Chapter 78: Deception

The previous week, the police obtained a search warrant and conducted a thorough sweep of the Lin residence on the banks of the Pujiang River, not even sparing a single leaf. They also took surveillance footage from the security room. After careful and repeated examination, they found evidence the recordings had been tampered with—segments had been cut out. With technical restoration, the missing footage was recovered.

The deleted scenes included the attack on Fu Miao, her concealment in the basement, and then her removal from the Lin house on the third day. The people carrying out these actions were two maids and two security guards. The cameras had captured all four of their faces with great clarity.

Armed with photographs, the police visited the house, only to be told by the butler that these individuals had already resigned and were no longer at the residence. But it wasn’t difficult for the detectives to find them; one was quickly located at a Mercedes dealership, caught red-handed as he was choosing a new car.

Checking his bank account, they discovered a large deposit about half a month earlier. Under interrogation, he confessed everything.

Unraveling the truth, they finally found Fu Miao, but the scene was indescribably appalling. She had been sold to a remote, impoverished area, locked in a cowshed, in a household with three men—a father and two sons—who, without distinction, forced her to bear a child.

When found, she was huddled in a corner, barely clothed. The police tried to take her away, but the three men put up a fight; after all, they had paid for her and had no intention of letting her go. In the end, it was Yuan Yujun who, upon hearing the news, spent some money to settle the matter.

She was taken to the hospital, where a thorough examination revealed she was pregnant. Yuan Yujun could not bear such news and fainted on the spot. When she awoke, the first thing she did was call a lawyer—she was determined to see Lin Zhouye imprisoned. She wished him dead.

This time, Fu Yanchuan did not try to stop her. He had already gone to the police to understand the situation. There were witnesses who had testified that Lin Zhouye had orchestrated the entire affair. Moreover, Lin Zhouye had a clear motive.

Yet, after so many years of acquaintance, and knowing Lin Zhouye as he did—even if Fu Miao had wronged Lin Wanbai terribly—he still felt Lin Zhouye would not resort to such tactics for revenge. But now, with Yuan Yujun so agitated, it would be inappropriate to say anything in Lin Zhouye’s defense.

…

The day after Fu Miao was found, the police obtained an arrest warrant. This time, they used handcuffs on Lin Zhouye. Early in the morning, in front of everyone, they escorted him into a police car.

As soon as the detectives left, Lin Jingyu immediately called the lawyer, even skipping breakfast, and headed to the police station, with Chen Songyuan accompanying her.

Fu Juxing stayed behind to keep Lin Wanbai company.

The two sat at the dining table. Fu Juxing ladled porridge into a bowl for her. “I know you probably have no appetite now, but you should eat something. As long as Uncle hasn’t done anything, he’ll be fine.”

“If it were true that the innocent are never wronged, I wouldn’t be so worried,” she replied, turning to look at him. “The fact that the police came in such force means they have solid evidence. But I absolutely don’t believe Lin Zhouye could do such a thing.”

Fu Juxing took a sip of porridge, his eyes downcast, his tone calm. “Why are you so certain Uncle wouldn’t do this?”

“I grew up with him, after all. Of course I know he would never do such a thing.”

“But he cares about you.” He turned to meet her gaze. “After what Fu Miao did to you, maybe, for your sake, he would go that far?”

Lin Wanbai stared at him, silent for a moment, a trace of anger rising in her eyes. “So you think Lin Zhouye really did it?”

Fu Juxing replied, “Of course not. Like you, I believe he couldn’t do such a thing.”

“No, your expression tells me you don’t believe that. You think he’s guilty!” Lin Wanbai insisted.

Seeing her so earnest, Fu Juxing set down his chopsticks. “I only look at the evidence.”

“Evidence can be fabricated!”

“So you think someone is framing him?”

“There’s no doubt.”

“Who could it be?”

Lin Wanbai pressed her lips together.

Indeed, who? Whoever was behind this must know the Lin family intimately. Could it be the Fu family? But they were already so down-and-out; how could they have the means? This person must have planned everything long in advance, allowing everything to proceed so smoothly, without anyone noticing.

