Caught off guard by the truth, Tao Xinrou's expression stiffened before she quickly masked it. She said nothing but turned to look at Zhang Hongbin as if surprised. Before she could speak, Zhang Hongbin continued, "You don't need to explain. I know everything. You joined the project team to search the archives, looking for old files from the Southwest Branch, specifically for news about your father, right?"
Tao Xinrou stared at the photo in Zhang Hongbin's hand, her fingers trembling slightly.
"I can tell you this: digging up the truth about your father's incident back then won't do anyone any good, especially you." Zhang Hongbin paused, lowering his voice and changing his tone. "You don't want to end up like your father and put your mother through that again, do you?"
Tao Xinrou jerked her head up, her eyes filled with shock and anger.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm not here to make things hard for you. On the contrary, I want to offer you a safer choice." He leaned forward, his voice like a snake's hiss. "I can give you what you want, but you need to give something in return. I can see your relationship with President Ying is not ordinary. I think you should know his every move."
Tao Xinrou immediately understood what he meant.
"Manager Zhang, I'm just a low-level employee. I hardly exchange a few words with President Ying. He's deep and cautious. How could I possibly know what he's up to?"
Zhang Hongbin smiled. "Then find a way to know. Get close to him, earn his trust. You're a smart girl. You know what to do. Don't forget, your mother's health can't withstand any unexpected blows."
"Manager Zhang, what you're saying really scares me. About my father, I just want to understand what happened back then. Nothing else." Tao Xinrou instinctively clutched the photo.
Watching her rapidly shifting emotions and her apparent weakness, a satisfied smile flickered in Zhang Hongbin's eyes. "Telling you the specifics now won't do you any good. You just need to know that a head-on collision won't end well. Cooperate with me, and at least I can guarantee your and your mother's safety."
"I need time, and I need to know what to do." Tao Xinrou said.
"Simple. Gain Ying Jingsheng's trust, then deliver what I want."
So they wanted her to get information about Ying Jingsheng.
Though she didn't know what they wanted from Ying Jingsheng, from Zhang Hongbin's words alone, it must be some kind of secret.
"I need time to think."
Zhang Hongbin wasn't angry. Instead, he chuckled. "I knew you were smart. I'm not in a rush. I'll give you a week to consider. After a week, tell me your decision." He handed Tao Xinrou a card with a phone number already written on it. "Cooperate, and some of your father's old belongings and the information I have can be yours. You and your mother can live peacefully. Don't cooperate..."
He didn't finish, but the unspoken words were full of threat.
"Get out. Remember, you have one week. When you return to the hotel next week, I want your answer."
*
Tao Xinrou didn't know how she got home. She fumbled with the key several times before hitting the lock, and almost tripped over the threshold when she entered.
"Xiaorou, you're back? Why are you so pale? Did you work too hard again today?" Tao's mother poked her head out from the kitchen, concerned.
"No, nothing, Mom. Just a little tired. I'm going to take a shower first." Tao Xinrou forced a smile and escaped into the bathroom.
She turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on her face, trying to calm her chaotic mind.
In the mirror, her face was pale and her eyes were full of lingering panic.
One week.
Her mother's safety, her father's truth...
What should she do?
And there was another urgent matter: which hospital should her mother go to?
Perhaps it was precisely because of this that Ying Huaishan had grown anxious.
She absolutely could not let her mother go to the First Municipal Hospital anymore.
After signing up that day, Tao Xinrou had locked onto another reputable hospital, but getting an appointment was impossible. She had failed to secure a slot three consecutive nights in a row, and the scalpers' exorbitant fees were out of reach.
Over the next few days, Tao Xinrou was distracted, almost making mistakes at work.
During lunch break, she carried her tray to a corner seat, eating without tasting.
Zheng Shuhui followed with her tray and whispered, "Xinrou, what's wrong with you lately? You look like you've lost your soul. Is the project team having trouble?"
Tao Xinrou shook her head but didn't want Zheng Shuhui to worry, so she said, "No."
Tao Xinrou didn't want to say more, nor did she want to drag Zheng Shuhui into this mess.
Zheng Shuhui patted her on the back comfortingly. "Don't push yourself too hard. By the way, did you sign up for that employee benefit for Auntie last time?"
Tao Xinrou nodded.
"That's great. Yunlu is really good to its employees. Actually, I've always been incredibly grateful to work at Yunlu. You might not know, but my family was poor back then. I almost couldn't finish middle school. Yunlu sponsored me. I'm especially grateful to Yunlu and the uncle who sponsored me. Oh, I remember he had the same last name as you—Tao. So when I heard your surname, I felt a special connection." Zheng Shuhui smiled at Tao Xinrou.
"Tao?" Tao Xinrou's head shot up.
"Yeah, he was really nice. He sent letters encouraging me every time. But unfortunately, I heard he was transferred to another city, and we lost touch."
Transferred to another city... Surname Tao...
Tao Xinrou's thoughts scattered.
"Shuhui, do you remember the name of the uncle who sponsored you?" Tao Xinrou suddenly grabbed Zheng Shuhui's hand, startling her.
"Ah, I don't remember. It was something like Tao Haish... or Tao Hai something. I'll go back and look through the letters. I still keep them; they mean a lot to me." As she said this, Zheng Shuhui's face lit up with hope.
So her father had sponsored Zheng Shuhui back then!
It seemed some things were fated.
Tao Xinrou felt as if her heart had been struck by a heavy hammer. She opened her mouth but couldn't make a sound.
Zheng Shuhui continued, "So I'm really grateful. When I saw the hotel recruitment, I came without hesitation. I always felt that working here would bring me closer to that kind uncle, and I could do the same kind of work, and someday become someone like him."
Tao Xinrou's eyes gradually moistened. Her father was such a good man, yet fate had been so unfair to him.