Tension stretched thin across the Liang estate, every person standing still, watching, waiting. The tied man shifted again, his shoulders tightening against the rope, his eyes darting between Zhang Weiyu and the others as if searching for something an escape, an answer, anything. "…I already told you everything," he said, voice unsteady. "There's nothing more."
Zhang Weiyu didn't respond immediately. His gaze remained fixed, unblinking, as if weighing not just the words but the pauses between them. "…No," he said finally. "You didn't."
The man stiffened. "…I did." A small silence followed. Xu Shen shifted slightly beside him. "…Sir," he said under his breath, "he's repeating himself." "I know." Zhang Weiyu's finger adjusted slightly on the trigger.
The tied man noticed. His breathing hitched.
"…Wait...wait, I told you " "You told me what you think I want to hear," Zhang Weiyu cut in calmly. "…Not what I need." The man shook his head quickly. "…No, I " "You went to Zhou Mansion," Zhang Weiyu said, voice even. "Twice."
Silence. The man froze. "…I didn't". "You did," Xu Shen added quietly. The man's eyes flickered, panic rising faster now. "…I was just following orders!" Zhang Weiyu's gaze sharpened slightly. "…Whose?"
A pause. Too long. "…I don't know," the man said finally. Another silence. Xu Shen exhaled slowly. "…Sir…" Zhang Weiyu didn't look at him. "…He knows." The man's voice rose slightly. "…I don't! I swear, I don't " "You hesitate before every answer," Zhang Weiyu said. "…That means you're choosing what to say."
"…You've said enough." The voice came from the side firm, controlled, carrying authority without needing to rise. Mr. Liang stepped forward, his expression tight, his gaze fixed directly on Zhang Weiyu.
"…You walk into my house," he continued, "…and interrogate someone like this as if you own the place."
No one spoke over him. "…Say what you want. Do what you want." His tone sharpened slightly. "…But don't forget where you're standing."
A faint pause. "…This is my house."
The words settled heavily in the room.
Xu Shen's eyes shifted subtly, observing the change in atmosphere, the tension no longer centered only on the tied man. Zhang Weiyu didn't respond immediately. He stood there, still, as if the statement required consideration.
"…Then explain something to me," he said calmly. His gaze lifted, meeting Mr. Liang's without the slightest change in expression.
A brief pause.
"…If this has nothing to do with you"
His eyes flicked once toward the tied man before returning. "…why is he here?"
Silence. The question landed clean.
Mr. Liang's jaw tightened slightly, but he didn't look away. "…He was brought here."
"By who?" Xu Shen asked, tone even.
Mr. Liang didn't answer that directly. "…That is not something you need to concern yourself with."
"…It became my concern," Zhang Weiyu said, "…the moment he walked toward Zhou Mansion."
Another silence. "…You keep repeating that," one of the Liang family members said, stepping forward slightly, irritation slipping into his tone. "…Zhou Mansion. Zhou Mansion. What exactly are you trying to imply?"
"…Nothing," Zhang Weiyu replied. "…I'm asking."
"…No," the man said, voice tightening, "…you're accusing."
A faint pause. "…If I were accusing," Zhang Weiyu said, "…this conversation would already be over."
That line wasn't loud, but it carried enough weight to still the room again. Xu Shen glanced briefly at the Liang members. No one interrupted this time.
"…You think we're involved?" another voice cut in, colder now. "…Is that it? That we're sending people there?"
Zhang Weiyu's expression didn't change. "…I think someone is moving between both places."
"…And you came here to confirm that?" Mr. Liang asked.
"…I came here," Zhang Weiyu said, "…because he ended up here."
A pause. "…Inside your house."
That emphasis didn't go unnoticed.
"…You're twisting things," one of the Liang men said. "…We already told you he's not ours." "…I heard you," Zhang Weiyu replied.
"…Then why are you still standing here questioning us?"
A beat. "…Because your answer doesn't explain anything."
Mr. Liang's gaze darkened slightly. "…You expect us to explain every person that crosses our threshold?"
