Chapter 28: The Truth Beneath the Mask

Lies are not born with us; they begin the moment you are hurt but choose to protect the one who caused the pain.

The two remained silent, the air so still that one could almost hear the sound of rain falling outside the window.

The scenes on the screen today and the oppressive atmosphere at the dinner table felt like an invisible hand gripping her throat, tightening incessantly, trying to steal her final breath. "Is that development project really that important?" Xue Zuining finally asked, unable to bear the pressure in her heart any longer.

She clearly heard the man’s steady breathing falter for a second, and even his hand, which had been stroking her hair, paused momentarily. "If I said it didn't matter, would you feel any better?"

His tone was light, yet it made her whole body tremble. She looked into his eyes, which remained as calm and indifferent as ever, as if his words were merely a casual remark.

Lu Huaining looked at her, now like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bowstring. Despite the conflict in his heart, he appeared calm and detached. "No need to worry. A single success or failure won't change anything. What is mine will always be mine."

"That means that piece of land is truly important to you, doesn't it?" Xue Zuining caught the note of inevitable confidence in his voice, and it sent a jolt of alarm through her.

Perhaps sensing her unease, Lu Huaining spoke slowly, "It is a plot of over ten thousand acres, the future center of this city’s development. To capture it is to hold the golden key to the city, which is why everyone is scrambling to seize it." He paused slightly, watching her expression shift, his heart stirred. "Moreover, the plan the company has spent half a year drafting would be rendered useless; there is bound to be some regret. It is not just about building a few towers; it is a move that affects everything."

"Building towers again—a plan without creativity is not worth having." Xue Zuining had never intended to participate in this struggle, yet step by step, she had become a small weight shifting the balance of the scales.

"Miss Xue, if we don't build towers, should we just let the grass grow?" Lu Huaining chuckled lightly. "Or does Miss Little Cat have some more profound insight? Tell me."

The sketch, as if carved into her memory, became increasingly clear in her mind as they spoke. Under his expectant gaze, Xue Zuining gently pushed the man away. "I'm tired. Let's get some rest."

Lu Huaining saw her deliberate avoidance but did not press her. Just as he had said, what was his would always be his—be it an object, a person, or her heart.

After that night, everything that had been hazy began to sharpen. The development of events followed a parabolic arc; after reaching its peak, it began an uncontrollable and sudden descent. Those who thought they controlled the rules of the game experienced the bone-chilling sensation of falling from the clouds into hell overnight.

In just two short weeks, the German NC Consortium rejected the financing request, citing the failure of the planning proposal submitted by the Kunpeng Group and poor investment prospects. Because Kunpeng failed to pay the government the required funds on time at the auction price, it faced late fees of nearly a hundred million. Existing properties saw sales obstructed by the simultaneous opening of the second and third phases of Shengtian International’s Jinxiu Garden, and original buyers demanded refunds due to delays in handover. With funds failing to circulate, the company faced a liquidity crisis.

The financial issue struck directly at Zhang Qikun's fatal weakness. The rapid reversal of the situation caused the manipulation that had been hidden behind the scenes to surface, bit by bit.

On the thirty-eighth floor of Shengtian International, Chu Ci knocked and entered only after hearing a steady "Come in." The man hunched over his desk working did not look up until Chu Ci reached him, then asked with calm detachment, "How did it go?"

"Report, Mr. Lu. After receiving materials provided by an insider at Kunpeng Group regarding multiple forged real estate documents used to repeatedly defraud loans, the major banks have all rejected Zhang Qikun's loan requests. Some have even demanded that Kunpeng Group repay previous loans in advance." Chu Ci could not help but admire the man’s strategic maneuvering, his heart filled with reverence. "Additionally, the head of the NC Consortium in China expressed great interest after reviewing our latest proposal and hopes to schedule an in-person meeting with you."

"Schedule the meeting as early as possible. Also..." Lu Huaining paused, closing his fountain pen. "You have all worked hard during this period. Once this project is over, the company will arrange for you to take leave in batches."

"You are too kind, Mr. Lu. Only when the company develops well can our benefits improve. If there is nothing else, I will head out." Chu Ci nodded slightly and turned to leave, but he heard Secretary Yang’s voice over the intercom.

"Mr. Lu, Mr. Zhang from Kunpeng Group is in the reception room. He wants to see you. Do you have time?"

Chu Ci turned back and asked, "Zhang Qikun is like a mad dog right now; there is no telling if he will bite when cornered. Shall I send him away?"

Lu Huaining pursed his lips and thought for a moment. "Let him in." He hung up the intercom and said to Chu Ci, who was still standing there, "You go out first."

"Then, Mr. Lu, be careful of the villain." As Chu Ci exited the office, the first thing he saw was the hostile glare of Zhang Qikun, who was walking toward him.

"Knock, knock." Secretary Yang knocked symbolically. "Mr. Lu, Mr. Zhang is here."

Zhang Qikun, standing behind Yang Qiong with his hands in his pockets, stepped into Lu Huaining’s office as the secretary stepped aside. He looked around and sneered, "I never imagined I, Zhang Qikun, would have the chance to step foot in here again in this lifetime."

Lu Huaining gave a disdainful smile. "I am also surprised to see you while you are still alive. I had assumed our next meeting would be at our funeral."

"It’s been so many years, yet nothing here has changed." Zhang Qikun sat down on the sofa, feeling exhausted. He looked up and squinted. "You, Lu Huaining, have finally gotten your wish. I, once a sinner of Shengtian, am now completely ruined by you, with no chance of a comeback. But, I beg you, do not drive me to extinction. I have hundreds of people under me; please, give them a way to survive."

