The Reborn Sidekick Rejected The Male Lead-Chapter 415 - 404: Zhuang Yan Disappeared

By noon, Zhuang Chen had returned, but Zhuang Yan had still not arrived.

Lu Jingqiu hurriedly called Wei Jincheng.

The result was Wei Jincheng saying, "He left after ten. What? He hasn’t arrived home yet?"

"No."

"Did he possibly take the goods to the train station?"

Zhuang Chen also feared that might be the case and even rode his motorcycle to check around the train station, but he didn’t find any trace of him.

He called Wei Jincheng again to ask if he knew where Zhuang Yan had previously stayed.

Wei Jincheng really didn’t know, but he asked the business department.

It turned out the person previously in charge at the business department said, "I heard he sold goods at Bridgehead Park and seemed to live nearby."

Wei Jincheng immediately called Zhuang Chen, meanwhile, Lu Jingqiu also joined in the search.

Zhuang Chen, who worked in public security, was very sharp in investigation, and he noticed that not far from Bridgehead Park were the family buildings of the ceramic factory, where there were two tube-style apartment buildings.

Another place was behind Bridgehead Park, a standalone building owned by the street administration office.

With only a photo in hand, they could only search together. They asked around at the ceramic factory’s family buildings, but no one had seen this person.

Later they went to the standalone building, where, by chance, they inquired with a few elderly people who had eaten and enjoyed the cool near there. They actually got some information: "Seen him, he lives next to our place, a young fellow who always carries a bag of goods to sell clothes. My son even bought clothes from him."

"Madam, have you seen him today?"

"He should be in the house at this hour. I saw him return around eleven o’clock."

Upon hearing this, they hurried up the stairs, but to no avail, they didn’t have the keys.

Finally, they found the landlord who opened the door, and when they did, they found his goods still inside, and there was also a pool of blood on the floor.

Zhuang Chen realized this matter was not simple, and Lu Jingqiu quickly went to find Liang Zhuo.

Zhuang Chen followed Liang Zhuo to investigate nearby, while asking Lu Jingqiu to help at the train station, just in case this was all a show staged by Zhuang Yan.

Wei Jincheng, concerned for her safety as a woman going to the train station alone, asked Xue Jianian to accompany her.

The two of them sat in the train station’s waiting hall, watching the people coming and going, and also analyzing whether Zhuang Yan had slipped away on his own or if he had really been kidnapped.

After thinking for a while, Lu Jingqiu said, "I think we should have someone keep an eye on Xia Lin. Zhuang Yan wouldn’t likely spend money on so much merchandise only to abandon it and run away. I saw hundreds worth of goods."

Xue Jianian said, "You make sense, what should we do, call back home?"

"You go back. I can stay here by myself."

Xue Jianian shook her head, "Don’t even think about it. Zhuang Yan getting lost is one thing, but if we lose you, even if we found Zhuang Yan, she wouldn’t be able to compensate for that."

Lu Jingqiu laughed, "That’s true. You don’t think Xia Lin would go herself, do you?"

"She probably wouldn’t be that foolish. She runs such a big factory, she must know people. And there’s Director Qi, too."

"That’s true."

The two waited in the hall until after six and still saw no sign of Zhuang Yan.

Unable to wait any longer, they rode back home.

Aunt Zhang saw they hadn’t had dinner, so she made them chilled noodles again.

While they were eating, they saw Shen Manman struggling to support Zhuang Yan, who was beaten black and blue and barely recognizable.

"Sis, Sister-in-law Niannian, come help quickly."

"Zhuang Yan? What happened,"

"He got beaten up. He went out on business after work in the afternoon, and I saw him being stuffed into a sack by two people near a bridge."

After hearing this, Lu Jingqiu and Xue Jianian broke out in a cold sweat, "You rescued him?"

"Yes, I wanted to notify you all, but there was no one around. When I saw those two were going to take him away, I followed their car. In the end, they arrived at a riverside, where a small boat was docked. I felt something was wrong, and while they were handing him over, I dragged him out.

You have no idea how heavy he was; it took all the strength I could muster to get him out."

"Manman, you... you’re too bold. Do you realize how dangerous this was?"

"What choice was there? Luckily, they thought Zhuang Yan had escaped and ran off to chase him. He was somewhat conscious. We hid in the grass for a while, and only left after we saw them drive away."

Lu Jingqiu and Xue Jianian, helping Zhuang Yan, saw his condition and said, "We need to go to the hospital."

Zhuang Yan shook his head, "No need, go straight to the police station, I want to accuse Xia Lin of plotting for wealth and causing death."

