Crimson Instinct

Chapter 193: That mystery man with Zhang Xiulan

Back to the time when Bai Li met Zhang Xiulan.

*Bai Li*

"You are the barmaid of Micro Pub," I said.

"Long time no see, Major Bai Li."

I sensed a hint of amusement and playfulness in her tone as she spoke.

"I am not a Major anymore. I see you aren't using your voice changer like you did in Tianjin."

I heard her taking two steps in front of me.

"I don't have to anymore."

"Because I know the truth. So, you don't fear me recognizing your voice and making Zhang Ning know that we have met before."

"You haven't lost your touch."

I shrugged.

From my side, I heard Liao Huifang cough. "Bai Li...is she really Zhang Xiulan? Who we were looking for all this time?"

There was a pause after I heard Zhang Xiulan speak, "You were in Tianjin, weren't you?"

Liao Huifang tugged me. I said, "You can say anything you want. She has her own motives, but in the very least, she is not our enemy."

I heard her chuckle.

"The man who is helping you, he is that same man who was hiding behind the counter when we were talking and then later shot the thugs outside Micro Pub, right? When I...got an attack?"

"Yes. He is him."

"Is he here too?"

"He is always with me."

I thought so. I was sensing a quite intense gaze from somewhere, focussing on us. It was impossible not to feel it. Part of my training in the army and part of the training to use other senses when I got blind.

"But I don't see your girlfriend with you. A fight?" She asked.

"Xin Lei is too sweet for us to get into any fight. Your dear sister kidnapped her."

Silence.

"I think we need to talk."

---

Present.

Time: 12:35 PM. Eleven hours and fifty-five minutes left.

I offered her to come with us, but she refused. She had her own hiding place where she felt safer from Zhang Ning and the Zhang family spies.

This time, I distinctly heard the footsteps of somebody else walking with us.

That man isn't hiding anymore, I see.

"Gosh, Bai Li!" Liao Huifang pulled me and whispered with a strange excitement that I failed to understand, "I didn't even notice when that man appeared beside us. But damn, he is hot!"

My mouth twitched. "Are you sure you want to praise another man? If I let my mouth loose in front of Luo Zhiqiang"

Suddenly, I heard her cough hard.

"W-what nonsense are you talking!? Luo Zhiqiang and I have nothing like that...b-between us"

I felt the hesitation in her voice, and I grinned.

"Sure if you say~"

"I was just saying what any woman would say. Beauty should be appreciated. And how can you threaten me like that? Don't you have a heart?"

"Didn't you have a heart when you barged into my making out session with Xin Lei and that too twice?"

"You still hold a grudge about it?" She sounded in disbelief.

"I am very vengeful."

Zhang Xiulan, aka the barmaid, stopped us. "Sit here."

"What is this place?"

"An abandoned building, but on the outside, it looks like it is still in function," she chuckled. "I have hired some ghost employees, too, to look the part."

"I see."

"So, tell me about Xin Lei."

"Wouldn't you introduce us to the man beside you, who I think is still sending some threatening glances at us? I can feel it. We only know the name - Sheng Yu Zhu."

Then there was silence for a long time.

Liao Huifang whispered. "They are looking at each other, but I cannot make out the expression on their faces."

Zhang Xiulan asked, "How do you know his name? I-"

"Deleted all his records and yours?" I smiled. "Something nobody should have known about you and him and Scotland?"

I sensed the atmosphere turning even grimmer and silent.

"Does the Zhang family know?" She spoke in a low voice, and I felt how important it was to keep their identity a secret.

"Nope. Only us and IB."

"But how did you know?" Her tone was more persistent now with a hint of curiosity.

"Information in exchange for information. I know he is not Sheng Yu Zhu that he claims to be. Then who is he?"

"Who do you think I am?"

It was the first time that the man spoke. His voice was distinct with a heavy tone to it and which had had a sense of command in it. But, not everyone can speak with authority like that.

"You have to be somebody influential as same as Zhang family's power and connections; otherwise, it's impossible to hide for this long."

"Correct."

"But there is no family with the last name Sheng. Not in politics mainly but not any influential business either."

There was a pause.

"You just said that is not my real name." His voice was low but crisp, and I felt it kinda lazy, too as if he was enjoying this.

I said, "I have worked fourteen years in the army. My gut feeling says that it's not your real name, but it is not completely a lie either."

"Interesting. What do you conclude then?"

"If it is a truth and a lie both at the same time, then have you jumbled up the order of your name?"

I heard him chuckle softly. "Maybe."

"But I still haven't heard any influential people in power from either Yu or Zhu family. So what is it?"

This was a mystery to me. Just who was he?

The man spoke, "Why do you think a family who is not influential can be connected to such other influential family? In what circumstances? Think."

I thought and thought for a while.

How are two families usually connected? Friendship? Business? Marriage?

Usually, all of these three connections are known to the world whenever there is any powerful family concerned unless

"In business, people might not know the connections from the underworld and in marriage...they might not know if there is a hidden mistress. I am leaning more towards the second option."

"I must say your years in the army were not wasted after all. You caught it quick."

I smiled.

"Zhu Yusheng. Zhu is my mother's maiden name."

"And?"

There was a beat of silence.

"Yi Xiaosi's illegitimate son."

"What!?"

Liao Huifang suddenly burst into violent coughing. "Yi Xiaosi? Wait. That politician Yi Xiaosi? Are you his son? Yi Xing's brother?"

"Yes."

That indeed took me back. As far as we knew, Yi Xiaosi had two sons. Yi Xing was the eldest, and there was a second one too.

So, he was the third son. But illegitimate.

"No wonder there wasn't remotely any mention about you. Yi Xiaosi wouldn't want to expose your identity to the public."

He didn't reply to that, but I took that as a yes.

I smiled. "Your father was really interested to tell us about Zhang Qiuyue and her death and how Zhang Chao was guilty but seems like there are some things hidden in his closet too. If you don't mind me asking, who is your mother?"

"Zhu Rong. She was a florist."

Was

"She is dead."

Zhu Yusheng spoke with such impassiveness in his tone that it felt like he wasn't affected at all, but oftentimes, it was to mask the exact opposite feelings.

"So, Yi Xiaosi fell in love with her or she with him?"

"Both."

"And he betrayed his wife by sleeping with your mother."

"Pretty much."

"Zhu Rong didn't know that he was married?"

"She didn't even know who Yi Xiaosi was as a politician. She had shifted from another city and had no idea about politics."

"Your father lied big time."

"He is not my father."

"I see. How did Zhu Rong die?"

There was silence.

"I remember that Yi Xiaosi's wife isn't alive anymore, either."

Silence.

"Do you have something to do with it?"

"Maybe because she had something to do with my mother's death."

"His wife didn't try to find out that Zhu Rong didn't know anything?"

"Even if she did, would she have believed it? Considering that man's position, power, and money."

"Is that why you are targeting Yi Xing too?"

I heard him chuckle. "Yes, but he was doomed anyway."

"Because of his love for Zhang Ning."

"It was bound to get him into trouble. I hardly even do anything, and he is out."

"It was you who tampered with the gantry cranes, right?"

"To make way for Xiulan."

"So that she kills Zhang Ning."

This time, I heard her voice speaking. "But your comrades ruined my chance."

"I am not sorry for that."

"Why not?"

"She deserves to die for sure, but not so easily by just a bullet."

She chuckled. "Glad to know that we share the same sentiments, but I just wanted to weaken her. I would have taken my own sweet time to end her life."

She said after a moment, "And then Zhang Chao's."