Everyone, no matter what happens, eventually goes home.
Jiao Zi was no different. Though she hadn't yet come to terms with being adopted, and was nearly driven to suicide by the revelation that her adoptive parents, whom she considered her real parents, had tried to harm her. Yet, a week had passed. She seemed to have seen through everything, understood everything. After bidding farewell to her tearful maternal grandfather, she chose to return home and face reality.
“You mean, even if my adoptive parents tried to harm me first, because we chose not to pursue charges, they are still legally my guardians?” Jiao Zi asked nervously on the way home, addressing the old butler beside her grandfather.
“Yes, little miss. Family ties are hard-won. Mr. Liao has taught your mother and father a severe lesson. They were likely confused at the time, and they have expressed remorse. These unpleasant matters will pass,” the old butler said kindly. “Moreover, this time, I will be living with you. There won’t be any problems.”
“Why can’t I live with my maternal grandfather? And why can’t I see him every day? What is he doing?” Jiao Zi asked dejectedly.
“He is a very busy man. Mr. Liao regards the wind power industry as the most important thing. It is more important than anything else,” the old butler sighed.
This novel was first published on: Tadiao Novel@App
“More important than me?” Jiao Zi asked.
“I can only say that in Mr. Liao’s eyes, you and his career are not on the same level, but rather in a progressive relationship. With you, there is a career. Yes, that’s the idea. You’ll understand later,” the old butler said with a smile.
As the car drove into the residential complex, Jiao Zi looked at the familiar scene outside the window. Her heart was filled with both happiness and sadness. She suddenly missed Su Tang dearly. Although she harbored a little resentment, she knew Su Tang must have kept things from her for her own good.
“Old butler, can I see Su Tang when I get back?” Thinking of this, Jiao Zi asked with anticipation.
“Of course! She is your best friend. And after this summer vacation, you’ll be going to school in Europe. It might be difficult to see each other after that,” the old butler said.
The familiar stairwell, the familiar elevator, the familiar door, the familiar parents.
Oh, no. She should say, unfamiliar adoptive parents.
At the doorway, Liao Yuan and Yang Jie stood side by side, looking nervously at Jiao Zi as she emerged from the elevator.
“I’m back.” Before they could speak, the ever understanding Jiao Zi greeted them first.
Just like every time the young lady returned home, the words "I'm back" had echoed countless times in this house. But this time, it was destined to be completely different from before.
xxxxxx3743675
Liao Yuan glanced at the old butler behind Jiao Zi and sighed helplessly. Stepping past Jiao Zi, she said, “Uncle Xiao Ming, are you here to supervise my husband and me? I grew up watching you too, but I never received such treatment!”
“Miss, you are too clever. In Mr. Liao’s words, you are annoyingly clever. He repeatedly hoped you would put your family first, but you chose to betray him. This is not good,” the old butler maintained a polite tone, but every word that drifted out felt suffocating.
“Your room is on the second floor, opposite Jiao Zi’s bedroom. Please take care of us in the future,” Yang Jie suddenly interjected, interrupting Liao Yuan and the old butler’s conversation.
“Who do you think you are to interrupt! Don’t think we don’t know what you’re planning. It’s pathetic. Mr. Liao valued talent and treated you like family, marrying his daughter to you, yet you incited the young lady to do such things. Do you know you were trying to kill your father-in-law? Shameless!” The old butler showed no respect towards Yang Jie, his words dripping with disdain.
“Enough! No more arguing! I’m tired, I want to rest!” Jiao Zi, who had been trying to make everything go back to how it was, suddenly shouted. She acutely noticed the tension and worry in her adoptive parents’ eyes, but no regret. Could they really sacrifice her for wealth? Even a dog is cared for with affection! She had been their “daughter” for over a decade, how could they be so cold-blooded?
Dragging her heavy luggage, Jiao Zi returned to her bedroom.
The moment she pushed the door open, she felt like she was back in the past. The familiar environment, the warm big bed. A naughty dog leaped onto her, licking her frantically, as if it couldn't express its longing for its owner any other way.
“Alas, home is still the best. If only all of this hadn’t happened!” Lying on the bed, feeling the soft embrace of the cotton, Jiao Zi, exhausted both physically and mentally, drifted into a deep sleep.
News of Jiao Zi’s return spread throughout Hechuan within a day. Currently, the case of the wind power complex was a matter of public concern, and the wind power company’s financing project was a major focus of the business world. As an “insider,” Jiao Zi’s future could even influence the direction of the wind power company, inevitably sparking explosive discussions.
