Plunder-Chapter 165: Reconnecting with the Past

"You said that it wasn’t this face you loved, right?"

Chen Yin, unwilling to give up, pressed further.

Zhou Jin’an’s cold eyes slightly furrowed, "Those words were not meant for you."

If they weren’t meant for her, then they were meant for someone else.

Who could that someone else be?

"So you’ve fallen for her just because she’s a stand-in?"

Chen Yin scoffed coldly, her eyes filled with hostility as she looked at Qiao En.

A woman inferior to her in every way, how dare she monopolize Zhou Jin’an’s heart?

"Not fallen for, but fallen in love with. And let me emphasize once again, no one is your stand-in."

Zhou Jin’an was imposing, countering every remark, fiercely poking at Chen Yin’s wounds.

She couldn’t accept it, "So your love for me was a lie? Didn’t you say you would always love me? I’m back now, we can continue."

Chen Yin began to create a scene.

Zhou Jin’an’s anger slowly flared up due to her provocation.

"Have you forgotten why we broke up in the first place?"

"I haven’t forgotten," Chen Yin quickly explained, "The time I left you was forced by your mother, and that rich businessman was introduced by her too. It wasn’t until I returned to Rong City that I realized it was a trap. Jin’an, I am the victim here."

Qiao En was shocked.

She hadn’t expected such a twist on past events.

Regardless of whether what Chen Yin said was true or not, she believed that Mrs. Zhou was capable of such scheming.

"A fly doesn’t bite a seamless egg; if you weren’t greedy, would you have fallen for it?"

Zhou Jin’an, unmoved, smirked and countered.

Chen Yin’s face couldn’t hide the embarrassment, alternating between pale and flushed.

"I... I was left with no choice."

Her words lost their confidence.

No matter how much pressure the outside world applies, if one’s heart doesn’t waver, all that pressure is in vain.

"Tell me, who was the person that died because of you?"

Zhou Jin’an asked.

A hint of ruthlessness flashed through Chen Yin’s dim eyes, "You guess."

She deliberately played coy.

Not willing to speak, Qiao En spoke instead, "Her name was Zeng Mai, an intern in the secretariat department. She came to Nanchen, and you were her mentor. I heard she trusted you greatly, yet you struck her down."

"She indeed was my apprentice. I didn’t intend to harm her, but who can blame her for taking a fancy to Jin’an? A girl fresh out of school dreaming of becoming Mrs. Zhou, wasn’t that delusional? Besides, doing something for her mentor as an apprentice is normal, right?"

She had taken a life, yet she spoke without any shame.

"It counts as murder."

Zhou Jin’an declared emphatically.

Zeng Mai was a name he had completely forgotten, just another girl.

But she died because of him, turned into Chen Yin’s puppet, committing countless atrocities.

"Do you have proof? Without proof, don’t you dare accuse me of such things; that’s slander."

Qiao En took out her phone from her pocket and pressed play.

She had recorded that last exchange.

Chen Yin’s expression grew even more complicated.

"Those weren’t my words, delete that!"

Her emotions suddenly out of control, she lunged to snatch the phone from Qiao En’s hands.

Zhou Jin’an pulled Qiao En behind him, protectively, and shouted, "Take her to the basement, and send her to the police station first thing tomorrow morning."

Cheng Lu unceremoniously grabbed Chen Yin’s arm, dragging her toward the basement.

Chen Yin panicked, struggling constantly, "Zhou Jin’an, you can’t treat me like this. Everything I did was for you."

"How I treat you is my business. You took a life, and you must face the legal consequences."

Zhou Jin’an was a man of his word; once he made a decision, no one could change it.

Chen Yin refused to comply, resisting all the way.

"Isn’t it enough that I admit I was wrong? Jin’an, for the sake of our past, please don’t do this. I promise you, I’ll leave your life."

But Zhou Jin’an had already turned his back.

Cheng Lu forced Chen Yin away, and the living room fell quiet once again.

"How are you feeling?"

Zhou Jin’an turned to Qiao En, noticing her downcast mood.

Listless, as if burdened with deep thoughts.

"It’s nothing."

Qiao En lied.

"Tonight, may I stay here? It’s too late, and I’m afraid it might not be convenient for me to go back alone."

