Chapter 56: Do You Want My Life?

Su Wan stared wide-eyed at the man before her. It was a long time before she seemed to comprehend his words. “What did you say?”

“You’re pregnant,” he repeated. “Right now, you can’t let your emotions fluctuate too much. I know you’re grieving, but… the dead are gone.”

Su Wan collapsed heavily onto the floor.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as her whole body trembled.

Bo Yezhou crouched before her. “Su Wan…”

“Leave me alone,” she rasped.

Bo Yezhou said nothing more and turned to leave.

…

As he stepped out of the hospital room, he glimpsed a shadow darting past and frowned, approaching slowly.

There was nothing there.

But as he gazed at the empty corridor, something struck him. He walked forward, step by step—when suddenly, a door to a patient’s room swung open and he was yanked inside.

A cold blade pressed to his throat.

Bo Yezhou looked at his captor calmly. “Is this how Master Qi entertains his guests?”

The man gave a short laugh. “For someone like you, the master needn’t bother himself. Tell me, how’s the investigation going on that last matter?”

“I’ve only just taken over. How could those people trust me so easily?”

“Not a single clue?”

“I’ve noticed a few things, but I can’t be sure.”

“I don’t care about the others—what about Mu Yunshen? Is he the one?”

Bo Yezhou looked at his interrogator and smiled.

The man grew agitated. “Well? Is he or isn’t he?”

“Qi Fei, I know you and Mu Yunshen don’t get along. Now that he’s become the master’s son-in-law, all your years of toil at his side have come to nothing. I was hoping to see you two tear each other apart, but I am, after all, a police officer. I won’t stoop to telling lies like that.”

“Who the hell are you calling a dog?” Qi Fei’s eyes blazed red, the knife biting into Bo Yezhou’s throat, drawing blood.

Bo Yezhou remained calm. “I suggest you think this through before you act. Blades don’t have eyes. I’m not afraid to die, but if I do, good luck explaining it to Master Qi.”

Qi Fei gritted his teeth.

The man clearly banked on his unwillingness to kill.

Slowly, he lowered his hand. “Don’t make us out to be so vile. If we’re dogs, what does that make you? A cop on the surface, but filthier than any of us. You eat from both sides!”

Bo Yezhou shoved him aside, straightened his clothes, and turned to leave.

Before walking out, he looked back. “Men die for wealth, birds for food. In this world, only interests are eternal.”

…

Su Yichuan’s funeral was held a week later.

Su Wan wore a black coat, wrapped tightly around herself. Her hair was cut short, her face devoid of expression.

Many came to pay their respects and tried to comfort her, but Su Wan remained silent. It was Bo Yezhou at her side who thanked them all.

With Su Yichuan’s death, the Su family had fallen into decline. Yet Bo Yezhou’s career was flourishing—if he and Su Wan were truly close, perhaps the Su family’s fate would not be so dire.

After the funeral, Su Wan removed the little white flower from her hair and turned to Bo Yezhou. “When will the case be solved?”

“Su Wan, it was an accident.”

“No,” Su Wan said through clenched teeth. “If I hadn’t been kidnapped, he wouldn’t have died.”

“But it was the crash that killed him. That can’t be changed.”

“What about the kidnapping? He kidnapped me—can’t you catch him?”

“There’s no evidence, Su Wan. And now he’s Master Qi’s son-in-law. Arresting him… would be difficult.”

Su Wan fell silent.

Her lips pressed tightly together. The expression made Bo Yezhou frown.

He stepped forward. “You haven’t rested properly for days, have you? I—”

“Thank you for your concern. I can manage on my own.”

With that, Su Wan turned and walked away.

Bo Yezhou stood frozen in place.

Su Wan drove herself back to the Su residence.

Aside from the old butler, everyone else had been dismissed at her command. The butler insisted on staying to care for her, and Su Wan did not argue.

She went upstairs to sort through Su Yichuan’s belongings.

There was a locked drawer in his desk.

Su Wan searched everywhere but could not find the key.

She called the butler, but he didn’t know either.

Staring at the drawer, Su Wan told the butler to leave and continued searching.

Her mother’s portrait had always stood on Su Yichuan’s desk. Inside the frame, Su Wan found the key.

