Nyoi-Bo Studio

  Nyoi-Bo Studio

  Fu Tingyu hung up the phone with a frown. It seemed he had underestimated the perpetrator. Whoever they were, It was obvious they had meticulously planned this trap.

  It could not have been a coincidence for all the security cameras to malfunction simultaneously.

  All this hassle because of one encounter……

  He could even remember Xu Qianjin’s appearance, for Pete’s sake!

  What was her purpose?

  Was she being puppeteered by someone in the shadows?

  –


  Qin Shu stood outside Fu Tingyu’s room, somewhat hesitant. From her understanding of men, they were not the sort to attend banquets very often, and even if they did, they would not drink themselves drunk.

  In the end, she still closed the door.

  Ye Luo waited for her in the hallway with President Ba in his arms. Her moment’s indecision was quickly dispelled, and she decided to bring President Ba along. “Let me carry President Ba.”


  Ye Luo handed President Ba to her and asked, “Where are you going, Young Madam?”


  “To see Xu Qianjin.” Qin Shu carried President Ba and made her way over to the elevator.

  Ye Luo was a little confused by her response. However, it did not stop him from performing his duties as Qin Shu’s manservant. The Young Madam had not eaten dinner yet, so he chased her, asking, “Young Madam Fu, aren’t you going to have dinner?”


  “There’s no need.” Qin Shu said without turning around. She pressed the elevator button and entered when it arrived.

  Ye Luo followed suit before the elevator door closed.

  Qin Shu arched a brow questioningly but did not say anything to stop Ye Luo from accompanying her.

  It was not long before a luxury sedan rolled into the hotel’s foyer where Qin Shu stood waiting. The car door opened, and Shi Yan got out of the driver’s seat. He hurriedly opened the backseat door for the Young Madam.

  Qin Shu carried President Ba and got into the car, her cold eyes raking over Shi Yan. The man, to whom her attention was trained, felt his forehead bead in perspiration. Shi Yan did not dare meet the Young Madam’s gaze, less still wipe the sweat covering his skin.

  He cried out in his heart, repeating the words “it’s over” like a mantra. Offending the Young Madam was as good as offending the Fourth Young Master. No, the outcome could only be worse, and not better!

  Qin Shu knew Shi Yan was quaking in his shoes. Casually, she asked, “Has the truth come to light?”


  Shi Yan shook his head. “Not yet. Please believe in the Young Master, Young Madam. It’s a ploy against the Young Master!”


  “A day has passed,” was all she said by way of a response. The words left unsaid hung over Shi Yan like the sword of Damocles.

  Naturally, Shi Yan could read between the lines and understood the meaning behind Qin Shu’s words. A day had passed, and yet they were no closer to uncovering the truth of the matter. It was a criticism of his incompetence, his inefficiency.

  Shi Yan did not want to admit it, but nothing had turned up through his investigations. It was as if a professional had taken a fine-toothed comb and eliminated any incriminating evidence that would suggest their involvement.

  He hopped into the driver’s seat, closing the door for the Young Madam before he did so.

  Ye Luo took the passenger seat beside him.

  The car’s engine thrummed to life, and the black sedan rolled out of the hotel’s foyer. Qin Shu looked at Shi Yan using the rearview mirror. “Tell me what happened.”


  Shi Yan felt his heart lurch. There was nothing for it now – he was already in the Young Madam’s bad books. Methodically, he recounted the events that had transpired from the time of the banquet the previous night to everything he had learnt in his investigation that morning.

  “.…… Xu Qianjin’s mood showed signs of instability. I tried to look for her several times, but she refused to talk to me. There was not much I could work with since any clues were few and far between. I don’t know what exactly took place……”


  Shi Yan could feel his palpitating heart threatening to burst out of his chest. He glanced at the rearview mirror, afraid that Qin Shu would not take the news well and lash out at him.

  It was only then that Ye Luo learned what had happened. He snuck a glance at the Young Madam, truly afraid she would lose her cool.

  Qin Shu fell into deep thought. No clear suspect stood out from Shi Yan’s account of the events.

  Shi Yan had found Fu Tingyu sleeping on a large bed in the lounge, drunk. He was the one to wake her husband up.

  During that time, Xu Qianjin was in the bathroom. Her clothes were a mess, and anyone could tell she had suffered an assault.

  A wall separated one from the other.

