An eerie silence filled the conference room. Those who should have stood up to shake hands and introduce themselves all averted their gazes to irrelevant places, either looking down at documents or turning to stare at the whiteboard. Ning Yue glanced at Qin Can, who was frowning at her. She then turned to look at Hu Cheng, whose cold demeanor was almost freezing. Hu Cheng’s cheeks trembled slightly, a gesture he made when suppressing his anger. Ning Yue carefully considered her situation – if Hu Cheng knew all the arrangements, he would likely be this angry, but given what he currently knew, he shouldn’t be this upset. She discreetly observed his eyes – they were blazing with intensity, but the focus wasn’t on her.
From a wild idea to a concrete plan, and finally to today’s careful maneuvering to bring these two people together, there had been too many coincidences. Ning Yue had considered giving up more than once, and for a time, she had abandoned the idea. However, now that this moment had arrived, she felt a surreal sensation.
Her purpose wasn’t to see them “reunite as a couple,” though she hoped to harness the “thunder and lightning” that would occur when this pair met. Whether this could forge the sword she needed would depend on heaven’s will. At this moment, all she could do was pray!
Ning Yue looked at the focal point where Luo Yating’s sneer had become more apparent, carrying an obvious air of condescension.
Being looked down upon! Although she had mentally prepared herself, it was still uncomfortable. Ning Yue lowered her head, and any initial guilt she felt about involving others completely vanished. Her heart grew cold as she reviewed her ultimate goal and possible methods.
She gripped her bag tightly.
Qin Can was the first to break the silence. Starting with “Is everyone here? Let’s get to know each other,” but what followed was another bout of silence.
Qin Can sighed helplessly, cleared his throat, and pointed to Luo Yating: “This is the president of our Legal Center, Lawyer Luo. I’m Qin Can, Ning Yue’s direct supervisor. Since Ning Yue’s resignation involves a significant breach of contract penalty, our President Luo needs to understand the situation.”
Hu Cheng laughed dramatically and coldly: “Cut it out, this is obvious. She’s just an assistant, how much salary did you even pay her? How can a resignation require someone to forfeit their house? Even robbery isn’t this unreasonable!”
Luo Yating smiled and tapped the table, “Mr. Hu runs his own company, so you certainly understand contracts are mutual agreements. This breach clause was proposed by your wife herself.”
“Though I don’t understand the law, I know that company-standard contracts are difficult for employees to modify. How could my wife alone modify your template contract? What voluntary agreement!”
Luo Yating: “We do have standard contracts, but Lawyer Ning’s contract…”
“Ahem!” A sudden fit of coughing interrupted. Luo Yating looked back at Qin Can, took a deep breath, and slowly held back her words.
Ning Yue probably hadn’t told Hu Cheng the truth, which was why he thought it was the company’s standard contract, unaware that this contract was specially endorsed by Ning Yue herself. Luo Yating used the pause to calm herself. What was she doing? Was she helping Ning Yue press charges, or reconciling with Hu Cheng?
Reconcile? With Hu Cheng? What a joke! Perhaps before seeing Hu Cheng, Luo Yating still maintained some professional detachment, ready to explain the company’s position against litigation and hoping for a settlement. But after seeing Hu Cheng, that thought had vanished like ashes in the wind!
What are you being so arrogant about? Your wife handed over the leverage! Instead of begging me, you’re acting all high and mighty. I, Luo Yating, didn’t bow to you before, and I won’t bow now! If you want war, then war it is!
No, no, no! Such thoughts were too absurd! Luo Yating shook her head imperceptibly. After more than a decade, had she still not let go? Her relationship with Hu Cheng had simply ended when their fate ran its course – there was no hatred, so why think of harm or revenge? Now, Hu Cheng was nothing more than a passerby from her past; their occasional crossing should be left to memories, so why drag it out to trouble herself?
Once this thought arose, Luo Yating suddenly felt her presence here was meaningless. She had so many important matters, why waste time on a despised ex-husband and his incompetent wife? Luo Yating felt that her next words should be finding an excuse to leave and return to her currently beautiful life. However, while her thoughts raced, everyone present was shrewd. In that instant, each person had formulated countless strategies. Luo Yating’s desire to speak her piece smoothly and leave might not be entirely up to her!
Sure enough, as Luo Yating paused, Ning Yue spoke: “It’s my fault. I hope we can settle this.”
