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墨書 Inktalez
In the early morning, Jono woke up early. She had been sleeping lightly these days, or rather, she was suffering from insomnia. Last night, she had intended to spend some time alone to adjust herself, but unexpectedly, Jin Chengyan had brought Chuyu Xiu over.
As she got up and prepared breakfast in the kitchen, even if she didn't want to help Jin Chengyan, she felt compelled to prepare something for Chuyu Xiu!
In truth, she really liked children. Just look at how adorable Chuyu Xiu was! Although sometimes mischievous, there were moments when he acted like a little adult.
But if she had a child like that herself, how much more interesting her life would be!
“Puff puff puff…” The porridge bubbled over in the pot, snapping Jono out of her reverie. She lifted the lid and turned the heat down.
What was she thinking about?
Having a child with Jin Chengyan? Don't be ridiculous. Jin Chengyan was a man who immersed himself in physical pleasures with her while simultaneously engaging in a spiritual romance with Ruan Shengyu. If she were to have a child with him, how much hardship would that child endure?
Jono would never allow her child to live such a life!
“Creak—” The sound of the front door opening came from the entrance.
Jono glanced into the living room and saw Jin Chengyan uncomfortably sleeping on Qiao Chen's bed. Chuyu Xiu was also in the room. Who could it be at this hour?
Before she could think too much, the front door swung open.
“Hey, sis? Is that you?” Qiao Chen exclaimed upon discovering the kitchen door open and immediately spotted her sister.
Then he looked into the living room and saw Jin Chengyan curled up on his bed!
“Why is this guy here?” Qiao Chen frowned at seeing Jin Chengyan sleeping on his bed. Of course, his deeper displeasure stemmed from not liking Jin Chengyan at all.
First came the sounds of clattering from the kitchen, then the creaking of doors opening and closing, followed by Qiao Chen's extremely dissatisfied voice. All of this combined with the fact that Qiao Chen's bed couldn't compare to the luxurious king-sized bed Jin Chengyan had at Jin Mansion woke him up.
Rubbing his shoulders, he looked at Qiao Chen and asked, “You’re back from school at this hour?”
“Yeah, what about you? You’re back from school?” Jono glanced at the clock; it was just past seven. Qiao Chen should have been preparing for class at school—how could he be back already?
Qiao Chen put down her backpack. "I need to fill out some forms. I'll go back to get my ID and household registration book."
"Oh..." Jono nodded. "Can it wait a bit?" She thought about using Qiao Chen's documents for something today, and if Qiao Chen took them away, it would delay things.
"It can't wait. I need it urgently; otherwise, I wouldn't have come back this morning to get it. Do you need it too?" Qiao Chen asked.
"No, no..." Jono quickly covered up. "Have you eaten breakfast yet?"
"Not yet, but I probably won't have time to eat. I need to rush back for class; the teacher is handing out the final exam papers today, so I have to go back." Qiao Chen walked over to her locker and opened it, looking for her ID but couldn't find it. "Sister, have you seen my ID? And my household registration book?"
Jono remembered she had taken them out yesterday and washed her hands. "It's damp outside, so I put them away for you. I'll get them right now."
Jono reached for a paper towel to dry her hands but accidentally grabbed a rag instead, ending up with grease all over her hands.
This action caught the attention of Jin Chengyan and Qiao Chen.
Could it be that she woke up too early this morning and hasn't fully come to her senses?
Jin Chengyan watched as Jono entered the room, feeling that she seemed a bit dazed.
Qiao Chen looked at Jin Chengyan, who was half-sitting on his bed, and couldn't help but say, "Brother-in-law, it's already this late; why aren't you up yet?"
Qiao Chen's use of "brother-in-law" pleased Jin Chengyan immensely, even though he felt somewhat reluctant about it.
Inside the room, Jono pulled out the household registration book and Qiao Chen's ID from the document bag. Her own and Qiao Chen's passports were also inside.
She let out a sigh of relief, sealed the document bag, and placed it back in the drawer.
As she turned around, she saw Jin Chengyan leaning against the doorframe, looking at her with a meaningful expression.
Whether it was nervousness or something else, Jono instinctively moved closer to the drawer, blocking it from view.
He probably won't notice anything, right?
"I'll go in and see if Chuyu Xiu is awake," Jin Chengyan said, shifting his gaze from Jono to the bed where Chuyu Xiu was still sleeping soundly like a little pig.
Jono responded with an "Oh," and suggested, "Let's step outside and let him sleep well." Jono walked over first and closed the door behind them.
As he brushed past Jin Chengyan, he grabbed her wrist.
The heat radiating from Jin Chengyan made Jono instinctively want to pull her hand back; however, Jin Chengyan wasn't about to let her withdraw so easily.
