After the Divorce, I Went Back to My Hometown, Pregnant and Became the Sheriff - Chapter 16

The two arrived at the villa atop the mountain. Zhou Lexuan opened the door to find Su Wan already waiting by the entrance. Seeing Shen Yucheng, she looked surprised. “Oh? Team Leader Shen, what brings you here?”

As it was nighttime, she wore no makeup, yet her well-maintained face remained radiant. She looked at Zhou Lexuan with a touch of gentle reproach. “Xiaoxuan, why didn’t you tell your Aunt you were bringing a guest?”

Zhou Lexuan walked in casually. “Auntie, I was driving, and Team Leader Shen was staring right at me. How would I dare violate traffic laws by checking my phone?”

“Apologies for the intrusion. I actually asked Mr. Zhou Lexuan to give me a lift,” Shen Yucheng explained.

“I see. Oh, where are my manners? Team Leader Shen, please come in first. It gets quite cold on the mountain this time of night.”

Su Wan welcomed Shen Yucheng into the house, where the air conditioning was set to a perfect temperature. “What would you like to drink, Team Leader Shen? Would you like to try some red wine I recently acquired?”

“No, thank you,” Shen Yucheng sat on the sofa. The crystal chandelier cast shimmering shadows that rippled like waves across his handsome face. “Simple tea will do. I am still on official duty.”

Su Wan poured the tea. “What kind of duty requires the Integrity Bureau to be out so late?”

“The Public Security Bureau received a report of an illegal car race. I happened to come along to supervise and see if there were any instances of irregular law enforcement.”

“Is that so? Xiaoxuan, you didn’t participate in such a thing, did you?”

Zhou Lexuan leaned back on the sofa, sipping wine from a goblet. “Auntie, don’t worry about it. Domestic races are completely unprofessional. Why would I join such a low-class event?”

Su Wan knit her brows. “Overseas races aren’t exactly safe either. Don’t go meddling in these things in the future; it’s too dangerous!” Even in her slight anger, her voice remained gentle. “Do you hear me?”

“Alright, I get it,” Zhou Lexuan replied dismissively. Su Wan shook her head helplessly and turned back to Shen Yucheng, who was observing them. “Children… they simply don’t understand anything.”

“On the contrary, Mr. Zhou is much more mature than his peers.” Shen Yucheng shifted the topic. “By the way, Ms. Su. Though it may be untimely, since I am seeing you now, I thought it best to share some news with you.”

He paused mid-sentence, leaving a heavy silence.

Su Wan leaned forward instinctively. “What news?”

Shen Yucheng spoke with a sigh. “Zhang Yongfeng is dead.”

He lowered his gaze to the tea swirling in Su Wan’s cup. After a moment of silence, Zhou Lexuan slammed his goblet onto the marble coffee table. “Auntie, who is Zhang Yongfeng?”

Su Wan sighed, her expression one of polite regret. “He was a member of a club I belong to. We met a few times before. Oh… how did he die?”

“Yes, how indeed?” Shen Yucheng murmured.

“Dead is dead,” Zhou Lexuan muttered, pulling his phone from his pocket.

Shen Yucheng set down his teacup. “Pardon me, I’d like to use the restroom.”

Zhou Lexuan raised an eyebrow. Su Wan said softly, “The restroom is that way. Down the hall and to the left. Xiaoxuan, show Team Leader Shen the way.”

“No need to trouble him.” Shen Yucheng stood up, his gaze sweeping briefly over Zhou Lexuan’s face. “Excuse me for a moment.”

He left the living room. The hallway was brightly lit, adorned with expensive oil paintings.

As Shen Yucheng walked down the long corridor, the hard soles of his shoes clicked sharply against the floor. He passed the restroom but did not enter. Instead, he turned toward a door that stood slightly ajar. Pushing it open with a fingertip, he found a room filled with bookshelves of various sizes. In the corner was a wooden staircase leading downward.

Shen Yucheng descended. The basement structure differed significantly from the first floor; there were few rooms, and although it was spacious, the lack of lights made it feel particularly eerie.

A damp chill met him, along with a faint scent of berries lingering in the air.

Shen Yucheng walked to an oak door and turned the handle.

It was locked.

“Team Leader Shen.”

Zhou Lexuan’s voice rang out without warning. “The restroom isn’t down here.”

“Is that so?” Shen Yucheng turned around. “I seem to have lost my way.”

Zhou Lexuan squinted with a mocking smile. “Funny. To me, it looks like the Team Leader is looking for something.”

“Is there something hidden in your home that requires looking for, Mr. Zhou?” Shen Yucheng countered.

“I wouldn’t know what you’re looking for,” Zhou Lexuan stepped forward. “How about this? I’ll open the door for you. I wouldn’t want the Team Leader thinking my family has something to hide.”

Shen Yucheng gave him a sidelong glance and said flatly, “That would be appreciated.”