She unlocked the drawer.

Inside was a thick file envelope.

She opened it—and her eyes grew wide.

It was a ledger.

It bore unmistakable bloodstains—and a note.

“This ledger is of utmost importance. Guard it closely. If it falls into the wrong hands, the consequences will be dire!”

Su Wan turned the pages.

The first entry was… Mu Yunshen.

This was… a list of undercover agents!

Looking at the bloodstains, Su Wan remembered the fallen captain of the narcotics squad.

Had he entrusted this ledger to Su Yichuan?

“Young miss.”

A knock startled Su Wan. She quickly closed the ledger. “What is it?”

“Officer Bo is here.”

Su Wan gritted her teeth, put the ledger back in the drawer, but after a moment’s thought, she slipped out the page on Mu Yunshen, folded it, and hid it in a nearby book before going downstairs.

“Are you sorting through your teacher’s things?” Bo Yezhou asked.

Su Wan nodded. “Why are you here?”

“I was worried you had no one to look after you. Do you need any help?”

“No,” Su Wan replied at once, then, realizing she sounded too curt, added, “It’s fine. I can manage.”

“All right. And the child…”

Su Wan stiffened and looked away. “I still need to think about that. Is there anything else?”

“No.”

“You must be busy. I’d like to be alone to organize things.”

“Very well. But I left something with your teacher; I need to go upstairs and look for it.”

“…All right.”

Su Wan led him upstairs.

The book in which she had hidden the page on Mu Yunshen lay atop the stack. She quickly gathered those books and shelved them.

“What’s in here?” Bo Yezhou’s voice came from behind.

Su Wan glanced over. He was pointing to the locked drawer.

“That’s my mother’s keepsake.”

Hearing this, Bo Yezhou left the drawer alone and continued searching elsewhere.

Su Wan stood there, her heart racing for reasons she couldn’t name.

She knew she shouldn’t doubt Bo Yezhou. She’d known him for years, and her father had trusted him deeply; there should be no problem.

But now, she trusted no one.

“What are you looking for? Need any help?” she asked.

“A ledger.”

Su Wan’s face changed briefly, but she quickly composed herself. “A ledger?”

“Yes. I’m not sure where the teacher put it.”

Su Wan said nothing, then asked, “I heard the narcotics captain died, and you took his place?”

Bo Yezhou looked at her and nodded.

“How do you feel about it?”

Leaning against the desk, Bo Yezhou fixed his gaze on her. “Su Wan, you seem… different. Are you suspecting me?”

Su Wan shook her head repeatedly. “I don’t understand any of this. But you know, my mother died because of it, so I hate it more than anyone.”

“I know,” he said. “Rest assured, I’ll make sure none of them escape!”

Su Wan murmured assent and continued tidying.

“There’s something I wanted to ask you,” Bo Yezhou said.

She looked at him.

“Is Mu Yunshen an undercover agent?”

Su Wan’s expression shifted slightly, then she frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“You two were very close. Didn’t he ever say anything?”

“He’s an undercover?” Su Wan laughed. “He killed my father. How could he be an undercover?”

“But I think he’s using this to get close to Master Qi, to win his trust completely.”

Su Wan slammed down what she was holding. “What are you getting at? I said I don’t know, and I don’t want to talk about him!”

“Sorry…”

Su Wan fell silent.

Bo Yezhou found what he was looking for.

Su Wan saw it was only a roster of police officers and breathed a sigh of relief.

“I’ll be off, then.”

Su Wan murmured assent.

Bo Yezhou looked at her as if wanting to say more, but in the end, he said nothing and left.

After he was gone, Su Wan sank into a chair.

She took out that page again.

If Su Yichuan had received the ledger before the captain’s death, he must have known Mu Yunshen’s identity by then.

When? Su Wan didn’t know.

But now, surely Mu Yunshen had forgotten who he was.

If not, if—as Bo Yezhou said—he was merely using this chance to gain Master Qi’s trust, why must she pay the price?

Why exchange her father’s life for it?

Even so, Su Wan could never forgive him—never.

…

Four days after Su Yichuan’s funeral, Su Wan went for a checkup.