“Ceasefire? How much funding will the wind power family’s ‘false unity’ attract?”
Peng You’s first real-name article after joining the combat team was published immediately.
“An equity structure that crumbles at a push, a family business that dissipates with a gust of wind, how much further can it go?”
“Are they using a little girl’s life story as a gimmick to establish Liao Yuanchao’s perfect character?”
A barbecue restaurant recently opened downstairs from the Hechuan Daily newspaper office. Ping An, who had been absent from work for a long time, was “called out” by his superior and asked to participate in a collaborative project. At this moment, he sat in the barbecue restaurant, listening to Gao Xiaofei read Peng You’s article while savoring fresh lamb kidneys.
“Ping An, your ex-girlfriend is quite something. Her writing style is sharp, and her ability to insult people is no less than that of Zhan Dou!” Putting down his phone, Gao Xiaofei picked up his chopsticks and snatched the last piece of kidney meat from Ping An, chewing it deliciously.
“She wouldn’t have come back just to work for Zhan Dou this time. Keep an eye on this piece for me. I still don’t know what she’s up to,” Ping An said, putting down his chopsticks, still savoring the taste. “I really can’t imagine Jiao Zi returning home. After all that drama, why would she still come back?”
“Oh, and there’s a clue from the telescope. Among the people in the wind power complex, besides the peeping quartet, one more person purchased it! Guess who?” Gao Xiaofei narrowed his eyes at Ping An.
“Who else could it be? Don’t you already have suspects? Tell me, when are you going to deal with Shui Gang!” Ping An said nonchalantly.
“Actually, it was under your guidance that we focused our attention on Shui Gang. But I don’t know, are you really sure that the shadowy figure that night was Shui Gang, based on just a piece of glass?” Gao Xiaofei said. “What about his alibis? How will you explain them?”
“Don’t flatter me. You tell me first, why are you fixated on Shui Gang? I know my unsubstantiated guess wouldn’t make you take it so seriously!” Ping An said.
“Alright, I can tell you that, according to our investigation, Shui Gang was obsessed with pursuing Wang Huanan. Madly so!” Gao Xiaofei said. “This information came from a former member of the security team.”
“So, after Wang Huanan was raped, Shui Gang took revenge?” Ping An lowered his head and placed a piece of marbled pork belly on the grill. “When he spoke of the non-existent rape incident in the complex, he became very agitated, to the point of resigning?”
“Yes, exactly. With this analysis, the motive is sufficient! Based on tracing the telescope, Shui Gang purchased it at the same time as the peeping quartet. Coupled with the walkie-talkie from the security team before, it’s not hard to identify Shui Gang as the suspect.”
“I never imagined that a man like Shui Gang, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, would also enjoy peeping!” Ping An said with a wry smile. “Stop beating around the bush. Just tell me, what do you want me to do!”
“We need evidence that Shui Gang was the shadowy figure that night, or that Shui Gang was involved in the crime that night! The existing evidence isn’t enough to make Shui Gang confess!” Gao Xiaofei said.
“What time did Shui Gang leave that night?” Ping An suddenly asked.
“Around 9 PM!” Gao Xiaofei said.
“I’ll get off work this afternoon. Pick me up at the unit, and we’ll go to the complex. I’ll help you look at the scene,” Ping An said, downing his beer in one gulp.
Jiao Zi’s return home seemed illogical to Ping An, but he couldn't find any fault with it. However, when Su Tang heard about it, she became eager to visit. Frankly, she would rather Jiao Zi stayed at her place than in the wind power complex.
“Darling, come with your godmother to look at wedding dresses tonight. It’s beautiful!” Su Tang, preoccupied, suddenly received a call from Fei Keqing.
Tadiao~ Novel App, fully open-source
“Is my master coming?” Su Tang asked.
“He’s not. He’s accompanying your godfather to look at the scene tonight,” Fei Keqing said.
“Isn’t it too obvious? You’re deliberately keeping me away! You just don’t want me to see Jiao Zi!” The intelligent Su Tang immediately guessed that this was her master’s intention.
“Your master and the others are doing important work, and you accompanying your godmother to look at wedding dresses is also important work,” Fei Keqing said authoritatively.
“Okay!” Su Tang replied perfunctorily after some thought.
Re-examining the scene wasn't a particularly significant task, but for the residents of the wind power complex, it was a big deal. So many people had died there, and everyone hoped these cases would be solved quickly.