  Xu Qianjin was twenty-one years old. She was gentle and generous, mingling in social circles befitting her status. She was different from those daughters of wealthy families who were greedy and evil.

  However, there was one interesting point of consideration. Xu Qianjin already had a fiancé.

  Qin Shu brows furrowed. If only the security cameras had not malfunctioned…… Everything would be clear.

  Of all times to malfunction, they had to do breakdown just as her husband was accused of assault. The timing seemed a little too convenient for coincidence.

  Shi Yan braced himself for a storm, but it never materialised. Feeling unsure, he looked at the rearview mirror again and found that Qin Shu’s expression was calm as if she was thinking about something.

  Was she angry? Did she believe in the Young Master, or did she take the incident at face value?

  Shi Yan drove to the Xu Family compound, communicating their intent ahead of their arrival.

  Qin Shu met Madam Xu upon her arrival. She was dressed luxuriously and carried herself with a dignified air. Her eyes were red, and it was obvious that she had been crying.

  Qin Shu could relate to Madam Xu’s worry for her daughter as a mother herself.

  Qin Shu hugged President Ba and bowed in greeting. “Hello, Madam Xu. My name is Qin Shu; I’m Fu Tingyu’s wife. I heard what happened and came to visit Xu Qianjin.”


  Madam Xu wiped away her tears as Qin Shu introduced herself as Fu Tingyu’s wife. In a woebegone tone, she asked, “Are you here to clear Fu Tingyu’s name, or are you here to bribe our silence? For my daughter to go through something so traumatic when she has a fiancé…… How could he do something so unscrupulous to her? He’s ruined her future!”


  “Madam Xu, you’ve misunderstood my intentions. I’m here to find out the truth.” Qin Shu said.

  Madam Xu stared at Qin Shu incredulously. She could not help but take a second look at the woman standing before her. Qin Shu’s reaction was not within her expectations. Madam Xu believed a woman whose husband had cheated on her would either fly into a rage or think of some way to clean up the mess.

  How could this Qin Shu remain so calm, with the truth being her only objective?

  She could not help but ask, “Are you not angry at all despite what has happened?”


  “No one knows my husband better than I do. I believe my husband would not do such a thing. I merely seek the truth to clear his good name. He isn’t one to succumb to the influence of alcohol and act recklessly.” Qin Shu responded with conviction.

  Madam Xu was left flabbergasted. This Qin Shu underestimated the nature of men who thought with their loins more often than their minds. It was normal for anyone to act recklessly after drinking in excess, let alone a man.

  “What if the truth dictates that he is culpable? What will you do, then?” Madam Xu countered.

  Qin Shu scoffed at the audacity of the claim. “I won’t answer a question that doesn’t exist. Madam Xu, please allow me to meet your daughter.”


  Madam Xu rejection was immediate. “My daughter’s emotions are unstable. The doctor has said she needs peace to herself and not to allow anyone to aggravate her condition by saying things they shouldn’t.”


  Qin Shu did not give up and said, “I won’t ask her about what happened last night. I just want to have a little chat with her.”


  “I’m sorry. I can’t let you see my daughter. Her emotions are unstable. I’m afraid any further agitation could cause her condition to deteriorate.”


  Madam Xu was firm with her rejection. Qin Shu had no choice but to give up seeing Xu Qianjin for the time being. As if inquiring about the weather, Qin Shu asked, “Has Xu Qianjin’s fiancé seen her since the incident?”


  “How could he come to see my daughter after what happened? I’m sure he is going to cancel their engagement when he comes in two days.” Madam Xu’s eyes turned red, and she looked like she was about to cry again.

  Doubt flashed in Qin Shu’s eyes. “Madam Xu, how was your daughter’s relationship with her fiancé?”


  The question struck a nerve, and Madam Xu yelled angrily. “Do you even need to ask? Their relationship was excellent. My daughter…… I pity my daughter…… She’s only in her early 20s, and yet she’s become a victim of assault.”


  Qin Shu did not ask any more questions. After bidding farewell, she left the Xu Family home.

  Once the car left the villa’s vicinity, Qin Shu instructed, “Ye Luo, investigate the relationship between Xu Qianjin and her fiancé.”


  Ye Luo: “Yes, Young Madam.”


  Then, she said, “Stop the car at the next junction. I’m getting off.”


  Shi Yan parked the car per the Young Madam’s wishes. Cautiously, he asked, “Young Madam, where are you going?”