Secretary Wang slapped the photo of the mother and child on the table.
"And what about the money you remit to Japan every year?"
Zhang Erhe glanced at the photo and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
"Forged..."
"Stubborn to the end!"
Secretary Wang slammed his hand on the table.
"Then explain why you hid a Japanese codebook in a secret compartment in the study?"
Zhang Erhe's expression finally changed.
He remained silent for a long time, then suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahaha...Since you've investigated this far, I have nothing more to say."
He raised his head, a strange light flashing in his eyes.
"But Secretary Wang, do you think it's over once you've caught me? You're too naive."
"What do you mean?"
Secretary Wang asked warily.
Zhang Erhe did not answer directly, but quickly spoke a few words in Japanese before resuming in Chinese.
"I advise you to stop here. Continuing the investigation will do no good for anyone."
Just then, Zhang Erhe suddenly clutched his chest, his face turning deathly pale.
"My medicine...my medicine..."
He groaned in pain as his body slid off the chair.
Secretary Wang hurriedly summoned the prison doctor, but it was too late.
Zhang Erhe's heart stopped beating.
The forensic autopsy report showed that Zhang Erhe died of acute myocardial infarction.
However, what is suspicious is that trace amounts of tetrodotoxin were detected in his body, a toxin that can trigger heart disease symptoms.
"Suspected of being silenced."
The old cat said to Su Jianguo.
"But the on-site surveillance footage shows that no one except the disciplinary committee members had contact with him."
Zhang Erhe's sudden death brought many leads to an abrupt end.
Although a number of corrupt officials have been apprehended, the mysterious overseas network remains shrouded in mystery.
...
The Zhang family fell from power, and almost all of its members were implicated in the actions of Zhang Erhe.
The only one who was unharmed was Zhang Tianyi, who was only a few months old.
Without a caregiver, Zhang Tianyi was sent to a welfare home by the police.
It's in the welfare home's records.
The column for Zhang Tianyi's parents reads "unknown".
No one knows what kind of waves this quiet little boy will stir up in the future.
...
The prison gates slowly opened, and Su Mingqiang, carrying a tattered duffel bag, walked out with faltering steps.
Because of the downfall of the Zhang family, Su Mingqiang's case was overturned.
He was able to be released from prison early.
Months of imprisonment turned this once spirited young man into a gaunt, emaciated figure with vacant eyes.
"Mingqiang!"
Su Jianguo and Su Jianjun were already waiting outside early.
"dad."
Su Mingqiang called out in a low voice.
Without saying a word, the three turned and left the prison.
On the way home, Su Mingqiang remained silent, only giving brief answers to Su Jianguo's questions.
The Su family courtyard was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and Wang Xiulan prepared a sumptuous meal to welcome her son home.
But when Su Mingqiang saw the room full of relatives, he visibly became nervous.
"I...I want to rest first."
He whispered to his father, then walked straight to his old room and closed the door.
The atmosphere at the dinner table suddenly became awkward.
Su Jianguo forced a smile.
"Mingqiang just got back and needs time to adjust. Everyone, please eat first."
Wang Xiulan was the first to notice that something was wrong with her eldest son.
In the dead of night, Wang Xiulan knocked on her son's door.
There was no response. She gently pushed open the door and found Su Mingqiang curled up on the bed, tightly hugging the blanket.
"Mingqiang?"
Wang Xiulan called softly.
Su Mingqiang sat up abruptly, a flash of fear in his eyes, before recognizing his mother.
"Mom...I'm sorry, I..."
"It's alright, it's alright."
Wang Xiulan sat on the edge of the bed.
"Did you have a nightmare?"
Su Mingqiang nodded, and after a moment of silence, suddenly asked.
"Mom, Jinhua...where is her grave?"
Wang Xiulan's heart tightened.
She initially thought her son was in a bad state because he had just been released from prison.
Unexpectedly, he thought of Li Jinhua, who had already passed away.
"Mingqiang..."
Wang Xiulan carefully considered the wording.
"Jin Hua...her family doesn't acknowledge her and refuses to claim her body. By the time we received the news, she had already been cremated by the police and buried directly in the cemetery."
Su Mingqiang suddenly covered his face, his shoulders shaking violently.
There was no crying, but tears kept seeping from between his fingers.
Wang Xiulan wanted to comfort her son, but she didn't know where to begin.
In the end, she simply patted her son's back gently, just like she would when Mingqiang had nightmares as a child.
In the days that followed, Su Mingqiang almost never left his house.
He spends most of his time in his room except for meals. He occasionally helps with housework, but he's always absent-minded.
Su Jianguo tried to get his son involved in the family business, but every time the topic came up, Su Mingqiang would make excuses to avoid it.
After several attempts, Su Jianguo was at a loss.
...
And so, a few days passed.
The morning sunlight streamed into the room, and Su Mingqiang suddenly opened his eyes, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
He dreamed of that rainy night again.
Li Jinhua, covered in blood, reached out her hand to him, her lips moving as if she were saying something, but he couldn't understand her at all.
Every time I reached out to grab her, she would vanish like smoke.
"It's that dream again..."
Su Mingqiang wiped his face with trembling hands, glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table, and saw it was only four in the morning.
It has been two weeks since he was released from prison and returned home, and he has hardly had a full night's sleep.
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