Hear this life

This wait lasted for about ten days. Today, probably because Lu Shicheng was finally free, the school notified Wen Tingli to go to Lu Mansion to receive the award after school next Friday.

Wen Tingli happily agreed.

When I returned to Cixin Hospital in the evening, the nurse said, "Director Deng came to check on the ward this afternoon. By the way, there is also a Mr. Bao who asked you to call him back."

Wen Tingli was pleasantly surprised: "The dean is back?"

Dean Deng went to Nanjing for a meeting last week. I haven't seen her for several days. Mr. Bao? It must be Bao Yaming. It seems that Dean Deng helped her contact Lawyer Bao as soon as she came back.

She called Bao Law Firm and received a sharp-talking lady on the other end of the line.

"This Wednesday evening at 6 o'clock, Lawyer Bao has an hour of free time. Miss Wen, please come directly to the office with the contract. Remember not to be late."

Wen Tingli solemnly noted the time. At night, when no one was paying attention, she quietly went to the fourth floor to look for Dean Deng.

Dean Deng is in the office.

"You're back from Nanjing?!" Wen Tingli happily placed a bag of fruits and midnight snacks next to Dean Deng.

Deng Yi was infected by Wen Tingli's smile, and a big smile also appeared on his face.

"Has Bao Yaming sent someone to contact you?"

"Yeah." Wen Tingli was a little nervous when she heard this. This was the first time she had dealt with such a famous lawyer. "I was just about to ask you, what is the personality of this lawyer Bao? Is there anything I should pay attention to when dealing with him?"

"What time did he meet you?"

"Wednesday at six o'clock."

Deng Yi held the teacup and thought for a while: "I have to go to the Ritz Hotel to discuss something with someone at five o'clock that afternoon. That place is not far from Bao Yaming's office. Why don't you meet me at the Ritz Hotel at half past five, and then I will go with you to see Bao Yaming."

Wen Tingli was overjoyed: "Since you are here to take me there personally, I don't have to worry about making a fool of myself."

"I never worry that you'll make a fool of yourself." Dean Deng smiled and shook his head. "You, you are the most generous child I have ever met."

The phone on the table rang, and she picked up the phone: "Hello, this is Deng Yi."

Not knowing what the other party said, Deng Yi immediately covered the microphone and looked at Wen Tingli, and Wen Tingli obediently said goodbye.

On Wednesday, Wen Tingli rushed to the Ritz Hotel on time. They had agreed to meet at 5:30, but she waited until 5:40 and didn't see President Deng come out of the hotel.

Wen Tingli was a little puzzled. Dean Deng was a careful and punctual person. Could it be that he was held up by some urgent matter?

If she waited any longer, she would not be able to make it in time to meet Lawyer Bao, so she had to leave the Ritz-Carlton, Manhattan Hotel first. This unexpected change caused her to leave ten minutes later than originally planned. Fearing of being late, she hailed a rickshaw on the side of the road.

Not long after getting in the car, they heard a strange "bang" sound coming from the street corner behind them. At first glance, it sounded like firecrackers on New Year's Eve, but when it reached Wen Tingli's ears, it made her whole body freeze.

Gunshot!

There was no doubt about it. She had heard this sound up close in the back building of the Golden Theater not long ago.

She nervously grasped the hood of the car: "Master, did you hear that?"

"What?" The driver looked confused. Just then, a car whizzed past them.

Wen Tingli was like a frightened bird. She turned around subconsciously and saw that the car window was open. The person sitting in the back seat was Kuang Zhilin.

Mr. Kuang was also turning his head to look in the direction where the gunshot came from, with his eyebrows slightly raised, looking very surprised.

Before she could see clearly, the car sped away and disappeared on the street.

"What happened over there?" The rickshaw driver stretched his neck to look around for a while, and finally became a little panicked. He raised the handlebars and was about to run away, but Wen Tingli suddenly jumped off the rickshaw, ignored the driver's surprised look, and turned to run towards the direction of the accident.

The streets were already in chaos, with people screaming and fleeing in all directions. There was also a small group of fearless people who, like Wen Tingli, ran straight towards the Ritz Hotel.

"It's scary, the floor of the lobby of the Ritz Hotel is covered in blood." Wen Tingli's heart beat faster and faster when she heard it. She ran forward against the flow of people with all her strength. While running, she nervously searched the roadside with her eyes, but she could not find any trace of President Deng in the crowd.

