Chapter 1035: An Unsettling Coincidence

Morning arrived quietly in Imperial.

The snowfall from the previous night had stopped, leaving the city blanketed in white. Beyond the windows, the pale winter sun slowly emerged from behind the clouds, casting a soft glow over the snow-covered streets.

Inside Yue Ling and Lu Tian’s home, breakfast had just ended.

Yue Ling sat beside Lu Tian at the dining table, enjoying the last few sips of her tea while he reviewed several messages on his phone.

The peaceful atmosphere was broken by Yue Ling’s phone ringing.

She glanced at the screen.

A smile immediately appeared.

"It’s Mother."

Lu Tian lifted his gaze as Yue Ling answered.

"Good morning, Mother."

"Yue Ling, sweetheart!"

Madam Lu’s cheerful voice came through the speaker.

"Have you two finished breakfast?"

"We just did."

"Wonderful! Is Tian with you?"

Yue Ling glanced at the man.

"He’s right here."

"Put me on speaker, dear. I have wonderful news!"

Yue Ling raised an eyebrow.

She set the phone on the table and turned on the speaker.

"Mother, you’re on speaker," Lu Tian said.

"Good! Now, listen carefully, both of you."

There was a brief pause.

Then Madam Lu announced excitedly.

"I’ve found an auspicious date for your wedding!"

Yue Ling straightened.

Lu Tian set his phone aside. Work can wait for a few minutes.

"It’s exactly one week from today!"

For a moment, Yue Ling remained silent.

One week.

Seven days.

The wedding that had once seemed so distant was suddenly right around the corner.

"One week?" she repeated softly.

"Yes, sweetheart!"

Madam Lu sounded delighted.

"I’ve already confirmed the date. Everything aligns beautifully."

Yue Ling looked toward Lu Tian.

He was watching her, his expression calm, but the faint smile at the corner of his lips betrayed his happiness.

Madam Lu continued.

"Now, don’t either of you worry about the preparations. I know how busy you both are."

"Mother, one week isn’t much time," Yue Ling said.

"Nonsense!"

Madam Lu dismissed her concern immediately.

"Your mother-in-law has handled far more complicated things than organizing a wedding."

Lu Tian’s lips twitched.

"Mother, you’re enjoying this far too much."

"Of course I am!"

Her response came without hesitation.

"One of my sons is finally getting married. Do you expect me to sit quietly and do nothing?"

Yue Ling laughed.

Madam Lu’s voice softened.

"Besides, this is important. I know why you’ve decided to move the wedding forward."

The mention of Grandfather Ji brought a gentle silence between the couple.

Madam Lu continued warmly.

"I want your grandfather to witness every beautiful moment of your wedding. And I want you both to have a day you’ll remember for the rest of your lives."

Yue Ling lowered her gaze.

"Thank you, Mother."

Her voice carried genuine gratitude.

"Really. Thank you for doing all of this."

"Oh, sweetheart."

Madam Lu chuckled.

"There’s nothing to thank me for. You were my daughter the moment your mother gave birth to you. This just makes you my daughter permanently."

Yue Ling smiled.

"Still, please don’t overwork yourself."

"Don’t worry about me. I have plenty of people helping."

She paused.

"And Tian?"

"Yes, Mother?"

"Make sure you take care of my daughter."

Lu Tian glanced at Yue Ling.

His eyes softened.

"Always."

Madam Lu laughed with satisfaction.

"Good. Now, I’ll leave you two to get ready for work. I’ll call again once I’ve finalized the remaining arrangements."

After exchanging a few more words, they ended the call.

For a moment, Yue Ling stared at her phone.

Then she turned toward Lu Tian.

"One week."

He smiled.

"One week."

Her expression softened.

"We’re really getting married."

Lu Tian reached for her hand.

"We already live like a married couple."

Yue Ling laughed.

"That’s different."

"How?"

"Because this time, we’re actually having a wedding."

He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

"Then I’ll be counting the days."

Yue Ling smiled.

But beneath her happiness was a familiar ache.

