Chapter Forty-Nine: The License Plate Number

When he awoke again, an entire day had passed.

The first thing Zhang Can saw when he opened his eyes was the round face of Zhu Senlin. Zhu Senlin was genuinely concerned—largely because their interests were so deeply entwined. But who doesn’t fight for their own interests? If you don’t look out for yourself, the heavens will punish you! Still, the chubby face of Zhu Senlin brought a warmth to Zhang Can’s heart. He closed his eyes and thought carefully for a moment, then suddenly sat up with a start, glancing around the room.

It was a private hospital room, and he was the only patient. Besides Zhu Senlin, there was no one else there.

Where was Zhou Nan?

Not seeing Zhou Nan made Zhang Can feel a sudden sense of loss. He sat in a daze for a moment before recovering.

Seeing Zhang Can awake, Zhu Senlin hurriedly called the doctor. Soon after, two police officers entered. The doctor performed a cursory examination and nodded, saying, “There’s basically no problem. You’re just physically weak. After this day of intravenous nutrition, you’re fine. With two more days of good nourishment, you’ll be fully recovered!”

Once the doctor left, one police officer shut the door while the other took out a notebook and a recording device. He sat in the chair opposite Zhang Can’s bed and said, “Young man, your name is Zhang Can, correct?”

“Yes, I am Zhang Can.”

The officer nodded, jotting down notes as he asked about the events of the past few days. Zhang Can didn’t hide anything, recounting everything from the moment he was kidnapped to his escape and arrival at the tour bus, without omitting a single detail.

After finishing his notes, the officer asked Zhang Can to sign the notebook. Then he stood and said, “Mr. Zhang, this is standard procedure. To help us solve the case quickly and efficiently, we won’t bother you further. Take care and rest well. If anything comes up, we’ll contact you. Goodbye!”

“Wait, just a moment…” Zhang Can quickly waved his hand.

“What is it?” The officer turned back at the door.

Zhang Can wanted to ask about Zhou Nan, but after a moment’s hesitation, he shook his head and said, “Never mind, it’s nothing. Goodbye.”

Once the police officers left, Zhu Senlin leaned in and asked, “Brother, how did you end up in such a situation? I’ve been worried for days. Thank goodness you returned safe and sound. Those two officers have been stationed here at the hospital for a whole day and night.”

Zhang Can pondered for a moment and then asked, “Old Zhu, what about the girl who was with me? Which room is she in?”

“You had a companion? I haven’t heard anything about that since you arrived at the hospital,” Zhu Senlin replied in surprise. “I came as soon as you were admitted, and the hospital staff never mentioned anyone else.”

When the nurse entered, Zhang Can asked, “Miss, is my companion here in this hospital?”

The nurse barely paused before shaking her head. “No, you were brought here by the police as a special patient. I remember it clearly—there was only you, no one else.”

Zhang Can immediately understood. Zhou Nan’s identity was different. He fell silent for a while, then sighed and said to Zhu Senlin, “Old Zhu, I want to leave the hospital.”

No matter what the hospital said, Zhang Can was determined to leave. Zhu Senlin agreed, saying it never felt good to stay in a hospital. Even if you’re healthy, being in a hospital makes you feel sick. If there’s nothing wrong with you, why stay?

Zhu Senlin had just bought a Mercedes S600, spending over two million. Once Zhang Can was in the car, Zhu Senlin grinned and said, “Brother, I bought this car thanks to you. By the way, the day you had your incident, I got your car back to the parking lot.”

Back at the Tianxin Plaza tower, Zhang Can went upstairs. Zhu Senlin looked around the apartment and commented, “Nice place, but not ideal for long-term living!”

Zhang Can was surprised. “Why not?”

“With your abilities, living here is almost an insult. You should buy a big villa!” Zhu Senlin laughed, gesturing. “But don’t rush. Settle in first, then take your time choosing. Make sure to pick a good one!”

Zhang Can smiled ambiguously. He saw his old cell phone on the coffee table—the new one had been taken by the kidnappers. The old phone had been left off since he fled his hometown, afraid his parents would scold him. Remembering it now, he quickly turned it on.

Once it connected to the network, a barrage of text messages sounded, one after another. Opening the inbox, Zhang Can saw sixty-seven missed call notifications, from his parents and brother, and also a new number he didn’t recognize—it had called forty-one times.

After some hesitation, Zhang Can decided to call the unfamiliar number first.

The moment the call connected, his sister Zhang Hua’s voice came through: “Hello, brother, is that you?”

“Yes, it’s me, Zhang Hua. Is this your number?” Zhang Can finally relaxed. The unknown number wasn’t a stranger, which was a relief.

“It’s mine—I bought it here in Jincheng. Brother, please come save us! We’re… at some hotel, they said it was eighty a night, but once we checked in, it’s actually eight hundred…”

Zhang Can gasped, then calmed his voice. “Third sister, don’t panic. Tell me slowly—who’s with you? Where are you staying? I’ll come get you right away!”

