Chapter 81:

The car had been driving for a while when the driver suddenly spoke up again, trying to strike up a conversation with Zhao Chunjun. He asked for Zhao’s name and occupation, which immediately caught Zhao’s attention.

Noticing Zhao’s somewhat sensitive reaction, the driver quickly explained, “It’s like this, sir. There are police checking the road ahead. I’m afraid they might ask us about our relationship when we pass by, and I won’t be able to explain who you are and what you do. That could raise suspicion.” He added with a bitter smile, “You know, we black cab drivers have to be extra cautious.”

Zhao Chunjun frowned slightly, gazing ahead. Sure enough, he could see the flashing lights of police cars in the distance. He immediately ordered the driver, “Stop the car!”

The driver hesitated for a moment, not reacting quickly enough. The car continued moving forward, getting closer and closer to where the police were stationed.

Zhao Chunjun grabbed the steering wheel directly from the driver’s hands, sharply turning it to veer the car off the road. The driver mechanically stepped on the brake, looking at Zhao with a mix of fear and frustration. “Are you out of your mind! What if something happens! This is a public road! There are cars behind us! Don’t drag me into your death wish!”

Zhao Chunjun got out of the car with a cold expression and quickly disappeared into the nearby residential area. This part of the road was lined with old single-story houses. Despite the cold weather, many elderly people had come out for evening walks. Through the car window, the driver watched Zhao’s retreating figure thoughtfully, relieved that Zhao had paid in advance—otherwise, he would have suffered a huge loss.

Shaken by the experience, the driver decided not to pick up any more passengers that day and turned the car around to head home. But not long after, he noticed police cars chasing after him. Instantly alert, he wondered, “I wasn’t even carrying any passengers. Why are they chasing me? Could they be after someone else? But what if they’re after me? Did they find out I was driving a black cab?”

As the driver was lost in anxious thoughts, the police car drew closer. Over the loudspeaker came a command: “Toyota vehicle with license plate number Jing C287A1, please pull over immediately! Toyota vehicle with license plate number Jing C287A1, please pull over immediately!”

Hearing his license plate number announced by the police, the driver panicked and slammed the gas pedal, trying to escape. But just as he thought about fleeing, he realized he was caught between a rock and a hard place—there were police behind him and more ahead. Not only that, but the group approaching from the front wasn’t in police cars—they included someone in a police uniform.

Indeed, the driver had been boxed in from both directions and had no choice but to surrender.

The arriving officers included both public security police and traffic police. The traffic officers confiscated the driver’s license and initiated legal procedures for operating an illegal taxi. The public security officers showed the driver a photo and asked, “Have you seen this person?”

The driver took one look and visibly startled. His expression clearly indicated he had seen Zhao before, but recalling Zhao’s earlier words, he hesitated slightly before answering.

“He’s a wanted criminal! If you’re sheltering him, you’ll be charged with harboring a fugitive!” the officer barked sternly.

The driver quickly pointed toward the nearby residential area. “He just got out not long ago. He went that way!”

Shen Qingzhou, who had just stepped out of the unmarked police vehicle, heard this and fell silent. A plainclothes officer beside him expressed surprise, “So he really did go this way.”

Shen didn’t say anything. He took a compass and some unknown tools from the backpack slung over his shoulder, arranged them on the compass in a specific pattern, and half-squatted while slowly rotating the compass. When the compass finally stopped, he studied it for a while before packing everything up and stepping aside. He gave the driver a sidelong glance, silently indicating that they would deal with him later.

The officers immediately handled the driver’s case, wrapping it up quickly before handing him over to the traffic police. As Shen watched the driver being taken away, his gaze remained fixed on him. He said quietly, “There’s no need to rush. He won’t be able to leave this area anytime soon. He should have a place to stay nearby.” He paused slightly, as if anticipating disbelief, and added in a more explanatory tone, “It should be close by. You can start checking the area. Look for secluded courtyard houses that face south and back north, ones that have been unoccupied for a while but are still kept clean. Be careful not to tip him off.”

The officers were somewhat skeptical but also had no other leads, so they decided to follow this clue. Liu, the team leader who had been accompanying Shen, immediately gave orders to his subordinates to start the search while he turned to Shen and said, “It’s getting late. We’ve been busy all day. Let’s grab a bite nearby. We’ll be notified if there’s any news.”

Shen nodded. “Alright.”

So the group entered a nearby noodle shop. Each of them ordered a bowl of noodles. While waiting for the food, Shen took out his phone and called Lin Qiao. Dressed elegantly and stylishly, Shen stood out in the small noodle shop. The waitresses, the owner, and even the female diners couldn’t help but steal glances at him. The officers dining with him became somewhat conspicuous by association. They teased Shen as he made the call, saying, “You better keep an eye on your husband. He’s the kind who could be killed by admirers. He’s already making the ladies here lose their appetite.”

The teasing voices weren’t low, and the girls who had been secretly watching Shen blushed and quickly averted their gazes, realizing he was married and currently on the phone with his wife.

Unfazed by the attention, Shen ignored the teasing and asked Lin Qiao in a calm voice how things were at home, how the child was doing, whether Xie Jia Yi had returned home, if there were any suspicious figures on the surveillance footage, and whether Du Xinling had arrived in Beijing with Xiao Ning yet. He said that once they arrived, he could finally relax a bit.