Jiao Zi’s home. After spending the whole day on the second floor, Jiao Zi came downstairs slowly, holding her dog.
In the living room, Liao Yuan and Yang Jie, who had resigned, were either watching TV on the sofa or arranging flowers on the balcony.
“How ridiculous. I used to dream of having a scene like this, but now I don’t know if I should be happy,” Jiao Zi said, her voice icy, standing at the top of the stairs with a forced smile.
“If you want to come down, come down. If you want to sit here, sit here. If you want to chat with us, talk!” Liao Yuan said calmly. “You were raised by me. If you truly believe I would harm you, then stay on the second floor and don’t come down!”
Password 563743675
“That’s enough. The child has just returned, let’s not dwell on past events,” Yang Jie said, putting down the TV remote. He looked a bit awkward but very sincere. “If you’re not comfortable in this home, I can send you abroad to study. I have a classmate in London who can help you.”
“Are you trying to kick me out?” Jiao Zi, who had matured almost overnight, quickly understood the meaning behind their words.
“Wouldn’t it be good if we didn’t see each other? We’ll give you some money. When you go to England, don’t come back. Oh, don’t come back for five years!” Liao Yuan said impatiently. “After five years, you’ll be an adult. Then, you can do whatever you want!”
“You…” Jiao Zi found it unbearable to hear Liao Yuan’s words. This was her mother, her adoptive mother, but after more than ten years of nurturing, how could she just let go? Or, how could she turn her back so easily?
“Yes, it’s exactly as you think. Since this veil has been torn, let’s not pretend to have any affection anymore,” Liao Yuan said. “Do you know that you are an awkward joke in this household? My husband and I have lost our careers because of you, and you’ve also taken away money that should have belonged to me!”
“That’s enough!” Jiao Zi suddenly shouted. “Do you think I care about this money? Why are you treating me like this? If you didn’t like me, why did you adopt me in the first place?”
“Are you an idiot? The gossip outside has made it all clear! If it weren't for your status which could secure a large amount of stock, would a pampered young lady like me be willing to be a mother to someone else?” Liao Yuan became angrier as she spoke. “Alright, I don’t want to argue with you anymore. You can come back because your custody is still with me, so I say, for everyone’s good, you should go abroad! We’ll arrange everything. You can do whatever you want! As long as you’re not in front of us, and as long as it doesn’t hinder our careers, you can even choose not to come back for the rest of your life!”
“Wuwuwu…” Even though she had prepared herself countless times, facing the mother she once loved, who now showed such a face, Jiao Zi was speechless. Tears welling up, she returned to the second floor in tears, feeling wronged.
“Miss, I have to say, seeing Jiao Zi so heartbroken—these past ten years, your acting—it’s truly superb!” The old butler descended the stairs quietly, as if from nowhere.
“Legally speaking! This is still our family matter!” Liao Yuan said with disgust, looking at the butler. “Sending Jiao Zi away is my right! Don’t forget, the old man agreed to it!”
Tadiao~ Novel App, free & ad-free pop-ups, and you can also interact with fellow book friends.
“What Mr. Liao agreed to was for everything to return to the past, for everything to be as it was before. You know, as people get older, there are more troubles, and they dislike change,” the old butler said. “Don’t forget the original intention of adopting Jiao Zi! Mr. Liao is your biological father. Don’t play any more tricks. You can’t change anything. Everything will proceed according to the original plan, slowly—oh, of course, this is just my guess! It doesn’t represent Mr. Liao’s intentions…”
“Old butler! To be disrespectful, this seems to be my family matter, doesn't it? Have you considered the future? My father has only me as his child, and I must be the sole heir. Haven’t you noticed that my resignation and Yang Jie’s resignation have caused the company’s stock price to fall considerably? You’re right, I am my father’s biological daughter. He may be muddled, but are you muddled too?” Liao Yuan said with a smile. “Over the years, I haven’t been waiting around idly. You know my capabilities, don’t you?”
“Miss, I’ve always been confused about your attitude towards Jiao Zi. Ever since you had an accident abroad and returned to the country, you’ve changed. Your attitude towards Jiao Zi has changed, and you’ve always wanted to renege on the agreement you made with Mr. Liao back then!” The old butler’s eyes fixed on Liao Yuan like an eagle’s. “The power behind you? I’m afraid it’s the power that will harm you!”
“Shall we give it a try? Not to mention far away, I still have a few trump cards in my hand!” Liao Yuan glared at the old butler, unwilling to back down.
