A madman in France? How come he's always at crime scenes!

Chapter 99 Reverse Game

Wu Liang walked seven or eight steps, and had already dialed Meng Jiang's number on his phone.

His thumb hovered over the dial key, but he didn't press it immediately.

The corridor of the government service center was noisy with people. Workers were still checking the payment notification messages, and Hongyuan's finance manager was confirming the receipt with the labor inspector.

Everything is normal.

When Wu Liang first heard the news about Xu Lian from Lin Zhiyi, he was indeed worried for a moment, but after thinking it over carefully, he immediately realized that something was wrong.

Logically speaking, very few people should know about what Cao Yang mentioned about A-Lian.

He is Meng Jiang, Zhang Ze.

Tan Yongren shouldn't have acted against Ah Lian so quickly.

Even if he felt that Cao Yang had already given up, now was definitely not a good time to destroy witnesses, as that would only force Cao Yang to accelerate his cooperation with the police.

Given Tan Yongren's cautious nature, it's impossible for him to take such a radical action.

and many more.

Wu Liang suddenly turned his head and looked at Lin Zhiyi's back as she walked towards Hongyuan Finance.

Information about the Tan family's old residence —

Wu Liang's face darkened.

If Meng Jiang's men went straight to the old house at this time, or checked Xu Lian's records of leaving the city, Tan Yongren would immediately get the answer.

Cao Yang had already spoken.

Lin Zhiyi happened to go to Tongcheng today and met with him.

Kill two birds with one stone!

at the same time.

In the south of the city, at the Tan family's old residence.

The tea room was dark, but the light from the courtyard outside shone through the window, casting openwork shadows on the rosewood table.

Tan Yongren sat in the main seat, holding a white porcelain teacup in his hand.

Standing opposite me was a man in his sixties, with gray hair and a slightly hunched back.

-

"Did she go to the archives again today?" Tan Yongren asked softly.

The man nodded.

"Yes. Miss Lin said she wants to make a 30th anniversary internal publication and wants to access data on early projects in the southern part of the city."

Tan Yongren lowered his eyes, looking at a single tea leaf floating in the cup.

"Just an internal publication?"

The man hesitated for a moment.

"Logically speaking, the internal publication doesn't need those original account books and project settlement documents. The brand department usually needs public promotional materials and photos. Ms. Lin asked in more detail this time."

The tea room quieted down, and outside in the courtyard, the wind rustled through the bamboo leaves.

Tan Yongren did not speak immediately. After a long while, he slowly put the teacup back on the table.

"Zhiyi is Lin Huaishan's daughter."

The man lowered his head, not daring to reply.

Tan Yongren seemed to be speaking to him, but also to himself.

"It's not surprising that a daughter wants to know about her father's past."

"Yes."

"But she's been going to Tongcheng quite frequently lately."

Tan Yongren raised his eyes, his tone still gentle, without a trace of anger.

"She met that lawyer about Hongyuan's case. And that lawyer is currently representing Cao Yang's case."

Tan Yongren spoke slowly, even giving a slight smile.

"When did there become so many coincidences in the world?"

The man remained silent. Tan Yongren did not look at him, but instead gazed out the window.

"I don't want to think of her that way."

The emotion in this sentence is very genuine. When Lin Zhiyi came to the Tan family, she was just a little girl.

She was thin and small, holding an old schoolbag, standing in the living room, her eyes red, but she refused to cry out loud.

That year, Tam Wing-yan personally led her into this house, watching her study, go abroad, and grow up step by step.

She is intelligent and restrained, like Lin Huaishan, yet unlike Lin Huaishan.

At least all these years, she has been very obedient.

Tan Yongren closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the warmth in his eyes had disappeared.

"But one cannot pretend that something did not happen just because one is unwilling to accept it."

"Chairman Tan, what about Miss Lin—"

"Don't move for now," Tan Yongren said calmly. "If Zhiyi is really being used, I can give her a chance."

He paused for a moment.

"If I hadn't been used—"

The air in the tea room suddenly turned cold.

Tan Yongren picked up the phone on the table and glanced at the screen.

The car has already left.

Tan Yongren didn't know why Cao Yang had suddenly become uncooperative, but he didn't care.

But as long as the police take action.

This car is the simplest answer.

in the car.

Xu Lian sat in the back row, her hands tightly gripping the cloth bag on her lap.

She left very suddenly.

She was preparing vegetables in the old house kitchen in the morning, and in the afternoon someone told her that Mr. Tan, understanding her hard work over the years, was giving her a long vacation so she could go back and visit.

But where is there anywhere worth visiting for her? After all these years, she has no home to return to.

The driver was very polite and even put her bag in the trunk for her.

But Xu Lian felt increasingly panicked, not understanding what was happening.

The only person she still cared about was that taciturn man, but Cao Yang hadn't come to see her for many years.

She never dared to ask questions. She thought that as long as she stayed quietly in the Tan family, without asking or thinking about anything, she could live her life like this.

But today, Mr. Tan did not see her, nor did he offer her a single explanation.

This is what scares her the most.

Xu Lian looked at the streetlights rushing past the window, and her lips moved slightly.

"Master, where are we going?"

The driver glanced at her in the rearview mirror.

"Go out of the city first, and someone will pick you up when you arrive."

Where is Mr. Tan?

"I don't know either, it was arranged by Mr. Tan."

Xu Lian fell silent, lowering her head and staring blankly at her hands.

At the same time, a gray sedan merged into the traffic flow diagonally opposite the Nanqiao intersection.

"Wow, that's exciting!"

Fang Lue gripped the steering wheel tightly, while Sun Jin glanced at him from the side.

"Hey kid, don't break the steering wheel. This car was borrowed from Lao Zhou."

"Am I that nervous?"

"If there's no sweat on your forehead, I'll assume you're quite relaxed right now."

Fang Lue chuckled sheepishly. Ever since Cao Yang shot him in the back, this was his first official field mission, and a secret one at that. It was much more exciting than organizing materials in the office.

Sun Jin stopped teasing him and lowered his voice.

"Remember, today is not for arrests. The people in Feishui suspect there are leaks within the task force. If we all rush in at once, it could cause trouble."

Fang Lue's eyes sharpened.

"Is that why they asked us to assist them?"

"right."

Sun Jin leaned back in his seat, his gaze never leaving the car in front of him.

The van ahead signaled right and slowly merged into the traffic heading towards the highway entrance.

Sun Jin picked up his phone and sent a message.

The target remained unfazed and prepared to enter the highway.

Fang Lue glanced at them out of the corner of his eye and couldn't help but ask, "What if they actually do something dangerous?"

Sun Jin placed his phone face down on his lap, turned his head, and smiled at Fang Lue.

"Want to make a name for yourself? Here's your chance."

"Chairman Tan, the car is already on the highway."

In the tea room, Tan Yongren picked up his teacup and took a small sip.

The bitter taste spread on the tip of his tongue, but his expression softened a little.

At least for now, it seems that the name Xu Lian has not yet truly fallen into the hands of the police.

Tan Yongren put down his teacup, a faint hint of weariness appearing in his eyes.

"You understand—"

He murmured a sentence, as if he were letting out a sigh of relief, or perhaps reminding himself.

Don't let me down.