The Xu Family reception had been planned long ago as a business dinner.
Officially, it was a thank-you reception before the launch of Xu Corporation's new projects that year. In reality, it was Xu Chengyuan's way of reassuring his business partners and steadying public opinion.
After the string of incidents involving the Xu Family over the past few days, many of their partners were waiting to see what would happen.
Xu Chengyuan couldn't let them think the Xu Family was falling apart.
So the reception not only had to go ahead, it had to be respectable.
Xu Zhihan had to attend.
His attendance would show that the Xu Family's internal conflicts remained under control. That the rumors online were merely misunderstandings. That Xu Chengyuan was still the head of the Xu Family who could keep everything in hand.
At least, that was what Xu Chengyuan thought.
At five that afternoon, a servant knocked on Xu Zhihan's door and brought him a suit.
Black, with clean tailoring.
Xu Zhihan glanced at it. "Take it away."
The servant looked troubled. "Young master, your father had this prepared. He said you must attend tonight's reception."
Xu Zhihan sat by the window, his expression indifferent. "Tell him to come himself."
The servant didn't dare say anything.
Before long, Xu Chengyuan did indeed arrive.
There wasn't much emotion on his face as he pushed the door open. After the events of the past few days, he had learned to rein in his anger around Xu Zhihan.
"You're coming to the reception with me tonight."
Xu Zhihan looked up. "Why?"
Xu Chengyuan stood in the doorway, his tone reasonably steady. "Haven't you always wanted to investigate what happened to your mother and Xu An? Someone will be there tonight. He knew Lin Wan, and he knows why Xu An came into the Xu Family back then."
Xu Zhihan's fingertips paused briefly.
Seeing his reaction, Xu Chengyuan knew he had gambled correctly.
"If you really want to investigate, stop making trouble."
Xu Zhihan looked at him. "You invited him so I could investigate?"
"I'm merely giving you an opportunity," Xu Chengyuan said.
"Since when were you so kind?"
Xu Chengyuan's expression darkened slightly. "Xu Zhihan, you don't have to assume the worst of everyone."
"You're not worth that much thought," Xu Zhihan said flatly.
Xu Chengyuan was left speechless.
He stared at Xu Zhihan for a few seconds, then swallowed his anger again.
"We leave at eight."
With that, he turned and left.
Once the door closed, the room fell quiet.
Xu Zhihan looked at the suit, his gaze somewhat cold.
Xu Chengyuan wouldn't put an old friend of Lin Wan's in front of him without a reason.
Tonight was most likely a setup.
But he still had to go.
Because Lin Wan and Xu An were crucial pieces in the Xu Family's rotten history.
Xu Zhihan rose to get changed.
His body still hadn't recovered, and standing for too long exhausted him. After changing into the suit, he sat on the edge of the bed for several minutes before the dizziness subsided.
The person in the mirror was very thin, his complexion cold and pale, but his features clear and refined. The black suit made him look a little more alert than usual, and even more unapproachable.
His phone vibrated.
Lu Wenchuan had sent a message.
[Ready?]
Xu Zhihan replied.
[How do you know everything?]
[Part of the job.]
[Keeping me under surveillance?]
[Protecting a witness.]
Xu Zhihan looked at those words, his brows drawing together slightly.
Lu Wenchuan sent another message.
[Don't overthink it. You really are an important witness right now.]
Xu Zhihan replied.
[You don't need to come.]
Lu Wenchuan answered instantly.
[Too late. I'm already here.]
Xu Zhihan walked to the window and looked down.
A car was parked outside the Xu Family's gates.
Lu Wenchuan leaned against it in a dark suit, his tie crooked. He still looked every bit as disinclined to follow the rules as ever.
As though sensing Xu Zhihan's gaze, he looked up and waved toward the second floor.
Xu Zhihan pulled the curtains shut, his face cold.
Unnecessary.
At seven thirty, people were already waiting in the Xu Family's living room.
Zhou Man wore a light-colored evening gown and meticulous makeup, with foundation covering the strangulation marks on her neck. Xu Mingji had changed into a suit as well. His complexion looked a little better than it had a few days ago, but his gaze still darted away when he saw Xu Zhihan.
He was afraid of Xu Zhihan.
And resented being afraid of him.
Xu Chengyuan's expression briefly froze when he saw Xu Zhihan coming downstairs.
Xu Zhihan's face was actually well suited to a banquet.
Frail, aloof, and quiet, he could draw attention simply by standing there.
Xu Chengyuan had rarely taken him out before.
Partly because of his poor health, and partly because his constant silence dampened everyone's mood.
The Xu Zhihan of today was colder, yet his presence was also stronger.
Xu Chengyuan suppressed his discomfort. "Keep your words to a minimum tonight."
Xu Zhihan stepped off the last stair. "Afraid I'll tell the truth?"
Xu Chengyuan's face darkened.
Xu Mingji hurried to smooth things over. "Brother, Dad is just worried about your health."
Xu Zhihan looked at him.
Xu Mingji immediately shut his mouth.
Zhou Man forced a smile. "Zhihan, there'll be a lot of people tonight. Tell me if you're feeling unwell. Don't push yourself."
Xu Zhihan's tone was indifferent. "Stay away from me, and I'll feel better."
Zhou Man's smile froze.
Xu Chengyuan had to swallow his anger repeatedly to keep from erupting on the spot.
When they went outside, Lu Wenchuan was standing by the entrance.
Xu Chengyuan's expression changed the moment he saw him.
