“Mr. Jiang, how do you plan to repay this money?”
The man repeated his words again, his tone turning colder.
Even though loan shark contracts held no legal weight, no one ever dared to default. After all, you never knew if the next second you’d be knocked out and have your organs harvested to settle the debt.
Such things weren’t uncommon. Even Jiang Chennan had heard rumors of it.
His body trembled slightly, and he swallowed hard in fear. Then, as if grasping at his last hope, he suddenly threw himself to the ground and clung to Jiang Zhao’s leg, his voice shaking with panic, “Xiao Zhao, help Dad… I know you won’t just watch and do nothing, right? Please?”
Beside him, Li Murong had collapsed to the floor, unable to process the blow. Her eyes were blank.
“No… That’s impossible. Chenfeng is my proudest son… He wouldn’t…”
Staring at the man kneeling before him, this so-called “father” groveling in panic, Jiang Zhao slowly stood up and said, “Everything happening now—you brought it upon yourselves. Greed beyond measure, endless desires, stealing through any means necessary, but never once asking yourselves whether you had the ability to protect what you stole.”
He shook off the hands clinging to his legs, took Qin Lingxue by the hand, and walked toward the door. Under the devastated gazes of the couple behind them, he left one final sentence.
“Goodbye… Father.”
As their figures disappeared into the distance, the roar of a car engine followed, carrying them far away from this place of sorrow.
Jiang Zhao hadn’t needed to come in person. But he did, to say farewell to the version of himself that used to long for a family.
He hadn’t been idle these past days.
Why hadn’t any of his former confidants from the company reached out to him during this time? Because he had already anticipated this exact outcome and made preparations in advance.
Every major company had its dirty secrets—so why was it only Jiang Chenfeng who got exposed?
Because the suppliers had collectively turned against him. Then the loan sharks came knocking. In just a few days, the Chenfeng Group was knocked off its pedestal. Coincidence?
As soon as Jiang Zhao and Qin Lingxue left, the tattooed man in the lead sneered and ordered, “Search the place. Take anything of value. If it’s not enough, take some ‘parts’ from these two old ones as collateral.”
“Yes, Boss!”
Immediately, sounds of crashing echoed from the Jiang residence. Anything that could be sold was carried out. Even the lingerie in the wardrobe wasn’t spared.
…
On the way home, the car was filled with heavy silence. Jiang Zhao had been staring at the floor since they got in. After all, he had just personally ended ties with his own blood relatives.
This wasn’t a novel or a TV drama. In real life, no one could face the pain of losing family without feeling it.
Qin Lingxue, who had been silent this whole time, gently reached out, pulled his head into her lap, and with a soft expression in her eyes, whispered, “Sleep a little. You’ll feel better after a nap.”
Her scent filled his nose, soothing him. Jiang Zhao obediently closed his eyes…
Outside the Jiang family’s villa neighborhood.
A Rolls-Royce was quietly parked by the roadside.
Inside, Ye Qianyun sat upright, narrowing his eyes slightly as he watched the loan shark crew haul out furniture in the distance. He spoke coldly, “Is everything arranged in the prison?”
The driver nodded and replied softly, “Don’t worry, Young Master. Once that family steps foot in prison, they’ll wish they were dead.”
“Good. Letting him die would be far too kind for what he did to my aunt.”
Then, as if something occurred to him, Ye Qianyun murmured to himself, “But cousin… wanting to be with the woman you love won’t be that easy. Your path to love will be filled with thorns…”
Ever since the Ye family’s scandal involving Ye Huan’er, the family had placed extremely strict standards on the younger generation’s partners—so strict, in fact, they even hand-picked fiancées.
After all… no one wanted to see history repeat itself.
…
Over the next few days, all industries under Chenfeng Group were successively shut down by the authorities. Jiang Chenfeng was sentenced to five years in prison. As for Jiang Chennan and Li Murong, after a few charges were pinned on them, they were imprisoned as well.
Meanwhile, Lingxue Group somehow gained a sudden influx of high-level technical talent.
In the CEO’s office, Qin Lingxue was focused on her work. On the other side of the room, a mountain of documents nearly buried Jiang Zhao, who was “hard at work” typing at a keyboard.
This scene had lasted for two hours.
Frowning, Qin Lingxue checked the time, then quietly stood up and tiptoed toward Jiang Zhao without making a sound.
Sure enough, as she got closer, she saw him fast asleep. His phone was playing an audio loop of typing sounds, which was what made it seem like he was working.
Seeing this, Qin Lingxue clenched her small fist and leaned in to softly whisper near his ear, “Lunch time.”
As soon as the words dropped, Jiang Zhao’s eyes flew open. He reflexively stood up with bright eyes. “What?”
“Lunch time!”
“What’s for lunch today?”
A hand landed on his shoulder. Jiang Zhao turned his head, only to see Qin Lingxue grinning mischievously. “We’re having your favorite—A Big Slap in the Face. What do you think?”
This guy’s tricks for slacking off were getting more and more sophisticated.
Jiang Zhao quickly caught on, sat back down with a guilty face, lowered his head, and muttered, “I was wrong, wifey. I really know I was wrong…”
Seeing him admit his mistake so obediently, Qin Lingxue rubbed her forehead helplessly. He always pulled this move. Did he really think she fell for it every time?
“Pack it up. We’re going home for lunch.”
She definitely fell for it.
A smug smile flashed in Jiang Zhao’s eyes. He immediately got up to give her a shoulder massage, cheerfully saying, “Long live wifey! Love you. Mwah!”
“Cut it out.”