Hu Cheng, already fuming, now saw Ning Yue admitting defeat first as if someone was forcing him to kowtow to Luo Yating! He immediately shouted: “Who told you to speak!”
Actually, given his personality and shrewdness, in normal business negotiations, he would certainly have dug into and confirmed the contract discrepancies Luo Yating’s words had revealed before making his next move. But perhaps because his opponent was Luo Yating, perhaps because they were discussing his wife’s mistakes or stupidity, or perhaps because of Ning Yue’s quick submission to Luo Yating, he couldn’t focus on the contract. His heart was filled with complex emotions, the embarrassment and anger of having years-old shame dug up! He only wanted to suppress Luo Yating, to stand above her in everything, to show her his power, make her regret, and make her submit!
In his subconscious, Luo Yating wasn’t worthy of being his opponent. This woman who had once submitted to him, who had writhed beneath him in pleasure, wasn’t qualified to sit here and negotiate with him! In other words, he felt deep down that even discussing anything with this woman would be an insult to his personality and intelligence!
You deeply love your pet dog, right? But would you sit down with your dog to discuss household finances and decide whether to buy that house? Moreover, as a woman who had actively left him, Hu Cheng believed Luo Yating should be kneeling before him begging for forgiveness, crying, and pleading for his mercy! Sitting down to negotiate like this was practically pardoning her “betrayal”! So, Hu Cheng wasn’t just irritated, he was already touching the edge of fury. Unconsciously, those rational, calm, and shrewd aspects quietly retreated from his mind.
He missed half of what Luo Yating was saying and impatiently said: “Enough talk. Let me tell you, the resignation is happening! As for money, not a penny! He stood up and grabbed Ning Yue’s arm, ready to drag her out.
These words suddenly enraged Luo Yating, who had already grown dispirited.
What a familiar scene! Back then, she had merely said two sentences about his mother being wrong, and he had shown the same unwillingness to listen, impatiently saying: “That’s my mother, what are you trying to do!”
From that moment, Luo Yating realized that Hu Cheng had never wanted to make any changes to their marriage. He had never considered what obligations and responsibilities he should bear after adding the role of husband. He was like a child, dragging along a playmate to build blocks according to his wishes, and when the playmate said, “This part isn’t quite right, it needs to be changed,” he would angrily scold them: “These are my blocks, you can’t touch them! I invited you to play, so just do as I say!”
Marriage is love’s fortress, but it’s also fragile. Because it is built block by block. These blocks are hidden in daily necessities, in every move and smile of each family member, in every minute and second of every day. Over time, these blocks naturally pile up together. However, such accumulation isn’t fixed and unchangeable. It can collapse at any time, and it can be adjusted at any time. Each block can be moved, each block can be glued together or taken apart, and each block can even temporarily leave for a while, set aside pending… However, all of this requires someone to take initiative. If you just stand there watching, accustomed to maintaining the past appearance, stubbornly refusing to change, allowing it to stack randomly, the house of marriage will eventually collapse.
After all these years, Hu Cheng hadn’t changed at all! Still so domineering, stubborn, and arrogant!
In that instant, even Ning Yue, who was roughly pulled up and almost tripped over the chair, became a trigger point for Luo Yating’s anger.
“If I hadn’t divorced him, wouldn’t I be the one sitting opposite today asking for help!”
As this thought arose, Luo Yating’s entire body suddenly went cold. Ning Yue’s awkward appearance transformed into her future self. That was the nightmare from her forty-six days of marriage, the possibility she had pondered repeatedly for over a decade, the insurmountable stumbling block preventing her from walking toward marriage! No! Absolutely cannot let Hu Cheng succeed!
Qin Can have already stood up and was about to intervene when Luo Yating’s voice suddenly rose, saying coldly: “If you dare leave like this today, expect court notices tomorrow!”
Ning Yue, being dragged stumblingly, couldn’t help but glance at Luo Yating upon hearing these words: For labor disputes, shouldn’t arbitration come first? How angry must she be? She’s even forgotten the basic procedures!
“You dare!” Hu Cheng shouted, one hand pulling at Ning Yue who was still tangled with the chair, while glaring at Luo Yating, “Just try and sue!”
Luo Yating’s tone leveled out, but her cold smile deepened as she enunciated each word clearly: “Why wouldn’t I dare? Mr. Hu!” She deliberately emphasized his formal title, “You say I can’t, and I won’t dare? That’s the woman by your side, not me!”
