Ten Thousand Soul Banner: Deceased, do you have any unfulfilled wishes?
Chapter 180 Father and Son

Chapter 180: Chapter 180 Father and Son

Zhao Dezhu put down his phone, walked to the door, and yanked it open, only to find nothing there. He then leaned against the door frame, gasping for breath heavily.

It took him a while to catch his breath.

He thought to himself, "Could it be that I’ve been too tired lately? I even thought I saw my son."

But there hadn’t been that much going on recently.

Confused, he went back to his seat, picked up the phone, and dialed Ruan Hongzhuang again.

Although Lawyer Zhao was the legal consultant for Red Hearts International, he didn’t work at Red Hearts International; he had his own law firm.

Red Hearts International was a major client of his, sending a significant amount of fees to his firm every year, for which he provided legal support.

"President Ruan."

"Lawyer Zhao, do you have a resolution?" asked Ruan Hongzhuang.

"Yes, Officer Xue called this morning. He said Mr. Shen was acting in self-defense. Once the two injured parties have recovered, their liabilities will be investigated..."

"Thank you, Lawyer Zhao, it had to be your involvement."

Ruan Hongzhuang felt relieved upon hearing this, surprised at how quickly Lawyer Zhao had resolved the matter.

"President Ruan, this matter doesn’t seem to have much to do with me. Are you sure it wasn’t someone from your side making moves?"

Lawyer Zhao wasn’t foolish enough to take credit for himself.

"What do you mean?"

Zhao Dezhu shared his suspicions with Ruan Hongzhuang.

Ruan Hongzhuang pondered for a moment and said, "I understand, thank you, Lawyer Zhao."

After hanging up, Ruan Hongzhuang was puzzled, but she still decided to give Shen Siyuan a call, perhaps he knew more about the situation.

After finishing the call, Lawyer Zhao called over his assistant.

"Miki, I have some matters to attend to, I’ll be leaving now. Please organize the documents and leave them on my desk," Lawyer Zhao said as he got up and gathered his things.

"Okay, Lawyer Zhao."

Zhao Dezhu came out of his office, and immediately met a woman wearing a white suit.

She was a female lawyer in his firm named Yu Zhenzhen, also the aunt that Zhao Ru Jin mentioned who had a fondness for his father.

She was young, and though not particularly beautiful, her features were striking and she exuded a shrewd and capable aura.

"Are you heading out?" she casually asked.

"I don’t feel too well, I’m planning to go home and rest," Lawyer Zhao replied.

"Would you like me to go with you?"

"No need, you go on with your work. It might be due to the recent case with Tian Yuan Investments putting too much pressure on me."

Seeing that his complexion seemed decent, Yu Zhenzhen didn’t persist, but instead said, "Alright then, you head back first. I still have some things to handle here, I’ll come over after work."

"Okay, you go ahead," Lawyer Zhao said, passing by her.

Watching his leaving figure, Yu Zhenzhen slightly furrowed her brow.

They had been together for quite some time, but for some reason, Yu Zhenzhen always felt that their relationship was more professional than romantic.

Although Lawyer Zhao didn’t live in a standalone villa, he resided in one of the best neighborhoods in Bin Hai.

His large apartment featured a 17-meter long viewing balcony. Sitting there, one could overlook the distant coastline and take in all the beauty at once.

One of Zhao Dezhu’s favorite pastimes was to lie on the balcony, drink red wine, and stare at the distant sea to clear his mind.

This was how he alleviated the stress and anxiety from his work.

Despite being a well-known senior lawyer, the pressure he faced was extraordinarily high.

Zhao Dezhu returned home around evening. The setting sun illuminated the distant sea surface, creating a glittering view, and the silhouetted figures on the distant beach looked like ants.

Standing on the balcony, he felt for the first time the vastness of the world and the insignificance of man.

He took a sip of the red wine in his hand and slowly felt some relief.

Just then, he faintly sensed a figure dash behind him.

He abruptly turned around, and the empty living room came into view. A breeze stirred the window curtains lightly.

"Looks like I’m overthinking it," he said with self-deprecating laughter.

Turning back, his whole body stiffened, and the wine glass in his hand nearly slipped from his grasp.

Because at the other end of the balcony, stood a boy.

"Did I scare you?"

Seeing his startled expression, the boy asked with a somewhat dimmed look in his eyes.

Zhao Dezhu swallowed hard, trying to compose himself.

He hesitantly called out.

"Zhou Zhou?"

His voice was hoarse and full of doubt.

Zhou Zhou was Zhao Ru Jin’s nickname, derived from his mother Zhou Congfang’s surname.

"It’s me."

Zhao Ru Jin nodded but didn’t walk over, just looked at him with an extremely complex gaze.

His present demeanor was nothing like the lively one he exhibited around Shen Siyuan; instead, he seemed truly like a mature, composed adult.

"Why... why are you here?" A slightly more rational Zhao Dezhu continued to ask.

But while rationality returned, his mind was still a mess.

He couldn’t understand at all: a person who was dead appearing intact in front of him.

After his son’s death, he had rushed back to Ruijin, to see him for the last time. Since it was a suicide by jumping into the river, the body was bloated and pale.

Could there have been a mistake? But he quickly dismissed that thought; it was his son, he couldn’t be mistaken.

"I wanted to see you, so I came."

Zhao Ru Jin tried to smile, but it failed, resulting in a grimace that looked uglier than crying.

"Was it you at the office just now?" Zhao Dezhu asked.

Zhao Ru Jin nodded. "I saw that you looked scared, so I didn’t show up."

"No... no..."

Zhao Dezhu tried to explain but didn’t know what to say.

"You don’t have to explain, I understand," Zhao Ru Jin provided an out for him.

Zhao Dezhu felt somewhat embarrassed; this was his own son, why was he feeling scared?

"You’re dead, aren’t you? Why can you still appear here? You understand what I mean?" Zhao Dezhu eagerly voiced his confusion.

Zhao Ru Jin nodded, then said, "Yes, indeed I’m dead. When people die, they turn into ghosts. But I met a very powerful person, he said he could help me fulfill my wish, so I appeared here in front of you..."

Zhao Ru Jin did not mention Shen Siyuan.

"What unfulfilled wish do you have?" Zhao Dezhu asked somewhat dryly.

"Can you go with me to see my mom?" Zhao Ru Jin said.

"Of course," Zhao Dezhu agreed without hesitation.

He was somewhat aware of Zhou Congfang’s situation. They were divorced, and it was no longer his responsibility. Mainly, he thought she was primarily responsible for their son’s suicide.

Not hating her or considering her an enemy was already a courtesy of their past affection.

He had only this one son, and at his age, he didn’t know if there would be any more opportunities, so Zhao Ru Jin held a significant place in his heart.

Zhao Ru Jin thought for a moment and said, "Mom actually loves you a lot."

Zhao Dezhu fell silent upon hearing this, then slowly nodded and said softly, "I know."

He certainly knew. The reason he and his ex-wife ended up this way was due to her excessive love for him.

If she didn’t love him, she would not argue and make a fuss, or monitor his movements daily like a spy.

But her love was too overwhelming; it suffocated him, leaving him gasping for air.