I slept with my sister's classmate, and she turned out to be my boss.

It was a little after 7 p.m.

Yang Xiujiang's phone rang.

It was a call from an old acquaintance in the provincial capital. There were no pleasantries; he only said one sentence:

"Zeng Guosheng has been brought back; he's already at the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection."

Yang Xiujiang sat on the sofa in the living room, holding her phone, but did not answer immediately.

After waiting a few seconds without a response, the call ended.

He put his phone on the coffee table, didn't move, and didn't stand up; he just sat on the sofa.

Zeng Guosheng has been brought back, which means that the operation in Southeast Asia has been completed.

With Zeng Zhiyuan's son arrested, Zeng Zhiyuan himself won't be able to hold on for much longer.

Will Zeng Zhiyuan reveal the things between him and Zeng Zhiyuan?

Could Zeng Guosheng know something about it?

These questions swirled in his mind, but he couldn't find the answers.

He sat for a long time, then picked up his phone, found his sister Yang Xiulan's number, and pressed the call button.

The phone rang a few times before being answered.

Yang Xiulan's voice carried a hint of surprise:

"Brother? Why are you calling at this hour?"

Yang Xiujiang's voice was calm: "It's nothing, just asking about Jiang Fei's situation. Have you visited him recently?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

"I visited him last month. He had lost a lot of weight and his mental state was poor. He didn't say much when I asked him anything."

Bai Jiangfei is being held at the Qingping branch of the Public Security Bureau, and Yang Xiujiang has not visited him.

It's not that I don't want to go, it's that I can't go.

He is Bai Jiangfei's uncle; if he goes to see him, it will only draw attention to him.

But Bai Jiangfei was her nephew, and when he was imprisoned, Yang Xiulan would remain silent for several days after each visit.

Yang Xiujiang gripped her phone tightly: "Is he adjusting well inside? Has anyone been giving him a hard time?"

"No, he's just quiet and doesn't talk all day. He's never experienced this kind of hardship before."

Yang Xiulan's voice choked up:

"Brother, when will he be able to come out?"

Yang Xiujiang paused for a moment, then said, "Soon."

He himself was unsure when Bai Jiangfei would be able to get out.

He simply gave his sister a comforting answer.

Yang Xiulan didn't ask any further questions, said a few more words, and then hung up the phone.

Yang Xiujiang put her phone on the table and sat on the sofa for a while.

Then he stood up and walked to the window, looking at the darkening sky outside.

He stood by the window for a long time without turning around and going back to the living room.

He didn't pick up his phone again; he just stood there, standing there.

"Governor Zhao Zhengping has already taken the initiative to speak with the special investigation team."

Should I go?

"When are you going?"

These questions kept swirling in his mind...

But he couldn't make up his mind for a long time.

What are the consequences if I voluntarily confess?

He knew it very well.

Once you go through that door, you can't get out.

Zeng Guosheng may not know about my affairs; only Zeng Zhiyuan knows.

As long as Zeng Zhiyuan isn't called in for questioning, I'm safe for now...

……

The next morning.

Zeng Guosheng was taken into the interrogation room.

Chen Yuanda sat behind the interrogation table, Hu Yuheng sat next to him, and Chen Dapeng sat against the wall with a laptop in front of him and his fingers on the keyboard.

Zeng Guosheng sat down opposite him, wearing a gray shirt, with somewhat long hair and a pale complexion, and his posture was not hunched over.

Chen Yuanda didn't look through the materials or check his notebook; he simply asked:

"Zeng Guosheng, do you know why you were brought here?"

Zeng Guosheng raised his eyes briefly, then lowered them again:

"Know."

"How long have you been hiding in Southeast Asia?"

"I can't remember..."

Chen Yuanda didn't press further, but picked up a document from the table and placed it in front of Zeng Guosheng:

"You rented that villa through Lao Jin, signed a one-year contract, and paid in cash."

Before you went to that villa, you lived in Beijing for a period of time.

Where did you live during that time?

"At a friend's house."

"Which friend?"