“You!” Hu Cheng simply let go of Ning Yue and turned to face Luo Yating. But, as always when facing her, he had no chance to retort.
Luo Yating said: “Have you forgotten? Whenever you forbade something, it never worked!” Her smile widened while Hu Cheng’s face immediately contorted. Clearly, with these few words, they had both fallen into the river of memories.
Ning Yue took the opportunity to stand up, distancing herself from Hu Cheng while quietly moving closer to the door. Qin Can notice the unusual interaction between Luo Yating and Hu Cheng, belatedly furrowing his brow as he observed.
Hu Cheng’s already thin lips were now bitten into a straight line. He narrowed his eyes and took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself. But Luo Yating pressed her advantage, “Need I remind you? I was the one who insisted on divorce. I was the one who dumped you!”
Luo Yating had lost her composure. In their forty-six days of marriage, she had quarreled with Hu Cheng’s mother for forty-eight days – the extra two days were harassment after the divorce. Finally, Luo Yating called the police, and Hu Cheng, fearing embarrassment, finally stopped his mother, and they ceased all contact thereafter. The resentment toward Hu Cheng’s mother was now all directed at Hu Cheng. This was no longer a meeting room discussing Ning Yue’s resignation, but a battlefield for Luo Yating and Hu Cheng to settle old scores. However, for Ning Yue, when the city gates catch fire, the fish in the moat suffer too.
Qin Can had his moment of revelation. But such coincidence gave him the frustrating feeling of stepping in dog waste! Had he known, he would never have consulted Luo Yating about this matter. Remembering it was his idea to have Luo Yating intervene, Qin Can give Ning Yue an apologetic look.
That one glance left him stunned.
He saw Ning Yue discretely activating her phone’s recording function! If he hadn’t been so familiar with that black interface, he wouldn’t have noticed what she was doing.
Thinking deeper: Could there be a voice recorder or something else in Ning Yue’s bag?
Although such evidence would be inadmissible under illegal evidence exclusion rules, its usefulness depends on where it’s used. Not all evidence is presented to the court, and not all illegal evidence is excluded.
In that instant, Qin Can had an epiphany: This scene before him was not something Ning Yue was unprepared for! He even wondered: Could Ning Yue have arranged all of this herself?
A trace of annoyance crept into Qin Can’s gaze, freezing his apologetic sentiment. At this tense moment, he crossed his arms, leaned back in his chair, and truly became a spectator!
At this point, Hu Cheng, thoroughly provoked, actually calmed down. With a cold smile playing on his lips, he slowly sat down, settled in, and even found a comfortable angle against the chair back.
He spread his hands and said with a mirthless smile: “Fine! Then, state your terms!”
Both Luo Yating and Ning Yue understood – the shrewd Hu Cheng was back!
Excessive insecurity and sensitivity had forged Hu Cheng’s arrogance and stubbornness but had also tempered his tenacity. When he set aside his pride, suppressed his anger, and hunched his back, it wasn’t submission he was expressing, but rather a wild beast preparing for a fatal attack.
Luo Yating also took the opportunity to collect her emotions, a trace of regret crossing her mind. She had already decided to leave this muddy water, so how had she ended up at its center? She glanced at Ning Yue, an unremarkable gray figure with only black hair visible at the top, and a strange feeling wandered through her anger but was quickly consumed by the flames. Luo Yating coldly gazed sideways at Hu Cheng, maintaining her previous momentum through silence. She knew how difficult a calm Hu Cheng could be, and she had no intention of yielding!
When Hu Cheng sat down, he violently shook off Ning Yue’s hand. Caught off guard, Ning Yue, who had been half-crouching, lost her balance and stumbled twice before barely steadying herself. Though she didn’t fall and embarrass herself, her disheveled appearance was still painful to watch. Ning Yue kept her head down, tucked her hair behind her ear, and said softly: “Be gentle, you almost pushed me over!”
Hu Cheng glared at her: “So what if I pushed you over? Wait till I deal with you when we get home!”
This naked threat and contempt made even the observing Qin Can unable to stay silent! Qin Can said: “Mr. Hu, actually, as Ning Yue’s direct supervisor, to be fair, I don’t want to see things come to this either. Ning Yue is very capable, learns quickly, and adapts very well to new things and content. Moreover, she gets along very well with colleagues in our department. We still hope that Ning Yue can stay and work with us. Although she can’t give 100% to work because of family responsibilities, who doesn’t have their own family? Everyone can understand this. However, a contract is a contract. If we make an exception for Ning Yue’s resignation, how do we handle future employee resignations? If contracts aren’t honored, our legal department can’t justify this to the company!”