"Captain Lu, what are you doing here?"
Lu Wenchuan adjusted his cuff, his smile perfectly natural. "You invited quite a few people, Mr. Xu. I happened to receive an invitation too."
"I didn't invite you," Xu Chengyuan said coldly.
Lu Wenchuan took an invitation from his pocket.
"The Chu Family gave me this."
Xu Chengyuan's expression shifted slightly.
The Chu Family was a hereditary family of the Mystic Sects and maintained ties with many wealthy families. They had indeed sent someone to tonight's reception.
With Lu Wenchuan attending on the Chu Family's invitation, Xu Chengyuan really couldn't stop him.
Xu Zhihan glanced at him.
"Don't look at me like that," Lu Wenchuan said quietly. "Legitimate channels."
Xu Zhihan asked, "Does the Chu Family know you're using their invitation?"
Lu Wenchuan smiled. "They should find out soon enough."
Xu Zhihan: "..."
This man really was unreliable.
By the time they reached the venue, the media were already waiting outside.
Xu Chengyuan had clearly made arrangements in advance. The moment the family of four stepped out of the car, the cameras turned toward them.
Zhou Man held Xu Chengyuan's arm, Xu Mingji stood beside them, and Xu Zhihan walked a little behind.
Someone called out, "President Xu, how do you respond to the recent rumors online?"
Xu Chengyuan stopped, his expression composed.
"A few things have happened at home recently. Zhihan is in poor health and has only just woken up, so some misunderstandings have been blown out of proportion by outsiders. Our whole family is here tonight because we want everyone to know that the Xu Family isn't nearly as troubled as people imagine."
After speaking, he looked at Xu Zhihan.
The cameras turned toward Xu Zhihan as well.
Xu Chengyuan's meaning was obvious.
He wanted him to cooperate.
Xu Zhihan's face was pale, his expression aloof. He showed not the slightest panic in front of the cameras.
A reporter asked, "Young Master Xu, is your relationship with your family really as strained as people online claim?"
Xu Chengyuan's gaze darkened.
Xu Mingji also looked at him, his fingers tightening.
Xu Zhihan was silent for two seconds before saying flatly, "It's all right."
Xu Chengyuan breathed a sigh of relief.
A second later, Xu Zhihan added another sentence.
"A little cleaner than the basement."
The scene fell silent in an instant.
Xu Chengyuan's expression changed on the spot.
Standing a short distance away, Lu Wenchuan couldn't help lowering his head with a laugh.
Xu Mingji's face went white.
The reporters recovered and immediately began firing questions.
"What do you mean by the basement?"
"Young Master Xu, are you implying something?"
"Is there really something wrong with the Xu Family's basement?"
Xu Chengyuan immediately had security step forward to block them. "Zhihan is in poor health, so his words can be a little disjointed," he said gravely. "Please excuse him. We won't be taking interviews tonight."
Xu Zhihan said nothing more.
He had already said enough.
They entered the banquet hall.
Xu Chengyuan lowered his voice. "Xu Zhihan, did you have to embarrass the Xu Family right at the entrance?"
Xu Zhihan looked ahead, his tone cold.
"You told me to keep my words to a minimum."
Xu Chengyuan gritted his teeth. "Then what was that you just said?"
"I kept it short," Xu Zhihan said. "I didn't tell them everything."
Xu Chengyuan nearly lost his composure in fury.
Lu Wenchuan walked over, his tone lazy. "President Xu, the reception is about to begin. Don't look so upset. The reporters are still taking pictures."
Xu Chengyuan looked at him coldly. "Captain Lu, you'd better stay out of other people's business tonight."
Lu Wenchuan smiled. "That depends on whether there's any business that needs my attention tonight."
Xu Chengyuan ignored him and took Zhou Man to meet their business partners.
Xu Mingji hesitated, then followed them.
Xu Zhihan stood at the edge of the banquet hall, his gaze sweeping over the guests.
There were many sin lines here.
Thin ones, faint ones, filthy ones, tangled ones.
Most were only petty wrongdoing and petty greed, not worth a second glance.
Then he spotted the man at the far end of the banquet hall.
He was in his fifties, slightly overweight, and held a wineglass in his hand, smiling amiably.
The sin lines on him were heavy.
One of them connected to a nursing home.
Xu Zhihan's gaze turned cold.
Lu Wenchuan followed his gaze. "Who did you spot?"
Xu Zhihan asked, "Who is that man?"
Lu Wenchuan glanced over. "Zhao Huaide, one of Xu Corporation's business partners. He made his start in medical investments and has ties to Jiang Ren's nursing center."
Xu Zhihan lowered his eyes.
No wonder.
Zhao Huaide seemed to sense someone watching him and turned to look their way.
When he saw Xu Zhihan, he paused in surprise, then walked over with a smile.
"You must be Zhihan, right? It's been so many years. Look how much you've grown."
Xu Zhihan looked at him.
Zhao Huaide assumed the air of an elder, his tone familiar. "I even held you when you were little. How's your health? Your dad told me you've been a bit emotionally unstable lately."
The smile on Lu Wenchuan's face faded.
Xu Zhihan, however, didn't get angry.
He simply looked at the sin line behind Zhao Huaide, so black it seemed heavy, and spoke slowly.
"You held me?"
"Of course," Zhao Huaide said with a smile.
Xu Zhihan's tone was flat.
"Then you must have held Xu An, too."
The smile on Zhao Huaide's face froze.