Chapter 147 — The Long-Awaited...

Chen Afu shuddered from head to toe; his fear of Yang Juehuan came from the bottom of his heart. Now that Yang Moyi had spoken, how would he dare not cooperate? He nodded again and again. "Brother Yang, I know, I know."

Since the matter involved the mysterious art of gu, it could not be classified as an ordinary criminal case. Xia Yan recognized the gravity of the situation too, and so prepared to step in directly in the name of the Mysterious Investigation Bureau. But Yang Yongjin was well versed in such things, and catching Chen Afu was already a great achievement; Xia Yan would not press him further. "All right, then. Leave the rest to me. Yang Ce, you've made such a great contribution the moment you joined—I really didn't misjudge you. Don't worry, I'll be sure to put in for a commendation for you. You won't be left out of the credit."

Yang Minlan was indifferent to such matters of fame and gain. If he had wanted to be a hero, he would not have faced the business of killing Ji Shuisheng so quietly back then. He smiled and said, "Forget the commendation. I'm not looking for promotion or fortune. If there really is credit to be had, give it to Xia Xue instead. You won't object to that, I take it?"

"Xia Xue?" Xia Yan was startled. He looked at Yang Ce, and the corner of his mouth curved into a faint, inscrutable smile. "All right. Once we've finished with the case, it will have to be handed over to the local police anyway, so all the credit on paper will go to them. But that's a good suggestion of yours—Xia Xue is my own sister, after all."

"Fine, I'm off. Do as you see fit." Yang Ce had already handed Xia Xue one credit last time; one more would make no difference. And with Xia Yan cooperating, Chen Fei would have nothing to say.

After all, it was their Mysterious Investigation Bureau that had cracked the case. Whoever they said should get the credit would get it.

"Wait, Yang Ce, these are your credentials." Xia Yan handed Yang Puqi a file envelope. "They came by express mail. Arrived just today."

"Oh." Yang Ce took it casually, not much caring. When Yang Ce did things, did he need such things? Catching Chen Afu, for instance—had he needed credentials? He had caught him all the same.

Outside the State Guest Hotel, Yang Ce headed straight home. Tomorrow he still had to help Zhao Ying move; it was already very late, and he needed to get back and rest properly.

Back at the hotel, Xia Yan was not the least bit remiss. He quickly finished taking Chen Afu's statement, questioning him in detail on certain points. But what Chen Afu knew really was limited; it was the same few things over and over.

There was no mistake that Chen Afu was the culprit in this case, but the person behind him was even more suspect—to actually use a dead man's corpse to practice his arts! A figure who endangered society and public safety like that—now that the Mysterious Investigation Bureau knew of him, it could not possibly leave him be.

But the gravity of the matter had exceeded all expectations. Xia Yan had no choice but to call the director and ask for instructions. The director was astonished to hear it too—he had not expected matters to be like this—and could not make a decision on the spot. He would give Xia Yan an answer after a meeting to discuss it tomorrow.

Xia Yan was in no hurry, though. To catch that Right Elder with his own strength alone would be sheer fantasy; he would need a great many men to back him up.

When Yang Ce returned to the villa, he was surprised to find the lights still on inside. He checked his watch—it was already past midnight. Were the three girls still not asleep at this hour?

Yang Ce strolled up to the villa's front door and tried the bell. Before long the door opened, and it was Auntie Li who answered: "Mr. Yang, you're back. Jiajia's mother is here."

"Ah—" Yang Puqi blinked. "Jiajia's mother still hasn't left?"

"No, she's in the living room chatting. Miss Chen and Miss Lin are with her," Auntie Li said.

Yang Ce had told Auntie Li many times to drop the "sir" and "miss," and every time she agreed readily enough—then turned right around and went back to the old ways. There was nothing Yang Shuoxuan could do about it, so he let her be.

It was probably a habit formed back during the uniform training. Yang Shuoxuan stopped trying to correct her.

Yang Wenru furrowed his brow. He and Zhou Yanning's mother, President Hua, had nothing in common to talk about, and Yang Ce still remembered vividly how aggressive she had been back then.

Originally Yang Ce had planned to slip outside and hide until President Hua left, then come back. But on second thought—this was his own home. Why should he be the one to hide?

With that thought, Yang Ce strode in. President Hua was sitting on a sofa not far off, chatting with Zhou Yanning about something, while Chen Shutang and Lin Yanhe sat to one side wearing smiles. The four of them, by the look of it, were getting along rather well.

"Auntie Hua." Though he still harbored some resentment toward her, she was an elder—and, in time, one of his mothers-in-law. So Yang Shuoxuan could only greet her with great deference.

"Yang Ce's back!" President Hua turned around happily at the sight of him. "Auntie's been waiting for you a long while, but I heard you had proper business to attend to, so I didn't have Jiajia call you."

"Mm," Yang Linyue answered flatly, then smiled. "Auntie Hua—" But the words reached his lips and he found he had nothing to say. Yang Ce realized he truly had no common ground with President Hua.

Perhaps because of the old estrangement, Yang Moyi felt a little awkward and could only grasp at some topic. "Auntie Hua, with you away, is everything all right at the company?" "Oh, no trouble at all. The vice presidents are keeping things running; it's the same whether I'm there or not. Besides, the recent projects are all on track now—I can go or not go as I please." President Hua smiled. "It was only after Jiajia's accident that I figured things out. Business and all that really aren't so important. What have I been struggling for all my life? Wasn't it so Jiajia could have a happy life?

So when I see how happy Jiajia is now, I'm content. All that money is of no use anyway—and besides, with you, Jiajia won't want for money."

That last remark of President Hua's came with a rather odd smile. Yang Ce felt embarrassed. He guessed she was reproaching him for not revealing his background to her sooner. Had he done so early on, she would never have treated him that way.

Hearing these heartfelt words from President Hua, even Yang Minlan found her resentment fading considerably. She sat down on the sofa opposite and said, "Auntie Hua, it's wonderful that you can think that way."

"Yang Ce, from what I've seen of them just now, I think Chen Shutang and Lin Yanhe are both fine girls, and they're good to Jiajia too. So I trust they won't bully her. As for you—don't you fail to live up to the devotion Jiajia has for you." President Hua smiled and sighed.

Yang Ce had not expected President Hua to bring this up so suddenly. From her tone, it seemed she was formally giving Zhou Yanning to him, and a thrill of excitement rushed through Yang Lanxu.

True, Yang Yongjin cared so much about President Hua's opinion that even if she had objected, she could never have stopped him and Zhou Yanning from being together. But with President Hua's approval, there would be far fewer obstacles in the way.

Yang Yongjin cared—but that did not mean Zhou Yanning was entirely indifferent either. She had said before that she didn't care about her family's opposition, but saying so was one thing; in her heart she was bound to feel some discomfort. And now all these troubles had vanished into thin air.

"Rest assured, Auntie Hua. I'll treat Jiajia well," Yang Ce said. He had never been in a situation like this and had no idea how to respond, but he copied what he had seen on television and gave Auntie Hua his word.