Xie Qian was right.
Though Zhao Dong had bad luck, when it came to character, he was indeed decisive.
After taking a beating from Jiang Youjia, Zhao Dong despised him but knew the priority wasn’t Jiang Youjia. He needed to figure out what Song Foxiang had done. He couldn’t just take Jiang Youjia’s word for it. So, Zhao Dong left and immediately sought out Song Foxiang for confirmation. Song Foxiang was straightforward and admitted it as soon as Zhao Dong asked.
“A refined lady, a gentleman’s pursuit, right? I didn’t know Xiao Zou was married. No one told me at first.”
Pursuit, my arse!
At that moment, only Rongcheng’s local curses could express Zhao Dong’s feelings. It was the closest he, raised abroad, ever felt to his hometown.
“…Mr. Zhao?”
The silence on the phone made Song Foxiang uneasy. He wanted to ask about Zou Weijun’s family, figuring Zhao Dong knew something. But before he could continue, Zhao Dong cut him off with a cold laugh.
“You’ll find out.”
With that, Zhao Dong hung up, blacklisting Song Foxiang to block further calls.
Steadying his emotions, Zhao Dong called Xie Jinghu, recounting everything honestly. At a time like this, he wouldn’t hide anything, spilling all he knew.
“Mr. Xie, it’s my fault for being careless.”
On the other end, Xie Jinghu’s breathing grew heavy. Zhao Dong figured he was furious.
And he had every right to be.
Zhao Dong thought that, despite Xie Jinghu being smitten with his foreign mistress, he likely still had some feelings for his wife, Zou Weijun, after years of marriage.
Even if there was no love, a “wife” meant something different to a man. As the old saying goes, the grudge of a stolen wife rivals the vengeance of a murdered father. The title of “wife” wasn’t just about love, it was about a man’s dignity!
A man could indulge himself, keeping the home flag steady while waving colourful flags outside. Whether those flags belonged to someone else’s wife didn’t matter, digging another’s foundation might even feel triumphant… but his own foundation must never be touched!
In his mind, Zhao Dong cursed Song Foxiang a hundred times over.
Waiting for Xie Jinghu’s instructions, he suddenly heard a loud crash, followed by a busy tone.
Xie Jinghu had smashed the phone in anger.
Zhao Dong gave a bitter smile.
He knew it would come to this!
Song Foxiang had ruined him!
…
Beijing.
Xie Jinghu was at a business dinner, enjoying a lively conversation with partners, when Zhao Dong’s call came. He stepped into the corridor to take it.
After Zhao Dong finished, Xie Jinghu smashed his phone.
The phone shattered completely. Xie Jinghu stomped on it twice, as if crushing the face of the man chasing Zou Weijun.
A petty editor, what did he have to compete with him?
What gave him the nerve to pursue Zou Weijun?
Claiming he didn’t know she was married… how could he not know?
Was Zou Weijun presenting herself as single in Rongcheng?
Xie Jinghu’s face was livid, his interest in business gone. He excused himself from his partners and ended the evening early.
As he left, a waiter quickly cleaned up the debris, handing the phone’s remains to Xie Jinghu’s assistant.
The phone was trivial, but it held Xie Jinghu’s SIM card. Such a personal item couldn’t fall into the wrong hands.
The assistant, clutching the broken phone, hurried to catch up.
The last time he saw Xie Jinghu this angry was when Young Master Xie took two billion without permission to buy land.
What had set Xie Jinghu off this time?
Was it Young Master Xie again?
As the assistant speculated, Xie Jinghu’s other phone rang.
Xie Jinghu had two phones: one private, one for business.
He’d smashed the private one, leaving the business phone in the assistant’s hand.
It wasn’t Zhao Dong calling, but Jiang Youjia.
Different person, same issue as Zhao Dong.
“Uncle, I tried calling earlier but couldn’t get through. I’m not disturbing you, am I…?”
“It’s Youjia, no problem. What’s up?”
Jiang Youjia and Xie Jinghu weren’t close.
Lin Lin was closer to Xie Jinghu.
Years ago, before Xie Jinghu’s affair was exposed, he was generous to Zou Weijun’s family. For younger relatives like Lin Lin, he spared no expense to show affection.
When Lin Lin graduated university, Xie Jinghu offered to arrange a job, but she preferred teaching and declined.
When Lin Lin and Jiang Youjia married, Zou Weijun already knew about Xie Jinghu’s affair but covered for him with her family. Xie Jinghu, feeling guilty, was even more accommodating to Zou Weijun. For a junior’s wedding, he attended in person.
At the wedding, Xie Jinghu gave Jiang Youjia and Lin Lin a lavish gift and arranged a luxury European honeymoon.
That’s when the Jiang family learned their new daughter-in-law wasn’t just from a scholarly family but had heavyweight relatives like the Xie family.
When Xie Qian transferred to Rongcheng, bringing Zou Weijun for treatment, Lin Lin knew the details, but the Jiang family didn’t have the full picture.
Some marital tension was normal.
The Xie family still valued Zou Weijun highly. Xie Yuping personally called Jiang Xuekun, asking him to look after the mother and son.
Xie Jinghu hadn’t contacted the Jiang family. After smashing his phone, he’d planned to verify the situation.
He was going to call Xie Qian, but Jiang Youjia’s call came at the perfect time!
Before Xie Jinghu could ask, Jiang Youjia indignantly recounted Song Foxiang’s actions, ending with guilt, “Uncle, it’s my fault for befriending a scoundrel like Zhao Dong. I only later heard about the Zhao family’s history abroad… I never thought Zhao Dong would target Aunt.”
Jiang Youjia detailed Song Foxiang’s playboy reputation.
Xie Jinghu’s blood boiled, rushing to his head.
Rationally, he knew Zhao Dong wouldn’t dare have such intentions, as it offered him no gain.
But how rational could a man be when nearly cuckolded?
Xie Jinghu found Jiang Youjia’s words somewhat convincing.
With so many people in Rongcheng, why did Zhao Dong choose Song Foxiang to discuss publishing with Zou Weijun?
For a moment, Xie Jinghu grew suspicious of Zhao Dong.
Regardless of Zhao Dong’s reasons, meddling in his family affairs was unacceptable!
“I understand. I’ll come to Rongcheng tomorrow to handle this myself. Thank you, Youjia.”
Coming to Rongcheng himself?
Jiang Youjia was startled.
He recalled his wife, Lin Lin, saying that during Zou Weijun’s treatment, Xie Jinghu wasn’t supposed to visit Rongcheng to avoid upsetting her. Now… no, he had to call Xie Qian quickly and ask what to do.
Xie Jinghu’s assistant shared the same concern. After Xie Jinghu hung up, the assistant cautiously reminded him:
“Mr. Xie, about going to Rongcheng, shouldn’t you, uh, discuss it with Mr. Xie Senior first?”
Mr. Xie must be so angry he forgot Mr. Xie Senior’s orders.
Xie Jinghu’s face stiffened.
