The Scheming Ex-Husband's Courtship-Chapter 613 - 531 Old Friend

Chapter 613: Chapter 531 Old Friend
The elevator kept changing floors, emitting a dull sound as it ascended. After a brief pause, Jian Si continued, "That person’s face, I will never forget for the rest of my life. His car was damaged after the collision, but not seriously. He stopped in front of us for a moment, as if hesitating, but in the end, he stepped on the gas pedal and sped away."
"Didn’t you manage to note down the license plate number?"
"I did, but when the traffic cops checked, they said the plate was fake and couldn’t be traced. Afterward, no matter how much uncle and I urged him not to continue the investigation, saying it would lead nowhere... Their voices became softer after that, and when uncle came out, he just stopped discussing the matter with me."
Jian Si sighed, "Although uncle is a bit timid, he respected my father the most. Even against my aunt’s strong disapproval, he was willing to take in me and Zhengzheng. So, what made him decide to stop the investigation? I didn’t press him; I knew he did it considering me. But, I can’t give up; I must find the perpetrator and bring him to justice. My parents won’t come back to life, but he must pay for his deeds."
Nan Zhan looked at the woman in front of him, who only reached his chest. While she was speaking, her hands tightly grasped the strap of her sketchpad, her slender fingertips digging in, revealing the deep and indelible pain this matter caused her.
So, she had experienced such a family tragedy at that time, and she was only eighteen, still just a child.
The only sound left in the elevator was their shallow breathing. Jian Si didn’t know why she ended up telling him these things; she didn’t want his sympathy, she just needed an outlet for the profound sorrow that had been suppressed in her heart for so long.
"Squeak"
The elevator doors opened, neither of them spoke. After a short silence, Nan Zhan, carrying things, stepped out first, followed closely by Jian Si who also exited the elevator.
Zhengzheng didn’t expect them to come back so suddenly. He was about to heat up the meal Jian Si had prepared for him earlier from the fridge.
"Sis, did you have a good sale today?"
"Hmm, it was the best day so far." Jian Si couldn’t help but glance at Nan Zhan, who was putting things in the kitchen, "Thanks to Lawyer Nan."
"Did big brother go with you?" Zhengzheng winked at Nan Zhan, "Being so smart, of course, he would come up with a good plan."
Nan Zhan felt flattered by such praise and raised his eyebrows slightly: "Good judgment."
After washing her hands, Jian Si went into the kitchen to cook. Zhengzheng asked Nan Zhan to his room, saying he had a question to ask him.
Nan Zhan thought it was another homework problem, only to find that Zhengzheng had taken out several books, each marked with a handmade bookmark highlighting questions about detective work.
He picked up one of the books and asked, "Did you read all this this morning?"
"Yes, I want to finish reading them as quickly as possible." Zhengzheng wasn’t sure when they would have to move again, so he treasured the present moment immensely.
"If you like them, these books are yours. The renovation company made a bookshelf and I just bought some books to fill it because I was bored." Nan Zhan pulled out one of the bookmarks, a small box for snacks that had been cut by Zhengzheng into the shape of a bookmark.
He was lost in thought looking at the tiny bookmark, imagining a child sitting at a table, scissors in hand, cutting up boxes.
He should have had better; he deserved better.
~
Nan Zhan went out to take care of things in the afternoon while Jian Si stayed at home preparing lessons, planning to go to school at four o’clock to pick up the kids from the daycare class.
"Sis." Suddenly, a little head appeared beside her. Leaning on her shoulder, Zhengzheng asked, "Why is big brother so nice to us? Are you dating him?"
Jian Si nearly choked on her saliva and, with a laugh, said, "How did you figure that out?"
"Isn’t it the case? He took us in, bailed you out, and even lent me his books. If he’s not your boyfriend, then he must be planning to become your boyfriend, actively trying to win your favor now."
Jian Si ruffled his head firmly: "How old are you to know about boyfriends and girlfriends? Did you learn this from a book, too?"
Zhengzheng pouted, "A man won’t be kind to a woman for no reason. He has only one goal, and that is to possess."
Seeing his earnest expression, Jian Si burst into laughter.
"I saw that on TV." Zhengzheng laughed, "Sis, am I right?"
"Right my foot." Jian Si put down her pen and tenderly held his little hand, "Sis won’t find a boyfriend. I will spend my entire life living with you."
