actually still single?” The moment Lin Zehui saw Sang Ning, he felt an urge to make this woman his.

That very first glance was enough for him to have someone investigate her background.

Ordinary. Pitiful.

It made him want to protect her.

“Being pretty doesn’t necessarily mean lots of people pursue you.” Sang Ning tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, a hint of playfulness in her expression.

“That’s true. If someone’s too pretty, people might assume she doesn’t lack boyfriends, right?”

In truth, Sang Ning had been quite displeased by the way Lin Zehui kept calling her *jiejie*.

But what could she do? Most people at that matchmaking event were older.

And she was probably the youngest person there.

Back then, Sang Ning had merely smiled at Lin Zehui.

Lin Zehui, however, was the one who refused to let go.

“Why don’t you consider me? This is my business card.”

Sang Ning raised an eyebrow. “You carry business cards to matchmaking events?”

That business card was one Lin Zehui often used to pick up women.

Sang Ning didn’t suspect much. She glanced at the company and position printed on it.

“Should I introduce myself too?”

When Sang Ning told him her profession, Lin Zehui showed no surprise.

Because he had already received her background information.

“That’s good. It’s actually a very respectable job.”

A sincere smile appeared on Sang Ning’s face.

At that moment, Lin Zehui felt she was different.

“But I’m quite popular too. How about we give it a try?”

Back then, Lin Zehui truly had been moved. Trying to ease his nerves, he said it in a joking tone.

The moment Sang Ning nodded, he felt as though he might float into the sky.

Light, weightless.

That had been the happiest day of his life.

“But if I ever find out you’re seeing someone else behind my back, I’ll break up with you without hesitation—and marry someone else.”

Lin Zehui’s eyes were full of laughter. “Someone else? What, while dating me, you’re planning to find another guy too?”

Sang Ning shook her head. “Of course not.”

Lin Zehui was puzzled. “Then… what do you mean?”

He didn’t understand.

Sang Ning smiled mysteriously, turned, and walked toward the exit, leaving him with a carefree figure. She waved and said, “I’ll just grab anyone and marry him.”

At the time, Lin Zehui had taken it as a girl’s joke.

Now, he watched Sang Ning stop at the doorway, showing no intention of coming back in. He smiled bitterly.

“Yesterday, when I said I was going to Ping’an Apartments to find you, I meant it.”

Sang Ning said nothing, waiting for him to continue.

“When I was on the second floor, I knocked on your door, but you weren’t home. So I sent Li Xiaoqiang a message. You should’ve seen the texts.”

Lin Zehui looked at Sang Ning’s back and said urgently, “The third floor—I didn’t go there on my own. My brother told me to go.”

At those words, Sang Ning’s back stiffened.

Only then did she turn around and fix her gaze on Lin Zehui. Apart from anxiety, there was nothing else on his face.

That anxiety vanished only after Sang Ning walked back into the break room, sat down, and calmly listened to him recount what had happened the previous night.

“Why didn’t you say that yesterday?” Sang Ning stared into his eyes, as if trying to find something hidden there.

Lin Zehui was very frank. “In my brother’s eyes, I can drink and fool around, but I can’t do anything that damages the Lin Group’s image.”

Sang Ning asked, “And then?”

“I know he’s already been arrested by you. He’s in the interrogation room right now. His personal secretary has also come to find me. From now on, the Lin Group will fall into my hands. Of course, my parents don’t know about this yet.”

Lin Zehui took a sip of the plain boiled water on the table and frowned slightly.

“This water was boiled from tap water, wasn’t it? Why does it taste weird?”

Sang Ning said impatiently, “Either go say it in the interrogation room, or explain everything clearly here.”

Over the next half hour, Lin Zehui spoke a little, then drank a little.

Gradually, he finished all the water in the disposable cup.

At first, he had been complaining that boiled tap water tasted strange. In the end, the more he drank, the more he seemed to enjoy it.

