Zhou Suisui walked out of the Zhou Group building and got into her car.
Only then did she remember something.
She had been in such a rush that she hadn’t even found out where Jiang Zongyan was.
She had dashed out like that, completely ignoring the murderous look in her brother’s eyes.
But she couldn’t worry about that now.
At the thought of Jiang Zongyan’s pale face and the way he had forced a smile, her heart felt as though an invisible hand had given it a gentle squeeze.
She took out her phone and called Jiang Zongyan.
The phone rang for a long time, but no one answered.
Unwilling to give up, she called again. The result was the same.
Her breathing tightened, and even her lips turned several shades paler.
This seemed to be a first.
Jiang Zongyan would never ignore her calls for no reason.
He must be in a terrible mood right now.
After thinking it over, Zhou Suisui called Jiang Ruitian instead.
When Jiang Ruitian answered, she sounded rather gritted-teeth angry.
“My dear best friend, you finally remembered me! Do you know that you haven’t paid any attention to me for several days?!”
Zhou Suisui felt embarrassed and hurried to apologize.
“I’ve been too busy lately. I’m sorry, Tiantian.”
“No need to apologize. How about this? Come out with me this weekend. I heard a new attraction just opened at Moon Bay in the suburbs. It’s supposed to be a lot of fun.”
Most importantly, there would be plenty of handsome guys there—and she might even get to feel their abs.
Hehe, of course she had to share such a wonderful opportunity with her best friend.
“This weekend…”
Zhou Suisui hesitated.
She might not have time.
Before she could refuse, Jiang Ruitian said mournfully, “Suisui, you have no idea what kind of miserable life I’ve been living lately. If this keeps up, I’ll die young!”
“Bah, bah, bah! What nonsense! Don’t jinx yourself!”
“I’m serious!”
A few days ago, Jiang Ruitian had officially started working at the company.
Jiang Zongyan had arranged a position for her as an assistant’s assistant and had Lin Zhou supervise her.
Before Lin Zhou left for America with Jiang Zongyan, he had handed her a stack of documents.
For the past few days, Jiang Ruitian had done nothing but read documents. She was so overwhelmed that her eyes went blurry whenever she looked at anything.
Thinking of Jiang Ruitian’s carefree personality, Zhou Suisui felt that making her sit in an office and study documents was truly asking too much of her.
She couldn’t bring herself to refuse and finally agreed.
“Fine. If I have time this weekend, I’ll go with you.”
“That’s why you’re my true bestie. You’re the best. Mwah!”
Zhou Suisui cleared her throat and hurriedly got to the point. “Tiantian… do you know where your brother is right now?”
“My brother?”
Jiang Ruitian was puzzled. “He should have just returned from overseas, right? I haven’t seen him either. He’s not at the office…”
She paused, then continued, “Suisui, you and my brother are already at that stage, and you still can’t find him?”
Zhou Suisui was anxious and ignored the ambiguity in her words. “He isn’t answering his phone.”
“Tsk, tsk. My brother’s got some nerve, hasn’t he? His wifey isn’t even officially his yet, and he already dares not answer her calls?”
Wifey?
Zhou Suisui was so embarrassed she could have burrowed her toes into the floor. “Tiantian, about that… I’ll explain when we meet.”
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Forget it. She would just have to endure being mercilessly teased by her best friend. She told her the truth.
“Don’t worry. I’ll call Assistant Lin. He’ll definitely know where my brother is.”
Jiang Ruitian comforted her with a few words before hanging up.
A moment later, Jiang Ruitian sent her a message. An address was attached.
The address was for the Oriental Supreme Hotel.
Zhou Suisui remembered finding him at that hotel several times before.
Did he like going there that much?
As soon as she got the address, she started the car.
Behind her, the twins followed her out.
Zhou Suisui glanced at them through the rearview mirror and let out a helpless sigh.
Fine. If they wanted to follow her, so be it.
If she didn’t let them come along, her brother would worry.
Half an hour later, the car stopped at the entrance of the Oriental Supreme Hotel.
Zhou Suisui walked straight into the elevator and, with practiced ease, pressed the button for the exclusive suite on the top floor.
Lin Zhou was standing in the hallway.
He stared at the tightly closed door, looking anxious and completely at a loss.
“Assistant Lin.”
Hearing Zhou Suisui’s voice, Assistant Lin turned around in surprise.
“Miss Zhou, what brings you here?”
As though he had thought of something, he immediately hurried toward her, as if he had just found a lifeline.
“You came at the perfect time. The president came to the hotel after parting with you and locked himself in the room without saying a word.”
“Is he… all right?”
Standing in front of the door, Zhou Suisui stared at it, her face filled with worry.
Assistant Lin quietly slipped the room card into her hand. “Go in and talk to him.”
After a pause, he added, “I assume Miss Zhou already knows what happened. Actually… over the years, the president has done more than enough for that girl’s parents. He arranged jobs for them and gave them money as well… But some people are simply insatiable.”
That was all he could say.
The woman had discovered that the president was softhearted and had used all sorts of excuses to extort money from him more than once.
Before this, the president had endured it every time, merely telling him to give her some money and send her away.
But Assistant Lin knew that the president was not as calm as he appeared.
Whenever that woman showed up, his mood would remain low for a long time.
Although Assistant Lin didn’t know exactly what had happened back then, the president had done more than enough for that couple over the years.
No matter what, they shouldn’t treat their dead daughter as a cash cow, should they?
“I’ll try.”
Zhou Suisui nodded and gently unlocked the door.
The moment it opened, a thick, pungent smell of smoke rushed toward her, making her frown.
The windows were shut, and the heavy curtains were drawn tightly closed.
A few thin shafts of light slipped through the gaps, casting mottled shadows across the floor.
Jiang Zongyan sat on the carpet in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, his back to the door.
He was still wearing the white shirt from noon.
It was wrinkled now, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms. A half-burned cigarette dangled between his fingers, its ember glowing and fading in the darkness.
The ashtray by his feet was already overflowing with cigarette butts, some of them still trailing wisps of smoke.
He sat there expressionlessly, his gaze vacant.
As though he were hopelessly addicted to smoking, he took one drag after another. White smoke curled around him, blurring his handsome face.
Hearing the door open, he didn’t even turn his head. His voice was filled with undisguised impatience and exhaustion.
“I told you not to bother me. Don’t you understand?”
He thought it was Lin Zhou coming in again.
Standing at the door and looking at his lonely, desolate back, Zhou Suisui pressed her lips tightly together.
She had never seen Jiang Zongyan like this.
The Jiang Zongyan she knew was always composed and dignified, aloof and in complete control. No matter how serious the matter, he could handle it with calm confidence.
But now, he was like an injured wolf hiding alone in a corner to lick its wounds. His entire body radiated a fragile vulnerability that kept everyone at a distance.
“It’s me… Cough…”
The moment Zhou Suisui spoke, she couldn’t help coughing after inhaling the smoke filling the room.
