Chapter 30

"Are you serious?"

Guri asked, looking at Zhan after he told her that Yibo had informed him they would be leaving soon.

He nodded slowly.

"He told me just last night. I think he's finished the work he had to do in this city."

Without hesitation, Guri sat down on the bed, holding two of Zhao Min's neatly folded dresses, which she was preparing for her trip.

"Now I'm feeling uneasy. My sister is also leaving for Beijing… but I guess you won't be leaving until they return, right?"

Zhan shook his head.

"I don't know yet. He hasn't told me the exact date."

"Do you think you'll ever come back once you leave?"

Guri's question was straightforward, but she didn't realize how many uncertainties were tangled within it. The truth was, Zhan himself had no idea what awaited him in Beijing.

Yibo had assured him there was no longer any issue with the case and even urged him to stop worrying, reminding him that he wasn't at fault. But despite those reassurances, Zhan couldn't shake off the heavy feeling in his heart.

Beyond that, he didn't even know what role he was expected to play in the house he would be returning to. Things had already started shifting before he left, and he had no idea what his life would look like once he was back. With everything that had happened...being caught in the storm, finding himself under Yibo's care, and being surrounded by people he barely knew...he had lost all sense of the life he once had.

So, he simply shook his head and answered truthfully, "I don't know either."

"Let's drop this conversation for now," Guri said. "We should focus on seeing Zhao Min off first. There's no need to tell her...you know she'll find out from her husband anyway. Her mind is already set on Beijing, and I don't even know what they're going there for."

With that, they continued preparing for Zhao Min's departure. Zhan noticed that her mind wasn't on the house or them at all...she was entirely focused on her upcoming trip. Even Ms. Er. Che had pointed it out, wishing everything is alright.

Once Zhao Min had left, they returned to their daily tasks, but Zhan's heart remained heavy with unanswered questions. He knew only time would unravel them.

🔸🔹▫️

Beijing, China

Shi Lei shook his head, then shook it again, staring at the lawyer seated in front of him.

"This is impossible. How can you sit there and tell me they have proof? Aren't you supposed to be working for me? Don't I pay you? Even if that's the case, can't you do something to turn things around so I have the legal right to sue them in court?"

The lawyer looked at him and calmly replied,

"You misunderstand me, sir. You do have the right to take them to court. You can do that anytime. But what I need you to understand is that even if you proceed with the case, there's a high chance the court might rule in their favor. They have gathered a lot of solid evidence proving that they didn't embezzle your money. The losses were purely the company's financial setbacks, and the records clearly show that."

Shi Lei ran a hand from his forehead down to his face, feeling the dampness of sweat trickling down his skin. Despite the cold air blowing from the office AC, he felt like he was overheating. Seconds passed before he finally nodded.

"I don't care what you say—I want this case in court. No matter what it takes, I want justice, Lawyer. Do you have any idea how much money we're talking about here? These aren't petty amounts that I can just walk away from. This loss has taken nearly half of my entire financial standing. No matter what happens, file the case. I know exactly what I'm doing."

The lawyer nodded and closed the file in front of him.

"Understood, sir. I'll proceed with the filing. I'll contact you as soon as there are any updates."

With that, he gathered his documents and exited the office.

As soon as the door shut behind him, Shi Lei removed his cap and placed it on the side, his eyes scanning the entire office as a heavy weight settled on his chest.

What was happening to him?

If the losses turned out to be real, what would happen to his company?

He knew for certain that things couldn't continue as they were....not even paying his employees would be possible. His only option was to pour almost all his remaining funds into the business to stabilize it. But if he did that, wouldn't it be reckless? Especially after witnessing the massive financial disaster that had already unfolded?

For over a week now, he had halted all operations, ordering a full investigation before any further business could resume. Aside from the janitors and security guards, the entire building was practically abandoned. Every time he stepped inside, it felt more like an empty shell rather than the bustling hub of activity it once was—a place he had always considered his greatest investment, even more than his joint ventures with Mr. Yang Tao.

That was exactly why he had pressured Peng to focus entirely on running it—because he knew Yang Tao wouldn't always be reliable. This company was supposed to be his safety net in case everything else failed.

And yet, after everything that had happened in his life, this was now just another crisis added to the list. One of the first real blows to hit him personally.

He let out a deep, exhausted sigh, rubbing his temples.

When had everything started falling apart so rapidly?

Had it begun with Peng's death?

Or was it from the moment Yibo entered his life?

That was when his problems with his business partner had started.

