Chapter 234 Gathering Information

More than a few police officers were shocked.

Cheng Jiajia and Yu Junsheng, who were watching the drama unfold from the sidelines, were also completely bewildered by how things developed.

No way, the whistleblower letter they secretly submitted had this effect?!

Ah, this... this...

The mouths of the onlookers were agape, wide enough to fit an egg.

His eyes almost popped out of his head.

Good heavens! How did Zhu Ziqiang and Xu Dongliang get involved together?

What's wrong with all the men in that compound? Why do they all prefer men to women?!

They've lived in the same compound for several years, how come they didn't know Zhu Ziqiang had this kind of hobby?

Thinking about it again, Zhu Ziqiang's previous wife never had children. Could it be that he wasn't into that kind of thing?

The big guys' eyes then turned strangely to a certain part of Zhu Ziqiang's body.

...

This concerns a man's dignity, which is absolutely inviolable!

Even those in lower positions!

Zhu Ziqiang's panicked heart instantly turned into anger and shame, and he immediately retorted loudly: "Sun Ling, you vicious woman! You cheated on me with another man and got pregnant with his child, and you still want to frame me!"

"Who do you think you are, spouting nonsense and expecting everyone to believe you? Do you think the police will believe your utter rubbish?!"

After he finished cursing Sun Ling, he didn't forget to flatter the police officers present, saying indignantly, "The police officers are so wise, they certainly won't be fooled by a villain like you and harm an innocent civilian like me!"

Police officer: "..."

No, no, really no, they're not that wise!

They want to be fooled!

Everyone else was also speechless.

They believe! They believe!

Why don't you believe it?

They love gossip the most; they'll eat any kind of gossip!

This despicable man actually tried to put me down! Sun Ling was furious. She sneered, "Zhu Ziqiang, you had lunch with Xu Dongliang last Wednesday at noon, and then had lunch with him again after work. You even went to his house with him and stayed there for two or three hours before coming out! Everyone's not stupid! Everyone knows what kind of person Xu Dongliang is. If you were that close to him, what else could it be but that kind of relationship?"

"If the police don't believe me, go and check! Everything I said is absolutely true!"

Zhu Ziqiang's expression changed drastically.

I didn't expect Sun Ling to know so much.

They seemed to know everything about their own and Xu Dongliang's whereabouts.

Seeing this, the police officers exchanged glances. They were all somewhat excited.

Another job is coming up!

Everyone: "!!!"

Holy shit! Holy shit!

It was by chance that Sun Ling discovered this.

It all started that night when she impulsively reported Director Wang and Qi Baifan. Actually, Sun Ling regretted it immediately after reporting Qi Baifan, because she realized she seemed to have made a mistake. Not only had she failed to save Qi Baifan, but she seemed to have harmed him instead. But things had developed to this point, and she was powerless to change anything. So, she had been staying at home for the past few days, living in fear and anxiety.

With more time spent at home, Sun Ling noticed that Zhu Ziqiang was in a particularly good mood and even drank some alcohol, which was unusual for him.

She became suspicious and paid more attention to Zhu Ziqiang.

It turned out that he was getting very close to Xu Dongliang.

In fact, Sun Ling did not find any inappropriate behavior between the two, but that did not stop her from saying it on purpose.

Who told this bastard to dare report me to the police?

Everyone knows that Xu Dongliang has unusual tastes. If Zhu Ziqiang hangs out with him, he'll be in deep trouble!

You say you and Xu Dongliang aren't in that kind of relationship? Who would believe that?

Sun Ling had no idea that she had inadvertently revealed the truth!

For a moment, Zhu Ziqiang couldn't find a rebuttal and could only loudly argue, "I was just having a meal with Xu Dongliang, how could that be considered a homosexual relationship? Sun Ling, don't slander our pure friendship! We are completely innocent!"

Sun Ling gave a cold snort.

"Innocent and pure? Don't you dare insult those four words!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

Clearly, they don't believe Xu Dongliang can have any pure friendship with men.

Zhu Ziqiang was so ashamed he wished he could bury his head in the ground.

Damn it! That bitch Sun Ling! What does it matter to her what happens to me?!

The delicate atmosphere was broken only when Old Lady Zhu heard that her son had been arrested and came running to cry and wail.

"My son! You were ruined by this vile woman! What kind of heartless police officer is this, treating human life like dirt!"

"Tell me, are you having an affair with that little slut, and are you deliberately trying to harm my son!"

The old lady came out crying and making a scene, refusing to let the police take her son away, otherwise she would kill herself here today.

