Before Zhou Cheng could speak, Pan Bohua slipped out of the hospital room with his arm in a sling:

“Hello, Mayor Tang! I’m Pan Bohua, Zhou Cheng’s former company commander. This whole thing happened because of me. That young girl Jiang Yan is just young and naive, but when she wakes up, she won’t cling to Zhou Cheng…”

Tang Hongen remained silent, just watching Pan Bohua.

Pan the Bandit might be a bandit, but it depended on whose presence he was in.

Tang Hongen wasn’t just a high-ranking official, but also Cheng’s future father-in-law. How could Cheng hope to marry if they offended this important figure?

Pan Bohua added emphatically, “Jiang Yan was injured because of me. When she wakes up, I’ll take responsibility! If she agrees to marry me, that would be best. As long as she remains unmarried, I won’t take a wife!”

Ah, so it was about devotion?

They could all wait it out together.

Jiang Yan was so straightforward – surely she wouldn’t watch him remain single forever?

Either she’d marry someone else early, or Pan Bohua would have to face off with Miss Jiang Yan himself.

Tang Hongen’s stern expression softened:

“Comrade Bohua, Xiaolan has mentioned you. You’ve helped her a lot – that child is truly grateful for your care!”

Well, now he had become an approachable leader.

Pan Bohua thought these officials were truly impossible to outmaneuver – if he hadn’t made his declaration, Mayor Tang wouldn’t have smiled.

Zhou Cheng also felt his future father-in-law was difficult to handle.

Previously, when dealing with Kang Wei’s car accident, Tang Hongen had been very friendly. But with his changed status, his attitude toward Zhou Cheng had completely transformed – watchful with disapproval… exactly like a father-in-law examining an unpolished son-in-law, dissatisfied from every angle.

Tang Hongen wasn’t like Liu Fen – sweet talk wouldn’t work on him.

Being diligent and eager to help wouldn’t earn points either.

Tang Hongen didn’t care for such superficial things – he went straight to the core issues!

Zhou Cheng took over the conversation:

“Jiang Yan’s injuries are severe. While Pan Third Brother and I can watch over her, we’re not her family. Her parents need to be involved for continued treatment. I’ve already notified her family.”

Jiang Yan’s parents should be on their way.

With Jiang Wu’s arrest, the Jiang family was in chaos.

Jiang Wu hadn’t tried to escape – Zhou Guobin confirmed he was indeed in custody.

Zhou Cheng didn’t know what he was relying on… perhaps Jiang Wu thought the three were certainly dead?

If they had jumped from the car a few seconds later, there would have been no hope of survival. All three had barely escaped with their lives – being alive was already fortunate, what did injuries matter?

Tang Hongen finally softened his expression: “You did the right thing, notifying her family was necessary.”

A major conflict was surely coming – between the Zhou and Jiang families. Zhou Cheng had captured Jiang Wu, Jiang Wu had nearly blown up Zhou Cheng in retaliation, and ultimately his cousin Jiang Yan was the most severely injured. It was a complete mess.

Tang Hongen could help Zhou Cheng, or not.

If Zhou Cheng hadn’t dated Xia Xiaolan, Tang Hongen would have had no reason to get involved.

As for whether Zhou Cheng was really Xiaolan’s boyfriend – heh, others might acknowledge it, but he hadn’t passed Tang Hongen’s approval yet. He needed to see how Zhou Cheng handled this current trouble.

Some men were excellent in their careers but seemed brainless when handling life matters.

Such men needed a woman willing to be a whole-hearted supporting wife!

If Xiaolan wanted to be that supporting wife, Tang Hongen wouldn’t allow it. Such an excellent girl, university-educated with her career – why couldn’t she have her own brilliant life? Why should she sacrifice her future to support a man’s success?

If Zhou Cheng or the Zhou family dared think that way, Tang Hongen would roll up his sleeves and fight them.

“Uncle Tang, has Xiaolan cleared customs by now?”

Zhou Cheng couldn’t help but ask.

Tang Hongen replied coolly: “Which customs are you talking about? From Pengcheng to Hong Kong? I think her plane is almost in Tokyo by now!”

Even without the explosion, given Zhou Cheng’s original timeline to reach Pengcheng, he wouldn’t have made it to see Xiaolan off. No matter how fast he drove, they would have missed each other.

Zhou Cheng finally fell truly silent.

Was his wife feeling hurt?

Since meeting at the Jinsha Pool sales office, after his trip abroad, they had been completely out of contact.

Couldn’t return for Spring Festival.

Couldn’t make it to see her off abroad.

Zhou Cheng could imagine Xiaolan looking back repeatedly as she passed through customs.

Tang Hongen simply didn’t return, staying in Yangcheng to wait.

Four hours after Jiang Yan was hospitalized, her parents finally arrived. From Jinling to Yangcheng was over a thousand kilometers – driving would take over ten hours, and there weren’t suitable flights, suggesting they had found some special way to travel.

Jiang Yan’s mother arrived in tears, while her father looked grim, showing no kindness to Zhou Cheng.

Pan Bohua jumped in, “Uncle, Auntie, Xiao Yan was injured because of me. I’ll take responsibility!”

Jiang’s mother raised her hand to strike Pan Bohua, “You troublemaker, you’re truly an enemy of our Jiang family…”

Wasn’t he just that? An enemy?

Jiang Wu had been fine until Pan Bohua ruined him.

Wanting to kill Pan Bohua in revenge, but someone protected him.

Since Jiang Wu became disabled, the Jiang family has been under a dark cloud.

Some had suggested training Jiang Yan, but her mother refused. How could a young woman constantly take on dangerous missions, and go to the front lines? One time might be fine, but could they guarantee every time would be safe?

Then this Pan Bohua must have given Jiang Yan some kind of drug – she even disregarded family honor, secretly took some documents, and ran away, reporting Jiang Wu.

When she and Jiang Yan’s father received the news, the Jiang family was in chaos. They came to Yangcheng under great pressure.

Yes, not just Pan Bohua, but also that Zhou boy.

Jiang’s mother turned her gaze, finally seeing Zhou Cheng leaning against the wall: “Jiang Yan abandoned her family for you. Now she’s an outcast from the family. If you don’t protect her, she’ll die with nowhere to be buried! Zhou Cheng, if you have any conscience, you shouldn’t have accepted whatever damned evidence she stole, nor instigated her to personally report her cousin… Now you must give Xiao Yan an answer – what do you plan to do?”

What did “protect” mean?

Naturally, to marry Jiang Yan.

From a Jiang family daughter to a Zhou family wife.

The Jiang family lost Jiang Wu but gained a powerful marriage alliance – at least it wasn’t a complete loss.

If Jiang Yan had value, the Jiang family wouldn’t completely abandon her. For the Zhou family’s sake, they wouldn’t punish her with family law – Jiang Yan’s life would be saved!

Pan Bohua, holding his broken arm, “Auntie—”

“Be quiet! I’m not asking you. You can barely take care of yourself – are you asking Xiao Yan to become a pirate with you? I’m asking Zhou Cheng!”

Jiang’s mother stared at Zhou Cheng.

Jiang Yan’s father hadn’t spoken but seemed to share this view.

Tang Hongen, returning from a street walk, heard this halfway up the stairs. The Jiang family’s words were interesting – he also wanted to hear Zhou Cheng’s response, so he stood at the stairwell, afraid Zhou Cheng might not perform well if he saw him.

Zhou Cheng thought carefully before confirming:

“You mean, if Jiang Yan becomes part of the Zhou family, she’ll be safe?”