Lin Qiao answered each of Shen’s questions one by one. Once Shen confirmed that everything at home was safe, she hesitated before slowly speaking up. “Qingzhou, I have something to tell you. Are you busy right now?”

Shen pulled the bowl of noodles the owner had just brought over toward him, unwrapped the chopsticks, and carefully wiped them with a napkin while holding the phone between his ear and shoulder. “I’m having dinner at a restaurant. Not busy. Go ahead.”

Lin Qiao responded with a soft sound, hesitating slightly. “I know telling you might distract you, but I think you’d want to know first.”

“What is it?” Shen frowned, a sense of concern rising in his heart. He lost his appetite and put the chopsticks back on the bowl.

Lin Qiao spoke gently, “I didn’t feel well today, so I bought a pregnancy test. It looks like I’m pregnant again.”

She waited anxiously for Shen’s reaction, hoping to know whether he would want this child or not. After all, they already had Xiaoxuan and Xiao Ning—two children, one boy and one girl. Adding another might be a lot to handle.

Shen was silent for a while before his calm voice finally came through. “Once I finish handling this case, I’ll accompany you to the hospital for a thorough checkup. If everything is confirmed, we’ll keep the baby.”

Lin Qiao frowned slightly. “Keep it? We already have two kids.”

Shen replied directly, “Even if you have ten, I can support them all.”

Lin Qiao gave a faint smile. “You think I’m a pig? I know you can afford it, I’m just worried it’ll be too tiring for everyone.”

Shen said, “If it gets too busy, we can hire a nanny. I don’t want you to harm your health, especially not when it comes to harming the fetus—that’s bad karma.”

As a feng shui master with high spiritual cultivation, Shen naturally placed great importance on matters of fate and reincarnation. Lin Qiao understood his beliefs. Truthfully, she wanted to keep the baby too, she was just worried about him. Now that he had said this, she was naturally happy to agree.

“Okay, then we’ll keep it. Once Zhao Chunjun’s case is resolved, we’ll go to the hospital to confirm. I won’t tell Mom and Dad yet.”

Hearing Lin Qiao’s agreement, Shen felt reassured. He felt that no matter how tiring it was outside, it was all worth it. People often say that a man should establish himself at thirty, but the saying “establishing a family before building a career” also makes sense.

After hanging up the phone, Shen elegantly picked up his bowl of noodles and began to eat with the grace of traditional Chinese etiquette. His chopstick movements were as graceful as a phoenix nodding its head, and each bite was taken slowly and elegantly, making watching him eat a pleasure in itself.

The officers had mostly finished their meals while Shen was on the phone and were now watching him eat with empty bowls in front of them, tempted to order another round.

Just as they were about to call the owner, Liu’s phone rang.

The ringing phone at this moment carried a different meaning. Everyone immediately became alert. Shen also put down his bowl and watched Liu answer the call, carefully listening to his conversation.

“Alright, I understand,” Liu said quickly, hung up, and immediately started gathering his things. “Let’s go. We have a lead.”

Upon hearing Liu’s words, the group immediately understood and left the noodle shop, rushing toward the suspicious location in their car. The noodle shop owner only realized later to collect the bowls and noticed a hundred-yuan bill left on the table where Shen had sat, even though their meal had only cost a few dozen yuan.

“What a nice person. I wonder if he’ll come back to ask for change. I should keep this in mind just in case,” the owner murmured to herself, putting the money into her pocket.

Shen and the officers left the noodle shop full and ready to continue their investigation, while Zhao Chunjun, who was trying to evade them, was in a much worse situation.

In a secluded corner, there was a small courtyard house facing south with its gate tightly locked from the outside, seemingly unoccupied.

The neighboring courtyards had various items or bicycles placed outside their doors, but this courtyard was unusually clean, without even a speck of dirt, clearly maintained regularly.

At this moment, Zhao Chunjun was sitting by a table inside the courtyard, drinking water. His usually neat clothes were covered in dust—there was no doubt he had climbed over the wall to get in.

A locked courtyard usually doesn’t attract attention because it implies no one is living there.

But this time, it was different. Because the people searching for him weren’t just logical detectives—they also included Shen Qingzhou, a master of mysticism who could locate people through supernatural means.

Shen and the officers arrived at the alley leading to the suspicious courtyard. A group of plainclothes officers were already waiting there, ready to receive orders.

“We checked the courtyard earlier,” one officer reported. “The gate is locked, and we don’t know if anyone is inside. We didn’t dare to climb over the wall to check in case someone was inside and got startled.”

Liu nodded. “Have we identified the owner of the courtyard yet?”

Another officer replied, “We haven’t confirmed yet whether the owner is Zhao Chunjun, but we asked the neighbors. They said the courtyard is regularly cleaned by someone hired by a Mr. Zhao. He pays them to clean the house every day but never comes here himself.”

Liu smirked. “This must be the place. Get ready to move. Zhao Chunjun must be inside.” He turned to Shen, praising, “Master Shen, you’re truly legendary.”

Shen gave a slight, expressionless smile as a response. His indifferent reaction clearly showed his impatience with their delays. Liu didn’t say more, quickly assigned tasks to everyone, and began the operation to apprehend Zhao Chunjun.