Chapter 525 I’ll Strip Him Down to His Underwear

**Chapter 525: Guaranteed to Strip Him Bare**

Compared to Wei Nan’s minor antics, Jiang Yu was far more concerned about the predicted earthquake next month.

With no word from the authorities, they couldn’t afford to sit around waiting.

He Tingyue had already started preparing supplies.

They hadn’t touched the family savings yet,

but Jiang Yu decided to take out all the gold bars stashed at Old Lady Ma’s house and sell them.

Seeing their urgency, Old Lady Ma thought they must be in desperate need of money and nearly offered her entire life savings.

Jiang Yu refused repeatedly, but the elderly woman insisted on handing over her passbook.

“If you’re not short on cash, why sell these things?”

Most people wouldn’t touch their gold if they still had money in the bank.

In Old Lady Ma’s eyes, Jiang Yu must have been in a tight spot financially.

“I’m really not in a hurry for money. I haven’t even touched my savings. Haven’t you heard people call me a ‘ten-thousand-yuan household’ (a term for the wealthy)?”

Old Lady Ma looked doubtful. “Out with it—what’s the gold for?”

Jiang Yu sighed. “Even if I told you, you might not believe me.”

“You haven’t even said anything yet. How do you know I won’t believe you?” Old Lady Ma glared.

Jiang Yu had no choice but to sketch the basics, hinting at the earthquake.

Old Lady Ma couldn’t hide her shock, but she didn’t press further. She handed over Jiang Yu’s gold bars and shoved her own nest egg into her hands.

“Take it all. Stock up on food and whatnot.”

Jiang Yu stared at the passbook, feeling its weight like a ton of bricks.

After a long silence, she hesitated before asking hoarsely, “Teacher… you really trust me?”

“If I didn’t, why would I give you this? This is my nest egg.”

The assets confiscated from the Qin family had never been returned.

Every yuan in that account had been scraped together, coin by coin—over five hundred yuan total,

an enormous sum for an old woman who made a living cleaning toilets.

Jiang Yu rubbed the passbook, her heart clenching, her eyes burning.

“Why? When it’s just a baseless worry… why do you trust me?”

Old Lady Ma flicked her forehead and scolded, “Why do you think? If this turns out false and you waste my savings, I’ll hound you till I die—make you support me when I’m old.”

Jiang Yu barked a laugh, some weight lifting off her chest.

She smiled softly at the passbook and murmured, “I’d always planned to take care of you anyway.”

To her, Old Lady Ma wasn’t just a teacher—she was kin.

"Alright, hurry up. With so much stuff, be careful."

Jiang Yu left Old Lady Ma’s house, then handed the things to Lai Liuzi.

"Get the best price you can."

Lai Liuzi weighed the bundle in his hands—it was heavy.

"Sis, you in a tight spot? Need cash? I’ve got some."

Jiang Yu patted his shoulder. "Sell these first. I’ll talk to you later—I might need your help down the line."

Lai Liuzi was always out hustling and knew where to move goods.

Truth was, Jiang Yu knew their efforts were just a drop in the bucket.

Only the government could make a real difference.

But she just wanted to sleep at night.

After saying goodbye to Lai Liuzi, Qian Wei showed up.

Jiang Yu sighed. "I don’t care about your drama with Wei Nan. Just take it to your dad."

Qian Wei dug in her heels and followed her inside.

"Like I said, I’ll prove I’m serious."

She shoved something into Jiang Yu’s hands—a letter.

Jiang Yu picked it up and glanced at it.

"What’s this?"

"Wei Nan planted this in my dad’s study. He’s setting him up."

Director Qian was known for being squeaky-clean.

Jiao Zongyao’s plan was to drag his name through the mud, going after his rep.

If this letter—claiming he’s in bed with the enemy—surfaced at the Qian house, real or fake, Director Qian would have to step down to save face.

"Does your dad know?" Jiang Yu asked.

Qian Wei shook her head. "I’m not dragging my dad into Wei Nan’s crap again. He doesn’t deserve it. This time, I’ll handle it myself."

Wei Nan had it out for Jiang Yu and He Tingyue. Everything he did was aimed at them.

Qian Wei thought working with Jiang Yu would be good for both of them.

"Besides this letter, he’s got a Plan B."

"How do you know?"

"Sure, Wei Nan’s an idiot—but my dad once said Jiao Zongyao’s a sneaky bastard who covers his tracks. If he wants to nail my dad, he’s got an airtight scheme."

One letter won’t cut it.

Jiang Yu nodded, figuring she had a point.

Turns out Qian Wei isn’t totally clueless after all.

"I already know all this. I’ll hold onto this letter for now."

Compared to Wei Nan, Jiang Yu has more pressing matters to deal with.

Gathering supplies.

She used to think she had plenty of money, but in the face of disaster, her money doesn’t mean squat.

The supplies she buys and sends to the disaster areas vanish like stones sinking into the sea, without making a dent.

One person’s efforts are just a drop in the bucket.

In short, she’s strapped for cash—seriously strapped.

She called Xiao Qi over again.

"This time, the person you’re tailing is more important than any of the previous ones. You’d better be razor-sharp on this one."

She not only wants to know what Jiao Zongyao is planning, but also where he’s hidden all his ill-gotten gains over the years.

As Director Qian said, Jiao Zongyao is cautious—he wouldn’t leave such damning evidence at home.

If they could squeeze out every last thing Jiao Zongyao’s got and convert it into supplies, then send it to the disaster areas, at least it’d make some noise.

Xiao Qi thumped his chest. "Don’t sweat it, sis. I’ll leave him with nothing but his shorts!"

Jiang Yu smiled. "You’re the best. Never had a doubt. He’s all yours now."

The praise pumped Xiao Qi up good.

But Jiao Zongyao has managed to stay unscathed in his position for so many years—he won’t slip up easily.

After shadowing him for two days, Xiao Qi found the man’s routine was like clockwork.

He stuck to his usual haunts, occasionally visiting friends.

"Who has he been visiting these days?"

As an outstanding investigator, Xiao Qi had already dug into their backgrounds.

One was a longtime friend, another was a hometown buddy, and the third was the wife and child of the former director of the Textile Industry Revolutionary Committee.

"Before Director Qian took office, I remember the Textile Industry Revolutionary Committee was under the control of Jin Lixuan and Jiao Zongyao."

Jin Lixuan crossed the line and got himself shot.

He skimmed a fortune, yet when his home was raided, not much was found.

"You think Jin Lixuan and Jiao Zongyao were thick as thieves. Is it possible Jin Lixuan knew he was a dead man walking and transferred everything to Jiao Zongyao?"

And entrusted his wife and children to Jiao Zongyao as well.

Xiao Qi snorted. "Then Jin Lixuan backed the wrong horse."

"How so?"

"After his death, Jiao Zongyao did look after his family—but only his wife and youngest son. He sent Jin Lixuan’s eldest son to the frontier."

If he had truly befriended Jin Lixuan, raising one more child would have been no big deal for him.

Why did he specifically send Jin Lixuan’s eldest son to the frontier?

Jiang Yu was quick-witted—she got it as soon as she heard it.

“Could Jin Lixuan’s youngest son actually be Jiao Zongyao’s?”

Xiao Qi’s eyes lit up with approval as he laughed.

“Spot on, sis. Even before Jin Lixuan died, his wife and Jiao Zongyao were already having an affair. The sad part is, right up till his death, he still saw Jiao Zongyao as a loyal brother and entrusted his wife and children to him.”

Had Jin Lixuan only chosen his eldest son instead, his only bloodline wouldn’t have been left to endure hardship in the frontier.