That night after returning home, Guan Xia thoroughly freshened up and comfortably nestled into the sofa. Taking advantage of the early hour, she decided to contact Meng Lan.
Before making the call, Guan Xia checked the time—it wasn’t even 10 p.m. yet. For Meng Lan, this was still early; often, she’d just returned home after overtime work.
Sure enough, as soon as the call connected, Guan Xia heard Meng Lan’s weary yet slightly excited voice. "Guan Xia? Are you done with your work? Back in Yongquan City?"
Guan Xia hummed in agreement. "Just got back—landed at noon. How about you? Everything going smoothly with work and life?"
Knowing Wu Yang was problematic—likely even a core leader of that criminal organization—Guan Xia chose her words carefully. She could only guarantee her own phone was secure; whether Meng Lan’s was being monitored, she had no way of knowing.
Unaware of Guan Xia’s hidden worries, Meng Lan cheerfully replied, "Oh, same as usual—just work and overtime. At home, there’s the housekeeper; outside, a chauffeur; and at the office, secretaries and assistants. My only headache is those old-timers at the company—always trying to push me around just because they’re shareholders. Honestly, 80% of my time is spent outmaneuvering them. But compared to the money in my bank account, I’ll take it as a necessary challenge."
Though her words were laced with frustration, Meng Lan’s tone remained lighthearted. She even chuckled before turning the question back. "What about you? Everything good on your end? You…"
Afraid Meng Lan might divulge too much—risking exposure if her phone was indeed tapped—Guan Xia swiftly but naturally cut in. "Me? I’m great! Plenty of money and free time—living the dream. Actually, I got restless a while back and went on a trip with Pang Le and the others. Just got back today—exhausting but totally worth it. Hey, it’s been ages since we met. If you’ve got time, why not come to Yongquan City? I brought back souvenirs for you. Oh, and I swung by the orphanage too—Mother Chen had lots of updates about your sisters."
There was an underlying message in Guan Xia’s words, leaving Meng Lan momentarily puzzled. Still, she played along. "Meet up? Sure! I’ve been grinding overtime for over a month—sick of those same old faces. A chat over lunch sounds perfect. Honestly, I’ve got so much to vent about—I might lose it otherwise."
Guan Xia couldn’t tell if Meng Lan was subtly echoing her caution or if it was just coincidence. Either way, the conversation was going as planned. Relieved, Guan Xia said, "Then it’s settled. I’ll book your flight now—the earliest tomorrow is at 6:50 a.m. I’ll grab that one, okay? Pang Le, Zhong Xiaoyu, and I will pick you up."
Meng Lan sounded surprised. "That early?"
Grinning, Guan Xia mimicked Pang Le’s playful whine. "Yep! Missed you too much after a month apart. So, sacrifice some sleep for me, huh? We’ll have lunch right after."
Once the flight was booked, Guan Xia finally relaxed, tossing her phone aside and flopping back onto the sofa.
Pang Le and Zhong Xiaoyu, seated on either side, waited until she hung up to speak. "You’re worried her phone’s bugged, right? That’s why you were talking in code?"
Guan Xia wasn’t surprised they’d guessed. "I still don’t get why that group is so fixated on Meng Lan—or how closely they’re watching her. Better safe than sorry."
Pang Le nodded thoughtfully. "Makes sense. Tomorrow, we’ll keep our phones far enough that even if they’re tapped, they won’t catch our conversation. A single leak could ruin everything."
Before Guan Xia could agree, Zhong Xiaoyu cut in bluntly, "If we’re this worried, why not ask Xu Nian to scan them? Knowing for sure would help."
Zhong Xiaoyu’s police-trained mindset stood out. The suggestion jolted Guan Xia upright. She immediately called Xu Nian, who readily agreed and promised to arrange a tech team colleague for the scan the next day.
With everything falling into place, Guan Xia finally slept soundly.
By the time they picked Meng Lan up from the airport and met Xu Nian the next afternoon, it was already 1 p.m. They grabbed a quick bite before heading straight to Xu Nian’s place.
The moment the door opened, Guan Xia noticed a young man rising awkwardly from the sofa—short, bespectacled, and visibly shy. He looked familiar, likely someone she’d seen at Pingjiang District’s bureau, though she couldn’t recall his name.