"Jono, did I do something to upset you?" he asked. Just two days ago, everything was fine. There were occasional small tempers, but they were within Jin Chengyan's understanding. However, since last night, Jono had been acting unusually excessive, which made Jin Chengyan anxious.
Jono looked up and smiled sweetly, "How could that be? You could never do anything to make me unhappy!"
You just did something that made me lose hope.
"Don't think too much about it. Women have a few days each month when they can't think rationally! After all, women are the only creatures on this planet that bleed for four or five days every month and still survive." Jono's words sent a chill down Jin Chengyan's spine.
Indeed, women are the most incomprehensible and terrifying beings in this world!
So when a woman loves deeply, a man should know to be cautious.
She gently pulled her hand from Jin Chengyan's grasp, and he didn't stop her as he watched her walk away.
"Here you go. I'll come by your school tomorrow to pick it up," Jono said softly. "Stay for breakfast; don't rush back to school in this cold weather."
"Okay," Qiao Chen replied.
Since Qiao Chen had arrived, Jono served him breakfast first and also prepared a portion for Jin Chengyan. Once he finished washing up and came out, he automatically sat beside Jono, feeling satisfied—no, slightly dissatisfied—as he ate his breakfast.
Because Qiao Chen had fried eggs while all he had in front of him was a bowl of plain congee.
"I want to eat a fried egg too..." Jin Chengyan scooped the porridge in his bowl with a spoon. In truth, he didn't really want the fried egg; he just wanted Jono to treat him fairly.
"We're out of eggs," Jono replied succinctly.
Jin Chengyan turned to look at the kitchen. There were clearly two eggs still sitting on the counter!
"But there are still..."
"Those are for Chuyu Xiu!"
"Who is Chuyu Xiu?" Qiao Chen asked, happily enjoying the fried egg her sister had prepared for her.
"My nephew," Jin Chengyan said somewhat forlornly, his eyes fixed on the fried egg in front of Qiao Chen.
"Oh..." Qiao Chen took a big bite of the fried egg, savoring it. "Sister, what university do you think I should apply to? The teacher said I should start preparing early, so I'm asking for your opinion. I scored second in my grade on the final exam, but I feel like I should have been first. However, the language arts teacher in our grade insists that my essay shouldn't have received full marks."
Qiao Chen was genuinely studying hard, and with her natural talent, standing out in that school was almost effortless.
She had originally planned to show her report card to her sister during the break, but unexpectedly ran into her today and wanted to share this good news quickly.
However, her sister didn’t seem to react much.
"Sister..." Qiao Chen called out to Jono, noticing she was lost in thought. "Sister!"
"Huh?" Jono snapped back to reality. "What is it?"
"Qiao Chen is asking what university he should apply to," Jin Chengyan reminded Jono. "But I think, Qiao Chen, you should decide which university to attend yourself. Don't ask your sister about everything; she has a lot on her plate too. You're eighteen now; it's time to learn to make your own decisions."
"My sister hasn't even said anything yet; who are you to say?" Qiao Chen retorted unhappily.
"When I was your age, I was already earning money," Jin Chengyan said lightly.
Jono felt a slight headache; how could these two people meet and start arguing within three sentences?
"Alright, can you both say one less thing?" Jono whispered sharply.
Jin Chengyan replied, "Oh..."
Qiao Chen echoed, "Oh..."
Jin Chengyan thought to himself that Jono was acting strangely today! So he could only lower his head and sip his porridge, enduring the absence of fried eggs without complaint.
"Qiao Chen, as for your aspirations, just fill in what you like. I can't make decisions for your life; I hope you can do things you enjoy."
In truth, Qiao Chen wanted to say that not studying was what he truly enjoyed, but since his sister had initially expressed her hopes for him to get into college, he knew that saying such a thing would surely earn him a beating. So he kept quiet.
"Thank you, sis."
Later, Qiao Chen took a taxi to school. By the time Chuyu Xiu woke up, helped him wash up, and had breakfast ready, Jin Chengyan had already taken him to the Chu Family.
...
Jin Zhongshu had undergone surgery and was recovering well but needed to rest. After spending a few days in the hospital, he returned to the Jin Family Mansion and declined all visits from outsiders.
Even members of the Jin Family rarely got to see Jin Zhongshu.
Jono knew that Jin Chengyan was busy—busy with his open and covert battles against Yan Beiting, busy navigating through relationships, busy perfecting the facade he wore.
Seeing that it was almost time and everything was prepared, while Jin Chengyan and Yan Beiting were locked in their fierce struggle, she decided it was time for her to focus on her own matters.
She wrote her name on the statement and handed it over to Xiao Yuanshan.