Police officers: "..."

Their faces immediately darkened.

Where did this old lady come from? Her mouth is so dirty!

It wasn't until a policeman pulled out a gun that the old woman, Zhu, collapsed to the ground in fright, with some yellowish liquid seeping from beneath her.

His face was deathly pale, and he stammered, "Comrade, comrade, I won't disturb your investigation, I won't disturb your investigation!"

As a result, Zhu Ziqiang collapsed to the ground as if his mother had died and was taken away by the police. Of course, Sun Ling was also taken away with him.

All that remained was an elderly woman, Grandma Zhu, sprawled on the ground in a disheveled state, and her two children, who were crying incessantly.

It looks so tragic.

But Cheng Jiajia showed no sympathy whatsoever.

Thinking of Fu Jiaojiao's pain at being tricked into marriage by this man and believing she couldn't have children, I just want to say: Bah! What a scumbag, he deserves it!

Not only her, but many people at this moment thought of Fu Jiaojiao's experience.

"Wow, Zhu Ziqiang's ex-wife, Xiao Fu, everyone said she couldn't have children. Could it be that Zhu Ziqiang himself is just impotent? After all, he's not into that kind of thing!"

"You know what, it's true!"

"If that's really the case, then the Fu family mother and son are truly despicable! They tricked a young, unmarried woman from the city into marrying a divorced man with two children in tow, and now they're trying to pin the blame for her infertility on him."

The old woman Zhu used such nasty language back then!

It turns out the problem was with my own son!

The crowd looked at the disheveled old lady with disdain, thinking she deserved it.

This mother and son are getting their comeuppance for their inhuman behavior!

Grandma Zhu noticed the unfriendly looks from everyone, and the fear she had shown when facing the police earlier was gone. Instead of feeling ashamed, she glared back even more fiercely, "What are you looking at!"

She patted her bottom and stood up, not even caring about her two beloved grandsons, and hurriedly ran back to pack her things.

If her son really goes to jail, she has to pack her things and run away quickly, lest she be implicated!

...

The whole afternoon was spent discussing Zhu Ziqiang. I never imagined he could be that kind of person!

However, Yu Junsheng and the other two had other things on their minds.

Ren Xiaosheng's letter of introduction was for a family visit leave, which, excluding travel time, meant he could only stay in Beicheng for about twenty days. Therefore, everyone was eager to help him find out the truth about his origins as soon as possible.

The next day, Ren Xiaosheng said he was more familiar with the countryside and went to the Sanshan Brigade of Hongxing Commune by himself.

Yu Junsheng went to Xiangzhang Hutong to inquire about Chen Hongyu's family situation.

How could Cheng Jiajia be absent from something like this?

She also applied to join.

Yu Junsheng refused to apply.

He doesn't know the specific situation over there. His wife is pregnant. What if something happens to her? Where will he go to cry?

But Cheng Jiajia said that as a grown man, going to an unfamiliar place to ask questions would arouse suspicion and might backfire, making it impossible to find out any useful information.

Bringing her along would make things different. She's a woman, and pregnant. People are still quite naive these days, without the numerous human trafficking cases of later generations. So, people are generally kind and trusting towards pregnant women, and they might just blurt out too much. It would be much easier to gather information.

Although this sounds a bit far-fetched at first glance, it makes sense upon closer examination, so in the end, Yu Junsheng still brought Cheng Jiajia along despite his reluctance.

Cheng Jiajia: Hehehe~ You little brat, you think you can leave her behind to go eat melons by yourself? Dream on!

The two went to the supply and marketing cooperative, bought a bag of sponge cakes and two cans of food, and headed to the bus stop.

On the bus, Yu Junsheng kept a close eye on Cheng Jiajia, worried that she might get carsick or feel unwell.

Cheng Jiajia raised her chin and said, "Don't worry, I'm fine. My daughter loves me dearly!"

Speaking of this, Cheng Jiajia was particularly proud. While other pregnant women experienced discomfort in various areas, Cheng Jiajia was able to eat and sleep well throughout her entire pregnancy. She not only didn't vomit, but also had a great appetite.

Cheng Jiajia attributed this to her daughter's doting affection for her.

Yu Junsheng nodded in agreement, "That's right, who is our daughter! She's definitely the smartest and most well-behaved girl in the compound!"

The person next to them who overheard this: "..."

This is truly eye-opening!

I've seen people boast about themselves, but I've never seen someone start boasting before their child is even born.

Yu Junsheng was still boasting: "With our looks, our daughter will definitely be the prettiest girl in the neighborhood!"

