Fatal Desire

Chapter 110 Revealed! The Bombing Case from Four Years Ago
“No,” Song Xiyu said, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the safety buckle around her neck. The imperial green of the jade was rich and vibrant.

Old Madam Zhao's gaze was like a knife, gently piercing the safety buckle before instantly returning to its placid, still state.
"Yunyu will have to put in a lot of effort."

Song Yunyu immediately understood: "Many kids in the circle are interested in Xixi. If there's a suitable one, I'll bring her over for you to see as soon as possible."

On stage, an excerpt from "The Story of the Jade Bracelet" was being performed. The old lady's gaze shifted to the actor with his flowing sleeves, and she fell silent.

Zhao Chengyou silently peeled a plate full of pine nuts and pushed it in front of Song Xi: "Sister Xi, would you like some pine nuts?"

"Eat it." She picked up a pearl, her fingernails gleaming like mother-of-pearl. The heart that had been hanging in her chest remained suspended until the curtain fell as she left, only then silently settling back into place.

As the play ended, everyone took their leave and returned to their respective homes, none of them staying overnight in the mansion.

After finishing their business, Zhao Yansen emerged from the old man's study. Moonlight outlined his tall, imposing figure, casting a long shadow in the corridor. He paused slightly. The old lady sat alone in the center of the courtyard, prayer beads twirling between her aged fingers.

“Sen-ge’er.” The old lady looked at him.

Zhao Yansen calmly walked over, called out to her, and then gracefully sat down to chat with the old lady for a while.

When Madam Zhao mentioned his marriage, she said, "Try to meet Miss Li Si when you have some free time."

“The Li family won’t do,” Zhao Yansen said decisively.

Madam Zhao frowned slightly: "You've chosen someone? Which family's young lady?"

"No wedding this year." Zhao Yansen said calmly, speaking in a thick Beijing accent, "We'll talk about it tomorrow."

"Nonsense," Old Madam Zhao scolded lightly.

Even if they were furious, there was nothing they could do about it.

Zhao Yansen, with his long, slender hands, held the teapot and poured a cup of tea for the old lady: "I have my own arrangements for my affairs. Don't get angry and hurt yourself."

Grandma Zhao frowned, her tone grave: "The safety buckle that Xi'er is wearing, is it your mother's?"

The platinum cufflinks on Zhao Yansen's suit sleeves gleamed coldly under the light.

"Yes."

"Foolish!" The teacup rattled on the rosewood table with a sharp, tearing sound. Old Mrs. Zhao's voice suddenly turned stern. "That's a keepsake left by your mother. How can you just give it to an outsider like that?"

“It fits her perfectly,” Zhao Yansen said calmly.

“Song Xi is not surnamed Zhao after all, and the blood flowing in her veins is neither Zhao family blood nor Xiao family blood,” said Madam Zhao. “Besides, she is not young, and her aunt will choose a marriage partner for her.”

“I’ve said it before, no one in the Zhao family except me is qualified to manage Song Xi.” Zhao Yansen slowly lifted his eyelids, his dark eyes sharp and cold. “Grandma, you’re not qualified either.”

The atmosphere suddenly became silent, the air seemed to freeze, and even the sandalwood seemed to be frozen.

The eldest grandson was too arrogant and looked down on everyone.

Grandma Zhao clenched the Buddhist prayer beads in her hand. "In front of so many people, hugging her like that, do you even know who she is?"

Zhao Yansen scoffed lightly, echoing his grandmother's words: "What's wrong with holding her?"

Everyone assumed that he and Song Xi were half-siblings, and even if they had doubts about their relationship, they dared not spread any rumors that violated morality.

The heir whom the Zhao family had painstakingly cultivated turned out to be a hypocritical beast who actually preyed on the girl he had raised for over ten years.

This was the information that Zhao Yansen proactively passed on after the old lady noticed something amiss:

Song Xi was still young and her values ​​were not yet formed. She was seduced by the older man and was just an extremely innocent victim.

The old lady was incredulous and heartbroken as she berated him, cursing him as a lewd and insane scoundrel who was so obsessed with lust that he would ruin the Zhao family's century-old reputation sooner or later! At eighteen, he was already an adult, and if Zhao Yansen was hanging out with other girls, the old lady wouldn't care at all.