"…No," Zhang Weiyu said. "…Just the ones tied up in the middle of your hall."
That landed..A sharper tension moved through the room..Xu Shen remained still, but his attention sharpened further.
"…Careful," one of the Liang members said quietly. "…You're crossing a line."
"…No," Zhang Weiyu replied. "…I'm standing on one."
A pause. "…And you haven't decided which side you're on yet."
Mr. Liang's expression hardened. "…You're pushing too far."
"…Or," Zhang Weiyu said, "…you're holding back too much."
Their eyes locked again neither moved.
"…You think this is a game?" Mr. Liang asked, his voice low now.
"…No," Zhang Weiyu said. "…That's why I'm here."
Silence stretched again..The tied man shifted faintly in the background, barely noticed now.
"…Let's be clear," Mr. Liang continued, slower this time, more controlled. "…We don't answer to you."
"…I didn't ask you to," Zhang Weiyu replied.
"…Then what exactly are you doing here?"
A brief pause. "…Observing," Zhang Weiyu said.
"…Observing what?"
"…Reactions." That word landed deeper than the others.
Xu Shen's eyes flickered slightly..Mr. Liang didn't speak immediately.
"…And what have you observed?" he asked after a moment.
Zhang Weiyu tilted his head slightly, as if considering. "…That you're very careful with your words," he said.
A pause. "…But not careful enough with your silence."
The room stilled again.
"…Silence doesn't mean anything," one of the Liang men snapped.
"…It does," Zhang Weiyu replied calmly. "…When it comes at the wrong time."
A faint shift subtle, but there.
Xu Shen caught it. Zhang Weiyu definitely did.
"…You're reading too much into this," Mr. Liang said.
"…And you're not reading enough," Zhang Weiyu answered.
Another pause. "…You came here without invitation," Mr. Liang said, his voice tightening again. "…You question us, push us, and now you're implying things without proof." "…Then give me proof," Zhang Weiyu said.
Silence no one spoke. "…You can't," he added quietly. That hit not loudly, but precisely. Mr. Liang's jaw tightened further. "…You're testing our patience."
"…And you're testing mine," Zhang Weiyu replied.
Another silence. He didn't move.
"…A man goes to Zhou Mansion," he continued, each word measured. "…More than once." A beat. "…He ends up here."
Another beat. "…Tied."
His gaze sharpened slightly. "…And no one has a clear answer."
Silence. "…That's not coincidence," Zhang Weiyu said. "…Or," Mr. Liang replied, "…it's something you don't understand."
"…Then explain it," Zhang Weiyu said.
A pause. "…We don't need to."
"…You do," Zhang Weiyu replied, "…if you want me to stop asking."
Another silence longer this time he let it stretch.
He watched them. Xu Shen remained still beside him, but his awareness sharpened with each passing second. This wasn't just questioning anymore. This was pressure.
And the Liang family was feeling it.
"…You're making this bigger than it is," one of them said finally.
"…No," Zhang Weiyu said quietly. "…You are."
A pause. "…By not answering."
Mr. Liang exhaled slowly. "…You expect too much."
"…No," Zhang Weiyu replied. "…I expect enough."
Silence in house again. Then he looked away not at them but back at the tied man as if the conversation had already ended in his mind.
"…We're wasting time," he said.
The shift was immediate. The focus returned.
The man shook his head harder. "…No.I'm just scared " "Good," Zhang Weiyu replied. The word landed cold. "…Fear makes people honest." A beat. "…Try again."
The man swallowed, his throat moving visibly. His gaze flickered once toward Mr. Liang. Just for a second. It was enough. Zhang Weiyu saw it. Xu Shen saw it too. "…Sir," Xu Shen murmured. "I saw," Zhang Weiyu replied.
The man froze completely now. "…It wasn't me," he said quickly. "…I just delivered messages I didn't ask questions." "To who?" Zhang Weiyu asked. Silence. "…To who?" he repeated. The man's lips parted, then closed again. His eyes darted once more this time not just to Mr. Liang, but somewhere else. Somewhere unseen.
