Volume One, Chapter 11: It's Becoming Impossible to Hide!

As he approached, he couldn’t help but frown.

“Jinyue, what are you doing by the stairs so late?”

Liu Jinyue reacted quickly, her mind racing to find an excuse.

“Big brother, I just came back from the bathroom and was about to go upstairs to sleep.”

“You’re lying!”

He had been standing there for quite some time; no one had come downstairs. Before that, he had been pacing around the courtyard, and the bathroom light had never turned on.

“Big brother... don’t you believe me?” Liu Jinyue’s eyes instantly reddened as she hurried up the stairs.

Si Jinnian rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Jinyue’s temperament—how did it become this way, crying at the drop of a hat?

He would have to have a serious talk with their mother when he had the chance.

Turning, Si Jinnian returned to his room.

Back in her own room, Liu Jinyue collapsed onto the floor, clutching her chest, gasping for breath.

Big brother is still so sharp!

She had almost been caught.

But...

Shen Nian’an would be even worse off!

She was waiting for Shen Nian’an to be thrown out by big brother!

Thinking of Shen Nian’an’s miserable plight, Liu Jinyue couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

But the sound was eerie and chilling in an inexplicable way.

In the room just a wall away, Si’s mother and father were chatting about family matters.

“Wanhua, maybe this time your efforts weren’t in vain after all.”

Si’s mother was highly sensitive about Si Jinnian’s marriage. Hearing Si’s father say this, she immediately grasped his implication and lifted her chin proudly. “I told you, An’an is a fine child.”

When speaking of Shen Nian’an, a trace of worry suddenly clouded Si’s mother’s brow.

“Old Si, do you think a person’s nature changes as they grow up? I remember An’an wasn’t so difficult as a child.”

“What do you think?” Si’s father looked up, his expression clearly saying, “You’re asking despite knowing the answer.”

“Our son is a living example.”

Si’s father still vividly recalled the scene of Si Jinnian running around the courtyard in a dress as a child.

Si’s mother was speechless.

“By the way, old Si, you are...” Before Su Wanhua could finish, Si’s father scooped her up and pressed her onto the bed.

“Stop worrying about that brat and worry more about your man! Your man’s hungry!”

Si’s mother blushed deeply.

The moon, embarrassed, hid behind the clouds.

Gradually, except for Liu Jinyue’s room, all the lights in the Si household went out.

Meanwhile, the Lu residence was brightly lit, as if a storm were brewing.

In the living room, Lu Zhenhua glanced at his watch, his brow furrowing involuntarily.

So late, and An’an still hasn’t rested well?

“Zhaodi, go call An’an; it’s time to eat.”

The woman named Zhaodi twitched her eyelids and shrugged her shoulders uncontrollably upon hearing Lu Zhenhua’s words, thinking to herself, How come Commissioner Xu and his wife still haven’t arrived? It’s hard to keep this a secret any longer!

Liu Zhaodi wrung her hands nervously but forced herself to say, “Jianxun’s father, An’an is delicate, not like our rough family. The long journey must have exhausted her. Since it’s still early, let the child sleep a bit longer.”

“Still early?” Lu Zhenhua uncrossed his legs, straightened his back, and moved his gaze from the newspaper in his hand to point at his watch. “It’s already eight o’clock... how is that early?”

“I told you to go, so go!”

She didn’t want to go? If she went, it would be over!

Liu Zhaodi felt helpless.

But Lu Zhenhua was always adamant at home. Reluctantly, she stood up.

At that moment, Lu Jianxun, sitting on the sofa, spoke, “Dad, you used to complain that Mom wasn’t attentive enough to An’an. Now that Mom is, you’re blaming her again. An’an has lived her whole life on the mainland and has never been on a ship. She got seasick all the way here and was unsteady when she got off. That’s why Mom wants her to rest longer.”

Lu Zhenhua was a typical male chauvinist who hated being contradicted by family.

Though his son’s words made sense, being lectured by him bruised Lu Zhenhua’s pride.

Slamming the table, he stood abruptly. “When I speak, you don’t have the right to interrupt. It’s just calling someone. If you all refuse to go, I’ll go myself!”

He was already stepping out.

Liu Zhaodi panicked, quickly standing and grabbing his arm.

Her voice was sharp and high-pitched. “Jianxun’s father, you can’t go!”

“Why not?” Lu Zhenhua frowned, sensing something odd about his wife.

This left Liu Zhaodi dumbfounded.

Why can’t he go?

Of course, because the person is dead, not in the house!

But could she say that? Commissioner Xu and his wife, who were mediating, hadn’t come, so it was definitely not allowed!

Otherwise...

Her husband might take a knife to her!

Liu Zhaodi was sweating profusely but couldn’t figure out how to explain.

“Dad, men and women are different,” Lu Jianxun’s voice came from beside them.

Liu Zhaodi suddenly realized and slapped her forehead. “How could I forget? As I get older, my memory fails me. Jianxun’s right—An’an is a young girl, and you’re a grown man. It wouldn’t be proper to knock on her door. What if she’s dressing?”

“Dressing?” Lu Zhenhua might be a bit muddled about household matters, but he wasn’t stupid and had eyes.

Liu Zhaodi’s expression was clearly guilty, totally unrelated to what she said.

“I think you’re hiding something! You’re keeping secrets from me!”

Sensing something was wrong, Lu Zhenhua brushed off Liu Zhaodi’s arm and strode toward the room prepared for Shen Nian’an.

Knock knock knock.

Lu Zhenhua called out loudly, “An’an, are you awake? This is Uncle Lu.”

No sound came from inside.

Frowning, Lu Zhenhua placed his hand on the door, about to knock again, when suddenly, with a creak, the door opened on its own.

The room was pitch black.

Lu Zhenhua’s eyesight was excellent, and with military night training, he scanned the room and confirmed one fact.

There was no one inside.

Then where was An’an?

A bad premonition surged in his heart.

Lu Zhenhua quickly returned to the living room.

Seeing they couldn’t stop him, Liu Zhaodi hastily grabbed their son on the sofa, speaking rapidly, “Son, it’s over, the secret’s out.”

“Before your dad regains his senses, you’d better run and hide. Stay in the dorm for a few days, then come back after the heat dies down.”

Liu Zhaodi pulled out some money from her pocket. “Take this, don’t shortchange yourself! And when you have time, take Jinyue out for a walk!”

“Remember! Only come back when the heat has passed—or better, wait for me to find you!”

As she spoke, Lu Jianxun was pushed toward the door by the fiercely protective Liu Zhaodi.

At that moment, Lu Zhenhua’s dark voice suddenly came from behind.

“Run? Where do you think you’re running to?”

Along with the words, a shoe flew angrily through the air.

Hearing Lu Zhenhua, Liu Zhaodi trembled as she opened the door and pushed Lu Jianxun out.

The shoe landed on her back, and she cried out in pain, collapsing to her knees.

“Where’s An’an?” Lu Zhenhua, now barefoot on one foot, suddenly appeared before Liu Zhaodi.

Knowing the secret was out, Liu Zhaodi ignored her pain, grasped Lu Zhenhua’s calf with both hands, and said, “An’an... An’an she...”

Under Lu Zhenhua’s dark, stormy eyes, Liu Zhaodi lowered her head in fear and guilt, stammering out the answer that made his eyes blacken with anger.

“She’s... dead...”