That was a phone call from Shen Yilian's father.
After hanging up the phone, Jiang Zhu remained in a daze for a long time, until he finally came to his senses upon hearing Zhi Yao's voice.
"Jiang Zhu?"
Jiang Zhu gazed at Zhi Yao blankly, "Zhi Yao! What did you all do to Yilian? Why is her father calling to say that the tracking system he installed on Yilian has been disabled?"
The location of the tracking system's installation was very discreet, impossible for ordinary people to find, unless... unless...
Jiang Zhu couldn't bear to imagine that result any further.
Just as Zhi Yao was about to speak, Pei Chiyao grabbed her hand, pulling the young girl behind him to prevent Jiang Zhu from taking any extreme actions that might harm Zhi Yao upon learning the truth.
"She's dead."
Pei Chiyao's expression and tone were completely calm, as if he were simply stating what he had for lunch.
His face showed not a ripple of emotion.
He had once hated Shen Yilian, but not anymore, because she was an insignificant person.
Not only Shen Yilian, but her father too would eventually meet their demise.
In the past, he lacked the power to act against them, but now... things were different...
Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhu was struck as if by thunder, scarcely able to believe his own ears.
"You... how dare you?! Pei Chiyao, murder is against the law! And it was Yilian... how could you bear to lay a hand on her?!" Jiang Zhu was distraught.
He had never imagined that Pei Chiyao could be so cruel.
"She deserved it." Pei Chiyao looked at Jiang Zhu indifferently. "Jiang Zhu, you've been deceived by her all along."
Deceived?
Jiang Zhu recalled the woman who was as gentle and beautiful as moonlight, and his heart ached. "I... I will expose you! I will expose to the whole world that you, Pei Chiyao, are a murderer!"
"I didn't kill her." Pei Chiyao said nonchalantly, "You won't find any evidence."
It was Ling Er who killed her, and Ling Er isn't human, so imprisonment for murder doesn't apply.
He had never heard of a wolf being jailed for killing someone.
Of course, Pei Chiyao didn't voice these words.
He was afraid of angering Jiang Zhu to death.
"You... you..."
The calmer Pei Chiyao became, the angrier Jiang Zhu grew.
But soon, he calmed down as well.
Because Pei Chiyao took out a phone and handed it to Jiang Zhu.
"See for yourself, did you really think she was some innocent young lady?"
Jiang Zhu cradled the phone, his enraged expression gradually transforming into shock.
Zhi Yao, curious, peeked out from behind Pei Chiyao, wondering what could make Jiang Zhu wear such an expression...
The young girl had barely glimpsed the screen when Pei Chiyao forcibly turned her around, pressing her head into his embrace. "Children are not allowed to look."
What child!
Zhi Yao pouted, she was no child!
But since Pei Chiyao had forbidden her from looking, no matter how curious she was, like a hundred claws scratching at her heart, she could not see a thing.
"Clatter," the sound of Jiang Zhu's phone dropping to the floor.
He looked at Pei Chiyao in disbelief, "No, this is fake! This is fake! Yilian told me she was struggling as an actress overseas all this time, how could she have had time to do such things?! You're lying!!"
Pei Chiyao had no desire to fabricate videos to deceive Jiang Zhu.
The footage showed Shen Yilian's misdeeds overseas these past years.
She was no innocent, gentle, fragile young lady. All these years abroad, she had swum like a fish in water, all because her father was involved in the criminal underworld. Whatever role she set her sights on, she would seize it. If she couldn't, she would directly run over the original actress with her car, leaving her severely injured.
Moreover, her private life was extremely chaotic.
Her feelings towards Pei Chiyao were not love, but a desire born of her inability to possess him.
Years ago, it was for the same reason that she had tried various means to torment him.
Now that she was dead, it was her just deserts.
Jiang Zhu stared blankly at the floor, speechless.
"Jiang Zhu, can you speak now?"
It took Jiang Zhu a long while to finally open his mouth, his voice now hoarse beyond recognition, "I say..."
...
After Jiang Zhu had confessed everything he knew, he collapsed onto the bed, drained of all strength.
Pei Chiyao did not linger for a moment, turning to leave.
But as he turned, he sensed an odd emptiness in his embrace.
Looking back, he saw that Zhi Yao had somehow slipped out of his arms and was now picking up the phone from the floor.
"Pei Chiyao, you forgot to take your phone..."
The rest of Zhi Yao's words ground to a halt.
She... she... she had seen what?!
Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at the phone's screen, an uncontrollable thought forming in her mind - so that's how you can play like that?!
She was about to take a closer look when, in the next instant, the phone vanished from her grasp.
Pei Chiyao had snatched it away, his expression darkening.
Zhi Yao was still unaware of the impropriety, "Pei Chiyao, you were secretly watching this kind of thing behind my back!"
And not even bringing her along!
How despicable!
Pei Chiyao: "..."
He had never watched it, okay?
It was an eyesore.
He narrowed his eyes, grabbed the back of Zhi Yao's collar, and hauled the young girl up, carrying her out.
Zhi Yao struggled to wrest the phone back from Pei Chiyao's grasp, but of course... failed.
The young girl had opened the door to a new world, but alas, that door had barely opened halfway before Pei Chiyao slammed it shut again, locking it tight.
As soon as they left the ward, Pei Chiyao set Zhi Yao down.
Seeing her unrepentant look, Pei Chiyao grew even angrier, "Zhi Yao, you've really gone too far."
He rarely addressed her by her full name, except... when he was particularly angry.
But unfortunately... the young rascal Zhi Yao still didn't get why Pei Chiyao was angry.
She slapped her forehead suddenly, recalling that this seemed to be something Sister Su had educated her about, called... what was it again? A something?
"This is A..." She didn't finish before Pei Chiyao clamped a hand over her mouth.
The man narrowed his eyes dangerously, "Who taught you that?"
He leaned closer to Zhi Yao, his overbearing presence exerting intense pressure. "Have you seen it before?!"
At the mere thought of Zhi Yao having seen other men's bodies, Pei Chiyao was filled with murderous rage.
Zhi Yao shook her head obediently, trying to speak, but her mouth was still covered by Pei Chiyao's hand.
She had not seen any, truly not seen any.
Because... Sister Su's resources were recently taken down.
They couldn't be transmitted for a while.
"Sister Su?"
Pei Chiyao quickly guessed.
Zhi Yao's circle of friends was just that small, he could figure out who it was with his eyes closed, "Hand me your phone."