Xiao Yuanshan closed the document. "I have obtained the arrest warrant; we can go apprehend them shortly. Once we start making arrests, what happens next will be beyond my control. I hope you can hold on."
"Thank you." Aside from that, Jono didn't know what else to say.
Jin Chengyan chose to protect a criminal instead of helping her, so she could only seek out those who wanted a fair trial. She didn't believe everyone was afraid under the power; otherwise, where would justice come from?
"It's my duty." Or perhaps, there was a hint of personal interest.
Xiao Yuanshan emerged from the conference room, called a few trusted aides, and drove straight out of the police station.
He had been keeping this matter secret to prevent anyone with ulterior motives from finding out and leaking it, whether it was Jin Chengyan's side or Liu Mingzhang's. If anyone learned about this, it would complicate his efforts.
Three police cars were parked outside Riverside Villa, each on high alert, wearing bulletproof vests and holding handguns.
Xiao Yuanshan pressed the doorbell, and someone quickly came to answer.
"Miss Ruan Shengyu, we are from the Municipal Public Security Bureau. We suspect you are related to a kidnapping case. Please open the door immediately to assist us in our investigation. This is an arrest warrant!" Xiao Yuanshan held the warrant up to the camera so those inside could see it clearly.
With a click, the door opened, and the person inside seemed to hesitate little.
Xiao Yuanshan remained cautious, suspecting there might be an ambush inside as he and his team carefully stepped in.
However, the interior was empty except for Ruan Shengyu herself. She wore a white nightgown, her hair cascading down without any makeup, quietly standing there.
The officers recognized Ruan Shengyu as a goddess; seeing her like this made her seem like a fairy descended to earth!
Yet professionalism kicked in, and they quickly assessed that there were no other dangers in the villa.
Xiao Yuanshan signaled his team to relax slightly while he held a pair of handcuffs in his hand.
He noticed that Ruan Shengyu's phone was open to the contacts page; she had just made a call—looking for help?
Now, she could only seek assistance.
"There's no need to put handcuffs on me just because we're friends, right?" Ruan Shengyu said calmly as she looked at Xiao Yuanshan.
"Sorry, it's my duty," Xiao Yuanshan replied, instructing her team to bring Ruan Shengyu's coat for her to wear. Without hesitation, she snapped the handcuffs onto Ruan Shengyu's wrists.
The ease with which they apprehended her made Xiao Yuanshan feel that things might not be as simple as they seemed.
Thus, when she saw Jin Chengyan at the police station entrance, it felt like the situation was finally unfolding as it should.
Jin Chengyan had received a call from Ruan Shengyu, informing him that Xiao Yuanshan had arrived at Riverside Villa with an arrest warrant. The villa was well-hidden, and it was unlikely that anyone could find it easily.
Yet, Xiao Yuanshan had managed to locate it.
This was not an ideal time; he had just distanced Ruan Shengyu from Liu Mingzhang. If Ruan Shengyu were arrested now, Liu Mingzhang would undoubtedly come to her aid.
Moreover, the fact that Xiao Yuanshan had obtained an arrest warrant without Jin Chengyan hearing any rumors about it left him stunned as he watched Ruan Shengyu's hands being cuffed.
Outside the City Police Department, a large number of officers were waiting. It seemed that Xiao Yuanshan was doing this deliberately. With so many reporters outside and Jin Chengyan's car in the precinct, it was quite a spectacle.
"There are so many people outside; let's go inside," Xiao Yuanshan said casually as she unbuckled her seatbelt.
Ruan Shengyu hadn't realized there were so many reporters outside, but upon hearing Xiao Yuanshan's words, she felt a sinking sensation in her heart. This must have all been prearranged!
"Should we put a hood over the suspect's head?" one of the officers asked, showing some concern for Ruan Shengyu.
"Yes! Of course! The suspect has rights too!" Xiao Yuanshan replied with an inexplicable sense of satisfaction.
Then, Ruan Shengyu was fitted with a black hood as they all exited the vehicle.
The reporters had already surrounded their car and began snapping photos of Ruan Shengyu, who was wearing the black hood. However, since her face was covered, they couldn't capture her features, which left them somewhat disappointed.
"Officer Xiao, do you have evidence for bringing Miss Ruan back? Are you able to charge her with murder?"
"Why has it taken so long to bring the suspect back? Is someone obstructing the case?"
...
Questions were hurled at Xiao Yuanshan, but the only response he offered was a curt "No comment."
Then, they led Ruan Shengyu inside.
It was unclear whether it was due to the crowd or their lack of willingness to protect Ruan Shengyu, but her hood was pulled off during the commotion.
