C16 The Pill Was Not Good the Pill Was Not Good

"I really don't know anything," Zhang Cheng said with a sense of resignation.

Frustrated, Zhao Qingyu snatched up her phone and played a video. "Take a look at this!"

Zhang Cheng leaned in and saw what appeared to be a bar's entrance surveillance footage. Shadows moved within, amidst the chaos of items being shattered. A sinking feeling hit him as he and his niece, Qingya, emerged from the bar.

His face fell as he realized the gravity of the situation.

"Where did you take Qingya yesterday? As her brother-in-law, you're supposed to be a responsible adult. How could you involve her in such a mess?" she demanded, tossing two photos onto the table. They showed Zhang Cheng leading Zhao Qingya out of the bar.

Zhao Qingyu's voice was raised, her anger palpable.

Meanwhile, Zhao Qingya hadn't been asleep upstairs as they thought. She'd been eavesdropping on their exchange and couldn't stay silent any longer. "This isn't brother-in-law's fault. I'm the one to blame," she interjected, descending the stairs quickly.

Zhao Qingyu's fury intensified upon seeing Zhao Qingya sit down beside Zhang Cheng. "Go back to bed, now!" she commanded.

Zhao Qingya shivered but remained seated.

"Fine, fine, fine... You've really grown up, haven't you? So much that you won't even listen to me," Zhao Qingyu said, her voice tinged with desperation as her usual composure crumbled.

Zhang Cheng, seeing Zhao Qingyu's anger, knew he couldn't keep hiding the truth.

"Listen, it's not as bad as you think," he began, carefully recounting the events. He downplayed the more perilous moments with his niece, framing the situation as a mere standoff. Zuo Kun was introduced as an old friend who had a bone to pick with the bar owner and had coincidentally sought revenge at the same time. With Zuo Kun's help, he and Qingya had managed to leave the scene. What happened between the bar owner and Zuo Kun afterward was beyond his knowledge.

After the whole story was told, it seemed that Zhang Cheng had simply lent Zhao Qingya a helping hand out of kindness. His sister-in-law remained silent throughout.

Zhao Qingyu's demeanor softened considerably after hearing Zhang Cheng's thorough explanation. "Xiao Ya, is everything he said true?"

"Yes, yes, everything Brother-in-law said is true. It's my fault," Zhao Qingya admitted.

Zhao Qingyu shot her sister a stern look, warning her to never visit such a place again. She then turned to Zhang Cheng with a cold warning to cut ties with Zuo Kun, or else they wouldn't need to wait a month; divorce proceedings would begin the very next day.

Zhang Cheng and Zhao Qingya readily agreed to the terms.

However, Zhao Qingyu's curiosity was piqued about their evening's whereabouts and their late return. At the mention of this, Zhao Qingya bristled with anger, recounting the night's events and accusing her sister of being heartless for not lending money. She questioned whether Zhao Qingyu was truly her sister at all.

It was a stark reversal from just a short while ago when Zhao Qingyu was the one admonishing her sister. Now, the tables had turned, and it was Zhao Qingya who was chastising her.

Zhao Qingyu did her best to pacify her sister, ultimately giving her several million in spending money to quiet her complaints.

Despite the resolution, Zhao Qingyu was left with lingering doubts. Why did Zhang Cheng have a brother who was a notorious troublemaker with such influence? And why did he choose that moment to exact revenge on the bar owner, conveniently rescuing them?

And how did Zhang Cheng come to know the chairman of Huaxi Corporation?

The more she pondered, the more Zhao Qingyu's suspicions grew. She realized that there were many secrets about this man that she was unaware of.

What puzzled Zhao Qingyu the most was the dramatic change in her sister's attitude toward Zhang Cheng. Initially, there was significant resistance when he first arrived at the mansion, but now, in just a few days, they seemed to have grown quite close.

During their recent conversation, Zhao Qingyu had noticed her sister repeatedly trying to defend Zhang Cheng.

With these doubts weighing on her mind, she headed upstairs with her sister.

Observing the natural smile that graced her sister's face, Zhao Qingyu couldn't shake a troubling premonition.

She shook her head vigorously, dismissing the thought.

What was she even considering? It was utterly impossible.

The following morning, instead of her usual routine, Zhao Qingyu didn't go to work but stayed at the villa.

The staff at Liwen Park, just outside the villa, sprang into action. Some were busy transporting various decorations, others were cleaning, and a few were hanging festive lanterns.

By noon, Zhao Zhijun, the father-in-law who seldom spent time in the park, made his return, along with several of Zhao Qingyu's uncles.

Moreover, Zhang Cheng's seldom-seen cousins and his brother-in-law had traveled all the way from Beijing.

Zhang Cheng was puzzled about the flurry of activity. It wasn't until he spoke with Zhao Qingyu that he learned the esteemed Old Master Ji of the Ji Family from Beijing was due for a visit.

With little interest, Zhang Cheng retreated to the villa with his sister-in-law to watch a melodramatic TV series.

He hadn't made the connection between Old Master Ji and Ji Shaohua, nor did he imagine that the elderly man he had once helped was the venerable Old Master Ji himself.

It made sense, though; only someone of significant stature could prompt such an elaborate reception from the Zhao Family, someone who could figuratively hold up half the sky.

As evening fell, the park was aglow with beautiful lanterns and adorned with banners.

Members of the Zhao Family, who had managed to come together after many years, gathered for a family dinner.

Conversation flowed around business matters as they dined.

Zhang Cheng and his sister-in-law sat idly at the table, neither voicing opinions nor joining the conversation, simply focusing on their meal.

The atmosphere was tinged with awkwardness, but there was little to be done.

Zhang Cheng was not well-acquainted with his cousins or brother-in-law, leaving him with little to contribute, and conversing with the older relatives was even more challenging.

As dinner neared its end, Zhao Zhijun, Zhang Cheng's father-in-law in name, turned his attention to him.

"Zhang Cheng, I've heard you're doing quite well in your recovery?" he inquired.

Zhang Cheng nodded in affirmation.

"It's going alright," he replied.

Zhao Zhijun continued, "Qingyu mentioned your situation. I understand you two are planning a divorce next month. I also feel you're not quite the right match for each other. Don't hold it against me for not intervening."

"Why would I? Love is a matter of choice," Zhang Cheng responded.

Zhao Zhijun nodded, a wistful look crossing his face.

"Indeed, times have changed," he mused.

Then, shifting the subject, he asked, "How's your father doing? Surely he's not still tending the fields back home all alone?"

Zhang Cheng nodded in agreement.

"My father's doing quite well, still... farming."

Zhao Zhijun heaved a deep sigh.

"It's such a shame. Was the impact of that event really so devastating for him? Had he remained in the capital back then, he might have carved out quite a legacy for himself by now."

Zhang Cheng was taken aback by his father-in-law's remark. Was his father once a man of significance? It seemed to him that his father had single-handedly raised him, and if it weren't for his own determination to study hard and get into college, he might never have left that rural area.

"What exactly happened back then? My father was affected by some incident?"

Zhang Cheng zeroed in on the crucial question.

Zhao Zhijun gave him a look, chuckled, and shook his head, choosing not to elaborate further.