allonlinenovel Chapter 419: Since You’re Here, Why Not Show Yourself?
Chapter 419: Since You’re Here, Why Not Show Yourself?
Chen Xiao was drawing very seriously.
Ah Yu sat quietly there too.
Her body tilted slightly, as if leaning in comfort.
Time passed unknowingly, and Lin Xi, standing nearby, occasionally yawned.
Finally, Chen Xiao put down his pen.
Lin Xi glanced at it, silently giving a thumbs-up.
Ah Yu, upon seeing it finished, happily ran forward.
But upon seeing the portrait, Ah Yu lowered her head in silence.
Both Chen Xiao and Lin Xi knew why Ah Yu reacted this way, yet knowing didn’t prevent them from wanting to comfort her.
Lin Xi gently stroked Ah Yu’s hair and said:
"Ah Yu, be well; otherwise, even if Grandma has been gone for many years, she will still worry about you."
Ah Yu nodded heavily, then looked up at Chen Xiao and said:
"Brother, let me describe that auntie selling goods to you once more."
"Alright."
"She had very long black hair that went past her waist. When I first saw her, she was very fair. But later, when I saw her again, she had tanned, just as dark as me."
Ah Yu actually wasn’t that dark.
Just sun-kissed to a wheat color.
Country girls who go up the mountains and down the rivers daily don’t often remain fair-skinned.
Chen Xiao nodded as he quietly listened.
From Ah Yu’s depiction, Chen Xiao drew an ordinary-looking woman.
Even the clothing, from Ah Yu’s description, appeared simple and country-styled.
When Chen Xiao picked up the pen again, Ah Yu exclaimed in surprise:
"Wow, Brother, your drawing skills are amazing! You’ve never seen her, yet you can draw her so accurately!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Xiao knew he had drawn it correctly.
Finding someone in this age wasn’t easy, but if assisted by the police, it would be somewhat easier.
But only a little easier, to be honest.
After all, the current database isn’t quite comprehensive, but if one could match that person, finding her registration details wouldn’t be as difficult.
Lin Xi silently took the portrait from Chen Xiao’s hand.
Then, looking at Jingguang Mountain in the distance, said, "Ah Yu, are you sleepy?"
Ah Yu shook her head, "Not sleepy yet."
"Do you dare to accompany me into the mountain for a walk tonight?"
Ah Yu looked at Jingguang Mountain where Chen Xiao pointed but suddenly shook her head and said:
"Any mountain is fine, but I don’t want to go to Jingguang Mountain. Since Grandma told me I was found there, I never wanted to go back."
Chen Xiao didn’t force her, saying: "Then let’s take you home to sleep, little sister."
"Alright."
Ah Yu was abandoned on Jingguang Mountain.
To her, not wanting to go there was quite understandable.
After delivering Ah Yu to her home, she still asked:
"Brother, Sister, are you really coming to have dinner tomorrow?"
Chen Xiao didn’t forget the promise made earlier, saying: "Tomorrow morning, I’ll go buy groceries, but I can’t have lunch here because I have to attend a friend’s engagement back home."
"Okay, Brother, then come have dinner at my house when you return in the evening."
"Alright."
Chen Xiao nodded with a smile.
Once Ah Yu closed the door, Lin Xi took Chen Xiao’s arm and walked toward her place.
As they walked, Lin Xi said: "When I first saw Ah Yu yesterday, I felt a stirring in my heart. I had many thoughts, like wanting to buy her some appliances, so she wouldn’t have to worry about yesterday’s food spoiling because of the weather."
"Also wanting to pay for her electricity, so she wouldn’t have to worry about affording to use lights."
"I also thought of buying her lots of delicious food."
"But later, I held back, not because I couldn’t bear to, but because I didn’t want to disrupt her already accustomed life. I feel that, although it appears to help her, it could disrupt her original peace."
Lin Xi spoke calmly.
Chen Xiao listened carefully too.
He didn’t counter her; in fact, he found it quite reasonable.
"So, you mean to tell me that there’s no need to buy too much tomorrow, especially things Ah Yu hasn’t seen before?" Chen Xiao asked.
Lin Xi nodded, "Yes, I believe when one wishes to help another, unless you’ve decided to thoroughly assist them, you shouldn’t lightly change their current state."
Before thoroughly deciding to help someone.
One should not easily change that person’s present situation.
Chen Xiao contemplated Lin Xi’s words, feeling that there seemed to be a deeper meaning within them the more he thought about it.
He didn’t ask further questions, walking alongside Lin Xi down the village path, suddenly remembering something:
"By the way, dear, what about those disruptive family members earlier today?"
"They were all taken away by the local police, because our task force was established by the province, the county bureau increased manpower after hearing the news, probably handling matters properly by now."
At this, Lin Xi couldn’t help but ask:
"What exactly did you discuss with Huang Zhaozhong for such a reputable businessman to act so irrationally?"
After Chen Xiao recounted the story, Lin Xi sharply grasped the core of the matter:
"It seems Huang Zhaozhong has something held over him by Wan Yide, though the name Wan Yide really is..."
How could Wan Yide’s name not remind one of Wan De.
In Chen Xiao’s memory, when the Jingguang Tomb case unfolded, six criminal suspects were apprehended, and one of them had the surname Wan.
However, he wasn’t named Mr. Wan; he was just called Wan!
This is exactly why Chen Xiao hadn’t mentioned it to Lin Xi.
He planned to continue observing for now.
Because he still had a use for someone like Huang Zhaozhong!
Chen Xiao didn’t guard against Lin Xi at all, so he shared all his thoughts with her.
Including plans to collaborate in the mobile business with Dai Hong’Er and Qiu Huasheng, and the role Huang Zhaozhong would play in this endeavor.
Listening to all this, Lin Xi understood: "Are you worried that something might happen to Huang Zhaozhong before you can utilize him?"
"Exactly, and I thought about something else, too. Wan Yide is also a resourceful person who has experienced much. Would such a person easily divulge crucial secrets during a bout of drinking?"
Lin Xi furrowed her brows, feeling something was fishy too.
"What do you think then?"
"Is it possible that Huang Zhaozhong was trying to fish information out of Wan Yide, while Wan Yide, as smart as he is, was also probing others?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Xi had a sudden realization: "Did you directly ask him about this?"
Chen Xiao shook his head: "I hadn’t thought of it earlier; it’s only when you asked that I got that impression. Plus, it would be more effective for you police to secretly approach Huang Zhaozhong than for me to ask directly."
"Moreover, when I went to see Huang Zhaozhong today, his whole company knew about it, and I imagine Wan Yide will also find out shortly. So, rather than that, I’d arrange for someone to secretly safeguard Huang Zhaozhong!"
Lin Xi thought for a moment before taking out her phone to call Liao Cheng.
Just as the call was dialed, Chen Xiao suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Then he glanced sharply behind him, kicking a stone towards a wall nearby:
"Why hide? Since you’re here...why don’t you come out!"