Chapter 77: Liang Chaosu Investigated The Black Clinic Prenatal Check-up
Liang Wenfei glanced at Father Liang.
A smile lingered on his face. Unlike Mother Liang’s lack of composure, he was calm and self-possessed, even possessing a hint of gentleness.
She took a breath, “I’m going downstairs, Brother is standing in the middle of the corridor, and at the far end of the corridor is Liancheng’s room, I, I…”
“Feifei.” Father Liang put his arm around Mother Liang’s shoulder. “Guesses and speculations, if repeated too often, become the boy who cried wolf. However, you are still young and concerned about your brother, so Father will not criticize you. Just remember to learn from this lesson. It’s getting late, go back to your room and rest.”
The footsteps upstairs faded away, and Liancheng slumped to the ground, exhausted.
Before she could catch her breath, the doorknob turned, and Aunt Wang’s arm reached in to hand her something.
“Liancheng, the medicine.”
………………
Gu Xingyuan returned to the country under the cover of night. By the time he reached the foot of Jade Mansion, the first hint of dawn was breaking in the sky.
Xiao Da led him into the study.
Behind the exceptionally spacious and orderly desk, Liang Chaosu was looking down. Beside him lay a long roll of leather tool bag. His black storage knife case was filled with gleaming carving knives: flat-edged, push-type, round-tipped, triangular needles, spoons…
Gu Xingyuan counted roughly; the set was too complete to belong to a novice just starting jade carving.
He laughed out loud, “Weren’t your hands bandaged just two days ago? I thought you were going to wait until the wounds healed before continuing.”
The man was engrossed in the skill of carving on the piece. The specially designed spotlight on the desk shone brightly, illuminating every detail of the semi-finished jade buckle in his hand.
The jade was of the highest quality, finest old pit glass, but the carving was stiff and artificial. The new strokes were even more unconvincing, with a harsh aggression.
Gu Xingyuan’s heart ached subtly. “The finest material in my Jade Hua collection, and you’re really willing to spoil it like this.”
The edge of the bright light reflected Liang Chaosu’s face, hidden in shadow, his brow motionless.
His bone structure was sharp and heroic. At this moment, his strict seriousness had an awe-inspiring solemnity that was unapproachable.
It made Gu Xingyuan appear flippant, his solo performance truly lacking in flavor. “You snatched her away back then, saying it was a gift. What kind of gift is it from a good person, a peerless jade with shoddy carving? Was it a wedding gift for your sister? Taking a purely sentimental route?”
Frivolous.
Liang Chaosu switched to a push-type carving knife, lifted his eyelids, and said coldly, “Is there something you need?”
“Nothing.” Gu Xingyuan tugged at the hem of his shirt, feigning a carefree demeanor. “I just got back from abroad.”
Liang Chaosu’s carving knife stopped. He stared at him for a few seconds. “Did you take action?”
Gu Xingyuan raised his hand to touch the bruise on his cheek and the scabbed-over scratch on his neck. “I took action, and I spoke too. When Xiao Rou gets serious, I can’t resist at all. I can only empty myself and give her everything.”
Liang Chaosu understood his vulgar joke, his face tightening. “Get lost.”
“Ruthless.” Gu Xingyuan leaned casually against the edge of the desk. “I came to share this good news with you because I know you’ve always supported Xiao Rou and me.”
Liang Chaosu lowered his eyes, staring at the jade buckle in his hand. “How did she forgive you?”
Gu Xingyuan’s eyes widened in astonishment.
After so long cooperating, Liang Chaosu was as deeply schemed as he was cold-hearted. From head to toe, all that emanated from him was the attitude of an observer. His heart was cold, his disposition was hard, and his emotions were a dead sea with no waves.
Gossip and curiosity had nothing to do with him.
“Because of the child.” Gu Xingyuan’s eyes softened, and his desire to share finally won. “Before Xiao Rou came to the Gu family, she drifted around with her mother and had a very difficult life. I sincerely crossed oceans and revealed everything. She had a soft heart and easily forgave me for the sake of the child.”
Liang Chaosu’s carving knife slipped in his hand, the blade digging straight into his index finger. The newly scabbed wound immediately began to bleed profusely.
