Chapter 48: How Does a Madman Come to Be?

Zhou Jiayan looked at the redness of Lin Rui’s eyes, his anger blazing, and gradually calmed herself. “Then… should I make the call?”

Du Bin said, “I’ll call the police. You call and get Director Zhou back. Leave Professor Shen and Sister Hui in the operating room. All the other bodyguards and housekeepers—have them come back, too.”

Steadying herself, Zhou Jiayan nodded hastily. “Okay… okay, I’ll call right now.”

Du Bin dialed the police first, and then immediately phoned the hospital’s logistics department, instructing them to pull the surveillance footage at once to see if they could provide any clues for the authorities.

Since the abduction had occurred in the hospital, the institution shared responsibility. When they learned it had happened in the VIP ward area, everyone became mobilized, and by the time Zhou Huai rushed back, the house was crowded with people.

When the police arrived, Zhou Huai was methodically directing the Zhou family’s bodyguards to check the surveillance blind spots.

Du Bin’s preliminary arrangements had been highly effective, presenting all the information in the clearest possible way. The police were repeatedly astonished by the young man’s decisiveness and investigative sense as they handled the evidence, which was already conclusive.

The entire Zhou family was mobilized, and Du Bin, taking Zhou Jiayan and Gao Chenggong, rushed straight back to the Tingshan Villa.

…

When Jiang Zao regained consciousness, she felt a dizzying vertigo, completely different from the lightheadedness of early pregnancy. This was something else entirely, a sensation that instantly revived her reason.

Where was she?

Wasn’t she supposed to be in the hospital restroom? The discomfort of morning sickness hadn’t faded, and now she was dizzy on top of it—why?

“You’re awake.”

A cold, sinister voice sounded from behind her.

Those three words exploded in Jiang Zao’s mind like thunder.

It was Lin Rui!

Seeing how frantically she tried to avoid him, Lin Rui’s lips curled into a twisted smile. “You remember me. I thought your comfortable life might have made you forget all about me.”

Jiang Zao looked around and realized she was in a hotel room, lying on a bed. Her left ankle was tied to the bedframe, leaving her barely any room to move.

She ignored him, but Lin Rui showed no sign of annoyance. “Take a good look—this is the environment you’ll be living in for a while. Are you satisfied?”

Jiang Zao glared at him in hatred. “You lunatic.”

Lin Rui was unfazed. “Yes, I’m a lunatic. But you’re still in my hands, aren’t you? Behave yourself, and you might save yourself some pain. After Zhou Lichuan wakes up, I’ll have to return you to him, after all.”

The bed was far from the window; all she could see was a gray-white sky and, judging by the sunlight, they were in the north.

“You’re going to use me to threaten the Zhou Corporation?”

Lin Rui snorted, utterly disdainful. “Don’t try to play games with me, and don’t overestimate your worth. Threaten the Zhou Corporation—with you? You’re not nearly enough.”

Jiang Zao seemed to understand. “You just want to use me to make Zhou Lichuan suffer.”

“Bingo. Correct.”

She closed her mouth.

There was no need to ask further.

Lin Rui’s target was Zhou Lichuan. No amount of talk would change anything now. Zhou Lichuan’s surgery wouldn’t be over until the evening. By then, the police would have most of the case pieced together. Besides, with Du Bin on the job, finding her wouldn’t be difficult.

Still… maybe she could try to coax more information out of him.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Lin Rui said, watching her as he stepped closer and seized her face. “That Du Bin—former army reconnaissance, selected for special ops, and later served in peacekeeping. He should have been a sergeant, but his family insisted he retire. You must be thinking, with him on the case, the police will find you in no time. But I’m telling you—it’s not possible. This place is so well hidden, he’ll never find it.”

Jiang Zao stuck to her initial plan and didn’t respond.

The less she said, the better.

At the very least, she had to give him nothing to use against her.

Lin Rui sneered and drew a phone from his jacket pocket, swiping it twice before holding it before her eyes.

Glancing at the image, Jiang Zao lunged for the phone. “What are you doing! Meng Qiaoyuan is a member of the Meng family!”

Meng Qiaoyuan was bound to a chair, duct tape over her mouth, and looked dazed and barely conscious.

Lin Rui slipped the phone back into his pocket and tightened his grip on Jiang Zao’s face. “The Meng family is nothing. Without those projects Zhou Kuan handed over, they’d have gone bankrupt long ago! If they’re thriving today, it’s only thanks to his generosity. She ought to be grateful and do what she’s told—bring you out to meet me—but she kept making excuses. Turns out you really are friends.”

Jiang Zao’s cheek ached under his grip, but she caught something new in his words.

Lin Rui didn’t know Meng Qiaoyuan’s real allegiance. Instead, he revealed that she was one of their people, clearly trying to sow distrust between Jiang Zao and her friend.

Could it be…

“Zhou Kuan really is reckless, daring to get involved in kidnapping. Isn’t he afraid this will finally bring him down for good?”

Lin Rui was taken aback, then replied, “Zhou Kuan is nothing but a beast blinded by hatred and greed. He’s got plenty of fight left in him—and he’s saving it all to take down the Zhou Corporation.”

Good. Zhou Kuan didn’t know about this incident. Lin Rui and Zhou Kuan were at each other’s throats, and Zhou Kuan was using him to disgust Zhou Lichuan. Together, they truly were a perfect match in villainy.

Seeing Jiang Zao’s silence, Lin Rui seemed dissatisfied. “Why aren’t you saying anything? Scared stiff?”

From the first time she’d met Lin Rui, Jiang Zao had realized that he harbored a deep malice toward her. The more terrified, cowering, or panicked she was, the more delighted he became.

“There’s nothing for me to say. My life is in your hands—what could I possibly say?”

Lin Rui raised his brows. “So you can accept your fate? Aren’t you worried about your patron’s surgery? Aren’t you worried for him?”

Jiang Zao shook her head, staring into his eyes. “Shen Mushi is the youngest and best neurosurgeon in Jingzhou.”

Lin Rui laughed. “Oh, right—Shen Mushi. I almost forgot about him. He’s a genius, I’m sure he’ll make the surgery ‘perfect’—no one else will ever know the difference.”

Jiang Zao’s tone was flat, as if dismissing his nonsense. “Are you saying Shen Mushi is one of yours?”

“No,” Lin Rui answered lightly. “Shen Mushi has always been competitive since childhood. Whatever his brother had, he wanted for himself—pens, game consoles… and women.”

Jiang Zao gave a cold laugh. “Are you suggesting Shen Mushi would sabotage Zhou Lichuan’s surgery for me?”

Lin Rui’s feverish expression vanished at once, replaced by a deep wariness. “How do you know so much? Meng Qiaoyuan said no one knew—how did you find out? What else do you know? Tell me!”