After finally squeezing to the entrance of the Ritz Hotel, I saw the lobby full of black-clad policemen. Suddenly, I heard a low shout, and the policemen came out carrying a man on a stretcher: "Get out of the way! Don't block the road!"

The crowd automatically parted to both sides. Wen Tingli stood on tiptoe and looked forward, but unfortunately the person on the stretcher was covered from head to toe by a black coat, so she could not see anything. As she stumbled, a hand wearing a watch slipped off the stretcher.

Wen Tingli's forehead jumped.

That’s Dean Deng’s watch!

The police quickly carried the man into a car. She ran forward in panic, but was hit hard on the shoulder by a hard object.

"Back off! This place needs to be searched!"

Wen Tingli staggered after being pushed by the baton, but her eyes were fixed on the direction where the car disappeared. It was midsummer, but her teeth were chattering uncontrollably, and she could only hear the people around her talking.

“Was the person who was shot a man or a woman?”

"I heard from the Indian concierge at the hotel that it was an old lady, and I heard she looked quite respectable."

Wen Tingli woke up as if from a dream. The nearest hospital nearby was St. Mary's Hospital. If she immediately called a rickshaw to go to St. Mary's Hospital, she might be able to find out something. Just as she was looking for a rickshaw, she suddenly saw a person in the crowd.

She was a middle-aged woman with short hair, clear and sharp eyes, and an upright figure. Standing among the crowd, she had a demeanor as graceful as a bamboo or a pine tree.

Because of this unique temperament, Wen Tingli recognized this person at a glance. Not long ago, she had seen this woman in Dean Deng’s office. She heard the dean call this person "Cheng Ying."

Cheng Ying stared at the direction where the car was going away. Her pale face showed that she was also in great shock and anger, but Cheng Ying was obviously very alert. Without waiting for the police to come closer and ask questions, she calmly withdrew from the crowd and walked quickly across the street with another group of pedestrians.

But at this moment, she met Wen Tingli's gaze. She was stunned at first, then stared at her up and down. It seemed that she recognized Wen Tingli.

Wen Tingli's mind was as confused as her heart. Her intuition told her that Cheng Ying had an unusual relationship with Dean Deng. However, in this special situation, she had no way of judging whether Cheng Ying was an enemy or a friend. Out of a self-protection instinct, she quietly averted her gaze.

Glancing again, Cheng Ying had disappeared in the crowd.

Across the street, the police had already begun questioning pedestrians, so Wen Tingli had to retreat to another corner. There were too many people on the street, and it took her a lot of effort to hail a rickshaw.

When we arrived at St. Mary's Hospital, we found the emergency room to be unusually quiet. We ran up and down the stairs several times, but there was no sign of the police, nor any journalists who had rushed in after hearing the news.

Wen Tingli found nothing and had to rush back to Cixin Hospital. In the past, in order to avoid being seen, she always had to wait until after nine o'clock to look for Director Deng, but this time, she went straight to the fourth floor as soon as she came back.

The door of the dean's office was locked, and Wen Tingli knocked on the door.

How she wished that the kind voice of "Come in" would come from the door as usual.

Tonight, there was deathly silence in the room.

She stood at the door, her chest feeling as heavy as a lead block. Suddenly she thought of Dr. Thompson and hurried downstairs to his office.

But they came to nothing again. The nurse said that Thompson had passed away two hours ago, and the night doctor who took over was yawning while writing the medical record. He looked so relaxed and at ease that there was nothing unusual about him.

Wen Tingli began to comfort herself, thinking that maybe it wasn't Dean Deng who was shot, otherwise the medical staff at Ci Xin Hospital would have been in a panic.

That night, she slept on the accompanying bed in the ward as usual. Half asleep and half awake, she was suddenly pushed gently by someone. She woke up with a start and saw a familiar-looking nurse. The nurse's surname was Liu and she was the head nurse of the internal medicine ward. She was very kind and always smiling.

At this time, Head Nurse Liu was full of worry. Seeing that she had woken up, she whispered, "Xiao Wen, come with me. Someone is looking for you outside."

