“The Zhang family has always had a good reputation in the capital.”
Zou Weijun murmured, then fell into a long silence.
The Zhang family had a solid reputation in the capital, and Zhang Zhijin’s was even better. Yet it had not collapsed completely just like that.
“I will mention it to your uncle. Let him help me investigate the situation with Aunt Lu’s maternal family. When Aunt Lu’s parents passed away, why her older brother became disabled, what exactly the conflict was between the siblings… I want to know all these things.”
Xie Qian was not trying to cause trouble for Xie Yuping. He knew Xie Yuping had been having people investigate the hidden truth behind the car accident, but unfortunately, the truck driver remained unconscious. Xie Qian felt nothing more would come out of it in the short term.
Precisely because of this, Xie Yuping harboured a constant fire in his heart.
Knowing something was off with Zhang Zhijin was one thing. To make him face proper punishment required evidence.
Xie Qian wanted to look into Aunt Lu’s maternal family to help divert some of his uncle Xie Yuping’s attention, or perhaps, if something could really be uncovered from the Lu side, that would be even better!
“I will bring it up with your uncle.”
Zou Weijun took over the matter. She did not want to idle while accompanying Xie Qian’s treatment abroad.
The next day, someone came to the hospital to visit Xie Qian.
“They said their surname is Qi.”
“Zhuo Chen used to have the surname Qi.”
Xie Qian asked Zou Weijun to step out. He wanted to meet today’s visitor alone.
The old overseas Chinese merchant Sara Zhuo had married before was surnamed Qi. The person coming to see Xie Qian at the hospital was from the Qi family.
After the old merchant’s death, his children sued Sara Zhuo, their former stepmother. Starting from proving no biological relationship between Zhuo Chen and the old merchant, they ultimately protected the Qi family assets.
The Qi family won the lawsuit but lost face. Outsiders knew the deceased old merchant had been cuckolded, raising someone else’s son. The Qi family felt humiliated, hated Sara Zhuo, their former stepmother, and greatly despised Zhuo Chen, the bastard who shamed their father.
Actually, at first, the Qi family did not want to be so ruthless.
Zhuo Chen had indeed received a considerable inheritance. That was unavoidable. The old merchant doted on his youngest son and wanted to leave more for security. It was human nature.
It was Sara Zhuo who acted too hastily.
The old man-young wife pairing already drew attention. While the old merchant lived, Sara Zhuo behaved properly. Once he died, she sought a new provider in the circle.
Others kindly comforted the widow, but she used it to try hooking a new meal ticket.
Some unscrupulous men were eager to take advantage. Decent ones disapproved of her frivolous behaviour and privately alerted the Qi family.
The old merchant’s children were furious. Only then did they think to do a paternity test for Zhuo Chen. Facts proved their suspicions correct. Zhuo Chen was not Qi blood.
Although Sara Zhuo lost the lawsuit, mainly Zhuo Chen lost inheritance rights—that was the bulk—she still received some as the widow. Compared to the Qi family, it was far less, but compared to ordinary people, it was plenty. If she settled down, it would suffice.
Unfortunately, how could a woman like Sara Zhuo live quietly?
The Qi family did not want future annoyance from her. Hating her frivolity, after the inheritance suit, they united to expel Sara Zhuo from their circle.
For years, the Qi family had no direct contact with Sara Zhuo, but heard about her through others.
They heard she returned to China with her son, lived a few years, then had a daughter of unknown paternity, finding a new provider.
But the later man was not as good as the old merchant and never gave her status.
What did that have to do with the Qi family?
They had shaken her off. Whom she harmed next was none of their concern. The Qi family had distanced themselves. Unexpectedly, after years, someone approached them asking about past events.
The Qi family initially ignored it but had to give face to the intermediary and visited per the address.
The visitor was the old merchant’s youngest daughter, now nearly forty and unmarried. Outsiders still called her Miss Qi.
Clearly, Xie Qian needed them, yet made them come to him. Miss Qi was unhappy inside.
Arriving at the ward and seeing Xie Qian half-reclining in bed, her displeasure turned to sympathy.
It was not Xie Qian being arrogant. He truly could not come to them.
