She abandoned her husband first, then her children, and was ecstatic after the divorce.

Lin Qingran then realized that if Fu Xiuheng were the one handling this matter at this moment, he would definitely be provoked by hearing her mention that these complicated matters were also related to the Fu family.

Therefore, Zhao Long's purpose in requesting a meeting was not to negotiate for peace, but to deliver a fatal blow to Fu Xiuheng.

However, before Lin Qingran arrives, these subordinates will likely keep their mouths shut and will not reveal to Zhao Long any news that Fu Xiuheng has disappeared.

Therefore, the things Zhao Long said after seeing him were most likely just impromptu remarks.

Lin Qingran suddenly stood up and shouted at him.

"Stop pretending! What exactly do you want?"

Zhao Long stared intently at Lin Qingran, his facial muscles contorting slightly from laughing, and he made a "giggle" sound.

His laughter was exceptionally sharp, as if it could pierce the air and drill straight into Lin Qingran's ears.

Lin Qingran felt a chill run down her spine, and goosebumps rose all over her body.

Her eyes widened as she stared intently at Zhao Long, her hands unconsciously clenching into fists. A surge of anger welled up inside her, threatening to consume her reason.

"What exactly do you want?" Lin Qingran could no longer hold back and shouted at Zhao Long, her voice trembling slightly with anger.

"If you have any ulterior motives, just say so, and we can still negotiate. Otherwise, I'll take you to the police station right now!"

Lin Qingran's chest heaved violently, her eyes filled with rage, like a wild beast driven to the brink, ready to retaliate at any moment.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Long's smile vanished instantly, as swiftly as a change of expression.

He slightly raised his chin, his gaze sweeping over Lin Qingran, a barely perceptible hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

"You're quite clever; you noticed it so quickly."

He paused, then crossed his arms over his chest.

"However, I'm not in the mood to tease you. What I just told you wasn't all nonsense; the information I have is crucial. If you want to know, promise me you'll send me abroad so I can escape to the faraway lands. I promise I'll disappear from your sight and never bother you again. Only if you promise me that will I tell you the truth."

A resolute glint appeared in Zhao Long's eyes. He knew he was taking a risk, but he also understood the importance of this information to Lin Qingran; it was his bargaining chip.

Lin Qingran's face flushed red, veins bulged on her forehead, and she glared angrily at Zhao Long.

"Don't even dream about it! You're the one who's been committing all sorts of evil deeds, and you think you can just run away and escape? There's no way you can have such a good deal!"

Her voice was hoarse with anger, and her chest heaved violently.

Zhao Long, however, sat there calmly and unhurriedly, his hands hanging casually at his sides, without the slightest hint of panic on his face.

He watched Lin Qingran's furious outburst with a slight smile, as if it were all within his expectations.

Once Lin Qingran's emotions had calmed down a bit, he slowly spoke, his voice low and steady.

"Since you've already realized that there was an element of perfunctoriness in what I said just now, have you guessed that I'm not actually the boy you remember who was also trafficked to a mountain village?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Qingran froze on the spot, her anger instantly freezing. Her eyes widened, her mouth slightly open, and her mind went completely blank.

Her body swayed slightly, and she unconsciously took a step back, her hands hanging limply at her sides, her mind filled with questions.

How can this be?

How would he know all this? If he wasn't that person, how could he be so clear about what happened back then?

Seeing Lin Qingran's stunned expression, Zhao Long's eyes flashed with a hint of barely perceptible smugness as he continued speaking unhurriedly.

"Think about it. If I really were that person, how could I have survived after strangling my brother who was supporting the family? My parents lost their only son. Whether I did it or not, they would definitely kill me to vent their anger. And if that mountain village were really as easy to escape from as you think, why did you go to all that trouble back then?"

As he spoke, he slightly raised his head, gazing into the distance as if recalling something.

Lin Qingran felt a wave of dizziness, her body trembled slightly, her eyes became somewhat vacant, and she stared blankly at Zhao Long, her mind filled with memories of what happened in the mountain village back then.

Those days of desperately trying to escape have now been turned upside down by Zhao Long's few words.

Zhao Long paused for a moment, then continued.

"I heard that you were sent to a mountain village by your biological father's friend to avoid danger, and then those wicked people sold you. But your father's friend should have been looking for you all these years, how come there has been no news for so many years? Until you escaped on your own."

His gaze was fixed on Lin Qingran, not missing a single change in her expression.

Lin Qingran's eyes suddenly widened, a terrible guess welled up in her mind, and her face turned ashen.

Zhao Long seemed to see through his thoughts, nodded slightly, and said.

"That's right, just as you guessed. Zhou Lan deliberately kept your information from outsiders. All the information I have comes from Zhou Lan."

His tone was flat, as if he were stating something insignificant.

Lin Qingran swayed and almost lost her balance.

Despite having a suspicion in her heart, when Zhao Long gave that answer with absolute certainty, she still felt as if her heart was being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, and the pain spread throughout her body.

This pain did not stem from the maternal love he had never experienced, but from the countless hardships he had suffered over the years, all of which were the result of Zhou Lan's meticulously planned schemes.

Her eyes were vacant, as if her soul had been ripped out, and her legs seemed to have lost all strength as she slowly sat down on the chair behind her.

Seeing Lin Qingran's appearance, the subordinates beside her were furious. They rushed towards Zhao Long with bulging veins on their foreheads and shouted at him.

"Stop talking nonsense! Believe me or not, I'll tear your mouth apart!"

They looked as if they were about to devour Zhao Long alive.

But Zhao Long seemed completely oblivious, merely offering a disdainful smile.

Lin Qingran's body trembled violently, like a leaf about to fall in the autumn wind.

After a long pause, Lin Qingran took a deep breath, used all her strength to raise her hand, stopped her subordinate, and said in a weak voice.

"shut up."

Then, he struggled to raise his head, his eyes bloodshot, staring intently at Zhao Long, speaking slowly and deliberately.

"Okay, I promise you, I'll let you go far away. Now, you can tell the truth."

Zhao Long gave a disdainful sneer and curled his lip.

"Do you think I'm stupid? Who believes empty words! I want you to get me a visa right now, give me another million, I want to see the plane ticket with my own eyes, and you have to personally take me to a safe place. Otherwise, don't expect to hear a single word from me."