Princeton
Lu Yanbei finished his day's work, his forehead throbbing slightly.
He was invited by his alma mater to participate in the annual anniversary celebration and a technology exhibition.
Lu Yanbei was not only the successor of the Lu family but also the largest shareholder of Sifang Group. Most of the Lu family's businesses were traditional, involving shipping, mechanical manufacturing, real estate, and hotels. Sifang Group, however, focused on technology and the internet, specializing in emerging industries and developing at an unstoppable pace.
Several projects Lu Yanbei was involved in were related to scientific research.
In addition, he had arranged to meet with the head of the detective agency that had been investigating the accident from years ago for him. After years of persistent investigation, it was said that there were some leads.
Lu Yanbei had come for that faint clue.
"Mr. Lu, Mr. Herr has arrived," Cheng Jue stepped forward and reported softly.
Lu Yanbei had been working non-stop for a week, and his body was already exhausted. However, he couldn't afford to rest and struggled to sit up, eager to know the truth.
"Please show him in," Lu Yanbei massaged his temples, mustering his full attention.
Before long, a short man with a full beard, followed by Cheng Jue, walked in.
This was Herr, the most famous detective in the area.
"Mr. Lu," Herr took off his hat and bowed slightly towards Lu Yanbei.
Lu Yanbei nodded slightly, signaling him to take a seat.
Herr stroked his beard and smoothly sat down opposite him.
He knew Lu Yanbei disliked wasted words and directly handed him a file bag. "These are some clues found at St. Mary's Hospital. The information was provided by a nurse from the emergency room."
Lu Yanbei remained silent and opened the file bag to examine the contents.
Compared to the email sent last time, this batch of information was much more complete, including audio recordings and a few blurry photographs. Although much of the data had been erased by an unknown force, where there was a will, there was a way, and anything that happened would leave some trace.
Lu Yanbei scanned through it with a glance, his expression growing darker.
"The car that took Miss Su away back then has been found; it was a fake license plate. The driver was bribed and refused to reveal anything. I used some methods, and he provided a piece of information," Herr said, smoking a cigar, revealing several gold teeth.
"Name your price," Lu Yanbei knew he was holding back for money.
He had plenty of it.
As long as the information was true, he didn't care about the cost.
"One hundred thousand US dollars," Herr squinted and named his price.
Lu Yanbei looked up at him. "Cheng Jue, bring the check."
Cheng Jue glared at Herr fiercely, thinking he was too greedy to ask for such a sum.
But he couldn't disobey his boss's orders and had to comply.
Lu Yanbei quickly filled out the check with a few strokes.
When Herr reached out to take it, Lu Yanbei pulled his hand back. "I want to know the clue first."
Herr gave an awkward laugh and took out a voice recorder. When he turned it on, a series of intermittent voices could be heard, speaking incoherently, with many words unclear.
"You had someone do this? Is such a statement credible?" Lu Yanbei asked calmly.
"Don't worry, it wasn't forced. He was just given some medication, and he couldn't stand it, so he confessed." Herr was a businessman, operating on the edge of law and order. But he was good at judging situations and knew what he could and couldn't do.
Lu Yanbei nodded and pushed the check over.
Herr took the check and said, "Thank you. I hope I can be of service to you again."
With that, he picked up his hat from the sofa and left the room, leaning on his cane.
Lu Yanbei watched his retreating back for a while before giving an order. "Send someone to keep an eye on him."
Cheng Jue was slightly taken aback. "Are you worried he didn't tell the truth?"
"Evidence that comes too easily is not entirely reliable," Lu Yanbei was rich, but he wasn't a fool to be easily deceived. Herr was money-grubbing and might leak information to both sides; he had to be cautious.
"Boss, you're brilliant!" Cheng Jue admired him.
"Find someone sharp; don't lose him." Herr was an old fox and a local; he wouldn't be easy to deal with.
Cheng Jue acknowledged and found an unfamiliar face.
Lu Yanbei leaned back on the sofa, closing his eyes to rest. After waking up, he began to study the documents again. Since Herr had taken his money, he would naturally provide some truthful information.
For example, the person who took Miss Su from the hospital that year was of Asian descent.
Lu Yanbei tapped his fingers lightly on the table, lost in thought. Someone who knew Su He and had this kind of capability... Lu Yanbei's mind flashed with a vague figure.
Just then, his phone buzzed a few times.
Lu Yanbei glanced at it and pressed the answer button.
"Mr. Lu, Miss Su bought that apartment," the sales manager reported to his boss with trepidation.
Lu Yanbei supported his forehead with one hand and spoke after a while, "Didn't you explain it to her clearly?"
"I did, but Miss Su insisted on paying herself," the manager replied in a low voice. "And she paid in full."
Lu Yanbei raised an eyebrow.
He knew how much wealth Su He had.
The houses in Central Mansion were not cheap, and the unit she was interested in was at least over eight million. Where did she get the money to buy the house outright?
Seeing no response for a long time, the manager added, "The money was paid by Miss Su's adoptive mother. I heard she sold some things at home to gather it..."
Lu Yanbei knew a little about the circumstances of Su He's adoptive mother's family.
Su Dazhi and his wife were outsiders who came to B City thirty years ago. They were in the scrap metal business and rented a house in the urban village for many years. After the landlord's son took him to another city to live in his old age, Su Dazhi borrowed money from various sources to buy that old house, where they had lived for decades.
Su Dazhi and Tang Jiaojiao had been married for many years but had no children. Later, they successively adopted four children, including Su He, and treated them as their own.
Su He grew up there.
The couple was usually low-key, relying on collecting scrap to send their children to college.
He had doubted more than once how they, with their economic conditions, could afford to raise so many children. Later, he investigated and found that Su Dazhi was truly lucky. Everything he did went smoothly, and he could even find gold while picking up scraps. Moreover, the children he adopted were all from extraordinary backgrounds.
The eldest, Su Chen, was the illegitimate son of a certain wealthy family who was left out in the cold.
The second, Su Ying, came from a scholarly family, where her elders were renowned scholars and professors. When she was young, she was abducted by human traffickers and coincidentally rescued by Su Dazhi.
The third, Su He, was the daughter of a wealthy family.
The fourth, Su Lin, had no background and his parents died early. His relatives raised him for a while before abandoning him. Su Dazhi, seeing his pitiful state, took him in. Now, he was a highly sought-after superstar.
After these four grew up, they gradually left Fengxi Village and had their own residences. Su Dazhi and his wife, being nostalgic, refused to move and continued to live in that dilapidated house.
Lu Yanbei pondered: Could the money for Su He's house be pooled together by her siblings?