Hu Cheng snorted, “Capable? Do you mean that business negotiation? Separating legal and business negotiations – even beginners in your field know that. What’s so special about that? She’s just a housewife, home is where she should be fully devoted. If you’re being fair, you should let her go home.” Hu Cheng narrowed his eyes, “As for that contract, your initial review was inadequate. Ning Yue isn’t even the property owner, the mortgage is invalid. This problem should be yours to bear, what does it have to do with us!”
Qin Can replied: “First, the company has employment policies, and there’s a labor contract right here. Ning Yue wants to resign, but this contract can’t be bypassed. Second, regarding the validity of the mortgage, you have your perspective, and we have ours. Regardless, Ning Yue is your wife, you have a legal marital relationship. At the very least, the apparent agency can be established. So, this matter might not be as simple as you think! Finally, setting all this aside, let’s be reasonable, Mr. Hu. Ning Yue is your wife, she’s spent so many years taking care of the family and children. This includes her best years, and that time can’t be recovered. If she doesn’t work now, she might never have the chance again. Even if she’s proposing to return home now, as an outsider, I feel she shouldn’t continue sacrificing herself. The children are grown, and she should have the opportunity to make her own choices. As her husband, shouldn’t you be more supportive?”
“For an outsider, you sure think about a lot!” Hu Cheng’s lips curled in mockery as he sneered, “How about it? Though my wife is forty, isn’t she still pretty? Among all your women there, doesn’t she still have class? Interested?”
“Show some respect!” Qin Can almost slam the table but controlled his anger to explain, “I know this might be overstepping, but my mother once sacrificed too much for family and children, just like your wife. She missed her chance to choose… Though she never regretted it, I often think, if someone had reached out then, given her a chance, the outcome might have been completely different!”
Hu Cheng contained himself and said with a smile: “Isn’t Director Qin going too far? As I understand it, Director Qin’s birth mother is divorced. But Ning Yue isn’t divorced yet, she still has this family, so how could it be the situation you’re describing? Perhaps you’ve been encouraging Ning Yue to divorce?” Hu Cheng’s heart suddenly sank, and he turned to look at Ning Yue. A huge sense of crisis suddenly invaded his mind, but before he could grasp it, Luo Yating interrupted!
Luo Yating said: “You? Is Ning Yue relying on you? Now I’m curious if she could rely on you, why did Ning Yue look for work in the first place?”
Hu Cheng glared at Luo Yating and said darkly: “Just playing around outside.”
Luo Yating smiled and said to Qin Can: “I remember the person who introduced Ning Yue was called Tian Qiuzi, right? Why didn’t Mr. Hu help his wife find work? Who is Tian Qiuzi?”
“Just a friend.”
“Mr. Hu certainly has extensive connections.” Luo Yating stood up with interest and walked around the room. When she reached Ning Yue, she patted her shoulder and suddenly took her phone.
Ning Yue was startled – the phone was active, and Luo Yating didn’t need a password to open the messages. Her fingers quickly scrolled upward, clearly searching for something specific! Ning Yue stood up with a dark expression and extended her hand, saying: “Lawyer Luo, is there a problem with my phone?”
Luo Yating looked up with a smile, “Of course, there’s nothing wrong with your phone. I’m just looking for the answer to Mr. Hu’s earlier statement. What did he say? That you don’t need to work because you have him, have the home he created for you. Ha!” Luo Yating let out an exaggerated laugh.
Qin Can frown deeply – this Luo Yating was completely different from her usual self. Such obvious hostility, such exaggerated mockery, as if she was desperate to prove something!
After her exaggerated “Ha,” Luo Yating spoke again: “I guess Lawyer Ning has been too embarrassed to speak up? I understand, that for a woman who has lived in that kind of home for nearly ten years, being able to speak up today isn’t an easy thing. Right, Mr. Hu?” She pushed Ning Yue’s phone in front of Hu Cheng, clearly displaying an intimate beach photo of him and Tian Qiuzi. Luo Yating’s voice was crisp and cheerful: “Is this the security you give your wife? What she’s supposed to rely on for life?”
Luo Yating laughed, and Ning Yue suddenly reached out to grab her phone back. Qin Can thought she would say something, but Ning Yue just silently turned off her phone, put it in her bag, and stood there quietly.
