Believe

Li Hao was slightly taken aback and said in surprise, "Second Brother, don't tell me you really broke out of jail last night?" Actually, he had been suspecting it at the police station. Yang Wei and Sun Jisheng had no reason to lie. If Ye Qian hadn't escaped, what would they gain by saying he did? The only explanation was that Ye Qian did escape last night but for some unknown reason returned.

Ye Qian chuckled and said, "If I didn't go out, how would I find out who was framing me? How else could I strike back?"

"You know who did it?" Li Hao asked excitedly.

"Yes," Ye Qian nodded slightly. "It's Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, Ouyang Cheng, but his good days are numbered."

"So it was him," Li Hao said. "Second Brother, can you tell me why Ouyang Cheng is targeting you? Is there something between you two..." Li Hao initially wanted to ask if there was some kind of deal between them but held back. Although Ye Qian had stabbed a gangster for him back then, Li Hao never believed Ye Qian would engage in illegal activities or collude with Ouyang Cheng.

"You want to ask if there's some unspeakable secret between me and Ouyang Cheng, right?" Ye Qian chuckled and said, "Think about it, I just got back a few days ago. How could I know Ouyang Cheng or have any dealings with him? He's framing me because of his son, Ouyang Tianming."

"Ouyang Tianming? Do you have a grudge against him?" Li Hao asked.

Ye Qian nodded and recounted the incident at the Mezui Bar and what Xu Yaying had told him. After hearing it, Li Hao was overjoyed and said excitedly, "Second Brother, if what you said is true, Ouyang Cheng will either be disciplined or sidelined. I'll immediately send someone to bring Xu Yaying to the police station. With her testimony, you'll be safe."

Ye Qian smiled faintly and said, "During the interrogation at the branch, I purposely didn't mention that someone could vouch for my alibi that night, proving I couldn't have committed the murder."

"Who?" Li Hao asked.

"I don't know the details, but I know his name is Zhao Tianhao," Ye Qian said.

"Zhao Tianhao?" Li Hao said in shock, "You mean Zhao Tianhao, the chairman of Tianya Group?"

"Hmm? He's the chairman of Tianya Group?" Ye Qian was slightly taken aback, not realizing he had met his big boss without knowing it.

"You just got back, so it's normal you don't know him. In SH City, Zhao Tianhao's Tianya Group ranks among the top three. Zhao himself is highly influential; even the Municipal Party Secretary treats him with respect," Li Hao said.

Ye Qian smirked. So influential yet still almost got killed. He knew Li Hao was right. Walking in the night often enough, one is bound to encounter ghosts. No matter how powerful Zhao Tianhao was, he surely had formidable opponents.

"Second Brother, why didn't you say so earlier? I worried so much for nothing. With Zhao Tianhao's testimony, not even Ouyang Cheng can touch you," Li Hao said excitedly.

Ye Qian smiled faintly and said, "How else could I catch Ouyang Cheng off guard? Did Deputy Secretary Wang like the gift I sent?"

Li Hao was momentarily stunned and said in surprise, "Second Brother, did you place those incriminating documents about Ouyang Cheng at Deputy Secretary Wang's house?"

Although he didn't place them himself, it was nearly the same. Ye Qian nodded and said, "Third Brother, since you're close with Deputy Secretary Wang, can you arrange a meeting for me with him?"

"No problem. Even if you hadn't asked, I believe Deputy Secretary Wang would want to meet you," Li Hao said. After a pause, he added, "Second Brother, I find it harder to understand you. Where have you been these past eight years?"

Ye Qian smiled faintly and said, "You just need to know I'm your second brother and I'll never harm you. That's enough."

Li Hao nodded and decided not to ask anymore, silently vowing never to ask again. Brotherhood is about trust. No matter where Ye Qian had been or what he had done, Li Hao believed Ye Qian would always be his second brother and would never harm him.

When they arrived at Li Hao's district police station, Ye Qian naturally felt at home. There was no interrogation, nor was he detained in a cell. To outsiders, it might have seemed Ye Qian was an undercover officer. With Li Hao's connection, the other police officers wouldn't trouble Ye Qian; instead, they chatted and joked with him, not treating him like a suspect at all.

Ye Qian had to attend Wei Chenglong's ball tonight with Qin Yue, an event he wouldn't miss. He immediately called Zhao Tianhao and explained the situation briefly. Zhao Tianhao simply replied, "I'll make a call!" and hung up. Ye Qian knew Zhao Tianhao would use his connections to speak up for him.

This was a clear-cut case. With Zhao Tianhao's testimony, his connections, and Xu Yaying's confession, Ye Qian's release was straightforward. Ye Qian wasn't foolish; during his conversation with Xu Yaying that night, he had secretly recorded it. This recording could be used to threaten Xu Yaying to tell the truth or be handed over to Ouyang Tianming. Knowing Ouyang Tianming, Xu Yaying was well aware that if Ye Qian gave him the tape, she wouldn't see the light of the next day. So, when Li Hao's officers came to her house, she didn't hesitate to go with them to the police station.

As for Wang Ping, he acted swiftly. Shortly after Li Hao left, Wang Ping made several calls. Soon, major media outlets reported Ouyang Cheng's corruption and embezzlement. Simultaneously, the Discipline Inspection Commission brought Ouyang Cheng in for questioning.

Wang Ping had been low-key all these years, but that didn't mean he hadn't been doing anything. It was merely a strategy of biding his time. Now, the network of relationships he had painstakingly built over the years was finally coming into play.