Of course, Xie Qian’s outstanding appearance also softened Miss Qi’s dissatisfaction. Most people are more tolerant of the good-looking. Miss Qi was no exception.
After Xie Qian apologised and introduced himself, Miss Qi’s sympathy overflowed.
The Qi family knew Sara Zhuo’s character all too well!
They had escaped her. Xie Qian could not, because Zhuo Chen was his half-brother by father—truly the most disgusting blood tie in the world.
“Your injury…”
Miss Qi genuinely felt sorry. So young and exceptional—what if he ended disabled?
“My injury is not urgent. It will heal slowly. Contacting your family was truly a last resort. My family has been torn apart by the woman surnamed Zhuo. She also ruined decades of friendship between my family and another. I truly cannot understand what she gains. If only for money, clinging to my father would suffice… I am baffled, so I come to consult you and your family, hoping for clues from your side.”
Xie Qian rarely lowered his head, but he was well-mannered.
Seeking help, he kept his posture very low.
He had long lost father-son affection for the scumbag Xie Jinghu, but Miss Qi did not know. She thought Xie Qian must have suffered a huge blow.
Miss Qi recalled over twenty years ago. She was eighteen, about Xie Qian’s age now. Her father suddenly received a call from China and rushed there.
Returning, he brought back a stepmother only a few years older than Miss Qi.
The old merchant had been widowed years. His children did not oppose him finding companionship. But the woman from China was far too young.
His eldest son was over thirty then. Sara Zhuo was just over twenty!
The sons kept quiet. Miss Qi, being youngest, made a big fuss.
Usually doting on his little daughter, only that time did the old merchant scold her harshly, saying remarriage was his freedom. Children could not interfere.
Eighteen-year-old Miss Qi cried heartbrokenly, eventually softening her father’s heart.
The old merchant said the Zhuo family had done the Qi family a favour. With the Zhuo family in trouble, he could not stand by.
He said leaving Sara Zhuo in China, so young and beautiful, everyone would try to take advantage.
The Zhuo family’s enemies would not spare her.
He could only bring her abroad as his wife.
The old merchant had been gone over a decade. Recalling it brought Miss Qi little grief, more sighs. “My father was always good to her and taught us to respect her, saying she was pitiful yet admirable.”
Pitiful?
Perhaps.
But “admirable”? Miss Qi saw none. Thinking of Sara Zhuo’s entitled face demanding inheritance in court still angered her. “My father treated her so well, yet she cuckolded him. That woman is truly disgusting!”
Miss Qi cursed Sara Zhuo again.
Xie Qian listened patiently before asking, “The old Mr Qi said the Zhuo family’s enemies could not tolerate her. Do you know who he meant by ‘Zhuo family enemies’?”
Miss Qi hesitated, pausing long. Perhaps pitying Xie Qian, or wanting Sara Zhuo truly punished, she quietly named someone.
“The person is long dead, so I dare say it.”
Miss Qi murmured, “My father is gone. The great enemy in that woman’s mouth is dead too. These messy affairs have nothing to do with our Qi family. In future, do not trouble us again.”
Xie Qian nodded solemnly. “I have already bothered you. How dare I disturb you or your family again.”
Miss Qi sighed in relief, exchanged pleasantries, and prepared to leave with her bag. For some reason, at the door, she stopped, turned, and reminded Xie Qian, “My father always said that woman was pitiful and admirable. I saw no good qualities in her. That year after the suit, she lost in court. Zhuo Chen was just a few years old, crying and insisting he was Qi family. Though we loathed that woman, we truly loved Zhuo Chen. I went to comfort him. That woman slapped Zhuo Chen twice in front of everyone, saying she never cared for the ‘Qi’ surname anyway. She changed it back to ‘Zhuo’ on the spot and said whoever wronged the Zhuo family, she would remember even as a ghost and seek revenge sooner or later.”
That was Miss Qi’s first glimpse of Sara Zhuo’s ferocity.
A beautiful woman with a ferocious expression was terrifying.
Miss Qi could not forget it even in dreams. Later, when Sara Zhuo tried finding providers in the Qi family’s familiar circle, Miss Qi sabotaged every attempt—not just hating her for shaming father, but fearing.
Miss Qi feared Sara Zhuo rising and targeting the Qi family for revenge.
