Chapter 205: Something’s Not Right

Chapter 205: Something's Not Right

Zuo Shangdang was discharged from the hospital, and Zuo Zuying didn’t need to stick around the hospital either.

After searching several times without finding anyone, and returning to his father's open commercial-residential building without seeing anyone, Zuo Zuying immediately realized that the old bastard had probably run off to that mother and son again!

He rode his motorcycle to the bank and stored the basin and gold nugget he’d salvaged in the safe.

These items were left to him by his grandfather, and now he could rightfully claim them. But that scoundrel had sneaked off when he was discharged from the hospital, and the medical fees were still paid from the stack of waterlogged cash he had, which was a huge loss.

Carefully examining the items before him, Zuo Zuying's expression gradually darkened. Something was off.

More than half of it was missing.

His grandfather was no ordinary man. During the Republic of China era, the Hou family business was a local powerhouse in City A, involved in various industries and well-regarded among the local populace.

Later, as chaos erupted and warlords rose, the Hou family was caught in the turmoil and suffered significant blows. Before they could recover, the Japanese invaders arrived, and the first thing they did upon occupying City A was to target the local gentry.

The Hou family was the first to fall.

They were made an example of, the "monkey" in the saying "killing the monkey to scare the chickens."

In that storm, except for Hou Sifang, whom the family head had desperately protected, no one else survived.

Just as the Hou family had suffered a great calamity, the Japanese invaders, before they could celebrate, were driven away by the arriving army.

After handling the aftermath of his family, Hou Sifang, filled with a deep-seated hatred, donated the Hou family business to the country and joined the army to fight.

The items before him were treasures hidden by successive heads of the Hou family, intended as a safeguard for future generations to rise again in case of disaster.

Zuo Zuying vaguely recalled that in the story, these treasures were described in great detail, spanning several hundred words. Among them were two imperial jade scepters, but now only one remained.

All the female accessories and jewelry were gone, and several rare ornaments were missing.

Zuo Zuying faintly remembered that a top-quality jade ring and a piece of warm jade would later appear in Lu Jin'an's possession.

Had the old bastard already sent them over there?

After a moment's thought, he roughly understood. He knew that Zuo Shangdang's current success in City A was built on these treasures.

Moreover, how had Lu Yazhi and her son maintained their extravagant lifestyle all these years?

That mother and son had never eaten coarse grain since they started following Zuo Shangdang. Back when grain was rationed, their food and supplies mostly came from the black market.

The prices on the black market were not something ordinary people could afford.

So, part of what his grandfather had left him had already been spent, part had been used by Zuo Shangdang for his business, and part was either with Lu Yazhi and Lu Jin'an or still in Zuo Shangdang's hands.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt sorry for his family, who were just pawns in this game.

What had his mother done to deserve this? She had to dedicate her entire life to Zuo Shangdang's true love.

If that true love family of three wanted to love each other, fine, but why drag his family into it as stepping stones? Now that the male lead had grown up, his family's tragic fate was approaching.

In a couple of years, as Zuo Shangdang's business grew, the male lead would gradually get involved. According to the plot, he would be tricked by the male lead into losing his legs. Seeing him disabled, the two old folks would immediately cry and beg for their outstanding grandson from the other side to return to the family.

Da Meili vehemently opposed this, but was morally blackmailed and blamed by the entire family. Carrying her injuries and her son, she sought medical help everywhere. When she needed money and went to retrieve the items, she found that what her father had left behind was long gone.

She suspected Zuo Shangdang and went alone to City A, never to return. Whether she died or what happened to her, she never appeared again by the end of the story.

The original host sought revenge, employing various schemes against the male protagonist, conspiring with the male lead's nemesis to plot against him, and was ultimately sealed in a building pillar with cement by the male lead, used as a living foundation.

Both married sisters ended tragically. The second brother-in-law, in an attempt to ingratiate himself with the male lead, chose to save the baby during the second sister's delivery, while the eldest brother-in-law refused to yield, was oppressed and could no longer sustain life at home, compelling the entire family to leave their hometown. The eldest sister, depressed and ill, felt she had doomed her brother-in-law's family and chose to commit suicide.

Their family's part in the story was brief, with four lives summed up in just a few pages.

Coming back to his thoughts, Zuo Zuying sighed, realizing he must act swiftly to neutralize him before he becomes stronger.

He wondered if the last crash had left him crippled, given his merciless nature.

After exiting the bank, Zuo Zuying made his way to Longxiang Mansion, planning to scout the area and possibly run into Zuo Shangdang to fish for information on the remaining items.

Upon arriving at Longxiang Mansion, he happened to bump into Lu Jin'an, who was on his way to a date with Su Jiao.

Zuo Zuying was stunned, his jaw dropped. Didn't he send him soaring into the air? Even if he wasn't in a cast, he should be bedridden for months. How could he be so sprightly in just a few days?

That damn bastard must have a charmed life!!!

At that moment, a beautiful woman caught up behind Lu Jin'an.

"Jin'an, Jin'an~"

"Look at your memory, you forgot your scarf."

Lu Yazhi tenderly wrapped the scarf around Lu Jin'an, "Take care when you go out, and bring your friend over to visit sometime~"

Lu Jin'an said softly, "Mom, how old am I? Don't always treat me like a child!"

Lu Yazhi patted her son's front shirt, "No matter how old you get, in my eyes, you'll always be my child. Take care, that incident at the start of the year terrified me, with such a big scrape on your wrist, it shattered my heart."

"I wonder who that motorcycle-riding bastard was, that blind fool, I hope he crashes and dies someday!!"

"Mom, don't worry about me, if you have nothing to do, just coax him more, and try to figure out the situation over there..."

Hiding in the corner, Zuo Zuying was stunned by what he heard.

Wasn't the motorcycle-riding bastard at the start of the year himself?

So, after scaring him half to death and sending him spinning 360 degrees in the air, he only got a small scrape?

That damn bastard, he must have divine protection!

Zuo Zuying scrutinized Lu Yazhi, despite her heavy clothing, her voluptuous figure and graceful curves were evident. At her age, her cheeks were still plump, and she wore a pair of full, round pearl earrings that made her appear even more gentle and elegant.

Her noble aura, combined with her well-rounded appearance, clearly showed she was a woman who had been pampered and had not suffered much.

Her impressive bust, even through her coat, could be seen slightly trembling as she walked, the type that mature men would admire.

If his family hadn't been their stepping stone, Zuo Zuying would have to commend the old scoundrel for raising her so splendidly!