The child had come so suddenly that, even after all this time, she still didn’t know what to do.

Keep it?

Every time she thought of this child, she remembered that man, and the hatred etched into her bones.

Give it up?

She couldn’t bear to.

As she waited, she ran into someone.

Their eyes met, and both saw the shock on the other’s face.

“Su—Miss Su, you… you’re pregnant?” Shen Xiaoxiao stared at the items in her hand.

Su Wan hid her hand behind her back, saying nothing.

Shen Xiaoxiao bit her lip. “I… could I… talk to you?”

At last, Su Wan nodded.

“Actually… I know what happened between you and Yunshen,” Shen Xiaoxiao began. “But I… I refused to believe it. I even felt… relieved that he’d forgotten, so he could be with me.”

Su Wan said nothing.

Shen Xiaoxiao gently squeezed her hand. “Your father… I heard. Don’t… don’t be sad.”

Su Wan pulled her hand away. “Miss Shen, thank you, but in this world, anyone can tell me not to be sad—except you.”

“I… I didn’t mean anything by it.”

Su Wan ignored her and stood up. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going.”

“Miss Su, your child… is it his?”

Su Wan halted, but did not look back. “This is my child. It has nothing to do with him.”

Shen Xiaoxiao said nothing more.

Su Wan didn’t dwell on it.

At the time, she truly believed that, so long as she never entangled herself with Mu Yunshen again, she could quietly raise this child alone—and that would be enough.

But she was wrong.

On her first day back at work, someone blocked her on the road.

Seeing who it was, Su Wan’s face was utterly expressionless—cold to the extreme.

She looked at him. “Mr. Mu, what do you want?”

“Master Qi wishes to see you,” he said.

Su Wan ignored him and turned to leave, but the man lunged forward, slung her over his shoulder, and carried her to the car.

“Let me go! What do you think you’re doing? Let go of me!”

He didn’t loosen his grip, but put her in the car and started the engine.

Su Wan glared at him. “You know, you really are just his dog now.”

He showed no expression.

Su Wan rattled the door frantically. “Open up! Let me out!”

“Master Qi wants to see you. I’m being courteous. If he’d sent someone else, it wouldn’t be so gentle.”

“Why should I see him just because he wants it? Open the door!”

“Su Yichuan is dead. No one can protect you now. Better think about how you’ll get out of this.”

Su Wan bit her lip.

The car stopped at a grand estate. She was dragged out, then thrown unceremoniously to the ground.

Before her stood a man in a tunic suit.

Su Wan had seen him once, at Mu Yunshen’s wedding.

Meeting his gaze now, she couldn’t help but flinch, but she gritted her teeth. “What’s the meaning of this?”

“Master, I’ve brought her. I’ll take my leave,” Mu Yunshen said, not looking at her.

“No need,” Master Qi replied. “This concerns you as well.”

Mu Yunshen stopped in his tracks.

Master Qi sipped his tea, the cup making a crisp sound as he set it down.

“I hear you’re pregnant,” he said.

Su Wan’s whole body trembled.

Mu Yunshen’s brow furrowed.

Master Qi gave a cold laugh. “Yunshen, even if you don’t remember the past, you must have heard something. You’re my son-in-law now. If another woman bears your child, how does that look?”

Su Wan began to back away. “What do you want?”

Mu Yunshen looked at Master Qi. “Are you sure the child is mine?”

“Mu Yunshen, do you hear yourself?” Su Wan shouted. “Do you know what you’re saying?!”

He glanced at her. “It’s simple. I don’t acknowledge this child. Even if I have a child, it will only be Xiaoxiao’s.”

Su Wan shook uncontrollably—whether from anger or fear, she did not know.

Master Qi smiled. “That’s fine. But letting this child live would be a disaster. I promised not to harm the woman, but the child cannot remain.”

“I understand, Master,” Mu Yunshen said at once. “I’ll go get someone.”

“No need. The medicine is already prepared.”

Soon, someone brought over a bowl of thick, black liquid.

Su Wan tried to flee.

But someone quickly seized her, pinning her to the ground.

“Yunshen, what are you waiting for?” Master Qi’s voice prodded.

Mu Yunshen seemed to come to his senses, picked up the bowl, and walked toward Su Wan.

