She was deliberately avoiding him.
Afraid to face him directly.
Or was it to avoid suspicion?
This was the mother who claimed to love him, the only one who would give her heart for him.
Leaving the dark corner, she didn't even dare to speak a word to him.
Hu Jiasheng knew he wouldn't see her again today. With a hardened heart, he was about to chase after her recklessly when his phone rang.
A strange number sent him a text message; it was likely Mrs. Gao.
"Get back in the car, I'll call you."
To avoid suspicion, she really took it to a certain extent.
Knowing his phone number, yet unable to get through to her landline. No wonder even the clever Zhan Beijue couldn't do anything about her; she was too cautious.
Hu Jiasheng returned to the car. In just two or three minutes, Mrs. Gao called.
"Why are you here?"
They were strangers before, yet the way she spoke made it seem as if they were very close.
Hu Jiasheng detested her tone.
"You know Tang Nannan had an accident, right?"
Mrs. Gao played dumb: "Oh, when did that happen? What happened?"
Hu Jiasheng said coldly, "If you knew what happened to her, would you help her?"
"That depends on the specifics. If I can help, I will; if I can't, I won't force it. Are you looking for me because of her?"
Still pretending. How tiresome.
Hu Jiasheng got straight to the point: "Mrs. Gao, I need a clear answer from you. What will it take for you to stop?"
Since they weren't facing each other, she couldn't see his expression, so Mrs. Gao continued to feign ignorance.
"I don't understand what you're saying."
"You don't understand? Then let me tell you. You orchestrated Tang Nannan's situation. Just because I wanted to pursue her as my girlfriend, you sent her to prison. You're truly something."
"Hasn't she suffered enough because of you? Without parents, without a bright future, she has nothing left. Is there something wrong with you psychologically?"
Mrs. Gao felt like laughing at his words.
"I didn't expect you to have such sound values, influenced by that old man with his warped views. I'm driving her to ruin, leaving her with nothing, and you think I have psychological problems?"
"Since you've already decided this is the truth, then I'll accept it. To be honest, I can't take it anymore. I've given you opportunities, but you've ignored my words. People must pay the price for their choices."
Hu Jiasheng found her utterly unreasonable, wishing he could reach through the phone and argue with her face to face.
"Just because you gave birth to me? So you have the right to control me? You can do whatever you want to the people around me, boss them around? You're abusing your power, and it will be exposed sooner or later. You won't have a good ending."
Facing her own son's curse, Mrs. Gao could only laugh.
"It doesn't matter. While I still have power, I'll do what I can for you..."
"What do you mean, 'do what you can for me'? You're clearly doing it to satisfy your own selfish desires, to satisfy your dark psychology. This isn't what I want, and you know it very well."
Mrs. Gao's tone became a little agitated by his words.
"Asheng, you're a mature man in your thirties. Your father was your age back then..."
"Don't mention him to me! What's so good about a selfish man obsessed with romance and frivolous pursuits?"
Mrs. Gao agreed, "That's right. He's selfish, frivolous, and not worth emulating, so don't be like him. As long as a man has money, power, and social status, what kind of woman can't he have?"
"Losing Tang Nannan today, you'll gain women a hundred, a thousand times better in the future. So, don't get bogged down in romantic entanglements..."
Hu Jiasheng realized it was impossible to communicate with her.
Their values were mismatched, their logic was not on the same channel, they each stuck to their own arguments, like chickens talking to ducks, purely wasting time.
"I understand. Since you have no intention of stopping, this will be the last time we communicate in this lifetime. Mrs. Gao, remember this, from this moment on, I, Hu Jiasheng, have no relationship with you. If there is any, it will be that of enemies. Because of Tang Nannan, I will never forgive you in this life."
---
As Mrs. Gao had predicted, when the products were randomly inspected at customs, they were successfully found to be the counterfeit drugs they had planted.
This incident caused a sensation.
All the goods scheduled to be shipped that day were held back.
And a formal notice was issued stating that all products manufactured by Zhan's Group were not allowed to leave the warehouse without permission. They immediately dispatched personnel to conduct a search.
The products were seized, and with the discovery of such bizarre items, it was uncertain when the investigation would conclude, and the delivery deadline was indefinitely postponed. The staff immediately reported to the sales department, as they couldn't explain the situation to the clients.
The sales department quickly relayed the information to Zhan Beijue.
Zhan Beijue acted as if he had heard something fantastical.
He, who exported electrical appliances, finding counterfeit drugs inside? The intention to frame him was too obvious.
Zhan Beijue immediately ordered that all personnel involved with this batch of goods be restricted in their movements and brought to the conference room.
They were to check the surveillance footage, examine the goods, and review the loading and shipping times. All surveillance footage was to be retrieved to determine at which stage the items were mixed in.
Meanwhile, he urgently contacted familiar staff at the inspection station to inquire about how such situations were typically handled.
The staff informed him: It was possible someone knew about the recent strict inspections and wanted to make an example, hence targeting him at this time.
They couldn't say for sure; everything depended on the final investigation results. Regardless, the delay in delivery was certain.
In its many years of operation, Zhan's Group had never engaged in activities that violated contracts or delayed deliveries, actions that would be frowned upon by clients.
The delivery deadline could not be missed.
He urgently mobilized similar products from branch companies in other cities, sending them to the clients without delay, whether by sea, land, or air.
Then, he returned to the company and personally oversaw the investigation into the framing incident.
All individuals who had handled this batch of goods were brought to the conference room for questioning.
Everyone appeared confused, innocent, and shocked.
Having worked at Zhan's for many years, everyone was satisfied with their salaries and benefits. The last thing they wanted was for Zhan's to face trouble.
Because if the company encountered problems, it would mean instability for their own households.
Everyone passionately expressed their dedication and love for the company. Zhan Beijue watched from behind the glass and quickly identified two foreign trade sales representatives, sending everyone else back.
A Zhong asked him how he knew those two were acting suspiciously.
"Their reactions were as if they had rehearsed beforehand. Don't you think all their expressions were too natural?"
"Moreover, their descriptions were surprisingly consistent. If they hadn't coordinated beforehand, it would be impossible for them to be so perfectly aligned."
"And the timeline, remembering it so clearly, articulating it so meticulously. If they weren't prepared in advance, who could remember these minor details so vividly?"
"Then we should go in now and press them; we'll surely get them to confess!"
"No," Zhan Beijue said. "Let them be alone for a while. You stay here and watch."