Chapter 252: Substitute Literature

Sheng Yu's hand flicked the cigarette ash and paused; after Yuanyuan left, he started smoking frequently again.

No one dared to advise him otherwise.

If he didn't smoke, he would have a breakdown, so in Qiao Mai's words, he would rather he smoke.

At least smoking only damages health, and it takes a long time to be fatal.

A breakdown is a single fatal blow.

"Not yet," he said.

Yu Weixiong served him a bowl of soup, "Finding Zhu Yuan is certainly important, but your top priority is to recover from your injuries first, and resolve those lingering concerns; otherwise, even if you find her, you will still push her into the eye of the storm."

"You are right," Sheng Yu lowered his head, "Now only Shen Yijing is left."

Speaking of Shen Yijing, Yu Weixiong said self-reproachfully, "Back then, you discovered Shen Yijing was in the Yucheng area, but I sent so many people and still couldn't find her, and she even exploited a loophole, almost harming Zhu Yuan."

"A crafty rabbit has three burrows; it is not your fault," Sheng Yu glanced at him.

The relationship between the uncle and nephew had always been very good.

When Sheng Yu was injured and hospitalized, Yu Weixiong heard the news and rushed to Kyoto City overnight, taking care of him without rest; if it weren't for some matters in Yucheng, he would not have left easily.

And ever since Sheng Yu was discharged, he came over every few days to eat with Sheng Yu and chat with him, fearing he would give up on himself because of Zhu Yuan's departure.

"But you say Shen Yijing is just a woman, how could she have such great ability? Could there be someone behind her?"

Yu Weixiong placed food into Sheng Yu's bowl.

"Uncle underestimates women; when women get ruthless, there is no place for men."

Sheng Yu said, his heart inevitably thinking of Zhu Yuan again.

He really wanted to ask her properly why she could be so heartless and so decisive in not wanting their child.

In her heart, had she truly given up on him completely?

Yu Weixiong saw his state and knew he was thinking of Zhu Yuan again; he sighed and patted his shoulder.

After the two finished eating, Yu Weixiong had to return to Yucheng.

Before leaving, he turned back and asked Sheng Yu, "Are Zhu Yuan's grandfather and brother still in Yucheng? If you want to find Zhu Yuan, should you start with them..."

"No need," Sheng Yu looked at him with a warning gaze.

"I don't want to make the same mistake again; placing her under house arrest was the most wrong decision I ever made."

That was why Yuanyuan was so desperate to escape his side; during that time, she must have been terrified.

He would not do anything to disappoint her again.

He wanted to let Yuanyuan see that he was changing; he wanted to become better.

And he absolutely would not, nor would he let others, touch her family.

The note she left when she departed did not mention asking him not to target her family; was that not her final trust in him?

After seeing Yu Weixiong off into his car, Situ asked Sheng Yu where they were going now.

Sheng Yu stubbed out his cigarette, his expression cold and stern, revealing a deep chill, and said in a low, hoarse voice, "Go to Fengcheng for a look."

Situ was stunned.

He did not remember them having any itinerary to go to Fengcheng.

Until Sheng Yu sat in the car and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Watch the surrounding movements."

Situ sat in the front passenger seat and signaled for Enzo to drive.

Hearing this, his brow furrowed, "Young Master Yu wants to lure out Shen Yijing?"

Sheng Yu's face sank into the dim light.

"The person behind her."

Situ and Enzo both broke out in a cold sweat.

They could not figure out who the person behind Shen Yijing was, no matter how hard they racked their brains.

Perhaps this person did not exist at all, and it was all something they had deduced.

Perhaps this person was right beside them.

If it were the first possibility, everyone would be happy; even if it were a waste of effort, they would gladly accept it.

But if it were the second, things would be tricky.

One must ask, how could they make someone who had been lurking by their side for so many years without being discovered reveal any clues?

Such a person was too terrifying.

Not long after their car drove toward the Airport, a vehicle hidden in the shadows quietly drove in that direction, and in a moment, it merged into the traffic, making it impossible for anyone to notice anything unusual.

Time flew by, and another month passed.

Recently, even Yuan Fengye noticed that Sheng Yu frequently went to Fengcheng on business.

Sometimes he would go for a week at a time.

He hadn't heard that the Sheng Group had any major projects in Fengcheng?

And what project had such great prestige that it required Sheng Yu to show up in person?

Yuan Fengye could not figure it out.

Finally, one day when Sheng Yu returned from Fengcheng, Yuan Fengye called him and asked him out for a drink.

He thought Sheng Yu would refuse as usual, guarding the Hot Spring Villa and holding that dog while staying in an empty house alone.

But he didn't expect Sheng Yu to agree; not only did he agree, but when he appeared, Yuan Fengye was stunned.

At this time, the weather in Kyoto City was already very hot.

When Sheng Yu went out, he wore a black short-sleeved shirt and casual pants.

The collar of the black short-sleeved shirt rested just around his collarbone.

Yuan Fengye had sharp eyes and noticed a red mark on his collarbone.

Having spent years navigating the romantic scene, Yuan Fengye recognized at a glance that it was no ordinary red mark.

It was a hickey!

"Fu—what happened?" As soon as he met Sheng Yu's cold, knife-like gaze, Yuan Fengye instantly switched his profanity to a foreign language.

Sheng Yu walked into the private room as if nothing had happened, giving them a look that told them to figure it out for themselves.

Yuan Fengye and Qi Jing looked at each other in dismay.

Had he found Zhu Yuan?

It was no wonder they thought so; in over twenty years, besides the time he accidentally slept with Ning Huaiqing three years ago, the only woman Sheng Yu had ever truly loved was Zhu Yuan.

Yuan Fengye was so gossipy he couldn't sleep, and he had people sent to Fengcheng overnight to investigate.

He didn't know until he checked: Sheng Yu was actually keeping a woman in Fengcheng!

Of course, that was the only information he could find; Sheng Yu protected her too well, and it was already no easy feat for him to discover that Sheng Yu was keeping a woman.

After Yuan Fengye's continuous deep investigation, he finally obtained a blurry photo of the woman.

That figure.

That temperament.

That facial contour—who else could it be but Zhu Yuan!

Yuan Fengye was instantly filled with frustration at his lack of resolve.

Yu Ge really had forgotten the pain once the wound had healed.

Zhu Yuan had hurt him so much, even telling them not to want their child, yet he was still eagerly throwing himself at her!

But what could he even say!

Hearing Yuan Fengye on the phone with Qi Jing, Song Ci frowned slightly on the second floor.

She had just returned from Yucheng yesterday, and while in Yucheng, she had visited the Zhu family. Grandpa Zhu said that Zhu Yuan had called him a few days ago, saying she was living very well and freely now, and instructed them not to worry.

The Zhu family would absolutely never leak a word of this to the outside, fearing that someone might follow the trail and do something to harm Zhu Yuan.

Song Ci knew that the Zhu family only told her this news because they treated her like family.

But if Zhu Yuan had really returned to Sheng Yu's side, she wouldn't have said such things.

Of course, she was also afraid it might be a trap.

If this was a scheme by Sheng Yu, and she rushed down to confront Yuan Fengye now, she would be falling for their trick.

She had to keep her cool and act as if she hadn't heard anything.

But there were other possibilities as well.

Could it be that Sheng Yu was playing at "substitute literature"?