After Li Chengyu’s grievances were cleared, Li Hao compromised for Tang Shen.

This compromise was at the cost of putting aside the hatred for his son’s death.

Tang Li thought she understood Li Hao enough, but at this moment she realized that her understanding was still superficial.

She disagreed with Li Hao’s way of handling things because of his coldness towards relatives.

Now, this perception had shifted.

Li Hao might be decisive, but he wasn’t truly devoid of familial affection.

As for the military’s responsibility for Isa’s safety, Isa was ’protected’ in an apartment, with restricted movement and forbidden from casually talking to people, which was essentially akin to life imprisonment.

Tang Li stepped out of the temple facing the sunset and saw the vendor selling lottery tickets by the roadside again.

Then she remembered that she hadn’t collected her prize yet.

As for the lottery ticket, it seemed to be with Song Jingtian.

And Song Jingtian had already returned to the country.

Tang Li: "..."

After all, it was 100,000 Siamese Baht, so she messaged Song Jingtian.

The little guy’s reply: I wiped the sole of my shoe with it a long time ago!

Tang Li didn’t believe it and went back to the Li Residence, rummaging around the little guy’s room.

She didn’t find the lottery ticket, but discovered a written but discarded love letter.

It was written by Song Jingtian to her niece.

Except for the opening line ’Dear Little Button’ written in Siamese, the rest was in the S language.

This letter was written on the day of the engagement.

The little guy mentioned his illustrious family background and revealed he now had a million in private funds. Although it was all in his mother’s bank account, he could access it anytime, and he intended to run for President in the future. So, he painted a big picture for Little Button—

He would definitely make her the most powerful woman in the S country, just like her cousin!

Do you think this is a love confession letter?

No.

Tang Li read to the end and realized this was a letter proposing elopement.

That’s right.

Eight-year-old Song Jingtian, through a reliable online connection (?), bought two ship tickets intending to take four-year-old Little Button to smuggle back to the S country.

Tang Li took a picture of the letter’s contents and sent it to the little guy.

[Tang Li]: "Little Button’s parents would be delighted to see this letter. [You know what I mean, right?.jpg]"

A minute later, she received a WeChat money transfer from [a serious young man.]

Nineteen thousand and thirty yuan.

Converted, it was precisely 100,000 Siamese Baht.

So—

No doubt about it.

The little guy had already cashed in the lottery ticket before he left.

Tang Li accepted the money, folded the letter carefully into her pants pocket, and then received a message from Song Jingtian—the little guy asked when she would return to the country.

Tang Li replied honestly: "Hopefully by next week."

Isa had confessed to all crimes, and now it was just waiting for the court trial.

The necessary testimonies were given, and she originally planned to leave tomorrow.

In the temple, Li Hao noticed her intention and mentioned his eighty-third birthday.

—He wanted this birthday to be with his closest kin.

Tang Li looked at the old man’s graying temples and ultimately chose not to feign ignorance, deciding to stay until next Tuesday to celebrate Li Hao’s birthday before returning to the country.

The little guy sent a pouting emoji package.

[a serious young man]: "Big brother went out of town, and you’re not here either. Tan Palace is so empty, day in and day out it drives one crazy with longing."

Song Baiyan went north for an inspection, which Tang Li knew about.

It was just in the past two days.

Since he needed to inspect three provinces, it would probably take about half a month to return.

By then, she might reach home first.

Although they’ve been staying in touch during these days, considering that Song Baiyan would be busier on official duty, Tang Li didn’t intentionally call every day, just occasionally sent a text to ’inquire after his well-being.’

Two days later, Tang Li received a message from Gao Wenlan.

Gao Wenlan asked whether she had arrived at Shangbu.

[Tang Li]: "?"

Gao Wenlan sent a photo of a hospital corridor: "Ruihe Hospital, are you there?"

Tang Li replied that she was still in Chiang Mai Prefecture, but Gao Wenlan clearly didn’t believe her and made a video call.