’Yeye will be there.’

That was what mattered most.

She wanted him to see her in the wedding gown her mother had designed and her grandmother had sewn.

She wanted him to watch her walk down the same garden aisle where the women of their family had once stood as brides.

And most importantly—

She wanted him to know she would be happy.

Lu Tian seemed to understand the emotion behind her silence.

He gently squeezed her hand.

"Let’s call your grandfather."

Yue Ling nodded.

Together, they called Ji Mansion.

It didn’t take long for Grandfather Ji to answer.

"Yue Ling?"

His familiar voice brought an immediate smile to her face.

"Yeye."

"Why are you calling so early? Is everything alright?"

"Everything’s fine."

She glanced at Lu Tian.

"We have good news."

"Oh?"

Grandfather Ji sounded curious.

"Mother found an auspicious date for our wedding," Yue Ling said.

A brief silence followed.

Then—

"When?"

"One week from today."

Grandfather Ji inhaled sharply.

"One week?"

"Mm."

The old man suddenly laughed.

A warm, delighted laugh that made Yue Ling’s chest tighten.

"Good! Very good!"

She could almost imagine him smiling.

"That’s wonderful news, my child."

Lu Tian leaned closer.

"We’ll have the wedding at Ji Mansion as planned."

"Of course!"

Grandfather Ji chuckled.

"The garden is waiting for you two."

His voice softened.

"Your grandmother would have been so happy."

Yue Ling lowered her eyes.

"Yeye..."

"I’m alright, child."

He seemed to sense her emotions.

"Don’t worry about this old man. Just make sure you two are happy."

They spoke for a little longer before Grandfather Ji urged them to get ready for work.

After ending the call, Yue Ling sat quietly for a moment.

Then she turned toward Lu Tian.

"Oh!"

He raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"You need a tuxedo."

Lu Tian blinked.

"A tuxedo?"

"Yes."

He considered her words.

"Why?"

Yue Ling stared at him.

"Why?"

Lu Tian nodded calmly.

"I have plenty of suits."

She narrowed her eyes.

"Lu Tian."

"Hm?"

"You are not wearing one of your everyday business suits to our wedding."

He looked genuinely puzzled.

"What’s wrong with them?"

"Nothing."

She shook her head.

"But this is our wedding."

Lu Tian watched her.

Yue Ling continued.

"It may not be a grand celebration, and we may only have our families and closest friends there, but it’s still special."

Her expression softened.

"I’ll be wearing my mother’s wedding gown. I want you to have something special too."

Lu Tian’s eyes warmed.

For a moment, he simply looked at her.

Then he sighed dramatically.

"If getting a tuxedo is what it takes to convince you to marry me, then I suppose I’ll have to get one."

Yue Ling laughed.

"You’re making it sound like I’m forcing you."

"Aren’t you?"

She gave his arm a playful smack.

"Lu Tian!"

He chuckled and caught her hand.

"Alright. I’ll make time this afternoon."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Yue Ling leaned forward and kissed him.

"Thank you, husband."

Lu Tian’s smile deepened.

"Anything for my wife."

She laughed softly before rising from her chair.

"Come on. We still have work."

Lu Tian stood and followed her.

As they headed upstairs to get ready, Yue Ling couldn’t help smiling.

Seven days.

In seven days, she would officially become Lu Tian’s wife.

And for the first time in a long while, the future felt like something she could look forward to without fear.

Meanwhile, at Jade Condos, the morning was considerably less pleasant.

Xu Long lay sprawled across his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Dark circles shadowed his eyes.

His hair was a mess.

And his laptop remained open beside him.

He had returned from Liu Shan’s bungalow around two in the morning.

By then, he had been exhausted.

Unfortunately, exhaustion hadn’t brought sleep.

His mind had refused to settle.

So instead of resting, he had opened his laptop and continued investigating.

Choi Li Sun.

Liu Peng.

The mysterious men from the lounge.

And Lee Shin.

Especially Lee Shin.

Xu Long rubbed his face.

"Unbelievable."

