To Love You Again

****

"A deal?"  ​​

Her anger flaring, Xiong Zhi coldly stared at the man before him with narrowed eyes. Lu Jin came here to make another deal?

"Do you think we are so amiable to agree in making a deal with you after what happened? The last time we checked, when we told you about Gunan's location, he died just before the trial. Do you believe that we can trust you again?"

The words were ruthless and uncaring. Xiong Zhi herself knew that her words were too much, but she was already restraining herself. 

Lu Jin's cold eyes flashed slightly. 

The mention of his friend's death made his heart clench in pain again, but he soon returned to normal without giving himself out to the other two.

"I do not care if you trust me or not. But you should hear the entire deal. This would only bring advantages to you and disadvantages to me."

The pair both looked at him with caution. But they were quiet and focused, clearly deciding to listen first to his offer.

"As I said before, I know that the two of you are investigating my father. Aside from the information I gave you, what have you found so far?"

"Unfortunately, we only found minor details."

"Linfeng." Xiong Zhi stopped Linfeng from saying more. They were still not sure yet if this was Lu Jin's trap to make them spill out what they gathered so far about Ming Zhi Yi.

This person was from the enemy's side, and this game that they were playing was dangerous and risky. They must be careful.

Linfeng held her hand. "It is alright, Zhi'er. You do not need to trust him, but you can trust me."

Xiong Zhi looked at Linfeng's eyes. She slowly nodded. 

She trusted Linfeng.

Linfeng turned to Lu Jin. 

"We found Ming Zhi Yi's past transactions. His illegal dealings with other companies and trading underground. However, those transactions are from more than fifteen years ago."

Lu Jin's fingers flinched. 

...Did these two have 'that'?

"More than fifteen years ago, you say. Where did you get the source?"

"We cannot tell you." It was Xiong Zhi who answered.

Lu Jin met her eyes directly. His sharp gaze narrowed slightly. An idea occurred to him. 

"You got it from Lu Yin Ze, didn't you?"

Xiong Zhi remained quiet as she stared back coldly.

However, her stiff expression already confirmed Lu Jin's doubts. 

His pale lips let out a chuckle. 

"My father has been looking for it for years. He suspected that Lu Yin Ze likely had it with him from way back childhood. You also know that that 'thing' almost took Lu Yin Ze's life, correct?"

Xiong Zhi folded her arms on her c.h.e.s.t.

"I did not say that I got it from him." 

"Then where else could you have gotten that man's secret which he had buried deeply? Not to mention, it was his deeds from more than fifteen years ago? If you could not find any of his recent transactions, how else could you have found his past transactions?"

The two were silent.

Lu Jin continued. "Lu Yin Ze probably got that from mother. My father kept him locked up in the hospital and slowly fed him poison through me to get that 'thing' out of Lu Yin Ze's hand." 

Lu Jin chuckled softly again. The sound contained both amus.e.m.e.nt and sorrow. "It turns out that my father's instinct was right, Lu Yin Ze really had it. Good thing for Lu Yin Ze, his sufferings bore fruit."

His blank stare shifted to Xiong Zhi. Seeing the vigilance in the woman's eyes, Lu Jin waved his hand. 

"Lu Yin Ze is my brother. You do not have to worry if I am going to target him or not just because of what I have learned. Mr. Zhou Linfeng should know that as well." 

He lowered his eyes. "Besides, those things do not matter now. My father is more powerful than you can imagine. Those past transactions will not hurt him. With what you've got, you are all simply asking to die."

The atmosphere suddenly tensed.

Outwardly, Linfeng looked the same as before, but his qigong silently began to wake under his feet. 

If Lu Jin ever made a move, or called his men to suddenly barge in, Linfeng was prepared.

However, a few seconds passed and there were no men barging in. 

The man was still silent while reflecting about the information he just learned.

"....I have been thinking, what would have happened if Yin Ze and I were exchanged at that time? What would have happened if I was the one who had those things in my hand? Would I be able to go against my father, like what Yin Ze did?"

Lu Jin's mouth rose self-mockingly. "I don't think I can."

Linfeng smiled and asked. "Then why did you come here?"

"...."

Lu Jin met their gazes. 

Within the lifeless gaze of the man, a faint light flashed, bringing a bit of life in them.

"Because the two of you can."

-End of Flashback-

*****

Three days before the IAmFashionista event.

IHZHI building, chairman's office. 

There were sounds coming from inside, voices of a man and a woman.

Tang Yin and Lu Yin Ze arrived early one after the other and were currently bickering.

"I am telling you, if that woman ever invited drug addicts to my concert again, I will stop helping you."

"Then stop. It is not like your concerts are helping," Lu Yin Ze said to Tang Yin without gentleness at all.

Tang Yin angrily hopped. Her bob-cut hair swayed with her movements.

"What? You dare to say that my concerts are not helping? For the past five concerts I held, just how many dealers have we nailed? Because of those so-called 'useless' concerts, we managed to dive deeper into their drug circle. And after all that, I am not even getting any 'thank you' from you?"

The doors opened while she was talking. Xiong Zhi came in. 

"It is still early in the morning and you two are already m.a.k.i.n.g. .l.o.v.e."

"..!!!"

All of the hair on Tang Yin's and Lu Yin Ze's bodies rose.

Lu Yin Ze turned red due to embarrassment. "No way! We are not!"

Tang Yin turned red in annoyance. "Is that supposed to be a joke? Where did you learn to make those lame jokes?"

"Cough." 

Linfeng cleared his throat to stop the two from making themselves look like a fool in front of the new visitors. 

Xiong Zhi ignored the bickering pair and turned to the people behind her. 

"Come inside. These are the others I was talking about."

Guan Gu Ri and Guan Xixin stepped in. 

Their eyes widened in surprise after seeing Lu Yin Ze and Tang Yin in the room, especially Lu Yin Ze.

"Second Young Master Lu Yin Ze? Second Young Miss Tang Yin?"

Tang Yin: "Oh, the Guan brothers..." 

Lu Yin Ze: "Brother Gu Ri, Brother Xixin..."

Both sides were surprised to see each other in this confidential meeting which Xiong Zhi arranged.

"Since all of you already knew each other, we can just all skip formalities." Xiong Zhi started.