The thought made him tense, and suddenly, another realization hit him.

It had been three days since he last tried calling Mr. Yang Tao, and his calls still weren't going through. At first, he assumed the man was just in an area with no reception. But now, it was starting to bother him.

There was no way Yang Tao would go this long without answering his phone.

Shi Lei grabbed his phone again and redialed the number, but as always, the call disconnected abruptly without any response. He tried once more, but the same thing happened.

Frustrated, he searched for the contact of another prominent politician who was also part of their organization. This time, the call barely rang before it was answered.

After exchanging greetings...since they weren't strangers....Shi Lei quickly asked, "Have you been able to reach Mr. Yang Tao?"

"Of course, I just spoke to him less than thirty minutes ago. Is something wrong?"

Shi Lei's heart sank instantly. He shook his head, even though the man couldn't see him.

"No, nothing. Someone mentioned they couldn't get through to him, so I just wanted to confirm. I didn't want to call him unnecessarily without any real reason."

With that, they ended the call. Shi Lei put his phone down, his hands trembling slightly. There was no need for speculation....no need for further explanation. He knew exactly what this meant.

It wasn't the first time, nor the second, that Mr. Yang Tao had warned them in their meetings: If you made a mistake, or if they determined you were no longer useful, you wouldn't even get a chance to plead your case. They would simply disappear before they decided what punishment you deserved.

So, what did this mean? Had they cut ties with him? Why? Had he done something wrong? And worse...would they take action against him next?

Without hesitation, he jumped to his feet, grabbed his hat and phones, and stormed out. As he stepped outside, his driver, who had already spotted him, rushed over.

"We're going home," Shi Lei ordered as soon as they both got into the car.

Even as they drove, his mind raced in a hundred different directions. He couldn't shake the sense of impending doom. He knew exactly who Mr. Yang Tao was...how powerful he was in every corner of the country. He also knew what the man was capable of. There were few things Yang Tao couldn't do, and those were vastly outnumbered by the things he could.

Shi Lei needed to understand what was happening. He needed to figure out his next move...not just for himself, but for his entire family. Yet, by the time they arrived home, he still had no idea what to do or what awaited him.

As they pulled into the driveway, the security guard swung the gate open. However, instead of focusing on them, his attention was on a sleek white car with heavily tinted windows, just about to leave the premises.

Shi Lei's eyes caught a glimpse of a man sitting in the front passenger seat, focused on his phone. There was something about him....an air of authority. Shi Lei felt a cold chill run down his spine, but before he could process it, the car had already driven off.

Pushing his unease aside, he stepped inside as the white car disappeared down the street.

"Sir, welcome back… It's good to see you," the security greeted him with a deep bow.

"Thank you," Shi Lei said distractedly. "Who were those people that just left?"

The security shook his head. "I don't know, sir. Madam had a visitor. She asked me for directions to her section of the house."

Shi Lei's stomach clenched. Ever since Qian had returned from the hospital, visitors had been coming frequently to check on her.

But something about this didn't feel right. His instincts screamed at him. Without wasting another second, he headed straight for Qian's wing of the house, bypassing his own entirely.

"Dad, welcome back," Yun greeted him from the living room, remote in hand as she glanced up from the TV.

"Where's your mother?"

"She's upstairs. She just had a visitor."

The word visitor sent another wave of unease through him. Without answering, he climbed the stairs quickly, stopping in front of Qian's door. He knocked once, as was his habit, before turning the handle and stepping inside.

And in that instant, there was no veil, no hesitation—his eyes landed directly on the woman sitting beside Qian, with A-Dan also present in the room.

Both women turned to look at him at the same time.

Zhao Min!.

Zhao Min, his brother Xiao Lei's wife.

:-*:-*:-*:-*:-*

Every story in the world has a foundation, a beginning. But what was the catalyst? What event set off this tangled web of fate?

Beijing, 1999

At precisely 6:30 in the evening on a Tuesday, inside a private hospital in the heart of Beijing, a nurse rushed out of a building with a large sign that read LABOUR ROOM.

A light drizzle fell as dark storm clouds loomed over the sky, promising a heavy downpour at any moment. The nurse hurried through the rain, shielding her face, until she reached a carport facing the building. Under its cover stood Qian, wrapped in a long coat, her face partially hidden behind a mask.

"We're in luck, ma'am… The girl has gone into labor," the nurse announced breathlessly.

A small smile played on Qian's lips, a smile that still held traces of youthful innocence.