Who would stand to gain the most by removing Lin Zhouye?

One name flashed through Lin Wanbai’s mind, but she quickly shook her head. “In any case, it definitely isn’t Lin Zhouye. As for who it is, that will take careful investigation.”

She slapped her chopsticks on the table in frustration. “I’m done eating.”

With that, she stood up, supporting herself on the table, and went to the living room.

Fu Juxing didn’t follow immediately. He continued eating breakfast unhurriedly, his face expressionless, his gaze cold.

Aunt Rong emerged from the kitchen to see him sitting there alone while Lin Wanbai was in the living room. She placed a freshly made omelet on the table, glanced toward the living room, and called out in a raised voice, “Little Bai, I made your favorite omelet!”

“I’ll eat it in a bit,” Lin Wanbai replied.

Aunt Rong looked at Fu Juxing and coughed as if to remind him.

Fu Juxing was unmoved, still eating his breakfast.

Aunt Rong lowered her voice, saying, “Young master, madam is pregnant. Please don’t upset her—being angry isn’t good for the baby.”

He looked up, his gaze so cold it made Aunt Rong uneasy. She straightened, saying nothing more, but remained nearby, eyeing the steaming omelet. “It won’t taste good once it’s cold.”

After finishing his porridge, Fu Juxing took the omelet and headed for the living room.

Aunt Rong breathed a slight sigh of relief, a gratified smile on her lips.

Fu Juxing sat down beside Lin Wanbai, handed her the omelet, and said, “Aunt Rong made this especially for you. Please eat a little.”

Lin Wanbai was still upset, turning her head away, refusing to look at him.

“Really not going to eat? If you don’t, I will—it won’t taste good later when it’s cold.”

She remained silent, not looking at him.

Fu Juxing set the plate on the coffee table. After a moment, he said, “I was wrong. I shouldn’t have doubted Lin Zhouye.”

“I’m sorry.” A few seconds later, he added these three words.

Lin Wanbai suddenly turned to him, but he didn’t look at her. His eyes were downcast, his expression calm, betraying little emotion.

“Who said you were wrong? I…” She recognized her anger was misplaced. “You’re not wrong. It’s normal for you to think that—after all, you haven’t known Lin Zhouye as long as I have. I’m sure many people think he’s the one who did it. But I just can’t believe it, no matter how conclusive the evidence. He wouldn’t do such a thing.”

Fu Juxing nodded and turned to look at her.

“He’s my family. Of course I have to believe in him.” She closed her eyes and waved her hand. “Let’s not talk about this anymore. You don’t have to stay with me. There must be a lot to do now that the Fu company is being reorganized—you go ahead and take care of it.”

“You’re right. Uncle is my family too. I should believe in him as you do.” Fu Juxing took her hand. “I understand—we’re family. We shouldn’t doubt each other, should we?”

Tears welled up in Lin Wanbai’s eyes, and she nodded, reaching out to hug him, leaning into his embrace. “I’m a little scared.”

“What are you afraid of?”

“I’m just… scared, very scared.”

Her grandfather was still in the hospital, teetering between life and death, and now Lin Zhouye was in trouble. She had a vague sense of foreboding, as if disaster would strike again. The happy days they’d hoped for had not come.

She closed her eyes and said no more.

That day, Fu Juxing didn’t go to work but stayed home with Lin Wanbai, keeping her from brooding.

Lin Jingyu and the others didn’t return until evening.

Their expressions weren’t good. The police had sufficient evidence, and, most importantly, four witnesses who insisted it was all orchestrated by Lin Zhouye. There were also the tampered surveillance tapes.

With both eyewitness and physical evidence, the case would be hard to fight in court; at best, they could try to reduce the charges.

Lin Jingyu couldn’t believe it. She almost caused a scene at the police station, and if not for Chen Songyuan staying by her side, something surely would have happened.

For now, Lin Zhouye was not getting out, but the company still needed to run.

Lin Jingyu temporarily took charge.

