Lin Dong still had quite a few doubts lingering in his mind.
For example, when his assistant tried to ask the villagers for a photo of Tongtong, the villagers who lived there naturally wouldn’t have any pictures. Back then, phone functions weren’t powerful enough yet, and many villagers’ phones didn’t even have cameras.
Even if some did, why would they casually take pictures of the Liu family’s granddaughter?
Later, the assistant did find the Liu family home and was surprised to discover that the household actually owned a rather grand villa in the village. He figured he must have the wrong place, so he didn’t go in to ask—definitely not because two large wolfdogs were barking at the gate.
But when he went back to inquire more details about the young lady from the villagers, no one was willing to say anything more. In fact, the villagers grew wary.
Quite a few people had come to the village asking about the Liu family’s granddaughter—some were business owners, others were officials. But people like them, who knew almost nothing and even asked for a photo, were far too suspicious.
Especially since their excuse was so flimsy; they claimed they were searching for a lost relative.
The villagers naturally assumed they were some distant, maybe even completely unrelated, relatives hoping to latch onto the Liu family’s granddaughter, so they weren’t given any friendly treatment.
In the end, the assistant only managed to learn that the young lady studied at Mingzhu City, with no other information available.
When this news reached Lin Dong, although he found it strange, he later figured it might just be that the country folks were too exclusive and didn’t think much of it.
Like his son had said, the girl was at most twenty years old—perhaps even younger by her birthday. At that age, what kind of trouble could she cause?
More likely, the honest villagers were just protective of their village’s rising star and didn’t want to reveal too much.
That evening, the family of three dined at Yuyue Fang.
It was a restaurant recommended by their hotel’s concierge, said to be quite famous locally. The signature dish, Little Fish Guotie, was a must-try for outsiders, according to the staff.
Without a second thought, Lin Dong had the driver take them to the branch near the university district.
In fact, there was a branch near their hotel as well, but choosing the one by the university meant being nearer to the University of Finance and Economics. They could take a stroll around after dinner and get a sense of Tongtong’s living environment.
When they arrived, they realized just how popular the place was.
It was only a little past five in the afternoon, and the restaurant was nearly full.
Instead of opting for a quieter private room, they chose the main hall because they saw many university students dining there. They figured they could pick up some information about the university area from the students’ conversations.
The three of them were led by a waiter dressed in an antique-style red uniform and seated at a table for four.
When ordering, Lin Dong didn’t even glance at the menu. He simply told the waiter to bring out a few signature dishes, then began looking around the restaurant with interest.
“This restaurant is something special—not like ordinary places. The staff are full of energy, and the Chinese-style décor shows good taste.”
As a businessman who frequented high-end venues, he had a sharp eye for service quality.
The warmth of the Yuyue Fang staff didn’t feel like the mechanical, trained smiles typical of other places; instead, it carried a genuine sense of vitality and pride.
That was rare, and it showed that the owner managed things well.
Soon, several dishes arrived.
The most striking was the iron pot placed on a wooden base. When the lid was lifted, a rich, savory aroma burst forth—the signature Little Fish Guotie.
Golden, glossy little fish bubbled in the broth at the bottom of the pot, surrounded by a ring of hand-pressed flatbreads. Just looking at it was mouthwatering.
“Please, enjoy.”
The waiter thoughtfully used shared chopsticks to portion the flatbreads into each person’s plate and explained the best way to eat it—dipping the bread into the delicious fish broth.
In fact, this cooking method was more commonly associated with Guo Tie Ji (iron pot chicken), while Little Fish Guotie was rarely found in restaurants because sourcing the ingredients was a major challenge.
Chicken was far easier to get than those palm-sized fish. These small fish could only be obtained in large quantities in water-rich regions and at high costs.
When Jiang Lu saw the dish, she felt a pang of nostalgia, recalling the Little Fish Guotie she once made with freshly caught tiny fish in the countryside.
Lin Dong was the first to pick up a piece of flatbread, dipped it in the broth, and put it in his mouth. His eyes brightened slightly.
“The bread is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, especially with that rich, salty fish broth. Great texture. Lu, you have to try it.”
Jiang Lu also took a piece of fish and tasted it. “The fish is very fresh—delicious.”
Lin Feng, too, praised the dish, saying it was the best fish stew he had ever eaten.
Besides the Little Fish Guotie, the other dishes were also excellent. Not a single one gave them anything to complain about.
That was rare in a small place like Mingzhu City.
What they didn’t know was that every dish at Yuyue Fang had to go through a tasting evaluation by all the local staff and chefs. Only those that gained approval from over ninety percent of the people could be added to the menu.
Apart from a few fixed signature dishes, the menu at each branch varied based on the chefs’ specialties, so every location had its own unique flair.
The only downside was that this model made opening new branches a very slow process.
During the meal, they experienced the meticulousness of Yuyue Fang’s service once again.
Their tea was refilled the moment it ran low, their bone china plates were changed promptly, and the staff kept a constant eye on every table’s needs without being intrusive.
