An hourter, Richard handed over a pen and conveyed what the driver said. "ording to the driver''s description, the person who gave him the pen is Mrs. Lu. She met a man on Lanting Road; I specifically showed Albert''s photo to the driver, and he confirmed that he was indeed the man in question."


    John hastily pulled his tie loose. His white fingers were pale and cold, and his dark eyes were filled with an even chillier edge.


    "So we''re certain that she went to see Albert."


    Seeing the anger on John''s face, Richard tried tofort him. "Mr. Shi, Mrs. Lu didn''t get any useful information. Since she has left..."


    "Is that what I care about?" John''s head swung to face him, and Richard was caught in the other man''s angry re.


    Even if his little girl did send some information to Albert, Albert still wouldn''t win against him.


    Back when he was bing sessful businessman, Albert was still just a kid who knew nothing.


    For a moment Richard thought as though he was standing right in between two realms, one of fire and the other of ice.


    John was giving off a cold energy that gave everyone chills, but at the same time, a furious me zed in his eyes.


    "Mr. Shi, what is it that is concerning you?"


    "What the hell are you even asking me for? Go and tell that bastard to give Nin


    hysical blow, heavy and oppressive.


    He looked out of the window silently at the night. The night wind blew his ears, blowing his hair into the air ups and downs just as his heart.


    John''s deep eyes were always keen and sharp, and he had meandered through life able to see through people. But it appeared that he had been unable to see through Nina''s heart.


    The man who had always been expressionless and indifferent was now pale and anxious.


    He was at an utter loss.


    He sat on the balcony untilte into the night, mulling things over and getting nowhere. Midnight came, and John was still there, the faint howling of the wind his onlypanion. Many cigarette buttsy scattered on the floor. He had smoked heaps of them.


    The cigarette butt that was not extinguished was still between his fingers.


    A single spark could start a prairie fire


    The spark ignited John''s reason and gradually burned it to ashes.


    It was said that sce could calm a person and enable them to gain rational thought and enlightenment. But it could not be said for everyone. Some people, when left alone with their thoughts, lose their minds.


    John threw the cigarette he was still smoking to the floor, and watched as its embers slowly died.


    ''You don''t want to stay with me. Is it because you don''t like me?''