CHAPTER 196: CHAPTER 196: FOLLOW ME

Fu Bing’s lips curved into a faint smile. Her gaze had gradually lost focus.

"I own a company that specializes in finding lost children, and another that supports orphanages. Even if I go to jail, those two companies will not be affected. They will continue to operate smoothly. Up to now, my companies have successfully helped thousands of people find their relatives, funded 189 orphanages, and supported tens of thousands of orphans."

"Why don’t my relatives look for me?" Fu Bing’s voice carried a tone of weariness.

Wu Shi had stopped his movements at some point and was listening intently to her.

"Is it because I am a girl?"

Fu Bing usually didn’t care much about her origins. She knew in her heart that what was missed was missed. Over the years, the real cases of finding relatives in their company were just like that. Finding each other was just fulfilling a certain longing, and most people remained as they were, perhaps just occasionally greeting each other. Knowing that one another was still alive and living somewhere was enough. Only a very few people would live together intimately. If she found her relatives, she’d be like most people, occasionally interacting, but mostly living their separate lives.

The dream just now had stirred up the fears and cold she felt years ago, fostering resentment within her.

Wu Shi put down the Lego pieces and took her hand. "I’m here. You go to sleep nicely. It was just a bad dream, and you’ve woken from it."

Fu Bing hummed softly, squeezed his warm hand, and closed her eyes.

*

Su Junhui had been waiting at home for three days. Su Jiang seemed to be deliberately avoiding him and had unexpectedly gone on a business trip. Su Junhui was never the type to sit idly by, nor would he put himself in a passive position. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have chosen to be a lawyer. The profession of a lawyer is inherently aggressive.

After dinner, he entered Madame Su’s courtyard.

Madame Su yawned as soon as she saw him, effectively dismissing him. "It’s getting cold. My body can’t handle it like you young people, so I won’t keep you company."

Su Junhui said coolly, "Grandma, are you avoiding me?"

Madame Su’s expression stiffened. "You child, always saying such strange things."

"You are the elder matriarch of the Su Family. My sister’s personal belongings vanished without a trace. I asked Mom and Aunt Mei to look for them, but they found nothing. I think you should know."

"After Su Kexin was sent away by your mother, weren’t those things taken with her? What are you still looking for?"

"Su Kexin is Su Kexin. My sister is my sister. I remember no one in the entire Su Family confuses the two. You’ve always had a sharp mind and an excellent memory. You couldn’t possibly get them mixed up."

It had been a long time since Madame Su had been treated with such an unfriendly attitude. Her face darkened, and she scolded, "If you have something to say, say it directly. What’s with this insinuating tone? The family spent money for you to study for so many years. Is this how you learned to disrespect your elders?"

"I think you’re very smart. My dad is smart too, considering he avoided me for three days because of one question I asked. I believe you know why I want my sister’s personal items and photos."

Su Junhui’s tone was gentle, yet his words were as aggressive as before.

"I’ve already told you, they were packed up with Su Kexin’s belongings and sent away. Your sister has been missing for so many years; keeping her things will only make everyone melancholic and add to their grief," Madame Su said without a shred of guilt. "We’ve been searching for over twenty years. Isn’t that enough? Do we have to search for her for her entire lifetime?"

"That’s because you never seriously looked for her! If you had intended to search properly, why isn’t there even a single photo of her left? I think you did it on purpose!"

"You studied law and should know that every case has a statute of limitations. You haven’t spent a day as a proper lawyer, yet you’ve already learned to make baseless accusations. Junhui, you’ve greatly disappointed me!"

Madame Su’s face was very unpleasant.

"Don’t try that moral blackmail on me. Let’s just talk about my sister’s case. After we finish, you can criticize me all you want. There were many loopholes in how you handled my sister’s case. I don’t believe you don’t understand that. Why would such influential people in Jiangcheng let a little child disappear? Why were you helpless at first, and then put on a show for so many years? You knew very well that your methods would never find her, so why keep up the act?"

As Su Junhui questioned Madame Su, he was also questioning himself. Why didn’t I realize it sooner? I decided my future path back in high school; I should have treated my sister’s case as a research subject then. Why didn’t I research it at that time? My sister was only a year younger than me. If I had discovered the loopholes back then, could I have found her? Rather than displacing his resentment onto others, he wanted to find a breakthrough now.

"How dare you!" Madame Su slammed her water glass down. "I’ve just recovered from a serious illness, and you barge in here, barraging me with questions without even asking about my health! Do I owe you anything? Get out!"

"Tell me the answer, and I’ll leave immediately!" Su Junhui didn’t back down.

Madame Su ignored him and called Han Liying. As soon as the call connected, she scolded, "Take your precious son back! Stop him from disgracing himself in front of me!"

Han Liying said calmly, "Mom, Junhui’s questions are also mine. Why could you watch my daughter disappear for so many years without trying to find her properly, and then fill her place with an orphan? My daughter never received any favor from the Su Family, yet her disappearance has been used to build the Su Family’s image all these years! What exactly are you trying to do?"

Anger, regret, and self-blame laced Han Liying’s voice.

"What right do you have to question me? She disappeared while under your care! You’re the one who should be most remorseful!" Madame Su was provoked.

"I’ve never thought I could absolve myself of responsibility in this matter. But you clearly knew better ways to find people. Why didn’t you use them?"

"If her photo had been circulated everywhere back then, it would have only put her in more danger!"

"Don’t try to fob me off with such a pathetic excuse! You’ve ruined my daughter’s life for the sake of your image!"

Madame Su retorted, "I gave you more than enough face by letting you into the Su Family. Don’t push your luck!"

"If this ’face’ came at the cost of my daughter, I’d rather not have it!" Han Liying was so angry she felt dizzy.

"It seems to me you’ve benefited and yet you complain!" Madame Su coldly ordered, "Have someone come and take your precious son away, so he doesn’t embarrass himself further out there!"

Su Junhui stood up. "No need to trouble yourself. I can leave on my own!"

Madame Su’s well-maintained face showed a look of disdain. Of all her grandsons, she liked Su Junhui the least. This grandson was too smart and didn’t abide by conventions, which made him odious in her eyes.

As soon as Su Junhui left Madame Su’s courtyard, he saw Su Junxian hiding in the shadows of the trees.

Su Junxian glanced behind him and whispered, "Follow me."