Li Caiyi looked at her brother incredulously. "Why?"
"Mother is worried about you. I will follow you to ensure you are not up to anything weird." Li Junjie explained in a deadpan tone.
"There's no need to follow me around like that. Besides, it's not like you to be so concerned about my business like this. Aren't you usually the one who wants to avoid other people's problems?"
"Last time, we only apprehended one guy, and the other managed to get away. It's better if we go together."
"No." Li Caiyi rejected it vehemently. "That would be embarrassing. Brother Renshu has assigned some people to watch over us. There shouldn't be any problem."
Li Junjie's gaze deepened before he thoughtfully asked her, "Did something happen yesterday? Those people who came yesterday, they are after you, right?"
Li Caiyi withdrew her gaze and pulled out the best act she could muster. "Brother Jie, are you trying to accuse me of causing trouble again?"
"That's not it. I just found your behavior strange as of late. Usually, you are the one who will feel most concerned if something were to happen to Xiaohua, but you haven't asked me about her condition ever since you got here."
"That's because I already heard about it from Brother Renshu."
"The last time Renshu visited her was a few days ago, though?" Li Junjie took a step forward and stared curiously at her. "He said you stay over at his place because you missed him and feel anxious to stay at our house. Is this true?"
Li Caiyi was baffled upon hearing that. That excuse probably could fool Su Suyin, but definitely not Li Junjie.
She grumbled inwardly. Meng Renshu must be out of his mind if he could fool her brother with that vague excuse. No wonder Li Junjie was suspicious of her.
"Since when did the two of you get along so well again? I think you two even got along better than in the past. Previously, you would never ask to stay over at his place."
"Brother Renshu is exaggerating. Well, I do feel anxious because those people attacked us so suddenly, but not to the extent of missing him." Li Caiyi nervously gave an excuse.
"You said so, but why are you so eager to go out if you are anxious?"
"Because I have something to do, of course!"
"Then I will go with you so you won't feel anxious anymore."
Li Caiyi: "...."
She couldn't argue with this person. Li Junjie clearly waited for her here, fully prepared to follow her regardless of her answer. She felt he would still follow her if she ran away from there.
What to do? Li Caiyi planned to contact Detective Tang after this, but she couldn't do that with Li Junjie beside her.
As if he had seen through her mind, he added, "Don't worry, I won't meddle in your business. I will simply stand with you and not do anything. I'll give you some space to talk if you want to meet someone."
Li Caiyi was conflicted. She just came here to fetch her necklace; how did it end up like this? And the time kept ticking as they spoke.
In the end, Li Caiyi said reluctantly, "Alright. But promise me you won't try to eavesdrop or ask me anything unnecessary."
"You have my words. So where are we going?"
He didn't even look surprised, as though he had seen this coming. Li Caiyi felt worried for some reason.
"I need to meet up with someone."
***
Li Junjiie never let his sister out from his watch throughout their journey. At first, he was confused since she had brought them to an electronic store. He later discovered that she had broken her phone and wanted to buy a new one.
Li Junjie didn't ask why her phone was broken and patiently waited as she used her new phone to contact someone. They talked for some time before she finally hung up and shifted her gaze to him.
"I need to speak about something important about this person. We will go to a restaurant to talk, but you can't sit at the same table as us." She said in a half-commanding manner.
It seemed she didn't want him to know her business with this person. Li Junjie became even more curious but refrained himself from asking.
"I understand."
After that, they went to a relatively well-known restaurant. Li Caiyi sat at the table in the corner while Li Junjie took a seat on the table next to her.
She gave Li Junjie a troubled look, seemingly distressed by his presence, but he pretended not to see.
"Brother Jie, can't you find some other seats?"
"Can you see any other available seats? I can't sit too far from you because I have to watch over you."
Coincidentally, the restaurant was pretty crowded that noon, leaving only two empty tables left.
Li Caiyi bit her lips in reluctance, but she didn't say anything else.
After waiting twenty minutes, a tall man wearing a trench coat entered the restaurant. He looked around until his gaze stopped at Li Caiyi, then walked over to her.
Was that the man she wanted to meet? Li Junjie subtly glanced at him and immediately noticed that this man was the same man captured in the picture during Li Caiyi's scandal back then.
Thinking back, her sister never came clear about this man's identity. The way she tried to keep their meeting secret was suspicious too.
Li Junjie calmly sipped on his black coffee and kept his gaze forward.
Meanwhile, Li Caiyi, who sat across Detective Tang, eyeing her brother vigilantly. From where she sat, she could only see his back, which made it impossible for her to see what he was doing. However, it looked like he was minding his own business, as he promised her.
"So, what urgent matter makes you call me out in the middle of the day?"
Detective Tang's voice pulled her back to reality. Li Caiyi cleared away her throat before shifting her focus back. "Detective Tang, have you ever heard of Ye Wang before?"
The older man's smile stiffened upon hearing that. "What's with the sudden question? Did you get involved in another problem again?"
"Technically, yes, but that's not the point. It's a long story, but I recently found out that our movement is being watched by them."
Detective Tang's expression was grim as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Is that so? That's unexpected."
Li Caiyi squinted her eyes. "You don't look that surprised."
"Huh? No, I'm surprised, but not because we are being watched," he chuckled, "I'm more surprised that you have any relation to Ye Wang. They are pretty big fish; how do you know them?"
Li Caiyi meant to surprise him, but it was she who got surprised instead. "What do you mean? So you already know that someone is watching over us? Oh! Then were they the ones who chased after us by car the other day?!"
Detective Tang was perplexed as if he had no idea where to start. "No, it wasn't them. There is no need for them to do it sneakily because Ye Wang does have some relation to us in a way."
"How so?"
Detective Tang looked at her guiltily before saying, "I feel bad for you, but I guess there's no need to hide it any longer."
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