On the other end of the video, Gao Wenlan, wearing a patient gown, was standing in the corridor of the inpatient department, holding a selfie stick and turning half a circle, cracking sunflower seeds: "I just went for an examination, caught sight of a secretary by your side from a distance, that Guo family kid, I followed and found he seemed to be waiting for a report too."

"Maybe someone in the Guo family is sick," Tang Li speculated.

Gao Wenlan initially thought so as well, followed Guo Li back to the inpatient department, and when Guo Li got on the elevator to go upstairs, she called Wong Yangming to ask if it was Guo Li’s grandfather who was sick.

If the old man were indeed hospitalized, they ought to buy a fruit basket to visit him.

"Professor Wong specifically inquired about it, but the Guo family said the old man was so healthy that he could kill a bull, and no in-laws were hospitalized. Turns out, Guo Li told his family he was going north with your Excellency, but somehow ended up in Shangbu."

These confidential secretaries typically do not leave your Excellency’s side.

Outside the radiology department, Guo Li was even wearing a mask.

If Gao Wenlan hadn’t met Guo Li a few times in private, she might not have recognized him.

And because Tang Li hadn’t posted any updates on her social media for nearly half a month, Gao Wenlan assumed she was in the same situation as her.

After all, Ruihe’s renown was not just for its oncology department but also for its obstetrics department.

Many female celebrities choose to have their babies at Ruihe.

Tang Li listened to Gao Wenlan’s long winded explanation and instinctively asked, "Do you know which floor Guo Li went to?"

That she truly did not know.

There was more than one person in the elevator at that time.

Familiar with Gao Wenlan’s gossipy nature, Tang Li said, "I suspect he got a girl pregnant."

Gao Wenlan: "!!!"

Tang Li continued: "Otherwise, with so many hospitals in the Capital, why would he run to Shangbu? From your description, it doesn’t sound like he was getting his own scan done, so he must be getting a report for someone else, and wearing a mask clearly indicates not wanting to be recognized."

What kind of thing would a man do that needs to be so secretive?

Of course, it’s when he’s done something guilty.

Once Gao Wenlan accepted the character Tang Li portrayed for Guo Li, she already scripted an entire tragic love novel in her mind.

In this life, what she hates the most is the scumbag who abandons others after getting what he wants!

"Just you wait." Gao Wenlan stuffed the remaining sunflower seeds into her pocket: "I’m heading back to the obstetrics ward now. If I catch him, watch me smash his head in!"

"It might not be a pregnancy," Tang Li added.

Gao Wenlan was confused. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"You’ve watched the Korean drama ’End of the World’, right?"

As a novelist, Gao Wenlan has seen plenty of Korean-Japanese dramas.

Tang Li mentioned the title, and she knew which one it was: "The one where the heroine has leukemia?"

"Yeah, not only did she get leukemia, but she was also abandoned by the second male lead."

So—

Not only do we need to check the obstetrics department, but also visit the hematology and oncology departments.

An hour later, Gao Wenlan called another video chat.

——Heaven rewards those who strive, she caught Guo Li talking to a female doctor in front of the nurse station at the oncology department on the seventh floor!

"Could Guo Li have gone to the wrong department and asked for directions?"

Gao Wenlan dismissed this notion.

"I saw him enter the innermost ward with my own eyes."

Tang Li noticed Gao Wenlan was right outside the ward on the seventh floor, Gao Wenlan peeked inside and complained to Tang Li: "Not letting unauthorized people in, yet it’s not the infectious diseases department, making it all tense and nervous."

Tang Li asked: "Are there any bodyguards outside that ward?"

"No, there aren’t." Gao Wenlan withdrew her gaze, suddenly glaring at Tang Li on the screen, "You little brat, did you trick me into checking Guo Li’s whereabouts for you?"

Tang Li: "..."

"I’ve figured it out."

Gao Wenlan said, moving to a corner to question Tang Li: "The person in that ward isn’t Guo Li’s partner. The only one who could have Guo Li running errands like that and put the ward in semi-lockdown is nobody but His Excellency. I can’t think of anyone else."

