Chapter 213 Who exactly are you?
"Was it you? You're the one who did this! Who are you? My people have investigated thoroughly. A-Yue is dead. She and her family all perished in the river. You couldn't possibly be A-Yue. Who are you?! Why did you instigate those people to lie and frame me?!"
He was so angry that his voice was sharp and shrill, and he didn't notice the impatience in his boss's eyes.
The confidant nodded in agreement, "I went to the burial site and saw Ah Yue's grave with my own eyes. The tombstone has Ah Yue's name and a little girl's name on it. It's a mother and daughter buried together..."
The woman gave Zheng Huaixin a deep look.
She said, "If you say it's not true, then it's not true. I know you've married someone new and can't accept your ex anymore, but the child is yours. He's not well-fed or clothed with me, he's sick and needs medical treatment in Beijing, and he needs to go to school here. Or... even with a paternity test, you still don't want to admit that the child is yours?"
Zheng Huaixin shook his head and said, "I have no idea where this child came from, how can I recognize him?"
"Didn't the old man just say on the phone that this child is your ex-wife A-Yue's, biological child? If he's not your child, then the paternity test is faked. This is a high-tech method used in investigations. If this can be faked, there would be a lot of wrongful convictions! Right, sir?"
When the top leader was called out, he grunted, "A paternity test can't possibly be fake."
He glanced at Zheng Huaixin indifferently, his gaze already somewhat cold, but he smiled on his face.
In a seemingly comforting tone, he said, "Isn't this a good thing? You and your wife have been married for so many years without having children. Perfect, bring the child home to raise, and you'll have someone to carry on the family line."
Zheng Huaixin was so frightened by those words that he broke out in a cold sweat.
If he really brings this child home, his wife and her family will be in an uproar.
You can choose not to answer...
The top leader and the two senior leaders were eyeing him intently, their gazes revealing utter disappointment in him, and they were even inwardly cursing him for his questionable character and inability to shoulder heavy responsibilities.
There was also a woman named Sister-in-law Yao watching the commotion from the side.
If this matter isn't handled properly, his newly acquired position as deputy mayor could vanish at any moment!
what to do? !
Zheng Huaixin tried to calm himself down. Thinking quickly, he forced a smile and followed the leader's lead, saying, "My wife doesn't know about this yet. How about this, I'll go home and discuss it with her first. They're still staying in a hotel; I'll cover the expenses. Once I've convinced my wife and tidied up the house, I'll go pick up the kids..."
He spoke while observing the reactions of the leaders.
The two senior leaders exchanged a glance and nodded.
The top leader remained noncommittal.
Sister-in-law Yao sighed, "Secretary Zheng, you've only thought about the child, what about her?"
Zheng Huaixin frowned and glanced at her.
She said, "She is not A-Yue. The child has a paternity test, which proves that he is my child. I acknowledge him. As for her... regardless of whether she is A-Yue or not, I can no longer live under the same roof with her. If she is willing, I can give her some money as compensation for the hard work she has put into raising the child alone all these years."
"Isn't it impolite to try and get rid of someone with money?"
Before Sister-in-law Yao could say anything more, the woman spoke up, saying, "Okay."
Zheng Huaixin breathed a slight sigh of relief and said, "Then let's discuss it privately and see how much money is appropriate..."
The woman shook her head.
“Say it to the boss, I don’t believe you.”
Zheng Huaixin frowned and asked her how many she wanted.
Without hesitation, the woman said directly, "I don't know how much you earn a month now, and I won't ask for much. Just one-third of your first paycheck each month."
"one third!"
The confidant gasped, staring at the woman in disbelief. "Do you know how much a third is?"
Zheng Huaixin's expression also briefly turned somewhat unpleasant.
He clenched his fist, suppressing his anger, and said, "I need money too. I can't give you that much, at most..."
Zheng Huaixin quickly thought about it.
Giving too little will make the leaders think he is not sincere enough, giving too much is unaffordable for him, so he should take the middle ground.
"...Eight thousand."
Sister-in-law Yao, standing to the side, chimed in, "Hmm, that's quite a lot, enough for Secretary Zheng's salary for two years."
"Two years' salary?"
The woman looked at Zheng Huaixin and said sarcastically, "Secretary Zheng is so generous."
The leaders also began to look at Zheng Huaixin with some displeasure because of the two men's coordinated actions.
Zheng Huaixin was somewhat embarrassed and explained, "This is really all the money I can come up with. Although I've been working for over ten years, I've spent quite a bit of money over the years. I need money for food, clothes, buying property, work-related entertainment, and so on. The fact that I've managed to save this much is all thanks to my wife's thrift and hard work..."
"Just one-third."
The woman, having heard something she didn't want to hear, resolutely interrupted Zheng Huaixin and turned to ask the top leader and the two senior leaders of the investment promotion office, "Am I asking for too much? I raised this child with great difficulty all by myself. Logically, he should be the one supporting the family. I haven't taken everything; haven't I already been considerate enough?"
That's not wrong.
Nowadays, most men are the breadwinners while women stay at home. If the wife doesn't earn money, then the man's money has to support the whole family, so he has to hand it all over.
Only a third of it has been completed; it's really impossible to say more.
Who dares to say more? To say more would be to favor Zheng Huaixin, wouldn't it?
Zheng Huaixin glanced at his confidant. He couldn't personally bring up the argument, but he figured his confidant should understand what he meant.
As a result, the confidant spoke up, "Can't you understand human language? Didn't our Secretary Zheng say that food, clothing, buying houses and land, and work-related entertainment all cost money? Those are the big expenses. How much does it cost to raise a child? I've seen many families raising children, and they spend less than a hundred yuan each time. You're asking for a third of that? That's far too greedy..."
As he spoke, he seemed to have realized something, adopting an indignant stance.
"Are you trying to blackmail Secretary Zheng? If he doesn't agree, you'll make a big scene, ruin his reputation, and make his promotion and raise slip away?"
Zheng Huaixin, "..."
A vein throbbed on his forehead as he cursed inwardly, "Idiot, did you even need to say that?"
Isn't this an obvious fact?
If it's not explicitly stated, it's negotiable; if it is...
“If that’s what you think, why don’t you just call the police and get the case filed in court? We can go to court and see if he should pay for raising the child.”
The woman looked fearless.
Her confidant's eyes widened as he pointed at her, "You, you really did it on purpose."
Zheng Huaixin raised his hand and slapped away his confidant's hand.
She gave him a cold glance and said, "Get out."
Qin Xin's heart trembled, he swallowed hard, nodded to the top leader and the two senior leaders, and quickly left the meeting room.
Did he say something wrong?
After her confidant left, the woman looked at Zheng Huaixin. The timidity she had shown when they first met, the fear that had made her back down at the slightest provocation, was gone. Now, she seemed ready to fight to the death, which made Zheng Huaixin even more wary. For a moment, he couldn't find a way to break the deadlock.
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