"Zhang Qikun, you are the last person here who has the right to say such things to me." The disdain in Lu Huaining’s eyes deepened. "Back when the group was in crisis, you took the entire marketing department's network and resources to defect to Shengtian’s rival, pushing Shengtian to the brink of collapse. Why didn't you think about today back then? From the very beginning, you branded yourself as disloyal and unjust. Now that you are in trouble, who do you think would lend a helping hand to a stray dog? As for your company, once it is acquired, I promise not to lay anyone off; their livelihoods will be secure. How about that? Isn't that much kinder than your methods?"

"Lu Huaining, you heartless, soul-eating bastard!" Zhang Qikun stood up and grabbed a cup from the table, throwing it in Lu Huaining's direction, but it was easily dodged. "Even if I go to hell, I will drag you down with me."

Lu Huaining calmly brushed the tea stains from his cuffs, his gaze sweeping over the near-manic Zhang Qikun. "I'll be waiting."

"Lu Huaining, I finally understand. Those large-scale real estate transactions must have been people you arranged, only to withdraw the funds when needed. Even my ability to successfully secure that land must have been part of your plan." Zhang Qikun suddenly laughed coldly. "Including that woman by your side, Xue Zuining—I suppose she was just a tool to confuse me. You knew all along that she hadn't lost her memory at all; you just borrowed her hands to kill, didn't you?"

Lu Huaining’s eagle-like eyes narrowed instantly. "Zhang Qikun, you have reaped what you have sown; don't blame others. But since you've brought it up today, I will let you see clearly: setting aside the people I arranged, Xue Zuining was never part of my plan. It just so happened that some things occurred between us recently, and she needed an outlet. You just happened to walk into her line of fire, and I simply cooperated with her in playing out the scene. So, don't blame anyone for your own hubris, because you brought this all upon yourself."

"Hahaha, a fine explanation. However, Lu Huaining, save your hypocritical words to explain to someone else." A cold, sinister smile appeared on Zhang Qikun's face. His despondent eyes glinted with the excitement of a plan fulfilled. As he stood up, he took out his phone, which was still in a call, and said loudly, "Xue Zuining, take a good look at how the man you share a bed with has been playing you for a fool."

With that, Zhang Qikun heard exactly what he had hoped for: the sound of a phone falling to the floor on the other end. He cut the call and looked triumphantly at the man who now looked ready to strangle him. "Lu Huaining, congratulations on winning beautifully. However, it seems you will have to pay a price for it." Before leaving, he looked back suddenly. "I hope you find her in time. Good luck."

Lu Huaining grabbed the man by his crisp collar and shoved him hard against the door. "What did you do to her?"

"I didn't do anything, I just had a half-hour phone call with her. And, in this call, you were the one who said most of it." Zhang Qikun pried his hands away, smirking. "You might be a winner in the business world, Lu Huaining, but you are destined to be a loser in love."

This final victory was exchanged for the only moment of prideful yet wretched retreat in Zhang Qikun's life. As he drove his car and passed a face familiar to the man, the idea of despair drove him to the extreme of revenge. He slammed on the accelerator and drove fiercely toward that face.

*Bang!* Although the man dodged in time, he could not avoid being sent flying, his body finally landing on the freshly sprouted grass.

Zhang Qikun watched the bright red blood gushing from the man's body. His trembling hand pulled out his phone, and as he dialed, hot tears welled up in his eyes.

"Daddy..."

A sweet, soft voice of a little girl came through the phone. The man choked back a sob and answered, "Yes... Daddy's sweet Nuonuo."

"A-Kun, what's wrong? Did something happen?" The woman's gentle voice replaced the child's. Zhang Qikun wiped away his tears in a wretched state. "Xiao Jing, are you getting used to life abroad? Promise me, take good care of our daughter..."

"Qikun, what do you mean by this?" The woman's voice on the phone grew sharp with worry. "Why aren't you saying anything?"

"Xiao Jing, I have no time left, and even less face to see you again. I’m sorry... for letting you bear so much for me." The red of the blood continued to spread in his vision. Zhang Qikun slowly pressed down on the accelerator, closed his eyes, and charged toward death. "I didn't have time to make it up to you and our daughter in this life; I will pay it back in the next."

A loud explosion followed—the car was destroyed, and the man was dead.

The car, having crashed into a massive concrete pillar of the city overpass, quickly turned into a giant fireball. It drew terrified screams from passersby, and nearby cars screeched to a halt; the scene descended into chaos.

Lu Huaining was on his way to the seaside villa when he received the call, but the familiar number was followed by the voice of a stranger.

"Are you Mr. Lu Huaining?"

Lu Huaining answered the phone, using his Bluetooth. "I am. May I ask why you are using this number to call me?"

But it was Chu Ci who answered his question. "Mr. Lu, I've been in a car accident... it wasn't an accident... and now I've lost the use of both my hands..."

The man's muffled groans of pain made Lu Huaining’s brows knit deeply. He quickly cleared his mind, steadied his emotions, and pleaded with the stranger on the line, "Please, take care of my injured employee for now. I will arrive at the hospital shortly, and I will be sure to thank you in person."

With lives at stake, he hung up, quickly did a U-turn, and sent a text message to Xiao Yu. It contained only six words: *Find her, keep her there.*

Xiao Yu, who had been anxiously waiting for someone to return, saw the message and her face fell. The person was already gone; how was she supposed to find "air"?