He had spent hours searching through old records, archived reports, and public information connected to City Z.

But every lead seemed to circle back to the same name.

Lee Shin.

The deceased man whose face Choi Li Sun had apparently chosen to imitate.

Xu Long had tried investigating Lee Shin after Lu Tian confronted him.

Yet the results had been frustratingly inconclusive.

There were countless people with the same name.

Businessmen.

Students.

Employees.

Ordinary citizens.

But nothing he found could confidently be connected to the man.

It was almost as though Lee Shin had never existed.

Or perhaps someone had deliberately made him difficult to find.

Xu Long stared at the laptop screen.

His brows drew together.

’Who exactly were you, Lee Shin?’

He knew Lee Shin had died three years ago.

And he knew Choi Li Sun had undergone surgery to resemble him.

But why?

Why choose the face of a dead man?

Was this a man connected so closely to Yue Ling?

Xu Long exhaled.

"Nothing about this makes sense."

He glanced at the clock.

His eyes widened.

"Shit."

He had to get ready for work.

Dragging himself out of bed, he stretched his arms above his head.

A loud yawn escaped him.

His back cracked.

He winced.

"I’m getting too old for this."

After completing his morning routine, he dressed in a neatly pressed suit and gathered his belongings.

Despite his lack of sleep, he still had to look presentable.

Lu Tian would hardly accept exhaustion as an excuse for poor performance.

Xu Long grabbed his work bag and stepped outside.

As he locked his apartment door, his gaze drifted toward the neighboring unit.

Zhao Ya’Er.

He paused.

For a moment, he considered knocking.

He hadn’t seen much of her recently.

Between work and the investigation, his schedule had become increasingly unpredictable.

He wanted to tell her he was heading to work.

Maybe steal a few minutes of her company.

But when he checked the time, he reconsidered.

It was still early.

She was probably asleep.

And unlike him, she deserved to enjoy her morning.

Xu Long smiled faintly.

He opened his work bag and searched for a pen and a small stack of sticky notes.

Finding both, he quickly scribbled a message.

’Good morning, beautiful.

Heading to work early. Don’t forget breakfast.

I’ll call you later.

—Xu Long’

He stuck the note onto her door.

Then stepped back to make sure it wouldn’t fall.

Satisfied, he turned and headed toward the elevator.

At least one thing about his morning had gone right.

By the time Xu Long reached the underground parking garage, his exhaustion had begun catching up with him again.

He climbed into his car and started the engine.

As he adjusted his seat belt, he suddenly remembered Liu Shan’s instructions.

’Contact those three men from City Z.’

Xu Long sighed.

"Right."

He connected his phone to the car’s Bluetooth system.

Then selected a number.

The call rang twice.

A groggy voice answered.

"What?"

Xu Long raised an eyebrow.

"Good morning to you too."

There was a pause.

Then an irritated groan.

"Why are you calling?"

Xu Long drove toward the garage exit.

"Because I need to talk to you."

"Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Xu Long rolled his eyes.

"Unlike some people, there are those of us who actually have to work."

The man on the other end cursed under his breath.

"What do you want, Xu Long?"

Xu Long smiled faintly.

"Straight to the point. I like that."

"Get on with it."

"Fine."

He turned onto the main road.

"We need to meet."

A rustling sound came through the speakers.

"Why?"

Xu Long’s expression became serious.

"I need everything you’ve gathered on Choi Li Sun."

Silence.

The road ahead was relatively clear.

Xu Long slowed at a red light.

"Kira?"

Still nothing.

Then came the unmistakable flick of a lighter.

A slow exhale followed.

"Why should I give that information to you?"

Xu Long sighed.

"Seriously?"

Kira didn’t answer.

Xu Long tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

"If you haven’t forgotten, my boss saved you guys."

Another pause.

"And he even provided a place for you to stay while you’re in Imperial."

Kira groaned.

"Here we go."

Xu Long ignored him.

"So, as Lu Tian’s assistant, I think I have every right to ask for some cooperation."

"You’re really going to use that against us?"

"Only because you’re making this difficult."

