Chapter 76

Chapter 76

The case remained unsolved, much like reading a mystery novel without reaching the end, leaving a nagging feeling, like a cat's paw scratching at one's heart.

Chu Hengyi took advantage of his free time to casually analyze with Ye Mingzhao: "...Since Chu Qingyi thought of using rumors to extort Zhou Yueze, could he repeat the same trick and use similar rumors to extort Hua Rui?"

Ye Mingzhao wasn't particularly invested in the case. However, taking advantage of the Zhou family being too preoccupied with Chu Qingyi's murder case to pay attention, Ye Mingzhao took the chance to pull some strings.

Since the Ye family business acquired the Zhou family business, they had been working on splitting and restructuring the industries under the Zhou family business. The Ye family business aimed to fully integrate the resources of the two groups through these measures, ultimately taking control and merging the upstream and downstream channels of the Zhou family business.

With Zhou Heting too preoccupied by Zhou Yueze's case, Ye Mingzhao took the opportunity to propose a new share issuance plan. The goal was to use this method to increase the Ye family business's shareholding ratio while diluting Zhou Heting's shares.

After all, although the Ye family business successfully acquired the Zhou family business and kicked Zhou Heting and his son out of the Zhou family business's board of directors, Zhou Heting remained the second-largest shareholder of the Zhou family business. Within the group, there were still loyalists and supporters personally promoted by Zhou Heting.

Personnel adjustments could be made through project restructuring, but the shareholding ratio was not something that could be easily changed.

Ye Mingzhao firmly believed in the principle of "striking while the iron is hot." He thought the Ye family business should take this opportunity to eliminate Zhou Heting as a potential threat.

The Ye family members agreed wholeheartedly.

Soon, the overwhelmed Zhou Heting received notice that the Zhou family business was about to issue new shares. According to the relevant regulations, shareholders of the Zhou family business could subscribe to the new shares at a ratio of ten to three. However, this news was undoubtedly a nightmare for Zhou Heting.

During the Ye family business's acquisition battle against the Zhou family business, Zhou Heting had already invested all of the Zhou family's liquid assets to maintain control of the Zhou family business.

After the Ye family business successfully completed the acquisition of the Zhou family business, the Zhou family business's stock price gradually declined due to a series of resource integration and restructuring actions. This also meant that Zhou Heting's assets had shrunk to some extent.

In other words, Zhou Heting simply didn't have enough funds to subscribe to the new share issuance. If he wanted to maintain his shareholding ratio in the Zhou family business, he would have to mortgage or sell the Zhou family's assets to raise sufficient cash.

However, the Zhou family's reputation had taken a hit due to recent news, and the Zhou family's every move was under intense scrutiny. Banks and capital firms friendly with Zhou Heting also had to consider public opinion and dared not get too close to him, let alone engage in deep financial dealings at this critical juncture.

Unable to raise funds, Zhou Heting could only watch helplessly as his shares were diluted—

This was truly striking while the iron is hot!

Zhou Heting was almost amused by the Ye family's maneuvers. He had long known that Ye Linyuan was ruthless, and now that he was at their mercy, Zhou Heting had nothing more to say.

But since the Ye family was being so ruthless, they shouldn't be surprised if he...

*

Chu Hengyi had been feeling for the past few days like someone was tailing him. He had Bishou drive far behind him to see if they could spot anything unusual, and sure enough, they discovered a black car.

"Why are you following me?" Chu Hengyi intercepted them by the roadside, asking with a fierce expression.

The two paparazzi, clutching their cameras, trembled and explained that they were following Chu Hengyi to see if they could dig up any major news.

After all, the recent events involving Zhou Yueze and Chu Qingyi had caused such a stir, and both of them had connections to Chu Hengyi.

Chu Hengyi listened to the paparazzi's explanation with skepticism and later asked Ye Mingzhao, "Have you been followed by paparazzi recently?"

Ye Mingzhao smiled and replied, "No."

No gossip newspaper dared to send paparazzi to tail Ye Mingzhao, as they didn't want their companies to go bankrupt out of the blue.

