After returning, Zhao Zhichao completely cut off contact with Lu Fan. She knew Lu Fan had gone to Beijing, but she also knew that a future driven by revenge was no future at all.
Back in Xi'an, Zhao Zhichao began to plan her own life. She got a job and got married. By framing her uncle Zhao Shicheng, she slowly gained Director Lu's trust.
In fact, from the moment she truly interacted with Director Lu, Zhao Zhichao knew he was not an easy man to deal with. In order to keep Director Lu in control of her, Zhao Zhichao even got married and started a family. However, Zhao Zhichao ultimately did not take the ultimate step of having a child to be controlled by Director Lu. She didn't want her child's future to be like hers, a rootless duckweed.
...
Zhao Zhichao lived like this for six years, and finally found an opportunity to bring down Director Lu. That was after the agent's death, when Zhao Zhichao had a trusted detective search the agent's residence and found this evidence.
After obtaining the photos and the autopsy report, Zhao Zhichao was very excited. This was a rare opportunity, and she could use it to bring down Director Lu. However, the woman in the photo made Zhao Zhichao fall into deep thought. That was Lu Fan's mother.
Lu Fan was the person Zhao Zhichao loved most and knew best. She understood how important Lu Fan's mother was to him. After much consideration, Zhao Zhichao finally contacted Lu Fan after six years.
...
Six years had passed since they last saw each other. Lu Fan looked different from before, much more polished. In Zhao Zhichao's memory, Lu Fan often appeared groggy, holding her and half-heartedly watching the sunrise. Or perhaps he would be lying on a rock on some famous mountain like a scavenger, being difficult. At that time, Lu Fan seemed like a happy child. Now, Lu Fan gave the impression of change after experiencing hardships.
"Are you doing well?"
"Very well!"
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
"No!"
"Find one when you get back."
Lu Fan gave a perfunctory smile... Zhao Zhichao knew Lu Fan well. His perfunctoriness indicated his unwillingness to do something, just as he actually disliked sunrises and preferred the feeling of being in bed with the sun already high in the sky. But in front of Zhao Zhichao, Lu Fan never lost his temper. When he was unwilling, he would at most offer a perfunctory smile.
"I've been married for several years."
"I know."
"How do you know?"
"Don't forget, in high school, we were classmates for several years."
Zhao Zhichao let out a long sigh and said, somewhat helplessly, "Lu Fan, I married someone else. You should at least show some reluctance and anger."
"That's your revenge, isn't it?" Lu Fan saw through it with one sentence, leaving Zhao Zhichao speechless.
"What did you want to tell me when you found me? Are you ready to make Director Lu pay for his actions?"
Zhao Zhichao took out the photos and the autopsy report from her bag and pushed them across the table to Lu Fan. When Lu Fan saw the photos, he started to cry. Zhao Zhichao watched him silently. After Lu Fan had cried for a long time, he said, "What's the point of getting revenge? Those classmates will all express their sorrow for my mother's death when they see me. They all envy me for having a good mother? In the eyes of those relatives, my mother held a special status. If they knew that my mother's life was spent enduring domestic violence, what would they think of my mother?"
Zhao Zhichao frowned. "Your mother is already dead!"
"Yes! Chao, I'm asking you, how can a dead person remain in this world? The only way is for her to live on in people's hearts. When Director Lu first killed my mother, I was filled with rage. I wished I could have avenged my mother with my own hands. Later, when we were together, we lived happily. But the vengeful you would appear before us from time to time. She was fierce and unapproachable. You shouldn't be like this, but I know I can't change anything. I... I finally understood hatred at that time. From that day on, I tried to find a way to let go of the hatred, but I couldn't find it. I often went to temples and monasteries, asking those masters if the dead just die like that. Do souls truly exist in this world? Those masters told me that souls do not exist after death, but they still live on. They have simply moved to another world, living on in people's hearts."
Zhao Zhichao looked at Lu Fan like this, snorted, and sneered dismissively.
"Lu Fan, you, when will you ever grow up?"
With that, Zhao Zhichao hugged Lu Fan somewhat fiercely. That night, she didn't go home. When they left the hotel, Lu Fan was still asleep. Zhao Zhichao quietly placed the photos and the autopsy report on the nightstand and left the hotel.
...
"Because of Madam Xiao?"
"Yes, Xiao Zian told me a lot about Director Lu's dirty deeds and scandals. Only then did I realize how selfish I was. I wanted my mother to live on in people's hearts as someone fortunate, but in doing so, I turned more people into victims. And because of my willfulness, I caused other families to be broken up like Chao's. For my mother's radiance, I made more people live in darkness. If my mother knew about this, she would resent me. In fact, when she advised me to refuse my father and have my own life, my mother had already guessed her own fate, but she was not afraid and bravely faced the danger. But I let her down. She traded her life for my freedom, and yet I lived like a coward. I was wrong."
How did Xiao Zian know about Director Lu's dirty deeds and tell all of them to Lu Fan? I glanced at Ke Yingying, who gave an embarrassed smile.
As expected, Ke Yingying, who could burrow like a poisonous insect into people's hearts, had Lu Fan provide evidence and then kill Zhao Shicheng. Logically speaking, Director Lu would be wary of Zhao Zhichao, so Director Lu should have countermeasures for any evidence Zhao Zhichao obtained. Therefore, to gain Director Lu's trust, Ke Yingying needed to have an extra piece of evidence.
Under Xiao Zian's persuasion, Lu Fan handed over the photos and autopsy report to Zhao Shicheng before Zhao Shicheng could deal with Director Lu. Ke Yingying killed Zhao Shicheng and returned the evidence to Director Lu. Seeing that Ke Yingying returned all the evidence, Director Lu naturally trusted Ke Yingying even more, making it easier for Ke Yingying's subsequent operations.
And Ke Yingying, who had gained trust, was actually already prepared. She intended to use this murder evidence to deliver a fatal blow to Director Lu after I was released on medical parole.
Four colors, Lao Ke?
Truly worthy of being a person trained by Li Jiu. As reserves for x drivers, gamblers, and agents, they not only excelled but also surpassed their predecessors.
Truly impressive!
Perhaps to tarnish her mother's image in the hearts of the living, Lu Fan spoke a few words and then became sad again. Zhao Zhichao patted him, "Fan, actually, I've come to terms with it. Revenge isn't as important as you are. If you don't like it, we won't press charges against Director Lu."
Ke Yingying had been listening nearby. Hearing this, she frowned and interjected, "How can that be? We've come this far, how can you just say you won't press charges?"
I stopped the agitated Ke Yingying and looked at Lu Fan earnestly, saying, "The evidence was provided by you, and Director Lu is your father. This final decision rests with you. Whatever you decide, I promise not to interfere. Oh, and one more thing you should understand. People don't need to be forever haunted by one mistake. If you decide not to press charges against your father and let your mother live on in people's hearts as someone fortunate, you can choose to destroy the evidence."
Ke Yingying became anxious. His plan wasn't like this. He interjected, "Sect Leader..."
I waved my hand to interrupt Ke Yingying and said earnestly, "I respect Lu Fan's decision and will keep my word."