Love for You

He felt somewhat awkward and inexplicably downcast. Miao Jing glanced at him and asked softly, "Feeling low?"

Lu Zhengsi scratched his head, "Not really..."

"I've liked him for many years, but he never returned my feelings. We used to live together, often arguing and bickering, but back then it was just the two of us. When I returned to Tengcheng this time and discovered he has a girlfriend, I felt I should have a boyfriend too—that would be fairer." Miao Jing kept her head down, busy with her tasks. "Things aren't as complicated as you might think, but I admit I've been rather willful and caused trouble for everyone."

"My personality tends to be aloof, my moral compass isn't particularly strong, and I tend to pursue utilitarian goals in relationships. In all my past breakups, I was the one who ended them. Zhengsi, being with me would only hurt you. You deserve someone truly gentle and kind. I'm sorry..."

"Engineer Miao," Lu Zhengsi sighed, "I've never really understood you."

Miao Jing exhaled softly, "Maybe I'm too unpleasant, so I deliberately hide myself."

Lu Zhengsi hung his head and sat dejectedly for a while. Miao Jing usually took care of him in many ways, her words and actions always commendable. As for the matter with Tu Li and Chen Yi, he didn't have much right to comment extensively. Now that Miao Jing had laid everything out so bluntly, what response could he possibly give?

"Good colleagues for meals, good partners for overtime work?" Miao Jing smiled and handed him the documents in her hand. "Is that alright?"

"Sure." Lu Zhengsi shrugged, nodding with feigned nonchalance.

After this episode, it seemed no one was in a good mood, and everyone needed time to recover. Chen Yi spent his days listless at the billiards hall, chewing on cigarette butts in a daze. Bo Zai, seeing him like this and noticing he stayed late practicing at the hall, grew curious.

"Yi Ge, you've been going home pretty late these days?"

"Hmm."

"Haven't seen Miao Jing in a while either. Aren't you picking her up from work at night?"

"She's staying at the company."

With just him at home, what did it matter when he went back?

And if Miao Jing left, what could he do about it?

Before he heard from Miao Jing, he unexpectedly received a call from Zhou Kang'an, informing him that someone had reported him for gambling on billiards. Chen Yi boldly declared that the plainclothes police were welcome to investigate as they pleased. His billiards hall was near a school, and while he couldn't control students betting ten or twenty yuan privately, there had never been open gambling on the tables.

Zhou Kang'an then shifted the topic to Chen Yi's activities at other clubs.

Gambling on billiards had always been part of the culture. Many professional players barely scraped by at the halls. Since the 1990s, players had relied on bets from wealthy patrons to make ends meet. Some players even used high-stakes games to hone their mental toughness and develop aggressive playing styles. These were common practices in the circle, and Zhou Kang'an knew it. He just advised Chen Yi to tone it down and know when to stop.

Chen Yi frowned and said he understood. The police station sent someone to inspect the billiards hall and confirmed no gambling was taking place. Zhou Kang'an quietly let the matter drop.

Two days later, the weekend arrived with tournaments scheduled at the hall from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. There were plenty of participants and spectators, including many who came just for the excitement. With Wei Wei and her friends there too, Chen Yi was busy from morning till night without a moment's rest.Around three or four in the afternoon, the billiards hall was at its busiest with a constant stream of people coming and going. Bo Zai and his crew were busy setting up tables, racking balls, and preparing fruit platters. At the back of the hall, next to the fire escape, was a storage room with two large trash cans in the corner filled with customers' discarded drink cups and plastic bottles, waiting for the cleaning lady to collect them all at once. Someone stood briefly in that corner before tossing down an unextinguished cigarette butt.

Miao Jing finally received a call from Cen Ye.

On the other end, Cen Ye seemed hesitant to speak, and Miao Jing could sense his uncertainty and unease from his tone.

She had considered the worst-case scenario—that during those years, Chen Yi had been involved in something illegal or unacceptable to society, either fleeing from the law or hiding from undisclosed troubles. He had once angrily told her to stay out of it, and now he avoided the topic entirely. Even Bo Zai knew nothing about it. After things settled down, he had quietly returned to Tengcheng and resumed a normal life.

What Cen Ye wanted to say... with his connections, he couldn’t uncover all of Zhai Fengmao’s information. Starting from the court judgment, he traced the subtle clues among those imprisoned. Most of their actions could be vaguely linked to business dealings. It was only through information from Hong Kong that he discovered Zhai Fengmao had over a dozen identities and names—this was no longer a matter of business or personal privacy but had entered a sensitive realm. Returning to Chen Yi, Cen Ye gave Miao Jing a name, suggesting she ask Chen Yi directly or try to find this person.

"I’ll send the information to your phone. Take a look."

"Thank you."

Her phone buzzed with several incoming messages. Miao Jing overheard her colleagues gossiping: "Quick, look at this video—a fire broke out somewhere in the city. Thick smoke everywhere, it’s terrifying!"

"Where is it?"

"Near the vocational high school in the eastern district, I think. Lots of ambulances are there, and people are being helped out."

Miao Jing glanced at her phone, first checking Cen Ye’s message. The person might be Chen Yi’s guarantor, named Zhou Kang’an.

Zhou Kang’an?

Miao Jing frowned. Officer Zhou—she knew Officer Zhou.

She then opened the fire video and photos shared in the group chat. Her face instantly turned pale, eyes wide, as she zoomed in on the images. Through the billowing smoke, the words "Billiards Hall" were faintly visible.

She hurried out, fingers trembling as she tried to call Chen Yi—but the call wouldn’t go through!

Chapter 34: The College Entrance Exam Quietly Concludes

If one was used to Chen Yi’s carefree demeanor, seeing him in a sharp suit, confident and ambitious, was striking—not just to Miao Jing, but even to Bo Zai and his crew. Chen Yi was rapidly transforming.

He became more intense, sharper, his eyes hinting at hidden ambition.

Zhai Fengmao’s investments and ventures in Tengcheng involved not only various cooperative capitalists but also connections in both political and business circles. Having operated for over a decade, many of his underhanded methods relied on Zhang Shi and his crew. This group had its own organizational discipline, adhering to hierarchy and order, maintaining a low profile, and avoiding unnecessary bullying. They attended each other’s weddings and funerals, and Zhai Fengmao was generous—gifting houses, cars, and year-end bonuses. Outside the nightclub, rows of luxury cars parked, mostly Cadillacs, Mercedes-Benz, and Hummers.