The blood gushed out, flowing across his palm in an instant, staining the desk with a dark red pool. The jade buckle in his hand was obscured by the bloody tint, its watery sheen almost invisible.
Gu Xingyuan stood up in shock and shouted, “Xiao Da, the first-aid kit.”
Liang Chaosu’s expression was pale. He dropped the carving knife, placed the jade buckle into a velvet box beside him, and motioned to Xiao Da, who hurried over with the kit, “Wash it clean.”
Xiao Da put down the first-aid kit and, without a word or hesitation, took the velvet box to be cleaned.
Gu Xingyuan, standing nearby, was envious. “Your assistants seem to be very quiet and capable. How did you find them?”
Liang Chaosu tore open the gauze packaging. “Human Resources hired them.”
Gu Xingyuan was curious. “In my years as president, I’ve seen all sorts of worlds and workplaces. Talents are like needles in a haystack. How is your Liang family HR so divine, able to target them so precisely?”
Liang Chaosu’s gaze fixed on the gauze. He coldly ordered him to leave. “Is there anything else?”
Gu Xingyuan choked.
After he left, Xiao Da returned to the study with the box. “The whereabouts of President Shen’s secretary have been traced. Besides arranging Miss Lian Cheng’s departure abroad, he also…”
He glanced cautiously at the man and organized the timeline logically. “Half a month ago, there was a rumor among a female employee at Shenheng who claimed to have personally witnessed Miss Lian Cheng having a prenatal check-up at a black clinic on the Ring Road. It was also on that day that you met Miss Lian Cheng at the bus stop. President Shen must have heard the rumors and specifically sent his secretary there.”
The expression on Liang Chaosu’s face gradually solidified.
Xiao Da’s eyes did not dare to meet his, fixed directly on his toes.
The morning sunlight gradually seeped into the room, landing on a corner of the bookshelf by the window. The gilded names on the thick book spines were dazzling.
Mountain Villa.
Phantom of the Opera.
Liang Chaosu stood up abruptly. “Investigate.”
Xiao Da acknowledged the order.
Before he could leave, the man called him back. “Arrange a hospital, one that has no connection to the Bai family.”
………………
Liancheng woke up in the morning and found that the bleeding had not stopped.
Aunt Wang came to see her early in the morning and also became anxious. “The family doctor Liang Wenfei hired had instructed that if the medication couldn’t stop the bleeding, you should go to the hospital immediately.”
“I know, Auntie Wang.” Liancheng changed her clothes. “What’s for breakfast today? Does Father still eat Cantonese dim sum?”
Aunt Wang replied, “He does. Recently, we’ve had shrimp and roe siu mai, egg yolk and scallop glutinous rice chicken, and red rice sausage. But Madam doesn’t allow us to make too much, as it exceeds the carbohydrate limit.”
Liancheng followed her to the kitchen. “I’ll make a dish of shrimp and roe siu mai. Auntie Wang, did my mother look for you yesterday?”
“No.”
The kitchen was crowded. Aunt Wang directed the cooks who were preparing Western breakfast to move to another area before whispering, “Not only no, but no one was sent to ask me a single word.”
Liancheng’s eyes moved.
Mother Liang was not the type to let things go. After discovering them in bed last night, she would have stormed in. She was reluctant to anger Liang Chaosu, but not to anger her. Interrogating her three times would have been the normal procedure.
And then there was Father Liang.
Father Liang’s purpose in asking her back was to marry her off far away.
The reason for marrying her off far away was his suspicion that she was involved with Liang Chaosu, hence using this subtle method to resolve the matter relatively peacefully.
Precisely at this juncture, Secretary Zhou caught her at the foot of Jade Mansion.
No matter how you looked at it, this was a hellish mode. If she took one more step, whether it was to investigate the surveillance cameras at Jade Mansion or to verify it at Bai Ying’s residence, Liancheng wouldn’t be able to escape.
As a result, Father Liang only had a tender conversation in the study.
This was too strange.
Liancheng had grown up in the Liang family since childhood; she had been an ear and eye witness to Father Liang’s schemes and methods.
When dealing with such calculating people, one must learn to elevate their perspective, to look beyond their actions and at their motives, which is the fundamental logic behind their actions.
