Chapter 173: The Man Living in Lies (Free Chapter)

The next morning, as the alarm clock rang, Akiwara Yuto crawled out from under his quilt.

He stretched his shoulders, feeling that his arms were still a bit sore.

Yesterday, at the book signing event at Yokohama National University, because of the excessive number of people on site, he had been forced to work from 9:00 AM until 10:00 PM, far exceeding the originally scheduled time.

During this time, besides constantly signing books, he also had to shake hands with enthusiastic readers and put on an "amiable and approachable" facade.

Although he was a bit tired, to be honest, the effect of the book signing far exceeded his expectations, even making him feel a bit incredulous.

Just yesterday alone, nearly 4,000 copies of the stock of "April Youth" were sold!

When tallying the data, the faces of the editorial staff were beaming with joy.

Alright, it's time to write the manuscript for the fourth issue! Otherwise, by the time the later book signings come around, the manuscript won't be ready in time!

Akiwara Yuto ate a slice of bread, then sat at his desk, lowered his head, and began to write.

The story continues...

Upon discovering that the deceased young driver was the son of this couple, Morita Makiko was flustered and didn't know what to do for a moment.

Just then, the middle-aged man named Yamazaki Ryū seemed to have fixed the sedan, walked into the room, and said to Morita Makiko, "It's getting very late. If you don't mind, why not stay and have dinner with us?"

Although Morita Makiko was panicked inside, it didn't show on her face. She bowed slightly and said apologetically, "Thank you for your invitation, but I have urgent matters to attend to, so I won't intrude."

Yamazaki Ryū didn't mind, nodded, and then asked his wife, Yamazaki Saeko, "Have you reached Haruki-chan yet?"

Yamazaki Saeko shook her head, "I just asked his friends, and they all said they hadn't seen him."

"This kid." Yamazaki Ryū's tone was a bit dissatisfied, "Doesn't he know that making his parents wait for dinner is a very rude thing to do?"

"Alright, don't be angry, I'll make another call to ask." Yamazaki Saeko replied in an understanding tone, "I'll call Haruki-chan again."

Seeing the other party pick up the receiver to dial, Morita Makiko on the other side suddenly realized that the deceased's mobile phone was still on her person! And it wasn't turned off or set to silent!

She immediately panicked, and feigning that she needed to go to the restroom, she walked quickly to the inner room on the other side.

Just then, because Yamazaki Saeko dialed the number, the phone on Morita Makiko's person began to ring.

She hurriedly took out the phone and stuffed it under the sofa cushion.

Hearing the ringing of the phone coming from inside the room, the Yamazaki couple was puzzled. The two didn't hang up the phone but walked into the inner room.

"There's a sound coming from here." Morita Makiko saw the two, pointed at the sofa, and said in a surprised tone. But inside, she was actually very panicked.

Following the direction Morita Makiko pointed, the Yamazaki couple found the phone. But upon discovering the phone, the two became puzzled.

Because their son had never had the habit of leaving his phone at home.

Morita Makiko, standing to the side, said again, "I've really troubled you today, but I have urgent matters to attend to here, so I'll take my leave now."

After saying this, she bowed again and then walked toward the entrance.

Although the Yamazaki couple was puzzled as to why the phone appeared, they still saw her to the entrance.

Under their gaze, Morita Makiko opened the car door, sat in, adjusted the seat, and only then started the car and left.

Seeing this scene, Yamazaki Ryū, as an automotive engineer, became puzzled.

Why, after having driven for so long, would she only now be adjusting the seat?

Watching the luxury sedan drive off into the distance, Yamazaki Ryū subconsciously looked and memorized the car's license plate.

After leaving the Yamazaki home, Morita Makiko, according to the instructions of Menxie Youzhen, drove the car to his location and informed him of the cause and effect of what had happened earlier.

Upon learning everything, Menxie Youzhen's heart couldn't calm down, and he didn't know how to handle the subsequent matters.

"I have an idea."

Morita Makiko was silent for a while, then told him her plan. Menxie Youzhen hesitated for a moment but still agreed.

The next day, the two drove the car to a scrap yard specializing in recycling black-market cars and disposed of the vehicle.

After this, the two hugged each other and promised that for the sake of their respective families, they would never see each other again.

After leaving Morita Makiko, Menxie Youzhen returned to Tokyo and went to the police box where he lived to report that his sedan had been stolen at a highway service station.

Then he returned home and told his wife the same lie he had fabricated.

Hotel room.

After finishing this, Menxie Youzhen stood up, looked at Watanabe Saki who was taking notes, and said in a shameful tone.

"I feel like a liar and a scoundrel, but I have no choice. For the sake of my career and family, I can only pretend that nothing ever happened."

