Just by sitting there, Mu Bozhou’s presence completely overshadowed the obese Li Dajun.
A flash of ferocity crossed Li Dajun’s eyes, his back teeth nearly grinding to dust as he stiffened his neck and argued defiantly:
“Secretary Mu, are you trying to shield someone with improper conduct?”
Right now, Li Dajun’s only chance of winning was by pinning a label on Mu Bozhou.
He hadn’t come here today relying solely on a flimsy letter of accusation.
Mu Bozhou remained unmoved, even taking a leisurely sip of orange soda:
“Taotao, this soda is quite refreshing in the summer. Have some more.”
Mu Bozhou poured a glass of orange soda and handed it to Xie Qingtao.
Li Dajun was ignored once again, and his anger flared:
“Secretary Mu, your job is on the line, and you still have the mood to drink soda? Well, once you’re locked up, you won’t even get soda to drink. Better drink up now.”
Li Dajun forced himself to match Mu Bozhou’s imposing demeanor, imitating him by crossing his arms and looking down on him with disdain.
Mu Bozhou’s moment with Xie Qingtao was interrupted. His sharp, phoenix-like eyes narrowed, revealing a glint of murderous intent:
“The one going in today might just be you!”
Li Dajun threw his head back and laughed uproariously, as if he had just heard the biggest joke of his life.
“Secretary Mu, are you daydreaming? You’re like a clay idol crossing a river—barely able to save yourself. And you still want to drag me down with you? That’s nothing but wishful thinking.”
Mu Bozhou suddenly smiled, his expression innocent:
“But yesterday, I collected evidence of your crimes and already submitted it.”
“You… you…”
Li Dajun’s face turned pale. Pointing at Mu Bozhou, he was so furious he couldn’t utter a complete sentence for a long moment.
“When did you do that? You’re despicable and shameless.”
Mu Bozhou chuckled lightly, his thin lips uttering two words:
“Guess!”
At the same time, Xie Qingtao’s Gossip System returned.
The excited voice of the Gossip System rang out:
【Host, Li Dajun’s house has a whole large box of gold bars, shining so brightly they nearly blinded my titanium alloy dog eyes.】
[As expected, this guy is up to no good.]
Xie Qingtao’s intuition had always been sharp.
【This guy comes from a rural background, with parents who were poor farmers. There’s no way he could have accumulated so many gold bars in just a few years. Right now, those gold bars are hidden in a secret compartment in his house, and under his bed, there are stacks of large black ten-yuan bills.】
[Do you think he might have embezzled them?]
Xie Qingtao multitasked, discussing with the Gossip System the possible source of Li Dajun’s wealth.
Mu Bozhou continued to retort at Li Dajun:
“My good friend, you should worry about yourself! As for my sister and brother-in-law’s affairs, there’s no need for you to concern yourself. They’re already married, so having children is just a matter of time!”
Mu Bozhou deliberately spoke ambiguously to confuse everyone present.
He knew that society was still harsh on women, and he didn’t want the news of his sister’s premarital pregnancy to spread and become the subject of gossip.
Panic flickered in Li Dajun’s eyes, and he hardened his resolve:
“Mu Bozhou, someone claims to have evidence proving your sister was pregnant before marriage.”
As soon as Li Dajun finished speaking, a thin, small figure slowly stepped forward.
“Liu Yunyun!”
Xie Qingtao’s eyes widened in shock as she exclaimed.
The Xie family, who had been on high alert, glared at the person with hatred, itching to rush forward and give Liu Yunyun a beating.
Liu Guiyun immediately burst into a furious tirade:
“Liu Yunyun, you troublemaker! Why are you everywhere? You belong in the toilet—that’s the right place for you.”
Liu Yunyun, her face bruised and swollen, held her head high. Her gaze swept over Xie Qingxiao as she pulled out a piece of paper, unfolded it, and held it up for everyone to see:
“I personally witnessed Mu Mingyue and Xie Qingping going to the hospital for a gynecological checkup before their wedding. I even obtained their test report, which shows that Mu Mingyue was already one month pregnant.”
After saying this, Liu Yunyun took out a handwritten guesthouse record, swallowing nervously:
“This is the record of Xie Qingping and Mu Mingyue checking into a guesthouse together a month ago. The time is clearly written on it.”
