Du Yifan returned to his cell in a daze. The inmates were all out for exercise, leaving the cell completely empty.
He slid to the ground in anguish—had he ever truly loved Shu Lanzhou?
He had never seriously considered that question before. But now that he thought about it… perhaps he had.
That timid, gentle, obedient little girl—she truly did inspire pity and affection. Yet what had he done to her?
Because of his arrogance and recklessness, he had not only hurt Shu Lanzhou, but also brought disaster upon his own parents. Due to his foolishness, his mother had fallen ill, and his aging father still had to shoulder the burdens of their company.
But what could he do now? What else could he do?
Du Yifan buried his face in his hands, letting out a low, muffled sob—Luo Jialin, yes, there was still Luo Jialin. He had money to start a company, so why couldn't he spare some to help his father?
…
Shu Lanzhou had no idea that after meeting with Du Yifan, Tian Hua had resolved to cling tightly to her coattails. After leaving campus, she got into Mu Side's car.
Thanks to the school anniversary celebration, they finally had some time to spend together.
Before driving off, Mu Side handed her a folder.
"These are Uncle's medical records from back then. I didn't dare take the originals, so I secretly made a copy. I skimmed through them, didn't see anything unusual, but maybe you'll spot something."
Shu Lanzhou took the file without opening it right away. "Do you know this guy? When you get a chance, have someone look into his background."
She handed Mu Side the business card given to her by that "President Zhang" just now.
She had originally planned to throw it away, but on second thought, it was better to be cautious. How was Tian Hua lucky enough to randomly meet a foreign investor?
And one who just so happened to want to invest in a cosmeceutical company?
It was just too convenient—especially since Luo Jialin and his team had just launched a medical aesthetic products business. Tian Hua showing up now with a "gift" like this felt less like coincidence and more like conspiracy.
Mu Side took one look at the card, and his expression immediately darkened. "It's him. He came to you?"
"You know him?" Shu Lanzhou was surprised.
Mu Side shook his head. "Not exactly. I just recognize the name—not someone I've met personally."
"What kind of person is he? Is there something wrong with him?" Shu Lanzhou pressed, curiosity piqued.
Mu Side started the car and replied:
"The old man who died in that medical incident years ago… his surname was Zhang. His youngest son was called by this name. But back then, he was still a kid."
"Also, this wasn't the name he used at the time. He changed it later."
"But how do you know that?" Shu Lanzhou was even more curious. "Weren't you not even born when that incident happened?"
Mu Side reached over and tapped the medical file in her hand.
"While I was looking into this, I also pulled up the old case records. I found the names of everyone in the Zhang family involved in the assault on my uncle."
"After digging into it, I went to see my uncle. He told me the Zhangs always resented the Mu family after their patriarch's death. They wanted to destroy the Mu family—wipe us from Shencheng entirely."
"But their hatred wasn't just about the old man's accident. After he passed away, the Zhang family's power collapsed."
"None of his sons or daughters could maintain their family's status. Within a few years, they were kicked out of Shencheng's elite circle. At the time, the heir the old man had chosen wasn't even of age."
"That child was apparently called Zhang Tianyou. He was among those who beat my uncle, but because he was so young, and his older brothers took the fall, they denied he was involved."
"That's how he got away with it. After his brothers were convicted one by one, the Zhangs fled the country with him to protect him. They even changed his name—to Zhang Chengyou."
The coincidence was uncanny. If they hadn't been digging into her uncle's case while researching treatments, Mu Side would never have cross-checked the names and found out Zhang Chengyou was from that Zhang family.
Shu Lanzhou frowned. "That incident was so many years ago. Why are the Zhangs suddenly coming to me now?"
"They even claim they want to start a cosmeceutical company. Something about this just feels off."
"Whatever they're planning, we can't have anything to do with them." Mu Side gripped Shu Lanzhou's hand.
"Back then, the Mu family did feel guilty toward the Zhangs, because of how their patriarch died. But the Zhangs repeatedly provoked us—they clearly wanted to destroy the Mu family."
"Grandfather once said that if the Mu family falls, so be it. But they crossed the line when they gravely injured my uncle. He ended up in the hospital, and the Zhangs went to prison. From that point on, the two families became mortal enemies."
"The Zhangs returning to China now? They're definitely up to no good."
Shu Lanzhou nodded solemnly.
"I understand. I'll stay far away from them. No matter what they're planning, we won't be afraid of them."
"Good." But Mu Side still didn't look reassured. "Do you remember I once told you about the mysterious investor behind Xiao Anning?"
Shu Lanzhou did. "Are you thinking that person is Zhang Chengyou?"
"It's hard to say," Mu Side admitted. "If it is him, why would he be cooperating with Luo Jialin and company while also trying to approach you? What's his angle?"
Shu Lanzhou was conflicted too. "It's definitely suspicious."
"Forget it. Don't dwell on it anymore. Tonight we're having dinner at the old house." Mu Side gently patted her hand, signaling her to relax.
But Shu Lanzhou couldn't fully ease her mind. She couldn't stop wondering—if Tian Hua had already turned down Han Weicheng and decided to stay at the research institute, why would he still introduce her to Zhang Chengyou?
Did he not know about Zhang Chengyou's connection to Luo Jialin and the others?
…
At the newly registered research center in Shencheng—non-medical division—
Zhang Chengyou stormed into Han Weicheng's office.
"It didn't work. Shu Lanzhou is very wary. Seems like she doesn't trust that kid Tian Hua at all. Did you misjudge the situation?"
Zhang Chengyou's face was dark with frustration.
He hated the Mu family. If it weren't for them, he'd be a major figure in Shencheng today. Instead, a once-powerful family like his had shattered to pieces.
His older brothers, haunted by their prison time, couldn't hold down jobs. Now they relied on him to survive.
And all those years overseas? His business ventures had mostly failed.
Han Weicheng frowned. "That girl's been through a lot, emotionally starved from a young age. She craves attention and connection."
"She might still resent what happened, but under the current circumstances, she should've softened up. Tian Hua's clever—aside from conning a bit of money from her now and then, he's never really hurt her."
"In her eyes, Tian Hua hasn't truly 'sided with us,' so there's no reason for her to reject you. Maybe you pushed too hard and made her suspicious?"
Zhang Chengyou slammed the table. "Suspicious? We didn't even say anything yet, and she shut us down cold. That's not suspicion—that's straight-up distrust, alright?"
"Are we sure she's really that kid's junior apprentice? Or did Tian Hua do something to her in the past? From the way she acted, she clearly despises him."
"They did have some misunderstandings," Han Weicheng admitted. He hadn't expected Shu Lanzhou to become so resolute. "But Tian Hua's smart. I trust he'll handle it."
Zhang Chengyou sneered. "He told me the same thing. Fine—I'll give you people one more chance. But if you fail again, you know what happens."
With that, he stood and walked out.
Truthfully, pulling Shu Lanzhou into the plan didn't really matter to him. What did matter was planting his roots in Shencheng—getting connected with a local power like the Luo family.
Then, together, they could go after the Mu family.
The Mus should've been ruined back then, yet somehow they survived—while his own Zhang family was destroyed. And now they dared to revive the Mu Medical legacy?
Did they really think every Zhang was long dead?
This time, he would never allow it.