Chapter 81

Chapter 81: A Race Against Death! Sister Lan Makes Her Move

Qin Xian laughed again—cold, satisfied, savoring every syllable.

He was going to make Ye Wan Lan watch with her own eyes as the people around her were destroyed, one by one.

He had never suffered humiliation like this in his life. How could he possibly swallow it?

If he swallowed it, he wouldn’t deserve his surname.

“Yuan Dao Chemical Plant?” Xu Li blurted. “Isn’t that the biggest chemical plant in the northern suburbs?”

“That’s right.” Qin Xian sounded almost bored. “A portion of lethal chemical elements leaked out. More than ten people have already been sent to the hospital. So tell me—Lin Huai Jin was responsible for security this time, and he still made a mess this big. What kind of price do you think he’ll pay?”

Even Xu Li felt a chill run down his spine. “A Xian… did you do this?”

“How could it be me?” Qin Xian chuckled, dark and vicious. “This time I didn’t do anything at all. And I don’t believe Ye Wan Lan can find any evidence.”

Even now, he still couldn’t figure out how Ye Wan Lan had gotten her hands on that video he’d ordered someone to film—meant solely for his amusement.

His secretary had insisted there were no signs of intrusion in the cloud drive. Only a top-tier hacker could pull something like that off.

Qin Xian scoffed.

If Ye Wan Lan had anything to do with top-tier hackers, would she have been toyed with so easily?

Zhou He Chen had plenty of eager lapdogs. The only problem was that Ye Wan Lan had always been shamelessly stubborn.

“A Xian,” Xu Li said uneasily, “this really isn’t good. Something this big will definitely hit the news. I’m not scared of a thousand-to-one chance—I’m scared of the one time things go wrong. If it gets traced back to the Qin Family…”

“Impossible.” Qin Xian cut him off, dismissive. “I guarantee it won’t implicate the Qin Family. The setup is airtight. If Lin Huai Jin doesn’t get the death penalty for this, you can call me Wu Qi.”

Ye Wan Lan wanted to send him to prison?

Fine. Then he’d send her people in, one after another.

Xu Li had nothing to say.

The Qin Family had started as bandits, and for a long time they’d drawn a clear line between themselves and the other four great families of River City.

Especially the scholarly Fang Family—the Qin and Fang families still had a lukewarm relationship even now.

Later, the Qin Family rose again, riding the wind to new power. Only then did they earn the title of the Five Great Magnate Families.

And it wasn’t just Qin Xian. Violence ran in the Qin Family’s blood.

Xu Li couldn’t stop him. In the end, he could only say, “I’ll come take a look.”

—

At Yuan Dao Chemical Plant in the northern suburbs of River City, workers were carried out one after another on stretchers. Medical staff rushed to load them into ambulances, and the wail of sirens clawed at the air without pause.

“Lin Huai Jin, that’s more than ten lives!” the plant manager snapped, furious enough to shake. “You’re always so careful. How could you let something like this happen?”

“Plant manager, it shouldn’t be Huai Jin’s fault,” a middle-aged man argued, voice tight with anger. “You know how cautious he is. He’s helped us avoid so many losses, he—”

“Shut up!” the plant manager roared. “If the people in the hospital don’t make it, all of you can roll straight into prison with him!”

Lin Huai Jin’s lips were cracked. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse and raw. “Plant manager, I—”

“Lin Huai Jin, you still have the nerve to speak?” the plant manager cut in, voice icy. “You want to tell me this wasn’t your mistake? I’m starting to think you did it on purpose!”

He jabbed a finger at Lin Huai Jin like a weapon.

“Otherwise, why are you the only one who’s fine? If someone has to die, it should be you!”

Lin Huai Jin’s heart jolted, as if a blade had carved a wound straight through his chest. Cold wind seemed to pour in, stealing his breath.

Those were coworkers he’d worked alongside for nearly a decade. How could he ever harm them?

But the plant manager was too furious to listen. As plant manager, he was the first person in charge. If this accident couldn’t be contained, his own career—and his freedom—would be over.

It wasn’t fair to him either.

So he had to push every scrap of responsibility onto Lin Huai Jin. The plant couldn’t be dragged down with him.

“Mr. Lin Huai Jin, correct?”

Two police officers stepped forward, showing their credentials. “The caller reported that you behaved abnormally at the time of the incident. Please cooperate with us for investigation and questioning.”

Lin Huai Jin clenched his fist once, forcing down the storm in his chest. “All right. I’ll cooperate fully.”

—

After the meal, Ye Wan Lan and Jiang Zheng Xue practically bullied Jiang Xu Lin into going to the hospital anyway.

“Sister Lan,” Jiang Zheng Xue sighed, exasperated, “my brother’s body isn’t even as strong as mine. I barely patted him and he toppled over.”

Jiang Xu Lin’s lungs nearly exploded from rage.

That was a pat?

That was a punch even a professional wrestling contestant couldn’t take.

“Sister Lan, let’s go out,” Jiang Zheng Xue said, tugging Ye Wan Lan toward the door. “Ignore him.”

Ye Wan Lan let herself be pulled out of the VIP ward.

The hallway was quiet, nothing like the noisy chaos elsewhere in the hospital.

And the entire floor above them was off-limits—booked out by the Zhou Family, all so they could provide the best possible treatment for Zhou He Yuan.

“Hey, Sister Lan.” Jiang Zheng Xue stroked her chin, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “Have you heard the gossip?”

“About what?”

“Some people say Zhou He Yuan’s car accident wasn’t an accident at all.” Jiang Zheng Xue leaned closer. “They say it was deliberate. Someone couldn’t stand that he was being trained as Madam Zhou’s group’s next heir, so they wanted to ruin him.”

