Chapter 255 | Chapter 256 | Chapter 257
Chapter 255: The Truth
Xia Xiuzhu awoke from a pitch-black void.
His brain felt woozy and nauseated, but the room was plunged in darkness; he couldn’t even find his way to the bathroom.
He muttered, habitually reaching out to touch the bedlamp switch, but his hand brushed against empty air in the familiar spot. His phone was nowhere to be found, either; he fumbled around his pillow for ages and came up with nothing.
Irritated, he cursed loudly and then bellowed at the top of his lungs, “Is anyone there?! Where did everyone die off to!”
Yet, the servants who would normally come rushing in with panicked expressions remained absent. The room stayed deathly silent.
Xia Xiuzhu finally sensed that something was wrong. He slid off the bed, stumbling blindly in an attempt to find the wall, but he didn’t watch his step and tripped over something.
His little toe slammed into the object, and the pain was so acute that tears sprang to his eyes. He let out a howl and collapsed onto the floor, cradling his foot.
From within the room, another voice sounded—a low, mocking chuckle that sounded chillingly cold.
Xia Xiuzhu’s howl cut off abruptly. He recognized that voice.
Despite the throbbing agony in his toe, he didn’t care anymore; he scrambled backward on his hands and knees. “Xia—Xia He? Why are you here!”
Xia He’s voice sounded nearby, close enough to make Xia Xiuzhu’s skin crawl. “Why wouldn’t I be here? I was the one who had you brought here in the first place.”
Xia Xiuzhu froze, the realization finally dawning on him.
Recently, Xia He had been systematically dismantling Xia Nanzhi’s influence, and Xia Xiuzhu had been terrified that the fire would spread to him, so he had been behaving quite docilely.
But he wasn’t the type who could stay cooped up for long. Seeing that both sides had temporarily settled down, he figured Xia He was busy regrouping and wouldn’t be paying him any mind. He’d gone to a familiar club, intending to let loose.
He only remembered arriving at the club, entering a room, and having a few drinks… everything after that was a complete blank.
However, Xia He’s presence was enough for Xia Xiuzhu to understand that he had fallen into Xia He’s grasp.
Even though it was pitch black and Xia He couldn’t see his expression, Xia Xiuzhu immediately plastered a smile on his face and stammered, “Xia He, look, about you and Big Brother recently, I haven’t interfered at all…”
In the darkness, Xia He didn’t say a word.
Xia Xiuzhu swallowed hard and continued in a fawning tone, “The heir’s position is definitely yours; I haven’t done a single thing to oppose you! You know I’m not cut out for that stuff, and of course I support you…”
This time, Xia He interrupted him.
“Not done a single thing?” Xia He said softly. “April 13th, 7:30 PM, Room 302—you haven’t done anything then, either?”
Every hair on Xia Xiuzhu’s body stood on end. He couldn’t help but scream, “How do you know about that!”
He quickly composed himself, his voice becoming even shriller. “It was that woman! Xu Zhishu, that bitch told you, didn’t she? Don’t listen to her crazy lies!”
“Then why are you having such a huge reaction?” Xia He seemed to sigh.
If it had just been that one point, Xia Xiuzhu might have tried to quibble, but Xia He’s next sentence stripped him of all strength to resist: “I already know everything.”
What Xia He had uncovered was the truth behind his biological parents’ deaths—the truth that hadn’t even been unearthed during the extreme experiments.
After all, the Xia He within the experiment never wanted to know the truth.
To him, it was either Xia Nanzhi or Xia Xiuzhu, and Xia Suirong had kept silent for the sake of the big picture. The dead weren’t coming back, and he didn’t want to live anyway, so they might as well all just die.
But now, their intertwined destinies had become like Ariadne’s thread, leading him out of the labyrinth to discover the truth.
Xu Zhishu, whose real name was Zhu Yuanyuan, had been working as a common cleaning staff member at a club back then, back when she still had her original figure.
The environment was appalling; while it was called a “club,” it was essentially a front for pimping.
