Chapter 18
"Your son?" Mr. Zhou swayed, as if he had suffered a great shock.
Even though he knew all along that Xingxing wasn't his biological grandson.
Chu Ci was the first to enter the cabin.
The long corridor was carpeted with blue diamond-patterned stripes, resembling ocean waves. The off-white walls on both sides had brand-new patterns, and you could almost smell the paint.
Passengers coming and going could faintly hear the music from the deck dance party.
Suddenly, the door opened, and in the backlight, a tall woman turned around, revealing a face exactly like Chu Ci's.
She screamed in fright and backed away, but Huo Junyan caught her from behind.
The others looked at her.
Chu Ci snapped out of her daze, staring blankly into the corridor. There were no open doors, no passing passengers, and no music. For a moment, she felt as if she had traveled back to the ferry five years ago.
Huo Junyan glanced at the layout of the corridor, his eyes suddenly turning cold, and he raised his hand to tap the miniature earpiece in his ear.
"Where?" Chu Ci asked.
Mr. Zhou looked at the closed door at the far end of the corridor, while Zhou Yubai looked up at the security camera.
“Auntie won’t let us get close. We’ve tried to negotiate, but she doesn’t respond at all,” Zhou Yubai shook his head.
Zhou's father glanced at Zhou Yubai with his drooping eyes. The latter seemed to notice something and looked at Lin Muchen. Lin Muchen's eyes involuntarily glanced at Chu Ci, then he turned slightly to the side and took out his phone.
These few casual glances went unnoticed by anyone.
Chu Ci was extremely anxious. She rushed to the door, raised her fist, then stopped, looked up and met Huo Junyan's gaze, slowly lowered her hand, and gently knocked on the door.
"Mom, it's me."
There was no response; the door was locked from the inside.
"Are the stars really inside?"
Zhou Yubai nodded, and Chu Ci looked at Huo Junyan again. Huo Junyan nodded slightly, and Chu Ci knew that his men had already quietly boarded the ship and found their positions.
Huo Zixi looked at the cameras on both sides of the corridor.
Whether it's breaking down a door or entering a room and breaching a wall, it will be completely exposed to surveillance cameras.
Their eyes met briefly in the air, and they both understood that they had no chance to make a move and could only wait for news from Master Qin.
Chu Ci pounded on the door, "What exactly do you want? Please tell me, and I will definitely agree to your request, as long as you release my son."
"Chu Ci has nothing to do with this. You've mistaken me for someone else," Huo Zixi shouted into the camera. Right now, the most important thing is to buy time for Master Qin. "What you're doing won't benefit the Zhou family or even the Yao family. I advise you not to do anything stupid."
Zhou's father and Zhou Yubai exchanged a glance; they both knew that Huo Zixi was referring to Huo Junyan.
If something really happens to Xingxing here, the Huo family has every right to make the Zhou family disappear.
None of them wanted to completely offend Huo Junyan; they just wanted to end the matter as soon as possible.
"Shengjie, let the child go. We made a mistake. Xingxing isn't our grandson. I'm heartbroken too. If you're angry, take it out on me. Don't hurt the child..."
Smash!
The sound of porcelain shattering against the door startled the people outside.
"Stars, stars..." Chu Ci called out loudly, and the sound inside could be heard, so why couldn't she hear the sound of the stars?
"I beg you, Mom, I beg you, please release the star, okay? I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry..."
Chu Ci broke down emotionally, crying and almost kneeling down to beg.
Huo Junyan held both of her wrists with one hand and hugged her tightly with the other.
The other people had different expressions.
Huo Zixi clenched his fists, enduring the pain with all his might.
Zhou's father turned his face away. He hadn't seen Chu Ci many times, and he always felt that this young and beautiful girl was too arrogant and out of touch with reality. If it weren't for his dead son and grandson, he would never have tolerated her.
Lin Muchen felt a secret sense of satisfaction; it was the first time he had seen her beg for help in such a humble manner.