"Are you afraid that if I had a boyfriend, he wouldn’t be good to me? Sister, don’t worry, whether it’s Lawyer Nan or Brother Yu, they are both very nice to me. You can just choose one of them."
"Don’t talk nonsense, we’re not in the same league as the Nan Family." Jian Si was preparing to continue her lesson planning when the phone suddenly rang.
Zhengzheng had sharp eyes. "It’s Piaopiao calling."
The caller was indeed Feng Piaopiao, Jian Si’s middle school classmate, and her good friend who had always been there for her over the years.
"Are you back from your holiday?" A smile appeared on Jian Si’s face.
"It was so boring." Outside the airport, the heavily made-up Feng Piaopiao was wearing super spicy hot pants that barely covered her hips; her long legs glistened in the sunshine as if reflecting a white light, "The guy ditched me as soon as we got to the airport, not gentlemanly at all, didn’t even drive me."
Feng Piaopiao hailed a cab and stuffed her various designer goods into the back seat.
The taxi driver couldn’t help but take a second look; her fair skin, beautiful face, and long legs made her look like a celebrity out on the streets.
"Miss, where may I take you?"
"Who are you calling miss?" Feng Piaopiao, who was on the phone, immediately took off her sunglasses and barked at the driver in a fierce tone, "Do I look like a ’miss’ to you? Are you blind or what?"
The driver was dumbfounded by her scolding, "I, uh, it’s just a term of respect."
"Call me madam, understand?"
On the other end of the phone, Jian Si quickly responded, "Okay, okay, what are you so worked up for? He didn’t mean anything by it, Miss Feng."
"Hmph." Feng Piaopiao no longer paid attention to the driver and continued talking to Jian Si, "Let me tell you, that rich second generation guy is such a pervert, totally into the S&M vibe, damn it, I was nearly tortured to death by him. But there is one good thing, he lets me spend money like water, doesn’t flinch at all."
"Did you buy a ton of stuff again?"
"If I don’t spend it, it’s a waste. If I don’t buy it, it’s a loss." Feng Piaopiao fiddled with her nails, "Let’s not talk about it anymore, I will come to your place later."
"You better not, I’m living under someone else’s roof right now."
"What happened, can’t pay the rent?"
Jian Si briefly recounted the incident of finding a body in their house, which sent chills down Feng Piaopiao’s spine, "That’s truly horrifying, you and Zhengzheng have been living with a corpse for over half a year, who’s such a pervert that they walled a body into your house?"
"How would I know? Now that the killer can’t be found, I’m the prime suspect, currently on bail awaiting trial."
"So where are you staying then?"
Jian Si glanced around the large house she was in, "A friend’s place."
"Don’t be ridiculous, our relationship is purely a platonic revolutionary friendship; I don’t have those kinds of feelings for him. But you, constantly changing men, when will you ever settle down, Piaopiao? You’re not young anymore, Jian Chuan is coming back soon, he had a crush on you when he was in school, and he still asks about you every other day. Is there really no chance for you two?"
"Jian Chuan?" Feng Piaopiao turned to look out the window, a self-mocking glimmer in her eyes, yet her words carried the typical flirty tone of Feng Piaopiao, "Which one is Jian Chuan? Have we slept together?"
~
Jian Hedong called, full of excitement, saying that Jian Chuan had returned.
When Jian Si and Zhengzheng arrived at the Jian Family’s home, Jian Chuan was sitting in the courtyard feeding a cat. The boy whose face used to be filled with youthful greenness had lost his immature features; with short hair, a grey T-shirt, and casual pants, when he looked up, his eyes and brows sparkled with light.
At the Jian Family home, Jian Chuan looked the most like Jian Si’s father. As a child, everyone said he resembled his uncle, and now that he had grown up, their features were even more alike. For a moment, Jian Si felt as if she saw her father alive and well, sitting in the sunshine, playing with a cat, who would show a kindly smile upon seeing her return, "Sisi, you’re back."
"Sisi, you’re back." The sudden voice by her ear pulled Jian Si back from her memories, the grief receded into a smile on her lips, "Big brother, welcome home."
Jian Chuan was the son of Jian Hedong and his late first wife—who died young; subsequently, Jian Hedong married Li Ronghua. Li Ronghua wasn’t good to Jian Chuan, so secretly, he discussed it with Jian Si’s father,