EIP 80

Although Zhou Jun was feeling unwell and already dizzy from Xin Wanjun’s tearful words early in the morning, seeing her cry so pitifully, like a frostbitten white flower, made him feel sorry for her. Her back-and-forth behavior, first deceiving him to ask for his help and then regretting it and confessing the truth, made it clear that even she wasn’t sure what to do.

Still, she was a pregnant woman, and he couldn’t just sit there and let her cry herself into a faint. Zhou Jun took a handkerchief from the side and gently wiped her tears. He kept his movements minimal and spoke in a calm, soothing tone to help her regain composure. “If you’re willing, tell me everything from the beginning. What trouble are you in?”

In truth, Xin Wanjun herself didn’t know much about Mr. Shi’s background. He never handled matters personally, always sending others to act on his behalf. Even people in the film crew didn’t seem to know who was behind her, and neither did she. She wasn’t in a position to investigate either. Her social connections were limited, mostly to past clients, whom she couldn’t contact now.

Her ignorance didn’t mean Zhou Jun couldn’t piece things together. From her fragmented description, he began to suspect that this Mr. Shi was likely the same Mr. Shi that rumors often spoke about, a titan in the shipping industry. But the Shi family’s empire didn’t stop at shipping. It spanned everything from mining and oil to everyday consumer goods. Such a vast business wasn’t something one man could build alone. It had deep roots.

It was said that the Shi family’s fortune originated in the underworld, amassed through violence and crime by their ancestors. The young and ambitious Mr. Shi had inherited this legacy, legitimized it, and expanded it beyond imagination. Zhou Jun thought it was unlikely that Xin Wanjun had randomly crossed paths with such a figure. But when she mentioned that the man who first introduced her to Mr. Shi had the surname Bai, everything clicked.

One of Mr. Shi’s most trusted subordinates was also surnamed Bai. Such coincidences were no coincidence at all.

Zhou Jun felt a chill run down his spine. Back in the day, even the Zhou family had been nothing more than small fry compared to the Shi family. Now, Zhou Jun was even less significant. The thought of Xin Wanjun carrying the child of such a formidable figure, and the absurdity of him pretending to be the father, essentially putting a green hat on Mr. Shi, made his scalp tingle.

He feared that before the green hat could even grace Mr. Shi’s head, his own might roll first. Feeling a chill at the back of his neck, Zhou Jun instinctively touched it. He valued his life too much to risk it. No matter how much he sympathized with Xin Wanjun, it wasn’t worth courting death without first understanding Mr. Shi’s stance on the matter.

Seeing Zhou Jun’s hesitant expression, Xin Wanjun sighed dejectedly. “Do you know who he is? I guess he must be someone of importance. I noticed he wears a ring, so he probably has a wife and kids. Someone like me… he’d never agree to let me keep this child.”

Zhou Jun let out a bitter laugh. Someone of important? That was an understatement.

Xin Wanjun sighed but quickly rallied. “It’s fine. After I finish this movie, I’ll leave the country and have the baby abroad. He doesn’t want to see me now, so I’ll figure something out.”

Zhou Jun pinched the bridge of his nose, unsure how to respond. Xin Wanjun’s plans sounded simple enough, but in reality, Mr. Shi likely already knew about both her pregnancy and Zhou Jun’s presence here. Still, it was all speculation. There were many people with the surname Shi, and it might not even be that “Shi.”

After calming her down, Zhou Jun said, “Try to meet and talk with Mr. Shi first. If he really doesn’t want the child, then come back to me. The most important thing is to understand his attitude toward you. Some men can’t accept the idea of their woman being with someone else…”

Xin Wanjun opened her mouth but then shook her head. “He knows what I used to do. This child could easily be from before I met him. What’s there to be angry about?”

Zhou Jun decided not to comment further on the matter. Instead, he pulled the blanket higher over himself. “Let’s leave this for now, Miss Xin. Where are my clothes?”