Wen Tingli was stunned when she saw Cheng Ying. Cheng Ying was holding a briefcase and approached her with a smile: "Miss Wen, do you remember me? We met in Dean Deng's office. An elder was injured, so he asked me to take you to see her."

Wen Tingli's heart began to beat wildly, because she recognized at a glance that the briefcase in Cheng Ying's hand was the one that Dean Deng always carried. The bag was very old, but Dean Deng was reluctant to change it.

Elder? Could she be talking about Director Deng? Head Nurse Liu introduced: "Ms. Li is a surgeon at Jishi Private Hospital. She and Director Deng are old friends. Many people in our hospital know her. Go over. It's okay."

It turns out her last name is Li.

"I forgot to introduce myself. My surname is Li, and my full name is Li Chengying."

Wen Tingli immediately decided to let down her guard temporarily, not for any other reason, but only because she had heard Dean Deng call Chengying a "wonderful woman" with her own ears. Moreover, if Head Nurse Liu did not have a very deep friendship with Li Chengying, she would never have brought this person into the ward so late at night. Having stayed in the internal medicine ward for so long, she knew Head Nurse Liu very well. Someone who could be trusted by both Dean Deng and Head Nurse Liu could never be a bad person.

She nodded hurriedly to Li Chengying, went back to the ward, told the nurse in a hurry, and got into a car with Li Chengying.

On the way, Li Chengying frowned and thought silently. Wen Tingli was very nervous and didn't want to chat.

The car stopped, but outside was not a hospital, but a semi-old three-story building.

Li Chengying got out of the car and rang the doorbell, and someone opened the door immediately.

It was too dark at night to see the surrounding scenery clearly. After crossing the front garden, I saw a man pacing back and forth in the bright living room. He was about 40 or 50 years old, with gray hair, a beard, and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses on his nose.

Wen Tingli immediately recognized him as the famous lawyer Bao Yaming, because she had seen his photo in the newspaper more than once. In addition, there was a tall middle-aged woman standing in front of the window.

Hearing the door open, the two people turned their heads vigilantly.

Li Chengying led Wen Tingli inside: "This is lawyer Bao Yaming. Dean Deng should have introduced him to you before. That is Editor Chen from Liming Publishing House. You can call her Ms. Chen."

"Hello." Ms. Chen took the initiative to come over and shake hands with Wen Tingli. "I often hear Dean Deng mention you."

Bao Yaming stayed where he was, looking at Wen Tingli warily. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle, as if he could see through people's hearts at a glance: "Ms. Wen, you clearly agreed to meet me at the law firm this afternoon. Why didn't you come to keep the appointment at six o'clock, but instead showed up at the door of the Ritz Hotel?"

"Lao Bao, we are not in court now. You will scare Xiao Wen by doing this. Xiao Wen, sit down and drink some water first."

Wen Tingli looked around anxiously: "Where is Dean Deng?"

Li Chengying pulled Wen Tingli to sit on the sofa, lowered his head and was silent for a long time, then said in a hoarse voice: "Director Deng is now in Renji Hospital for emergency treatment, and he is not yet out of danger."

Wen Tingli was shocked: "Was she really the one who was shot in the afternoon?!"

Li Chengying looked dejected: "Yes, but the murderer who assassinated Dean Deng has not been caught yet. We came to you just to ask you about what happened this afternoon."

Wen Tingli suppressed her surging tears and said in as calm a tone as possible: "I went to see Dean Deng on Monday night. She asked me to go to the Ritz Hotel and wait for her today. She would take me to see Lawyer Bao then. But I waited until 5:40 and still didn't see her. I was afraid of being late, so I left first. Not long after I walked out, I heard gunshots--" "The Ritz Hotel is always noisy," Bao Yaming asked suddenly, "Miss Wen is just a student. I guess you have never come into contact with firearms before. How did you determine so quickly that it was a gunshot?
Wen Tingli opened her mouth. If it weren't for Lu Shicheng's incident that night, she would never have thought of the gunshots so quickly. This was indeed a bit suspicious, but she had already promised the Lu family not to leak what happened that night. Naturally, she couldn't directly explain the reason at this moment. She had to bite the bullet and said, "I saw the White Dragon Gang fighting at the dock before, so I could hear the gunshots."

Li Chengying handed Wen Tingli a glass of water: "No hurry, just continue talking."