Zhu Yuanyuan had met two people there. One was Wei Yan, whom she targeted and climbed her way up to; the other was Xia Xiuzhu.
Unlike Wei Yan, Xia Xiuzhu was far more arrogant in those days. Backed by the Xia family, the club treated him like a king. Whatever he did in the club, the management simply turned a blind eye.
Bathed in such flattery and pursuit, Xia Xiuzhu’s vigilance had gradually eroded, leading him to become increasingly reckless.
The club had even specially arranged a private room with the best soundproofing for him, allowing him to do whatever he pleased inside—including discussing the plot to murder Xu Qiu and Xia Zhihan.
That’s right: the person who had truly dealt the fatal blow was Xia Xiuzhu, the most degenerate playboy of the Xia family.
Zhu Yuanyuan hadn’t overheard the secret conversation between Xia Xiuzhu and the others; it was only later, when Xia Xiuzhu was dead drunk and vomiting everywhere, that the manager sent her in to clean up.
It was during that time that Xia Xiuzhu, babbling in his drunkenness, had bragged about what he had done.
Had Xia Xiuzhu not been feeling nauseated and irritated by her presence, causing him to smash a wine bottle against her head, Zhu Yuanyuan wouldn’t have even remembered what he said.
She had stood there with her bleeding wound, her vision blurring from dizziness, not knowing if she was cleaning up vomit or her own blood, while being forced to listen to Xia Xiuzhu’s piercing laughter.
That was why she remembered those words so clearly. She hated herself for being so lowly and insignificant, and she hated Xia Xiuzhu for using his power to bully others.
The desire to climb up, to become someone who could trample over others, was born then.
And so, to make money fast, she became a human trafficker. After getting the money, she lost weight, and eventually, she set her sights on Wei Yan at the club.
In fact, the murders of Xu Qiu and Xia Zhihan occurred several years later, and it had taken quite a bit of effort for Xia Xiuzhu’s plan to be realized.
Because the timeline was so long, it had been incredibly difficult to track down.
However, once Xia He investigated Zhu Yuanyuan’s past and that club, rooting Xia Xiuzhu out was effortless.
Xia Xiuzhu shook uncontrollably. Xia He knew the truth; he knew he was the real murderer.
What would his fate be? Or rather, this dark, unknown room was already a sufficient omen of his end.
“You can’t…” he struggled to resist, though it sounded more like a plea. “Grandfather won’t just sit back and watch…”
Xia He chuckled, saying nothing.
Xia Xiuzhu was on the verge of being drowned by his own terror. Right, why would Xia He care about the Old Master’s attitude?
The will to live conquered everything else. He knelt on the floor, weeping bitterly, and began kowtowing until his forehead hit the floor with loud thuds. “What happened back then was my fault! I’m not human, I’m an animal, I’m willing to confess my crimes…”
Xia He’s silence lasted for a long time, until Xia Xiuzhu felt the slick, viscous sensation on his forehead and the scent of blood filled his nostrils.
Despair consumed his soul inch by inch. Just before he was about to break down completely, Xia He spoke.
“Confess everything you’ve done to the police. Let them sentence you however they see fit.”
Recalling the layout of the room, he walked accurately toward the window in the darkness, grabbed the curtains, and yanked them open.
With a swish, the overwhelming sunlight spilled in.
Xia He narrowed his eyes. Once his vision adjusted, he looked out at the bright, beautiful weather, then turned around to look at Xia Xiuzhu, who was kneeling on the floor.
“You will go to prison. Your crimes will be made public, and the Old Master will revoke your right to inherit,” he said. “Even after you get out, don’t even think about living a good life.”
Of course, he wouldn’t kill Xia Xiuzhu. How could he ruin his own future for garbage like this?
However, given Xia Xiuzhu’s personality, he would sooner or later find such a life unbearable and ultimately choose to commit suicide, wouldn’t he?
Chapter 256: Identity
This was already the fourth day since Xia Xiuzhu had stopped replying to her messages.
