However, just as she stood up, the officer standing outside the door shot her a fierce glance. Over the past few days, she had grown weary of receiving such looks. Upon noticing it, fear gripped her, and she instinctively sat back down, yet the malicious intent in his eyes did not dissipate, still glaring at Hao Jian with a murderous look.
Seeing her sit back down, Hao Jian didn't hesitate any longer. He wasn't planning to waste any more ti, so he probed Mrs. Zhu's feelings before preparing to openly discuss the matter at hand.
He suddenly pulled sothing out of his pocket and placed it on the table. When he opened his clenched fist, a bug fell from his hand onto the table. Looking closely, one could see it was the sa insect that Boss Zhu had spat out that day. Now, its body was stiff, utterly and irrevocably dead.
Before Hao Jian could speak, rely placing the bug on the table changed Mrs. Zhu's expression instantly. Although she quickly tried to mask it, Hao Jian, who was observing intently, noticed even the slightest change, all captured within his gaze. Instantly, Hao Jian knew there was sothing more to this situation.
If this bug wasn't related to her sohow, Mrs. Zhu wouldn't have reacted so. The change indicated she definitely knew sothing. With that thought, Hao Jian confird his suspicions, ready to proceed as anticipated.
Hao Jian looked at the bug, then eyed Mrs. Zhu. He said, "You must be quite familiar with this bug, right?"
Mrs. Zhu imdiately feigned ignorance, saying, "I don't know what you're talking about. If there's nothing else, I'll leave. I don't have ti for your nonsense!"
Even as she tried to appear calm, Hao Jian saw she was being overly deliberate. Initially, she only slightly avoided the topic, but now, when it was brought up, she beca flustered. It seed his guess was right. Even if not, he was pretty close.
Hao Jian chuckled, wanting to say more, but Mrs. Zhu didn't allow him another word. She stood up, slapped her hand on the table, and prepared to leave.
Seeing this, Hao Jian's smile widened. Just as Mrs. Zhu reached the door, he grinned and said, "It doesn't matter if you pretend not to know, but if you want to spend so years in prison, that's fine too."
Mrs. Zhu paused upon hearing this, but after a few seconds, her hand reached for the doorknob to leave. At this mont, Hao Jian maintained his confident deanor, smiling and saying, "Seems like Mrs. Zhu really is laid back. You might not be considered old when you go in, but after staying inside for a while, you'll probably age quite a bit. Even if you have money by then, what good will it do? Youth doesn't return, and you'll find yourself old and with nothing."
At these words, Mrs. Zhu's hand, poised to turn the doorknob, halted. She had nearly opened the door but closed it instead, turned around, and sat back down.
Hao Jian chuckled; won, they all care about beauty. Talk about anything else, they might not care, but ntion looks, and they're incredibly concerned. He anticipated Mrs. Zhu would fall for this ploy and had prepared accordingly.
Now, it seed his tactic worked exceptionally well.
Once seated, Mrs. Zhu looked at Hao Jian with a solemn face and said, "I don't know what you're talking about, but if you have a way to save from this imprisonnt, we have grounds for discussion."
Hao Jian noticed Mrs. Zhu's shift in expression. Having believed Boss Zhu, honed in the business world, would be more cunning, he realized now that Mrs. Zhu was leagues better, often strategizing behind Boss Zhu's back.
Even at this point, she remained cagey, unwilling to admit any direct connection to the bug and instead redirected the conversation to how she might escape prison.
If possible, he would be willing to negotiate, but sincerity required laying one's cards on the table.
Hao Jian smiled and said, "There is a way, but if I told you, would you believe ?"
He then glanced towards the guard, implying that if he had a way of visiting her without official clearance, he likely had ans to reduce her punishnt, too.
His hint was clear, easily understood by Mrs. Zhu. Recalling Hao Jian's previous demonstrations of ability, she realized he indeed had so power. Crucially, she was isolated, with no contacts, completely alone. Her only glimr of hope was that mysterious figure behind the scenes she fantasized would co to her rescue.
Yet, facing the current situation, that savior seed unlikely to arrive soon. Thus, when Hao Jian suggested he could rescue her, she hesitated before resuming her seat for that reason.
Even her own daughter hadn't appeared. In such hopelessness, would ignoring a potential lifeline not seem foolish?
Her mind raced as she swiftly decided: in her unfavorable position, the longer she waited, the harder it would be to escape. Whether or not Hao Jian could really help wasn't the point; that glimr of hope was worth seizing.
She looked at Hao Jian and said, "If I say I don't believe, will you give a reason not to?"
Hao Jian smiled wryly at her helpless answer. But recalling her vicious thods, his smile vanished, replaced by seriousness.
"Since that's clear, you recognize this bug now, don't you?" With that, Hao Jian placed the bug on the table for Mrs. Zhu to see.
Seeing things laid bare, seeking Hao Jian's help while remaining evasive wasn't an option, so Mrs. Zhu was no longer as surprised.
She nodded and said, "I recognize it."
With the topic open, it was easier to speak and inquire, shedding light on the unknown.
Mrs. Zhu paused and, observing Hao Jian's curious look, anticipated his next question. Before he could ask, she started, "The bug was given to by soone. I don't know him well, only t a few tis, and he didn't say much. He just ntioned it was for ending Skinflayer Zhu, assuring that once consud, Skinflayer Zhu would never wake up again."
Hao Jian furrowed his brow upon hearing this and asked, "What does he look like? What's his general appearance?"
Mrs. Zhu paused and said, "Middle-aged, but looks aged, with a head full of white hair, quite frightening. His eyes are filled with hatred, as if on the verge of erupting to kill at any mont."
Upon this description, Hao Jian's mind raced to recall if he knew such a person. An inkling suggested this wasn't an ordinary individual; ordinary people wouldn't possess such a bug. Yet, as far as he knew, few white-haired experts lived secluded in Huaxia, and none seed likely candidates for this deed, which suggested this individual hailed from the underworld.
The underworld teems with chaos, ho to all sorts of top talents. Searching based on the white hair trait alone was akin to finding a needle in a haystack, so temporarily, Hao Jian abandoned identifying this person.
Looking at Mrs. Zhu, he asked, "And why would this person give you a bug? Surely not without reason."
Mrs. Zhu hesitated, as if pondering whether to divulge. Just as she seed ready to speak, the person who brought Hao Jian in burst through the door, urgently saying, "Just received notice that soone important is coming to question her. Hurry, or it'll be too late."
Understanding, Hao Jian gestured for him to leave, then earnestly looked at Mrs. Zhu. Since he was doing her a favor, he couldn't complicate matters for the person helping him; otherwise, the opportunity might not arise again. Realizing the ti constraint, pressing questions had to wait.
He gestured for silence from Mrs. Zhu and said, "We'll end here today. In a few days, I'll find a way to get you out. As for how, don't worry about it; just wait quietly."
Mrs. Zhu nodded in agreent.
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