Chu Hengyi rubbed his nose awkwardly and muttered, "It's true that nice guys finish last."

Ye Mingzhao glanced at Chu Hengyi's fierce features, which were far from being associated with the word "kind," and tactfully said nothing.

Chu Hengyi awkwardly changed the subject: "Has Mark Brown contacted you since that day?"

Ye Mingzhao shook his head.

Chu Hengyi sneered, "That Hua Rui is hiding quite deep." Even though they had caught a whiff of her, she still stubbornly hid in her shell, not daring to show her face.

Ye Mingzhao remained noncommittal.

Regardless of how deep Hua Rui was hiding, as long as she harbored ill intentions towards the Ye family, Ye Mingzhao would not let her off.

"Does she really think she can just hide overseas and send a few nobodies to cause trouble and get away with it?" Chu Hengyi raised an eyebrow and suddenly asked, "Do you think the person who bribed the deliveryman could be Hua Rui?"

Ye Mingzhao glanced at Chu Hengyi and smiled, "Whether it is or not, if you have a way, you can make the Zhou family think it is."

Thinking of that old fox Zhou Heting, Chu Hengyi's frown deepened, "That old fox has been unusually quiet lately. I always feel like he's up to something."

Ye Mingzhao pushed for the Zhou family's board and shareholders to approve the share issuance proposal at this critical moment. For Zhou Heting, the second-largest shareholder, it was like adding insult to injury.

Chu Hengyi felt that with Zhou Heting's temperament and cunning, he wouldn't just take this lying down. But after being on guard for so many days, Zhou Heting had made no moves.

Chu Hengyi's past life had taught him that if an opponent who is at a disadvantage during a game makes no moves, then his efforts are likely to be focused outside the game.

"Do you think, given Zhou Heting's style, if he wanted to use underhanded tactics, from what angle would he strike?" Chu Hengyi was curious.

Ye Mingzhao chuckled lightly, "Isn't it obvious?"

If you can't solve the problem, then of course you have to find a way to solve the person causing the problem, Chairman!

Chu Hengyi's heart skipped a beat as he looked at Ye Mingzhao, "Surely not?"

Ye Mingzhao remained silent. But soon after, the Ye family's travel security was upgraded a level.

Ye Mingzhao: Although he wanted to lure the enemy in and solve the problem once and for all, he wouldn't joke about the safety of his family.

Chu Hengyi had long known that Ye Mingzhao cared most about the Ye family. Seeing this, he still felt an indescribable emotion.

—Because Ye Mingzhao had also included him as a member of the Ye family.

Ye Mingzhao was amused by Chu Hengyi's sudden sentimentality, thinking he was quite the drama queen.

Noticing Ye Mingzhao's gaze, Chu Hengyi sauntered over to him, smiling like a slick, big-tailed wolf, "Just admit it! In your heart, I'm already part of the Ye family."

Otherwise, why would Ye Mingzhao care so much about his personal safety?

"Tell me, what do you want to eat tonight? I'll cook it for you!" Chu Hengyi said with a grin.

A faint smile flickered in Ye Mingzhao's eyes, but he wouldn't be able to enjoy Chu Hengyi's homemade dinner tonight.

"Do you have plans with someone else?" Chu Hengyi raised an eyebrow.

Ye Mingzhao nodded.

Chu Hengyi asked curiously, "Who is it? Do I know them?"

"Of course you do," Ye Mingzhao said with a smile, looking at Chu Hengyi, "It's your adoptive parents, Chu Jianguo and his wife."

The smile on Chu Hengyi's face slowly faded.

*

Chu Jianguo had called Ye Mingzhao to set up the meeting. Ye Mingzhao originally didn't want to deal with these two nonsensical people. But Chu Jianguo directly stated on the phone that he had something Ye Mingzhao would be interested in: "Don't you want to know if I was instructed by someone when I adopted Chu Hengyi all those years ago?"

"Come meet me, and I'll give you the evidence."

