Chapter 104: Midnight Theft of Secrets (A Birthday Tribute to Ruìruì)

“Your phone rang just now, but I didn’t get a chance to tell you. My memory’s terrible—go check who it is, don’t let it hold up anything important,” Linglan said casually, lifting her eyes to him with a feigned nonchalance.

“All right,” Mo Zhicheng replied softly, then set down his chopsticks and picked up the phone from the table, lowering his head to look at the screen.

Linglan quietly observed the subtle shifts in the man’s expression beside her.

In truth, during the days she had been by his side, she had been carefully studying him—down to details like his phone’s lock screen password. She memorized the numbers corresponding to the pattern on his screen and, by watching the gestures he used to swipe, managed to crack the code.

Linglan’s short-term memory was exceptional. Back in university, she had been fascinated by Sudoku and could complete blind Sudoku puzzles in a remarkably short time, which earned her respect. This talent also explained how she had been able to piece together shredded documents and steal valuable commercial intelligence from Tiancheng.

Casting a sidelong glance, Linglan noticed Mo Zhicheng’s expression growing somber. She wondered what message could have unsettled him.

Her gaze flicked lightly to the phone screen. Sitting beside him, she saw the screen was somewhat backlit from her angle.

It seemed the message required a password. Linglan focused on Mo Zhicheng’s hand movements, storing them carefully in her mind. She put down her chopsticks, hiding her right hand beneath the table, mimicking his gestures. Quickly, she translated them into code—likely a 26-key password.

Frowning, she forced herself to stay calm and remember it; she knew she wouldn’t forget within the next twenty-four hours.

In less than a minute, Mo Zhicheng put the phone down, glanced sideways, and gave her a slight smile. “Let’s eat,” he whispered.

Linglan returned a faint smile, picked up her chopsticks, and toyed with the food in her bowl, feigning casualness as she asked, “Who was it? You looked at the message for quite a while.”

Mo Zhicheng picked up a piece of lean meat for her and placed it in her bowl, his voice low and steady. “Work-related.”

“Oh!” Linglan nodded lightly, not pressing further, knowing well that Mo Zhicheng never mentioned business matters in front of her, not even trivial ones.

It was remarkable how well he concealed everything, his self-control so strong. Linglan had resolved to break through his defenses—that was one reason she agreed to the “one-month pact.” But beyond that—though she knew this man was dangerous and being near him was like sitting on pins and needles—why did she still throw herself into the fire?

She lowered her eyes, staring thoughtfully at the piece of meat in her bowl.

If breaking down his guard accounted for eighty percent of her reasoning, what about the remaining twenty? She didn’t want to acknowledge the feelings stirring within her.

******

After dinner, Linglan washed the dishes as usual. The cold water cascaded over her hands, sending sharp chills through her fingers. Lost in thought, still pondering the password code, she was suddenly startled by a strong arm around her from behind. A breath warmed her neck.

“Don’t scare me like that,” she sighed softly.

“The hot water tap was on the other side. I saw you using cold water, so I came to remind you,” Mo Zhicheng murmured, holding her close.

“I forgot,” Linglan said, immediately turning on the other tap. She smiled.

Noticing her reddened fingers, Mo Zhicheng clasped her hands, feeling the chill, and warmed them until the water flowing from the tap was comfortably warm. He held her hands under the gentle stream, letting the heat seep through until warmth spread through her fingers.

Linglan glanced sideways, catching a faint smile at the corner of his lips.

Night deepened.

Before going to bed, as usual, Mo Zhicheng escorted her to the master bedroom door. He patted her shoulder. “Go to bed early. Good night.”

As he turned, Linglan suddenly grasped his wrist. The man froze, his broad shoulders trembling slightly. After a long moment, he turned back and asked, “What is it?”

Her eyes shone softly as they met his. Linglan realized she was gripping his wrist tightly, her heart pounding fast. Outside, the cold wind howled against the windowpane, piercing her nerves. Mo Zhicheng said nothing, simply watching her, awaiting her reply.

Linglan’s palm was slick with sweat. Finally, she gathered courage. “Zhicheng, the master bedroom is so big, and the wind outside is strong tonight. It feels a little gloomy—I’m afraid to sleep alone,” she whispered, watching the subtle lines ripple in his dark eyes through the dim light.

This was the first time she had reached out like this.

He remained silent for a long time. Anxious, Linglan slowly relaxed her grip. “Forget it,” she said softly.

Unexpectedly, Mo Zhicheng opened his arms, holding her tightly. “You want me to stay?” His voice was filled with surprise and a trace of joy. He kissed her hair and murmured again, “You’re asking me to stay.”

