80: Wind and Cloud

After two days of warmth and tranquility, it was the long-awaited time for the "solid evidence of the Zhao Family's illegal activities."

The first piece of gossip in the New Year was such a bombshell.

At 7:00 PM, just as everyone's three-day New Year's holiday activities—filled with joy and frantic fun—were winding down for dinner, a notice screenshotted from the official police website quietly climbed the trending searches.

Soon, everyone knew about it.

Many people scrolled through their phones while eating dinner to watch the gossip of this top-tier wealthy family. The matter surged across the internet like an unstoppable avalanche, sweeping through many people's social circles in a short time.

It wasn't long before Qiao Rongjing called.

"Zhuohua." His voice sounded very exhausted; it seemed that helping Zhao Zixing stabilize the company recently had indeed taken a lot of effort. "That news on the trending searches, is it true?"

"Yes."

Qiao Rongjing fell silent for a long time. He knew it was likely true the moment he saw the news, but he still held onto a sliver of hope, wanting to get a negative answer from Yan Zhuohua.

Now that hope was shattered, he finally faced the causes and consequences of this matter.

The notice didn't reveal too many details, but it clearly explained the general outline of several events.

"The wealthy Zhao Family plotted to swap other families' children for profit," "The real-life version of the wealthy family's true and fake young masters," "The Zhao Family is suspected of kidnapping and assassination," "The trap at the Zhao banquet"...

Countless hashtags hit the trending list, and the Zhao Family was suddenly thrust into the eye of the storm.

Qiao Rongjing was angry on behalf of his good brother and what Yan Qinghe had gone through, while also having to worry about his cousin, Zhao Zixing.

No wonder Yan Zhuohua was unwilling to help him back then.

"Then the Zhao Family, what do you plan to do?" Qiao Rongjing finally asked.

"Zhao Zixing has already seen Zhao Mingting, right?" Yan Zhuohua replied. "The Yan Family won't retaliate, but cutting ties is essential. As for everything else, it depends on you guys; Zhao Mingting should have already paved the way for him."

"Alright." Qiao Rongjing understood that this was already the Yan Family's greatest concession. "Thank you."

Yan Zhuohua sighed.

The call ended. With the Zhao Family incident breaking out, Qiao Rongjing would certainly be busy.

"Unhappy?" Yan Qinghe came over and let him lean against him. "Nothing can be perfect in every aspect; you don't need to worry about it."

Yan Zhuohua nuzzled into the crook of his neck. "It's not just for Rongjing. The matter I've been investigating for five years is finally brought to light today. Although I'm happy, I still feel heavy-hearted."

"Because there's still a hidden force behind it that hasn't been uncovered?"

"I don't know." Yan Zhuohua's voice was a bit dejected. "I can't explain it clearly."

"Then don't worry about it. We can't live in the past forever; there should be a new beginning."

Before the new beginning Yan Qinghe mentioned could arrive, a new call came in.

It was Yan Zhuohua's phone again.

The word "Eldest Brother" was prominent on the screen, and Yan Zhuohua suddenly sat up from Yan Qinghe's embrace.

"What do I do, what do I do? How could I forget Eldest Brother?" Yan Zhuohua paced back and forth anxiously. "He must have guessed that I secretly investigated the past behind his back. Ahhh, what should I do?"

Yan Qinghe looked at Yan Zhuohua, who was so anxious he seemed about to catch fire, and lowered his head with a smile.

"I don't know what you should do, but if you don't answer the phone soon, it will likely be an even greater offense."

Yan Zhuohua froze.

He looked at the phone, which was still patiently ringing, gritted his teeth, and picked it up with a trembling hand before the call disconnected.

"Hello..."

"You two, get yourselves home right now."

After saying that one sentence, before anyone could react, Yan Zhuoyang hung up.

Yan Zhuohua slumped heavily onto the sofa, his face fallen as if he were about to be summarily executed.

Yan Qinghe burst out laughing.

"You're still laughing!" Yan Zhuohua looked at him in disbelief. "You're a part of this too!"

"I'm not the mastermind, nor was I ordered not to investigate." What he said was indeed true.

"Heh, the family didn't give you a ban because they knew you didn't even realize it, right?" Seeing Yan Qinghe mocking him, Yan Zhuohua began to speak sarcastically.

"Oh, anyway, I don't have to face the family rules." Yan Qinghe's smile grew even more radiant.

"But you shielded me! Same crime!" Yan Zhuohua was determined to drag him down with him.

Seeing that the situation seemed to be spiraling out of control, Yan Zhuohua quickly reined in his smile.

"Zhuohua, have you ever thought that if you rat me out and I get into trouble too, who will be left to save you?"

Yan Zhuohua opened his mouth, thought for a moment, and then his eyes lit up. "Hubby, does this mean you're going to save me? You have a way to save me, right, Hubby!"

To save his life, Yan Zhuohua could temporarily throw away his dignity.

"Ah, I wanted to save you, but someone was just trying to drag me down with them!" Yan Qinghe started to bring up old scores, clearly wanting to gain some benefits.

"No, Hubby, you misheard. I like you so much, how could I betray you?" Yan Zhuohua was very cooperative, his words full of flattery, essentially losing both his pride and his face.

"Is that so?" Yan Qinghe wanted to continue watching him act cute and beg for mercy.

"Hubby, the family rules are very painful. If I get beaten, I won't be able to attend to you in bed. Won't you be lonely?" Seeing that his previous compromise was useless, Yan Zhuohua didn't want to indulge him anymore and simply changed his approach.

"Threatening me?"

"Not at all, Hubby."

"Fine, but I have a condition." Yan Qinghe smiled through gritted teeth. "Before this month ends, you must be a good, obedient little wife for me."

Since you're unwilling to flatter me properly, I'll just have to use some means.

Yan Zhuohua thought carefully: was a round of family rules more terrifying, or was falling into Yan Qinghe's hands for a month more terrifying?

"You're unwilling?" Yan Qinghe's voice was full of warning.

"I of course am willing!" He'd better choose falling into Yan Qinghe's hands; otherwise, he probably wouldn't get a good outcome from either side.

Hearing Yan Zhuohua's sensible choice, Yan Qinghe finally nodded in satisfaction and bossily directed his "little wife."

"Now, go get your things ready. It's time for us to go home."

They hurried home before 8:30 PM, fearing that Eldest Brother would catch them on something else.

But they never expected that when they arrived home, Yan Zhuoyang hadn't returned yet; only their mother and second brother were home.

"Mom, is Eldest Brother not here?" Yan Zhuohua tested the waters cautiously.

"He just called and said he'd be home in an hour to deal with you, and told you to wait in the study first." Jiang Fuyue was busy eating an apple and scrolling through her phone. Hearing Yan Zhuohua's probe, she looked up and glanced at him.

Oh no, it looks like Mom knows too.

"Yo, it's only been how long, and our Third Young Master has provoked Eldest Brother again?" Yan Zhuoyan came out of the kitchen with a plate of fruit. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Do you need Second Brother to prepare some ointment for bruises for you?"

"Go away!"

"Sigh, some people just don't recognize a good heart!" Yan Zhuoyan couldn't stop lamenting the decline of human kindness.

"Enough, stop putting on a show for me here. Go do whatever you need to do." Jiang Fuyue found them noisy; they were disturbing her phone time.

Yan Zhuohua walked upstairs dejectedly, not forgetting to give Yan Qinghe a look to follow him. He had agreed to such an excessive condition from Yan Qinghe to save his life; if the man couldn't save him, he would definitely drag this rogue down with him to the grave!