All the pressure hadn’t lessened at all because of Ning Yue’s action. On the contrary, because of Ning Yue’s silence, it seemed Hu Cheng needed to provide a reasonable explanation.
Hu Cheng slowly turned his gaze to Ning Yue and asked heavily: “When did you find out?”
Luo Yating stood up happily, a smile playing at her lips, turned her head to give Ning Yue an apologetic nod, and walked back to her seat with light steps. Luo Yating felt a long-absent sense of satisfaction! She had done it again: both slapping Hu Cheng’s face hard and leaving him no time to deal with her. Because Hu Cheng was too clever, too good at weighing situations, it had almost become his instinct. When danger came, what was a slap in the face? She, Luo Yating, could slap him freely, slap him hard! It had always been like this between them, and this was why Hu Cheng had always hated her.
Hu Cheng was very clever. Although Luo Yating was excessive, what she revealed was the most lethal. Either Ning Yue was completely weak, or she had been enduring silently all along. What she had deliberately hidden from him must be more than just this! Thinking about how Ning Yue had always been at home, and how he had been unfaithful for so many years while she appeared to know nothing, Hu Cheng felt chills running down his spine! He didn’t believe Ning Yue would be weak enough to remain ignorant!
“I’ll ask you one last time, did this happen?”
“No.”
“Fine! If you say it didn’t happen, then it didn’t…”
Thinking back to that argument from years ago, Hu Cheng finally realized the emphasis should have been on that last line.
“Then it didn’t happen!” Whether it happened or not didn’t matter, whether she asked didn’t matter – she already had other plans and no longer believed him.
Hu Cheng stood up and looked at Ning Yue with a questioning yet dark gaze: “You knew?”
Ning Yue took a deep breath: “Yes. But like I said, if you say it didn’t happen, I’ll believe you.”
“Even after seeing these photos?”
Ning Yue couldn’t answer. She looked at Hu Cheng and suddenly smiled. Her previously hunched back suddenly straightened, and she asked with a hint of mockery: “Do you want me to believe it or not?”
Countless theories flashed through Hu Cheng’s mind. His eyes swept over the backpack beside Ning Yue. The side pocket, looser than usual from frequently carrying their child’s water bottle, was particularly eye-catching. Hu Cheng suddenly realized: “Zi Yuan!”
Many years later, when Ning Yue recalled this moment, she couldn’t help but sigh for herself: despite her hatred, she had still been hoping for a promise from Hu Cheng.
Ning Yue slowly nodded: “Yes. If you don’t leave, I won’t abandon – give the child a home.”
“Even now?” Hu Cheng’s tone carried obvious hesitation. However, this very hesitation showed he somewhat believed Ning Yue’s words. Having watched how she cared for their child and sacrificed for them, he believed Ning Yue might stay in this marriage for the child’s sake, rather than harboring malicious intentions.
The closest yet most distant relationship – that of husband and wife – was nothing more than this. Ning Yue didn’t answer immediately. After a long while, she sighed: “Yes. But I need a job.” She revealed her bottom line – accept it, and they would maintain a decent but loveless home. Don’t accept it… that would be a point of no return.
Hu Cheng narrowed his eyes, instinctively glancing at Luo Yating and Qin Can. Suddenly alert, he firmly rejected: “No! You must return home!”
This wasn’t just a simple decision, but a symbol: a symbol of Hu Cheng’s supreme, absolute control over this home and Ning Yue.
At this moment, everyone’s cards were on the table. Ironically, in the conditions set for preserving their marriage at this final moment of revelation, there wasn’t a trace of love between these two people who had united because of love!
Ning Yue slightly raised her chin, looking at Hu Cheng challengingly: “What if I must keep this job?”
Hu Cheng sneered: “You can. But Zi Yuan won’t go with you.”
Ning Yue fell silent, her expression inscrutable. Qin Can furrowed his brow; he vaguely understood. Of everyone here today, except for him, no one had come to negotiate.
Qin Can ponder: Could all this have been deliberately arranged by Ning Yue? Had she been preparing for this confrontational meeting since the day she signed the contract? If so, what was her purpose?
Ning Yue froze! She had anticipated a scene of mutual hatred but hadn’t expected it to cut so directly to the child. Hu Cheng’s words “Zi Yuan won’t go with you” shattered her rationality like a cannonball. Ning Yue stood up without a word. Qin Can was startled, and Hu Cheng also stood up, shouting: “Stop! Where are you going?”
