Zhou Ren withdrew his gaze from the floor downstairs, his expression calm, showing no discernible emotion.
"He's with Yuan Ying, which is good."
After speaking, Zhou Ren sat back on the bed, his upper body leaning against the headboard, a pillow tucked under his waist. He held a newspaper in his hands and began to read, as if he were commenting on the good weather, not his own son.
Zhou Jun, however, was already accustomed to his younger brother's temperament. Over the years, even when he and Ren Yuan Ying divorced, his brother had remained this composed. He truly wondered what could ever make his brother lose his composure.
Putting his thoughts aside, Zhou Jun rose from his chair. "I have to go back. Your nephew is bringing his girlfriend home for the first time today. If I don't hurry back, your sister-in-law might just take matters into her own hands."
Zhou Ren grunted, offering no further comment. Fortunately, Zhou Jun didn't mind. He bid farewell, pulled open the hospital room door, and left.
After Zhou Jun's departure, a middle-aged man in a blue shirt, with a somewhat portly build and wearing white sneakers, entered the room.
"Secretary, I've inquired. That family got into the sanatorium through the Shen family's connections. They say it's the Shen family from the capital. Among them, there's a young girl named Liu Chen, who is the former wife's goddaughter."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Ren's previously placid demeanor shifted. His eyes became sharp, like a hawk spotting its prey.
"The Shen family? Since last summer, the patriarch's health has been improving daily. They publicly attributed it to a renowned traditional Chinese medicine physician's care. However, his recovery coincided with the widespread circulation of 'Baduanjin' in the military. Yuan Ying has some ties with the Shen family, but this connection is sufficient for Yuan Ying's use, not for the relatives of her goddaughter."
The middle-aged man listened, then tentatively asked, "Secretary, are you implying that 'Baduanjin' is the key to saving the Shen family patriarch's life, and this Wang Dong, who has been admitted, is related to 'Baduanjin'?"
Zhou Ren shook his head. "The Shen family patriarch often promotes younger generations. It's not impossible that he deliberately arranged this to endorse 'Baduanjin.' Have you investigated Wang Dong's background?"
If Liu Chen were present, she might have told him at this point: This is a case of being too clever for one's own good. Clever people tend to overcomplicate matters, and sometimes, when the simple truth is laid before them, they stubbornly refuse to believe it.
"We have. He runs a small food factory. His family is from a county town, with no significant connections. The only link is that his wife is the younger aunt of the former wife's goddaughter."
It sounded convoluted, and indeed it was, but to Zhou Ren, it was perfectly clear.
"In all these matters, there is one common thread: the young girl you mentioned, Liu Chen."
As he spoke, Zhou Ren blinked. He got off the bed, tidied his cuffs, and said, "It seems heaven has given me an opening, and it lies with her."
* * *
Due to his mother's pregnancy and the need to care for the twins, Liu Chen ended up accompanying her aunt to handle the hospital admission procedures.
This was a sanatorium, after all, and most of its residents were influential figures from C City, or even the province. Even with connections to the Shen family, one still had to queue obediently.
While waiting in line, a middle-aged man, well-maintained in physique and even somewhat refined, wearing a hospital gown, approached Liu Chen from behind.
When his gaze fell on Liu Chen again, she instinctively took half a step back, putting herself at arm's length from the refined-looking middle-aged man.
"Liu Chen, this is the first time I've met you. I am Zhou Ren, Ren Yu's father."
Even after this introduction, Liu Chen's guard did not lower in the slightest. After all, from the image painted by her godmother, Ren Yu's biological father was a man who would only act if there was profit to be gained. Therefore, if he were seeking her out, it certainly wouldn't be for a casual greeting.
Her thoughts were clear, but Liu Chen feigned surprise and a hint of joy. "Uncle Zhou, hello. It's a pleasure to meet you for the first time." Her gaze fell on Zhou Ren's hospital gown, and she hesitated slightly. "You're... ill?"
Zhou Ren smiled faintly and waved his hand. "An old ailment. It's common for people who work in offices. I've heard Ren Yu mention you many times, but I never had the chance to meet you. I never expected our first meeting would be here."
Liu Chen couldn't fathom Zhou Ren's intentions, so she could only offer a disingenuous smile. "Yes, it's quite coincidental."
"However, a chance encounter is better than a planned meeting. Since fate has brought us together, why don't we have a chat?"
A chat? Looking at the 'masterful' fake smile on this old fox's face, Liu Chen began to ponder where she might have attracted his attention. After running through the possibilities, she wondered if her arranging for Ren Yu to help with the hospital room had somehow displeased him, leading him to seek her out now.
"I..."
Just as Liu Chen was about to find an excuse to refuse, her aunt, Hu Min, spoke up first. "You claim to be Yuan Ying's ex-husband? What if you're an impostor? Mr., as you said, if you truly wish to speak with my niece, I believe it would be best to bring Ren Yu along, wouldn't you?"
Zhou Ren observed that Liu Chen did not object when the woman beside her spoke, realizing she also did not wish to engage in conversation. This only deepened his curiosity about her.
"This is my business card. If, after verifying my identity, you still feel there's something to discuss, you can call the number on it."
As he spoke, Zhou Ren took a business card from his driver and handed it to Liu Chen with one hand.
Liu Chen took the card and glanced at the information. Zhou Ren. Besides his name, there was only a landline number and nothing else.
After Zhou Ren left, Liu Chen opened her phone and began to search on Baidu. "S Province Zhou Ren." The first search result appeared, and Liu Chen finally understood why even her godmother's own brother couldn't make things happen. C City Party Secretary.
However... Liu Chen was puzzled. Although she hadn't paid much attention to leaders in her previous life, she remembered seeing the Party Secretary of C City inspect the wholesale market from afar. She couldn't recall his face, but it certainly wasn't this Zhou Ren. And for no other reason than that if it were a refined middle-aged leader like Zhou Ren, who stood out from his peers, she would definitely remember him.
At this moment, Zhou Ren stared straight ahead, his voice calmly stating, "Have someone follow Liu Chen. See what she's doing back this time."