“Can you pour me another cup? My brother’s lawyer should be arriving soon.”

Lin Zehui held the cup out to Sang Ning.

Sang Ning took it, filled it for him, then leaned against the side of the table.

“So what you’re saying is, Lin Zedong told you there were stolen things of mine on the third floor, so you went up to look?”

“I have no reason to lie to you. And I did see a lot of photos related to you on the third floor. I didn’t dare touch anything at the time, because Room 204 was sealed off with police tape.”

On that point, Lin Zehui had been cautious.

He hadn’t touched anything at the scene.

Instead, he messaged Li Xiaoqiang.

Because he knew the entire third floor belonged to Li Xiaoqiang. The rent had been paid using money Lin Zehui had given him back then—for the purpose of better tracking Sang Ning’s every move.

·

Last night, Li Xiaoqiang happened to be inside the secret room on the third floor. He had been hiding there for an entire day and night, too afraid to come out.

Until he received Lin Zehui’s text.

The moment he came out of the bathroom, the scene before him startled him badly.

He was dressed head to toe in transparent protective clothing. Seeing the mess everywhere, he pointed at Lin Zehui with wide eyes.

“You—you… why did you move all of Shi Li’s things up here?”

Lin Zehui had been standing in the hallway, looking at the open door, his eyes equally filled with confusion.

“I didn’t move them. You’ve been in the apartment this whole time?”

Li Xiaoqiang nodded timidly.

“Did Shi Li have thoughts about Sang Ning?” Lin Zehui asked coldly.

Li Xiaoqiang was shocked. “H-how did you know?”

Lin Zehui clenched his fists and stepped forward, grabbing Li Xiaoqiang by the collar.

“How did I know? If no one told me, were you planning to keep hiding it?”

“I-I only found out recently too. I didn’t expect Shi Li to be such scum… But he…”

In the darkness, Lin Zehui couldn’t see Li Xiaoqiang’s expression clearly. He simply let go and shoved him out.

“Go downstairs. Bring me everything Shi Li stole.”

At the time, Lin Zehui didn’t know what Shi Li had stolen.

His mind kept replaying what Lin Zedong had said over the phone.

“You’re still going to Ping’an Apartments this late? Ningning should already be asleep. Don’t go.”

“No. She registered her marriage with another man. She’s a police officer. That marriage certificate has to be real. I have to find out who that man is.”

Lin Zehui refused to accept it.

There was a moment of silence on the other end before Lin Zedong said, “I went to Ping’an Apartments before, handling something nearby. The neighbor beside her… he’s a man, isn’t he?”

Lin Zehui thought for a moment. “Yes. Brother, you mean… that man is the random man Sang Ning married?”

“Probably. I’m not sure. You can go to the third floor and take a look. There may be photos of Ningning stored up there. I’m not sure if they’re drawings or pictures.”

After saying that, Lin Zedong hung up, giving Lin Zehui no chance to ask more.

Lin Zehui was furious at the time. How could he have the presence of mind to wonder how Lin Zedong knew all this?

Watching Li Xiaoqiang’s furtive figure, he grabbed him.

“Where are you going? This staircase is closer.”

Li Xiaoqiang looked troubled. “But… there’s a camera outside Sang Ning’s door. If we go around, it won’t capture us.”

“What are you afraid of? You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Lin Zehui lowered his voice and snapped angrily.

But unfortunately, Li Xiaoqiang *had* done something wrong.

He stammered, unable to speak, his feet feeling as though they’d been filled with lead.

“Go already. Shi Li’s door is open, and there’s police tape at the entrance. Be careful when you go in.”

Li Xiaoqiang’s eyes widened. “The police have already been here?”

Lin Zehui had no patience for him. He kicked the man.

Li Xiaoqiang stumbled and ran downstairs, completely forgetting about the camera outside Sang Ning’s door.

His heart pounded.

Since the police had already been there, there probably shouldn’t be any problem.

What happened after that was simple—

Gu Yezhou knocked him down.