Wang Zhuo’s question genuinely surprised Xu Meng.

She blinked her large eyes, which held a slight resemblance to Xu Chu’s, and asked back with a hint of doubt, “My grandfather is Xu Xinli; you know him?”

Wang Zhuo smiled and nodded. “In that case, you should call Xu Chu’s grandfather Third Grand-Uncle. You and Xu Chu aren’t direct cousins.”

“You know quite a bit,” Xu Meng admitted, nodding in surprise.

“Since I need to strike a partnership with your family, it was necessary to look into things beforehand,” Wang Zhuo stated casually. “Xu Chu only has one paternal uncle, and the daughters in that branch have already emigrated overseas. So, I guessed you were from her Second Grand-Uncle’s line, which turns out to be correct.”

This immediately piqued Xu Meng’s curiosity. Wang Zhuo paused, then smiled kindly at her. “I’ve met your grandfathers; they came to see me together and even provided me with some assistance.”

I didn’t come here to discuss this... Xu Meng felt a mix of amusement and frustration; how could this man be so tangential?

“You should go abroad for a while to clear your head,” Wang Zhuo suddenly advised, glancing at her. “I’m not joking. Doing this will be the best outcome for both you and your relatives.”

“Eh?” Xu Meng laughed in annoyance. “What are you talking about? I don’t understand you at all!”

“Teacher Xu,” Wang Zhuo said with a faint smile and a shake of his head. “After what happened, do you think you can still return to school to teach? Or have you decided to fight them to the death, not caring about the ensuing chaos after I’m gone?”

Xu Meng was stunned as Wang Zhuo continued, “He’s just a man who has a wife and doesn’t really love you. With your qualities, do you think you can’t find someone better? Or are you unable to swallow this insult and desperately need a dramatic way to regain face? Or perhaps you feel life is pointless and are seeking a quick end?”

Xu Meng tried to argue but found herself speechless. Every word Wang Zhuo spoke was a gem, striking right at the core of her feelings. His occasional gaze seemed to see through everything, capable of peering into her very soul.

“He’s just an irresponsible man; what’s there to be so reluctant about? Especially when he has a domineering and exclusionary wife?” Wang Zhuo sneered when he saw her silence. “As for your stubborn pride, take a step back, and you’ll find a broader horizon. A more brilliant life awaits you. Once you develop a different sphere of influence, all this will just be fleeting smoke.”

After a long silence, Xu Meng finally managed a wry smile. “Your tongue can truly bring the dead back to life.”

“Talking without action is just pretense,” Wang Zhuo smiled slightly. “I’m about to start some business overseas and urgently need talent like you. Of course, you can also interpret this as me coveting your beauty and using this chance to build a relationship. If you figure things out, just tell me. There are over two hundred countries on Earth, and I have several business ventures—you can practically pick and choose.”

Xu Meng finally couldn’t help but laugh. “You speak with such confidence!”

“Whether my confidence is warranted or not, you can ask Xu Chu,” Wang Zhuo lifted his chin proudly. “There are some expired documents in the study upstairs. They aren’t exactly top secrets; feel free to look if you’re curious.”

This little man is too arrogant! Xu Meng grunted with irritation and asked, “Do you have any other instructions? If not, I’m going to look at documents with Xu Chu!”

Wang Zhuo assessed her with a glance and teased, “Instructions isn't the right word. I just wanted to advise you that you have a wonderful youth ahead, and men who like you are still queuing up. Give them a chance, and you’ll find there are plenty of good men out there.”

...

She was actually lectured by a little man! Xu Meng stomped out of the driver’s cabin in a huff. After searching downstairs for a moment, she went upstairs to find Xu Chu.

Wang Zhuo steered the car into a quiet, deserted alley, figuring that tonight, only a few stray cats would pass by—no other visitors expected.

Then, he called Yuan Ye.

“Wang Zhuo, don’t be so polite to me, I’m overwhelmed by your gratitude! I already scared those people off. The group that started the fight should be thankful they weren't charged!”

“Me? Of course, I’m fine! Anyone who isn't satisfied can file a complaint with me. You know, the superior of my superior is my uncle. Even if he reported it all the way to the Jiangzhou Political and Legal Affairs Commission, they couldn't do anything to me.”

Yuan Ye’s attitude was remarkably bold; anyone listening might think he was Wang Zhuo’s righteous buddy who stood up for him!

Although Wang Zhuo was powerful, he understood how to navigate relationships. Hearing this, he chuckled. “Right, I’ll host a gathering soon, Director Yuan, we must catch up properly!”

“I’ll gladly accept the invitation then!” Yuan Ye was overjoyed and tactfully added, “Let’s leave it at that for now. I have to go assist with a homicide investigation and handle paperwork. I’ll hang up if there’s nothing else, okay?”

“A homicide?” Wang Zhuo’s curiosity was immediately piqued. He glanced at He Ye busy in the kitchen, and Xu Chu and Xu Meng looking over materials in the study. Since he had nothing urgent, he casually asked, “What’s the situation? Can you tell me about it?”

This kind of case detail was, of course, supposed to be kept confidential, strictly mandated by police discipline. But since Wang Zhuo had asked, what did discipline matter?