A woman who seemed to be a shift supervisor noticed that Jiang Lu appeared to have a low tolerance for spicy food and proactively asked if she wanted the broth of the Little Fish Guotie adjusted to be milder. Soon, she brought over a small bowl of specially prepared, non-spicy clear broth for Jiang Lu to dip her food in.
“This service level has plenty to teach other restaurants. The best part is how natural it feels, so comfortable. To train the staff to this degree, the owner must be someone truly remarkable,” Lin Dong remarked again.
“Dad, do you think this restaurant belongs to some big group?” Lin Feng asked as he munched on his flatbread.
Before Lin Dong could reply, a group of students at the next table answered for him.
“Buddy, you guessed right. This restaurant is under the biggest local group, Wanlong Group.”
“Wanlong? Sounds like something from the underworld?” Lin Feng said instinctively when he heard the name.
The student immediately made a shushing gesture: “Hey! You can’t say that! Wanlong Group... ah no, Wanlong Corporation— it’s one of Mingzhu City’s top responsible enterprises. They’ve created a ton of jobs, done a lot of charity, and most importantly, they’re very law-abiding! Lots of seniors from our university want to join their company after graduation!”
Lin Feng felt there was something odd about the student’s tone and pressed further: “That impressive? The owner must be a big shot, right?”
Another student nodded: “More than a big shot— practically someone with connections in high places. And they started from scratch, white-handed... most importantly, they’re still a student in school.”
Lin Dong: “......”
Lin Feng: “......”
Heads in high places? Started from scratch?
Lin Feng leaned close to his father’s ear and whispered, “Dad, don’t you think the way they talk is weird?”
Even though those students had quickly corrected themselves, he was sure he hadn’t misheard—what they meant to say was “black,” not “white.”
“Mm, strange behavior hints at something unusual. This Wanlong Group is definitely not simple.”
Lin Dong, who had lived for over half a century, was well-traveled. He knew that some local enterprises had shady origins before gradually cleaning up their acts after becoming big.
This Wanlong Association was probably that kind of company.
Still, he didn’t pry further. They had no dealings with the Wanlong Association anyway—they were just here to find someone.
Even if they did end up clashing with them, he wasn’t afraid. Although the Lin family was no longer what it once was, the connections his father had left behind were still partly intact. If trouble arose, they could still call in a favor.
After finishing that topic, they dug into their meal.
About halfway through dinner, Jiang Lu suddenly remembered something. “Oh, that girl I met on the plane—I should have asked for her contact information back then.”
Lin Dong asked, “The one you mentioned earlier, that you got along so well with?”
Jiang Lu nodded. “Yeah, she’s in this city too, and she’s also studying at the University of Finance and Economics.”
“If I’d asked for her contact info, maybe I could have asked her for help. She might have run into Tongtong on campus, maybe they even know each other?”
As she said this, she really did regret it. First of all, she and that girl had hit it off so well. If the girl could have helped her out, it would have made getting closer to her daughter Tongtong much easier—at the very least, she could have gotten a sense of Tongtong’s campus life.
Lin Dong comforted her, “It’s okay. We’re going straight to the school to look for her tomorrow anyway. As long as Tongtong is at the University of Finance and Economics, we’re bound to find her.”
Jiang Lu nodded.
Just then, Lin Feng couldn’t help asking Jiang Lu a question. “Aunt Jiang, what exactly did you go through back then?”
Before, he had never been interested in his stepmother Jiang Lu’s past. But ever since his father had told him about the things she had done, his attitude had gradually changed. He now wanted to take the initiative to understand her history.
Lin Dong frowned. “Xiao Feng, that’s not something you should be asking about.”
“It’s fine.”
Jiang Lu interrupted her husband. “Xiao Feng, if you want to know, I can tell you. There are some things I couldn’t hide from you all forever.”
Seeing that his wife was willing, Lin Dong didn’t object.
But the very first thing Jiang Lu said stunned both father and son.
Jiang Lu said, “I actually have… two daughters.”
Lin Dong nearly dropped his teacup. “What? Two?”
In all ten years of marriage, he had never once heard his wife mention that she had another daughter!
Lin Feng was also taken aback. What was going on? Hadn’t it always been said that there was only that sister Tongtong, whom he had never met? How had it become two?
Jiang Lu explained, “Tongtong is my younger daughter. My older daughter, Niannian (meaning 'yearning'), went missing shortly after she was born. I suspect she was kidnapped.”
“I searched for her for a long time back then—I went to the police, posted missing person notices, used every connection I had, but I just couldn’t find her. I cried every day until I was nearly broken, and I could only keep going by relying on medication for my mental health.
My ex-husband was named Liu Lei. He used to be a police officer, but I don’t think he was a competent cop or a competent father.
As a father, he didn’t bother looking for our daughter. He always brushed me off with excuses about being too busy. As a police officer, he spent his time hanging around with gang members. Later, I found out he had been dismissed for misconduct and had become the boss of a powerful triad in Mingzhu City.
In the end, I was completely disappointed in him. A man who didn’t care that his own biological daughter was missing, who quit being a cop to join the underworld—a total scumbag. Why should I stay with him? So I asked for a divorce.
