Chapter 25

On the way back, passing the main road to the county town, Cheng Chen noticed Liu Wenjiang's two sons lurking suspiciously at the intersection.

Enemies meeting often spark fury; Cheng Chen forcibly suppressed the urge to go fight them.

He flipped them off, then sped away as they stared in confusion.

Pulling off a show and running off—so thrilling!

"Bro, isn't that the little brat from the Cheng family? The woman in the backseat is really beautiful!"

"Where did he come from? That direction looks like the graveyard…"

"Dragging a woman around, just showing off. As long as he doesn't head into town, it's fine."

"Alright."

…

After arriving home, Cheng Chen briefly explained the handbag incident and laid out his next plan in full.

Only then did Gao Yuanyuan realize what she had just done with Cheng Chen.

She felt a creeping fear mixed with thrill, and was stunned by Cheng Chen's actions.

Could a twenty-year-old boy really do this?

Finding evidence in the graveyard, how to report it, how to handle the aftermath—all arranged with perfect order.

And he'd done it with finality, leaving no lingering threats.

"The black notebook in this handbag details every single bribe Liu Wenjiang made, and this person received the most."

Cheng Chen pointed to a name in the notebook and continued:

"Moreover, he doesn't just pay bribes—he accepts them to do favors for others."

As he spoke, he pulled out several stacks of cash from the handbag:

"These are the bribes he's collected over the years. Dad, when I returned to the village, I saw Liu Wenjiang's two sons guarding the entrance…"

Hearing this, Cheng Mingliang worriedly said:

"Did they spot you while you were gathering evidence?"

"No." Cheng Chen shook his head. "If they had, they wouldn't just sit there waiting.

The most likely scenario is they found out about you and Mom going to town last time to seek connections for the lawsuit.

That's why they're guarding the road—they don't want us going to town again."

They're guarding the road because they don't want us to go back to the county town to find people.

"That makes sense. But what do we do now? They're blocking the road—we can't even deliver the evidence."

"That makes sense, but what do we do now? They're guarding the road—we can't even deliver this evidence."

"My assistant is hospitalized in town. I can call her to send a car to pick us up."

"Sis, tell her to send the car at night—preferably around midnight. They won't be guarding the road then.

Don't alert them. Time is critical—I'm going to the city tonight."

"I'm coming too." Gao Yuanyuan suddenly said.

"Sis, you've been running all day—you need rest."

"I want to go with you."

Gao Yuanyuan insisted.

"Fine. Then get some rest quickly. I'll check this ledger again for any missed details."

"Alright, then rest up quickly—I'll check if this ledger has any omissions."

…

At dawn, a private car turned off the provincial road into the bumpy, potholed Liu Jia Cun.

For villagers who relied on bicycles to reach the county town, a car was a rare sight.

Unfortunately, it was deep night; Liu Jia Cun lay pitch-black, broken only by occasional dog barks.

"Be careful on the road. Safety is paramount—if you can't get it done, don't force it."

Grandfather stood by the car door, warning them.

The elderly man usually slept by seven or eight, yet now, at dawn, he was still awake—exhausted and drained.

"Don't worry, Grandpa. You two go rest now."

Cheng Chen nodded.

"Goodbye, Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, Auntie."

Gao Yuanyuan waved too.

"Good kids…"

The car started, slowly vanishing into the night.

The next day, noon.

Cheng Chen and Gao Yuanyuan arrived in the city. To avoid being recognized, Gao Yuanyuan wore a hat and sunglasses.

"You really have a celebrity vibe."

Cheng Chen chuckled beside her.

To avoid drawing attention, Cheng Chen walked alone toward the government building.

Gao Yuanyuan waited at a nearby bubble tea shop. Less than an hour later, she saw Cheng Chen emerge.

Gao Yuanyuan waited less than an hour at the bubble tea shop before seeing Cheng Chen walk out.

Gao Yuanyuan asked in surprise.

Cheng Chen smiled. "What else? Was I supposed to have lunch inside?"

Cheng Chen smiled and said, "What else? Are we still having lunch inside?"

Every citizen has the legal right to supervise and report; the evidence is all there, and it's an anonymous report—just follow the procedure, and that's it.

"But when will there be a result?"

"That's hard to say, but if someone reports it, they'll definitely accept it—this is the city, and Liu Wenjiang's reach doesn't extend here."

Cheng Chen had studied Liu Wenjiang's little notebook in detail; although the amounts involved were substantial, the names listed were all minor players with little significant connection.

Of course, this was only possible because it was discovered early, and besides, Cheng Chen still had some impression of this term's city leadership and trusted they would handle it fairly.

"How about I accompany you shopping now? It's still early." Cheng Chen asked.

"Still shopping? Don't you remember we're meeting someone? Since they're already in the city, it's better to have them stay here and finalize things instead of making them travel back and forth."

Gao Yuanyuan said.

Cheng Chen nodded and went with Gao Yuanyuan to the airport to pick someone up.

……

"Cheng Chen, this is Wang Tianxiao, founder of Tianhai Records."

In the café, Gao Yuanyuan was introducing a woman dressed in formal attire.

"Xiaoxiao, this is…"

"Your adopted younger brother? Come on, Yuanyuan—he's the composer and lyricist you told me about? The one who wrote 'Love Transfer'?"

Wang Tianxiao sized up Cheng Chen once, then withdrew her gaze and turned to Gao Yuanyuan.

"Yuanyuan, we've been sisters for years. Even if you want your adopted brother to enter the entertainment industry, you can't use me as a stepping stone. Our Tianhai Records is a small temple; we can't hold such a great Buddha."

Gao Yuanyuan clearly knew the woman's temper; she wasn't offended, but instead slapped her playfully and laughed:

"What nonsense—you're underestimating Cheng Chen!"

Wang Tianxiao said nothing in response; she didn't judge by appearance.

Let the work speak for itself: could a young man who looked about twenty really have created "Love Transfer," with all its emotional depth?

It was no wonder Wang Tianxiao thought this—in another timeline, Lin Xi was over forty when he wrote "Love Transfer."

When he first showed it to Chen Yixun, Chen immediately exclaimed it was a masterpiece.

This enduring classic song owed much of its power to its lyrics.

For example:

"Transfer one person's warmth to another's chest, let past mistakes awaken dreams."

"Everyone has experienced this—after trembling with fear, they refuse to become the scapegoat of love."

People always do this: after being hurt, they retreat, terrified, afraid to try again, afraid of becoming love's next scapegoat.

Could someone without life experience or emotional depth write words that move so many to tears?

Before meeting Cheng Chen, Wang Tianxiao had assumed he was at least thirty or forty, a man with deep, melancholy eyes full of stories.

But now, he was just a boy with no beard yet.

……