Xu Zhishu sat in her hotel room, on pins and needles.
Previously, Xia Xiuzhu had only said that the feud between Xia He and Xia Nanzhi had escalated recently, and that he needed to keep a low profile for a while, so they shouldn’t meet.
However, their online communication hadn’t cut off, and the person Xia Xiuzhu had arranged to coordinate with her was continuing to leak news of the divorce as the situation demanded.
But starting four days ago, that contact stopped messaging her. No matter what Xu Zhishu sent, the other party never replied.
It was the same on Xia Xiuzhu’s end. WeChat didn’t show whether someone was online, but he hadn’t replied to a single message she sent.
No, calm down. At this stage, my divorce from Wei Yan is already set in stone. Xia Xiuzhu’s side was just a safety net; it doesn’t matter that much.
Xu Zhishu took a deep breath, steadying her mindset.
In just about ten more days, the divorce cooling-off period would be over. The moment she and Wei Yan divorced, she would head abroad and never return.
With that money, she could live a life of leisure overseas, never having to live like this again.
Having soothed her own emotions, Xu Zhishu saw that it was getting close to lunchtime. She didn’t want to go out, so she simply called room service to have lunch delivered.
About thirty minutes later, Xu Zhishu heard the distinct rattling of a cart out in the hallway.
The sound stopped right outside her door, followed by a knock from the server. “Hello, ma’am. Your lunch is here.”
Xu Zhishu slid off the bed and walked over to open the door. She had intended to complain about how slow the service was, but the moment she looked up, she saw two uniformed criminal investigators standing beside the cart and the server.
In an instant, the blood in Xu Zhishu’s veins seemed to freeze.
Her reflexes screamed at her to flee, but her feet felt as though they had taken root, and her hand on the doorknob froze, unable to move a fraction of an inch.
Both investigators presented their badges, and one of them displayed an arrest warrant.
She couldn’t process a single word the investigator was saying; she just stared blankly at the line for the suspect’s name on the warrant.
It read “Zhu Yuanyuan,” not “Xu Zhishu.”
No matter how exquisitely crafted a painted skin was, it was ultimately fake. She was Zhu Yuanyuan, not Xu Zhishu.
It felt as though some deeply stubborn part of her was being violently ripped from her body, tearing her soul away along with it.
Xu Zhishu—no, Zhu Yuanyuan—collapsed onto the floor.
It was just like that night nearly twenty years ago when Xia Xiuzhu had smashed her head open with a bottle, leaving her in a pathetic state as alcohol and blood streamed down her face.
Except this time, she would never have another chance to climb back up.
Although Zhu Yuanyuan didn’t look like she was in any condition to run, this woman had managed to evade detection for nearly twenty years.
If the titans of the Xia family hadn’t been tearing each other apart this time, leading to Xia Xiuzhu implicating her when he was caught, who would have ever imagined that Xu Zhishu had once been a human trafficker?
Even though she currently appeared to have accepted her arrest, there was no guaranteeing she wouldn’t look for an opportunity to escape.
To be safe, the investigator pulled out handcuffs and secured her wrists.
Click.
Wei Xiao jarred awake from his dream. Looking around, he realized the sound had come from a window he hadn’t closed properly last night.
The latch hadn’t caught, and the strong wind outside had gradually blown it open, causing the springing latch mechanism to make a clicking sound.
He got out of bed, closed the window with a heavy thud, and applied so much force that the entire frame shuddered.
Ever since he had smashed Qin Yue’s head open, Wei Xiao had been given a suspension warning and had been staying home to reflect on his actions.
He didn’t actually think it was a big deal, but it was a disciplinary action nonetheless. Wei Yan had been furious and told him to use this time to reflect properly.
Wei Xiao was in no mood for reflection. He was waiting for the divorce certificate between Wei Yan and Zhu Yuanyuan to be finalized.
Divorce quickly, leave quickly, and stop appearing before me and my father.
