"I've helped you with such a big task. How are you planning to repay your benefactor?"
His tone was slurred and lazy, making him sound as if he had eaten honey.
"What do you want to eat? I'll treat you."
"But not today, right?"
"Yes, I still have some urgent matters to attend to."
The so-called urgent matters were the documents with the seal of the central government.
On the other end, Gu Yuzhen had stopped making requests.
The two exchanged a few words before hanging up.
Ming Qu did not go home. Instead, she was headed to the newly developed area of Tongcheng.
Due to the increase in its population, Tongcheng had expanded southward, and had recently rezoned a new area.
On the day of her return, Ming Qu had gone directly to a real estate company to buy an apartment there.
She opened the door, entering the room. Without even bothering to change her shoes, she ripped open the document.
The document had indeed been issued to Ming Group by the government. They were requesting Ming Group's cooperation in promoting the economic development of Tong City.
This was something she could look into.
After she had finished reading the contents of the document, Ming Qu thought of an idea.
The next day, claiming that she was sick and needed to stay home, she snuck into Ming Zhicheng's study when the servants weren't paying attention. There, she found evidence of him colluding with the government secretary over the past few years. She took photos of them, releasing them to the mayor's mailbox.
However, after a few days, Ming Zhicheng seemed completely fine.
Ming Qu guessed that the mayor was probably on Ming Zhicheng's side.
In the following days, she would happen to discover Ming Zhicheng's name on the list of election candidates in Tong City.
Just as she was about to investigate, the unknown number from before called again.
Coincidentally, she was at Gu Yuzhen's company that day.
"Who's calling?"
Seeing Ming Qu lying on the sofa, watching the phone ring with no intention of picking it up, Gu Yuzhen could not help but ask.
She did not respond. Instead, she swiped her finger, rejecting the call before sitting up.
As Gu Yuzhen was busy, he did not think too much about it.
However, just as Ming Qu had gone to the bathroom, her phone on the coffee table rang.
Again and again, non stop.
Gu Yuzhen put down his work and got up to go over.
Seeing the unfamiliar number, he answered the call hesitantly.
The person on the other end spoke before he had a chance to say anything. "Girl, I can't tell if you are astoundingly patient, or if you're becoming more foolish by the day."
Foolish?
As he listened to the low voice coming from the other end, the corners of Gu Yuzhen's mouth twitched involuntarily as his face sank.
The man had called his woman a fool, could this voice be her father's?
For some reason, a sour taste rose in his mouth.
He was just about to speak when the caller swiftly hung up. The cold, mechanical beeping of an ended call followed.
Gu Yuzhen's expression grew stormy. He glanced at the number before putting the phone back.
Later that day, he asked Ah Jiang to locate the number, finding out that it originated from the Ming's residence.
That night, Gu Yuzhen personally sent Ming Qu home.
Ming Lai, who had not seen him for a long time, was clearly overjoyed.
However, as she watched him hold on to Ming Qu's hands intimately, her initially smiling face turned green.
Gu Yuzhen would not stay for dinner. He was only here to check out the situation.
Ming Qu headed upstairs, and he got up to leave.
When Ming Lai offered to see him off, Gu Yuzhen did not refuse.
In the courtyard, Gu Yuzhen's voice was composed. "I've heard that these days, Miss Ming has been on vacation, waiting to get married?"
As soon as he had asked his question, Ming Lai hastily explained, "No, I've just been a little tired recently and wanted to rest for a few days."
"Oh? And a friend had recently come to see you?"
Gu Yuzhen continued asking to avoid arousing suspicion.
Ming Lai seemed to be enchanted. She did not suspect anything at all. She lowered her eyebrows, smiling shyly. "Yes, they were all relatives of the Ming family. They thought that I was sick, so they came to see me."
The Ming family!
Gu Yuzhen had thought of something.
The two walked side by side to the car parked by the side of the road. Gu Yuzhen did not acknowledge her further as he bent down to get in.
Watching the car start and pull away, Ming Lai, standing silently, was filled with disappointment.
Right before, he had seemed amicable. Why had his mood changed so quickly?
She was somewhat puzzled. Turning her head, she looked to the balcony on the second floor. She found Ming Qu there, watching her.