Nestled in his embrace, Linglan listened to his heartbeat and slowly closed her eyes. Only she knew why she wanted him to stay.

The large king-size bed originally separated them distinctly. Linglan lay on her back, clutching the blanket to her chest. Unnoticed, he wrapped her in his arms from behind, turning onto his side. Like outstretched black wings, he enfolded her into his embrace; their bodies fit perfectly, tightly connected.

That night, she did not sleep peacefully. She waited—waiting for the right moment.

Outside, the night wind howled. The afternoon’s slanting sun vanished in a flash; the weather changed swiftly, life’s unpredictability striking her thoughts like sharp thunderclaps.

The man’s body was warm. Indeed, two people’s warmth could melt the cold within one.

She heard his gentle breathing. Tossing and turning, she called softly, “Zhicheng… Zhicheng…”

Only silence answered.

Linglan carefully lifted her arm, afraid to wake him. She turned gently, sat up quietly, and stepped softly onto the carpeted floor. Outside, the cold wind howled, masking her subtle movements.

She remembered Mo Zhicheng had left his phone on the bedside table. Cautiously, she bent down and tiptoed closer. His bathrobe was draped over the phone, hiding it but complicating her task.

Linglan crouched down in the darkness, gently lifted the robe, and reached for the phone. Suddenly, she knocked against the old-fashioned lamp. Startled, she quickly steadied it with both hands to avoid making more noise.

Thump… thump…

Her breath grew rapid; she feared the faint sounds might wake him.

Once the night settled again, she controlled her breathing, though her heart pounded harder, sweat beading her forehead.

Finding no disturbance, Linglan bit her lip and, guided by the lamp, continued to search until her fingers found the phone.

A thrill ran through her as she quietly picked it up and slipped toward the bathroom.

Closing the door behind her, Linglan leaned against it and hurriedly unlocked the phone screen.

She quickly opened the inbox, eyes sharp. Seeing that Mo Zhicheng had not deleted any messages, a glimmer of light crossed her eyes, lips curling slightly.

She tapped open the messages and entered the link in a multimedia message. It required a password. Closing her eyes, Linglan recalled his hand gestures and tried to unlock it.

After several attempts, her heart seemed lodged in her throat. Finally, she succeeded. Wiping sweat from her brow, her hands trembled faintly as the page loaded.

One by one, obscene images appeared, making her stomach churn. But when she recognized the man in the pictures—the young Qin—her eyes widened in shock.

It was clear that Mo Zhicheng’s plan to dismantle the Qin family’s power was underway, all tightly under his control.

To topple Qin’s patriarch, he started by exposing the young master’s involvement with prostitutes. Linglan scrolled further—Mo Zhicheng was also gathering evidence of bribery and money laundering by Secretary Qin.

She stared at the conspicuous data, deeply shaken. But Linglan guessed Mo Zhicheng himself wouldn’t file the accusations directly, avoiding bloodstained hands. So how would he proceed?

Frowning, Linglan found another investigative report on Shengqi.

Her heart sank. Indeed, Mo Zhicheng had set his sights on Shengqi too. Just as Young Master Ye had said, most of the information in the report was surface-level. Thanks to Young Master Ye’s caution, this was truly a battle of calm facades concealing turbulent undercurrents.

While Ye operated in the shadows, Mo Zhicheng worked openly. Linglan resolved to continue tracking the situation to keep Ye well informed.

Closing the page, Linglan sighed deeply. As she prepared to shut off the phone, she unexpectedly found a message from Ting Yu.

She paused, fingers trembling involuntarily before tapping it open out of curiosity. She told herself just to take a quick look.

The multimedia message showed a woman wearing a low baseball cap, partially concealing her playful face. Her fair complexion flushed softly like a blooming peony, delicate white porcelain cup poised at her lips.

Below the photo, the message read: “The coffee here is excellent. I’ll bring some for you next week. Wait for me, Brother Zhicheng!”

Mo Zhicheng had replied: “Okay, I’ll wait for you!”

His simple three-word response reflected his style. Yet, Linglan felt a sudden pang of unease as she stared at the woman’s face, wishing she could forget such breathtaking beauty.

The message was from two days prior, and Ting Yu’s note hinted she would return next week.

Next week? Linglan thought, the date drawing near.

She spent the night sleepless.

Before leaving the house, Linglan used foundation to conceal the bruising beneath her eyes. Her mind was weary.

Taking advantage of private time, Linglan began investigating the connections surrounding Qin’s patriarch.

Mo Zhicheng continued to focus on the city investment land project. High-ranking executives at Tiancheng had long been preparing for it. The construction site had seen Mo Zhicheng vying for the bid six months ago, but government interference had stalled the progress significantly.