So, Yuan Ye recounted the case details precisely. It turned out to be a major case: a family of three brutally murdered, the wife having suffered assault before her death, the husband having a history of drug use, and the little girl only six years old.

After narrating, Yuan Ye complained indignantly, “Normally, for a case like this, once we find a suspect, comparing the DNA gives us the result. But that bastard actually wore a condom, damn it.”

Wang Zhuo often enjoyed watching true-crime documentaries. Since he was free anyway, he asked with a smile, “Did you check the nearby dumpsters and roadside grasses to see if you could find that balloon?”

“How could we not check? We looked everywhere,” Yuan Ye chuckled dryly. “That kid has strong counter-surveillance skills; he must have taken it with him. Where are we supposed to look for it now?”

After hanging up, Wang Zhuo turned off the car lights and shook his head as he left the driver’s seat. These days, the media produced too many crime special programs for newspaper sales and TV ratings. While these satisfied the public’s appetite for the sensational, they also served as warnings to criminals, helping them develop excellent anti-surveillance abilities, making cases increasingly difficult to solve.

He entered the kitchen. He Ye’s three dishes and one soup were nearly finished. Wang Zhuo inhaled the aroma of the food and grinned with satisfaction.

“I guessed right; your cooking skills are excellent.”

He Ye turned and smiled. “How did you guess?”

“To conquer a man, you must first satisfy his stomach,” Wang Zhuo quipped with a smile. “Others might not understand that principle, but you? You wouldn’t?”

He Ye managed an awkward smile. Wang Zhuo certainly saw right through her. As the saying goes, know yourself and know your enemy, and you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If he saw through her, didn't that mean he had her cornered?

“Keep up the good work. I’m going to see what the others are doing,” Wang Zhuo chuckled, gave her backside a squeeze, and walked out.

He Ye felt her legs go weak from the pinch. She shot him a reproachful glance and instinctively swallowed hard before turning back to continue stir-frying.

Meanwhile, the sisters Xu Chu and Xu Meng were already stunned by those “expired” files.

They were documents concerning the Taoyuan Copper Mine, some reports from Dynasty Wuliang, and the previous fiscal year’s performance summary for Shengshi Dynasty Jewelers.

These materials were enough for them to form a rough understanding of Wang Zhuo’s net worth. Adding to that, Xu Chu had quietly confided that Wang Zhuo promised to give them forty percent of the shares in the new beauty chain he was about to establish—projected to yield over a hundred million in profit in the first fiscal year. That was an immense gesture!

As a university lecturer and a native of Jiangzhou, Xu Meng was quite familiar with Dynasty Wuliang, which had developed from this region. She had even considered that if Dynasty Wuliang ever went public, she would buy its stock the very first moment she could.

Because Dynasty Wuliang’s overseas market was so vast—the prospects were limitless!

“Did he really say you could choose freely between his projects and regions?!” Xu Chu exclaimed with delight. “Sister, ask him for the authorization for the new product line in the US—that’s an even better market than the domestic one!”

“Silly Chu Chu,” Xu Meng shook her head. “Dynasty Wuliang is invincible. Forget the US; France or Germany would be incredible markets too.”

Xu Chu giggled and teased, “He’s really good to you, giving you such a huge gift right after meeting you. The treatment really is different for someone whose backside he’s touched.”

When Wang Zhuo had steadied Xu Meng back into the car, he had indeed touched her rear end. While he wouldn't have been able to stop her from falling if he hadn't done that, a touch was still a touch—that was a fact.

Normally, Xu Chu wouldn't joke so boldly with her older cousin. But Wang Zhuo had just mentioned that her cousin had a tendency toward self-destruction, so Xu Chu felt it necessary to liven up the atmosphere, at least to cheer her cousin up and dispel that dark thought.

“So what if he touched me?” Xu Meng scoffed. In her eyes, Xu Chu was just a little girl, not a heavyweight opponent. “What about you? Is your relationship with him more than just a touch? Hurry up and confess, how far have things gone? B $\sim$ $\Xi$?”

She was referring to three levels of contact: holding hands, kissing, and physical intimacy (negative distance). Xu Chu felt a pang of embarrassment and hadn't answered when Wang Zhuo knocked twice and entered the room.

Xu Meng glanced at him and continued to urge her cousin, “Answer my question!”

“I need to use the restroom,” Xu Chu mumbled, unable to articulate, and simply fled!

“Dinner’s ready,” Wang Zhuo said cheerfully, beckoning Xu Meng toward the dining area with a hook of his finger.

“You heard my question, didn’t you?” Xu Meng asked with a knowing smile.

“I heard it,” Wang Zhuo grinned, shrugging. “The answer is somewhere between B and $\Xi$; you figure it out yourself.”

Dinner passed peacefully. Aside from a few occasional remarks about the food, everyone tacitly avoided bringing up any private matters.

What exactly is between B and $\Xi$? This question temporarily occupied Xu Meng’s mind. By the time she suddenly realized the answer, feeling suddenly enlightened, it was nearly midnight.

He is truly wicked! Xu Meng was both annoyed and amused. After listening to the quiet environment, she rose and headed toward the restroom. RA