"Then, I saw the police carrying out a person covered in a black coat... I recognized Director Deng's watch and was worried that the person on the stretcher was her, so I followed her to St. Mary's Hospital, but found that Director Deng was not there at all. Then, I rushed back to Ci Xin."

"When the incident happened, did you see anyone suspicious on the street? Or did you see any familiar faces?"

Wen Tingli looked at Li Chengying: "I only saw you across the street."

Li Chengying was very patient: "Think about it carefully, besides me, was there anyone else on the street who impressed you?"

Wen Tingli was about to shake her head when suddenly a flash of light appeared in her mind. Something was wrong. She saw an acquaintance at that time.

However, it doesn't seem like Kuang Zhilin has anything to do with this matter.

After just a second of hesitation, she answered decisively, "I also saw Mr. Kuang Zhilin from the Lu family of Nanyang Hongye. His car happened to pass by there, and I saw him sitting in the back seat. He was also looking in the direction of the gunshot, as if he was very surprised."

Ms. Chen interrupted: "We guessed that the last incident was related to the Lu family. Could it be that they really sent someone to do it?"

Bao Yaming's expression became complicated, and he said in a deep voice: "Chengying, what do you think?"

From the conversation between the three people, it can be seen that Li Chengying is the backbone of this group.

Li Chengying hesitated for a moment, then looked up at Wen Tingli and said, "Since you could tell it was a gunshot, aren't you afraid of danger? Why didn't you run away, but instead turned around to look for Dean Deng?"

"I didn't have time to think about it." Wen Tingli's heart ached and she blurted out, "I only knew that Dean Deng was still in the Ritz Hotel at that time, and I was worried that something had happened to her--"

She covered her face with her hands, tears streaming down her face through her fingers.

"To me, Dean Deng is my family. If she hadn't helped us without asking for anything in return, my father would have died a long time ago, and my sister and I would have been driven out of Shanghai. In my heart, there is no one more worthy of respect than her. At that time, all I could think about was making sure she was okay."

Ms. Chen and Bao Yaming lowered their heads in silence. Li Chengying turned his head with red eyes and looked out the window. For a moment, the only sound in the room was Wen Tingli's sobbing. The three of them did not comfort Wen Tingli, but just accompanied her in her sadness with understanding. After a long time, Li Chengying managed to sort out his emotions, handed a handkerchief to Wen Tingli, and asked in a hoarse voice: "Xiao Wen, do you want to catch the murderer who assassinated Dean Deng?"

Wen Tingli didn't bother to wipe her tears and looked up hastily: "Of course I do!"

The three of them looked at each other, and Li Chengying said thoughtfully, "As for the murderer, we currently have several clear suspects. We have arranged corresponding investigators for the most suspicious ones. Although the Lu family is less likely, it cannot be completely ruled out. Considering that you saw Kuang Zhilin at the scene that day, we would like to ask you to help investigate the Lu family."

Her tone was earnest.

Wen Tingli was stunned for a moment: "Me? I can't do this. I have never done this."

"Answer me a question first. Apart from the three of us, does no one know that you have a very close personal relationship with Dean Deng?"

"Yes, I don't want to cause trouble for her, so every time I go to see her I avoid being seen."

Li Chengying smiled bitterly, "Very good. To be honest, we have carefully considered asking you to come. The reason why this assassination was successful is that the gang knew Dean Deng's schedule in advance. From this point of view, Dean Deng's network of relationships is already extremely unsafe. As a 'stranger' who stays out of the matter, even if you participate in the investigation, it will not arouse suspicion. This is a kind of protection for both you and Dean Deng. In addition, you are studying in Shiwu, and the Lu family is the general director of Shiwu, which means that you have more opportunities to contact Lu Shicheng and Kuang Zhilin than others."

Wen Tingli continued to shake her head like a rattle. This request was too sudden and she was not mentally prepared at all. She only wanted to go to college and did not want to be involved in such a dangerous investigation.

However, when she thought that the victim was Dean Deng, her heart felt like it was stabbed by a sharp knife and blood gushed out.

She took a deep breath and said, "Excuse me, why do you suspect that the Lu family is involved in this matter? Although Mr. Kuang was also at the scene, from my observation, he seemed to be frightened by the gunshot. It is difficult for a person to disguise himself in an emergency."

