Daddy, Mommy Ran Away - Chapter 172 - Evidence

It was just the time when people were getting off work, and the entrance of the building was crowded. As soon as she stepped out, she saw the handsome man leaning casually against the car window. Instantly, the eyes of all the women around were drawn to him, their gazes filled with admiration.

Naturally, An Ruoxi got into the Bugatti, and the car drove off, becoming the center of attention among the crowd.

“Senior, what’s going on? Why is your company’s stock price dropping so drastically? Is everything okay?” An Ruoxi asked anxiously as soon as she got into the car. Seeing the plummeting numbers had scared her out of her wits. And noticing the faint dark circles under his handsome eyes only deepened her concern.

Although she didn’t understand much about economics, having worked as Leng Haoyin’s secretary for a long time, she had picked up some knowledge. Seeing the rapidly declining figures, she was genuinely worried for him.

“Ruoxi, I haven’t had a proper meal in ages. Let’s eat first,” he said, his strong hand steady on the steering wheel, glancing at her worried face with a slight curve of his sensual lips.

“Alright.” She thought to herself that she hadn’t informed Leng Haoyin that she wouldn’t be having lunch with him. She reached into her bag to find her phone, but after searching for a while, she couldn’t find it.

What’s going on? Where’s my phone? She was sure she had put it in her bag.

“What’s wrong?” Zuo Junchen noticed her unusual behavior and asked casually.

“Nothing,” An Ruoxi replied with a faint smile, thinking that if he couldn’t reach her, he would just eat by himself.

Zuo Junchen chose a western restaurant on the bustling Third Ring Road. The floor-to-ceiling windows were as clear as freshly washed crystal, offering a clean and elegant environment.

After ordering, Zuo Junchen spoke first, “Ruoxi, I took that piece of land from your fiancé. Are you upset?”

An Ruoxi was taken aback, clearly not expecting such a question. Her long eyelashes fluttered in confusion, and she smiled softly like ripples spreading in water, playfully blinking, “Senior, why would you say that? Competition in the business world is just like that. Why would I be upset? As you said, if the Golden Triangle land was won by Leng Corporation, should I feel sorry for you? Would you really be unhappy and blame me?”

She had always regarded her senior as a brother, feeling a natural sense of closeness around him, so she didn’t feel restrained and could be her playful self.

“Haha…” Zuo Junchen’s clear laughter was filled with joy, his gentle eyes naturally revealing his usual carefree attitude. “Ruoxi, you’re too funny, but this time, you’re wrong.”

As he laughed, his bright smile suddenly dimmed, and a rare seriousness appeared on his brow. His deep voice carried a sigh, “I would rather that land had been won by Leng Corporation. It doesn’t matter; that land will soon belong to them anyway.”

“What?” An Ruoxi was shocked, unable to believe it.

A heavy sigh escaped from Zuo Junchen’s lips. He shrugged, his thin lips opening slightly, his faint smile tinged with helplessness and bitterness. “Yes.”

Hearing this, An Ruoxi’s face fell like a wilting rose, her delicate brows furrowing. “Senior, is the situation so serious? Serious enough that you need to sell that land back?”

“Serious.” The word was as heavy as his expression, rigid and tense.

An Ruoxi’s heart was in turmoil, her hands clenching on the table as she leaned forward. “Senior, tell me honestly, what happened? Did you really plant a spy in our company? Or steal our company’s secrets? That’s illegal and could land you in jail, senior!”

“That’s exactly what happened. Yes, I was at fault first. I stole his base price, and then he stole mine, resulting in a difference of only a million.” He laughed self-deprecatingly, “Not as skilled as him, I was outsmarted. The Business Investigation Division has targeted me, and although they don’t have concrete evidence, it has significantly affected the stock price. But that’s a minor issue; the real fear is…”

He paused, his gaze growing darker, like a pool of ink that couldn’t be diluted.

He was, of course, referring to Leng Haoyin. An Ruoxi could easily tell. “Afraid of what?”

His dark eyes met her shocked gaze. “Afraid that Leng Haoyin will hand over the evidence he has to the police. If that happens, not only will Zuo Corporation be finished, but I might also end up spending my life in prison.”

“What?” An Ruoxi stood up abruptly from her chair, exclaiming in disbelief, her hands pressing against the table. “Are you serious? How could it come to this?”

The two people she cared about most had both done something illegal?

“Ruoxi, you’re such a naive girl.” His lips curved slightly, his voice low and resigned. “Every company has spies, and which company doesn’t have hackers?”

No wonder he found it strange that Leng Corporation’s robust security system had a loophole, allowing them to breach it so easily.

It was his carelessness that let Leng Corporation catch him, and his arrogance that allowed them to succeed.

This time, being outsmarted was entirely his own oversight.

“So, it’s true?” She could hardly believe it.

He nodded, looking at her calmly. “It’s a common occurrence. You could ask Leng Haoyin if he ever stole my base price.”

Her heart skipped a beat, An Ruoxi’s face turned pale, and she struggled internally, biting her lip before speaking firmly, “Senior, don’t worry. Haoyin isn’t that kind of person.”

Since both had done such things, there was no point in arguing about who was right or wrong. She couldn’t bear to see her senior lose everything, nor could she stand the thought of him going to jail. Besides, Leng Haoyin was also at fault in this matter.

Despite her assurance, Zuo Junchen’s expression didn’t improve. He looked at her with guilt, and after a while, he smiled slightly, though it was tinged with heaviness. “Let’s eat. You must be starving.”

“Okay.” She lowered her head, eating absentmindedly, accidentally getting some black pepper on the corner of her mouth.

Zuo Junchen chuckled softly, stood up, and leaned over, gently wiping it away with his rough fingertip. “Ruoxi, look at you.”

His rough touch startled her from her thoughts, and she looked up, meeting his dark eyes filled with a faint smile. Before she could react, she heard hurried footsteps approaching, and then she was suddenly pulled away by a strong force.

“Ugh-” Her head bumped into something solid, making her see stars, while a faint musk scent enveloped her.