"Good. Just remember, no matter what happens, we don't want it," she said firmly.

The nurse nodded. "Understood, ma'am. She's already agreed after I explained everything to her… Will you be coming inside?"

Qian glanced at the labor room entrance. She didn't want to go in, but she feared something might go wrong. Everything had been unfolding exactly as planned since the moment her husband, Shi Lei, had revealed his intentions to her. He had convinced her with relentless persuasion and undeniable logic, though she had been reluctant at first.

Even now, she wasn't entirely sure his reasoning justified their actions. The memory still haunted her...how they had slipped a slow-acting poison into Xiao Lei's drink, one that took three days to show symptoms. The doctors later ruled his death as a case of severe food poisoning, never suspecting foul play.

Shi Lei had gone as far as selling all their bedroom furniture, combining the money with additional funds to purchase that one single dose of poison—just one, yet it had brought them to this very moment. The moment when Xiao Lei's widow, Zhao Min, was now in labor, about to give birth to the key that would determine their future. The child was the final obstacle before they could claim the vast fortune Xiao Lei had left behind.

But this… this part unsettled Qian the most. The final act. The plan to ensure that Zhao Min's child would never see the light of day. Her husband had been clear: they would eliminate the baby.

It was a step she had wrestled with over and over in her mind, unable to find peace. That was why, without her husband's knowledge, she had arranged a deal with a nurse at the hospital. The plan was simple—no matter what, the nurse would find her a newborn to switch with Zhao Min's baby.

Qian couldn't bring herself to harm an innocent child. No matter the circumstances, she knew Zhao Min loved and respected her deeply. And after Xiao Lei's death, seeing Zhao Min suffer only filled her with guilt.

The girl the nurse had found was pregnant from a secret affair—her parents didn't even know. Desperate and unwilling to raise the child, she had agreed to hand it over in exchange for financial support.

Qian felt a stir of emotion deep within her, an instinctive maternal pang. But she knew they were at a point of no return. She couldn't risk anything going wrong.

She turned to the nurse and nodded. "Let's go inside."

As they stepped out into the drizzle, the nurse remarked, "It's lucky my shift didn't change today. I was supposed to switch to mornings, and if that had happened, I don't know how we would have managed."

Qian said nothing. She wasn't sure if she should consider their circumstances luck or something far more sinister. It didn't feel like divine intervention—it felt like the devil himself was paving their way.

They walked briskly into the hospital, heading toward a private room where the pregnant girl had been kept in isolation.

The moment Qian laid eyes on her, something twisted in her chest. The girl was writhing in pain, struggling through labor. Only one nurse was attending to her, glancing between her and a chart in her hands.

Qian composed herself and reminded the girl of the financial reward she would receive once she handed over the baby. But to her surprise, the girl shook her head.

"I don't need money," she whispered. "I just… I just don't know what else to do with the baby."

Thirty minutes later, the child was born... a baby girl. The mother held her against her chest for a brief moment before surrendering her.

And then, something else happened.

The attending nurse checked the baby and quietly confirmed that it had been dead. The child had let out one weak cry and never made another sound.

Tears streamed down the mother face, her grief unbearable.

And in that moment, as Qian watched, their own twisted victory was complete.

They had planned to kill the child anyway.

Now, fate had done it for them.

They continued waiting for Zhao Min to give birth. She was still in labor, enduring the pain while Shi Lei, anxious and restless, paced outside the hospital.

At exactly 8:45 PM, under the heavy downpour that had long since engulfed the sky, Zhao Min gave birth to a baby boy. However, due to the severe exhaustion and medication she had been given, she was barely conscious. Two nurses attending to her took the newborn to clean him up while two doctors were urgently called to save her life.

One of the nurses was the one Qian had paid, while the other was unaware of the entire scheme—at least until the first nurse explained everything to her. A hefty sum of money was offered, and with little hesitation, she agreed to switch the newborn with a dead baby that had been delivered earlier that same night. The lifeless infant was then handed to Zhao Min and her relatives as if it were the child she had just given birth to.

Meanwhile, Qian wrapped the real baby in a fresh, blue-patterned shawl she had brought along and made her way toward her husband in the midst of the relentless rain.

She found him sitting in his Honda Prelude, the headlights cutting through the stormy night. Rushing inside, soaked to the bone, she barely caught her breath before he turned to her, his voice desperate.

"Tell me we succeeded, Qian, please..."

His hands trembled, and before he could say anything more, she pulled back her jacket, revealing the swaddled baby, and handed him over.