Only then could he live a stable life as Wei Yan’s son.
The wind outside grew even stronger, and dark clouds blanketed the sky, threatening a torrential downpour at any moment.
Wei Xiao glanced at the gray, overcast sky, withdrew his gaze, and yanked the curtains shut, sealing the room off from the outside world before returning to bed.
He turned on the overhead light, but its stark white glare only made his mood worse.
He simply switched it off. The blackout curtains were effective enough to plunge the room back into a twilight darkness.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t easy to fall back asleep once awake. Wei Xiao tossed and turned before finally pulling out his phone.
He opened a social media platform, casually scrolling through the trending searches to see if there was any interesting news. Among the top listings, a topic marked with the “Explosive” tag caught his eye.
Wealthy Heir Hires Hitman to Murder Biological Brother.
Driven by curiosity about wealthy families, Wei Xiao clicked on it. He wanted to see which family it was, but the first name to greet his eyes was a familiar one.
Xia Xiuzhu. Looking at this name, Wei Xiao felt his hands and feet go cold.
In a panic, he read through the official police report. Xia Xiuzhu had confessed to his crimes without reservation, and multiple official corporate accounts of the Xia family had already released statements severing all ties with him.
The netizens’ reactions were mostly shock. After all, hiring a hitman to commit murder sounded far too distant from ordinary life, and discussing it felt somewhat surreal.
By comparison, people were actually more curious about the true scale of the Xia family’s wealth, and expressed deep regret over the tragic deaths of Xu Qiu and Xia Zhihan.
Within the timeline laid out in the police report, Wei Xiao spotted the exact date he had heard with his own ears.
The report didn’t state the specific room number, but the date alone was enough for Wei Xiao to confirm it.
Zhu Yuanyuan knew the date Xia Xiuzhu hired the hitman? Then what role did she play in that ordeal?
Panic rapidly flooded Wei Xiao’s mind. No, it can’t be. If Zhu Yuanyuan had actually been involved in Xia Xiuzhu’s plot, the police report would definitely have mentioned her—but it didn’t.
That meant Zhu Yuanyuan had nothing to do with the murder itself, right? She had probably just found out about it by chance and used it as leverage to blackmail Xia Xiuzhu.
With this thought, Wei Xiao breathed a slight sigh of relief.
He didn’t look any further—or rather, he didn’t dare to. He got out of bed, deciding to get a drink of water to calm his nerves.
Although there was water in his room, he mostly wanted to escape his current surroundings, thinking a change of scenery might change his mood.
He padded downstairs in his slippers, just about to call a servant to pour him some water, when he suddenly heard his father’s bedroom door being flung open with force.
Today, Wei Yan was originally supposed to go to an eldercare facility under construction to check on its progress. However, seeing rain in the weather forecast, he had canceled the trip and stayed home to process the documents he had brought back last night.
When Wei Xiao looked up, Wei Yan was pulling on his coat while striding down the stairs, his face looking incredibly grim.
Meeting Wei Yan’s gaze, Wei Xiao felt a bit guilty. “Dad…”
“Go change your clothes. You’re coming with me,” Wei Yan ordered.
“What happened?” A heavy sense of foreboding wrapped around Wei Xiao’s heart.
“We’re going to the police station. Your mother has been arrested,” Wei Yan said, his brow furrowed deeply. “Hurry up!”
By the end of his sentence, his tone carried an undeniable edge of displeasure.
Wei Xiao rushed back to his room to change. His mind was in a complete knot, questions popping up one after another.
Why had Zhu Yuanyuan been arrested by the police? And why did they notify Wei Yan? What crime had she actually committed?
These questions were answered very quickly after Wei Xiao arrived at the detention center.
However, it was a truth that Wei Xiao could never have anticipated in his wildest dreams.
Zhu Yuanyuan, his biological mother, was a human trafficker who had been on the run for nearly twenty years.
