141: Chapter 141 The Hypocritical Gentleman

This demon had defiled so many children and then cruelly murdered them. Letting him die was simply not enough to appease the grievances of those children.

Nor was it enough to console Xiao Baihe for the pain of losing her daughter.

He wanted to make Chairman Zhao's reputation crumble into dust, make him taste every kind of suffering, make him pay the most agonizing price for his actions.

However, he hadn't shared this idea with Xiao Baihe yet.

For now, the most important thing was to take Xiao Baihe back to Nanhe County, find Chairman Zhao, and thoroughly investigate all his crimes.

On one hand, it was to gather evidence, to know both the enemy and oneself.

On the other hand, it was also to let Xiao Baihe see Chairman Zhao's true face with her own eyes, to make her completely believe his words, and to dispel her last shred of doubt.

"Lily," Cao Kun looked at Xiao Baihe, his tone resolute, "I know you hate him, and I hate him too."

"But we can't act impulsively. Killing him directly would be letting him off too easy."

"Let's first return to Nanhe County, find Chairman Zhao, investigate him properly, and collect evidence of his crimes."

"After we have all the evidence, then we'll make him pay the price, alright?"

Xiao Baihe lifted her head, her eyes bloodshot. She looked at Cao Kun, remained silent for a long while, and finally nodded.

She knew Cao Kun's words made sense. Her mind was in complete turmoil right now; only by following Cao Kun could she avenge her daughter.

...

Early the next morning, Cao Kun set off on the road to Nanhe County with Xiao Baihe.

The car sped along the highway, the scenery outside the window rushing backward, but the interior of the vehicle was unusually quiet.

Xiao Baihe leaned against the passenger seat, staring out the window the whole time, her gaze vacant, devoid of any expression.

Cao Kun glanced at her from the side from time to time, his heart filled with pity. He turned on the car stereo and played a soothing melody, hoping it might calm her mood a little.

After a journey of over three hours, the two finally arrived in Nanhe County.

Nanhe County was a small county town, but thanks to Chairman Zhao's Hengtong Real Estate, it had developed fairly well.

Throughout the county town, one could see residential buildings developed by Hengtong Real Estate everywhere, as well as charity primary schools and Parks named after Chairman Zhao. On every street and alley, one could hear people praising Chairman Zhao.

"Director Zhao is truly a great benefactor of our Nanhe County. After making his fortune, he hasn't forgotten to give back to his hometown—building schools, repairing roads, and funding so many impoverished children. He's really a great philanthropist."

"Yes, Director Zhao is humble and approachable, not putting on any airs at all. He often visits the children of those poor families, even more attentive than their own parents."

"I've heard Director Zhao also frequently makes anonymous donations to help people in difficulty. Entrepreneurs like him are truly rare."

As soon as Cao Kun and Xiao Baihe arrived in the county town and found a small restaurant to eat, they overheard people at the next table discussing Chairman Zhao, every word full of praise.

Xiao Baihe's hand gripping the chopsticks suddenly tightened. She lifted her head to look at Cao Kun, a trace of doubt in her eyes: "Cao Kun, they all say Chairman Zhao is a good person. Could it be... could it be you made a mistake?"

Her heart was beginning to waver again.

In her memory, on the day Xiao Jing went missing, she had still seen Chairman Zhao on TV attending a charity event, with a gentle smile and kind eyes. He didn't look at all like a demon who would harm children.

Cao Kun put down his chopsticks and looked at her. Truth be told, he also felt a bit puzzled.

But the system couldn't be wrong.

His tone was serious: "Lily, Chairman Zhao's goodness is all an act. He's a demon in human skin."

"Right now, we're only hearing others' superficial opinions. Once we investigate deeply, we'll uncover his true face."

Xiao Baihe remained silent, not speaking, but the doubt in her heart wasn't completely dispelled.

She lowered her head, pushing the rice around in her bowl, unable to eat a single bite.

After the meal, Cao Kun took Xiao Baihe to a hotel in the county town to settle in.

The hotel was a mid-range business hotel, with a relatively clean environment.

Cao Kun booked a twin room. After all, in an unfamiliar county town, he didn't feel at ease letting Xiao Baihe stay alone.

Entering the room, Xiao Baihe walked straight to the window, looking down at the bustling traffic below, still wearing that same silent expression.

Cao Kun put away the luggage, walked over to her, and handed her a bottle of water: "Rest for a bit first. Later, we'll go out to inquire about Chairman Zhao's situation, and also the place where Xiao Jing went missing."

Xiao Baihe took the water and nodded, but didn't drink.

The atmosphere in the room was somewhat oppressive. Cao Kun wanted to find some topics to lighten the mood, but didn't know what to say.

He could only sit on the sofa, watching Xiao Baihe's back, his mind planning the next steps of the investigation.

Night gradually fell, and the lights in the county town lit up one after another. Xiao Baihe remained standing by the window, motionless.

Cao Kun stood up, walked to her side, and said softly, "Lily, don't think too much. Go take a shower first and get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow we'll need the energy to investigate."

Only then did Xiao Baihe slowly turn around. Her eyes were still swollen and red, her face pale.

She nodded and walked into the bathroom.

Soon, the sound of running water came from the bathroom.

Cao Kun sat on the sofa, opened the system panel, and once again checked Chairman Zhao's detailed information.

Chairman Zhao, 45 years old, a native of Nanhe County, founded Hengtong Real Estate from scratch. His net worth now exceeded a billion.

His wife was named Lin Wanqing, a teacher at Nanhe County First Middle School. They had a son and a daughter; the son was in university, the daughter in middle school.

To outsiders, Chairman Zhao had a perfect family, a successful career, and was also a philanthropist—the object of everyone's envy.

But the system data showed that he had started committing crimes ten years ago, specifically targeting little girls aged five to eight.

Each time after committing the crime, he would cruelly murder the child and discard the body in the wilderness. Because he was meticulous and had the financial means to manage relationships, he had never been discovered.

Looking at this information, the fury in Cao Kun's heart grew stronger and stronger.

He couldn't imagine how someone who appeared so glamorous and respectable on the surface could, in private, commit so many heinous acts.

After an unknown length of time, the bathroom door opened.

Xiao Baihe walked out wearing the hotel's white bathrobe, her hair damp and dripping.

Her cheeks, flushed from the hot water, had a faint blush, and her originally pale complexion looked a bit better.

Her gaze was still somewhat vacant, but held a little more vitality than during the day.

Cao Kun quickly picked up the towel on the table and stood up: "Come, dry your hair, or you'll catch a cold."

Xiao Baihe didn't refuse. She walked over to him and stopped.

Cao Kun stood behind her, gently drying her hair with the towel.

His movements were very gentle; his fingertips occasionally brushed against her scalp, transmitting a warm sensation.

Xiao Baihe's body trembled slightly, but she didn't pull away.

...