Love For You - Chapter 33

Chapter 33: Chen Yi’s Phone Won't Even Connect

"A dinner date? Why not all eat together?" Tu Li pulled out a chair and sat down without waiting for an invitation. "The three of us really should have a meal together."

Miao Jing silently set down her chopsticks.

The atmosphere was bizarre. Because of Tu Li’s sharp voice, the surrounding diners kept turning their heads—two beauties and a handsome man were far too attention-grabbing, and it looked exactly like a scene of a scorned lover catching a cheater in the act.

Miao Jing lowered her gaze, pressed a napkin to the corner of her lips, and interrupted their exchange first. She handed Chen Yi the outfit she had bought him: "You two can chat. I’m leaving now. Consider the dress compensation for what you damaged; we’re square. Pay for your own meal."

She picked up her shopping bag, cast a calm, indifferent glance at Tu Li, and walked away with graceful steps.

Watching her walk away, Chen Yi turned back. His usual lazy, rebellious demeanor vanished, his sharp features tightening into the edge of a blade. His eyes held a gloomy, profound malevolence Tu Li had never seen before, revealing an instantaneous aura of slaughter: "Tu Li, do you really think I have a good temper? Do you think I was raised on a vegetarian diet?"

He had always just looked like a delinquent, with a bit of arrogance; in truth, he was easy to talk to if you didn't rub him the wrong way. Seeing this expression directed at her, Tu Li felt both upset and jealous.

"I didn't do anything wrong!" She felt a lump in her throat, her eyes reddening. "I did nothing wrong. You two hid this from me for months. I genuinely treated Miao Jing as a friend, and she called you 'Brother' and me 'Sister-in-law.' How am I supposed to handle this?"

"Stop bothering her. Take your anger out on me."

He frowned deeply: "I thought I had made myself clear, damn it. Being with you was just because I couldn't be bothered to switch people. Not buying a house or moving—that's because I only intended to live alone. The money I spent on you every month was more than enough for the scheming you put in. After you left the bar and didn't want to dance anymore, I found you a stable job. You have a son you've been raising like a younger brother, which you were always afraid to say, and you knew deep down there was no future for us. I dumped you; was that excessive?"

Tu Li’s face suddenly turned deathly pale: "You—how did you know..."

"Did you really think I was an idiot? I’ve known exactly what I was doing the whole time." His eyes were dense with gloom. "I didn't want to spend money on your family, didn't want to help raise someone else's kid—couldn't you tell? Your whole family is provided for; you don't need to rely on a man. Isn't that enough?"

"As for Miao Jing, I’ve known her for over a decade. I’ve liked her since we were kids; I was in love with her. She was a top student and looked down on me, so be it. This time when she came back, I didn't mess around with her under your nose—that’s enough respect! We broke up, and I don't owe you anything. You dared to stir up trouble between Miao Jing and Lu Zhengsi several times, throwing barbs and hidden arrows. If there is a next time, I swear to God, you're asking for death!"

Tu Li gritted her teeth and said nothing. Before she could react, Chen Yi flipped a glass of lemonade upside down on the edge of the table. As it trickled down, he grabbed the glass with his fingers and crushed it. Glass shards splattered onto her, and Tu Li screamed in panic, scrambling to get away.

Chen Yi grinned coldly, his smile violent and unbridled: "Want to see what gets shattered next?"

He waved for the bill and strode out, making a few phone calls as he went. He spoke to Bozai and the others, kicking Tu Li out of his social circle and even pulling the plug on her job.

Miao Jing, wearing the new seventeen-thousand-yuan dress she had bought from the mall, walked into the company. Every colleague’s gaze swept over her, complimenting how beautiful her dress was. Miao Jing smiled and thanked them, then returned to her desk. There was two days' worth of work files piled up, so she buried her head and finished them one by one. By the time it was time to leave, the office was empty. Lu Zhengsi wasn't there either, but a moment later, he returned hesitantly and placed a document on her desk.

He seemed somewhat embarrassed and inexplicably dejected. Miao Jing glanced at him and asked calmly: "In a bad mood?"

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

"I’ve liked him for many years, but he doesn't like me. We lived together before and often fought or threw tantrums, but back then, it was just the two of us. Returning to Teng City this time, I found out he had a girlfriend. I felt I should have a boyfriend too; that would be fairer." Miao Jing kept her head down, busy with her work. "Things aren't as complicated as you imagine, but I was indeed being selfish, and I’ve caused everyone trouble."

"I have a cold personality, and my moral code isn't very strong. I tend to be utilitarian in relationships. I’m always the one who proposes breakups. Zhengsi, being with me would only hurt you. You deserve a truly gentle and lovely girl. I apologize..."

