Zhao Jinghai just stared quietly at Zhao Nuanyue. After a long moment, he narrowed his eyes and said, "Zhao Nuanyue, you’re ruthless!"

"Not as ruthless as you! I’m a lamb to the slaughter right now, completely at your mercy, aren’t I?" Zhao Nuanyue sneered. "Alright, stop acting pitiful, and don’t try to play tough in front of me. I’m already in this situation; I don’t mind if things get even worse. I’m not falling for your act. Our deal is simple: you are not to lay a hand on my brother, or else..."

"Aren’t you worried about your mother? She cares so much about you both," Zhao Jinghai retorted. He felt that this Zhao Nuanyue was becoming harder and harder to control. At the same time, he wondered, ’Is her brother the only one in her heart?’

’What about Xia Yingyu? Does she not have a place in her heart at all?’

Zhao Jinghai found Zhao Nuanyue to be an utterly cold-hearted person.

This Zhao Jinghai was far too naive, thinking he could still use Xia Yingyu to control her.

’If she didn’t have the memories of her past life, she might have foolishly given in for her mother’s sake. But having been burned once, she’d be a fool—a complete and utter fool—to fall into the same trap again!’

’In this life, besides Nuanyang... besides... Hua Yusen... she wouldn’t live for anyone else, not even her own mother.’

"HA HA!" Zhao Nuanyue looked at Zhao Jinghai with contempt. "Cut the hypocrisy. You may be a bastard, you may be malicious and crooked, but you still have some genuine feelings for my mom. Besides, she’s your wife, the mother of your son. If you don’t care about her, you can just get remarried! Then your son will be tormented by his stepmother. Living under the shadow of a stepmom and the coddling of that old witch you call a mother, he’ll grow up to have a violent temper—a useless, good-for-nothing who will squander the family fortune."

Zhao Nuanyue’s words made the veins on Zhao Jinghai’s forehead pop with anger. He wished he could reach out and strangle her.

It wasn’t because she was wrong, but because she was so right.

"Heh, want to strangle me?" Seeing Zhao Jinghai’s reaction, Zhao Nuanyue felt a deep sense of satisfaction. ’So what if I’ve fallen into a dangerous situation? So what if I’ve been captured?’

’The worst that can happen is death!’

’If I’m not even afraid of death, why would I be afraid of Zhao Jinghai?’

Furious, Zhao Jinghai turned his head away, not wanting to look at Zhao Nuanyue’s contemptuous face. Although he could succeed this time, Zhao Nuanyue was clearly not so easy to control. ’After we get back,’ he thought, ’I must come up with a foolproof plan to keep her firmly under my thumb.’

Zhao Nuanyue held her brother’s hand. After her recent outburst, her heart gradually calmed.

’Live well, plan well. Maybe then they could still escape.’

’She had just given all the letters to Station Chief Liu. Had he seen them? Would he come and rescue them?’

As for Hua Yusen, who was far away in Nianqiao Village, Zhao Nuanyue missed him dearly, but she also knew it was impossible for him to come and save her.

Although Zhao Nuanyue believed there might be another chance to escape later, the odds would be better if she were alone. But what about her brother, Zhao Nuan Yang?

’In her past life, she had to endure countless hardships and setbacks before she could be with Hua Yusen. Did it have to be the same this time?’

’After being reborn, could she still not be with Hua Yusen purely? Did she have to approach him with a sullied body and soul?’

’They say heaven is fair, but was it really fair to make her suffer through this twice, to torment her like this?’

’What should I do?’

Zhao Nuanyue didn’t know, but she knew disaster was about to strike.

Because just as they were approaching the unit, Zhao Jinghai pressed a towel laced with a knockout drug over her and Zhao Nuan Yang’s noses. They passed out within a couple of breaths.

In the moment before she passed out, Zhao Nuanyue saw Zhao Jinghai’s face, very close and grotesquely twisted.

’Zhao Jinghai, may you die a horrible death!’

This was the last, resentful thought in both Zhao Nuan Yang’s and Zhao Nuanyue’s minds!

Meanwhile, Station Chief Liu had watched helplessly as Zhao Jinghai led Zhao Nuanyue and Zhao Nuan Yang away. He didn’t intervene, because he knew he wouldn’t be able to stop them. His mind turned to what Zhao Nuanyue had hastily shoved into his hands.

One letter was for Director Hao of the Du Xi Unit, and another was for Chen Lei. Both were written by Hua Yusen. There was also a third item—not quite a letter, but a piece of paper. On it, in Zhao Nuanyue’s elegant, beautiful handwriting, were the words: "My stepfather, Zhao Jinghai, wants to marry me off to the idiot son of Leader Li Jianfeng from the Du Xi Unit so he can get a promotion. If you are reading this, please save us. I’m begging you."

Station Chief Liu was stunned. He never expected Zhao Nuanyue and Zhao Nuan Yang to have such connections, or to be involved in such a major affair.

’The Du Xi Unit?’

’That’s a very important place in Jincheng City. Director Hao is one of our people, but Leader Li isn’t!’

’This might be an opportunity!’

At this thought, Station Chief Liu wasted no time and went directly to his superior.

After seeing the letters and Zhao Nuanyue’s note in Station Chief Liu’s hands, the man asked, "What is your assessment? Is this matter real or fake?"

Station Chief Liu thought for a moment and replied, "Mr. Yang, I believe it’s real. First, I trust Mr. Hua’s judgment. Mr. Hua wrote three letters to ask for help for Zhao Nuanyue, which shows he considers her very important. After all, Zhao Nuanyue was also in Nianqiao Village taking care of *that person*. Also, Li Jianfeng does indeed have an idiot son who is no longer young."

"Then why didn’t this Zhao Nuanyue go to Director Hao instead of coming directly to you?" Mr. Yang asked, finding it suspicious. If the story was true and they acted now, finding Zhao Nuanyue would surely lead to evidence of Li Jianfeng’s corruption. But if it was fake, mobilizing their forces would inevitably expose and sacrifice some of their hidden assets.

Station Chief Liu faltered, also finding it puzzling. But his gut told him that the young woman named Zhao Nuanyue was probably not lying.

"How about we have our people over there investigate first, and then make a decision?" Station Chief Liu didn’t dare to be careless. The stakes were too high, and under the current grim circumstances, they had to be meticulous. There was no room for even the slightest error.

Mr. Yang nodded. "Mm, have them investigate first. If it’s true, we move!"

Just as the two had decided on a course of action, someone from outside came to announce that Hua Yusen had arrived.

"Isn’t he in Nianqiao Village?" Mr. Yang frowned. "Why would he come at a time like this?"

Station Chief Liu also shook his head. "I’m not sure. Have him come in quickly so we can ask what’s going on."

"Mm!" Mr. Yang nodded. "Since Hua Yusen was the one who brought her into this, I’m sure he knows Zhao Nuanyue better. He can probably give us a more accurate judgment of her character."

"Right, that’s what I was thinking too," Station Chief Liu said with a smile. "Let’s see what Hua Yusen has to say!"