Chapter 178: Chapter 178

On the second day in Jiang City, news came from the dredging team.

At the time, Fu Jichen was in the hotel suite, puffing away, while Lu Yanzhi held a laptop, sitting on the single-seater sofa with the computer on his lap, handling some business affairs.

The room was filled with smoke, and even Lu Yanzhi, a heavy smoker, could barely stand it, coughing twice weakly, leaning over to pick up the tea on the coffee table to moisten his throat, his fingers still on the keyboard, glancing across at the other side.

In less than three days, his friend seemed like a different person; his originally deep brows and eyes had sunken severely due to sleep deprivation, his eyes streaked with red blood vessels, his features even more pronounced, his face gaunt, the lines sharp, and his jaw sprouting a blue stubble, either out of neglect to look in the mirror or having seen and not bothering to care.

He had changed his clothes though, wearing a dark black shirt, paired with casual suit pants below, the shirt hem hanging freely without being tucked into the waist, compared to the previously meticulous appearance, he seemed unkempt.

After finishing a cigarette, he tossed the butt into the ashtray.

Lu Yanzhi opened his mouth, the words of persuasion still unspoken, suddenly the phone rang.

He glanced at the caller ID on the screen while in a leaning position, the words "Captain Xu Ting of the Dredging Team" standing out, his fingers gripping the teacup handle tightened, his heart instantly tense.

The captain of the dredging team calling meant there was news about Shen Jianian, but it was uncertain whether it was good or bad.

Before Lu Yanzhi could make further speculations, the phone was picked up by a hand with clearly defined knuckles, then he heard the hoarse voice of the man opposite saying, "Hello."

Whatever the person on the phone said, Lu Yanzhi couldn’t hear, he only saw Fu Jichen as if frozen by a spell, standing there for a long time without moving a bit, his face not showing any expression.

Seeing him , Lu Yanzhi’s unease grew stronger.

Could it be... they found Shen Jianian’s body?

"Fu Jichen." Lu Yanzhi tried calling him once, not using the usual mocking tone to call him "Fu Da."

That call brought back Fu Jichen’s lost sanity, he took the phone down, his pale lips tight, Adam’s apple rolling up and down, as if striving to suppress some emotion.

When faced with tragedy, the first reaction is to refuse to believe, even when all evidence points to one answer, still not willing to accept.

As if, as long as you don’t believe, it doesn’t exist.

Otherwise, why is there the term "deluding oneself."

Fu Jichen’s eyes felt a prickling pain, seemingly from the smoke in the room, turning his head toward the azure sky outside the floor-to-ceiling window.

The weather is so good, would Jianian be sitting somewhere to bask in the sun.

The screen still showed the call ongoing, Lu Yanzhi couldn’t remain calm, took the liberty to take the phone from Fu Jichen, placed it to his ear and asked, "Captain Xu, has she been found?"

Xu Ting noticed the change of person on the other end, breathed heavily and repeated the words: "We found Shen Jianian’s belongings downstream of the Songli River, including her documentation."

He didn’t use the term "remains," afraid of delivering a heavy blow to the family, although everyone understood what finding personal belongings in the river meant.

Lu Yanzhi exhaled slowly, unable to say a word.

"Sir, are you listening?" Xu Ting asked.

Lu Yanzhi licked his lips, one hand pressed against his forehead, pressed twice hard, lightly said, "Let’s leave it . I’ll come over to retrieve the items later, thank you."

A silhouette passed by, Lu Yanzhi raised his eyes, the man got up and walked to the window, his back upright, upon close observation, it’s not difficult to see he was holding on.

Lu Yanzhi placed the phone on the coffee table, closed the laptop, walked over, stood silently beside Fu Jichen, without making a big move, turned slightly to look at him, catching in the corner of his eye the wet trace flowing from the corner of his eye.

Men rarely shed tears.

In all these years he had known Fu Jichen, he had never seen him cry. Not to mention crying, he didn’t even have moments of sadness or distress. He was born into the Fu Family, a background high and mighty, truly the favored one, supported by countless people. He himself was highly capable, ruthless in means, no one dared provoke him, only he tormented others.

Before any news, Lu Yanzhi could still advise him not to be too pessimistic, now, faced with reality, he couldn’t say deceiving words to comfort...

The sun began to set, the orange-yellow warm light spread on the glass, reflecting the person’s silhouette as if turned into a sculpture.

