Hu Jiasheng spent a long time reviewing the chain of evidence, recordings, and old photographs.
If his heart felt heavy, it wasn't exactly that.
It was more that it slightly affected his mood, leaving him feeling a bit down.
He realized he was a combination of a scumbag and a scummy woman.
In their relationship, there were no winners.
Hu Jiasheng's mother seemed to have received love, but she would never gain legitimacy or societal acceptance.
The child she gave birth to was destined to be unwelcome, and also to have a damaged body.
What about Zhan Beijue's mother?
She gained legitimacy, wealth, and public support, and her child received a good future.
But what did she herself gain?
For a man who didn't love her, she confined herself for a lifetime, devoid of affection or love, only endless toil. How much bitterness she held in her heart, perhaps only she knew.
As for their father, he was a complete, irresponsible scumbag.
He failed to protect either side, nor did he definitively reject either.
He was a thorough hypocrite, driven by self-interest from beginning to end.
Hu Jiasheng felt it was good that he didn't know him.
If he really knew him, dealing with such a hypocritical person every day, he wouldn't know how to interact with him.
After finishing everything, he proactively called Zhan Beijue back.
He said, "I know what you mean by showing me all this. Actually, you don't need to overthink it. I have no obsession with my identity."
"Because even if I know, so what? It's still three meals a day, 24 hours a day. It doesn't change anything about me."
"Besides, right is right, and wrong is wrong. If you do wrong, you have to pay the price for your actions. So, you don't need to worry about me. Do whatever you want. To me, she will always be a stranger."
It was best that he could say this.
To be honest, Zhan Beijue was a little afraid that Hu Jiasheng might feel uncomfortable before he made his move.
After all, Madam Gao was his biological mother. Even without merit, she had the hardship of carrying and giving birth to him. What if he was a filial son...
"Understood. Then I'll go ahead with it. Thank you, brother."
"What's there to thank for? She owed you in the first place. I know what she did to you."
"She not only almost ruined you but also almost ruined Nan Fang and the children. For her selfishness, she trampled on the happiness and interests of others. I don't want a mother like that."
With his explicit consent, Zhan Beijue instructed Ah Zhong to make arrangements the next day.
Ah Zhong found a supplier for a real estate company, a man surnamed Yang.
He had handled Phase Three of Binhu Park, and Mr. Gao had visited the site for inspection at the time, so they had some dealings.
Now that the Binhu Park project was completed, visiting Mr. Gao would be a legitimate reason.
Old Yang had been a contractor for half his life and was very adept at dealing with superiors and handling matters.
It's unclear what methods he used, but within two days, he managed to arrange a meeting with Mr. Gao and successfully delivered gifts to his home.
Ah Zhong asked if the items were placed inside, and Yang assured him with conviction.
"They're in! You can trust me to do my job. They're in a hidden compartment at the bottom of the wine box, something no one would normally think of!"
"Don't make me regret this. Are you sure they received the items?"
"Certain! Absolutely! I guarantee it! If they didn't receive them, I'll bring my head to see President Zhan tomorrow!"
Due to their special identities, it was almost impossible for Zhan Beijue to investigate their private schedules and Madam Gao's actions.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have made so little progress after such a long time.
The only thing he could do now was to attack Mr. Gao from other angles and bring him down.
Once he fell, losing his backing, Madam Gao would just be an ordinary middle-aged woman.
Upon confirmation, Zhan Beijue ordered someone to report Mr. Gao for accepting a large bribe under his real name.
Since the person making the call had some influence, the authorities quickly paid attention.
They first apprehended Mr. Gao, then conducted a thorough search of his office and home.
However, Zhan Beijue waited all day without receiving good news.
When Ah Zhong sent people to inquire, the results were very surprising.
Nothing. Nothing was found.
"Didn't you say that Mr. Yang personally saw her accept the gift?"
Ah Zhong analyzed, "It can only be said that the couple is extremely cautious and strict in this regard."
"Think about it, they have no children, and their status has reached this point. They have no worries about food and drink, so why would they bother with illicit gains to cause themselves trouble? They must be particularly mindful of this, and thus sensed something. This move of ours was a misstep."
Hindsight.
Zhan Beijue raised his eyebrows, waiting for Ah Zhong to offer another suitable suggestion.
Ah Zhong said, "I heard that Mr. Gao's only nephew works in a certain department in a certain county of a certain city. I'll investigate along this line to see if there are any loopholes."
It was better not to investigate, but once they did, they actually found something.
Because of his uncle's influence, this nephew had always been very ostentatious.
He often boasted about having connections, acting extremely arrogantly.
Everyone in the department knew he got in through the back door.
He didn't participate in the written exam or the interview, and his university degree didn't even meet their requirements.
Ah Zhong bribed a local colleague to collect evidence and report the nephew.
Soon, Mr. Gao was summoned for questioning again.
This time, the reaction was greater. Not only was he investigated, but he also received a major demerit.
Tang Nannan stayed in the hospital for one night. The next morning, when she woke up, Hu Jiasheng was leaning over her bed.
Looking at the hospital room furnishings and recalling what happened last night, she was so startled that she quickly pulled back the covers to check her clothes.
Fortunately, although they were a bit dirty, they were all intact.
Hu Jiasheng was awakened by her movement. Seeing her clear eyes and her complexion restored to its rosy hue, he rubbed his eyes.
"You're awake? Do you feel any discomfort?"
"Last night..."
"You were given ether and fainted. I asked Zhan Beijue to help find your boss's home address, and that's how I found you. Why was that Mr. He there too? If I had been a step later, he might have taken you away."
Tang Nannan shook her head, feeling disgusted at the thought of that Mr. He.
"I don't know why he was there, but my intuition tells me his relationship with President Ma is not simple. Thank you. Last night... did you not sleep well?"
"It's nothing. As long as you're alright."
Hu Jiasheng stood up.
"Since you're better, let's go. I'll treat you to breakfast."
The two of them washed up and were about to leave together when the hospital room door was pushed open from the outside.
Two exquisitely dressed and beautiful women walked in with smiles on their faces.
One was President Ma, and the other was the woman Zhan Beijue called Madam Gao, whom Hu Jiasheng had met that night.
His biological mother.