Ning Yue didn’t speak, heading straight for the door. She was close to it, about to grab the handle when Hu Cheng strode over. The door opened, and Ning Yue rushed out but was yanked back!
Hu Cheng grabbed Ning Yue’s wrist, forcefully dragging her back: “Where are you going?”
Ning Yue was pulled dizzy, and looking up, saw Hu Cheng’s face. This was probably their first such close face-to-face encounter since that nightmarish evening. Unfortunately, this glance was anger meeting desperation, an instant flame of mutual destruction.
Hu Cheng was startled by Ning Yue’s gaze, his grip loosening slightly, which Ning Yue used to break free. She rushed out, and after a moment’s thought, Hu Cheng suddenly understood where she was going. “Stop! Come home! Don’t you dare pick up the child!”
At these words, Ning Yue, who had been walking quickly, suddenly froze as if frightened, then broke into a run, her medium-length hair swinging wildly as she fled forward like someone running for their life. Hu Cheng was already pursuing her as he spoke. Qin Can, who had been ready to intervene when Hu Cheng roughly pulled Ning Yue back, immediately followed.
Outside the conference room was the development department’s cubicle area. The development department, responsible for the company’s new product development, was an important division with over thirty people.
The elevator was diagonally opposite the conference room, with the emergency exit’s iron door beside it. Either way, Ning Yue would have to round a corner and run along a long side. Hu Cheng, who maintained his fitness habits, was tall with long legs – catching up to Ning Yue wouldn’t be difficult.
As Ning Yue neared the safety door, a strong force from behind – Hu Cheng had caught her. Stumbling, Ning Yue nearly fell. Hu Cheng, breathing heavily, called out: “Stop right there!” However, when he saw Ning Yue turn and steady herself, he suddenly had a bad feeling. An icy sharp sensation pierced his chest, the chilling intent causing his heart to skip a beat. His gaze moved slightly downward, where a small white glint trembled at his chest.
Hu Cheng froze, using his eyes to probe Ning Yue’s intentions. Though Ning Yue looked disheveled, her gaze was steady.
In the instant their eyes met, Hu Cheng’s hand loosened. Before he could ask “What are you doing,” Ning Yue suddenly smiled strangely. The knife twisted and turned, somehow ending up in Hu Cheng’s hand! Before Hu Cheng could understand what was happening, his arm involuntarily pushed forward, and Ning Yue stumbled, colliding with the knife!
“Ah!” The painful scream made the already curious onlookers more intrigued. People stood up and craned their necks to look, and the closest woman suddenly let out an even more piercing cry: “Murder!”
Qin Can rushed over in a few steps. He saw Ning Yue push Hu Cheng away, her hand clutching her side, both stumbling backward. Hu Cheng hit the cubicle railing behind him, still holding the knife. Blood dripped from the blade, leaving an indistinct trail on the gray carpet.
Hu Cheng was shocked, reaching for Ning Yue, “Stop, I didn’t kill anyone!” but grabbed only air.
Ning Yue ran without looking back. After missing his grab, Hu Cheng continued lunging toward her, shouting frantically. Qin Can blocked his path and grabbed him. Hu Cheng forcefully shook him off, stumbling after Ning Yue.
The elevator door had just opened. He Kuan, promoting his product at his former workplace, was discussing product compatibility with Development Director Liang.
Director Liang insisted on implementing cross-regional coverage with one software package, while He Kuan believed it required two authorizations. As they were almost red-faced in discussion, Ning Yue crashed into them, spinning them around twice. No one saw clearly who had collided with whom; when they steadied themselves, dizzily, they only saw the elevator door closing.
The two shared a confused smile and turned around, horrified to find a seemingly crazy man charging toward them, holding a gleaming knife! Then “splat” – a clean face-plant, completely sprawled before them, with someone actually on his back?
“Lawyer Qin!” He Kuan called out, looking down.
Qin Can, having tackled Hu Cheng, looked up to see two dumbfounded people standing there and shouted in exasperation: “Call the police!”
From the nearby workstation cluster, a male employee nervously raised his phone, “Already called!”
Hu Cheng barely lifted his head, screaming hoarsely: “I didn’t kill anyone! Ning Yue, come back! I didn’t kill anyone!”
Luo Yating stood not far behind Hu Cheng, holding the railing, her pretty face deathly pale. He Kuan’s notebook dropped to the floor with a “thud”: Murder? Ning Yue?