In just a brief moment, Guan Xia found herself lost in thought.
She recalled the expression on Meng Lan’s face when she suggested they go hiking and camping together. She remembered her own surprise at seeing so many of Meng Lan’s friends, and the way Meng Lan had seemed hesitant, as if holding something back throughout their journey.
Because of their long-standing friendship—even after nearly four years apart—Guan Xia wanted to trust Meng Lan. But given the suspicious details she had uncovered, she couldn’t help but maintain a cautious distance, even as she tried to remain sincere.
Agreeing to the camping trip was partly out of nostalgia for their past bond, but also because their recent conversations had been rushed, leaving her no opportunity to probe or observe. Spending days together might force Meng Lan to drop her guard, revealing glimpses of her true self to her once-closest friend. Maybe then, Guan Xia could uncover something.
Though she had no proof, the memory of that unidentified woman who had intervened when Meng Lan attempted suicide still gnawed at her. During idle moments, Guan Xia couldn’t shake the suspicion that the woman’s appearance hadn’t been a coincidence.
Now, it seemed her doubts had been justified. What she hadn’t anticipated, however, was how extreme Meng Lan’s methods would be.
What was the point of bringing a sister she never wanted to acknowledge into her life? And that murderer—was it really just an accident?
Was the middle-aged woman who stopped Meng Lan from killing herself really connected to that organization? But if that group claimed to uphold justice and punish evil, how could one of its members be the perpetrator of the inhumane, sociopathic massacre known as Case 0217? Had their assumptions about the organization been completely wrong?
The questions multiplying in Guan Xia’s mind darkened her expression, her gaze turning icy as she studied Meng Lan, as if seeing her for the first time.
Meng Lan knew Guan Xia well. One look at her face and eyes told her everything. Frantic, she stepped forward, explaining, “Guan Xia, I swear to you, it was all a coincidence. I have no idea why she showed up here, but I never contacted her privately. If you don’t believe me, check for yourself.”
Fumbling in her pocket, Meng Lan pulled out her phone and held it out. “I know chat logs and call records can be deleted, but I’m sure someone like you has ways to recover the data. Once we’re off the mountain, I’ll hand over all my devices. You can keep them until you’ve finished investigating.”
Guan Xia remained silent, still watching Meng Lan, considering whether this was an opportunity to press for answers.
Pang Le suddenly moved forward, standing beside Guan Xia as she faced Meng Lan. Without exchanging a word, the two seemed to share the same thought. Pang Le took the phone with a smirk. “Devices don’t prove anything. You’re rich enough to have multiple phones. Maybe all your conversations happened on another one?”
Guan Xia played along, eyeing Meng Lan skeptically.
She wasn’t sure if Meng Lan’s distress was genuine, but judging by her expression, she did seem flustered. Meng Lan raised her voice instinctively before remembering the strangers nearby and lowering it again. “Don’t you have friends in the police? Investigating someone thoroughly shouldn’t be hard. Go ahead—I’ll cooperate. This camping trip is already tied to a case anyway, so you’ve got every reason to look into me.”
Guan Xia and Pang Le exchanged a glance. It was clear they were both thinking of the information they’d uncovered back in Linshan City.
Guan Xia had countless questions. What had the middle-aged woman said to Meng Lan the night she tried to take her own life? How had she shaken off Luo Deye? And was that life-risking murder plan really something she orchestrated alone?
But this wasn’t the time or place. After a moment’s hesitation, Guan Xia pulled Meng Lan aside and whispered, “Is there something you’ve been meaning to tell me about what happened during those years we were apart? I noticed it from the start—you kept looking at me like you wanted to say something but held back. Or… was this camping trip not your idea? Did someone ask you to invite me?”
Something in her words struck a nerve. Meng Lan’s face paled, and she looked almost guilty, stammering, “You noticed? I thought you seemed off this whole time, and your friend’s been speaking in riddles.”
Guan Xia’s pulse quickened, but something about Meng Lan’s reaction felt wrong—not what she’d expected at all.
If she’d truly uncovered a deeply hidden secret, shouldn’t Meng Lan be panicked? Terrified? Why was she acting so strangely?
Pang Le frowned, sensing the same dissonance.
Under their scrutinizing gazes, Meng Lan glanced around before lowering her voice further. “I have been wanting to reconnect with you. I even planned to ask you out, but work kept me too busy. Then General Manager Wu approached me about a private investment, and I finally had some breathing room. When we signed the contract recently, we had dinner afterward, and he started talking about you. I can’t remember his exact words—they were kind of formal—but he was full of praise. Maybe the matron at the orphanage told him something about you? He seemed really impressed, said it was fate that we came from the same place, and that we should cherish it. He mentioned wanting to see you again since the training center ribbon-cutting, but he’s been swamped, and with no professional overlap, he never got the chance. Since we’re friends now, he asked me to reach out, so the three of us could meet up when he has time.”
