After all this, I understood the most important thing in a scheming confrontation, and that was to understand the scheme. Only by fully grasping the methods and logic of the scheme could it be truly resolved.
Only by finding the underlying logic of the scheme would there be a way to break it. No matter how powerful a scheme, it was not unbreakable. Understand the scheme, set up the scheme, break the scheme.
Without understanding the scheme, your setup might be part of someone else's scheme. If you understand the scheme, someone else's scheme will not only be ineffective against you but can also be used by you.
Therefore, before understanding the scheme, I had no intention of making any plans.
When Da Huang and I left the dormitory building, Da Huang asked me how I planned to deal with it. I only said one sentence: "Let's wait until the police find Sister Han." I had a hunch that Sister Han's disappearance was the most crucial part of this scheme.
Da Huang was puzzled and anxious, pointing at my nose and saying, "Tang Nan, this matter is not entirely unrelated to you."
Seeing his look, I was amused. I knew what his frantic worry represented, but I couldn't. I could only smile faintly, "Anxious?"
"No, no, what does it have to do with me? Where are you going? I'll give you a ride."
Da Huang's answer was stubborn, but I could see the expectation in his heart. Even so, I didn't mention a word and casually stated my destination: "Brother Da Huang, let's go to the People's Hospital."
...
When I went to the People's Hospital, Yu Xiaoluo was taking Luo Luo for a check-up. Luo Bo was also not there. I stayed to help. This check-up was arranged by Professor Du, and his carefully selected medical team was all in place.
I held little Luo Luo and used my tongue to make sounds to tease her. She actually smiled.
This was the first time I had seen little Luo Luo smile in days. My heart was happy yet sorrowful. There was no turning back this time. I had to win. No matter what, I would not let this little angel leave us so soon.
Yu Xiaoluo returned, her expression solemn. She said, "Tang Nan, you must have spent a lot of money."
A medical team tackling a difficult disease. From now on, every doctor and nurse we came into contact with would work hard for this project. Yu Xiaoluo naturally understood this, which was why she asked me.
"Yes, I spent a lot of money."
I had indeed spent a lot of money because I had already told Professor Du that all expenses for the team would be covered by my private equity fund. I knew Yu Xiaoluo too well. It was best to be straightforward with her. If I hid anything, it might be discovered, and then she would definitely come at me.
"I sold two apartments in Beijing. Is that enough?" Yu Xiaoluo asked me seriously, forcing me to take this matter seriously. I looked at her and sighed, "Almost."
"I'll sell the apartments when I have time," Yu Xiaoluo said with determination. This woman was still so strong. I really didn't know how to explain to Yu Xiaoluo, so I just went along with her, saying, "No rush."
"She is my daughter. Of course, I should pay," Yu Xiaoluo's speech sped up as she saw me push back.
"Yu Xiaoluo, our relationship has always been subtle. Although I always call you 'sister,' do you really consider me a brother?"
As I said this, my address changed from the intimate term "sister" to her full name, Yu Xiaoluo.
Yu Xiaoluo was taken aback. She probably didn't expect me to be so serious, so she murmured, "Of course."
"Since that's the case, Luo Luo is my niece. If I can help you, why are you in such a hurry to pay it back?"
Yu Xiaoluo was very smart and had a higher IQ than me. However, her intelligence was displayed in combat. If I were her opponent and she wanted to defeat me, she could come up with four or five plans in an instant. But this kind of matter was different. Yu Xiaoluo couldn't keep up with my pace. She fell silent. I took the opportunity to put my arm around her shoulder and softened my tone, smiling and saying, "Sister, your brother is a rich man. Two apartments in Beijing are just a drop in the bucket for me."
"Even if the money isn't much for you, it's still going down the drain."
This sentence revealed Yu Xiaoluo's lack of confidence in Luo Luo's illness. She had almost no hope. Seeing Yu Xiaoluo like this, my heart ached, but I pretended not to know anything and said, "What are you talking about? If the illness is cured, it's not going down the drain."
"Professor Du said..."
I couldn't let Yu Xiaoluo be crushed by fear. I smiled slightly and interrupted her, "What Professor Du says now is not important. I will definitely make Luo Luo better."
Yu Xiaoluo's eyes widened with panic. She said loudly, "Tang Nan, you can't make a deal with Cao Qian."
"Why?"
This question was not mine. It was from my senior sister, Cao Qian. She had finally appeared and had come directly to the People's Hospital.
Yu Xiaoluo said nothing, only looking at Cao Qian solemnly. Cao Qian sighed, "Is it just because I'm a bad person? That's right, I may have done things you don't like. But this time is different. I am inheriting my master's will, for the country and the people."
I laughed!
Cao Qian glared at me. "What are you laughing at?"
"Give me that medicine right now, and I'll believe you."
Cao Qian shook her head. "No, it's not time to give it to you yet."