Young masters have many ways to play, and at that age when they are full of vigor and passion, their families may let them play outside, but that's all they can do. In the end, they still have to settle down.

But that person was none other than Song Xi, whom he had raised himself... What kind of nonsense is this! She wasn't a child bride, someone he could slaughter and eat when she reached a certain age.

She had just come of age when he couldn't wait to get intimate with her. When did he first have those filthy thoughts?
Song Xi was naive and ignorant, but was Zhao Yansen also ignorant?
...It doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

Every question was like a pillar of humiliation, nailed firmly to the head of Old Madam Zhao.

**
Song Xi did not return to the courtyard house. She told her aunt that there was an important document in the apartment and she would have to stay in Xiziwan temporarily tonight.

After pondering for a moment, Song Yunyu realized that the red marks on her niece's neck must be from mosquito bites. She had been a mosquito magnet since she was little, so she nodded and told her to stay up less late.

Song Xi obediently agreed.

Stepping into her flat apartment in Xizi Bay, her nerves, which had been tense all night, finally relaxed. She slumped onto the sofa and buried her face in a goose feather cushion.

The phone rang, but she didn't pay attention to it. It took her a long time before she slowly picked up her phone to look at it.

It's Zhao Yansen.

Song Xi stared at her phone screen, her fingertips hovering over the keyboard for a long time before finally typing only one line: "Sleepy, goodnight, brother."

Zhao Yansen definitely knew she was in Xizi Bay; there was no need to tell her the location. Giving her the location would make it seem like she wanted him to come. He simply said goodnight and that was it for today.

The phone vibrated quickly, and a brief reply appeared on the screen: "Get some rest."

Song Xi placed her phone face down on the coffee table and leaned back against the sofa. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the lights of Beijing were still dazzling, but that night, she tossed and turned as she watched the sky gradually brighten.

When she woke up in the morning, there was a faint bluish tint under her eyes. She put on makeup to cover the dark circles before going to the company.

After the morning meeting ended, Cheng Nian reported: "President Song, we won the lawsuit against Qiao's Pharmaceuticals."

Song Xi simply nodded slightly, as if it were expected.

At 3 p.m., while she was delving into clinical trial data with R&D experts, a huge uproar suddenly erupted online.

Media reports allege that the CEO of Morningside Biotech is the perpetrator of the Tsinghua University lab explosion four years ago, suspected of causing the death of a male student!
According to internal documents provided by an anonymous source, Song (pseudonym), the current CEO of Morningside Ventures, was a student at Tsinghua University four years ago. Due to improper operation, a violent explosion occurred in the laboratory, resulting in the immediate death of a second-year male graduate student.

However, after the incident, Song allegedly used his family's influence and connections within the school to suppress the investigation, hastily closing the case as an "operational error." He then quickly went abroad and entered the biopharmaceutical industry, rising to the position of president of a biopharmaceutical company in just a few years.

If the allegations are true, it's terrifying! How can a CEO with a murder charge still enjoy such a high position? There were suspicious circumstances surrounding the bombing four years ago, but the case was ultimately dropped. Thinking about it now is chilling… I hope for a thorough investigation and that the victims receive justice!

The deceased was my senior, the top student in our grade! We became suspicious when the family suddenly changed their story and said it was an accident. Could there really be something fishy going on?

[Has Morningside always touted itself as "technology for good"? If the CEO is really the murderer, it's a complete joke! I suggest direct judicial intervention; those who deserve it should go to jail. Don't let the wealthy get away with it!]

Wait, is there any evidence for this revelation? Making judgments online is unreliable; what if it's just a rumor? But if it's true… then it must be severely punished!

……

Shang Shixu stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, the cold light from his phone screen reflecting his furrowed brows.

From an upper floor, the company's main entrance was completely surrounded by reporters with their cameras and microphones. A group of security guards were forced to retreat under the onslaught of flashing lights, and one reporter even tried to break through the defenses through the fire escape.

"Should we notify General Manager Song?" Cheng Nian asked anxiously. "The public relations department suggests activating the crisis plan immediately."

(End of this chapter)