Translator: CinderTL
"Even though you predicted it, sending No. 6 to intercept Gong Zhe still seems... too risky," the Cowboy said, a flicker of unease crossing his eyes.
"How's he doing over there?" the Cowboy pressed.
"I don't know," a languid voice replied. "I lost contact with him half an hour ago. But I think we should leave them alone. After all, it's a father-son reunion. They probably have a lot to say to each other, right?"
In a café on the second floor of a town about ten kilometers from the villa, a middle school student sat by the window, his head tilted as he gazed outside.
The setting sun painted the horizon blood-red, its last rays illuminating the poker cards scattered on the table.
In the interplay of light and shadow, the figures on the cards seemed to come to life.
Their escape had gone smoother than expected. Although they encountered several police checkpoints, a few routine questions were all it took to secure their release. They hadn't encountered any real trouble.
This further confirmed one thing: the Night Watchers' primary targets were Luo He, Fu Fu, and their group, including Pi Ruan.
These individuals were all members of Crimson.
"Whew..."
Back in Rong City, Fatty collapsed onto the sofa, still trembling with lingering fear. The whole ordeal felt like a nightmare; he'd been convinced they were about to be caught.
Huai Yi, worried about the young women at the villa, left first.
In the studio, only Lin Wan'er, Jiang Cheng, and Fatty remained.
The incident with Pi Ruan had cast a pall over everyone's mood. Fatty repeatedly opened his mouth to speak, but each time he chose silence, dutifully heading to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
When he brought out the freshly grilled steaks, only Jiang Cheng was sitting on the sofa. "Where's Boss Lin?" Fatty asked, craning his neck. The first steak was meant for her.
"Someone came looking for her," Jiang Cheng replied. "Seems like business."
Dinner was now just for Jiang Cheng and Fatty.
With Boss Lin gone, Fatty felt less restrained. He seized the opportunity to ask, "Doctor, how did Pi Ruan get mixed up with Luo He and his group? And didn't Luo He's group have Night Watcher IDs? Why would they arrest their own people?"
Jiang Cheng forked a piece of steak into his mouth, chewing slowly as he answered, "They knew each other before. And having an ID doesn't necessarily mean they're actually Night Watchers."
"You mean they're not Night Watchers... they're Crimson!" Fatty's voice trembled. The Crimson were the only group Fatty could imagine warranting such a massive response from the Night Watchers.
They had been causing trouble under the Crimson banner, never expecting to encounter actual Crimson members—let alone three of them.
The strangest part was that while they were impersonating Crimson, Crimson themselves were impersonating Night Watchers.
An idea suddenly struck Fatty: What if Zhao Xingguo and his group were also Night Watchers? That would add another layer to the intrigue: Night Watchers impersonating ordinary people drawn to the website.
Everyone was acting, their identities forming a closed loop.
But none of that mattered now. The crucial question was Pi Ruan's true identity. After a moment's hesitation, Fatty tentatively asked, "Doctor, you've known Pi Ruan for quite some time, haven't you?"
Jiang Cheng picked up his coffee cup and took a sip, savoring the familiar taste of a cheap instant coffee packet exploding on his tongue. "Yes, several years."
"I know what you're getting at," Jiang Cheng said, setting down the cup. "For some time now, I've felt like someone was watching me. It seems that someone was Pi Ruan."
A moment later, Fatty's eyes widened, his face a mixture of dawning realization and disappointment. "Doctor, did you... did you ever suspect me too?"
Fatty wasn't stupid, just a little slow on the uptake. Besides, any rational person could piece together the connections.
Jiang Cheng shook his head.
Seeing this, Fatty's face regained its color.
"It's not just the past," Jiang Cheng said. "It's still happening now, but I haven't found direct evidence yet. Be patient. Give me some more time."
"Doctor, I swear I'm a good person," Fatty insisted. "Like Boss Lin, I only want what's best for you."
Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Cheng's wrist suddenly jerked, nearly spilling his coffee.
"Doctor, what's wrong?" Fatty stood up, concerned. "I used to work as a caregiver. That twitch reminded me of a client I cared for who had a cerebral thrombosis. His clots would just randomly act up."
"It's nothing," Jiang Cheng replied, giving Fatty a meaningful glance before returning to his steak.
After rambling on about trivial matters for a while longer, Fatty grew tired. He cleared the table, took the dishes to the kitchen to wash, and then returned downstairs.
He found the lower floor empty. Wiping his hands, Fatty went upstairs to call out for Jiang Cheng, only to discover the doctor had already retreated to his bedroom.
The bedroom door was closed, and Jiang Cheng's coat hung on the coat rack outside.
"The Doctor must be exhausted," Fatty thought, lying on his pillow with the blanket pulled up to his chin. "Or maybe it's not just fatigue, but also heartbreak. After all, Pi Ruan had been by his side for so long, only to suddenly reveal himself as Crimson, a mole planted with ulterior motives. Anyone would struggle to accept that."
"Besides, the Doctor isn't as heartless as he seems," Fatty mused. "He just has trouble expressing himself. He's sharp-tongued, but as a friend, he's incredibly reliable."
"Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone out of his way to help Pi Ruan get justice."
Thinking of Pi Ruan, Fatty felt a surge of anger. But upon reflection, the situation didn't seem quite so outrageous. Fatty scratched his head. He couldn't find any solid evidence that Pi Ruan had actually intended to harm them, except for Chen Qiang.
On the contrary, Pi Ruan had treated them to countless lavish meals—steaks, lobsters, hairy crabs. The refrigerator was still overflowing with "supplies" Pi Ruan had sent.
It seemed that beyond his initial deception, Pi Ruan hadn't committed any truly heinous acts against them.
Every time they met, Pi Ruan had been genuinely warm and attentive. Fatty even suspected Pi Ruan might have been overly kind to him, his eyes sparkling with a strange intensity.
If it weren't for Miss Lin, Pi Ruan's ambiguous secretary, Fatty might have even questioned Pi Ruan's sexual orientation.
"I hope he doesn't get caught by the Night Watchers," Fatty muttered, rolling over and pulling his blanket tighter around himself.
Unlike Fatty, who had drifted off to sleep in relief after their narrow escape, Jiang Cheng remained awake. He sat on the mattress, the cold moonlight streaming through the window, illuminating his face.
He had been pondering Pi Ruan's case throughout their journey. As the scattered clues began to coalesce, some of his long-held questions finally found answers.
Pi Ruan was the pair of eyes that had been lurking beside him all along. The most terrifying part was that this elaborate scheme had been set in motion years ago.
"But the person who introduced me to Pi Ruan..." Jiang Cheng paused, "...was Lin Wan'er."
(End of the Chapter)
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