Li Chengying said, "The reason why Dean Deng got into trouble this time is most likely related to the fact that we secretly transported a batch of medicines from Nanyang to the front line a while ago. There are a large number of wounded soldiers on the front line who need urgent treatment, and Dean Deng is the main contact person for this transportation. If this batch of medicines is transported to the inland for sale, it can make a profit of tens of millions, but because we have repeatedly intercepted some of them and sent them to the front line, it is inevitable that the interests of some Nanyang merchants will be damaged. Coupled with another incident not long ago, it is hard not to suspect that someone from the Lu family was involved in this assassination, but we cannot confirm whether it was done by someone from Lu Shicheng's side or someone sent by Mr. Lu San."

Wen Tingli listened anxiously, she had never heard of these things before. It was so dangerous, but someone was willing to risk his life to do it. This person was Dean Deng, whom she always respected the most. She seemed to have been staying on a warm reef island for a long time, but because of a sudden tsunami, she accidentally saw a magnificent scenery... Her heart was trembling, but she couldn't help but yearning for it.

She hesitated, mustered up all her courage and asked, "Why... do you trust me?"

Li Chengying smiled: "The dean has a keen eye, and the people she approves of will never be bad. She has mentioned you to us more than once before. The key point is that when dean Deng got into trouble today, you returned to the Licha Hotel despite the danger. This determination and courage moved everyone very much.

Wen Tingli's eyes turned red again. Bao Yaming said, "Don't worry, Cheng Ying and I will protect you throughout the whole process. If you encounter any danger during the execution, you can withdraw at any time. Your personal safety is the most important thing."

Wen Tingli was still in a dilemma. Li Chengying said, "Don't force me. Think carefully before you reply to us. Whether you agree or not, this matter will not affect you in any way. Dean Deng has been taking care of your family without asking for anything in return before she got into trouble. As her companions, we also don't want you to feel that we are forcing you to do us a favor."

Her eyes were so clear and upright that Wen Tingli felt relieved. "Can I go see Dean Deng?"

Bao Yaming tapped the pipe in his hand. "There's a lot of mixed people over there now. Even Cheng Ying and Xiao Chen don't dare to go visit. But fortunately, everyone knows that I'm Deng Yi's old friend. So, tomorrow you pretend to be my assistant, and I'll find a way to get you in."

Wen Tingli bowed to Bao Yaming and said shyly, "Lawyer Bao, I haven't apologized to you for breaking the appointment since the incident happened."

Bao Yaming held his pipe in his mouth and snorted: "If you show up on time, I'll have to reconsider whether Deng Yi's eyes are in trouble!"

The next morning, all the major newspapers published the news that President Deng had been assassinated. As for the reason for the assassination, there were many different opinions. In the evening, Wen Tingli, as agreed beforehand, wore a wig and a cheongsam, dressed as a middle-aged woman, and went to visit Deng Yi with Bao Yaming.

Seeing Dean Deng lying unconscious in the bed sheets, Wen Tingli almost couldn't control her emotions.

The assailant fired two bullets in total, one of which hit Dean Deng's chest, causing massive bleeding in his lungs, and the other bullet hit his wrist. The assailant was probably worried that Dean Deng might have a weapon on him, so he fired a shot in advance to deprive him of the ability to fight back.

After coming out, Wen Tingli was immersed in a huge feeling of grief and hatred. She walked down the stairs woodenly. Suddenly, her eyes fixed, and she looked up and said to Bao Yaming: "I want to see Ms. Li."

That night, Wen Tingli met Li Chengying again in a dilapidated Shikumen house.

This time, she got straight to the point: "I'm willing to help investigate this matter."

All her hesitation and fear were shattered the moment she saw the tragic state of Dean Deng. Her life was in danger, but the murderer was still at large! She couldn't wait to help find the murderer who assassinated Dean Deng, and she couldn't wait even a moment!
Li Chengying was somewhat moved: "Have you considered it?"

Wen Tingli nodded without hesitation. The three of them breathed a sigh of relief at the same time, and Bao Yaming took out a contract from his briefcase.

"You are so brave to accept the task in such a critical moment. This mission not only tests one's willpower, but also puts you in danger at any time. Xiao Wen, in order to encourage your righteous act, I will personally provide you with a compensation of 2,000 yuan. When you successfully complete the mission, the money will be deposited into your account in the name of Shuguang Law Firm."