Humans are so complicated. She could secretly inform her because she didn't want Xingxing to get into trouble, but at the same time, she was jealous of her and hoped to see her fall into a lowly and humble state, lowering her proud head.
Zhou Yubai suddenly thought of the day she gave birth; she was so fragile, yet so full of life.
Master Qin sent word that the outer wall of the room had been reinforced, making a silent demolition impossible. It would be difficult to avoid surveillance from above, so they were trying to find a way to do it from underwater, under the ship.
Huo Junyan looked up at the camera and asked, "What do you want?"
A few seconds later, there was a hissing sound of a microphone being turned on in the corridor.
Everyone perked up; finally, there was some movement. At the same time, they were also puzzled: was Yao Shengjie going to negotiate with Huo Junyan?
The two of them had no connection.
"Zhou Yicun." A grating voice came from the loudspeaker next to the camera, echoing in the long corridor, distorted and eerie.
Mr. Zhou suddenly looked up. "Shengjie, you're finally willing to speak. Open the door, let the child out, and we'll resolve our own issues."
"Enough!" *Buzz*
The distorted and shrill electronic sounds seemed to be pulling on the floor like iron frames, causing others to grit their teeth instinctively and feel a sharp pain in their eardrums.
Yao Shengjie gasped for breath, "Zhou Yicun, I never thought you were lying to me."
"Me?" Zhou's father looked utterly astonished. "I didn't. I only just found out about Xingxing. As for Chen Que, no, I really didn't know anything about Chu Ci."
"You're still lying to me, you're still lying to me, you're still lying to me..." *Sizzle*
Electronic music is like a sharp file, stabbing into your ears again and again.
Chu Ci covered her ears, her head throbbing badly.
"I," Zhou's father saw Huo Junyan's eyes and suddenly understood what Yao Shengjie meant.
She wasn't trying to negotiate with Huo Junyan at all; she was using Huo Junyan to put pressure on him.
They used the Huo family to threaten the Zhou family, forcing him to tell them everything.
Zhou Yicun glanced at Zhou Yubai, who understood and suddenly smiled. He was always the first one abandoned by his father.
Chu Ci immediately understood Yao Shengjie's meaning, "I'll say it."
She broke free from Huo Junyan, looked up at the camera, and said, "Zhou Yubai and I lied to you. He wanted the Zhou family business, and I was afraid you would take my son away, so we made a deal. Once he got the company, our marriage would be dissolved immediately. That's why I didn't agree to Xingxing having the surname Zhou. I was prepared to cut ties with the Zhou family from the beginning. I lied to you. I beg you to take all the blame on me and let Xingxing go."
"Zhou Yicun, I need you to say it!" Yao Shengjie roared.
Chu Ci turned to look at Zhou's father, her eyes pleading, "Dad."
She knew that Yao Shengjie had always been wary of her and Zhou Yubai and never trusted them, so she didn't care about being deceived. The only person who could hurt Yao Shengjie was Zhou Yicun, her husband.
Mr. Zhou clutched his heart, his lips grew increasingly bluish-purple, and his body swayed unsteadily.
“Chairman,” Lin Muchen hurriedly poured the nitroglycerin pills into Zhou’s father’s hand, “You have heart disease, you can’t get excited.”
Huo Junyan gently embraced Chu Ci, glancing at Huo Zixi, who nodded almost imperceptibly, his eyes looking upwards.
With a nitroglycerin pill in his mouth, Zhou Yicun glanced at Huo Junyan, then at Zhou Yubai, and sighed helplessly, "I tampered with the DNA."
These words were like a heavy blow.
Chu Ci looked puzzled and took a long time to process what he meant. He thought the DNA manipulation he was referring to was the DNA from the kinship test that Yao Shengjie and Xingxing had done.
During her pregnancy, she did not agree to amniocentesis, but after giving birth, she knew they would definitely do it.
Therefore, for a long time, she was convinced that she was Zhou Shaoqing's girlfriend.
