60: Sister Yanran's daughter?

After saying that, he set off and walked toward the entrance of the alley without looking back.

Looking at his resolute back, Qingyu's brows locked tightly together.

Reason told her that this man was right.

But emotionally, she felt deeply offended.

Subconsciously, she glanced at Zhong Xiaoru in her arms.

Just one look.

Zhong Xiaoru immediately lifted her tear-stained face, staring at her with an extremely pitiful and helpless gaze, like a puppy abandoned by the whole world.

That look was like an invisible hand, once again entangling Qingyu's heart.

Reason and emotion were engaged in a tragic tug-of-war in her mind.

Zhong Xiaoru's sobbing sounded like a demonic voice piercing her ears, giving her a splitting headache.

Meanwhile, that man's merciless back felt like a bucket of cold water, leaving her chilled to the bone.

She took a deep breath and finally made a difficult decision.

"Xiao Ru, I... I don't have that much money on me."

Her voice was somewhat dry.

"Go back first. I... I'll ask my mom for some another day."

Zhong Xiaoru's crying stopped abruptly.

She jerked her head up, a flash of imperceptible urgency flickering in her eyes.

"Then... how about giving them twenty thousand first?"

Her tone carried a hint of cautious probing.

"It's fine to just stabilize them first!"

Had it been half an hour ago, Qingyu might have nodded in agreement without a second thought.

But now, Lin Chao's words "You really are stupid" were still branded on her self-esteem like a hot iron.

"No."

She shook her head, her tone carrying a firmness she hadn't even noticed herself.

"Go home first."

She found an excuse that sounded seamless.

"That man just called the police. I need to find him and settle the matter."

Saying that, she abruptly pulled her arm out of Zhong Xiaoru's embrace.

The movement was so decisive that Zhong Xiaoru was stunned.

Qingyu didn't look at her again, turning around to quickly chase after the man toward the alley entrance.

Zhong Xiaoru froze in place alone.

The wind blowing through the alley made her tear-streaked face look exceptionally cold and dark.

She stared fixedly at Qingyu's back until her figure disappeared around the corner.

The helplessness and pitifulness on her face vanished instantly.

In its place was a resentment as poisonous as venom.

"Lan Qingyu, you bitch!"

"And that dead man who appeared out of nowhere!"

She gritted her teeth, cursing them both to high heaven in her heart... Lin Chao hadn't expected anyone to chase after him at all.

He leisurely strolled out of the alley entrance and arrived next to his black flying fox SUV.

He had just pulled out his car keys, preparing to unlock it.

"Hey!"

A crisp, angry female voice came from behind him.

Lin Chao's movements paused.

He turned around to see the girl he had just called "stupid," standing not far behind him with her hands on her hips, panting for breath.

Her cheeks were flushed from running, but her almond-shaped eyes were wide as if they were about to spit fire.

Lin Chao raised an eyebrow.

"Something else?"

"How can you say such excessive things!" As soon as the girl spoke, she took an accusatory stance. "Believe it or not, I'll go back and speak ill of you to my mom!"

Lin Chao was stunned after hearing this.

Question marks almost seemed to sprout from his very hair.

???

He looked at the girl in front of him with a face full of confusion.

"Who are you?"

"And who... is your mom?"

Now it was the girl's turn to be dumbfounded.

Her mouth opened slightly, and her eyes were filled with disbelief.

"You... you don't know who I am?"

Lin Chao shook his head very honestly: "No."

"Do we know each other?"

The girl's brows twisted into a knot.

She suspiciously sized Lin Chao up and down once more.

From head to toe, then from toe to head.

That's right.

It's this face.

It's this person.

"I didn't get it wrong, it's definitely you!"

Lin Chao found her gaze inexplicable and tilted his head.

"So who exactly are you?"

The corner of the girl's mouth twitched violently, feeling as if she had thrown a punch with all her might only to hit cotton.

She took a deep breath, almost squeezing her name out from between her teeth.

"My name is Lan Qingyu."

After saying that, as if waiting to see Lin Chao's shocked expression, she added another sentence.

"Now, you know who I am, right?"

When Lin Chao heard this name, he was stunned again at first.

Lan?

Lan Qingyu?

This surname, this name... a few seconds later, a gentle and moving figure suddenly jumped out from the depths of his memory.

His expression finally changed.

"Lan?"

He asked tentatively, his voice carrying a hint of uncertainty.

"Are you... Sister Yanran's daughter?"

There was a hint of astonishment in Lin Chao's voice that he hadn't even noticed.

Hearing this form of address, Lan Qingyu's brow furrowed even tighter.

As if she had caught some key evidence, she put her hands on her hips and struck an interrogating pose.

"You actually know my mom's name is Yanran?"

Lin Chao: "..."

He felt like his brain's circuitry couldn't quite keep up with the rhythm of the girl in front of him.

Wasn't that just a load of nonsense?

Lan Qingyu didn't give him time to think, followed immediately by a series of questions, her tone righteous to the extreme.

"You're dating my mom, and you don't even know what her daughter looks like?"

"You didn't even check her family situation beforehand?!"

"You're too irresponsible!"

Lin Chao's brain buzzed.

It completely crashed.

???

He stood there completely dumbfounded, eyes wide like copper bells, mouth slightly open, unable to close it for a long time.

Dating?

Who?

Me and Sister Yanran?

Where did this even come from!

It took a full five seconds before he seemed to find his voice, looking at Lan Qingyu with an absurd expression.

"Wait..."

"Who told you that I'm dating your mom?"

Seeing Lin Chao's shocked expression, Lan Qingyu became even more certain of her guess.

Look!

I hit the nail on the head!

Feeling guilty, aren't you!

She snorted, her chin slightly raised like a proud little peacock.

"You still want to quibble?"

"I saw it with my own eyes!"

"That day, at my house! You and my mom, you two were in the room..."

At this point, a suspicious flush flew onto Lan Qingyu's cheeks, and her voice subconsciously grew quieter.

"...I even heard strange sounds..."

Those sounds were intermittent, suppressed, and painful.

She had listened outside the door with a racing heart and a burning face, and in the end, she could only flee in panic.

Lin Chao: "..."

He was stunned at first, but then, as if he had figured something out, the absurd expression on his face was gradually replaced by one of being caught between laughter and tears.