He Tiantian treated everyone around her with a grateful heart. However, reaching middle age, she discovered she had been living inside a full-bodied lie.
Returning to the year 1970, He Tianti...
535
Back at the guesthouse, Jiang Lifang waited for Huo Zhekun to return so she could tell him the news she had gathered that day.
Old Lian brought Jiang Lifang a bowl of noodles and said, "Comrade Jiang, you must not have eaten yet?"
"Yes, I was out all morning and didn't eat," Jiang Lifang said. "Thank you, Lao Lian!"
"No need to thank me, Comrade Huo. You should eat your noodles quickly. You can't survive without food," Old Lian said, and then left. If it weren't for the Huo family back then, his whole family would have been wiped out.
Now that the Huo family is in trouble, he can only do his best to help them.
After Jiang Lifang finished eating her noodles, Huo Zhekun returned, and Lao Lian brought him a large bowl of beef noodles.
Huo Zhekun ate while listening to his wife inquire about what had happened.
After he finished eating, Jiang Lifang had also finished speaking.
“What I found out is similar to what you found out,” Huo Zhekun said. “You guessed that Zhou Yuanyuan used Huo Yingqi, and I learned that it was Zhou Yuanyuan who used Huo Yingqi. However, that was done in private. When questioned, Zhou Yuanyuan denied it at all, so now Huo Yingqi has no way to defend herself and has been convicted of treason by the Huo family.”
"Sigh!" Jiang Lifang sighed, "My father-in-law said before that if Yingqi didn't change her ways and continued to be so clingy with that little girl from the Zhou family, she would bring trouble to the Huo family sooner or later. I didn't expect my father-in-law to be right."
“Yes, it’s a crime to not educate children properly!” Huo Zhekun said. “Now the entire Huo family is in deep trouble. Our family is in Nanshi, which is why we haven’t been arrested yet. If we can’t find some useful clues, I guess we won’t have a good ending either.”
"Then...then let's tell Yingjie not to come back?" Jiang Lifang was worried that the Huo family wouldn't be able to get through this ordeal, and that her whole family would be implicated, so she was thinking of sending her son away, far away.
Huo Zhekun smiled wryly and said, "The world is so big, where can I go?"
“Go abroad!” Jiang Lifang said. “Let Yingjie go abroad. With Yingjie’s abilities, he can save his life.”
Huo Zhekun thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "The situation hasn't reached the point where our whole family of three would be implicated yet. If things get bad, we'll send Yingjie away."
"Yes!" Jiang Lifang nodded. This was the last resort. "By the way, will the Huo family's affairs affect the Qi family and the He family?"
Huo Zhekun shook his head and said, "Not yet. In any case, the Qi family has done a great service to the country, not just to our Huo family; at the same time, the technology contributed by the Bai family is exactly what the country needs. If they discard us after we've served our purpose, it will affect the patriotism of overseas Chinese. So, those two families should be fine. Once abroad, with the help of the He family, the Qi family, and the Bai family, Yingjie will have someone to rely on."
"Sigh, this is the only way." Jiang Lifang smiled bitterly. The world is unpredictable, and she didn't know what to do next.
While the couple was talking, Huo Yingjie arrived in Yanjing with his luggage and went directly to the guesthouse where Lao Lian was staying.
Upon seeing her son alive and well, Jiang Lifang couldn't help but shed tears. Just when her son was recovering, the Huo family suffered this misfortune.
“Mom and Dad, don’t cry,” Huo Yingjie said. “Tell me everything you know.”
Although Huo Yingjie can deduce some trends, he cannot know everything.
"Okay, don't cry, don't cry," Jiang Lifang said first. "The thing is..."
"Yes!" Huo Yingjie nodded. "Dad, is there any news from your side?"
Huo Zhekun recounted the events to Huo Yingjie, giving him a general understanding.
Based on what his parents said, and the strategies he had come up with on the way here, Huo Yingjie had a general plan to deal with the situation.
"Yingjie, you didn't eat lunch, did you?" Jiang Lifang asked, since her son had come straight from the train station.
"Yes, I haven't eaten." Huo Yingjie nodded; he was indeed a little hungry.
Old Lian over there was very thoughtful; he had already prepared a large bowl of noodles and brought it over.
Old Lian knew that Huo Yingjie was a formidable man, a key figure in the Huo family. If Huo Zhekun and his son couldn't resolve this issue, then the Huo family was truly in trouble, and he needed to think about his future and ensure the safety of his entire family.
Huo Yingjie ate the noodles, his stomach warmed up, and some sweat appeared on his forehead.
“This afternoon, we’ll go to the police station to see Big Brother,” Huo Yingjie said. “The information we’ve gathered all comes from outsiders. Some things are more reliable when told by family members. As for that Huo Yingqi, just how stupid can she be!”
“Alright, I’ve already smoothed things over. We can go see Yingjun this afternoon. As for your grandparents, uncle, and aunt, we won’t be able to see them for now,” Huo Zhekun said. “Lifang, don’t go out this afternoon. Stay home and rest. Yingjie and I will go over.”
"No, I'll go too. I can't rest well here, and I'm always worried." Rather than being alone here in fear, she'd rather go out with her husband and son and feel more at ease.
"Dad, let Mom go with her," Huo Yingjie said, "so she won't be left here alone and overthink things."
The family went out and arrived at the police station and detention center near the Huo family's old residence.
Because the residents in this area are all high-ranking officials, the police station here is of a relatively high standard.
When Huo Zhekun came over and asked to see Huo Yingjun and Zhao Huanhuan, the people did not stop him. They just made him wait for a while before letting him in.
Although the Huo family members were imprisoned, they dared not make things difficult for the Huo family because someone above them had given the order.
Perhaps if the Huo family survives this crisis, they might settle scores later, and then we'll be in deep trouble. That's why Director Liang is very humble and low-key.
Huo Yingjun was overjoyed to hear that his second brother wanted to see him; this was the only person to visit him since they were imprisoned. Having been detained for five or six days and unaware of the situation outside, Huo Yingjun was extremely anxious.
Huo Zhekun and Huo Yingjie went to see Huo Yingjun, while Jiang Lifang went to see Zhao Huanhuan.
"Second Uncle, Second Brother, how is the situation outside?" Huo Yingjun asked hurriedly, looking much more haggard after these past few days of suffering.
Huo Zhekun recounted the information he had gathered outside, then asked, "Yingjun, this is all information we've gathered; we don't know if it's true or not. Can you tell us what's really going on at home?"
Upon hearing that the Huo family's old residence had been sealed off and that his grandparents and parents were missing, Huo Yingjun was filled with guilt, covered his face, and was overwhelmed with grief.
"It's Yingqi. Zhou Yuanyuan somehow returned to the capital and contacted Yingqi," Huo Yingjun said. "As you all know, Yingqi is arrogant and incredibly foolish. She believes everything Zhou Yuanyuan says. Zhou Yuanyuan said someone was chasing her because she had evidence to prove the Zhou family's innocence, so she gave her a package to keep safe. I don't know what kind of magic Zhou Yuanyuan used on Yingqi, but Huo Yingqi actually believed it and even put those so-called things that could turn the Zhou family's fortunes around in her grandfather's most secret study."