Her mention of this reminded Xin Wanjun, and she scrambled to her feet, and knock her knee in her haste. There’s a saying that pregnancy makes one scatterbrained, and she seemed to be proving it already. Oblivious to Zhou Jun’s inner ridicule, she went to the bathroom and found his clothes soaked. Left with no other option, she retrieved some of Mr. Shi’s clothes still stored at her place and handed them to Zhou Jun.

Zhou Jun, eager to get to the hospital to check on his elder brother and stop by the bank to confirm a recent transfer, donned the slightly ill-fitting clothes and left Xin Wanjun’s apartment.

At the entrance, he ran into Ming Qi, who had dark circles under his eyes and several cigarette butts at his feet, indicating he’d been there all night. Zhou Jun walked straight up to him. “I was drugged last night. Luckily, Miss Xin saved me.”

Ming Qi likely knew about the events of the previous night, though Zhou Jun wasn’t sure how much. He just didn’t want any misunderstanding about him spending the night at another woman’s place reaching Yong Jin without context.

He added, “Did you notice anyone suspicious while you were down here?”

Ming Qi nodded. “Mr. Zhou, should I investigate this further?”

Zhou Jun hesitated, realizing he hadn’t considered that option. He already felt indebted enough for their protection and didn’t want to burden them further. “No need. You should head back and rest. There’s no need to keep such a close watch on me. I’m not that much trouble.”

That statement rang true. Zhou Jun truly hadn’t faced much danger before, often managing to escape harm by sheer luck. After finishing his conversation with Ming Qi, he hailed a cab, first heading to the bank to withdraw money, then to the hospital.

Boss Xu was honest. What he promised was exactly what he delivered. With this sum of money, the hospital fees could be extended for another four months, and there was even enough for another surgery.

Zhou Jun let out a sigh of relief. As for who had tried to harm him last night, he had a good idea. The losses he suffered would need to be repaid on his own terms.

It had been a while since he’d last seen his elder brother, who looked to be in relatively good spirits. However, the moment Zhou Jun stepped into the ward, his brother began staring at him, making him feel uncomfortable. “What is it?” Zhou Jun asked. His brother shook his head and said it was nothing.

Zhou Jun sat by the bed and chatted with him for a while, carefully omitting the dangers he’d encountered, only mentioning that he’d gained a lot of experience from his recent outings.

Perhaps his elder brother wasn’t used to the reversal of roles, now needing his youngest brother to take care of him. There weren’t many smiles on his face, and he repeatedly warned Zhou Jun with all kinds of instructions, looking deeply worried, as if the outside world was full of predators, ready to swallow his younger brother whole if he wasn’t careful. Zhou Jun found it both funny and frustrating, thinking that his brother was overthinking because he had too much time on his hands. He decided he’d talk to Xiao Fu later and ask him to help reassure his brother.

Returning to his apartment after leaving the hospital, Zhou Jun was greeted by the sight of dust everywhere. He had dismissed the housemaid some time ago. Letting out a sigh, he rolled up his sleeves and prepared to clean the place.

Just then, the phone rang. Zhou Jun wasn’t sure if someone had precisely timed his return or had been calling nonstop while he was out.

He answered the phone and heard a familiar female voice on the other end, someone he had once been close to and greatly respected. His sister-in-law.

She seemed surprised to get through and paused for a moment before speaking urgently.

“Jun Jun, where has your brother gone? I haven’t been able to reach him. I’ve called home, but Uncle Chen and Auntie Li won’t tell me anything. Did something happen to him? I want to see him! I need to see him…”

Her voice grew choked toward the end.

Zhou Jun sighed softly and replied, “Don’t worry, nothing’s happened to him. Crying and being upset is not good for your health. Besides, little nephew or niece will be sad too.”

Still sobbing, his sister-in-law asked, “Then is he mad at me? Does he not want me anymore? I’ve been back for so long, and he hasn’t come to see me even once.”