He lowered his head and looked at the newspaper on the table.

"I originally thought the matter had passed, but the day after I returned home, I saw the news on TV reporting that the father of this deceased driver, along with a search team, was searching for his whereabouts in the deep mountains."

"All of this is a constant reminder to me that this matter has not passed."

Watanabe Saki listened to these words, her eyes somewhat dazed.

But just at this moment, the phone in the room rang.

Watanabe Saki picked up the phone to listen, and after a while, she responded, "If there are changes to the matter, call me again. Also, a new eyewitness has appeared..."

"Who called?" Menxie Youzhen asked suspiciously, and then he was surprised to learn that it was the lawyer he had entrusted earlier, the one who introduced Watanabe Saki to him, Lawyer Matsui.

Menxie Youzhen thought for a moment and took the phone.

After a brief conversation, he was told that he should trust the lawyer introduced to him, named Watanabe Saki, even more.

After the call ended, Watanabe Saki picked up her notebook again and said to Menxie Youzhen, "Let's continue talking about what happened later."

Menxie Youzhen took a sip of water and continued.

After the news reported the search for the missing person, the police soon came looking and informed Menxie Youzhen that they had judged there were signs of a car accident near the place where the young man went missing based on skid marks.

A police officer provided a portrait that looked 70% like Makiko to Menxie Youzhen and asked if he knew this woman. He also added that according to a license plate provided by someone, this woman was driving his sedan at the time.

Menxie Youzhen said nothing, just called Lawyer Matsui and entrusted everything to him.

Facing the police's questioning, Lawyer Matsui instead "threatened" the police. Immediately after, he assisted Menxie Youzhen in forging his hotel invoice and eyewitness evidence in New York over the next two days.

After these alibis were submitted to the police, the police had no choice but to give up questioning Menxie Youzhen.

After this, Menxie Youzhen's life returned to peace.

Watanabe Saki coughed and picked up her notebook again.

"Mr. Menxie, the news from the Metropolitan Police Department is like a sieve. So I suspect that the parents of that young driver might have also learned about you from the police."

She paused and asked again, "Does that Ms. Makiko know about this?"

Menxie Youzhen was silent for a moment, then replied, "I haven't told her anything."

"But I know you have been in contact with her." Watanabe Saki smiled, "Rich people all want to protect their property and families, but sometimes they make some stupid moves."

She paused and added, "Calling from a public phone booth next to a bank is not a good choice. There are cameras everywhere there, Mr. Menxie."

Menxie Youzhen smiled awkwardly and then said helplessly, "Alright, I did contact her, but I was just curious how she managed to protect herself from the police."

After saying this, he explained.

That day, after being questioned by the police, he kept an eye on how Makiko would resolve things.

After all, if she were to confess about him, the alibi he provided would also become invalid.

But Morita Makiko was much smarter than he thought, even making the police believe that the driver named Yamazaki Haruki had staged the car accident himself for the purpose of absconding with the money.

Watanabe Saki frowned and asked, "How was this done?"

Menxie Youzhen nodded and told her method.

On the day of the car accident, she took the young driver's residence permit and personal seal, and found a small town, wore a mask, and went to a dilapidated private bank that didn't even have cameras.

Through a series of procedures, she opened a new account in the name of the young driver and transferred 5 million yen into it from the young driver's company account.

Watanabe Saki was surprised, a bit incredulous for a moment.

"Mr. Menxie, could it be that besides photography, your mistress also understands bank operations? Doing this is not simple!"

Menxie Youzhen nodded, "I know your confusion. I think her husband might have helped her with some things."

Watanabe Saki looked at him suspiciously a few times.

Wanting to get the bank to perform such irregular operations is not impossible, but it's not something just any citizen can do. Unless it's some insider or an important major client, there's only a certain feasibility...

Menxie Youzhen didn't try to continue, but spoke of another place.

"To understand the specific reason, Makiko and I went to a restaurant next to the abandoned car scrap yard to talk in detail. But there, it seemed someone had been watching me."

Watanabe Saki looked at him suspiciously and asked, "Was it an illusion?"

"Perhaps, who knows..." Menxie Youzhen sighed.

"Alright, let's skip this topic and continue talking about your subsequent experiences." Watanabe Saki shook her head.

Menxie Youzhen nodded and continued.

"After this, I returned to my life's trajectory: attending various banquets and receiving various certificates issued by institutions. But one day, an accident happened."

"Accident, what accident?" Watanabe Saki asked suspiciously.

"When attending a banquet at the Tokyo Era Hotel, a waiter found me, saying someone wanted to see me. I didn't think too much and followed the waiter."

Menxie Youzhen swallowed and continued.

"But I discovered that the person waiting for me outside was the father of that young driver!"