"No, I'm not doing this for the money!"

Bao Yaming had a complicated expression: "I know you're not doing this for the money, but this mission involves a lot of risk. With this money, no matter what happens, you can get away with it."

Wen Tingli suddenly understood Bao Yaming's intention. Yesterday on the street, she determined that it was gunshot in such a short time. This has always been a suspicious point for Bao Yaming.

He needed to do something to protect Dean Deng and his companions. This contract was called compensation, but in fact it was a way to obtain evidence of her participation in the investigation.

With the contract she signed personally, Bao Yaming didn't have to worry about her leaking the matter in the future, let alone worrying about her betraying everyone, because she and they had become a community of interests.

"Old Bao." Li Chengying couldn't help but speak.

Wen Tingli took the pen without giving any explanation and quickly signed her name on the contract.

She did not blame Bao Yaming for testing her in this way. This matter involved many people. If it were her, she would not be willing to expose her companions to danger. Besides, she volunteered to participate in this investigation. When Dean Deng used his connections to help her, he never considered whether he would offend the Qiao family and the White Dragon Gang. Now it was her turn to report to Dean Deng, so how could she be timid?

Bao Yaming was stunned for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure, instructed Wen Tingli to sign three contracts, and then returned the remaining one to Wen Tingli.

"Keep a copy for yourself." His attitude was obviously much more sincere and softer than before.

Li Chengying was silent for a moment: "Xiao Wen, the original intention of this investigation is to avoid more casualties. Your personal safety always takes precedence over everything else. If you have any questions, please stop the investigation immediately. If you are hurt because of this incident, not only will we feel guilty, but Dean Deng will also be uneasy when he wakes up."

"Thank you, Sister Li. I will be extra careful. Time waits for no one. Please tell me what to do next."

The next day, as soon as Wen Tingli entered the classroom, she heard her classmates discussing the assassination of Dean Deng the day before. However, unlike the shock she felt when she first received the news yesterday, this time her classmates' statements were much more accurate.

"I was drinking coffee at the Ritz-Carlton, Chicago, when I was shot."

Zhao Qingluo said bitterly: "President Deng has always been kind to others. Who would be so mean to an old man like him?"

"Has the murderer not been caught yet?" Wen Tingli tried to act nonchalant and joined the discussion.

At noon when having lunch in the restaurant, Michelle came over personally to remind Wen Tingli.

"Don't forget to go to Lu Mansion to receive the Yuying Award after school today. There will be a bus waiting for you at the door at 5:30. Don't be late and be polite."

Zhao Qingluo and Yan Zhenzhen winked at Wen Tingli from the opposite side. Wen Tingli stood up and said happily, "Student knows."

As soon as Michelle left, Yan Zhenzhen and Zhao Qingluo clapped their hands and said, "You said last time that you would treat us to a cake once you got the money. You can't go back on your word."

"Don't worry, don't worry."

As soon as the get out of class was over, Wen Tingli ran to the bathroom.

She didn't believe that this matter had anything to do with Mr. Kuang. She was more inclined to suspect Mr. Lu San than Kuang Zhilin and Lu Shicheng, but her conjecture had to be supported by evidence. If it turned out that they were the ones who did it, it would mean that her intuition was wrong.

If not for the clues she provided, Li Chengying and the others would not have missed the best opportunity to find the murderer.

Last night, Li Chengying told her that if she wanted to check, she must pay special attention to whether the Lu family has any recent purchase orders for Nanyang medicines, and such things are often only kept in the Lu family's study.

She decided to act according to circumstances after arriving at Lu Mansion.

The key point is that one investigation may not reveal anything. In order to have the opportunity to meet Lu Shicheng in the future, she must leave a very good impression on him by receiving the award this time.

Don't be too proactive and enthusiastic, as this will only make him suspicious.

But she couldn't do nothing, because Lu Shicheng would forget her in the blink of an eye.

She thought about this all day.

After finishing her dressing, Wen Tingli forced a smile towards the bathroom mirror, but perhaps because she was a little nervous, her smile was not as bright as usual. She tried hard to adjust herself several times before making her smile become contagious again.

When we walked out of the school gate, the Lu family's driver was already waiting outside the gate.

(End of this chapter)