Kira sighed heavily.

"Unbelievable."

Xu Long smiled.

The traffic light turned green. He accelerated smoothly.

"Besides, we’re investigating the same person."

Kira remained quiet.

Xu Long continued.

"The more information we share, the better our chances of finding him."

A few seconds passed.

Then Kira finally answered.

"Fine."

Xu Long’s smile widened.

"Excellent."

"But I’m not promising anything until I’ve spoken with the others."

"Fair enough."

Xu Long glanced toward the road leading to Lu Corps.

"Then I’ll see you soon."

"Wait, when did I agree to—"

Xu Long ended the call. He chuckled to himself.

"That wasn’t so difficult."

But the amusement quickly faded.

His expression grew serious.

Choi Li Sun.

He was a dangerous man who had escaped the law too many times.

The only person who had given not only them but his boss a hard time finding.

Xu Long intended to find out what he wanted.

Preferably before Lu Tian decided their one-week deadline was over.

At the secluded building where the three men from City Z were staying, Kira stood on the balcony.

His long hair fell loosely around his shoulders.

A cigarette rested between his fingers.

He stared at the phone in his hand with an irritated expression.

"That bastard."

He slipped the device into his pocket.

"Calling this early..."

The balcony door creaked open.

Qin Jun stepped outside. He looked equally tired.

His dark hair was slightly disheveled, and faint shadows lingered beneath his eyes.

He stopped beside Kira.

"Who was that?"

Kira glanced at him.

"Xu Long."

Qin Jun frowned.

"Lu Tian’s assistant?"

"Who else?"

Qin Jun reached into his pocket and retrieved a cigarette.

He lit it before asking, "What did he want?"

Kira leaned against the railing.

"He wants all the information we’ve gathered on Choi Li Sun."

Qin Jun abruptly turned toward him.

"What?"

Kira raised an eyebrow.

"You heard me."

"Why?"

"No idea."

Kira exhaled a thin stream of smoke.

"He said they’re investigating the same person. Which they are since Lu Tian is working on the case too."

Qin Jun’s expression darkened.

"And you agreed?"

"Not exactly."

Kira shrugged.

"I told him I’d speak with you guys first."

He paused.

"Though he did remind me that his boss saved our lives and gave us somewhere to stay."

Qin Jun scoffed.

"Of course he did."

Kira chuckled.

"He’s surprisingly annoying for someone who works under Lu Tian."

Qin Jun didn’t respond.

He stared into the distance.

Kira noticed the serious expression on his face.

"What’s wrong?"

"Nothing."

Kira studied him.

"Then why are you awake so early?"

Qin Jun sighed. He leaned against the railing and tilted his head toward the gray morning sky.

"Liu Shan."

Kira’s eyebrows rose.

"What about him?"

"He called me."

"When?"

"About half an hour ago."

Kira straightened.

"What did he want?"

Qin Jun took a slow drag from his cigarette.

"The same thing Xu Long wants."

Kira frowned.

"Information on Choi Li Sun?"

Qin Jun nodded.

A heavy silence settled between them.

For several seconds, neither spoke.

Then Kira slowly lowered his cigarette.

"Wait."

Qin Jun turned toward him.

Kira’s expression sharpened.

"Why would Liu Shan and Xu Long suddenly contact us on the same morning?"

Qin Jun’s eyes narrowed.

From what they could remember, Liu Shan never offered to help.

Better yet, he wanted nothing to do with the investigation because it would mean dragging Yue Ling back into their world.

But Xu Long’s request, combined with Liu Shan’s sudden interest, suggested something had changed.

Something important.

Kira slowly straightened.

"You don’t think..."

Qin Jun’s expression darkened.

The same possibility had already crossed his mind.

"They know something."

Kira stared at him.

For a moment, neither moved.

Then Qin Jun reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

His thumb hovered over Liu Shan’s number.

If the two assistants were suddenly demanding everything they knew about Choi Li Sun, there had to be a reason.

His eyes turned cold.

"Then we meet them and find out what they’re hiding."