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

Miao Jing breathed lightly: "I’m probably too annoying, so I intentionally hide who I am."

Lu Zhengsi hung his head and sat in silence for a while. Miao Jing usually took good care of him, and her conduct was always exemplary. As for the matter between Tu Li and Chen Yi, he wasn't qualified to say much. Since Miao Jing had put everything on the table today, what response could he possibly give?

"Good coworkers for dinner, good partners for overtime?" Miao Jing smiled and handed him a file. "Is that okay?"

"Sure." Lu Zhengsi shrugged, pretending to be carefree as he nodded.

After such an ordeal, no one seemed to be in a good mood; everyone needed time to cool down. Chen Yi spent every day at the billiard hall looking listless, chewing on a cigarette butt and staring blankly. Watching him like this, and seeing him staying late at night to practice, Bozai grew curious.

"Brother Yi, you seem to be going home late lately?"

"Hm."

"And we haven't seen Miao Jing in a while. Are you not going to pick her up from work at night?"

"She moved into her company."

He was the only one at home; what did it matter when he went back?

If Miao Jing left, what did it matter?

He didn't wait for Miao Jing to contact him, but he unexpectedly received a call from Zhou Kang'an, saying someone had reported him for gambling on pool games. Chen Yi boldly told the plainclothes officers they could search as much as they wanted. His billiard hall was next to a school; he couldn't control the students playing for ten or twenty yuan in private, but he had never openly set up bets on the tables.

Zhou Kang'an changed the subject, talking about him playing at other clubs.

The culture of gambling on pool games had always existed. Many professional players were just making a living in these halls. After the 90s, players relied on the bosses' wagers to support their families. Some players also used high-stakes games to train their psychological toughness, honing a sharp, aggressive style. These were all common habits in the circle, and Zhou Kang'an knew it. He just wanted Chen Yi to show a little restraint—to be satisfied with enough.

Chen Yi frowned and said he understood. The police station had people scout the hall, verified there were no gambling activities, and Zhou Kang'an managed to keep the matter quiet.

Two days later, it happened to be the weekend. The billiard hall was hosting a competition, with matches scheduled from ten in the morning until ten at night. There were many people signed up, as well as many spectators, plus quite a few people who had just come to watch the excitement. With Wei Wei and the others also there, Chen Yi was busy from dawn till dusk, unable to catch a break.

Around three or four in the afternoon, the hall was at its busiest. There were a lot of people coming and going. Bozai and the others were busy opening tables, racking balls, and cutting fruit platters. Behind the billiard hall, there was a utility room next to the fire exit. In the corner stood two large trash cans filled with drink cups and plastic bottles thrown away by customers, waiting for the cleaning lady to collect them. Someone stood in that corner for a moment and finally dropped a lit cigarette butt.

Miao Jing finally received a call from Cen Ye.

On the other end of the line, Cen Ye hesitated. Miao Jing could hear the hesitation and weirdness in his tone.

She had thought of the worst outcome: that Chen Yi had done something illegal or unacceptable to society during those years, was on the run, or was involved in a scandal not yet exposed. He used to yell at her to mind her own business; now, he avoided the subject entirely, and even Bozai didn't know. Perhaps he had just returned to Teng City quietly after things cooled down to live the life of a normal person.

What Cen Ye wanted to say... with his connections, he couldn't find all the information on Zhai Fengmao. He had started with that judgment document and investigated the clues between those who ended up in prison; most of their actions could be vaguely traced back to commercial activities. It was only by starting with information from Hong Kong that he discovered Zhai Fengmao had over a dozen identities and names. This was no longer just a matter of business or personal privacy; it had entered a sensitive domain. Returning to Chen Yi, Cen Ye gave Miao Jing a name and suggested she either ask Chen Yi directly or try to find this person.

"I’m sending the information to your phone. Take a look."

"Thank you."

Messages poured into her phone one after another. Miao Jing heard her colleagues gossiping nearby: "Look at this video! A place in the city is on fire. Thick smoke everywhere—it’s so scary."

"Where is this?"

"Looks like near the East District Vocational School. Lots of ambulances arrived, and so many people are being carried out."

Miao Jing glanced at her phone. She looked at Cen Ye’s message first; the person was perhaps Chen Yi’s guarantor, a man named Zhou Kang'an.

Zhou Kang'an?

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

She looked at the fire video and photos posted in the group chat. She clicked on them, and her face suddenly turned pale. Her eyes widened, and her fingers zoomed in on the contents of the photos. Amidst the thick smoke, the three characters for "Billiard Hall" were faintly visible.

She hurried outside, her fingers trembling as she dialed Chen Yi’s number—it wouldn't even connect!