Tang Li realized she underestimated the novelist’s sharpness: "You guessed it?"

Gao Wenlan looked at her with a mix of blame and sympathy: "With your catching a cheater setup, how could I not guess?"

She continued, looking around and lowering her voice: "Tell your godmother the truth, is that seductress using her poor health to drive a wedge between you and His Excellency?"

Tang Li: "......"

"His Excellency definitely isn’t someone who gets infatuated easily, but you can’t prevent a vixen from acting pitiful. You said staying in Chiang Mai Prefecture for over ten days, I knew it wasn’t simple!"

Tang Li just asked: "You really can’t enter the oncology ward?"

"If I could, I’d already be in." Gao Wenlan replied.

Tang Li didn’t give up: "Then can you find out if the person in the ward is male or female?"

Gao Wenlan: "..."

No way, it’s a male vixen?

"How about I give it a try?" Gao Wenlan said, uncertain.

Tang Li responded with an okay and hung up.

Usually, her first instinct would be to find Ji Ming.

But this time, the first thing Tang Li ruled out was confirming the situation with Ji Ming.

Because of Gao Wenlan’s words ’Guo Li’s family said Guo Li followed His Excellency north’, she grew suspicious.

However, such suspicion seems groundless.

It’s more like she’s overthinking.

Not to mention Song Baiyan showed no signs of illness when he came to Siam, even if Song Baiyan is indeed sick now, directly asking Ji Ming won’t yield any truth; instead, it might alert someone of her suspicions.

For someone like Song Baiyan, tricking her is not hard.

When it comes to cunning, she can’t compare.

So Tang Li decided to make a video call to Song Baiyan.

However, no one answered the video call.

Tang Li thought of Pei Shiyu.

It’s past four in the afternoon, during working hours.

She planned to send a voice message to Song Jingtian, asking the young lad to check if Pei Shiyu is at Tan Palace, when her phone vibrated with a message from Gao Wenlan.

Gao Wenlan informed her it was all a misunderstanding.

"Just a retired old cadre." Gao Wenlan even included a photo: "As for why Guo Li is at Shangbu, it’s because this official has some connection with His Excellency. His Excellency learned the man is sick, and since he has no children, Guo Li was sent to help take care of him."

Tang Li asked her: "You entered the ward?"

"Yeah."

Gao Wenlan laughed: "I was already helping you investigate when Guo Li happened to come out, and I asked him why he was in Shangbu. He told me everything himself and even took me to the ward to greet the person."

Tang Li asked again: "You’re still inside the ward?"

"Of course, the person insisted on treating me to a honeydew melon."

"Since you’re still there, when you leave later, can you record a short video for me?"

Gao Wenlan: "......"

"Wouldn’t that infringe on people’s image rights!" Gao Wenlan sent a disdainful voice message: "I’m your godmother; would I help someone deceive you? Am I not worthy of your trust?"

Tang Li asked bluntly: "Did you call Professor Wong?"

"..."

Before Gao Wenlan could deny it, Tang Li spoke again: "Overly meticulous logical thinking further indicates a problem."

She wanted to know who was in the ward, and the answer came quickly.

Evidently, Gao Wenlan said the ward was strictly controlled, and it’s only been a few minutes.

Most importantly—

Gao Wenlan’s tone seemed deliberately relaxed.

Perhaps because she harbored doubts, she felt something was amiss everywhere.

Asking Gao Wenlan to shoot a video was meant to ease this concern.

Before Gao Wenlan sent her a video clip, Song Baiyan’s call came in.

Upon answering, Song Baiyan’s first words were to ask her why she was calling now.

Tang Li didn’t mention the video call, she just said: "Send me a location using your cellphone, I want to know how far Jiang City is from Chiang Mai Prefecture."

Song Baiyan: "..."

——

I haven’t finished writing, I’m overwhelmed...

I can only conclude tomorrow.