He agreed to it. After the paperwork was done, I left Mingzhu City. I was already pregnant with Tongtong at the time, but he didn’t know.
Later… I never expected to be targeted by human traffickers. When I woke up, I had been sold to some gambling addict in the countryside. He paid money to buy me, locked me up, and forced me to become his wife.
In the end, for the sake of the child in my belly, I gave in. I thought I could live out my life as an ordinary peasant. But what I didn’t expect was that he was hooked on gambling and beating people. His ex-wife had run away because of that.
After Tongtong was born, I couldn’t take it anymore. One night, when he went out to gamble again, I escaped overnight.
It’s ridiculous to say, but that gambling addict always believed Tongtong was the result of a drunken fling. Actually, I never had any physical relationship with him.
After I got away, my mental condition worsened. I kept having hallucinations, always hearing both of my children calling ‘Mommy,’ always feeling like someone was chasing me… Until I eventually made my way back to my parents’ home. I stayed there for three years, but both my parents passed away during that time…”
“After that, I went to the capital. There, I found a professional psychiatrist. I underwent treatment for a long time and slowly crawled out of the shadows.
Then I taught myself finance and got into an investment bank… and finally, I met your father.”
“Meeting your father has been the luckiest thing in my life from start to finish. He didn’t look down on my past, didn’t care about my history of mental illness, and even accepted the fact that I had a daughter…”
As she said this, her eyes were full of love for Lin Dong. If it weren’t for this man, she might never have made it.
Lin Dong reached out and held her hand. His voice was full of tenderness. “Lulu, you’ve been through so much. Why did you never tell me any of this?”
Although he had known some general things about his wife, he had never imagined her journey had been this hard.
Jiang Lu’s eyes welled up. “I was afraid you would look down on me, afraid you would think my past was too shameful… and besides, I really couldn’t bear to go back and relive those days.”
Lin Feng was silent for a long time before he spoke to apologize. “Auntie, I’m sorry.”
He genuinely hadn’t realized that his stepmother’s past had been so traumatic and painful. An unlucky marriage, a kidnapped daughter, imprisonment and domestic abuse, losing her parents early… It all read like a story of blood and tears.
At the same time, he was stunned by her incredible ability to learn and her resilience.
A woman who had endured so much misery, who had been almost entirely cut off from society until she hit thirty, who had once been on the verge of mental collapse—and yet she had managed to teach herself finance, work in an investment bank, and even help his father save the Lin Group from disaster.
Who knew how far she could have gone if she hadn’t married so early?
No wonder his dad was utterly devoted to her. Forget her looks and grace—he wasn’t being vulgar, okay? Without a decent appearance, his dad probably wouldn’t have fallen for his stepmother in the first place.
But what really mattered was her strength, her abilities, her gentleness and wisdom. Those were what made her truly rare.
If you didn’t consider her past, she could almost be called perfect.
It made sense that his father would be captivated.
“Xiao Feng, you don’t need to apologize.”
Jiang Lu said, "You're part of this family too, so you have the right to know about our past. Maybe someday I'll even find my eldest daughter. The hope is slim... but I'll still do my best to search for her."
Lin Dong said, "You can definitely do it!"
Lin Feng said, "Aunt, I'll help you look for her too!"
At the same time,
in a private room upstairs at Yuyue Restaurant,
Liu Yutong and Gao Min were organizing the leads they'd dug up from Zhao Weixiang.
"Sister, Zhao Weixiang confessed to a lot, including who really killed our dad back then."
Liu Yutong said, "It was Jiang Yuan, right?"
Gao Min nodded. "This Jiang Yuan is no ordinary man. He's a well-known patriotic businessman in Hong Kong City, a regular at charity galas, and holds seven or eight titles like committee member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. On the surface, he looks very upright.
But behind the scenes, he does every dirty deal you can think of—smuggling, money laundering, fraud... and he might even be involved in espionage."
"We've put together enough evidence by now, but the tricky part is how to catch him. The guy is extremely cunning. Every time he comes to the mainland, he rushes in and rushes out, staying at most one night before returning to Hong Kong City. And recently, he hasn't been back to the mainland at all. I'm wondering if he's gotten wind of something, or if he's sensed that something's up."
Liu Yutong naturally understood why. Jiang Yuan was lying low, probably uncertain whether Zhao Weixiang was truly gone and whether the evidence in Zhao's hands had fallen into someone else's. That was why he was being so cautious.
But she didn't necessarily have to wait for him to walk into a trap—there was an opportunity to catch him right now.
"If he won't come to us, we can invite him here."
"How?"
"Jiang Yuan has some connections with an elite family in the capital, the Jiang family of Di Du. I heard that in a few days, the Jiang family is hosting an eightieth birthday banquet for the matriarch. Jiang Yuan has always wanted to forge ties with a top-tier family like that, to be acknowledged by the clan—would he really want to miss an event like this?"
"Huh? How do you know all this?"
"Last time I was back in the capital, I overheard Uncle Li and the others talking about it. The Development and Reform Commission official I met then, whose surname is Jiang, he even sent me an invitation."