She managed to keep news of Lin Zhouye’s arrest under wraps, but such a major incident couldn’t be hidden, even if the media stayed silent.

Within two days, rumors began circulating at the company.

Old Zheng, acting as spokesman, came to her office to ask.

Lin Jingyu replied only that Lin Zhouye was cooperating with the investigation and would be out soon.

Old Zheng pressed, “Really? I heard the evidence is ironclad. If that’s true, what will happen to the company? We’ll need to elect a new chairman.”

“Old Zheng, can you stop jumping to conclusions? If you won’t believe a family member, who will you believe?”

“I suppose you’re right. Hopefully it’s nothing serious. If it is, the impact on the company will be huge. The old master’s hard-earned reputation—let’s not see it ruined in his hands.”

“That won’t happen. I’m still here, aren’t I? There’s nothing to panic about. Go back to work.”

“I’m only asking for the company’s sake.”

Lin Jingyu smiled. “I know.”

After dealing with Old Zheng, Lin Jingyu felt exhausted. After work, she went to the hospital.

Uncle An was still caring for Lin Zhaowei. His condition was unchanged—neither better nor worse.

Lin Jingyu sat by the bed, looking at Lin Zhaowei, unable to stop her tears. “Dad, please wake up. If you wake up, everything will become clear. I’m so afraid now—afraid I can’t hold on, afraid the Lin family will be ruined in my hands.”

“Dad, I beg you, please wake up, won’t you?”

She lowered her head, resting her forehead on his hand, weeping in silence.

After a long while, she wiped her tears and pulled herself together. “If Chen Songyuan is behind this, I won’t let him go. I won’t let the Lin Corporation die in my hands. I won’t let it happen.”

“I’m your only daughter, Lin Zhaowei. I won’t disappoint you.” She gazed at him, her tears finally stopping, and forced a smile.

Then she changed the subject to Lin Wanbai. “Xiao Bai is seven months along now. In three months, the baby will be born, and you’ll be a great-grandfather. You must try hard, wake up soon, so you can meet your precious great-grandson.”

“Xiao Bai is always thinking of you. You mustn’t let us down.”

That night, Lin Jingyu stayed at the hospital, talking endlessly to Lin Zhaowei as a way to vent her feelings.

Perhaps because she was with her father, she slept well that night and went to work feeling refreshed the next morning.

Before leaving, she wiped her father’s face.

Moments after she left, Lin Zhaowei’s fingers twitched ever so slightly, but no one saw.

…

Meanwhile, Yang Ruyue had news. She’d hired dozens of private detectives—most yielded nothing, or only scraps of information. Only two reports were actually useful.

She filtered them and handed them to Lin Wanbai.

Both matched Du Qi’s findings.

Yang Ruyue thought for a moment. “Do you remember Han Chen?”

“Yes, why?”

“He called me a few days ago. He wants to meet you—he says he has something important to tell you.”

Lin Wanbai paused, looking up from the documents. “What is it?”

“He wouldn’t tell me—he insists on seeing you in person.”

“Alright. I’ll see when I have time. You arrange it.”

“Of course.”

Lin Wanbai checked the time and gathered the documents. “You head back for now. And please arrange for a few highly skilled private investigators to shadow my father and Fu Juxing.”

“Yes.”

“This must remain absolutely secret. No one can know. Understood?”

“Understood.”

After Yang Ruyue packed up and left, Lin Wanbai saw her out.

Not long after, Fu Juxing returned from work.

That night, Lin Jingyu and Chen Songyuan would both be out, so dinner was just the two of them.

Everything was as usual. As her pregnancy progressed, Aunt Rong’s dishes grew lighter and blander. Lin Wanbai found them tasteless and had little appetite.

But Fu Juxing came home early and cooked for her himself. Aunt Rong did not interfere—she always left them their private moments, returning to her room after handing over the kitchen.

Fu Juxing changed into loungewear, tied on an apron, and got to work.

Lin Wanbai, supporting her belly, brought a chair to the kitchen door to watch.

It had been a long time since she’d watched him cook.