"…I can't say," he whispered. Xu Shen's brows tightened. "…You can't… or you won't?" The man's voice dropped lower. "…If I say it… I'm dead anyway."
A quiet pause followed. Zhang Weiyu tilted his head slightly, studying him. "…You're already dead," he said. The man's breath caught. "…You just don't know when yet." Xu Shen went still. "…Sir," he said quietly, a warning this time. Zhang Weiyu didn't move. "…Last chance," he said.
The man's entire body tensed. "…It's not the Liang family," he blurted suddenly. "…They're not the ones you should be worried about " Zhang Weiyu's eyes narrowed. "…Then who?" The man hesitated. Again. Too long. "…I.."
The gunshot cut through the room Sharp.
The man's voice disappeared mid-word, his body going still before slumping forward, the rope the only thing keeping him upright. Silence followed heavy, absolute. No one moved. Xu Shen didn't speak. The Liang family stood frozen, shock written clearly across their faces, but no one dared react beyond that.
Zhang Weiyu lowered the gun slightly, his expression unchanged. "…Useless," he said. The word landed softly but carried weight. Xu Shen exhaled quietly. "…Sir…" "He was stalling," Zhang Weiyu replied. "…He was afraid," Xu Shen said carefully. "And that made him slow," Zhang Weiyu answered. "…I don't have time for slow answers."
The silence shifted again different now, controlled. Mr. Liang stepped forward cautiously, his expression tight. "…You come into my house… and do this." Zhang Weiyu turned his gaze toward him. "…Your man," he said simply. "He is not ". "He went to Zhou Mansion," Zhang Weiyu interrupted. "…More than once."
Mr. Liang's words stopped. "…And now he's dead," Zhang Weiyu continued. "…Before he could finish a sentence." A pause. "…That reflects poorly on you." Mr. Liang's jaw tightened. "…You think this is our doing?" "I think," Zhang Weiyu said calmly, "that someone is using your people."
A flicker of reaction small, but there. Xu Shen noticed. Zhang Weiyu noticed. "…And I think," Zhang Weiyu continued, stepping forward slightly, "you don't have control over your own house." The room stilled again. "…Be careful what you imply," Mr. Liang said quietly. "I don't imply," Zhang Weiyu replied. "…I observe."
Another step forward.not aggressive, but deliberate. "…Someone sent him to Zhou Mansion," he said. "…Someone silenced him." His gaze sharpened. "…And if that someone gets any closer to my house…" A pause. "…I won't ask questions next time."
The threat settled in the air clear, unavoidable. Mr. Liang didn't respond immediately, because there was nothing safe to say. Zhang Weiyu lowered the gun fully now. "…Clean your side," he added. "…Before I decide to clean it for you."
A final glance. Then he turned. No hesitation. Xu Shen followed immediately.
Behind them, no one moved. No one spoke. The silence they left behind was heavier than before. Then. "…Arrogant."
The word came out low, sharp.One of the Liang members stepped forward, his expression dark. "…He walks in, points a gun, makes threats and leaves like that?"
Another scoffed quietly. "…He didn't even try to hide it." "…He didn't need to," someone else muttered. A pause. Eyes shifted toward Mr. Liang.
"…Are we just going to let this go?" the first man asked, frustration clear now. "…He's treating this place like it's nothing."
"…Enough." Mr. Liang's voice cut through cleanly.
The room stilled again. His gaze remained on the door for a second longer before he finally looked away. "…He came here for a reason," he said. "…And left without answers," someone replied. "…No," Mr. Liang said quietly. "…He got what he wanted."
A brief silence followed. "…Which is?" another asked. Mr. Liang's expression darkened slightly.."…Our reaction."
That realization settled in slowly. "…So we just… let him test us?" one of them said, disbelief slipping through. "…We already failed that," another muttered.
A tense pause. "…What about the man?" someone asked, glancing toward the tied body. "…He didn't say anything useful," one replied. "…Or he didn't get the chance to."
Another silence. "…This is bad," one of them said under his breath. "…If he starts digging "
"He already is," Mr. Liang interrupted.