Having finished speaking, Liu Yunyun puffed out her flat chest, her face revealing an ugly expression of smugness and petty triumph.
A gynecological test report was shocking enough, but now there was also a guesthouse check-in record.
In an instant, the fact that Xie Qingping and Mu Mingyue had engaged in improper behavior and conceived a child out of wedlock was irrefutably confirmed.
Now, everyone present looked at Xie Qingping and his wife with strange eyes.
Some quietly shifted their steps, distancing themselves from the Mu family.
Mu Mingyue was the first to lose her composure. Restrained by the people holding her from behind, she hung her head low, tears streaming down her face.
Xie Qingping was overwhelmed with shame and made no attempt to defend himself, as if he had already resigned himself to his fate.
Li Dajun, emboldened once again, arrogantly declared:
“Someone, escort Secretary Mu away for a ‘chat.'”
Xie Jianguo and the others glared at Xie Qingping with frustration, their minds racing to find a solution.
Grandpa Xie scanned the surroundings, searching for a suitable weapon. He was now determined to beat Liu Yunyun, that troublemaker, to death.
Not only had she harmed his granddaughter, but now she was also disrupting Qingping’s wedding banquet.
Grandma Xie, Eldest Aunt Xie, and their family exchanged glances, their fists clenched tightly.
Xie Qingtao grew increasingly anxious at the sight.
Xie Qingxiao’s eyes flickered as he stared at Liu Yunyun’s guesthouse check-in record, pondering for a moment. Then, he leaned close to Xie Qingtao’s ear:
“Taotao, checking into a guesthouse requires proof, especially for a man and a woman—they need a marriage certificate.”
Xie Qingtao’s eyes lit up, and a look of sudden realization spread across her face:
“Liu Yunyun, do married couples need to report to you when they check into a guesthouse?”
“Married couple? They’re nothing but an illicit pair of dogs!”
“Liu Yunyun, I already told you, my eldest brother and sister-in-law are officially certified. There’s no such thing as conceiving out of wedlock. What business is it of yours if a married couple has a child? Is my eldest brother wrong for responding to the national policy encouraging more children?”
Liu Yunyun was taken aback, her smug smile freezing on her face.
Li Dajun hadn’t considered this point either. He stared wide-eyed at Xie Qingping and shouted:
“Xie Qingping, did you two really get your marriage certificate issued long ago?”
Xie Qingping raised his head, unable to meet his father’s furious gaze, and nodded lightly: “Yes.”
Xie Qingtao rushed over, rummaged through the bag Xie Qingping had brought, and pulled out a marriage certificate that resembled an award certificate. She shoved it right in front of Liu Yunyun’s face:
“Liu Yunyun, open your nearly degenerate dog eyes wide! My eldest brother and his wife obtained their marriage certificate a month ago. You’re purely slandering my brother. Who’s the one with improper behavior? Could it be you?”
Xie Qingtao recalled how, later in the book, Liu Yunyun had secretly kept one lover after another behind the male lead’s back.
Each of her lovers bore some resemblance to Third Brother in their features.
The thought made Xie Qingtao sick to her stomach.
For a moment, Liu Yunyun couldn’t find a retort.
Mu Bozhou walked over, took Xie Qingtao’s hand, and cast an icy glance at Liu Yunyun, sending shivers down her spine:
“Miss Liu, my sister is merely having her wedding a bit later, and yet you rush to jump in and make all sorts of comments. Don’t you know that slandering someone can get you invited for tea?”
Liu Yunyun trembled from head to toe, her face deathly pale.
Just then, a group of people marched in with perfect synchronization. The leader nodded to Mu Bozhou:
“Secretary Mu, we are here to arrest Li Dajun.”
Mu Bozhou gestured with his eyes toward Li Dajun’s direction, then glanced at Liu Yunyun:
“Take this one back later. The charge? Slander and defamation.”
The man nodded to those behind him, and someone immediately restrained Liu Yunyun on the spot.
Liu Yunyun struggled and shouted:
“Xie Qingtao, just you wait. When I get out, I won’t let you off.”
Xie Qingtao stood beside Mu Bozhou, tilting her head with a smile, her eyes gleaming with unmistakable provocation.
This infuriated Liu Yunyun to the point of near madness.
Li Dajun, like a dead dog, offered no resistance as he was dragged away.