Chapter 257: Congratulations
The morning after the midterm exams ended, Lin Zhulu had planned to sleep until the afternoon, but to her surprise, Lin Aiji dragged her out of bed just past seven.
Dazedly pulling on a tracksuit her aunt had laid out, she washed up text-book fast and then followed Lin Aiji with faltering steps as they began jogging along the residential area’s artificial lake.
By the second lap, Lin Zhulu was finally awake—mostly because her stomach was rumbling.
She looked up at Lin Aiji’s back ahead of her. “Little Aunt, why are you in such high spirits today?”
Lin Aiji jogged to the side for two steps before coming to a stop. She turned around and flashed a big thumbs-up at Lin Zhulu. “Because something wonderful has happened, of course!”
Raking her mind, Lin Zhulu guessed, “Did something go wrong with the Wei family again?”
Hearing this, Lin Aiji scanned their surroundings. Ensuring no one was nearby, she stealthily slung an arm over Lin Zhulu’s shoulder and whispered into her ear, “Xu Zhishu has been locked up!”
Locked up? Locked up as in arrested? Lin Zhulu froze for a moment before the realization finally dawned on her, her eyes widening. “She broke the law?!”
“Shh, keep your voice down. It took a lot of digging for me to get this scoop.” Lin Aiji raised her index finger to her lips. “Her real name is Zhu Yuanyuan. Before marrying Wei Yan, she was a human trafficker.”
This time, Lin Zhulu slapped a hand over her own mouth to keep from crying out, but her eyes grew even wider.
A human trafficker? How could she be a human trafficker! It was utterly unimaginable!
Seeing her stunned expression, Lin Aiji was deeply understanding. When she first learned the news, she had knocked over her own cup.
Lin Aiji smacked her lips, crossing her arms with a sigh. “Her life story is incredibly convoluted. To put it simply, she’s a villain who used any means necessary to claw her way up. Thank goodness they caught her.”
How could they let a criminal like that go free? Thankfully, the net of justice has large meshes, but it lets nothing through.
Lin Zhulu thought for a moment. “But Wei Yan didn’t know about this, right?”
After all, no matter how obsessed Wei Yan was with carrying on his family line, he couldn’t possibly marry a fugitive just to have a son.
“I don’t know about that yet; I haven’t been able to dig up that part,” Lin Aiji said with a hint of regret. “Though of course, I agree with your logic.”
In truth, the reason Lin Aiji could dig up this information wasn’t because the Lin family’s connections were exceptionally powerful. It was simply that Xia He, the one leaking the details, felt the Lin family deserved to hear something that would make them happy.
Having finished talking about Zhu Yuanyuan, Lin Aiji pivoted to Wei Yan—the real focus of her attention.
“The news I got isn’t entirely verified, but it seems Zhu Yuanyuan implicated Wei Yan in illegal activities. While the final outcome isn’t clear yet, it’s a safe bet that Wei Yan will end up locked up sooner or later too.” Just saying it aloud made Lin Aiji thoroughly delighted.
Lin Zhulu’s mood brightened along with her aunt’s. She made a mental note to share this news with Gu Qinghuan and Bao Qingsong later.
Lately, Gu Qinghuan and Bao Qingsong had helped her immensely. Good news like this simply had to be shared!
Of course, Gu Qinghuan and Bao Qingsong had already received the news long ago.
However, when faced with Lin Zhulu’s update, the two still feigned ignorance and celebrated properly alongside her.
Once she hung up with Lin Zhulu, Gu Qinghuan sighed to the system in her mind: [I was so busy prepping for exams lately, I didn’t expect things to progress this quickly.]
The arrests of Xia Xiuzhu and Zhu Yuanyuan had actually occurred before the midterm exams. However, considering that schoolwork took priority, Xia He hadn’t given her a detailed breakdown at the time.
Gu Qinghuan had also tried her best to suppress her urge to gossip, keeping her focus trained on her studies.
Yesterday, the moment she stepped out of the examination hall following the end of midterms, Xia He sent her the full breakdown formatted like an official report.