She asked, “How’s the Fu corporation? Will it be renamed?”

“Not sure yet. No one’s mentioned it for now.”

“I’ve been following the news. Since Chao Sheng took over, public opinion has improved. Everyone is waiting for it to reopen—looks like it’ll be a great start.”

Fu Juxing focused on cooking, giving only brief replies, not wanting to discuss company matters in detail.

“Mr. Qin’s crisis management team is very professional. They wouldn’t have dared take over otherwise.”

“Mhm,” Lin Wanbai nodded. “I heard Chao Sheng’s founder, Mr. Liang, may come as well?”

“Not certain, but that’s the plan—a gesture of sincerity for entering the domestic market.”

“I’m curious. I remember several professors in college used him as a case study. Now, to see him in person after hearing so much—it’s exciting. Will you take me if you get the chance?”

He nodded.

Dinner was three dishes: one meat, one vegetable, one soup—all her favorites, beautifully prepared.

Lin Wanbai ate well, finishing two bowls of rice and leaving nothing behind.

Afterward, they went for a walk.

With fewer people at home, the house felt cold and empty.

The weather was growing warmer. As a pregnant woman, Lin Wanbai was especially sensitive to heat, already wearing short sleeves. Her figure remained well-maintained—apart from the belly, she looked much as she did before pregnancy, with a slightly rounder, softer face.

She spent most of her time at home, rarely going out, her complexion growing paler and more delicate.

Yang Ruyue had visited that day, sharing much about the Fu family.

Since the old matron’s arrest, things had not calmed down. One by one, the Fu family members ran into trouble—mostly due to their own actions. In the end, when disaster loomed, blood ties meant little; everyone looked after themselves. When real hardship came, true character was revealed.

The Fu estate in Sibei was now empty.

“Do you know what’s happened to the Fu family?” Lin Wanbai asked.

“Yes, why?”

She glanced at him. He was calm as ever, with no visible emotion. By rights, he should be pleased at the Fu family’s downfall, but he seemed unchanged.

“Seeing them like this, I feel relieved. Think how they treated you before—this is karma. No one stays on top forever. Don’t bully the young and poor; those with true ability cannot be crushed.” She took his hand and looked at him. “You should be happy too.”

He met her gaze and smiled.

Lin Wanbai shrugged. “Still, seeing them like that is a little sobering. It makes me realize how important family unity is. If they’d been united, things wouldn’t have come to this. Each was selfish—after the matron fell, they only thought of saving themselves, fighting for more, scheming and betraying each other. If you can’t trust even your family, what’s left to believe in? You make money, work to climb higher—for what? Just to satisfy your own desires?”

“In the end, it’s all for family, isn’t it?”

Fu Juxing understood her meaning.

She was telling him that the most important thing was family—love, trust, unity.

He embraced her. “You are my only purpose.”

“What?”

“I do it all for you.”

…

Lin Jingyu came home late that night. Chen Songyuan, after a business dinner, had already gone to bed.

Instead of returning to her own room, she entered Lin Zhouye’s. Following his instructions, she unlocked the safe and retrieved the documents he had collected.

There she found the photo with Lin Yao in it.

Lin Zhouye had shared all his suspicions with Lin Jingyu, urging her to warn Xiao Bai.

“The Fu family has fallen. Now it’s probably our turn. I may not get out—he’ll do everything to bring me down. Who knows how many of his people are in the company and the house? You must be careful—everything must be secret, not even your husband can know. I suspect he’s involved too. Back then, Xiao Bai tore them apart—I fear he’ll want revenge.”

“He’s managed to do so much from the shadows—he must have powerful backing. Be careful.”

Lin Zhouye’s words echoed in her ears. Lin Jingyu felt chilled to the bone, restless and unable to accept it since leaving the station.

If even she struggled to bear it, how much harder would it be for Xiao Bai?

After reading through the documents, she put them back and slumped onto the sofa.

Leaning against the back, her mind was a tangle.

She didn’t know what to do next. If everything Lin Zhouye suspected was true, how could she fight back alone?