He didn't take him immediately. Instead, he stared at her, his eyes wide with fear and disbelief, illuminated by the occasional lightning flashes outside.

"What is this, Qian? What have you done?" His voice shook. "Are you telling me you stole the baby instead of ending it? My God... why would you change our plan?"

She shook her head firmly.

"Don't worry, I haven't changed anything. There's no problem. We swapped the baby Zhao Min gave birth to with a stillborn from the hospital. This is Xiao Lei's son, my dear. I couldn't let anything happen to him—not even an innocent newborn should suffer for our plans. Zhao Min has no idea what she gave birth to, so once the stillborn is placed in her arms, everything will go as expected."

He kept staring at her, a storm of emotions crossing his face. Finally, he reached out and took the baby, as though realizing there was no turning back now.

Pulling out a small flashlight from the dashboard, he shone it onto the baby's tiny face. Something inside him tightened—a feeling he couldn't quite name. He looked back up at her.

"What do we do with him now?"

She exhaled deeply.

"We can't keep him. But please, my dear, take him somewhere...somewhere he has a chance to live."

And those words became the reason Zhan ended up in He Jun's household.

After carefully considering his options, Shi Lei recalled He Jun, a kind-hearted old businessman he had dealings with years ago. Their business relationship had once brought Shi Lei to He Jun's home when the man had fallen ill.

They had not kept in touch after their business concluded, but based on what Shi Lei had observed of He Jun's character, he believed there was little chance the old man would abandon an infant left in his care.

Shi Lei gave Qian a simple order—get out of the car. The moment she did, he started the engine and drove off, leaving the hospital behind. He arrived in a quiet neighborhood at exactly 9:30 PM.

Just as he pulled in, a flash of lightning illuminated the storm clouds roaring across the sky, followed by an intensifying downpour. Seconds later, a deafening clap of thunder rumbled through the night, shaking the earth beneath him. It was the kind of storm that made one feel the weight of something greater, something beyond human control.

But in that moment, Shi Lei was not thinking about fate or divine power. He was a man focused solely on his task.

His sharp gaze swept across the deserted street, ensuring no one was watching. Satisfied, he turned toward the backseat, where the infant lay wrapped in a soft, yellow-and-blue-patterned shawl, still fast asleep.

Shi Lei had stopped multiple times along the way, checking to see if the child was still breathing. A creeping fear gnawed at him—what if Qian had been wrong? What if the baby hadn't survived? It was hard to believe that a newborn, barely two hours old, could remain so silent. No cries. No movements. No desperate search for warmth or food after being ripped from his mother's embrace.

With both hands, Shi Lei gently lifted the baby. Even now, Zhan remained in deep sleep, utterly unaware of the cruel twist his life had just taken. He had no idea that this night would mark the beginning of a fate neither he nor Shi Lei could yet comprehend.

Another flash of lightning streaked across the sky, and for a brief moment, Zhan's reflection in the car window was replaced by someone else's face—his brother's.

Not the baby. Not just any infant.

For a split second, it was as if he were staring at the ghost of the very man he had once buried, whose lifeless body he had watched being dressed for his final rest.

But the vision vanished as quickly as it had come. And it changed nothing.

Shi Lei's heart had already hardened. There was no turning back now. He adjusted the shawl, further concealing the child's face, then tucked him inside his coat. His mind clear, his resolve unshaken, he opened the car door. The rain hit him instantly, drumming against his skin as he stepped out into the storm. Without hesitation, he made his way toward the first alleyway his eyes landed on.

He had no idea how many houses he passed. He only stopped when he reached the one that felt right... He Jun's home.

By the time he stood at the entrance, his clothes were completely soaked, as was the shawl wrapped around the baby.

The house had a long, shadowy front yard... perfect for what he needed. He slipped inside unnoticed, quickly scanning the area. In one corner, three large stones surrounded what looked like an old outdoor stove, partially sheltered from the rain. It was the best place he could find.

As he crouched down to place the baby between the stones, his hands trembled slightly. The infant shifted for the first time, squirming from the cold. But Shi Lei didn't hesitate.

With a final tug, he tightened the shawl around the child, ensuring he was fully covered.

And then, without a second glance, Shi Lei turned and disappeared into the night, his heart pounding with satisfaction.

His plan had been set in motion.

:-*:-*:-*:-*:-*

Present!

Mama continued sobbing uncontrollably, just as she had been ever since she received the devastating news about Min...from Hao.

