Chapter 244: Chapter 244: Elopement

Just then, a man hurried over, his face fraught with urgency. However, upon seeing Lu Jingyu and Xu Qingsui, he swallowed the words hovering on the tip of his tongue.

Noticing his hesitation, Shen Yan’s expression darkened. "Just say whatever it is you have to say. There’s nothing to hide." After everything they had been through, his feelings for Xu Qingsui were already incredibly clear. Because of this, he didn’t want to keep any secrets from her. Granted, Lu Jingyu’s presence was still somewhat of an eyesore, but that wasn’t particularly important anymore.

The man remained hesitant even after hearing Shen Yan’s command. After a brief internal struggle, he finally blurted out, "Boss, something has happened in the Shen family! Mr. Shen has eloped with Mrs. Liang."

The three people present froze, stunned by the subordinate’s report. Xu Qingsui and Lu Jingyu initially looked utterly bewildered. Their expressions soon turned awkward as they sneaked glances at Shen Yan, observing his reaction. Unsurprisingly, Shen Yan’s face had grown as dark as a thundercloud.

The subordinate who brought the news felt deeply regretful, lowering his head and not daring to meet anyone’s eyes. He had intended to tell Shen Yan in private; it was the boss himself who insisted he speak openly. Surely he couldn’t be blamed for this, right?

The air pressure in the room dropped to freezing. It was so deathly quiet that everyone’s breathing was distinctly audible. Under these circumstances, Xu Qingsui actually worried if Shen Yan would kill them later just to silence the witnesses.

Fortunately, after a prolonged moment of tense awkwardness, Shen Yan broke the silence. "What exactly happened?" With Xu Qingsui and Lu Jingyu watching, he naturally couldn’t punish a mere messenger for a situation he had brought upon himself by demanding the truth. Furthermore, there was no longer any point in hiding it. He could only feign magnanimity and ask for the full story.

The subordinate carefully raised his head, peeking at Xu Qingsui and Lu Jingyu before finally looking at Shen Yan. Given the situation, he truly lacked the courage to speak up.

"I told you to speak, so speak!" Shen Yan snapped.

The subordinate shuddered and finally recounted the entire incident in full detail.

It all traced back to the spread of the contamination source at the Mermaid Base. The severity of this incident surpassed any previous crisis, throwing everyone into a state of panic. Later on, Chen Yunfei ordered personnel to surround the Mermaid Base, maintaining strict vigilance around the clock, which only heightened the public’s anxiety. At the time, many people had entertained the thought of fleeing the 27th District. This included Shen Yan’s father, Shen Zhiqiu.

However, when plotting his escape, Shen Zhiqiu didn’t think of his own wife and son. Instead, his mind went straight to his childhood sweetheart, Su Qing’er. Thus, as soon as the twelve-hour lockdown period ended, Shen Zhiqiu fled the 27th District with the woman he constantly pined for. Because the scene at the time was so chaotic, no one noticed their departure.

It was only now, with the situation under control and everyone returning to their normal routines, that the problem was discovered. Zhang Yuqing was the first to realize it. When she found Shen Zhiqiu missing, her heart sank, and a dreadful suspicion took root. Sure enough, upon checking the family’s stored wealth, she discovered that most of their valuables were gone.

Her uneasiness intensifying, she rushed over to the Liangs’ home, only to find that Su Qing’er was also missing. After issuing immediate orders to investigate, she quickly learned from several servants that Shen Zhiqiu and Su Qing’er had been seen leaving together during the crisis. With her suspicions confirmed, Zhang Yuqing’s vision went black, and she collapsed in a dead faint. Upon waking up, she hurriedly sent someone to notify Shen Yan.

Having learned all this, Shen Yan immediately prepared to return home to handle the fallout. Although the situation reeked of scandalous gossip and was undeniably intriguing, it was ultimately Shen Yan’s family matter. Xu Qingsui and Lu Jingyu could only tactfully step away.

However, Shen Yan stopped them. "Come back with me to take a look."

Since both of them already knew what had happened, there was no point in keeping them in the dark anymore. Moreover, he trusted that neither of them would blabber about it.

In the end, their sense of boundaries couldn’t overcome their burning curiosity, and the two followed Shen Yan back to the Shen household. Xu Qingsui hesitated during the entire journey, wondering if Shen Yan’s insistence on bringing them along was just an excuse to drag them back and silence them. But after glancing at Lu Jingyu beside her, she relaxed. With Lu Jingyu around, her safety was guaranteed.

Upon arriving, they found the house in utter chaos. Ever since Zhang Yuqing woke up, her foul mood had driven her to vent her anger on the household decorations. She only stopped smashing things when she saw Shen Yan return. However, upon spotting Xu Qingsui and Lu Jingyu walking in behind him, she froze. She still harbored a deep resentment toward Xu Qingsui, but given the current crisis, she didn’t have the energy to care about her anymore.

"Shen Yan, you’re finally back! Arrange for men immediately. You must catch that adulterous couple and bring them back." A fierce glint flashed in Zhang Yuqing’s eyes, making it look as though she wanted to tear the aforementioned cheating scum limb from limb.

"I’ve already sent people to investigate. But Mom, shouldn’t you explain something to me?" Shen Yan had already deployed men to track them down on the way back. Right now, facing his mother, he just wanted to know what on earth was going on. In his eyes, his parents had always been a loving and harmonious couple. How could his father suddenly run off with another woman? There had to be something he didn’t know.

With things having reached this point, Zhang Yuqing finally answered Shen Yan’s questions by recounting the events of the past. Standing on the sidelines, Xu Qingsui and Lu Jingyu unexpectedly found themselves listening to a scandalous history from many years ago. The two exchanged meaningful glances, sighing inwardly at the messy drama.

Shen Yan’s expression grew even uglier. He had never imagined that behind his parents’ seemingly affectionate marriage lay so many hidden secrets. However, this only left him more confused.

"Since Dad had already investigated everything thoroughly, why would he still get tangled up with her?" Given all that had happened, he completely failed to understand his father’s actions.

In response to Shen Yan’s bewilderment, Zhang Yuqing let out a bitter sneer. "Then you’ll have to ask your father! Perhaps he’s one of those foolish romantics who cares for nothing but love! As long as he can be with his childhood sweetheart, nothing else matters to him." Her words were steeped in sorrow, and the profound disappointment in her eyes was impossible to hide.

Shen Yan’s brows knitted tightly together, and for a moment, he didn’t know what to say.

Just then, another subordinate hurried into the room. He walked straight up to Shen Yan and whispered a few words into his ear. Visibly, Shen Yan’s face grew even more terrible.

Everyone present noticed the shift in his expression. Zhang Yuqing hastily asked, "What is it? Is there news about that adulterous couple?"

Shen Yan gave her a measured look. "No, it’s about the laboratory. As for those... as for their matter, I’ve already dispatched people to investigate. I need to head back and deal with the laboratory’s issue first. Once there’s news, I’ll return and notify you immediately."

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