Chapter 303: Chapter 303: A Place of Controversy
The middle-aged man was nearly on his knees before Zhou Yan Bai.
His demeanor was so low it could be buried in the dust.
Zhou Yan Bai, impatient, raised his hand to check the time, his eyes filled with disdain, “Move aside, don’t block the way.”
“Yan Bai…” the middle-aged man looked at him pleadingly.
After a long while, Zhou Yan Bai finally smiled, “She was taken away from birth, it’s been nineteen years, and I’ve forgot what that person looks like, where they took my sister. Uncle, it’s no use asking me, she’s probably long dead.”
The middle-aged man felt a pain in his heart so intense he couldn’t breathe, and he could no longer maintain his composure, “You could have saved her, you could have spoken up, and we could have found her in time when she was taken away by the enemy, but why could you coldly watch her being taken away? Your aunt and I were so late in life to have this daughter, we’ve waited so long… I gave you everything you wanted, the Zhou Family is yours, the massive inheritance is yours, I just want to find my child, I don’t want anything else, just tell me who took her away? Is that so hard?”
Zhou Yan Bai looked at him coldly, looking at his grey-haired temples, watching him searching for that daughter he only saw once before she was taken away and abandoned, revealing a delighted smile.
Everyone must be unhappy for him to be pleased.
If he’s not happy, why should anyone else be?
“What do I care, it’s not my child who died,” he said coldly, “All of this is what I deserved. After my brother died, you enjoyed the resources of the Zhou family for so long. It’s time for you to make room for me, don’t you think?”
The middle-aged man looked at him sharply.
His face, hidden in the darkness, was akin to a blood-sucking demon.
“You did it on purpose…” his lips quivered, “You, did it on purpose!”
From the initial uncertainty to now, he was almost certain, Zhou Yan Bai had been playing him for a fool.
For years he searched for his daughter to no avail.
When Zhou Yan Bai said he could reveal her whereabouts, he had already fallen into his trap.
He bet on Zhou Yan Bai’s guilt over past events, bet on his conscience.
Clearly, he bet wrong.
Zhou Yan Bai had no such thing as a conscience.
He could watch his own mother accidentally killed by his father and choose to hide it, could watch his father chased to death by enemies, and when they came to his home, he coolly pretended to be pitiful, could also watch his own cousin taken away right under his nose without making a sound, and still think about snatching the inheritance after causing his brother’s death.
How could he believe such a cold-blooded person would sincerely help him find his child?
“You!” he lunged at Zhou Yan Bai, wanting to tear into him.
But how could he overpower the strong, young Zhou Yan Bai?
He was quickly pushed to the ground.
Zhou Yan Bai ruthlessly kicked him and sneered, “Uncle, if you bother me again, it won’t be as simple as just beating you up. You don’t want your aunt to disappear in Port City, do you?”
The middle-aged man sat on the ground, his back hunched.
This blatant threat reddened his eyes as he glared at Zhou Yan Bai, gritting his teeth.
Zhou Yan Bai’s lips curved in pleasure, looking down at him contemptuously, “Behave, and I might still let you eat in Port City.”
He stepped around him, got back into his luxury car, and the vehicle quickly left the hotel.
Jiang Leyi witnessed the entire scene from not far away. She didn’t quite understand what the two were arguing about, but Zhou Yan Bai was really going too far.
In the afternoon he had pushed a middle-aged woman, and now he had turned around to push a man.
Both people seemed to be in their fifties, but their hair was completely white, and their figures looked pitiful.
Jiang Leyi, seeing someone suddenly cry out in regret and pain, panicked and ran over, squatting down to help him up, “Uncle, are you not feeling well? Shall I take you to the hospital?”
When the middle-aged man suddenly heard a voice of care, he lifted his head to meet Jiang Leyi’s concerned face. With just one glance, his breath hitched, and for a moment, he felt as if he saw his young wife again.
His gaze focused intently, using Jiang Leyi’s strength to stand up, his eyes never leaving her face, he responded, “No, no need…”
Jiang Leyi felt goosebumps from his stare.
For a moment, she regretted meddling.
But she just couldn’t stand seeing the weak being bullied. When she was still the young mistress of the Jiang Family, anyone who saw her face, fearful of her five brothers, would go along with her.
Now she’s nothing, and if she did that again, no one would have her back.
Jiang Le Yi smiled at the man, “Glad you’re okay, I’ll be going now.”
At that moment, all she wanted was to quickly leave this troublesome place.
“Wait a moment…” the middle-aged man called out to her.
Jiang Le Yi paused and turned to look at him with a hint of wariness in her eyes.
Stories of street scams immediately flooded her mind.
She couldn’t be getting hustled, could she?
“Sister, what are you doing over there?”
In the midst of her chaotic thoughts, Jiang Nanshu’s voice came as a relief to her.
She responded to Nanshu, “I’ll be right there.”
“Uncle, if there’s nothing else, I have to go. My sister must be getting anxious.”
“What’s your name…” the middle-aged man asked.
Jiang Le Yi hesitated for a moment.
“Sister? Who are you talking to? I’m coming over,” Jiang Nanshu’s voice rose again.
Jiang Le Yi made up a story on the spot, telling the man, “My name is Ji Leyi, I’m just here visiting Port City. I’m leaving tomorrow. Uncle, if you’re feeling unwell, you should go to the hospital and get checked out. That person pushed you pretty hard; don’t let it turn into a bone injury. Bye.”
She didn’t give the man a chance to speak.
Jiang Le Yi, grabbing an approaching Nanshu, ran without looking back towards the hotel.
She didn’t want to give him her real name; something about the man felt off, so she lied, figuring she’d enter the set tomorrow and even if she returned to Bailey Hotel, she’d be in a nanny car, wearing a hat and mask. It would be impossible to spot her unless someone was specifically staking out the place.
The middle-aged man stared blankly, “Ji Leyi… Ji Leyi.”
It really did seem like her.
From the first glimpse of her, his heart raced and his blood roared.
He trusted his instincts.
The defeated look in his eyes faded, replaced with determination.
He took out his phone and made a call, speaking only one sentence, “Look up a girl named Ji Leyi for me, staying at Bailey Hotel. Send me her basic information immediately.”
Even if there was a one in ten thousand chance.
He wouldn’t give up on finding his child.
He contained his excitement, but he couldn’t tell his wife.
Fearing she’d become too agitated and disturb this girl’s life.
If it turned out not to be her… he didn’t want her to face the disappointment again.
So many years had passed; it had been enough.
Her mental state could no longer withstand the torment of going from elation to despair.
…
“Why are you running?”
It wasn’t until they reached the elevator that Jiang Nanshu finally voiced her question.
Jiang Le Yi, appearing to have been chased by a dog, intrigued her a bit.
It was too dark for her to see clearly whom Jiang Le Yi had been speaking with.
Jiang Le Yi smiled awkwardly, “Do you remember the young man named Zhou Yanbai who bullied the two elders this afternoon?”