The room quieted again. "…Then we should stop him," the first man said, more firmly this time. Mr. Liang looked at him. "…And how do you plan to do that?" he asked. No one answered immediately. "…You think provoking him further will help?" Mr. Liang continued. "…Then what?" another asked. "…We just wait?"
A pause. Mr. Liang exhaled slowly, his gaze lowering briefly in thought before lifting again.
"…No," he said. "…We fix this."
"…Fix… what exactly?" His eyes shifted toward the tied man now lifeless, unmoving.
"…Everything that led to this."
Silence. "…And the Zhou Mansion?" someone asked cautiously. Mr. Liang didn't answer right away. "…We stay out of it," he said finally.
A few exchanged looks. "…You really think that's possible now?" one of them asked.
Another pause. "…No," Mr. Liang admitted quietly. The room went still again. "…Then?" the question came again. Mr. Liang's gaze darkened, something colder settling behind it. "…Then we make sure," he said slowly, "…that whatever is happening…"
A beat. "…doesn't reach us first."
No one spoke after that because everyone understood what that meant.
Outside, the air felt different. Less suffocating but not lighter. Xu Shen walked beside him, his expression still tense. "…Sir…" Zhang Weiyu didn't stop walking. "…Was that necessary?" Xu Shen asked.
A brief pause. "…Yes."
Xu Shen exhaled quietly. "…He was about to say something." "He was about to waste time," Zhang Weiyu replied. "…Or he was about to tell us the truth." Zhang Weiyu glanced at him. "…If he wanted to," he said, "he already would have."
Xu Shen didn't argue, but his silence said enough. They reached the car. The door closed. The engine started. For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then. "…Do you think this is connected?" Xu Shen asked. "To Zhou Mansion?" Zhang Weiyu replied. "…Yes." A pause. "…Everything is," Zhang Weiyu said.
Xu Shen's grip tightened slightly. "…And Miss Zhou?"
Zhang Weiyu didn't answer immediately, his gaze fixed on the road ahead, expression unreadable. "…She's already involved," he said finally, voice flat but carrying weight. "…Whether she knows it fully or not is irrelevant."
Xu Shen let out a quiet breath, his eyes flicking to the rearview mirror. "…Do you think she's in danger?"
"Danger?" Zhang Weiyu's voice was calm, almost detached. "…She's already in the crossfire. The question isn't if only when."
"…And if something happens to her?" Xu Shen pressed. "…We can't just wait."
"We don't wait," Zhang Weiyu replied, voice clipped. "…We act when the time comes. Until then, she stays unaware. That's the only way to protect her."
Xu Shen's jaw tightened. "…Do you think she suspects anything?"
Zhang Weiyu's eyes flicked toward him briefly. "…She notices things. But she doesn't understand them yet. That's why we can't involve her prematurely."
"…And if she finds out?" Xu Shen asked quietly. "…If she gets pulled in anyway?"
Zhang Weiyu's grip on the wheel tightened imperceptibly. "…Then we handle it. Like we always do." Another pause settled between them, shorter this time. The weight of the morning, the investigation, the dead man they all lingered in the small space of the car.
"…We're close," Xu Shen finally said. "…Home."
Zhang Weiyu nodded once, silent. The engine slowed as they approached the estate. The gates opened smoothly, as always, and the car rolled into the courtyard. The quiet of the house pressed around them, deceptively normal.
The maid appeared almost immediately at the door, bowing slightly. "…Mr. Zhang, welcome back," she said, voice careful, eyes flicking toward the driver's side. Zhang Weiyu didn't respond, simply stepping out. Xu Shen followed. The two moved toward the house, silent and deliberate.
Inside, Zhou Yiran was sitting in the living room, books spread around her, completely absorbed. The quiet click of the front door closing pulled her attention upward.
Her eyes caught movement. Then the color drained from her face.
Zhang Weiyu was standing there blood on his clothes. Her book slipped slightly from her hands, forgotten. Shock rooted her to the spot.