Now that Lin Zhouye was also behind bars, she was utterly isolated.

Still, no matter how hard it was, she could not collapse. If she fell, what would happen to Xiao Bai?

…

That day, Lin Wanbai went for a prenatal checkup. Fu Juxing was busy with work and couldn’t accompany her, so Lin Jingyu went with her, with Aunt Rong in tow.

With Aunt Rong present, Lin Jingyu couldn’t say what she wanted to.

She’d been looking for a chance to be alone with Lin Wanbai, but the opportunity never arose—she dared not act rashly.

At the hospital, Lin Wanbai rummaged through her bag. “Oh no, where’s the booklet? My insurance card was inside it too.”

Without those two things, how could she get her checkup?

She turned her bag inside out but couldn’t find them. Embarrassed, she looked at Aunt Rong. “Could you please go back and look for them? I might have left them in the bedside drawer after reading it a few days ago.”

There was no other way—they couldn’t very well ask Lin Jingyu to go. Aunt Rong nodded. “Of course. I’ll go right now.”

She called the driver and left.

Once she was gone, Lin Wanbai and Lin Jingyu went to wait in the obstetrics department.

They sat down. Thankfully, the checkup area was exclusive and costly, so it wasn’t crowded.

As soon as they sat, Lin Jingyu was eager to share what Lin Zhouye had told her.

But just then, Lin Wanbai said she needed the bathroom.

They went together.

Lin Wanbai went to the last stall and pushed open the door—someone was inside.

It was a tall figure in a loose dress.

Lin Wanbai seemed to expect someone there and wasn’t startled. She walked in as if nothing were amiss and closed the door.

The person inside turned and, with a swift motion, took off a wig.

Seeing the makeup on his face, Lin Wanbai couldn’t help but laugh.

She lowered her voice. “Yang Ruyue is really talented. Did she do your makeup?”

Han Chen looked awkward, tugging at the skirt uncomfortably.

This meeting had been orchestrated by Lin Wanbai. She’d deliberately chosen a day when Fu Juxing was busy, deliberately left her booklet at home, just to clear everyone out so she could meet Han Chen.

As for why the meeting was so complicated, neither Han Chen nor Yang Ruyue asked—they just followed instructions, ensuring secrecy.

It had been a long time since they’d seen each other. Lin Wanbai had changed—she was softer, more gentle, perhaps because of pregnancy. Han Chen felt she glowed with maternal grace.

She seemed more beautiful than ever, her skin luminous, her scent delicate.

Han Chen stared, dazed for a moment, then quickly looked away, afraid that if he looked too long, he’d lose himself.

Outside, Lin Jingyu stood guard.

“Let’s get to the point. Yang Ruyue said you have something important to tell me. What is it?”

Han Chen nodded, quickly pulling a file from a woman’s handbag. “It’s about Xu Yunxue. I’ve discovered that her marriage with Fu Rong isn’t genuine. Fu Rong has a girlfriend, and, more importantly, the child Xu Yunxue is carrying isn’t Fu Rong’s.”

“When they got married, I was already suspicious. Xu Yunxue kept trying to get close to me, always probing about you. I thought something was up. At first, I wondered if the child was Fu Juxing’s, but now I can rule that out completely.”

Lin Wanbai flipped through Xu Yunxue’s file. It differed from her previous findings—this one included information about Lin Yao, which drew her attention entirely. She barely heard what Han Chen was saying.

Suddenly, she grabbed his wrist. “Did you investigate all this yourself?”

“I have a friend who’s a private detective—not in Beicheng, but he claims he can find out anything. So I asked him to look into Xu Yunxue’s background. What’s wrong?”

It seemed that every investigation she’d commissioned had been manipulated; all the results she received were censored.

Han Chen noticed her sudden change of expression and instinctively reached out to steady her. “Are you alright? Is there something wrong with this?”

Lin Wanbai swallowed, crushing the papers in her hand. “Why did you suddenly decide to investigate her?”

