She’s Being Naughty - Chapter 23
After sending the message, Xu Zhaoyi stared at her phone screen, her palms sweating slightly. It was late at night. Zhou Xiaoxiao might already be asleep.
But a few minutes later, the screen lit up. Zhou Xiaoxiao had replied.
“Network security? Why are you asking about that all of a sudden?”
Xu Zhaoyi’s fingers hovered over the screen for a few seconds before typing: “It’s an emergency. Do you know anyone reliable?”
This time, Zhou Xiaoxiao called her directly.
“Zhaoyi, what on earth is going on? Are you in trouble again?”
Xu Zhaoyi gripped the phone and walked to the window. “Sort of. But I can’t explain it too clearly.”
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end. “Does it have to do with me?” Zhou Xiaoxiao asked.
“No,” Xu Zhaoyi said immediately. “It’s a private family matter. But I need someone who understands network security to help.”
“Help with what?”
Xu Zhaoyi thought for a moment. “Possibly… help checking some information. And some… protective measures.”
Zhou Xiaoxiao fell silent again.
“I know someone,” she finally said. “My cousin. He works at a network security firm. He’s reliable and keeps his mouth shut. But…” she paused, “Zhaoyi, you have to tell me, is this dangerous? My cousin can’t get into trouble just for helping out.”
Xu Zhaoyi’s heart sank.
Dangerous? Of course, it was dangerous. It involved the Jiang family, invisible transactions, and threats. How could it not be dangerous? But if she didn’t find help, she might not be able to do anything at all.
“I’ll try my best to keep him away from the danger,” Xu Zhaoyi said. “I only need technical support; I won’t have him directly involved.”
Zhou Xiaoxiao pondered. “Fine. I’ll set up a meeting for tomorrow so you can talk in person. But Zhaoyi…”
“What?”
“Be careful,” Zhou Xiaoxiao’s voice was solemn. “I have a feeling this isn’t simple. If you really run into big trouble, it’s best to call the police.”
“I know,” Xu Zhaoyi said. “Thank you.”
The Third Path
After hanging up, Xu Zhaoyi stood by the window for a long time. The night was deep, the yellow streetlights of the villa district flickered, and the shadows of trees swayed in the breeze.
She thought about the three day deadline Jiang Yao had mentioned. Starting tomorrow, only three days remained. What could she do? She knew where the evidence was hidden and knew the password, but what then?
Jiang Yao had given her a choice, hand it to her father or destroy it. But Xu Zhaoyi felt neither choice was good enough. There had to be a third path. A path that could protect them without drawing fire upon themselves.
The next morning, Xu Zhaoyi woke up early. When she went downstairs, Jiang Yao was already in the dining room wearing light gray loungewear, her hair loosely tied up as she fried eggs.
“Morning. Did you sleep well?” Jiang Yao smiled.
“Alright. You?” Xu Zhaoyi sat down.
“Fine.” Jiang Yao placed a fried egg in front of her. “I might have to head out after breakfast to handle some things. I probably won’t be back for lunch, so you’re on your own.”
Xu Zhaoyi studied her face. Jiang Yao looked normal, but there were faint shadows under her eyes, she likely hadn’t slept well.
“Do you need me to come with you?” Xu Zhaoyi asked.
Jiang Yao shook her head. “No need. Just stay home and rest.”
The Meeting
At 2:00 PM, Xu Zhaoyi met Zhou Xiaoxiao and her cousin, Lin Chen, at a quiet café near the school. Lin Chen was a man in his late twenties, wearing black-rimmed glasses and a simple shirt, he looked very scholarly.
Once Zhou Xiaoxiao went to the counter to order drinks, Xu Zhaoyi got straight to the point.
“Mr. Lin, I need you to do a few things for me.”
- Background Checks: “I need you to look into some people without them noticing.” She handed him a list of names she’d gathered from Jiang Yao’s files and conversations, mostly members of the Jiang family.
- Personal Protection: “I need technical support for digital defense. If someone tries to monitor my devices or hack me, I need to know immediately.”
Lin Chen pushed up his glasses. “Are you worried you’re being watched?”
“Just in case. I might be… involved in something, and I want to protect myself.”
Lin Chen stared at her. “Miss Xu, does this involve anything illegal?”
“I’m not sure,” she admitted. “But I suspect it involves some… commercial gray areas.”
Lin Chen nodded. “I’ll help, but on two conditions: I won’t do anything illegal, and if things get out of control, you must promise to go to the police.”
“I promise,” Xu Zhaoyi said.
The Hidden History
After the meeting, Xu Zhaoyi didn’t go home immediately. She sat in a sweet shop and began searching for old news regarding the Jiang family. Instead of corporate filings, she looked for scandals.
Deep in the search results, she found a snippet from over a decade ago:
“Former Jiang Group Executive Suspected of Illegal Transactions. Case Under Investigation.”
The report was brief and lacked names, and it seemed the case had gone nowhere due to “insufficient evidence.” It felt as though it had been intentionally suppressed.
Xu Zhaoyi realized that if Jiang Yao’s evidence pertained to this old case, the people involved were likely still in power within the Jiang family. This wasn’t just a family feud, it was a matter of criminal liability.
The Vanishing
When Xu Zhaoyi finally returned home, the house was empty. Jiang Yao wasn’t back, and even the housekeeper was out.
She waited for hours. Jiang Yao’s phone went straight to voicemail. A chilling sensation crawled up her spine.
The three day deadline… had they moved early?
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