Lu Yanzhi contemplated for a while, broke the oppressive silence in the room: "I’ll go find Captain Xu, bring the items back."

Fu Jichen’s voice had changed, compared to hoarseness, there was a greater sense of heart-dead calmness.

He might not have accepted this reality yet, but on the surface, he had built a protective barrier, outsiders couldn’t see his true emotions.

Not assured, Lu Yanzhi followed along.

Qu Mo drove, taking the two to the downstream area of Songli River.

Xu Ting had ended the team’s work, just got off the boat, took off his diving gear, sat by the river smoking, after diving several times a day, his body exhausted.

The three men got off the car and walked towards, Xu Ting spotted them from afar, took the cigarette from his mouth, buried it in the sand, stood up and dusted the sand off his pants.

Without waiting for them to inquire, Xu Ting pointed to a beige tote bag and said: "This is it."

The wind along the river was strong, blowing his short hair like wild grass. Qu Mo and Lu Yanzhi stood still, Fu Jichen walked to the wet, muddy tote bag.

The wind blew the man’s clothing, fluttering up and down, he squatted down and unzipped the tote bag.

There were only a few clothes appropriate for this season, a toiletry bag, and an organizer pouch, all belonging to Shen Jianian.

Looking at these familiar items, Fu Jichen closed his eyes, his expression unchanged, making it hard to sense his emotional fluctuation.

He took out the organizer pouch, opened it, as Xu Ting said, it contained Shen Jianian’s documents. Her ID card, household registration book, passport, and several small two-inch ID photos taken at unknown times, likely extra from past document processing.

Fu Jichen pinched one of the photos between his fingers, his gaze fell on the small face, the girl’s thick black hair draped over her shoulders, wearing a blue shirt with a delicate bow tie at the neck, wisps of hair tucked behind the ears, revealing complete ears, her features bright, temperament pure.

Probably was Jianian during her university time, he hadn’t seen her in that form.

Fu Jichen caressed the photo with his fingertips, like touching the girl’s cheek, his tightly pursed thin lips slightly relaxed, revealing a trace of smile.

Those around observing this scene didn’t make a sound to disturb him. Even with years gone by, recalling it still felt heart-wrenching. The president of Junshan Group, thin and downcast, knelt on a single knee in the sand, holding a small photo between his fingers, with a smile on his lips, yet eyes full of sadness, the evening glow falling on his broad back, never able to illuminate his heart.

Fu Jichen slowly stood up, held the tote bag in his arms regardless of the dirt staining his clean shirt, before leaving, he told Xu Ting: "Keep searching, I can pay extra, no matter what, I want to see her."

His meaning was clear to Xu Ting, alive he wants to see her, dead he wants to see the body.

That evening returned from Jiang’an to the hotel, Fu Jichen developed a high fever, illness struck hard, and he collapsed completely.

He refused to go to the hospital, Lu Yanzhi couldn’t bear to watch him fall seriously ill, reluctantly called a doctor to treat him at the hotel.

With a fever reaching nearly forty degrees, he began deliriously mumbling, repeatedly uttering that name.

Shen Jianian, Jianian...

Lu Yanzhi listened, his heart heavy, it was only at that moment he truly realized Fu Jichen’s deep affection for Shen Jianian, to an unimaginable degree.

The night of departure to Switzerland, Shen Jianian came to the airport to see him off, it was clear, Shen Jianian too had genuine feelings for Fu Jichen.

By sheer chance, she died at the moment when Fu Jichen loved her the most, perhaps for the rest of his early life, he would never be able to forget her.

A lingering illness lasted for a week, once Fu Jichen fully recovered, his entire being was much thinner.

Lu Yanzhi returned to Yicheng, affairs at the company were urgent, he couldn’t stay any longer. Song Fang was sent back to Beicheng by Fu Jichen the second day at noon upon arriving in Jiang City, to stabilize the situation at the Group’s headquarters, follow up on several major projects.

No news came from Xu Ting’s side, whether good or bad.

Qu Mo booked a flight back to Beicheng for two-thirty in the afternoon, came over to inform the boss.

Fu Jichen upon hearing, merely flickered his eyelids faintly, indicating his acknowledgment. He held something in his hand, Qu Mo inadvertently glanced over, it was Miss Shen’s ID photo retrieved that day.