Upon hearing this, Lu Jingqiu was immediately startled, "Plotting for wealth? Zhuang Yan, have you lost your mind? You’ve been in prison for several years, and now Xia Lin is the boss of a factory."

Lu Jingqiu’s words brought Zhuang Yan back to his senses. There might not be any plot for wealth, but there certainly was an attempt on his life.

Ignoring Lu Jingqiu’s objections, he stubbornly made his way to the public security bureau.

At this moment, Zhuang Chen and his group had also returned, finding out that their brother had been located and had gone to the police station.

Now they were all swarming towards the public security bureau.

Zhuang Yan told the police that his previous speculation and profiteering had been in partnership with Xia Lin. He was completely taking the fall for Xia Lin, and at that time, Xia Lin had promised to compensate him.

His reason for coming this time was to ask for that compensation, but Xia Lin agreed on the surface, while actually she had people trying to kill him.

This profiteering matter was no longer an issue now. Whether or not there was compensation was a matter between the two of them.

But matters involving kidnapping and murder were serious.

Liang Zhuo drove straight to Xia Lin and brought her back.

The kidnapping indeed had been arranged by Xia Lin, who obviously was not going to give the promised hundred thousand yuan. When she thought back to her previous life, how she had been kidnapped to the mountains, where no one responded to her cries for help, she felt Zhuang Yan was a bottomless pit and wanted to dump him into that same ravine. There were places specifically looking for illegal labor, and once in, one might never get out.

At home, she was pondering that by now he should have been put on a boat, when suddenly two police officers arrived.

Xia Lin’s heart skipped a beat, cursing trouble under her breath.

Seeing her daughter being taken away, Mother Xia, who had never seen such a scene, kicked up a fuss clinging to the legs of the police officers, not allowing them to take her away. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

Xia Lin said, "Mom, I’m fine. What are you doing?"

"My daughter has been sitting in confinement at home all month. What are you arresting her for? She can’t go."

The police said, "We just need Comrade Xia to assist us in investigating some matters, please do not impede the execution of our duties."

Gao Shu, having calmed the baby down and handed the child over to Aunt Zhang, didn’t ask the police about the situation first, but directly confronted Xia Lin, "What have you done again?"

Gao Shu’s interrogation made Xia Lin’s heart turn cold. Instead of receiving the most intimate concern from her husband, she faced questioning. Xia Lin gave a self-deprecating laugh and chose not to respond to his words.

She then turned around and followed the police into the car.

On the way to the station, Xia Lin thought a lot. When she had someone carry out the task, she made sure not to show her face, and now with no surveillance cameras or anything, she naturally wouldn’t admit to it.

Zhuang Yan, however, was able to talk. Extortion had turned into compensation. But through this incident, she also knew that Zhuang Yan was not going to bring up the hundred thousand yuan.

She’d pretend to be unaware, admit compensation had been given, and they would be even.

As for the previous speculation and profiteering, with the police being so busy, they naturally wouldn’t care about it and wouldn’t go to Ten-miles Village to investigate a dubious matter about Xia Lin being involved in speculation and profiteering years ago.

So at the police station, when Liang Zhuo questioned her, she knew nothing.

"Officer, Zhuang Yan and I did have some issues, but we’ve already resolved them, including the compensation I’ve given him.

Moreover, I gave it to him soon after he arrived in West City. As for why he stayed in West City for so long, I have no idea. Isn’t he running his own business? Perhaps he has offended someone in his dealings."

"Offended someone? It was you who didn’t want to give me the compensation. You didn’t want to pay, so you found people to try and sell me off. I was blindfolded in the car, but I am not deaf."

Xia Lin feigned anger, "Sold off? How much could you possibly be worth? The gain is little, and it’s illegal. I’m managing such a huge factory by myself, and you think I have nothing better to do than to sell you? If I wanted to sell you, why would I give you so much money?"

"You..." Zhuang Yan was not stupid, he couldn’t mention the hundred thousand he was asking for; the hundred and fifty thousand in compensation would probably earn him a beating from his brother if he heard about it.

But this matter was done by Xia Lin. One claims it’s true, the other denies.

Evidence was necessary. Liang Zhuo instructed someone to investigate the people who had recently been in contact with Zhuang Yan.

Especially today.

And Xia Lin, who she had contact with recently.

The investigation wouldn’t be finished in a day or two, and Xia Lin couldn’t be detained indefinitely.

So a day later, both of them were released.

Xia Lin glanced at Zhuang Yan with a smug look and walked away.

But actually, she felt a heavy unease. What transpired between her and Zhuang Yan was a mutual secret, both keenly aware.

Her plan had failed, and Zhuang Yan couldn’t swallow the injustice of being beaten.

Too bad there was no evidence.