The tech officer recognized her, murmuring a timid "Expert Guan" before clamming up.
Guan Xia skipped pleasantries with a quick "Hello" and practically snatched Meng Lan’s phone to hand to him.
By now, even Meng Lan sensed something was off. She shot Guan Xia a questioning look but stayed silent, sitting quietly aside.
Twenty minutes later, the officer reassembled the phone’s back panel and reported, "No hardware issues—no hidden trackers or bugs. But there’s a location-tracking program. As long as the phone’s on, it pings another device nonstop."
He handed the phone back, adding, "Just location—no audio surveillance."
Relieved yet unsurprised, Guan Xia thanked him earnestly.
Meng Lan, however, was stunned. Taking her phone back, she stared at it wide-eyed, realization dawning.
It wasn’t until Xu Nian and Guan Xia politely escorted the technical team officers out the door that Meng Lan snapped out of her daze and exclaimed in shock, "What? My phone was secretly installed with a tracker that sends my location to another device 24/7? When did this happen? I had no idea! I’ve kept my phone with me ever since I bought it!"
Meng Lan muttered under her breath, racking her brain in disbelief.
Guan Xia didn’t interrupt, waiting for her to calm down before saying, "It only occurred to me a couple of days ago. At first, it was just a suspicion—I never actually thought your phone had been tampered with."
Though they had only been apart for a little over a month, so much had happened during that time, especially regarding Wu Yang and that criminal organization. Guan Xia was eager to share whatever information she could with Meng Lan.
But before she could continue, Meng Lan suddenly seemed to remember something urgent and frantically gestured for silence. "Shh, shh, wait—not now. Hold on."
She began pacing anxiously around Xu Nian’s living room, as if searching for something, leaving everyone confused. Eventually, Guan Xia caught on and took Meng Lan’s phone from her again. She glanced at Xu Nian and asked, "Is it alright if I go into your study?"
Xu Nian, now understanding, nodded. "Of course, make yourself at home."
Without hesitation, Guan Xia walked into Xu Nian’s study. It was her first time there, but since they lived on the same floor, the layout was similar—same size, same structure, just different furniture styles.
She quickly found a suitable drawer, slid the phone inside, and carefully closed it. On her way out, she even shut the study door behind her.
Guan Xia’s meticulous actions finally eased Meng Lan’s nerves. She let out a long breath, wiping the cold sweat from her forehead.
"This is terrifying," Meng Lan muttered. "I thought someone secretly watching me was bad enough, but now my phone’s been hacked too? Who could’ve done this? That middle-aged woman I met once? Honestly, ever since I found out, every time I see a woman who even slightly resembles her, my heart skips a beat. On the surface, my life seems the same as before, but deep down, everything’s changed. I keep worrying she’ll suddenly pop up out of nowhere and force me into doing something insane."
Though Meng Lan had spoken lightly about it the night before, seeing her in person today made Guan Xia realize how much she’d been struggling.
Meng Lan was slightly heavier than Guan Xia—not exactly overweight, just broader in frame—but after just over a month apart, she’d noticeably lost weight. Her dress hung loosely on her, and her wrists looked bony and pronounced.
Unsure how to comfort her, Guan Xia simply patted her back gently, as she always had.
Pang Le and Zhong Xiaoyu, understanding Meng Lan’s lingering fear, stayed quiet, giving her space.
After what felt like forever, Meng Lan finally steadied herself and sat back down on the sofa. She straightened up and looked at Guan Xia. "I’m better now. Go ahead, Guan Xia—what have you found out? Why the urgency to bring me to Yongquan City? Did you uncover something about that woman?"
Guan Xia instinctively glanced at Xu Nian, who gave a slight nod, before taking a deep breath and recounting everything she could share.
Even the smallest details were shocking to Meng Lan. With every sentence, her expression grew more horrified, the hairs on her arms standing on end.
Despite it being early autumn and still warm outside, Meng Lan broke into a cold sweat, her face paler than when they’d first met.
When Guan Xia finished, Meng Lan stared blankly and whispered, "My God… am I dreaming? I thought I was unlucky, but not this unlucky. I always believed finding my birth parents right before graduation was a stroke of luck—but it was all orchestrated by someone?"
