Nominal: Hou Liangping blocking the door? He was slapped away!

at the same time.

Inside that heavily guarded courtyard house in the capital.

The atmosphere in the Zhong family's study was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

The antique clock on the wall emitted a dull ticking sound, each tick seeming to strike the hearts of everyone present.

Grandpa Zhong, dressed in a Tang suit, sat in a grand chair, twirling two walnuts in his hands. But he was twirling the walnuts much faster than usual, a sign of his extreme agitation.

On the desk lay a newly printed urgent briefing, which detailed everything that had happened in Handong.

From storming a military restricted area to Fatty Wang surrendering himself and filing charges.

With each line he read, the old man's face grew more somber.

"fool."

After a long while, the old man uttered two words, his voice not loud, but it carried a chilling aura.

Zhong Xiaoai, who was sitting at the lower end of the table, was pale at this moment, her fingers were tightly clenched together, and her knuckles were white.

She had just been called back from work and hadn't had time to change her clothes; her business attire looked somewhat disheveled.

"Liangping... he might have been confused for a moment..." Zhong Xiaoai tried to defend her husband, but her voice was so weak that even she didn't believe it.

"Confused?"

The old man slammed the walnuts in his hand onto the table with a loud "smack," startling Zhong Xiaoai.

"Trying to pry open the door of an armory with a crowbar! Is that stupid? That's suicide!"

The old man stood up, put his hands behind his back, and paced back and forth in the room, his chest heaving violently.

Zhong Xiaoai lowered her head, tears welling up in her eyes, but she dared not let them fall.

"And that recording."

The old man pointed to the briefing on the table, his tone full of disappointment and disgust. "As the head of the anti-corruption bureau, to speak so recklessly and have his words recorded? He's utterly hopeless!"

"Even a newly hired intern wouldn't make such a basic mistake! Is Hou Liangping's brain filled with mush?"

Zhong Xiaoai bit her lip, and resentment towards Hou Liangping rose in her heart.

She had always thought that her husband was a capable and charismatic person who could contribute to the Zhong family's prosperity.

But now it seems that he was just an ambitious but incompetent, stubborn and self-willed good-for-nothing!

Without the Zhong family backing him up, he would have been played to death a hundred times over!

"Grandpa, what should we do now?" Zhong Xiaoai asked in a trembling voice.

The old man stopped, turned around, and looked at his most beloved granddaughter.

A hint of reluctance flashed in those cloudy yet sharp old eyes, but it was quickly replaced by absolute rationality.

Political families prioritize self-interest above all else.

When the existence of one member threatens the survival of the entire family, no matter how close the relationship, a decision must be made.

"Let's just give up."

"Last time, we sacrificed so much of our interests to save him because of you!"

The old man sat back down in his chair, closed his eyes, and seemed to age ten years in an instant.

"Also..." The old man paused, took out a pre-prepared document bag from the drawer, and pushed it in front of Zhong Xiaoai.

"Go to Handong and give this to him."

Zhong Xiaoai looked at the file folder and had a premonition.

She reached out, her fingertips trembling as she opened the bag.

There were only a few thin pages inside.

The cover prominently displays five large characters: "Divorce Agreement".

"Grandpa!" Zhong Xiaoai looked up suddenly, tears finally welling up in her eyes.

The old man coldly interrupted her, "If you don't want to implicate your son, and if you don't want to ruin your future career, then do as I say."

"Hou Liangping is finished this time. Multiple crimes combined mean at least ten years, possibly life imprisonment. Are you really going to spend the rest of your life watching over a criminal serving time in jail?"

"The Chung family can't afford to lose face like this!"

Zhong Xiaoai slumped into the chair.

As she looked at the agreement, the vows she made when she married Hou Liangping flashed through her mind, along with all the little things that had happened over the years.

But soon, these heartwarming scenes were shattered by the cruelty of reality.

She thought about her future, whether her son would be pointed at and gossiped about at school, and the mocking looks from other relatives.

a long time.

Zhong Xiaoai wiped away her tears, her eyes gradually turning cold.

She stood up, picked up the document bag, and clutched it tightly in her hand.

"I understand, I'll go to Handong."

……

Handong Province, the wilderness north of the city.

Base 031, underground solitary confinement room.

There were no windows, only a dim light bulb overhead, emitting a pale white light.

The four walls were covered with thick soundproofing foam, making it so quiet it was almost unbearable.

Hou Liangping was curled up on the iron bed in the corner, his suit was wrinkled like a rag, covered with dirt and grass clippings.

Several hours have passed.

No one interrogated him, and no one brought him water or food.

This fear of being forgotten by the whole world is slowly eroding his sanity.

But he still held onto a last glimmer of hope.

"I am a division chief at the Supreme People's Procuratorate... I have immunity..."

"Xiao Ai will come to save me... She's the Zhong family's daughter... The Zhong family won't abandon me..."

He was muttering to himself in a cryptic way, as if he were brainwashing himself.

As long as the Zhong family takes action, as long as that phone call comes through, even Shen Zhong won't dare to touch him!

Maybe things have already turned upside down outside. Shen Zhong is facing immense pressure from the capital and is preparing to come and apologize to me!

Yes! That must be it!

Just as Hou Liangping was immersed in his self-constructed dream.

"Click".

The heavy iron gate opened slowly with a soft thud.

A beam of light shone in, making Hou Liangping squint.

He sprang out of bed and stumbled toward the door.

"Did they let me out? I knew it! I knew you wouldn't dare lock me up!"

Hou Liangping shouted with ecstasy.

However, when he saw who was standing in the doorway, his voice stopped abruptly.

Shen Zhong, who was expected to apologize, was nowhere to be seen, nor was Zhou Weiguo, who was always by Shen Zhong's side.

Standing at the door was a woman wearing a beige trench coat and sunglasses.

That was the savior he had been longing for.

"Xiao Ai! My wife!"

Hou Liangping felt as if he had seen his own mother, and tears streamed down his face as he reached out to hug that figure.

"You've finally arrived! Quickly, find a way to save me! I've been set up by Shen Zhong."

"You have to stand up for me! I'm going to sue that Shen Zhong! I'll make sure he rots in jail!"

Hou Liangping roared hysterically, pouring out all the grievances he had suffered during this period.

but.

His outstretched hand was mercilessly dodged before it could even touch the woman's hem.

Zhong Xiaoai took a step back, took off her sunglasses, and her eyes, which usually carried a hint of arrogance, were now as indifferent as if she were looking at a stranger.