Blood Money

Two years later, I became project department manager at Keystone.

I drove the company car to the women’s prison and picked up Paula Xu.

She looked at my car and smiled.

“I like this model.”

“When this is over, I’ll give you one.”

A week later, Paula messaged me:

She had joined Yan Group.

On Qingming, rain fell softly.

I brought flowers and an umbrella to the cemetery.

Before my father’s tombstone lay daisies and a cheap bottle of liquor.

Not Li Yi.

I checked the visitor registry.

Chen Jia and his sister had come.

That night, Chen Jia called and asked me to open the door.

When I did, he stood outside drenched.

Water dripped onto the floor.

He held a sack.

Inside was a large box shape.

His eyes were red.

His expression heavy with guilt.

I did not know why he appeared like this.

But I stepped aside.

“Go shower.”

He said nothing.

Dragged the sack inside.

I handed him a towel.

He did not take it.

“Miss Song,” he said hoarsely, “I’m sorry.”

Then he suddenly knelt before me.

He looked like all strength had left him.

“What happened?” I asked.

My eyes moved to the sack.

He removed it.

Inside was indeed a large box.

He opened it.

Money.

A full box of cash.

Wet from rain, stuck together.

I dropped my crossed arms.

“Chen Jia, I never forced you. Why would you do something stupid?”

“This is eight hundred thousand in blood money.”

My heart lifted sharply.

“What do you mean?”

“My hometown has rained for half a month. A tree fell and damaged our old house. This morning, I went back to repair it and found this money buried behind the house. Along with my father’s last letter.”

He handed me the letter.

It was wet.

Warm from his body.

My fingers trembled as I read.

My father’s death was not an accident.

Everything had been Li Yi’s careful plan.

I looked coldly at Chen Jia, then turned to call a lawyer to investigate the source of the money.

At that time, Li Yi could not have produced this much cash.

Only Yan Qianyu could.

“Don’t appear before me again,” I said.

Chen Jia lowered his head.

He stepped back and bowed repeatedly.

“I’m sorry.”

That night, I listened to rain and drank until dawn.

I sued Li Yi and Yan Qianyu with the evidence.

In court, I saw panic in Li Yi’s eyes.

With hard evidence, both were sentenced to ten years.

Later, I visited Li Yi in prison.

She looked haggard and depressed.

But the moment she saw me, she erupted as if she wanted to tear me apart.

“Li Yi,” I asked, “Father gave you three hundred thousand every month. Why kill him?”

“Why?”

She laughed loudly.

“Three hundred thousand is nothing!”

“I deserved more!”

Her eyes burned.

“I was his biological daughter, but he thought I was too shameful to bring home. He refused to give me the identity and wealth that belonged to me.”

“He used three hundred thousand a month to dismiss me like a beggar.”

She bared her teeth.

“Song Yunge, you should have died too.”

I remembered eight years earlier.

My father had arranged for Li Yi to work under me.

He had repeatedly told me to take care of her.

At the time, he probably wanted me to train her, so she could someday take my place.

But greed does not wait for training.

Paula obtained Yan Group’s falsified accounts.

I borrowed from old friends, combined that with the blood money and my savings, and bought all the shares under Li Yi’s name.

I took back Weilan Group.

I made Paula my CFO.

Chen Jia and his sister disappeared.

No note.

No message.

Phones off.

Something in my heart felt empty.

Half a year later, money began appearing in my bank account.

Different accounts.

Different cities.

I called Chen Jia again.

Still off.

Three months later, I saw his sister outside a café below my company.

The sun was fierce.

She stood beyond the glass.

Thin.

Haggard.

Dark circles under her eyes.

I asked the waiter to invite her in and ordered food and drinks.

She sat opposite me, biting her lip.

Tears spun in her eyes.

“Where have you been? Where is your brother?” I asked.

“My brother is all over the country.”

My heart tightened.

“What does that mean?”

She cried.

“He said we could work our whole lives and still never repay four million.”

“So he sold himself.”

“Every part that could be sold.”

My eyes darkened.

So the money appearing from different cities had come from him.

She gave me a letter.

Only then did I learn Chen Jia had beautiful handwriting.

I heard his grades had always been excellent.

If not for that accident, that debt, he should have had a bright future.

The letter contained only one sentence.

Miss Song, for the remaining one hundred thousand I owe, can you please give my sister a few years? Please leave her a way to live. I kneel in thanks.

My cheek felt cold.

I wiped away tears.

“I never forced you.”

“Why did he choose this path?”

His sister sobbed.

“He said our family wronged yours.”

“He was willing to pay with his life.”

“He also wanted my future not to carry that debt.”

I finally retook my company.

I sent my enemies to prison.

But victory had a taste.

Wet cash.

Old rain.

And a debt no living person could repay.