The flashlights clicked incessantly, capturing Ruan Shengyu's unadorned yet somewhat haggard face, which was immediately thrust into the cameras!
Ruan Shengyu raised her hand to shield her eyes. It had been a long time since she had been under such bright lights, and she was somewhat unaccustomed to it. However, in this situation, she couldn't afford to act like a diva and walk away.
Now, she was a handcuffed suspect!
Once they had taken enough photos, Xiao Yuanshan symbolically attempted to protect the suspect by putting the hood back on her and guiding her further inside.
The doors shut behind them, blocking the reporters outside.
However, those inside were no easier to deal with than the reporters outside.
This time, Jin Chengyan did not bring any bodyguards from the Jin Family; instead, he was followed by elite members of the Jin Group's legal department.
While the reporters outside continued to snap photos frantically, Jin Chengyan naturally wanted to avoid being captured in such a situation, so he had no choice but to enter alongside Xiao Yuanshan.
Once inside, Jin Chengyan couldn't act recklessly. He looked at Ruan Shengyu; she appeared frightened, helpless, and somewhat... disillusioned, with an undertone of reproach.
Earlier on the phone, she had said: "You promised you would protect me. Is this how you protect me?"
"Xiao Yuanshan..."
“Jin Chengyan, we have an arrest warrant, and the charge is murder, so bail cannot be granted,” Xiao Yuanshan spoke first, cutting off Jin Chengyan's words.
Jin Chengyan truly despised Xiao Yuanshan. They were clearly related by blood through A-Shan, so why was A-Shan so likable while Xiao Yuanshan was just insufferable?
Could it be because he had been hanging around Yan Beiting?
“Officer Xiao, we are Miss Ruan's lawyers. Miss Ruan has the right to deny the charges against her. If bail cannot be arranged, she still has the right to meet with her representative lawyer, and you cannot obstruct that,” one lawyer interjected, exuding an intimidating presence.
“I am not preventing Ruan Shengyu from finding a lawyer. From the moment I entered her house, every scene was recorded by cameras to prevent people like you from exploiting legal loopholes,” Xiao Yuanshan said, patting his chest, clearly recalling a past experience where he had suffered a loss.
“Xiao Yuanshan, you will pay for what you’ve done today,” Jin Chengyan said in a calm voice.
“Are you threatening me? I, Xiao Yuanshan, have never been afraid of anything in my life,” Xiao Yuanshan replied nonchalantly. “But you—do you really think Ruan Shengyu is worth everything compared to Jono?”
At the mention of Jono's name, Jin Chengyan froze.
Before he could utter another word, a woman descended from upstairs.
Jono.
Jin Chengyan watched as Jono walked down the stairs step by step. Why was she here?
How could she be here?
Ruan Shengyu also looked at Jono, her expression complex but unmistakably hostile.
“I didn’t expect you would gather the entire Jin Family legal team just to clear Ruan Shengyu’s name,” Jono said as she stood before Jin Chengyan, smiling tragically.
“Jono, don’t tell me this was all your idea,” Jin Chengyan felt a chill run down his spine.
He hadn’t noticed anything while she was doing all this; she had acted just like usual but had hidden so much from him.
She collaborated with Xiao Yuanshan and ultimately captured Ruan Shengyu! There was no discussion with him at all!
Jono glanced at Jin Chengyan, then turned to Xiao Yuanshan and said, "Officer Xiao, if there’s anything unclear in my statement, feel free to contact me. I’m available at any time."
Jin Chengyan grabbed Jono's arm and pulled her back to his side. "Jono, do you even realize what you’re doing?"
His grip was strong; even through thick clothing, she could feel it.
But why was he so angry?
"I'm just doing what I should be doing!" Jono replied.
"Mr. Jin, don’t forget this is the police station. If you exhibit any aggressive behavior towards Miss Qiao, we can detain you for a period of seven to fifteen days!" Xiao Yuanshan said calmly.
Jin Chengyan felt completely disoriented; everything was in chaos!
He turned to his legal team and said, "You stay here and handle Ruan Shengyu's matters!" He turned back to Jono, "You’re coming with me!"
With that, he yanked Jono and started to leave.
Xiao Yuanshan understood that some matters were best left unaddressed; he couldn’t stop Jin Chengyan, especially since Jono was his wife. Moreover, leaving Ruan Shengyu behind while taking Jono away seemed like a significant blow to Ruan Shengyu as well!
Xiao Yuanshan clapped his hands and said, "Alright, we have things to do now!" He looked at the legal team sent by the Jin Family, which consisted of at least ten people, and felt that he would have to outsmart them before the court session even began!
Once outside the police station, Jin Chengyan shoved Jono into the car and started the engine, speeding away.
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