Chapter Fifty-Nine (End of Volume Two)

The expressions of the two people in the office upon Chen Hongxu’s arrival were vastly different. Xue Xi looked somewhat panic-stricken; after all, in her mind, it was never good to make decisions on behalf of a man, yet this matter... Chen Hao's reaction was much more composed. When faced with Xue Xi, this girl whose depths he could not fathom, perhaps he would still display a servile humility. But when his opponent shifted to Chen Hongxu, his habitual sense of superiority began to rear its head once more.

“Nephew, we’re all family here. Just look at how your wife has stirred up this mess!” Chen Hao sneered, shifting his gaze from Xue Xi to the doorway, his tone accusatory.

Chen Hongxu rolled his eyes and ignored Chen Hao completely. He stepped into the office, wrapped his arm around Xue Xi, and prepared to leave directly. Ever since Chen Hao had rummaged through his home, Chen Hongxu felt that all ties of kinship had been severed.

Xue Xi felt a gentle force on her shoulder, urging her to leave, but the matter here was unresolved; how could she leave? How could she simply walk away?

She turned to gaze at Chen Hongxu’s impassive face, uncertainly asking, “From what you just said, it seems you know that Chen Hao used improper methods to transfer Uncle’s assets?”

Chen Hongxu nodded, then shook his head, muttering to himself, “It’s all in the past. Perhaps I once harbored some resentment, but now, thinking about it—even if these assets were passed to me, the only outcome would be their slow decline. Though Chen Hao’s means were less than proper, at least he managed to preserve Father’s legacy.”

Xue Xi was well aware of Chen Hongxu’s past hardships. Her heart burned with anger—for if it weren’t for Chen Hao’s villainy, her man would never have suffered so much. Old and new grievances surged together, all on behalf of Chen Hongxu. She shook off his hand, lowered her gaze to the stack of documents in her hand, and murmured, “You don’t care about the inheritance, nor do I. As long as you’re happy. But there’s something that must be clarified today. I don’t want you left in the dark. Originally, I wanted to solve it quietly for you, but since you’re here, it’s best you decide.”

Chen Hongxu rarely saw such stubbornness in Xue Xi—not that her character lacked resolve; which heiress isn’t obsessively headstrong? But Xue Xi seldom showed such decisiveness in front of him, except, of course, when it came to matters of intimacy.

“What if Uncle’s death was connected to him?” Xue Xi slowly raised her head, fixing her gaze on Chen Hongxu’s eyes, while pointing at Chen Hao, who seemed to have no presence at all.

Her words were shocking, yet Chen Hongxu’s reaction was not as dramatic as Xue Xi expected. His expression remained calm, though the sudden sharpness of his breathing betrayed him.

He exhaled slowly, veins bulging on his forehead, fists clenched tightly, and stared at her. “Do you have evidence?”

Chen Hongxu trusted Xue Xi wouldn’t joke about such matters; his question came only because he struggled to accept the possibility.

Before Xue Xi could raise the stack of documents, Chen Hao was already unsettled by the unexpected turn. Back then, he had acted with extreme caution, and after so many years, he believed no traces remained. Time, after all, washes away evidence better than anything.

He quickly rose from his seat, gone was the composure he had just shown when facing Chen Hongxu. His face darkened, and he fixed his gaze on Xue Xi, now utterly unafraid of her. If such a thing were really uncovered, it would truly be his end.

Chen Hao knew, too, that in moments like these he couldn’t afford to show even a hint of weakness. If he faltered now, the woman who suddenly raised this topic would surely investigate relentlessly. Little did he know, Xue Xi hadn’t only recently begun to suspect him; her investigation had spanned nearly a year.

“Girl, since you’re Hongxu’s girlfriend, I won’t pursue your earlier destruction of the door or trespassing. But your accusation that I killed my brother—if you can’t clarify that, I’ll have no choice but to let the police handle it!”

Xue Xi ignored Chen Hao entirely. She walked to Chen Hongxu’s side, leaned gently against him and stroked his back to calm him.

“I believe you,” Chen Hongxu said, glancing at Xue Xi. “You called so many people over—do you plan to kill him directly, or torment him before calling the police?”

