About twenty minutes later, Jin Ze’s message came. The content was as short and to the point as Cheng Qingchong’s.
Identity card number.
Even though Cheng Qingchong didn’t know why Jin Ze would need that, she still followed his orders. This time, Jin Ze replied quickly,
I’ve book you a plane ticket tomorrow afternoon to Shanghai. There will be people waiting for you at the airport.
As Cheng Qingchong finished reading this message, the next message from Jin Ze came.
As long as my man has successfully fetched you, he’ll give me a call. After receiving that call, I’ll send the money to Qin Yinan’s company immediately.
Jin Ze’s house was indeed in Shanghai. Cheng Qingchong looked at the screen for a long time before replying,
I understand.
Jin Ze stopped messaging to her. As Cheng Qingchong went to delete their phone messages, her phone vibrated. It was a message from Jin Ze.
I’ll be leaving for France tomorrow night and return to Shanghai one week later. In this one week, as long as you don’t leave Shanghai, you can do anything you want. Tomorrow, the person who fetches you will present you with a card, spend however you wish to. Other than that, I’ll find you a place to stay in Shanghai. In one week, I’ll be there, be prepared.
In one week, I’ll be there, be prepared… be prepared… Cheng Qingchong knew full well what these words represented. The color drained from her face, and her phone slipped through her fingers.
Her mind was blank for a long time before she went to pick her phone up. She replied to Jin Ze with an
okay
before she deleted that message history as well.
…
Mrs. Cheng’s plane would depart in the morning, so she had to be at the airport at 5 am. Therefore, she went down for bed not long after dinner.
Qin Yinan still hadn’t returned home. The woman who hadn’t had a good night sleep over the past two days didn’t feel at all sleepy. She hugged her knees, sitting on the sofa. The television was on, but she was looking out the window.
At around 9 pm, Cheng Qingchong’s phone rang. It was a picture message from Jin Ze. It was a picture of the signed contract. Cheng Qingchong could see Jin Ze’s and Qin Yinan’s signatures on it.
Jin Ze didn’t attach any words to the picture, but Cheng Qingchong understood what he meant. He had kept up his end of the bargain, so she had better followed hers.
The moment Cheng Qingchong deleted that message, she could hear someone keying the password on the front door, unlocking it.
Cheng Qingchong put down the phone and stood up from the sofa. She only took two steps when the door was pushed open and in walked Qin Yinan. His gait was unsteady, and as he stood at the front door to remove his shoes, he swayed unevenly.
Cheng Qingchong frowned and was quick to realize he was drunk. She rushed to his side and bent over to help him with his shoes. Then she retrieved the slippers from the shoe rack and placed them before him.
Cheng Qingchong remained in the squatting position for a long time. Noticing Qin Yinan hadn’t moved, she raised her head confusedly and realized the man had been staring closely at her with his head lowered.
Even though there was a miasma of alcohol breath around him, his eyes appeared focused and sharp. They glowed genially and with compassion. Cheng Qingchong’s heart skipped a beat.
They looked at each other like this for a long time before he moved his head away, slipped out of his shoes, and put on the slippers.
She came to, quickly stood up from the floor, and followed the swaying man into the main bedroom.
