“An investigation is certain,” said Tang Hongen, his smile fading. “This is the price of failing to raise children properly.”

Truthfully, if Zhou Cheng hadn’t kidnapped Xiao Lan, Tang Hongen would objectively admit this young man was quite outstanding in many aspects. But despite sharing the Zhou surname, Zhou Yi and Zhou Cheng were worlds apart. He wondered how the Zhou family educated their children – did they only focus on boys while letting girls run wild?

The investigation of Zhou Wengang could be manageable if he had nothing to hide. But if something were discovered… Either way, this would affect Zhou Wengang to some extent. Even if he passed the investigation, he might lose his chances for promotion.

Xia Xiaolan pondered, “I don’t think there’s much to worry about. The Zhou family has always been cautious with money, influenced by Zhou Cheng’s grandfather.”

Zhou Cheng was the boldest of them all!

The other Zhou family members were content with their jobs, never seeking wealth through channels outside their salaries.

They operated on the principle that living steadily above average was enough – why take risks? That’s how the Zhou family conducted themselves.

If they couldn’t make ends meet, how could other families survive?

Tang Hongen remained noncommittal: “Let’s hope so.”

He had seen many such cases.

Some cadres appeared clean-handed but couldn’t withstand investigation.

Until the final results came out, Tang Hongen wouldn’t trust anyone.

Sure enough, just as Tang Hongen said, the investigation extended to Zhou Wengang.

Zhou Yi, despite being a disappointment to her father, had done one thing right – she didn’t use the unit’s public funding quota for her studies in America.

She worked part-time jobs illegally in America, studying while working. Apart from language school tuition and accommodation, she hadn’t asked her family for extra money. As for those fees, Zhou Wengang and Jiang Hong’s savings could cover them… Economically, Zhou Wengang passed the investigation.

Everyone knew he disliked Yuan Han – why would he accept bribes through his son-in-law?

Yuan Han had bought some things for Zhou Ke with bribe money, but Jiang Hong, out of disgust for Yuan Han, never let the child use them – they could be handed over to the investigation team untouched!

Further investigation revealed that Zhou Yi, Yuan Han’s wife, was equally unaware of his bribery.

Zhou Yi was abroad and had never used Yuan Han’s bribe money – as a husband, Yuan Han had never even sent her money. When Zhou Yi said she didn’t need money, Yuan Han truly made no gesture.

What was the point of this marriage?

The couple never saw each other and had no financial interactions.

However, this made Zhou Yi’s testimony more credible.

Yuan Han certainly didn’t accept these investigation results, constantly complaining about unfairness and investigation conspiracies.

The investigation team grew weary. Usually, when they caught corrupt officials, they desperately tried to distance their misconduct from their families, claiming family members knew nothing.

But Yuan Han, without evidence, maliciously tried to drag his father-in-law down – how vicious and narrow-minded!

What kind of son-in-law was this? He was more like an enemy.

“Yuan Han.”

The door to Yuan Han’s detention room opened, and he rushed forward:

“Comrade, I’m innocent! I’ve confessed everything – Zhou Wengang instructed me to do it! I’m just a small clerk, I couldn’t have such influence. It was Zhou Wengang’s instructions! Mayor Tang is my relative-“

This man was truly disgusting.

“Yuan Han, we’re from the police station, investigating a matter! We received a report from your ex-wife, Comrade Ye Xiaoqiong, that you stole and sold her family’s antique paintings and calligraphy. Is this true?”

Yuan Han shook the bars violently, “She’s the one who ruined me, it was her! Zhou Wengang instructed me to take the money, Mayor Tang is my relative! Arrest those two bitches Ye Xiaoqiong and He Shiyuan, they destroyed me!”

How dare Ye Xiaoqiong file a report?

What right did she have?

She was the one who committed kidnapping, extortion, and assault – shouldn’t she be hiding?

Yuan Han felt lost in a fog.

The investigating police thought this man seemed insane.

Truthfully, all the Yuan family members seemed crazy, speaking incoherently and accusing others of crimes without evidence.

Ye Xiaoqiong’s statements, however, held up under investigation.

She had worked at the Cheng Rong Group, returned to Pengcheng, then resigned.

The police had already contacted the HR department of Cheng Rong Group and confirmed her story.

They could even verify her salary.

As a secretary, let alone as a special assistant, her salary wasn’t low. Her claim about saving money to buy back her family’s house was plausible given her income.

But more extensive expenditures were beyond Ye Xiaoqiong’s means.

The police couldn’t find He Shiyuan.

They couldn’t uncover more evidence.

Regarding Ye Xiaoqiong’s claim about Yuan Han stealing her family’s antiques and paintings, the police investigated, but Old Ding’s stationery shop had long been closed and emptied. However, people across from Old Ding’s shop remembered Yuan Han-

“He was sneaking around, took a package into Old Ding’s shop.”

“Everyone knows Old Ding bought junk, oh, not junk? Antiques? Cultural relics? Oh, well, whatever, we common folks don’t understand these things!”

“Don’t know where Old Ding went or if he’ll reopen. He closed before the New Year, thought he’d reopen after.”

“You ask why we remember this man-“

The enthusiastic witness pointed at Yuan Han’s photo, “He looks like a movie star, tall and handsome, unforgettable!”

That was true.

While pretty boys weren’t in fashion now, Yuan Han’s looks, though not to Xia Xiaolan’s taste, were popular as the tough-guy type.

Honestly, with that face, he might have had a career as a movie actor.

Instead, he used his looks to deceive women.

First Ye Xiaoqiong, then his current wife Zhou Yi.

Though uncertain how many years Yuan Han would serve, his face was ruined. Injured on the day of his arrest and left untreated, tied to a tree overnight before being taken by the Discipline Commission. Although he received treatment later, the wound had already become infected and festered, requiring the removal of a large piece of rotting flesh… Who would pay for Yuan Han’s plastic surgery? With one cheek missing a chunk of flesh and the other covered in crisscrossing scars, he looked terrifying.

During his detention, Yuan Han developed some symptoms.

Small ulcers, painless and insignificant compared to his beating injuries, didn’t even catch his attention.

At this time, filled with resentment, he wanted to drag everyone down with him.

Hating Ye Xiaoqiong, He Shiyuan, Zhou Wengang, Zhou Yi, and others, while worried about his prison sentence, who would pay attention to minor physical changes? Early symptoms are easily overlooked, and without medication, they might disappear – but this didn’t mean the virus was gone. They lay dormant in Yuan Han’s body, waiting for the day of their major outbreak…