Spanning over ten thousand words, it was practically a short story. It completely satisfied Gu Qinghuan’s curiosity, giving her a more detailed look at the drama than anyone else.
The system replied: [The host’s level of involvement in this event was low, which is why it feels like things moved fast.]
If nothing else, the past few days must have felt exceptionally long for Xia Xiuzhu and Zhu Yuanyuan themselves.
Gu Qinghuan nodded in agreement. A lot of massive forces were involved this time, leaving no room for her to meddle, so she had essentially just been a bystander.
If she had to pinpoint a contribution, her involvement had mostly centered around matters concerning Yu Yuan.
Still, Gu Qinghuan didn’t lower her guard entirely.
Zhu Yuanyuan had already implicated Wei Yan, claiming that the identity “Xu Zhishu” was forged with his assistance. How he would be sentenced was a matter for professionals to handle.
Naturally, Wei Yan wouldn’t just confess that easily. Before explicit evidence was uncovered, he would continue to struggle.
Furthermore, even if they truly managed to put Wei Yan away, Gu Qinghuan suspected that Lin Zhulu’s mission wouldn’t be fully complete.
Wei Xiao wasn’t Wei Yan’s biological son—once this truth came to light, Lin Zhulu would inevitably enter Wei Yan’s field of vision.
At this thought, Gu Qinghuan felt a bit of a headache coming on. Was there any other way to boost the mission’s progress?
Just as she was fretting over this, her phone suddenly buzzed.
It was a message from Yu Yuan, inviting her, Yu Xin, and Jiang Chuchu over for a meal.
The location was her new home, and Yu Wenxiu would be cooking personally—a move Gu Qinghuan supported with every fiber of her being.
Gu Qinghuan: [Why the sudden treat?]
Yu Yuan sent a snickering emoji: [I have some good news to announce.]
Gu Qinghuan: [What good news?]
Yu Yuan: [It’s a secret for now. You’ll know when you get here!]
Gu Qinghuan: [Stingy! If you won’t tell me, I’ll just guess!]
Replying with a half-joking tone, Gu Qinghuan didn’t air her deduction to Yu Yuan. Instead, she “threatened” her to hand over the menu so she could order some dishes.
Yu Yuan: [Actually, you just want to see what delicious food there is, don’t you?]
Gu Qinghuan: [Look at how quickly you saw through me.jpg]
Yu Yuan: [Don’t worry, my mom said she knows your tastes. There are two dishes prepared specifically for you.]
Gu Qinghuan: [I will arrive on time with a completely empty stomach!]
Concluding her chat with Yu Yuan, Gu Qinghuan stroked her chin. She tapped open Yu Yuan’s contact profile page and solemnly changed her contact name from “Yu Yuan” to “Yu Yuan” using her mother’s surname, Yu (俞).
Following that, she checked her digital balance for a local bakery, quickly changed her clothes, and headed out the door. The dinner was set for tonight, so she had to move fast.
The bakery owner at the entrance of her residential area was well-acquainted with Gu Qinghuan. Seeing her, she offered a warm smile. “Little Gu, here to buy a cake?”
Gu Qinghuan scanned the various styles of cakes displayed in the counter. “I’d like to place a custom order. I’ll come pick it up at four-thirty.”
“A birthday cake?” The owner recalled for a moment. She didn’t think anyone in the Gu family had a birthday coming up soon.
“A new life cake for my friend. To celebrate her stepping into a brand new life!” Gu Qinghuan said with a bright smile.
“That sounds wonderful,” the owner nodded silently, wondering if she could use this theme for a custom marketing campaign.
Once Gu Qinghuan selected a design, the owner noted it down and asked, “Would you like any writing on the cake?”
“Let me think,” Gu Qinghuan pondered for a moment before saying, “Let’s skip writing on the cake itself. It gets in the way of cutting it into slices.”
The owner bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud.
“But we can include a small card. Just write—”
“Congratulations to Yu Yuan on her rebirth.”