Zhang Hua sobbed, “At… the Anle Hotel on Old North Street at the North Gate… And Sister Xiaoqin is here, she came with me. We tried calling you but couldn’t get through. We’ve been here for three or four days, not knowing where to find you, brother… sob sob…”

“Don’t cry, don’t be afraid. Second brother will come right away. It’ll be fine!” After hanging up, Zhang Can immediately turned to Zhu Senlin.

“Old Zhu, do you know Old North Street at the North Gate?”

Zhu Senlin was surprised, nodded, and asked, “Of course—I’m a native of Jincheng, I’ve been everywhere. Why, what’s going on over there?”

Zhang Can replied heavily, “My sister’s been here for days, I didn’t know. My phone was off, and they got scammed into staying at a hotel in the North Gate area. They said it’d be eighty, but it’s eight hundred. I’m going over right now to get them.”

Zhu Senlin sprang from the sofa, whipping out his phone and dialing as he pulled Zhang Can out the door.

In the elevator, Zhu Senlin said loudly, “Hey, Ah Qiang? Get some guys to the North Gate, meet up there. My brother’s sister got scammed into staying at the Anle Hotel—we’re going to get her…” He paused, then added, “Bring the gear!”

The two hurried out of the elevator towards the tower entrance, only to be met by two men in black suits, tall and with buzz cuts, looking as hard as ex-convicts.

Both Zhu Senlin and Zhang Can were startled, especially Zhang Can, who wondered if the kidnappers’ accomplices had returned. But logically, they shouldn’t know.

The two men blocked their way. Zhu Senlin, though nervous, tried to appear calm. “What do you want? I’m telling you, if I call, my men are everywhere. You won’t escape!”

The man on the right smiled quietly and said, “Don’t worry, we’re from the Public Security Bureau. We’ve been following you since you left the hospital, protecting you in secret. If you don’t believe me, I can show you my credentials.”

Both Zhang Can and Zhu Senlin were stunned. Public Security Bureau? If it really was the police, that was fine, but they were headed to the North Gate, and Zhu Senlin had just called a crew to go over with weapons. Having police follow them could cause trouble!

The kidnappers hadn’t been caught yet, so it made sense for police to shadow Zhang Can, though Zhu Senlin hadn’t expected it. But it was awkward—these plainclothes officers would follow Zhang Can, but what about rescuing his sister at the North Gate?

There were many shady hotels in the old city, run out of old houses, charging exorbitant prices. Zhu Senlin, as a local, knew the tricks well. These hotels targeted outsiders, luring them from train and bus stations, then claiming extra fees once they checked in. They didn’t rob, just charged by made-up rules. Even if you reported it, the local police wouldn’t do much. Besides, the hotel owners usually had connections with the community police, paying them off. It wasn’t considered a big deal—outsiders could only swallow their anger and accept their bad luck.

Zhu Senlin hesitated, intimidated by the two officers, but Zhang Can ignored them, striding out quickly. “Sorry, I have urgent business to attend to, no time to talk.”

The officer reached out to stop him. “Don’t rush. We understand—we’ll handle it for you. There’s someone who wants to meet you. After you talk, we’ll head to the North Gate together. I guarantee your sister will be fine.”

Hearing this, Zhang Can paused. “Who wants to see me? Why? I already told everything to your colleagues.”

The plainclothes officer smiled. “Sorry to be direct. You’re a key witness in this kidnapping case. We were ordered to protect you, so your phone has been temporarily monitored. We know your situation. As for your sister in the shady hotel, rest assured—we’ll go with you soon and make sure you’re satisfied.”

What else could he say? Having the police handle it was best—not illegal, not risking arrest or violence. Such good fortune was rare.

“All right, since you say so, I won’t argue. Who do I need to meet, and where?”

“Mr. Zhang, please follow me.” The officer led Zhang Can to the left side of the building, where a black Audi A4 was parked.

Zhu Senlin hurried after, but the other officer blocked him. “Sir, our guest needs to speak with Mr. Zhang privately. Please wait here for now.”

Zhu Senlin had to stop, glancing over at the black Audi A4. The windows were tinted, and the license plate read Jin A0006. He watched as the officer opened the back door, ushered Zhang Can in, closed the door, and stepped back five or six meters to stand guard.

Zhu Senlin was shocked!

He knew that, to him, this Audi A4 was nothing, especially an old model about to be retired. But the license plate stunned him—Jincheng’s official car numbers, with the A prefix and numbers below one hundred, were reserved for city government leaders and agencies. The 006 plate meant it belonged to the highest authority.

Zhu Senlin could never dream of meeting such a person. In the antique market, he might be a big shot, but in official circles, he only knew minor figures.

Zhang Can didn’t know what the plate meant, but he sensed the person waiting in the car was no ordinary figure.

Could it be Zhou Nan’s father, Zhou Zheng, the city’s Party Secretary?

After entering, Zhang Can saw the man sitting in the back seat, his expression dark and unreadable, gazing out the window. When Zhang Can got in and the door closed, the man turned to look at him.

He looked about thirty, with a distinguished appearance. Zhang Can immediately realized he was mistaken—it wasn’t Zhou Nan’s father. Though the impression wasn’t strong, he had seen him on TV news before, and even if he hadn’t, Zhou Nan’s father couldn’t possibly be only thirty years old.