But why would Zhou Yicun resort to such underhanded tactics?
Did he know her identity from the beginning, and that Xingxing wasn't his grandson?
Why?
Not only was Chu Ci puzzled, but Huo Junyan also frowned. Could it be that Zhou Yicun was behind Chu Ci's initial identity error? Was it to deal with him?
The one with the most shocked expression was Zhou Yubai.
He was completely baffled and remained speechless for a long time.
He manipulated the DNA testing from beginning to end, whether it was the paternity test with Zhou Shaoqing's DNA reserved by the Zhou family, or the kinship tests that Yao Shengjie did several times.
Later, doubts arose regarding the Chu Ci (Songs of Chu), leading to further authentication.
He thought it was flawless.
I never imagined my father would tamper with this.
Why?
"Hahaha..." The piercing laughter was delayed and intermittent, making the listener extremely uncomfortable.
Mr. Zhou closed his eyes in anguish, “It’s my fault, it’s all my fault.”
"You thought Xingxing was your own grandson, and you helped your son hide it from me. Ha, ha... Too bad, man proposes, God disposes. Xingxing is neither your grandson nor mine. Hahaha... Zhou Yicun, you deserve it."
I see.
From the beginning, Zhou's father suspected Zhou Yubai. He knew all too well his son's ambition. Then he discovered that Zhou Yubai had tampered with the DNA test, so he assumed the child was Zhou Yubai's. Zhou Shaoqing was also deceived by this woman.
But Shaoqing was already dead, so he had no choice but to help his remaining son and leave behind his grandson.
Who would have thought?
With his beloved son dead, his wife driven mad, and his cherished grandson, who was not related to him by blood, Zhou Yicun was filled with sorrow.
"Dad?" Zhou Yubai's eyes welled up with tears. He hadn't expected his father to help him. "I...I'm sorry..."
Zhou Yubai helped his father up, and a cold laugh came through the microphone, "What a touching father and son, but who remembers my son? He died here..."
“Shaoqing,” Zhou’s father cried out in despair.
Huo Junyan held Chu Ci in his arms, lowered his head and gently bit her earlobe, "I'll go into the ceiling compartment to protect our son. We'll act immediately."
Chu Ci froze, but fortunately, he held her tightly and she didn't make any unnecessary movements.
"I."
Her lips were pressed against her neck, her breath barely audible.
Qin Ye's men climbed into the ceiling mezzanine. As long as they got in and protected Xingxing, everyone would take action immediately. However, Yao Shengjie wouldn't let Huo Junyan in; she hated Chu Ci even more.
I hate her for deceiving me, but I hate even more why she doesn't continue to deceive me.
It would be more appropriate for her to go in.
"There are still people alive in the Yao family, she doesn't dare."
After Huo Junyan finished speaking, he suddenly released her and raised his hands, saying, "China-Africa mines."
Everyone looked at him. Those present were all shrewd people, and in just a moment, they all understood.
The Yao family's energy company in Central Africa is waiting for rare metals to save it, and the Huo family happens to have mines in Central Africa. As long as Huo Junyan raises his hand, the Yao family's company can survive.
There were Yao family members on the cruise ship, and they wouldn't let Yao Shengjie go crazy, especially when they heard about the Sino-African mines; they would only put pressure on Yao Shengjie.
"As soon as I see my son, I will immediately arrange for the transfer of ownership of the mine."
Zi—
The microphone suddenly went silent.
Suddenly, the voice rang out again, "Mr. Huo, stay. Everyone else, leave."
There were other people in the room.
Chu Ci exchanged a quick glance with Huo Junyan and made a decision not to linger. She took a step back, and Huo Zixi grasped her wrist. He and Huo Junyan exchanged a look and prepared to take her away.
"Stop!" Yao Shengjie suddenly shouted.
The people in the corridor froze in shock.
“Chen Que, you stay too.”
Chu Ci looked at the camera and said, "Okay."
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