"Then shall we talk outside? My sister has had enough trouble. Don't add to her worries."
After speaking, I handed Luo Luo, whom I was holding, to Yu Xiaoluo. Yu Xiaoluo took the child with one hand and grabbed my arm with the other. I smiled and gently pushed her hand away, then used both thumbs to gently smooth out Yu Xiaoluo's furrowed brow. Only then did I smile and say, "Don't worry, Sister. I am the fifty-sixth generation successor of The Schemer. No conspiracy or trickery can hide from me. I will protect myself."
...
After speaking, Cao Qian and I left the hospital. She was pouting the whole way, looking annoyed. Once we were outside the hospital gate, I snorted, "Enough, Cao Qian. I don't have time to play games of affection with you like we're kids."
"You have time to flirt with a woman who just had a baby, so why can't you play games with me?"
Cao Qian said this as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Was she out of her mind?
"Speak nicely, she's my sister," I said loudly, displeased.
"Is she? Do I not know you? I know Yu Xiaoluo better than you do. We're both women, and I understand her thoughts better. Don't pretend."
Looking at my senior sister's jealous expression, I couldn't help but laugh. "Are you playing the role of the sharp-tongued second female lead today?"
"Pretty much," my senior sister replied with a smile. She was still the same, treating everything lightly, chatting and laughing.
"Then don't act. Yu Xiaoluo isn't what you think she is. I admit that the emotional relationship between us is complicated. But Yu Xiaoluo is a woman who understands detachment. She can start a new relationship and let go of another."
"What if she can let go, but I can't?"
My senior sister pressed me. To be honest, Cao Qian was a difficult woman. My wife, Lin Han, was a very confident woman, but every time I interacted with my senior sister Cao Qian, she would worry that Cao Qian would use some despicable means to snatch me away. Moreover, I could feel that Cao Qian wasn't just toying with emotions; her feelings were genuine.
Avoiding her every time wasn't the right approach. So, this time, I decided to be clear with Cao Qian: "Cao Qian, if you can't let go of this relationship, then our relationship ends here."
"Don't you want that medicine?"
"All roads lead to Rome. There is no single path in this world. What I want, I will get through other means."
Cao Qian frowned. I believed she could sense that I was telling the truth. As expected, after thinking for a moment, Cao Qian dropped her pretense.
"Let's talk about our plan."
"Your plan!" I emphasized.
...
Cao Qian was here today for this purpose. I reminded her, and she took a deep breath, her expression serious and solemn. "I want to find Sister Han."
"You don't know where Sister Han is either?" I was too surprised.
"Mm!"
"Really?" I still didn't believe her.
"Of course, it's true." Senior sister Cao Qian was getting a little impatient.
In Cao Qian's plan, Sister Han was the most crucial piece. This was mainly because Sister Han had the identity of an informant. If Wang Ren's informant, by utilizing the resources from investigating Li Qiang, built a commercial empire.
This matter would inevitably be related to Wang Ren.
"Trying to defeat Wang Ren with an informant seems a bit far-fetched."
"The more impervious a person is, the more they fear illness. Our Senior Uncle Wang Ren can be said to be flawless. Her youthful indiscretions have long been completely concealed. Now she has a perfect mentor image; she is a psychology professor and a criminal prophet. We can only create a wound on her first to make her sick. Only when she is no longer the perfect Wang Ren will we have a chance to defeat her completely."
"You want to use Sister Han as a breakthrough?"
"Yes!"
"If I'm not mistaken, you were the one who instigated Sister Han to kill Li Feng's mother."
"That's right, it was me." Senior sister Cao Qian replied with a calm and steady demeanor.
"Since that's the case, why should we trust that Sister Han's whereabouts have disappeared?"
Hearing my question, Cao Qian gave an embarrassed laugh to cover her failure. She scratched her head, "If you walk by the river often, you're bound to get wet. Sister Han killing Li Feng's mother is logical. If the legitimate wife returns, her lover who relies on her influence will become worthless. But her killing Li Qiang is puzzling. He was her support. Killing the goose that lays the golden eggs is not the act of a wise person."
...
In fact, Sister Han had no reason to kill Li Qiang. This was a logical loophole. My senior sister was right. Li Qiang was the tiger that Sister Han relied on for her influence, her support.
"Is it related to Li Feng?"
"That's a very good question. I investigated Li Feng. To be honest, such a minor character with a tragic fate is truly terrifying."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because I've been through that stage."
"Can you tell me about it?"
"Do you want to hear it?"
"Yes!" I knew a lot about my senior sister, but I didn't know much about her past. My senior sister thought for a moment and asked uncertainly, "Do you really want to know?"
"Of course."
"I've never told anyone."
I thought for a moment and said, as if retreating to advance, "It's okay, you don't have to say it."
"Let's go!"
"Where to?"
"Let's find a coffee shop. We can chat while we drink."