She shook her head desperately, tears pouring down her face.

“No, I beg you, Mu Yunshen, I beg you!”

He said nothing, his lips pressed thin, his face in Su Wan’s eyes turning demonic.

He approached her.

In his hand was the medicine that would kill their child.

At that moment, a voice cried out, “Wait!”

Su Wan turned. Someone was kneeling before Master Qi.

“Father, please don’t.”

Mu Yunshen froze.

Master Qi frowned.

Shen Xiaoxiao glanced at Su Wan, then at Master Qi. “Dad, I… I can’t have children of my own anymore. Let her have this baby—I’ll raise it myself.”

Master Qi’s face darkened.

Mu Yunshen spoke up. “Xiaoxiao, don’t be silly. We’ll have our own children someday. As for her…”

He looked at Su Wan, eyes cold. “Her child cannot remain.”

It was as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over Su Wan.

She suddenly stopped crying.

She stared fixedly at the man before her.

“No!” Shen Xiaoxiao clung to his hand. “Please, I beg you!”

Su Wan never expected that the one to plead for her would be Shen Xiaoxiao.

But he…

He was resolute—he refused the child.

Of course he did. How could he not?

His father-in-law loathed the child; of course he would obey. That was his golden future.

Was this the Mu Yunshen she had known, loved, and cherished?

Su Wan knew—he was not.

That Mu Yunshen had died before the wedding.

How foolish she was to think she could keep this child.

How could she?

He had killed her father. She should hate him for life.

How could she keep it!?

“Don’t trouble yourselves,” Su Wan said.

Shen Xiaoxiao stared at her in shock.

Su Wan pulled free from her grasp, took the bowl from Mu Yunshen’s hands, and tipped it back.

The medicine was bitter—bitter on her tongue, down her throat, into her heart.

When she finished, she hurled the bowl to the floor. The shards scattered, and Mu Yunshen shielded Shen Xiaoxiao, stepping back.

Watching him, Su Wan laughed.

Then she turned to Master Qi. “Well? Are you satisfied?”

Then she looked at Mu Yunshen. “My life—do you want that too?”

He said nothing.

Silence fell.

Su Wan laughed. “Mu Yunshen, you’re not amnesiac.”

His brow furrowed.

She finished, “You’re dead—the Mu Yunshen I knew is dead. You’re a stranger now. There’s nothing left between us but hatred!”

With that, she turned and walked away.

A sharp pain twisted in her abdomen, but she forced herself forward, step by step.

She felt something slipping away from her. Looking down, she saw blood running down her legs, leaving a trail.

She acted as if she hadn’t seen it, walking on, a faint smile on her lips.

At some point it had started to rain.

The house stood on a mountainside. The road was deserted, not a soul or a car in sight.

She walked on slowly, pain wracking her body, but her mind was frighteningly clear.

She could feel her child’s life ebbing away.

She clutched her abdomen, but there was no warmth.

Perhaps this was for the best. She could never have kept the child.

How could she?

She and Mu Yunshen had come to this—how could she keep the child?

If the child grew up, should she tell them their father had killed their grandfather? That their father was a monstrous drug dealer?

This was better.

Yes, better.

Her steps grew unsteady, and she had to cling to the roadside railing.

So cold. So painful.

She could walk no further. Slowly, she crouched down.

Blood and rain mingled on her body—a ghastly sight.

Looking at her abdomen, Su Wan finally broke down, sobbing. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

She hadn’t protected him. She had even… killed him with her own hands!

“I’m sorry, baby, baby…”

She kept repeating it as a wave of dizziness overtook her, and she collapsed.

In her haze, someone picked her up. He smelled good, and something salty landed on her lips.

Was it her own tears, or those of the person holding her? Su Wan didn’t know.

She only knew she was so cold—so cold.

When she awoke, she was in a hospital.

White ceiling, white sheets.

She turned her head and saw Bo Yezhou.

She closed her eyes. “Why are you here?”

He said nothing.

Su Wan forced herself to sit up. “I’m fine. Everything’s settled. It’s all right.”

“There’s been a development in your teacher’s case,” Bo Yezhou said suddenly. “His car was tampered with—the brake line was cut.”