He hesitated and coughed softly. “I suppose… out of gratitude. I always thought it was odd—her sudden marriage to Fu Juxing’s cousin, her attempts to get close to me. I was worried you’d be deceived, so I kept investigating.”

“What else did you find?”

Han Chen repeated what he’d said before. “Recently, the man who abandoned her returned, and the two seem to have had a falling out. But if that’s all, why would Fu Juxing go to such lengths to keep secrets from you, even letting his cousin be cuckolded?”

Lin Wanbai’s legs felt weak. She leaned against the door, trying to stay calm.

Yes, why would Fu Juxing deceive her so elaborately if it were so simple?

She flipped further through the documents. In several photos, Lin Yao appeared—one, in particular, showed her face clearly.

“This…”

“I was about to say—this Lin Yao is your younger sister, right?” When investigating Xu Yunxue, Han Chen’s friend had come across Lin Yao. Her presence seemed odd, so they’d dug deeper.

Lin Wanbai recalled the previous two times she thought she’d seen Lin Yao and realized now that it hadn’t been an illusion—Lin Yao was alive.

Her head throbbed, her heart pounded.

Han Chen, seeing her distress, supported her again. “Are you alright?”

She shook her head. “I’m fine. Go on.”

“Isn’t she supposed to be dead?”

“She should be—but apparently, she isn’t, right?”

“Does she have a twin sister?”

Lin Wanbai shook her head—not to say “no,” but because she didn’t know.

Seeing her growing paler, Han Chen stopped, not wanting to upset her further. She needed time to process.

Lin Wanbai closed her eyes, mind awhirl with images that made her head feel as though it would split open.

After a long while, she calmed herself and looked through the documents again. The information on this woman thought to be Lin Yao was blank—Han Chen had highlighted the gaps, and her mysteriousness meant something was amiss. She was hard to track, clearly hiding her traces.

She handed the file back to him. “Thank you. But there’s no need for you to investigate further. Just give me your friend’s contact information.”

“By the way, are you still at the Fu corporation?”

He nodded. His background was clean; the layoffs hadn’t reached him.

She nodded, regaining her composure. “I have to go. In the future, please don’t contact me. You are you, I am me—our relationship ended long ago. Understand?”

Han Chen looked at her for a long time before nodding in silence. He didn’t know if he’d overstepped, but he felt she deserved the truth.

Lin Wanbai left the restroom.

Lin Jingyu, seeing her odd expression, hurried to steady her. Lin Wanbai instinctively gripped her hand and smiled to show she was alright.

They returned to the examination room.

Lin Jingyu hesitated, but finally shared what Lin Zhouye had said.

“Lin Yao may not be dead.”

Lin Wanbai wasn’t surprised—she already knew. Lin Jingyu could tell.

“Zhouye suspects Fu Juxing…” she paused, then added, “and your father.”

Lin Wanbai lowered her eyes, her heart sinking. She closed her eyes, took a breath, and looked at Lin Jingyu. “What do you think?”

“I don’t think anything. Whoever tries to destroy my family—I won’t allow it, and I won’t let them off. You’re pregnant now. Don’t think about this. I’ll take care of it. I wasn’t going to tell you, but seeing how you are with Fu Juxing, I thought you should know, so you can prepare yourself in case you can’t bear it later.”

“I hope we’re wrong. You’ve been so good to him—so devoted. Even a stone should be warmed by that. You’re so wonderful—he has no reason…”

“Enough,” Lin Wanbai interrupted. “Don’t say any more.”

Lin Jingyu said nothing else, but hugged her, her heart aching.

The two of them understood each other’s pain. She knew exactly how Lin Wanbai felt. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here—I won’t let anyone hurt you. No one.”

For now, Lin Wanbai kept quiet about Xu Yunxue. She didn’t tell Lin Jingyu that Fu Juxing had deceived her. She needed to verify things herself—she couldn’t rely on a single side of the story.

When Aunt Rong returned with the booklet, both women had regained their composure. The checkup went smoothly; the doctor only advised Lin Wanbai to rest and avoid emotional upset.