A man in Handong: living off Zhong Xiaoai

Qi Tongwei was already sitting at the dining table, and Little Stutterer had prepared a sumptuous meal for everyone.

Qi Tongwei looked at the people present and smiled.

"After the meeting tomorrow, once it's announced, everyone will definitely celebrate. Why not wait until tomorrow to celebrate?"

Upon hearing this, Luo Bixin tilted her head and smiled as she spoke.

“How can that be the same! Today is a pre-celebration, tomorrow is the celebration. Pre-celebration creates anticipation, but the celebration itself doesn’t.”

After hearing Luo Bixin's words, Jiang Guangming smiled and shook his head.

“I’ve had to deal with that madman every day lately, sometimes working overtime until midnight. It breaks my heart to see him like that.”

After Jiang Guangming finished speaking, he immediately realized that he might have spoken too quickly.

She immediately looked at Zheng Mengyan on the side, who looked terrible, her head down and her face pale.

Since the downfall of the Zheng family, Zheng Mengyan has been depressed.

Qi Tongwei knew very well that the "madman" Jiang Guangming had just mentioned was Zheng Mengyan's brother, Zheng Jindong.

Since being arrested, Zheng Jindong has been in a semi-mentally unstable state.

He often talks nonsense and rambles, sometimes calling others "my beloved minister" and other times referring to people as "mortals."

He himself was even more impressive. According to Luo Bixin and others, those who interrogated Zheng Jindong said that Zheng Jindong would sometimes refer to himself as "I" (朕), sometimes as "Master" (師尊), and sometimes say that he came from Hai'aohua and was named Tao.

I heard that this madman has been frantically writing in his notes that after arriving in Handong, he was taken away by a UFO and went to a planet called Hai'aohua. He said that he came back to convey Hai'aohua's will. He claimed that he walks in other people's gospel, that Jesus is his elder brother, and that the pheasant is his younger brother.

Thinking about all this, Qi Tongwei felt both amused and exasperated.

However, he is indeed Zheng Mengyan's brother, and there's nothing that can be done about it.

Qi Tongwei felt a little sorry for Zheng Mengyan when he saw her like this, after all, these things had nothing to do with Zheng Mengyan, and to put it bluntly, Zheng Mengyan was innocent.

Now that Zheng Mengyan is a member of her "harem," she only has eyes for herself, so she doesn't have any bad intentions. She's petite, cute, and pitiful...

“Mengyan, actually your brother’s current mental state is probably not good enough to be interrogated. He probably won’t have to go through legal procedures. He should be sent to a mental hospital for compulsory treatment.”

Although Qi Tongwei knew very well that this was probably not a helpful consolation.

However, this at least ensures that Zheng Jindong's living conditions are many times better than if he were to go to the area under Gao Yuliang's jurisdiction.

Zheng Mengyan lowered her head, and after hearing Qi Tongwei's words, she pursed her lips and nodded.

Seeing this, Qi Tongwei took another deep breath.

"Your father is probably out of options. The Dongxing Black Gold incident was just the trigger that got him in there. Inside, he caused a lot of trouble, which we have no control over and can hardly help with."

Qi Tongwei wasn't talking nonsense. In fact, the person who wanted Zheng Jindong's father, Zheng Guo, to go to jail wasn't himself, but Zhong Lao himself.

I heard that he is now burdened with serious crimes, and it is impossible for an ordinary person to save him.

Unless Professor Zhong wants to release him, there is basically no possibility.

Zheng Mengyan nodded again.

Actually, Zheng Mengyan wasn't being unreasonable; she didn't want Qi Tongwei or Zhong Xiaoai to help her rescue her father or brother.

Since that incident, my father and brother have both been imprisoned. Few other members of the Zheng family, or those connected to the Zheng family, have escaped unscathed; almost all of them have suffered.

In other words, the Zheng family's power was completely wiped out overnight in the Great Xia Kingdom.

Thanks to Tongwei and Sister Xiao Ai, I have become the only remaining member of the Zheng family outside the home.

He himself knew that this was Zhong Lao's way of purging the Zheng family.

There's no right or wrong in this kind of thing, because sometimes, people are not in control of their own destiny when they're in that position.

He knew that the disaster that had befallen the Zheng family was most likely caused by his brother Zheng Jindong's arrival in Handong.

His incompetence led to the downfall of the entire Zheng family. Even in his final moments, he was still trying to deceive himself, hoping I would help him lure Zhong Xiaoai out.

He never imagined that he and the Zheng family would be in such dire straits, and even after he explained everything, he still didn't believe him.

Chapter 397 Chen Yanshi's Medical Parole

Zheng Mengyan once hoped to meet with Zhong Xiaoai so that her brother could apologize and find a solution.

Who knew that her brother would actually want her to trick Zhong Xiaoai into coming out and taking advantage of her?

Thinking about it this way, Zheng Jindong's brother is not wronged at all; he's lucky to be able to go to a mental hospital now.

Zheng Mengyan's real worry is for her mother. It is said that when her mother heard about her father's accident, she fainted.

She was later admitted to the hospital, but she was not let go. I heard that after a while, she would be sent back to the hospital.

"Don't worry about me, I'll get better with time."

Despite her penchant for pranks, Zhong Xiaoai is actually a very kind girl.

While Qi Tongwei was comforting Zheng Mengyan, Zhong Xiaoai kept looking at Zheng Mengyan with a worried expression.