Zhou Lexuan moved past him and entered a code into the lock. The oak door opened with a click.

Under the dim light, rows of wooden barrels were neatly stacked inside. The rich aroma of wine filled the air.

“I imagine what you’re looking for isn’t here, is it?” Zhou Lexuan said triumphantly. “Who knows? Maybe that ‘thing’ has long since vanished from this world.”

“Oh?” Shen Yucheng raised his wrist and checked his watch.

Just as Zhou Lexuan was about to continue his provocation, the doorbell on the first floor rang. He looked at Shen Yucheng suspiciously.

“Hello, Ms. Su. We are officers from the G-City Public Security Bureau investigating the abuse of power by former Senior Superintendent Zhang Yongfeng. I am Officer Jiang Xu, and this is Inspector He Xianxing. We have received reliable evidence suggesting an improper connection between you and Superintendent Zhang. We are here to investigate you and your nephew, Zhou Lexuan. Please cooperate.”

The man’s steady voice echoed through the silent night. Shen Yucheng looked up at the wide-eyed Zhou Lexuan, a flash of contemptuous amusement in his eyes.

“You dared to play me?” Realizing the situation, Zhou Lexuan rushed upstairs in a rage.

Standing at the door, He Xianxing’s eyes lit up. He waved. “Oh! Hello there, Mr. Zhou Lexuan.”

Shen Yucheng walked into the living room at an unhurried pace. “You two took your time.”

His gaze shifted to Jiang Xu. Seeing the bloodstain on Jiang Xu’s arm, his expression darkened for a split second, but he continued his questioning. “Has the forensics team arrived?”

“Everyone is here,” Jiang Xu replied.

Several forensics experts in protective suits entered the house. Beside them, Zhou Lexuan couldn’t help but burst out. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing?! It’s the middle of the night, and a crowd of people just barges into my house!” He reached out to shove the lead technician but was restrained by Jiang Xu. He turned red with humiliated fury. “And you! How did you even contact each other?! The security check at the base was supposed to—”

“It was simple,” He Xianxing interrupted with a grin, waving a phone he pulled from an inner pocket. “Just use an anti-detection shield bag for the phone. Sigh, to pull off the bluff, I had to sacrifice two spare phones. After all, nobody usually carries three phones on them, right?”

“So you knew they were okay all along?” Zhou Lexuan glared at Shen Yucheng.

“To be precise, I received the message right after I caught up to your car.” Shen Yucheng stepped forward, took the crushed energy drink can from He Xianxing’s pocket, and handed it to the forensics colleagues.

Zhou Lexuan was livid. Su Wan walked to his side, patted his shoulder, and said softly, “Xiaoxuan, calm down.” She then crossed her arms, tilted her chin up, and spoke. “Team Leader Shen, and you two officers—I wonder what absurd reason you have for investigating me tonight?”

“Ms. Su, please be patient.” Jiang Xu glanced at the forensics team. “Our primary subject of investigation tonight is Mr. Zhou Lexuan. We suspect that Zhang Yongfeng and Mr. Zhou share a father-son relationship. We are now legally extracting DNA from the discarded can to compare it with Zhang Yongfeng’s DNA.”

“Nonsense!” Zhou Lexuan’s face turned bright red with anger. “And by what right do you take a can I drank from for DNA testing?! This is slander! This is an invasion of my privacy! I want my lawyer!”

“Mr. Zhou, in this country, items discarded in public no longer carry a right to privacy.” Jiang Xu gave him a neutral look and then turned to whisper instructions to the forensics lead.

Unable to contain his rage, Zhou Lexuan broke away from Su Wan and lunged forward to strike, but was stopped by a sharp command: “Stay where you are!”

Su Wan, usually so soft-spoken, suddenly dropped her voice to a chilling tone. “Get over here,” she scolded coldly. Zhou Lexuan instantly withered. “Look at you, losing your head. Have you no dignity?”

She scolded him for a few more moments before looking up with a composed air. “I have said many times that I am not close to Zhang Yongfeng at all. I don’t know where you heard such false intelligence.”

Su Wan sat elegantly on the sofa and poured herself a glass of wine. “I am merely a common businesswoman. I have always been polite to Team Leader Shen and have cooperated as much as possible. But that is because I am a law-abiding citizen with a clear conscience.”

“I do not seek trouble, but I do not fear it either.” Her eyes turned cold as she spoke. “You have disturbed my life repeatedly, and now you have turned your sights on my nephew. To be honest, I find it hard to continue being lenient. Since you’ve gone to such great lengths tonight, I will give you one last chance. If you find nothing in the end, I will immediately sue you in the Prosecutor’s Court for malicious slander and grave damage to my reputation. When that time comes, do not blame me for being heartless.”

Shen Yucheng simply replied in a calm tone, “Rest assured. Tonight, will be the last time we disturb you.”

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