“Hmm, I don’t know how you managed to pull Ping An, who is such a difficult person to deal with, to your side. That’s a problem, I admit, a big problem!” the old butler said. “However, everyone has their weaknesses. For instance, I just found out that Ping An’s beloved disciple, whom he regards as his daughter, has an unusual relationship with Jiao Zi. At a critical moment, who do you think Ping An will stand by? I don’t mind telling you that I also admire people like Ping An. Mr. Liao feels the same way. Both his personal capabilities and the An’s conglomerate behind him are favored by Mr. Liao. Hmm, I just taught Jiao Zi to invite Su Tang over! Heh, I heard this young lady is quite formidable. I wonder what actions she will take when she meets you, and what choices Jiao Zi will make.”
“Old butler, it’s our family matter, shouldn’t we avoid involving outsiders?” Yang Jie, who had been silent until now, suddenly interjected.
“Shut up! You have no right to speak here. You don’t want outsiders involved? Then what about all the people who have died outside? Does it have anything to do with Jiao Zi?” the old butler said mercilessly. “Don’t think I don’t know about your dirty tricks behind the scenes! Why haven’t you divorced the young lady yet? How long can this sham marriage of yours last?”
Playing house is a favorite game for children. If Liao Yuan and Yang Jie were playing this game, then Jiao Zi could only be a doll at their mercy. But would Jiao Zi, who had seen through everything, allow herself to be manipulated? Of course not!
“Su Tang, it’s Jiao Zi, I…” In her bedroom, Jiao Zi, who had been sad on the bed for half the day, suddenly remembered the old butler’s words. After much deliberation, she finally called Su Tang!
“Jiao Zi! I miss you! How are you? I know you’re back home, can I come to see you?” On the other end of the line, before Jiao Zi could finish speaking, Su Tang’s hurried voice came through.
xxxxxx3743675
Perhaps it had been a while since she had seen Su Tang. Hearing her voice, Jiao Zi’s heart suddenly felt warm. She had been angry about the concealment of her identity, but now that her adoptive parents wanted to harm her, what was there to be upset about? Besides, Su Tang and her master were hiding things for her own good.
“Tangtang, I miss you, and I want to ask if you can come to play with me!” Like a normal outing with friends, Jiao Zi asked with anticipation.
“Mhm, I might be a little late. You know, I’m accompanying my godmother to look at wedding dresses!” Su Tang said on the phone, sounding a little embarrassed.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. Is Aunt Fei Keqing getting married? That’s great! Can I be a flower girl, haha!” Jiao Zi tried hard to cheer herself up.
“Okay, okay! We’ll both look beautiful, you’ll be in charge of the bouquet, and I’ll be in charge of collecting red envelopes!” Su Tang tried her best to make Jiao Zi on the other end of the line happy.
“Oh, it’s so exciting just thinking about it. Then you have to come later, and you can bring Brother Hei Dou along!” Jiao Zi knew very well that she was a walking disaster right now, so she thoughtfully suggested Hei Dou come along.
The two young sisters made happy plans to meet up.
In the plaza of the wind power complex, the square dancing aunties had also gathered.
In their minds, murders and suicides were nothing compared to dancing.
“Old Hua, they’re dancing the square dance, why are you joining in?”
ID-563743675
“Old Gao, why are you here? You make a constipated face whenever you dance?”
Amidst the ostentatiously dressed aunties, two old men stood with their hands on their hips, facing each other, quarreling shamelessly.
“Old Hua, you’re not being fair! Don’t think I don’t know you were video chatting with the widow from building A, unit Guang Er, the night before last!”
“Old Gao! Do you really think you’re a detective? I was doing business! I had my eye on her old sofa!”
“Bullshit! Guang Er’s daughter-in-law said in the complex last night that you kept her mother-in-law up all night!”
“Old Gao, look at this video. What is it?”
These two old men, Grandpa Hua and Grandpa Gao, were desperately vying for a spot next to Ms. Wu, sparing no effort and ignoring the disdainful glances of the aunties. They were locked in a fierce battle.
In this round, Gao managed to suppress Hua by using a piece of “gossip” he had secretly overheard. But he didn’t expect Hua to be a pushover either. He pulled out his phone, played a video, and started “eye-rolling” at Gao!
In the video, Gao picked up a handkerchief from the ground, sniffed it vigorously, and then carefully put it in his pocket…
“You picked up the handkerchief of Sister Liu Liu from the convenience store, and not only did you not return it promptly, but you also did such a disgusting thing!” Grandpa Hua “won a point,” proudly showing off his phone.