Ye Wan Lan smiled faintly. “There aren’t that many true accidents in this world. A vegetative state—unable to speak, unable to move—does make problems disappear.”

“The Zhou Family is deep water.” Jiang Zheng Xue clicked her tongue. “It’s pitiful too. Madam Zhou’s group has fallen into the hands of the second young master. The third miss is actually capable, but the Zhou Family only allows her to marry for an alliance, to scheme for the maximum benefit.”

“Watch your mouth.”

A cold voice cut in behind them.

Madam Zhou stood there, furious, her face tight with rage. She hadn’t expected to hear two girls in her hospital spreading rumors about Zhou He Yuan and the Zhou Family.

Ye Wan Lan wore a mask and cap, leaving only a pair of crescent eyes visible. Madam Zhou didn’t recognize her.

She stared at them, sharp as a blade. “Who are you? Spread more slander and I’ll have the police arrest you!”

Zhou He Yuan was her bottom line. No one was allowed to touch it.

“And who are you?” Jiang Zheng Xue tilted her head, still hooked around Ye Wan Lan’s arm. “What slander? I’m making a reasonable inference based on facts.”

Madam Zhou shook with anger. “You—”

Reason told her there was no point wasting time on two foolish girls. It was beneath her.

She turned and went upstairs.

Sitting beside Zhou He Yuan, she stared at him until her chest felt like it was being crushed. The longer she looked, the worse it got.

“Madam.”

The Zhou steward came over with a warm cup of water. “Please calm down. Those small-time nobodies in River City love to spread rumors every day.”

Madam Zhou didn’t take the cup. Her breathing was still uneven.

She whipped her head around and slammed the cup down onto the table with a heavy thud. “Steward.”

The Zhou steward bowed. “Madam, please speak.”

“Contact the police.” Madam Zhou drew a slow, controlled breath. “Tell them to reopen the investigation into He Yuan’s car accident from two years ago. We’ll cooperate with anything they need.”

The Zhou steward’s eyes widened.

The accident had already been categorized as an accident. Why reopen the case now?

Unless…

He didn’t dare finish the thought. He lowered his head and hurried out to carry out the order.

—

At five in the afternoon, Xu Pei Qing had just gotten off work when she received an urgent phone call.

“Are you Lin Huai Jin’s family member?”

On the line, the police officer’s voice was cold. “Lin Huai Jin is suspected in a major chemical plant accident. Based on existing evidence, we suspect malicious intent and retaliation against society. Come here immediately and cooperate with the investigation.”

Xu Pei Qing’s heart climbed into her throat. “All right. I’ll be there right away!”

She rushed to Yuan Dao Chemical Plant.

The building where the chemical leak occurred had been cordoned off, police tape pulled tight. Staff in gas masks were still clearing the remaining leaked elements.

The only blessing was that the elements hadn’t seeped into the outside air. Aside from the plant’s workers, no other civilians had collapsed.

Lin Huai Jin had already been restrained. Handcuffs gleamed on his wrists.

“What happened?” Xu Pei Qing’s voice shook the moment she saw him like that. “How did this turn into ‘malicious retaliation’?”

Who could bear a label like that?

“Please do not approach the suspect,” a police officer warned, blocking her path.

Plenty of plant workers stood nearby, their gazes turning icy when they looked at Xu Pei Qing and Lin Huai Jin.

“Murderer…”

“He always looked so honest. I never thought he’d be this vicious.”

“Why even investigate? Lin Huai Jin was the group leader—only he could access the switch.”

“Pei Qing,” Lin Huai Jin said softly, still somehow able to smile as he tried to steady her, “call A Lan. Tell her I won’t be home for dinner tonight.”

Then, as if he were discussing nothing more serious than overtime, he added, “Have her pick up Wen Li too. Go back to the old manor first.”

Xu Pei Qing paused, then nodded.

It was the first time in four years she’d dialed Ye Wan Lan’s number.

It connected quickly. A girl’s voice answered, cool and calm.

“Hello, Aunt.”

“Your uncle has something to handle today. He won’t be back,” Xu Pei Qing said, forcing her tone steady even as it trembled. “I need to work late too. After school, go to No. 1 High School and pick up Wen Li. Then both of you go to the old manor.”

Ye Wan Lan’s gaze sharpened.

She didn’t need to dig. She knew Xu Pei Qing was lying.

At that exact moment, the car radio came on.

“Breaking news: at one o’clock this afternoon, a major accident occurred at Yuan Dao Chemical Plant in the northern suburbs of River City. Lethal chemical elements leaked. Thirty-seven people have been sent to nearby hospitals.”

The reporter’s voice was grave. “A suspect has been restrained. Our coverage will continue…”

“Thirty-seven?” Rong Yu, who was driving, sucked in a breath. “That’s massive. Chemical plants are usually extremely strict about this kind of thing. How could something like this happen?”

In the passenger seat, Yan Ting Feng glanced to his right. “Miss Ye’s uncle…”

Ye Wan Lan kept her voice level. “Aunt, Uncle is in trouble, isn’t he?”

Without waiting for Xu Pei Qing to answer, she lifted her head and looked forward.

They were already in the city center. The traffic ahead was thick and unmoving.

A five-kilometer stretch could take forty minutes like this.

“Let me drive.”

Ye Wan Lan was out of the car in one clean motion.

Rong Yu hadn’t even had time to react before Yan Ting Feng had already hauled him up, opened the door, tucked him into the back seat, and shut it again—smooth and effortless, like he’d done it a thousand times.

“Thanks,” Ye Wan Lan said as she slid into the driver’s seat, buckled her seat belt with one hand, and gripped the wheel with the other.

Then she spoke into the phone, voice unwavering. “Aunt, I’m coming now.”

Wait for me.