Zeng Guosheng paused for a moment:

"I don't remember the name. It was a place someone recommended, I stayed for a few days and then left."

Chen Yuanda knew he was lying.

But he didn't dwell on the issue; he turned to a page of the document and asked again:

"During your time in Beijing, did you see your father?"

Zeng Guosheng's eyelashes twitched:

"no."

When was the last time you contacted your father?

Zeng Guosheng remained silent for an even longer time than before:

"I can't remember."

Chen Yuanda didn't press further, took the materials back, and closed the folder.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it today. You can take your time to think about it."

After Zeng Guosheng was taken away, Chen Dapeng closed his notebook and glanced at Chen Yuanda.

Chen Yuanda sneered:

He didn't want to say anything.

Hu Yuheng added, "He was afraid that speaking out would implicate his father."

Chen Yuanda nodded.

"It's alright, he's already here. We have plenty of time; we're not worried about him not speaking up!"

……

After returning to the office.

Chen Dapeng went through the interrogation records.

Zeng Guosheng's answer was brief, but "I can't remember" and "I don't know" are not the same thing.

His statement that he "can't remember" indicates that he knows the answer but simply doesn't want to say it.

Chen Dapeng closed his laptop and sat in the chair for a while.

Zeng Guosheng's silence, Yang Xiujiang's observation, and Han Youde's confession all pointed in the same direction.

He picked up his phone, found He Ying's number, and pressed the call button.

The phone rang three times before being answered.

He Ying's voice came through the receiver, sounding somewhat surprised:

"Dapeng, calling at this hour, aren't you busy today?"

Chen Dapeng leaned back in his chair and smiled:

"Sister Ying, we just finished interrogating Zeng Guosheng, and he won't say anything."

He Ying paused for a moment: "It was expected. It would be abnormal if he spoke so easily."

Chen Dapeng hummed in agreement, then asked:

"Sister Ying, tomorrow's Friday, are you free?"

He Ying didn't answer immediately on the other end of the phone, but after two seconds she said:

"I have a meeting tomorrow afternoon, I should be able to leave after it's over."

"Then I'll wait for you."

He Ying smiled and said, "I understand."

Chen Dapeng asked, "What time will you arrive tomorrow?"

"I'll leave after the meeting this afternoon. I'll message you when I arrive."

"Okay, I'll pick you up at the high-speed rail station."

……

The next afternoon, Chen Dapeng arrived at the high-speed rail station ahead of schedule.

He stood outside the exit, watching the people walking out of the passage.

He Ying appeared at the end of the passage, wearing a light-colored coat and dragging a small suitcase.

Chen Dapeng saw her and waved to her.

He Ying also saw him and walked over with her suitcase.

She stood in front of him and smiled: "Have you been waiting long?"

Chen Dapeng took the suitcase from her hands:

"I just arrived a little while ago."

He Ying asked, "Where are we going now?"

Chen Dapeng smiled and said, "Sister Ying, let's go back to our place first. I'll cook you something delicious tonight!"

He Ying looked at him and teased, "Wow, Da Peng has improved! He can cook now!"

Chen Dapeng smiled somewhat embarrassedly.

"Sister Ying, I'm actually not very good at cooking, but I want to learn. I'll be good at it someday!"

"So determined?"

Chen Dapeng nodded: "Now that you have a wife, you should learn more so you can take care of her in the future."

He Ying smiled and deliberately asked, "Wife? Who's your wife?"

Chen Dapeng whispered something mysteriously in her ear:

"My wife is far away, yet right before my eyes!"

He Ying smiled but didn't reply.

More than half an hour later.

The two returned to Chen Dapeng's residence.

Chen Dapeng opened the door, stepped aside to let He Ying go in first, and followed behind.

The time it took He Ying to bend down and change her shoes.

Chen Dapeng put the suitcase at the door and reached out to wrap his arms around her waist from behind.

He Ying froze for a moment.

Then she stood up straight, turned around, and glared at him.

"Dapeng, you're a bit annoying."

Chen Dapeng smiled dismissively and took a deep breath.

"Sister Ying, you smell so good!"