The day before Xia Wan and Xia Tao were to return to Harbin, Beijing had just experienced a heavy snowfall, and the city was completely covered in white snow, resembling a dreamlike ice and snow castle.
On a clear morning after the snow, the sky was exceptionally clear, without a single impurity, as blue as a giant gemstone. The warm winter sun poured down without reservation, gilding this silvery-white world with a dazzling golden edge.
The sunlight streamed through the clean, almost transparent windows, flowing unhindered into the Xia family's simply furnished yet cozy living room.
On the living room floor, patches of warm and bright light of various shapes are outlined, resembling a natural painting of light and shadow.
Although the furniture in the living room was old-fashioned, it was spotless and, under the gentle caress of the warm sun, it emitted a unique soft glow, enveloping the entire space in a tranquil and beautiful atmosphere.
However, everyone in the living room was preoccupied with their own thoughts, which added a touch of solemnity to the tranquility.
Xia Xiong sat in the old armchair, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the armrest, his gaze occasionally drifting towards the door, as if waiting for some important news.
Xia Jianguo frowned slightly and sat silently to the side, the teacup in his hand steaming, but it could not dispel the worries in his heart.
Xia Wan and Xia Tao sat facing each other, occasionally exchanging a few words in hushed tones, their eyes filled with contemplation and uncertainty about the future. This heavy atmosphere was like a faint, invisible veil, keeping out the warmth of the sun.
Just then, a series of hurried and slightly chaotic footsteps abruptly broke the somewhat oppressive silence.
Xia Shuhua strode into her home, her figure appearing even thinner under her oversized coat, which was casually draped over her arm, a small reflection of her weary life these past few days.
Because she was rushing so fast, her hair was disheveled by the cold wind, and a few strands of wet hair clung to her slightly pale cheeks, making her look even more haggard.
Although her face showed deep fatigue from days of running around, the dark circles under her eyes were clearly visible, like two lingering shadows. She seemed to have been drained of energy and had lost a lot of weight. Her former radiance seemed to have been completely worn away by this difficult time.
But her eyes couldn't hide the barely suppressed excitement, like someone who had been groping in the dark for a long time finally seeing the dawn.
“I’ve already submitted the anonymous tip, and Zhao Guodong has been under investigation for the past few days.” Xia Shuhua said impatiently as soon as she entered the room, her voice trembling slightly with excitement—a tremor of long-suppressed emotions finally being released. “This man is always cautious, so I doubt they’ll find anything substantial. But that’s enough; he’ll probably be stuck here for life…”
Immediately afterwards, she moved to the sofa, slowly sat down, and gently rubbed her temples, as if trying to shake off the fatigue that had accumulated over the past few days.
After calming herself down, she slowly glanced at her family and began to recount in detail all the hard work and achievements she had made over the past few days.
She recalled those days of constant travel, every detail seemingly etched into her mind.
In her quest to find a key witness, she waited for hours, shivering in the cold wind. The wind pierced through her cotton-padded coat like countless tiny ice needles, piercing her very bones and leaving her hands and feet numb and devoid of feeling.
But her eyes remained fixed firmly on the distance, never once considering giving up, with only one belief in her heart: she must seek justice for herself.
To verify a vague clue, she traveled over mountains and valleys to a remote town, enduring a long and arduous journey that left her nearly exhausted.
The winding and rugged mountain path was incredibly difficult to traverse, but when she finally reached her destination, the light in her eyes was exceptionally fervent.
She sometimes shed tears in the face of indifferent stares and heartless rejections, but after wiping them away, she resolutely continued on her way.
Every setback and every rejection that brought her renewed strength has now transformed into the firmness and pride in her words.
Throughout her narration, Xia Shuhua's eyes shone with a light, a kind of unwavering determination and perseverance that came after countless hardships, finally seeing the dawn of victory. It was as if she was telling everyone that all the sweat and tears she had shed were worthwhile.
Xia Wan sat quietly to the side, her hands folded on her knees, her eyes fixed intently on her aunt, filled with admiration and heartache.
She was well aware that since Xia Shuhua and Zhao Guodong were still married, it would be extremely difficult to completely bring down Zhao Guodong within the framework of the law and the complex entanglements of human relationships. She could not simply report him without any scruples.
Therefore, the aunt could only start with some seemingly insignificant little things, like a patient and persistent spider, slowly weaving a fine web, so that Zhao Guodong would fall into it without realizing it. The more he struggled, the tighter the restraint became, until he could not break free in the end.
Fortunately, hard work pays off.
After several days of tireless and arduous efforts, Xia Shuhua finally succeeded in getting Zhao Guodong under her control.
Although Zhao Guodong appears to be a free man on the surface, with no apparent restrictions on his movements and as he continues to attend various events with his seemingly calm expression, Xia Wan knows in her heart that he has completely lost the ability to resist in his official career and can no longer act recklessly, bully others, or stir up trouble as he did before.
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