“Torment him first, depending on my mood,” Xue Xi answered truthfully.

Chen Hongxu shook his head, his voice hoarse. “Such a person deserves death, but there's no need for us to be involved. Call the Public Security Bureau and let them investigate. If the evidence is insufficient, then…”

He didn’t finish, but Xue Xi understood. Chen Hao was finished. The kinship between them had long been severed, and now, they had touched the deepest taboo in Chen Hongxu’s heart. With the influence the Chen and Xue families now wielded in HJ City, Chen Hao might not even make it to trial before meeting his end in the detention center.

Chen Hao sneered coldly. He lacked understanding of much that was happening, so he thought the two youths before him were simply bluffing. But he overlooked one fact: threats are usually directed at the subject, not ignored as they were now, with conclusions discussed as if his reaction meant nothing.

There was no need for Xue Xi to call the police; downstairs, the building was already surrounded by officers. Wang the Fatty, flanked by a crowd of policemen, shouted at the thugs guarding the gates of “Chen Huanyu Communications,” “What are you doing? Causing trouble, fighting, disturbing the peace—do you still respect the law of the land?”

Wang the Fatty appeared righteous, but in secret, he had already called his confidant to scold Li Tao soundly. What kind of mess was this—hundreds of people brawling, storming an office? You’re gangsters, not a terrorist organization; where’s your decorum?

His confidant hadn’t yet reported back, but seeing the thugs at the door unconcerned, Wang the Fatty knew this was a big deal. He signaled to a few officers to keep watch, then slipped into a corner to make a phone call.

Moments later, Wang the Fatty returned, triumphant. Under the astonished gaze of the police, he walked up to the gatekeepers, patted one on the shoulder, and said, “HJ City is proud to have such righteous citizens as you!”

The gatekeeper grinned broadly, showing yellowed teeth. “It’s what a conscientious person ought to do!”

Both faces remained calm as they exchanged these words. Wang the Fatty glanced at the packed crowd by the stairs, inwardly awed at Chen Hongxu’s power. He turned to his stunned subordinates, waved his hand, and said, “Follow me upstairs and arrest the murderer!”

Naturally, the thugs offered no further resistance. Though today’s event felt more like an outing, they were here on Chen’s behalf, and the “big sister” had promised a reward tonight. With Wang the Fatty’s attitude, perhaps they’d even win a “good citizen” award. It was a fruitful day, and satisfaction was obvious.

…

The matter was considered closed with Chen Hao taken away by Wang the Fatty, yet it was not truly over. To mitigate any fallout, Chen Hongxu called Fan the Straw Bag in BJ for advice, since Wang the Fatty’s collusion with the thugs might have been noticed by the wrong people. If someone wanted to make a big deal out of this, it would hardly be fair to Wang the Fatty, who had acted shrewdly.

With Fan the Straw Bag’s involvement—whose reputation was well earned—the next day, the most authoritative news channel carried a banner report on the events far away in HJ City. The news read:

“In an era when the moral compass of our countrymen is increasingly adrift, the citizens of HJ City in XX Province have undoubtedly given the nation a shot of reassurance. Yesterday afternoon, at xx o’clock, some five or six hundred enthusiastic citizens assisted police in apprehending a fugitive murderer who had evaded justice for years...”

Indeed, before the court had even judged him, Chen Hao had already been sentenced to death in the public eye. Chen Hongxu had long known this would be the outcome and was unsurprised. Hearing others discuss the news, he was only slightly amazed by Fan the Straw Bag’s influence. Xue Xi, meanwhile, was still fast asleep, muddled from the previous night’s celebration; she had emptied her stash of cash, for each of the five or six hundred gangsters who attended received at least ten thousand yuan as a reward.

With such generous rewards, everyone genuinely liked and respected Xue Xi. Originally, they’d planned to toast her as a group, but the mischievous girl insisted on individual toasts. Before she was finally knocked out, she declared, “Only when drunk can one lose inhibitions,” causing Chen Hongxu to spend the entire night with a dark expression.

Watching Xue Xi drooling, rubbing her face against the pillow, Chen Hongxu smiled helplessly. Then his brows furrowed as he stared at the notification in his hand, sighing inwardly, “It seems I must leave again for a while.”