Old Rain Never Returns - Chapter 10
Chapter 10
That night at the Paramount Ballroom, the lively atmosphere felt incongruous with the chaotic times.
The sequins on the dancers’ dresses shimmered under the lights.
The band played a cheerful tune.
The scents of foreign liquor and perfume mingled in the air.
They masked the smell of gasoline from the patrol cars outside.
Shen Zhaoxue entered the hall on Shen Ting’an’s arm.
She wore a white qipao.
It was as plain as an obituary.
Zhou Huaiyan stood outside a second-floor private box.
Beside him were the Section Chief and Adjutant Lu.
When he saw her, he only spared her a glance.
It was as if he were looking at an insignificant guest.
Shen Ting’an whispered, “Don’t look around aimlessly.”
“I just wanted to see how successful my old flame is these days.”
Shen Ting’an smiled.
“If you had thought that way earlier, you wouldn’t have had to suffer so much.”
At nine o’clock, Shen Ting’an took her to the back hall.
A card table was set up there.
Several Chamber of Commerce Presidents and people from the Japanese Consulate were seated around it.
A black leather suitcase sat beneath the table.
The list was inside.
What Shen Zhaoxue had to do was create a distraction.
She had to give Zhou Huaiyan’s people the chance to swap it out.
But as she approached, she saw Adjutant Lu enter through a side door.
He held a document and handed it to the Section Chief.
Zhou Huaiyan stood nearby.
His expression remained unchanged.
However, Shen Zhaoxue noticed his right index finger lightly tapping the rim of his glass.
Twice.
The plan had changed.
The Section Chief opened the document.
His face darkened instantly.
Adjutant Lu said, “Officer Zhou, I’ve been investigating for a long time.”
“The night at the South City Contact Point, you privately transferred three prisoners.”
“And Miss Shen.”
“It seems she manages to make it out of your hands alive every single time.”
In the main hall, the music continued.
But the back hall grew cold.
Shen Ting’an slowly turned his gaze toward Zhou Huaiyan.
“Officer Zhou, this will be difficult to explain.”
Zhou Huaiyan gave a thin smile.
“Adjutant Lu is rising too slowly; he’s gotten a bit desperate.”
Adjutant Lu drew his gun.
“Please come back to the section with us to explain yourself.”
The Section Chief did nothing to stop him.
Shen Zhaoxue knew.
Zhou Huaiyan was exposed.
What was supposed to be a swap had turned into a death trap for him.
She finally understood.
She understood what he meant by “hate me according to plan.”
It wasn’t an act for Shen Ting’an’s benefit.
It was to make her fire the gun in front of everyone.
To remove Zhou Huaiyan from the list of traitors.
And to push her deeper into Shen Ting’an’s trust.
Zhou Huaiyan looked at her.
That look was brief.
It was like the night before their wedding three years ago, when he watched her through the window.
Shen Zhaoxue slowly raised her hand.
She pulled a gun from a bodyguard’s waist.
Everyone’s eyes turned to her.
She aimed the muzzle at Zhou Huaiyan.
“Officer Zhou, you have deceived me so cruelly.”
Zhou Huaiyan said nothing.
Shen Ting’an frowned.
“Zhaoxue, put it down.”
She smiled.
“Uncle, didn’t you say the people of the Zhou family are not to be trusted?”
When the shot rang out, the band happened to be changing songs.
A spray of blood erupted from Zhou Huaiyan’s chest.
He took half a step back, hitting the wall.
Shen Zhaoxue’s vision went white.
She knew the bullet had been half an inch off.
She knew he had a blood pack under his clothes.
She knew this was the play they had agreed upon.
But in that moment, she still felt as if she had truly killed him.
Before Zhou Huaiyan collapsed, he looked at her and moved his lips.
There was no sound.
But she understood.
*Don’t cry.*
Shen Zhaoxue threw the gun down and lunged toward Shen Ting’an.
“Uncle, I killed him for you.”
Her hands were shaking.
Shen Ting’an stared at her.
A few seconds later, he smiled.
“Good girl.”
A sudden explosion erupted in the distance.
The entire Paramount Ballroom was plunged into screams.
The moment the lights went out, someone gave Shen Zhaoxue a shove.
She fell into the darkness.
Her hand brushed against the leather suitcase under the table.
The lock was already open.
The list inside was gone.
Zhou Huaiyan’s people had succeeded.
But when the lights came back on, there was only a pool of blood by the wall.
Zhou Huaiyan was gone.