Everyone: "..."

Damn it, it's not even born yet, we don't even know if it's ugly or beautiful.

If you keep talking like this, your future child will be able to do anything, from flying to diving!

Everyone was speechless and moved away from the two of them.

I can't stand it!

Amidst laughter and conversation, we arrived at the station where Xiangzhang Hutong is located.

Upon arrival, Yu Junsheng got out of the car first, protecting Cheng Jiajia from being jostled by the crowd.

Speaking of which, Xiangzhang Hutong and Xiaohuaihua Hutong, where Yu Junsheng and his family lived, are not far apart. It only takes half an hour by bus. They both belong to Dongcheng District, but Xiangzhang Hutong is an old residential area in the northern part of the city, with mostly individual courtyards and local residents. Unlike Xiaohuaihua Hutong, which was surrounded by large courtyards and later became the staff quarters for several factories after the founding of the People's Republic of China, Xiangzhang Hutong has a more diverse and mixed population.

The bus stop is just a few turns from the residential area.

At the entrance of the alley, a group of elderly men and women were sitting together, playing chess in twos and threes, or whispering to each other.

Yu Junsheng immediately understood; this was an intelligence station in the alley.

He glanced at Cheng Jiajia, who raised an eyebrow. See? She wasn't wrong, was she?

At this time, there is little population mobility. People living in the same area are all old neighbors who know each other very well and are wary of unfamiliar faces.

Sure enough, as soon as the two approached, the elderly men and women stopped talking when they saw the two unfamiliar faces.

They were all looking at them with suspicious eyes.

"Young man, young lady, what are you doing here? We've never seen you before." You're all veterans of war, very experienced in enemy combat.

Yu Junsheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief. His wife was right; these old men and women were quite wary, and it would have been difficult for him to handle things alone.

Fortunately, his wife was smart and followed him.

His eyes darted around, he forced a smile, feigned confusion, and stepped forward to ask, "Excuse me, ladies, is there anyone here named Chen Hongyu?"

The elderly men and women exchanged glances, their faces expressionless. "Chen Hongyu? Young man, what do you want with her?"

Yu Junsheng scratched his head and smiled simply. "She is my aunt. She married into the city many years ago and lost contact with her family. My father has always been worried about her and wondered how she was doing. A while ago, my aunt suddenly sent someone a message saying that she was not feeling well. My father was very worried, but he couldn't leave home, so he could only ask me to come and see her."

He moved the things he was carrying forward, "That's why I quickly bought some things and brought my pregnant wife over."

To be honest, with his silly boyish smile and the patched old clothes he had specially changed into before leaving the house, he really did look like a country lad.

Cheng Jiajia, who had specially changed into the old floral cotton-padded jacket she wore before coming to the city, looked just like a country housewife.

So the elderly women and men believed it without a second thought.

She was worried for him, saying, "Oh young man, you must have come to the wrong place. We only have one person named Chen Hongyun here, not Chen Hongyu."

Yu Junsheng's eyes flashed, but he feigned a panicked expression. "No way? I saw that the address on the letter was Xiangzhang Hutong!"

The older woman who had spoken earlier said with absolute certainty, "Young man, think it over again. I've lived in this area for decades, and I know everyone in every household perfectly. There's absolutely no way I could be wrong! There's no one named Chen Hongyu here!"

"Yes, yes, young man, are you sure you're not mistaken? We don't have such a person here!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Junsheng's face flushed red with panic. "I'm not mistaken, I'm not mistaken, it's No. 30 Xiangzhang Hutong!"

Cheng Jiajia also stamped her feet anxiously, "What are we going to do? If we can't find Auntie, where are we going to sleep tonight?"

The elderly women were taken aback. "No, are you sure it's the 30th?"

"Is Chen Hongyun living at number 30?"

"You didn't get the name wrong?"

"That's right!" Yu Junsheng glared at the old man. "How could I possibly mistake my aunt's name! It's Chen Hongyu!"

The old man didn't argue with him and continued, "Young man, do you know what your aunt's husband's surname is?"

Yu Junsheng shook his head honestly, "I don't know, my aunt didn't tell the family."

"This is going to be difficult."

Cheng Jiajia, who had been silent all along, suddenly lit up, "Is it possible that our aunt changed her name later?"

Yu Junsheng exclaimed excitedly, "Hey, it really is! They probably just changed their name!"

"Grandpa and Grandma, could you tell me about Chen Hongyun's family situation? My aunt once mentioned that she has a cousin."

The old man frowned. "Hongyun's family has a daughter and a son."

