Zhang Zhijun?!
Why on earth does the DNA test involve that brother-and-sister pair and Zhang Zhijun?
After a brief mental freeze, Xie Yuping rapidly ran through everything he knew about Zhang Zhijun.
He and Zhang Zhijun’s elder brother had been classmates since childhood. As kids, Xie Yuping often visited the Zhang home, but because of the age gap he was never particularly close to Zhijun himself.
Instead, Zhang Zhijun and Xie Jinghu were the same age. The two had grown up together, remained best friends into adulthood, and were genuine childhood mates.
Later, when Xie Jinghu went south to do business, Zhang Zhijun also started his own ventures.
Xie Jinghu had caught the wave of the times; in recent years his business had grown bigger and bigger. Zhang Zhijun’s enterprises, from what Xie Yuping had heard, were also doing rather well.
Having witnessed countless rises and falls, Xie Yuping knew that even close friends, even in-laws, could betray one another when money was involved. Yet over all these years, Zhang Zhijun had stayed loyal to Xie Jinghu and never forgot the Xie family. Xie Yuping could not help but admire the man’s sincerity in friendship.
When Xie Jinghu’s affair was exposed, Zhang Zhijun was the very first to publicly distance himself and condemn Jinghu for failing his family.
When Zou Weijun’s father died and Xie Jinghu was abroad negotiating a major project, unable to return for a day or two even on the fastest flight, it was Zhang Zhijun who, as Jinghu’s best friend, ran around handling everything at the Zou household.
Every year without fail, Zhang Zhijun sent gifts to the Xie family. They were never expensive, just small everyday items, worth next to nothing.
Compared to their monetary value, his thoughtfulness mattered far more.
Xie Yuping clearly remembered an incident a few years earlier. The old lady at home had forgotten to take her medicine before going out for a walk in the park. Her blood pressure suddenly spiked.
The nanny, Xiao Tian, panicked. She called 120 immediately and also asked passers-by for help.
Who among the onlookers dared take responsibility?
At the critical moment, Zhang Zhijun stepped forward.
Old Mr Zhang also liked strolling in that park. Being a dutiful son, Zhijun accompanied his father whenever he was in the country.
That day, Zhijun happened to be there. Without a second word, he hoisted the old lady onto his back and sprinted to the nearest hospital.
Xiao Tian later said that even carrying the old lady, Zhijun ran faster than she could have managed empty-handed.
Thanks to the timely treatment, the old lady suffered no lasting effects. Zhijun, however, tore his Achilles tendon and limped for days. It was nearly serious enough to require surgery.
After that incident, the entire Xie family felt deeply grateful to Zhang Zhijun, Xie Yuping included.
A person’s goodwill accumulates through countless small acts.
Before that day, Xie Yuping and Zhang Zhijun had not been close. Afterwards, they gradually grew familiar. Whenever Zhijun dropped by with gifts and Xie Yuping was home, he would invite him to stay for a chat, even initiate conversation himself.
Therefore, if Xie Qian suspected those illegitimate children belonged to Zhang Zhijun, he would never breathe a word to the family until he had ironclad proof.
It made perfect sense.
Xie Yuping quickly realised: back in their youth, Zhang Zhijun had hung around with that good-for-nothing third brother every day, so naturally he knew that woman surnamed Zhuo extremely well.
If the woman could have children with the third brother, adding Zhang Zhijun to the equation did not seem far-fetched at all.
Given the Zhuo family’s circumstances at the time and how popular that woman was in their circle, for her to favour the rather unremarkable Zhang Zhijun would have left him overwhelmed with flattery.
If Zhang Zhijun and the woman had been involved long ago, what role had he played when third brother rekindled his old flame with her?
At the very least, Zhang Zhijun had known about the third brother’s affair for ages.
In the space of a few seconds, Xie Yuping not only reviewed everything about Zhang Zhijun but let his thoughts spiral further.
Zhang Zhijun even held shares in Jinhu, albeit a small percentage, yet he was still a shareholder.
What exactly was the man planning?
If there was a conspiracy, was it aimed at that useless third brother or at the entire Xie family?
“Uncle Xie?”
Wen Ying’s voice on the phone snapped Xie Yuping out of his thoughts. His tone rose slightly. “Xiao Wen, you did absolutely the right thing. Qian left the country in such a rush he didn’t even tell me about something this important. You are a clever and decisive child. Qian is truly fortunate to have a friend like you.”
Xie Yuping genuinely wanted to talk longer with Wen Ying, but there were too many matters requiring his attention. When she asked whether there was anything she could help with, he answered sincerely, “There is so much you can help with, but first take care of yourself. When I need you, I’ll have Secretary Zhong contact you.”
“Understood, Uncle Xie.”
