He Zhen’s childhood friend was already over eighteen when he stabbed the woman, making him a legal adult. Adults must take responsibility for their actions, and the female secretary’s insistence on sending He Zhen’s friend to prison was legally sound.
The problem lay with that “uncle”.
He paid no heed to his original wife, nor even to the son she bore him. Had the “uncle” been willing to intervene and restrain his mistress, the female secretary would have chosen to settle the matter privately, without being so aggressive.
But emotionally, the “uncle” had already sided with the female secretary.
Or perhaps it was for his own face.
The incident occurred during the Spring Festival, with the entire family gathered in the ancestral home. The “uncle” was the wealthiest in the family, and from the other side’s perspective, it might seem normal for such a impressive man to have two wives.
The first wife at home had accepted the status quo, yet the son had stabbed the mistress in front of all the relatives and friends. This made him appear incompetent at managing his household.
As a father, he felt his authority challenged, and with the female secretary having borne him a son too, He Zhen’s childhood friend was no longer as valuable.
The father had already biased his heart, the mother had no backbone and dared not divorce, even going so far as to apologise to the female secretary!
In the end, the matter escalated to the point where respected elders from the ancestral home had to step in for justice, urging the friend’s father not to go too far. The friend avoided prison, but could not go abroad for studies either. In the end, the one who went abroad was the child born to the mistress!
The female secretary had been arrogant before, now she was even more so.
He Zhen still remembered how vibrant and spirited his friend used to be. Now, the whole person seemed deflated in spirit and vitality. Though only in his early twenties, he already carried the weariness of middle age, along with an indescribable gloom, and he no longer liked associating with friends.
He Zhen could understand his friend avoiding friends, for with the female secretary gaining power, her illegitimate son not only went abroad for studies but also positioned himself as the family heir, stepping in to take over He Zhen’s friend’s former social circle.
Some friends, weighing the pros and cons, actually maintained ties with the illegitimate son. He Zhen completely ignored the illegitimate son and often urged his friend to pull himself together. Looking back now, it seemed to have little effect, as his friend remained mired in decline!
Suffering such a heavy blow, it was not surprising for him to be dejected.
His friend had acted impulsively first, so it was not surprising others seized the chance to suppress him.
But the true culprits were still that “uncle”, the shameless female secretary, the arrogant illegitimate son, and even his friend’s mother, who only knew how to weep and wail!
This past event had a profound impact on He Zhen, making him deeply averse from the bottom of his heart to all immoral male-female relationships, and disdainful of illegitimate children born from such unions for gain.
He Zhen was unwilling to associate with the “uncle’s” illegitimate son, and Dai Chenglan had nagged him a few times, suggesting he at least maintain a facade, given the current situation where the family business might truly fall to the illegitimate son.
Yet He Zhinian fully supported He Zhen’s approach.
He Zhinian could not control whether friends cheated or not. In the business world, friendships were laced with interests, and imposing one’s moral standards on friends could easily lead to losing them all.
Most of the time, He Zhinian turned a blind eye, discussing only business and nothing else.
Only with this friend could He Zhinian not stomach it.
To treat his original wife and son so, how could one expect him to show any sincerity towards friends?
Doing business with such a person was fine when money was to be made, but once interests clashed, he would surely be stabbed in the back!
He Zhinian not only supported his son He Zhen in ignoring the other’s illegitimate son, he himself gradually adjusted, deliberately reducing opportunities for collaboration with the other party. Once the interests were completely severed, they naturally drifted apart.
It is said that parents are a child’s best teachers, and this was especially evident in the He family. He Zhinian led by example, so He Zhen naturally took his father as his moral benchmark in conduct.
Even after becoming successful, He Zhinian remained a good man responsible to his family and children. The deeper He Zhen’s feelings grew for his girlfriend Rebecca, the more responsibility he felt to plan for their future.
With such an upbringing, when He Zhen guessed the reason for Zhao Dong’s collaboration with the He family, he truly could not accept it!
Xie Jinghu’s act of using the He family and Zhao Dong to funnel shares to his illegitimate son, what difference did it have from what that “uncle” did?
If the He family could cut ties with that “uncle”, then they should not serve as a shield for Xie Jinghu to transfer marital assets!
Of course, He Zhen was not one to turn his spear on his parents based on a few words from Zhao Qian. On the surface, Jin Hu’s investment in the He family business was fine, medicine being an industry worthy of investment by large groups.
Perhaps the He family had merely accepted such a reasonable investment, unconcerned with the underhand dealings behind it.
Before He Zhen could convince himself, friends in Shu Province helped him inquire about Zhao Dong’s situation.
The fiasco at Song Fo Township’s investment banquet had been suppressed, not making the news or papers, but with so many guests at the banquet, none blind or deaf, they would not gossip idly, yet they could share when asked.
Zhao Dong was laughable, packaged as a returned overseas merchant from a scholarly family, yet the “family” was not wrong, only it was not scholarly but a family of soft rice eaters!
He Zhen’s friend found it amusing and shared the gossip he heard with He Zhen. At that moment, He Zhen’s mind buzzed.
If he could casually learn such information, surely his parents, with a bit of effort, would know?
A person like Zhao Dong should never become a business partner of the He family!
Why lower standards to collaborate with Zhao Dong?
He Zhen could think of only one reason: the investment from Jin Hu Group to the He family came with additional conditions. The He family accepted those conditions, tacitly allowing Xie Jinghu to use them as a shield, or even actively assisting Xie Jinghu in transferring assets.
This was a guess that put He Zhen in a very awkward position.
He hoped he was wrong.
At the Shanghai book signing, because He Zhen had helped Wen Ying, Zou Weijun proactively gave He Zhen her contact information.
With Zou Weijun’s contact, obtaining Xie Qian’s was not difficult.
As for why he chose to verify his guess with Xie Qian, He Zhen associated him with his own childhood friend.
Xie Qian’s current situation bore some similarity to his friend’s.
He Zhen suppressed his inner turmoil and hesitation, speaking only to the matter at hand, hoping Xie Qian could help with this favour.
“I know my approach is presumptuous, perhaps I am overthinking.”
Xie Qian interrupted He Zhen: “I do not know the point of you seeking verification from me. If you want me to recount this, I can only do so from my own standpoint. Believe me, the truth is often more unsightly than your guesses. Are you sure you want to hear it?”
More unsightly?
He Zhen’s voice grew heavy: “Tell me. You have your standpoint, I have my judgement.”
Not everyone has the courage to face their parents’ “true faces”. Many, even upon discovering flaws in their parents’ character, instinctively make excuses to absolve them.
In this regard, He Zhen’s current impression on Xie Qian was quite good.
Of course, Xie Qian was not entirely without guard.
This might be a trap set by Xie Jinghu, using He Zhen to probe how much he knew about Xie Jinghu transferring assets!