Yu Junsheng frowned. "Is it possible that she was adopted?"

“My dad said that my uncle was unable to have children after he was injured.”

The old man shook his head. "Impossible! I've seen those two children; they look exactly like their parents!"

"Ah! That's not it after all!" Yu Junsheng said with a look of disappointment, muttering, "Then where does my aunt actually live?"

Suddenly, an older woman exclaimed, "Oh my, isn't that Chen Hongyun's eldest daughter up ahead? Is she going back to her parents' home?"

A woman in her early twenties with short hair, a round face and round eyes, walked towards us from afar, looking very approachable.

They don't look anything like the Ren family.

The two exchanged a glance.

It seems this isn't the case!

withdraw!

Yu Junsheng slapped his forehead hard!

"Oh dear, my stupid brain! The envelope said Zhangshu Hutong! Not this Xiangzhang Hutong!"

"Thank you so much, gentlemen and ladies! Please enjoy this canned food while my wife and I go find my aunt!"

Yu Junsheng handed a can of food to an older woman, then quickly pulled his wife away.

The elderly men and women: "..."

No, why is this young man acting so strangely?

...

Meanwhile, in the countryside.

Ren Xiaosheng pretended to be a member of the supply and marketing cooperative in the city who came down to buy mountain products. Under the pretext of understanding the situation of the team members' families, he subtly inquired about Wang Cuihua's children.

Because he had been frequently running a business selling mountain products in the countryside for the past two years, Ren Xiaosheng was quite convincing at disguising himself. The people in the brigade were caught off guard and told him the basic facts.

It turns out that this family has three sons. The baby born 25 years ago should be the eldest son according to age. It is said that Wang Cuihua and her husband doted on this eldest son.

Ren Xiaosheng felt that it was most likely not this family, but just to be on the safe side, he still met with the family under the pretext of buying mountain goods.

With just one glance, Ren Xiaosheng knew he was not a child of this family.

Because the three brothers look very alike, it's obvious at a glance that they are related by blood.

Ren Xiaosheng returned empty-handed with several large bags of mountain produce, feeling somewhat disappointed.

I wonder how things are going with Yu Junsheng?

I took a rural minibus back to the north of the city. I had only walked a few steps from the station when I encountered an old lady who had fainted on the roadside.

Ren Xiaosheng was startled and quickly stepped forward to help the person up and pinched their philtrum.

While pinching her, she called out, "Grandma, Grandma! Are you alright?"

After pinching him several times, the person who had fainted finally started to respond.

The old woman, who had been keeping her eyes closed, slowly woke up and weakly said, "I...I'm..."

Ren Xiaosheng breathed a sigh of relief. "You probably have low blood sugar." Then, as if remembering something, he reached into his pocket, took out a piece of fruit candy, and handed it to the old lady. "Here, eating some candy will make you feel much better."

These were the wedding candies that Dong Xiaodi and Bai Xiaohui had distributed in the courtyard before.

The old lady took it tremblingly, "Thank you, young man..." But when she saw his face, she froze. That face...

The old lady's eyes flickered.

She suddenly exclaimed, "Oh my, young man, you're really handsome!"

Ren Xiaosheng was taken aback, then smiled sheepishly, "You flatter me." He was a little confused as to why the old lady was praising his appearance at this time.

"Is your surname Su?"

Upon hearing the somewhat familiar surname, Ren Xiaosheng's heart stirred. "Grandma, my surname isn't Su, it's Ren."

The old lady remained calm. "Oh? Do you know anyone surnamed Chen?"

"I don't know him either."

"You look a lot like someone I know."

Ren Xiaosheng paused for a moment, then quickly regained his composure, lowered his eyes, and replied, "Is that so? I suppose this is what people often mean when they say people have similarities."

The old lady narrowed her eyes slightly.

It's no wonder the old lady overthinks things; the young man really does look like both her son-in-law and her daughter.

If he only resembled her son-in-law, she might have thought of other things, but he also resembled her daughter so much... Old Mrs. Shen couldn't help but think more deeply about it.

Go back and call Manqing and the others to ask.

Ren Xiaosheng didn't show it on his face, but his doubts grew even stronger.

He vaguely remembered that someone had asked him the same strange question before, and it seemed that they had asked him if he knew anyone from the Su family and the Shen family. He hadn't thought much about it then, but now he had encountered it again... A thoughtful look flashed across Ren Xiaosheng's eyes.

Could it be that he looks a lot like someone from the Su or Shen family?

Could it be that his background is related to these two families?