She shuddered, her face turning even whiter. "That was six or seven years ago, back in college. Has someone been watching me all this time? Was that woman not a coincidence? Was she planted there? The things she said, that note she gave me—was it all just to recruit me? To drag me into their crimes?"
Meng Lan was on the verge of tears from her own terrifying realization.
Guan Xia mechanically patted her back, her mind elsewhere.
For days, she’d debated whether to tell Meng Lan. The implications of their discoveries were horrifying, and while Meng Lan had endured hardships, she was still just an ordinary person—albeit more tenacious and driven than most. Guan Xia knew that only desperation and a sliver of hope could’ve pushed Meng Lan to make such extreme choices.
Another surprise had been at the airport. To confirm her suspicions, Guan Xia had shared her system’s vision with Meng Lan the moment they met. She’d assumed that, even if unintentional, Meng Lan had indirectly caused harm to her birth parents and brother. Yet, the system revealed her soul remained pure, untouched by even a trace of bloodshed.
Stunned, Guan Xia had asked the system for clarification. The response was: The gas leak was caused by the housekeeper. The alcohol Meng Lan drank was forced down her throat by her parents. The fire was extinguished by spilled soup, leading to the gas buildup—ultimately, the parents’ own actions led to their demise. By both dimensional laws and human justice, Meng Lan is a victim, not a murderer.
After reading the explanation, Guan Xia understood—but couldn’t help reflecting on human complexity. Those parents had never seen Meng Lan as a daughter, just a tool to manipulate. In their arrogance and haste, they’d sealed their own fate.
For a fleeting moment, Guan Xia had wanted to shield Meng Lan. But the truth was, she’d been dragged into this long ago. Keeping her in the dark would only endanger her further—especially since she idolized Wu Yang, who’d helped her so much. Without knowing the truth, Meng Lan would never suspect him, let alone distance herself.
What worried Guan Xia even more was that Meng Lan knew so little about the criminal organization that she remained completely unguarded. Even if she temporarily stayed in Yongquan City on Guan Xia's advice, her lack of vigilance might lead her to inadvertently do something that would harm herself and expose Guan Xia and the others.
After much deliberation, Guan Xia decided to reveal part of the truth to Meng Lan.
As it turned out, Guan Xia's decision was the right one. Meng Lan muttered to herself in fear for a long while, and before Guan Xia and the others could even offer comfort or suggestions, Meng Lan suddenly snapped to attention and came up with a plan on her own. "No, Guan Xia, no," she said.
It was unclear what exactly Meng Lan had thought of, but she abruptly stood up and began pacing anxiously around the living room. "I can't stay in Linshan City any longer—it's too dangerous. If that group has been using me for a long time, it means there must be something they want from me. The only reason they haven't made a move yet might be because their goal hasn't been achieved. None of us know what that goal is, and if I accidentally fulfill it, I could be in serious trouble. I don’t want to die, and I don’t want to help them do evil. I just want to live a peaceful, comfortable life. I just want to be rich. I just don’t want to suffer."
"I can’t let them use me. I refuse to be their pawn," Meng Lan declared, looking at Guan Xia with determination. "Guan Xia, how about I come up with an excuse to stay in Yongquan City for a while? After all, I went to university here, and you're here too. Even if I say I'm revisiting old memories, it would sound perfectly normal."
Meng Lan's idea aligned perfectly with Guan Xia's plan.
As soon as Meng Lan finished speaking, Guan Xia nodded. "Good. Don’t worry about finding a place to stay—I’ll do my best to arrange somewhere safe for you. But you’ll need to handle things with your sister and your company. Also, the tracking app must stay active. At least for now, you have to act like everything’s normal. If you slip up, I’m afraid we’ll all be in danger."
At the mention of danger, Meng Lan’s lips trembled slightly, but she quickly steadied herself. Pressing her lips together, she nodded firmly. "Don’t worry. I might not be able to help much otherwise, but I’ll do my best to cooperate on this. Over the years we’ve been apart, I may not have learned much, but I’ve mastered acting and pretending. I’ll keep up the act—just like before—and make sure they don’t suspect a thing."
Fully aware of Meng Lan’s past experiences, Guan Xia trusted her completely. She first patted Meng Lan’s back reassuringly before guiding her back to the sofa. Then, she began asking carefully about other details from Meng Lan’s life—things Guan Xia hadn’t been part of or known about before.