Guan Xia blinked, exchanging a baffled look with Pang Le.
“General Manager Wu?” Guan Xia said hesitantly. “He’s a big-shot executive. Why would he admire me? Compared to him, what I do is nothing. Are you sure you didn’t misunderstand?”
“No misunderstanding,” Meng Lan insisted. “Remember that call we had when you were in Jianyang City?”
Guan Xia nodded. Of course she remembered—she’d spent days feeling paranoid after sensing someone watching her but finding no one.
Meng Lan continued, “That call was weird from the start. He told me he’d spotted you from his car as he was leaving a parking lot, and you looked familiar. I kept thinking—how deeply must you have left an impression for him to recognize you in the dark with just a glance? And then he came to me to confirm it was you.”
Guan Xia studied Meng Lan’s expression intently. “What else?”
Meng Lan said, "Also, I always feel his motives aren’t that pure."
She glanced around again and lowered her voice. "Didn’t I tell you before? My sister is a genuine corporate tycoon. She always taught me that in business, you should focus on business—using emotions for money is an insult to money. A merchant’s priority is profit. But look at General Manager Wu—the way he collaborates with people is practically like charity."
Meng Lan continued, "You’re fine—your comic is at least a somewhat famous IP. Signing you wouldn’t be a loss; it’s mutually beneficial. But look at my company. It might seem impressive on the surface, but inside, it’s already rotten. When I first inherited it, I even considered selling my shares to cash out. But my sister convinced me that if I wanted my own career, I could use this company as practice. If I couldn’t revive it, I could still cash out and start over—at least I’d have some management experience. That’s why I held on. Then, luckily, I met General Manager Wu, and that’s how I saved the company."
Frowning, Meng Lan added, "Even though I accepted his investment, I keep wondering—what’s in it for him? Is it really just because we’re from the same orphanage? But there are so many people from our orphanage—he doesn’t treat everyone like this. I’ve tried probing, but I got nothing. So I’m left overthinking."
Guan Xia looked at her skeptically. "You’ve been hesitating this whole trip—was this what you wanted to tell me?"
Meng Lan nodded.
Guan Xia stared at her. "That’s it? Nothing else?"
Meng Lan hesitated. "What else? What do you mean?"
Guan Xia thought for a moment before speaking bluntly. "In the three-plus years we’ve been apart, is there really nothing else you need to tell me?"
Meng Lan fell silent, her head lowered as if lost in thought.
Just as Guan Xia assumed Meng Lan wouldn’t speak and was about to press further, Meng Lan suddenly looked up, her expression complicated as she bit her lip and whispered, "There are some things I’ve been debating whether to tell you. I’ve had suspicions, but no proof, no connections to investigate. I didn’t want to burden you. But seeing you surrounded by so many friends now, I feel relieved. Let’s wait until we’re off the mountain. I’ll tell you everything then. Honestly, I’ve been on edge for so long with no one to confide in. If I keep holding it in, I think I’ll go crazy."
Meng Lan’s reaction and words caught Guan Xia off guard again. Even though Meng Lan hadn’t said anything concrete, Guan Xia had a vague sense of what she meant.
Glancing back at Xu Nian and the others—who, despite tending to the rescued group, kept looking their way—Guan Xia didn’t push further. Still, she couldn’t resist asking one more question. "Her being here—it’s really just a coincidence, not your doing?"
Meng Lan blinked in confusion before realizing what Guan Xia meant. She quickly raised her hand as if swearing. "I swear on my future wealth—it wasn’t me. If I’m lying, may I be broke for the rest of my life."
Guan Xia remained half-convinced but couldn’t help laughing at Meng Lan’s dramatic vow. She rolled her eyes and moved to the farthest corner from the girl, deliberately turning her back to avoid seeing her.
Pang Le and Meng Lan naturally sat on either side of Guan Xia. Zhong Xiaoyu, who had been watching curiously, finally scurried over and sat across from Guan Xia after their conversation ended. She peeked at Guan Xia’s expression before asking in a hushed voice, "Did I… say something wrong earlier? That girl…"
She craned her neck to look at the girl before continuing, "Her resemblance to Guan Xia—it’s not a coincidence?"
Before Guan Xia could react, Pang Le pinched Zhong Xiaoyu’s shoulder in warning, applying a bit more force than necessary.
Zhong Xiaoyu winced and nodded hastily. "Okay, okay, I get it. I won’t ask."
Only then did Pang Le let go. Zhong Xiaoyu rubbed her shoulder and muttered, "You really went all out, huh?"
Guan Xia turned back and noticed that the rescued people, though still dazed, were gradually regaining clarity in their eyes after resting. She lowered her voice and said, "It’s not that it’s a secret—just not the right time. We’ll talk after we get back."
Zhong Xiaoyu gave an OK sign, casually distributing snacks while subtly observing the others.
Eating to conserve energy, the group waited in the cave for another half hour before reinforcements finally arrived.