Qiao En looked up at Zhou Jin’an.

At that moment, she seemed somewhat out of character.

Zhou Jin’an nodded.

"Yes, the doors here are always open for you."

He stood up and offered Qiao En a set of keys.

But she didn’t take them, "Maybe next time."

They quickly washed up and went to sleep.

But in the middle of the night, Qiao En stealthily got out of bed.

The reason she stayed was not to reconnect with Zhou Jin’an, but to ask Chen Yin some questions.

The door to the basement was locked from the outside.

Qiao En had noticed earlier that Cheng Lu had placed the keys on the living room coffee table.

She took the keys, unlocked the door, and tiptoed inside.

The basement was brightly lit, and Chen Yin was curled up on the floor.

When Qiao En entered, she suddenly woke up.

"Jin’an, I knew you wouldn’t be so heartless to me."

But then, she realized the person who came was Qiao En.

"What are you doing here?"

Chen Yin looked suspicious.

"If you are willing to answer one question, I can let you go right now."

Qiao En squatted on the ground, staring intently at Chen Yin.

Chen Yin was somewhat dubious, but the bait Qiao En offered was too tempting.

Zhou Jin’an had locked her up, and she was definitely going to be sent to the police station at dawn.

She knew what she had done, and escaping legal punishment was nearly impossible.

But now, Qiao En had given her hope.

However, she also knew that hope always comes at a price.

"What’s the question? Ask first, let me see if I can answer it,"

Chen Yin left herself an out.

She was weighing the pros and cons.

"Where are your parents?"

Chen Yin was slightly taken aback, Qiao En’s question was too naive.

She grinned, "Didn’t Secretary Xu do his research? I’m an orphan, raised in an orphanage since childhood. You want to know who my parents are, why don’t you help me find out? I’m quite curious too, why they left me at the orphanage after having me."

"Which orphanage?" Qiao En asked.

"That’s two questions now."

Chen Yin got cunning, she no longer answered.

"I promised to let you go and I can even give you some cab fare."

Qiao En dangled another bait.

Chen Yin scored her point, "Fuyuan, a local orphanage in Rong City, but it no longer existed fifteen years ago."

"Okay."

Qiao En responded, took out two hundred yuan, and handed it to Chen Yin.

"You may leave."

"Why help me? Aren’t you afraid I might deceive you?"

Chen Yin reached the door, then turned back to look at Qiao En.

"I can help you escape, and I definitely have ways to catch you if needed. Su Nian, I hope you behave yourself."

As soon as Qiao En’s words fell, Chen Yin quickly slipped away.

Just as she had reached the main gate, Cheng Lu’s call came in to Zhou Jin’an.

"Director Zhou, should we let her go, or stop her?"

Zhou Jin’an was standing in front of the bedroom’s floor-to-ceiling window, the room was pitch-dark, yet his dark eyes were looking into the distance.

Chen Yin was crouching low, fleeing as fast as she could.

"Follow her closely, see where she goes."

The call ended, and soft footsteps echoed from the corridor just a door away.

Suddenly, the door creaked, and Qiao En returned to the bedroom.

She thought she had acted without anyone noticing, but what she did not know was that all this was arranged by Zhou Jin’an.

Late into the night, everyone was unharmed.

The next morning, as soon as Qiao En came out of her room, she heard Zhou Jin’an raging.

"Didn’t I tell you to keep a close watch on her? Now she has escaped, how are you handling things?"

Cheng Lu hung her head, "I remember I locked the door, but somehow, she still managed to escape."

"Why are you just standing there? You must bring her back to me."

Zhou Jin’an issued the command, and Cheng Lu quickly responded.

On the way to Nanchen, Qiao En remained silent.

She had let Chen Yin go without authorization, and since Zhou Jin’an didn’t ask, she kept mum.

"Did you sleep well last night?"

Zhou Jin’an asked.

Qiao En nodded, "Quite well."

As they were about to reach Nanchen, Qiao En signaled him to stop the car.

"I’ll go in by myself."

She did not want to cause any misunderstandings.

Zhou Jin’an did not insist, Qiao En got out of the car, and walked towards the company along the tree-lined path.

However, just as she reached the office, an accident occurred.