Wen Ying hung up neatly.
Even Xie Yuping admired the girl’s composure.
She must be desperate to know how Xie Qian was doing. The excuse of “sudden business abroad” was paper-thin.
Yet Wen Ying had not asked a single question, stayed perfectly calm, and still managed to deliver the most crucial information to the Xie family.
Xie Yuping stood lost in thought for a moment, then asked Zhong Yong to fetch Zou Weijun.
Zou Weijun arrived quickly.
She looked even more haggard than Jiang Youjia.
She had barely slept these past two days.
Xie Yuping completely understood how she felt. No mother could rest while her child’s life hung in the balance.
Seeing Zou Weijun’s exhaustion, and knowing that in her eyes he himself must look equally worn, Zou Weijun hesitated before saying, “Big Brother, why not return to Beijing? I can watch over things here.”
Xie Yuping refused outright refused. “Big Sister-in-law is watching over Beijing alone. She can’t manage everything by herself. Second Sister-in-law and the others can help her. Mother’s condition is far less urgent than the situation here.”
The old lady already suffered from high blood pressure.
When Zou Weijun received the news, she had been in the same room as the old lady. The moment she heard something had happened to Xie Qian, the old lady staggered and collapsed backwards.
On one side was the most outstanding junior of the Xie family, on the other the last remaining elder of the previous generation. Both were vital.
The instant Xie Qian’s accident occurred, Xie Yuping had sealed all information.
Within the Xie family, only he and Zou Weijun were currently in Shanghai.
Xie Yuping had used a business trip as cover; Zou Weijun had come under the pretext of family matters on her side. The only other person who knew was the old lady herself, but she was still unable to speak.
Outside the family, only Jiang Youjia knew.
Xie Yuping had already warned Jiang Youjia to keep silent.
At that point he had not yet realised Zhang Zhijun was involved. He had simply wanted to prevent the woman surnamed Zhuo from using the illegitimate children to cause trouble in Shanghai.
Why had the small lorry travelling in the opposite direction suddenly lost control?
Investigate!
According to Zhong Yong’s preliminary findings, the lorry driver had been fatigued, possibly dozed off at the intersection, and collided before he could react.
“When people panic, they sometimes mistake the accelerator for the brake…”
The deeper investigation was still ongoing.
In a fatal accident with one death and two injuries, the responsible driver remained unconscious.
Now, Xie Yuping believed the investigation should continue, digging into the driver’s relationships and bank accounts. This crash might not have been an accident at all.
Faced with Zou Weijun, Xie Yuping chose honesty over concealment.
Wen Ying believed in sharing information; there was no reason he should withhold it.
He summarised the situation in a few sentences. Zou Weijun nearly collapsed on the spot, just like the old lady.
This poor woman had endured her husband’s betrayal and told herself she must stay strong for her son, but hearing the crash might have been deliberate nearly snapped her last thread of sanity.
“Big Brother, I want a divorce. I cannot keep living in constant fear. I want a divorce right now. I must get a divorce!”
If money could buy Xie Qian’s safety, Zou Weijun would hand over every penny.
If money was the root cause of the harm to her son, she wanted to get as far away from it as possible.
Xie Yuping went along with her words. “Divorce, yes, of course we will divorce! But before you and that third idiot finalise it, there is one thing I still need to confirm.”
He rang Xie Jinghu and ordered him to come to Shanghai immediately.
“Big Brother, I’m still at the hospital with Mum. I can’t leave!”
Xie Jinghu was about to complain about Zou Weijun again when Xie Yuping cut him off coldly, “You have to come at once. Something has happened to Qian.”
“What happened to him?”
Xie Jinghu’s shock was undisguised. Xie Yuping could not be bothered to work out whether it was genuine or an act. He simply told him to get to Shanghai without explaining further.
Only after confirming Xie Jinghu was already on the plane did Xie Yuping instruct Zhong Yong.
“No matter what method you use, bring that Zhuo woman and her brother-and-sister pair to the hospital. You may meet resistance, but make this perfectly clear: this is their one and only chance to be acknowledged by the Xie family. If they do not come, forget ever being recognised. Not only will they never touch a single penny of what third brother currently owns, I will make them cough up every cent they have already taken!”
Zou Weijun felt a flicker of panic.
She was not afraid of the woman surnamed Zhuo, nor of those illegitimate children.
But she was terrified of them coming anywhere near Xie Qian.
Especially now.
“Big Brother—”
Xie Yuping calmed her. “Don’t worry. Even if I picked up a stray dog off the street and raised it as my nephew, I would never acknowledge third brother’s bastards born outside. It’s just that Qian didn’t finish what he started. As his uncle, I have a duty to finish it for him.”