Password 563743675
“No, at this time, at this location, it doesn’t make sense!” After watching the video, Gao’s face turned from black to red, then from red to white, and finally, he stared at the video, watching it over and over again.
“Are you possessed? Get my phone back! This video was taken by a resident in the property management group and posted directly in the group. Everyone who needs to know already knows!” Grandpa Hua said triumphantly, protecting his phone.
“Old Hua, stop messing around. Send me a copy of this video. It’s useful!” Gao suddenly said seriously.
“Useful for what? Do you want to destroy the evidence? Don’t even think about it. It was posted in the neighbor’s group!” Grandpa Hua said defensively, guarding his phone.
“You know nothing. I need to solve a case. I’m not playing anymore,” Gao said somewhat anxiously.
There seemed to be nothing wrong with this video. The time was 10:30 PM on the night the police encountered Spider-Man and the shadowy figure while on night patrol; the location was the open ground outside Unit 3 of Building C; the characters were Liu Liu, the supermarket owner, who dropped her handkerchief and rushed by, Gao, who picked it up afterwards, and finally, the shadowy figure in black who quickly entered the hallway of Unit 3?
“What case? You can solve cases? Who do you think you are? Disgusting acting!” Grandpa Hua was displeased.
“Send it to me! Hurry up!” Gao, who had already envisioned a crisis, said sternly.
“I won’t!” Grandpa Hua also got angry, his face flushed and his neck red as they argued.
The argument between the two old men disrupted the aunties’ square dancing.
Discussion group 563743675
“Little Wu, try to persuade them. It’s all for you!” The aunties, who usually loved gossip, were no strangers to the fact that Old Hua and Old Gao were pursuing Wu Ping.
“You two, stop arguing. If you want to argue, go over there!” Wu Ping, who was already embarrassed, became even more so when provoked.
In the past, the two old men would have listened to her words. But now, they were truly angry. Not only could she not persuade them, but they were on the verge of a physical fight.
Just then, the community police officer, Shui Ping, happened to pass by and intervened, stopping the two old men.
“Stop making a scene. If you continue, you’ll be violating public order regulations!” As a police officer, her words stunned the two old men.
“It’s not me who wants to make trouble, it’s Old Gao. He did something dirty and asked me for the video. I saw it in the group. Where’s the original video? He threatened me when I wouldn’t give it to him, talking about cases and whatnot!” Grandpa Hua, relying on his close relationship with Shui Ping, quickly reported.
“Don’t talk nonsense. Come with me to my place, and I’ll explain slowly!” Gao said, feeling a sense of fear as the surrounding crowd gathered.
“I’m not going! I can’t beat you, alright!” Old Hua refused to back down.
“Alright, alright. You, and you, and Sister Wu, the three of you come with me to the police station!” Shui Ping, usually easygoing, suddenly changed her approach and adopted a professional demeanor, intending to take Gao, Grandpa Hua, and Wu Ping to the police station.
“Wait, let me make a phone call first!” Gao, who had calmed down, suddenly requested to make a call as the situation was getting out of control.
Site^: Tadiao Novel*, Welcome to download <
“What phone call? Don’t think about begging for leniency! Just apologize properly, and we’ll still be good neighbors!” Shui Gang, Shui Ping’s brother, suddenly appeared in the crowd, smiling and stopping Gao from making the call.
Unable to make a phone call or explain himself clearly, Gao’s blood pressure soared!
He suddenly threw his phone on the ground, then stepped forward, grabbed Wu Ping by the collar, and said fiercely, “You damn fool! It’s all for you! You’re nothing good, and anyone who gets close to you is unlucky! Do you think your brother died because he committed evil deeds and was discovered as an informant? No! He was killed by your curse! Get out! Get out! I don’t want to see you. Get far away from me!”
After speaking harshly, Gao actually pushed Wu Ping away. Wu Ping, who had never expected the usually honest and kind Gao to act like this, was stunned after being pushed to the ground.
“Get out! You’re making me go to the police station!” Gao menacingly raised his foot, about to kick Wu Ping.
“You, you, wu wu wu!” Wu Ping, finally reacting, covered her face with her hands, struggled to stand up, and then ran away crying.
Gao’s outburst surprised everyone. Only Shui Gang couldn’t help but twitch his nose and let out a dry chuckle.
“You’re ruthless!”