The meeting was set at a coffee shop near the Ye family business at 7:30 PM. This was all arranged by Ye Mingzhao. To top it off, Ye Mingzhao brought three carloads of bodyguards trailing behind him.

He was on high alert.

When getting out of the car, Chu Hengyi glanced at the brightly lit headquarters building of the Ye family business across the street. The uniformed guards patrolling the lobby made him feel secure.

Ye Mingzhao pushed open the door of the coffee shop, and the wind chime hanging on the door frame jingled.

Chu Jianguo and his wife, seated by the window, instinctively rose to their feet.

The moment they spotted Chu Hengyi trailing behind Ye Mingzhao, their eyes welled up with tears.

"Hengyi, your brother died unfairly—you have to avenge him!" Chu Jianguo's hoarse voice cried out.

Chu Hengyi didn't even raise an eyebrow and directly sat down opposite Chu Jianguo.

Chu Hengyi's icy demeanor left Chu Jianguo and his wife speechless, cutting their tears short.

"Do you even have a heart? You spent eighteen years in our family, growing up with Qingyi since you were kids. Now he died inexplicably, and as his elder brother, instead of avenging him, you..."

Chu Hengyi listened in silence as Chu Jianguo and his wife poured out their grievances, then asked in a low voice, "You said on the phone that you have evidence of someone instructing you to adopt and abuse me?"

The couple's crying suddenly stopped.

Ye Mingzhao gave a faint smile and cut to the chase: "Where is it?"

Chu Jianguo and his wife exchanged uneasy glances, hesitating.

Before they could speak, Chu Hengyi added, "You only have one chance. If you two try any tricks, Ye Mingzhao and I will leave immediately."

Chu Jianguo: "..."

Chu Jianguo was stunned by the remark and angrily tossed a stack of passbooks onto the table—

The passbooks were tattered, their edges frayed and covers faded with age.

Chu Jianguo said, "This is the evidence!"

Years ago, his younger brother Chu Jianye had secretly brought the child home and filled Chu Jianguo in on the child's origins. He also said that the Ye family was offering a reward to find the child, and once the heat died down, they would return the child for money.

But unexpectedly, Chu Jianye never returned, and both he and the car fell off a cliff.

Chu Jianguo originally wanted to leave the child in the mountains to fend for itself, but couldn't bring himself to do it. Mainly, he was afraid that if the child really died and the Ye family found out later, he wouldn't be able to explain. It was better to return the child and at least get some money—at that time, the Ye family had increased the reward to 500,000 yuan to find the child.

In those days, 500,000 yuan was no small amount. Chu Jianguo was just waiting to exchange the money, build a big house, and never worry about anything for the rest of his life.

Chu Jianguo, fixated on the 500,000 yuan, spent most of the night tossing and turning, and finally went into the mountains in the middle of the night to bring the child home.

But before Chu Jianguo could take the child to Xinhai, someone suddenly appeared at their home. They proposed that Chu Jianguo adopt the child. As long as Chu Jianguo agreed, they would give him 50,000 yuan every year. If Chu Jianguo refused, they would inform the Ye family that Chu Jianye was a human trafficker.

At that point, not only would Chu Jianguo not get the 500,000 yuan reward, but he might also be treated as an accomplice to human traffickers by the Ye family and sent to the police station!

This statement immediately frightened Chu Jianguo.

Should he risk being arrested and imprisoned for a one-time 500,000 yuan, or take 50,000 yuan a year?

Chu Jianguo didn't think much and directly agreed to the other party's request.

Hearing this, Chu Hengyi let out a bitter laugh. "50,000 yuan a year? I had no idea I was such a valuable commodity."

Chu Jianguo glanced at Chu Hengyi guiltily and didn't dare to speak.

Chu Hengyi asked again, "Do you know who they were?"

Although Chu Jianguo didn't know, he could guess. Who else could it be but Chu Jianye's employer, who found their family at that critical moment, knew Chu Jianye was a human trafficker, and paid him to adopt and abuse an innocent child?