They were all gathered in her room. Some of her children sat in silence, while others stood, their faces etched with worry and helplessness.

Ning placed a gentle hand on Mama's back as she rocked herself, grief consuming her.

"Mama, please," Ning pleaded. "Crying won't change anything. We need to focus on finding a solution."

Mama shook her head. "What solution, Ning? You heard what they said...Thousands Yuan, including travel expenses. Where are we supposed to find that kind of money? Min has ruined me… and herself."

Kai, who had been leaning against the window, turned to her.

"Mama, you brought this on yourself. You let that girl keep handing you money, and you closed your eyes to everything she was doing. We all sat right here, in this very courtyard, trying to warn her, but you dismissed us. You even shut us down before we could say a word. Well, now look at what's happened. How much did she even give you in total? And now, she's dragged us all into this mess."

"Kai, enough!" Hao snapped. "There's no point in playing the blame game now. We need to focus on bringing her back. Those people she's with—she says she doesn't even know them well. Anything could happen to her. They could take advantage of her at any moment. We need to find a way to get her out of there."

"Take advantage of her?" Kai let out a dry laugh. "You're worried about that now? She followed a strange man all the way to India. And you're only now concerned that she might be in danger? You better pray she hasn't just continued her… profession over there."

"KAI!"

Mama's sharp voice cut through the room. "No matter what, Min is still your sister. You shouldn't speak about her like that."

Kai simply shrugged, shifting his stance. "If you say so."

Wen, who had been standing near Hao, turned to him. "Since she already told us who sent her there, I think we should focus on tracking that woman down and involving the authorities. It's our best chance to get at least part of the money back."

Hao shook his head. "How many times do I have to explain? I've already been to that neighborhood twice. The woman's house burned down completely, and no one knows where she is now. They said she was taken to the hospital, but within a day, someone came and moved her. We have no idea where she is anymore."

Kai exhaled sharply. "This all started the moment Zhan went missing. I never trusted that woman, but all of you just accepted things as they were. If it were up to me, I would have done whatever it took to make her tell the truth. But now, we've lost our chance."

No one responded to him immediately. After a few seconds, Hao let out a deep sigh and straightened his posture.

"So, where do we start?" he asked just as Ma Jing pushed aside the curtain and stepped into the room.

The men and woman, who were seated in a corner, acknowledged her arrival, while Mama wiped away her tears.

Ma Jing glanced at Mama and greeted her. "Good afternoon. How are you holding up after everything that happened?"

Mama's face briefly showed surprise at the unexpected kindness. She had assumed Ma Jing had only come to gloat or throw veiled insults, as their interactions often turned into bitter exchanges. After all, Hao had rushed in earlier in a panic, blurting out the news.

Still, she forced herself to respond politely.

Ma Jing then turned to Hao, handing him a black plastic bag.

"Hao, this is my contribution toward the money you need. Some thousands... it's not much, but it's something."

Her words left everyone in the room stunned, the exert expressions mirroring the disbelief on Zhao Min's face as she sat in the back of Shi Lei's car, which had just pulled up in front of the late He Jun's house.

▫️🔹🔸

The man shoved Wu Jing's head down into the large tub of water in front of her. She thrashed desperately against his grip, struggling for air, but he held her down firmly.

When he finally yanked her up, she gasped, sucking in a deep breath—only to choke as water flooded her nose. The sharp sting filled her sinuses, triggering a fit of relentless coughing.

"Are you going to talk, or not?"

Wu Jing shook her head, sobbing. "I swear, I swear I'm telling the truth! I didn't do anything to him! Some men barged into the room—I don't know where they came from!"

Despite everything she had endured, Wu Jing knew one thing for certain—she loved Yibo more than she could even comprehend. And she knew that if she so much as uttered his name, these people would hunt him down, wherever he was. And then… who knew what would happen?

So she made her choice—no matter how much they tortured her, she would endure it. Eventually, they would grow tired and let her go.

The man shoved her head back into the water, holding her down even longer this time. When he finally pulled her up, she gasped for air, her body trembling from exhaustion. Leaning close to her ear, he whispered,

"You know something. And we know you know. So you'd better start talking if you want to live."

Wu Jing shook her head, tears streaming down her face. But before she could say anything, the door burst open.

Another man, similar in stature to her tormentor, rushed in, his face pale with shock.

"Sir, we just got a call from the hospital. He's dead! Ping is dead…?!"

His voice trembled as if he himself couldn't believe what he had just said.

Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