Life and Death Insurance – CH 021

Chapter 21

“Hey, don’t move!”

Ling Zhengzhong slammed on the brakes, jumped out of the car, and rushed to Yu Shenglin’s side, grabbing his arm tightly and shouting, “We can talk this over! Don’t do anything rash!”

Mr. Ling’s actions were incredibly smooth. Yu Shenglin hadn’t expected anyone to suddenly rush over. His body, already half-leaning over the railing, lurched forward, almost falling. When he saw it was Ling Zhengzhong, a mocking smile crept onto his cold face.

“It’s you…”

“Hey, wake up! What can’t be solved? Is it really worth it?”

“What?”

“I said, death solves nothing. You’re a pretty smart person; how come you can’t even see that?”

Hearing Ling Zhengzhong’s lecture, Yu Shenglin raised an eyebrow and laughed loudly, “You don’t think I’m going to commit suicide, do you? Even if I, Yu Shenglin, am truly desperate, I wouldn’t do something as stupid as suicide.”

Not suicide? That was good.

Ling Zhengzhong released his grip on Yu Shenglin’s hand and said, “If you aren’t going to commit suicide, what are you doing here? Half your body is sticking out; anyone who sees you will think you have suicidal tendencies.”

Yu Shenglin shrugged. “Just bored, came here to see the sea. Manager Ling, I didn’t expect you to pass by so coincidentally.”

Under the dim yellow streetlights, Yu Shenglin’s thin face looked pale and haggard. It seemed the whole day of confinement had taken a toll on him. Ling Zhengzhong himself had just gone through the same experience and understood the sadness. Being imprisoned without cause—even a carefree person like him was indignant, let alone someone as hot-tempered as Yu Shenglin.

Judging by the time, Yu Shenglin should have just been released not long ago. What was Yang Yiqing, that top lawyer, doing? How could he just pick up his client and then abandon him?

“Where’s your lawyer?”

Seeing Ling Zhengzhong’s concern, Yu Shenglin smiled faintly and said, “I wanted to be alone for a while, so I sent Attorney Yang back first. I’m fine, and I won’t commit suicide. I’m just bored, looking at the sea here.”

Had he been looking at the sea here ever since he got out of the police station? What was so interesting about the sea in the dead of winter? What if he got impulsive and jumped in for a winter swim?

“Have you eaten?”

“No.”

“Come with me!”

Ignoring Yu Shenglin’s struggles, Ling Zhengzhong pulled him towards the car.

This guy said he wouldn’t commit suicide, but why was he staring so intently at the seashore? Ling Zhengzhong didn’t want to see tomorrow’s morning paper reporting someone jumping into the sea to commit suicide. They might bicker sometimes, but in this situation, he couldn’t be the one kicking someone when they were down.

Yu Shenglin didn’t struggle, silently sitting in the passenger seat, letting Ling Zhengzhong drive back to the apartment.

The journey was silent. Although the two usually engaged in lively banter whenever they met, today they were surprisingly quiet, neither speaking first to break the silence.

Back at Ling Zhengzhong’s apartment, he told Yu Shenglin to rest on the sofa while he went to the kitchen and quickly cooked two bowls of noodle soup, adding two poached eggs and a little scallion and sesame oil. He then invited Yu Shenglin to eat.

“I only know how to make boiled noodles and fried rice. It isn’t very good, but just make do.”

“Thank you,” Yu Shenglin said softly as he sat down at the table.

“What are you thanking me for? It’s just a bowl of noodles.”

“That’s not what I’m thanking you for.”

Yu Shenglin lowered his head and began to eat. He was probably really hungry; he quickly finished the bowl of noodles. Ling Zhengzhong then gave him the rest of the noodles from the pot.

“I’m telling you, try to take it easy. It’s just staying in there for one night. Think of it this way: it’s a rare experience in life.”

Ling Zhengzhong ate his meal, trying to comfort Yu Shenglin. Yu Shenglin seemed overly calm. Usually, when proud and arrogant people suddenly suffered a setback and became so dejected and quiet, they were prone to doing something foolish. So, some advice was necessary.

Yu Shenglin didn’t answer, wolfing down his food, then said, “Give me a cigarette.”

“I don’t smoke. We’ve been colleagues for so long; when have you ever seen me with a cigarette?”

Ling Zhengzhong had a very strict upbringing. When he first started middle school, his father caught him secretly smoking and beat him half to death. After that, he completely lost interest in cigarettes.

Yu Shenglin leaned back in his chair and said, “That’s true, I’ve never actually seen you smoke before… You’re quite unpredictable sometimes, always giving me the cold shoulder, but today you pulled me along… Hey, you actually invited me to your house; aren’t you afraid I really am the murderer?”

Hearing Yu Shenglin’s words, Ling Zhengzhong suddenly remembered the matter. “Oh right, I forgot about it.”

“Now that you remember, what are you going to do?”

“What do you mean by asking what I am going to do? Am I going to kick you out? Besides, no one’s saying you’re the murderer.”

Ling Zhengzhong got up, cleared the dishes, and made two cups of hot tea, handing them to Yu Shenglin.

“By the way, I heard you wired a large sum of money to Shen Meimei. Why? You don’t actually have something going on with her, do you?”

Yu Shenglin glanced at Ling Zhengzhong warily and said coldly, “None of your business!”

“Of course, it’s none of my business, but it’s related to you. I heard you’ve been refusing to explain the reason. Aren’t you afraid of being prosecuted? What could be more serious than murder?”

Yu Shenglin’s face immediately darkened. He bit his thin lower lip, remaining silent. His fingers, which had been resting on his knees, suddenly trembled violently. He lowered his eyes, but in that instant, Ling Zhengzhong clearly saw a fleeting sorrow in his pupils.

What was this person hiding?

“Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong…”

The melodious doorbell rang, and Ling Zhengzhong immediately jumped up.

Little hamster!!

Usually, no one visited him. Yang Yiqing had a key to the room and wouldn’t ring the doorbell. This rhythmic doorbell sound meant only one person would appear—Xiang Tian!