When she heard Zheng Mengyan say those words, Zhong Xiaoai smiled.

"Mengyan, don't be afraid! We are all your family, and we will all be there for you through this difficult time!"

Ding Yao, who was standing next to Zheng Mengyan, also smiled and took Zheng Mengyan's hand.

"Mengyan is alright now, we've always been here for you!"

As Ding Yao spoke, everyone at the table began to comfort Zheng Mengyan, offering their own words of comfort.

Although Luo Bixin was investigating Zheng Mengyan's brother Zheng Jindong's case, she still looked at Zheng Mengyan with a smile.

"Mengyan, it's okay. You can tell me if anything happens, and I can help you!"

Luo Bixin, like everyone else, including Qi Tongwei, believes that Zheng Mengyan is Zheng Mengyan and Zheng Jindong is Zheng Jindong, and their affairs should not be confused.

Chang Hong looked at the dejected Zheng Mengyan and said with a smile.

"Mengyan, do you have any favorite foods? I'm a good cook, so there's no need to trouble Little Stutterer."

As she spoke, Chang Hong pointed at Sun Duoduo.

"Mengyan, Duoduo seems to be playing a mobile game called Genshin Impact lately. Why don't you play the game with Duoduo?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Xiaofeng looked delighted.

"Come on! It's perfect! Me, Duoduo, Xiuping, and Mengyan, the four of us can team up to explore the map! We can even fight the boss together!"

Although Hao Xiuping had difficulty speaking, she still nodded happily.

Zheng Mengyan was in a bad mood, but after hearing what everyone said, she became much more energetic.

"really?"

Upon seeing Zheng Mengyan's reaction, the three girls immediately took out their phones and ran to Zheng Mengyan's side to start discussing.

Just as everyone was laughing and chatting, Qi Tongwei noticed that Chen Yang seemed a little unhappy.

Qi Tongwei frowned. What's wrong? Is it because the sight of the scene has brought back painful memories, reminding him of Chen Yanshi who is still inside?

Qi Tongwei smiled and looked at Chen Yang beside him.

"What's wrong? Mengyan is happy now, why are you sad?"

Chen Yang was lost in thought when she heard Qi Tongwei ask her a question. She looked at Qi Tongwei with some curiosity and then smiled.

"It's nothing, I was afraid you'd be upset if I told you."

Upon hearing this, Qi Tongwei realized there was no problem; this matter must be related to Chen Yanshi and Chen Hai.

Qi Tongwei took a deep breath, picked up the wine glass on the table, drank it all in one gulp, and then said.

"It's alright, Chen Yang. Just tell me what's wrong, don't be shy with me."

Chen Yang lowered his head and smiled.

“I heard from the people inside that my father might not make it; he had fainted three times in the week he was inside.”

Although Qi Tongwei disliked Chen Yanshi, he was still momentarily displeased upon hearing Chen Yang's words.

Qi Tongwei has kept Chen Yanshi imprisoned for many years, and in fact, many things have gradually passed.

It's not that Qi Tongwei no longer hates Chen Yanshi, but rather that as the Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee of Handong Province, he might be promoted further tomorrow.

Although Zhong Xiaoai did not tell him where he would go, Qi Tongwei was very clear about one thing: he was already the deputy secretary of the provincial party committee of Handong Province, which was the position of the crown prince at the provincial level.

Therefore, I am different from other vice governors; I no longer need to balance things out, and I am very likely to be promoted to the position of governor tomorrow.

Of course, there are many positions in the Xia Kingdom, but tomorrow Minister Cheng of the Organization Department of the Xia Kingdom will come to Handong to announce the appointments.

This means that my next step is still in Handong.

To put it bluntly, Qi Tongwei felt that he was about to become a provincial-level official, so why would he bother with someone like Chen Yanshi?

It's not that I don't hate them, but rather that we're on completely different levels now.

"Chen Yang, this matter is actually easy to resolve; you can just apply for medical parole."

Chen Yang lowered her head and remained silent for a long time.

“Tongwei, not everyone can apply for medical parole. My father is not allowed to do so.”

Chen Yang immediately understood that it was because of his good teacher, Gao Yuliang.

He personally helped him keep watch while serving as the director of the Handong Provincial Prison Administration Bureau, so Chen Yanshi not only couldn't get out of prison, but he wouldn't even have any chance of getting out.

Of course, this privilege wasn't just for Chen Yanshi; Hou Liangping, Liang Lu, and their group also enjoyed it.

"Chen Yang, let's handle this matter according to the regulations."

The reason Qi Tongwei said this was not because he was unwilling to let Chen Yanshi go.

Rather, it means that Qi Tongwei only said he was no longer going to go to 603 with Chen Yanshi, but that doesn't mean he was going to help Chen Yanshi.

It's like facing an enemy. You can choose not to kill him for revenge, but that doesn't mean you have to lend a hand to him when he's in danger. Why should you? Qi Tongwei isn't a saint.

If Chen Yang is capable and Gao Yuliang is willing to release him, Qi Tongwei will definitely not stand in his way.

However, it was absolutely impossible for Qi Tongwei to go to Gao Yuliang about Chen Yanshi's matter.

Chen Yang wasn't really surprised when she heard Qi Tongwei's words. She thought it was normal, since her father hadn't treated Qi Tongwei very well back then.

It wouldn't be fair to force Qi Tongwei to help his father, Chen Yanshi.

However, there was one more thing Chen Yang wanted Qi Tongwei to help him with.