"I just don't know how," Bie Yunzong said matter-of-factly, without any shame or embarrassment. "Before I met my wife, the old housekeeper helped me with tying; after I met my wife, she did it for me. Since someone else is helping me, why would I need to learn from him?"
"That's why I say you don't resemble your older brother at all! You have absolutely no business aura! No wonder your older brother can sit at an office desk, while you can only sit at the bar."
Su Yanxi took the pickled vegetable leaf, thinking she would make do with it, but then felt it was too wrinkled.
"It's all wrinkled up like this, how are you going to tie it? Take it out and have the maid iron it for you."
"Speak of the maid, and she's here!" Lin Xiaohai appeared immediately, holding up his phone and shouting excitedly, "Young Master, Young Madam! Something terrible has happened! That ordinary guy, Cheng Zhuo—"
"He was exposed by the media for abandoning his wife and children, and he's currently trending at number one on the hot search list!"
Su Yanxi didn't understand, and handed over the tie, asking in confusion, "Who abandoned his wife and children? Cheng Zhuo?"
"But Cheng Zhuo... he wasn't gay before, was he?"
"No." Bie Yunzong smugly hummed as if he had expected it. "That guy is just a pretentious gay man pretending to be gay. We were all fooled by his appearance."
After learning about Pu Nan and the second male lead's disrespectful remarks to his wife, Bie Yunzong immediately called his friends in his contacts to ask them to help him find Cheng Zhuo's past information.
His extensive search uncovered quite a bit of information.
"He studied in his hometown before university and had a first love with whom he had been in a relationship for many years. I don't know how good their relationship was, but his girlfriend got pregnant during her senior year of high school and gave birth to a baby boy for him. Because of the pregnancy, his girlfriend was expelled from school and had to stay home to take care of the child."
"After his senior year of high school, he was admitted to Beicheng Media University, majoring in acting. With his good acting talent, he showed his talent during his university years and entered the entertainment industry ahead of time."
Su Yanxi frowned more and more as she listened, already guessing where the story was headed: "After entering the entertainment industry, he suddenly found himself in a completely new world, no longer wanting to be the country bumpkin he used to be. So he abandoned his wife and children, cutting ties with the past?"
"Absolutely right!" Bie Yun cheered for Su Yanxi, "As expected of my wife, she could guess everything after only hearing half of it!"
"Where is his hometown? How did he manage to keep it so well hidden?"
"He abandoned his wife and children! With a living child in his body, how could he have escaped the media's watchful eyes and hidden away for so long?"
Su Yanxi had a lot of questions.
"And another thing... is he heterosexual or homosexual? If he's homosexual, then his relationship with his first love is just fooling children, isn't it?"
Under current laws, lying to a child is absolutely illegal! After all, same-sex adoption laws are already quite comprehensive, and for homosexuals to conceal their sexual orientation and deceive women into having children is crossing the line of the law!
This also shows that Cheng Zhuo is a person with extremely deep-rooted clan values. In stark contrast to his glamorous appearance is such an antiquated and backward inner world.
"He did break the law, which is why it's caused such a big fuss. As for his sexual orientation... I'm more inclined to believe he's asexual."
"What he truly loves is only himself, and the money, status, and achievements he so desperately pursues."
While waiting for Lin Xiaohai to iron his tie, Bie Yunzong sat down again.
"As for his clever trick to evade the media's watchful eye, it's quite simple: he changed his name and lived under a new identity."
"He's a real scoundrel. He changed his name and identity, and his girlfriend's father even helped him. Who would have thought that once he got his new identity, he would turn around and become a monster?"
"My girlfriend is so pitiful." Su Yanxi sympathized with his girlfriend and lamented for the woman he had never met, "How could she have met such a scumbag?"
"I was just searching with a try-it-out mentality, but I didn't expect to find such a big fish. As a result, your crew will have to replace you."
"Don't worry, honey. I've already arranged for the amazing screenwriter to revise the plot, so it definitely won't affect your filming schedule."
"I don't have time to worry about the filming schedule right now, all I can think about is that poor first love." Su Yanxi glared at the dog resentfully. "It's all your fault. I was going to have dinner at my parents' house happily, but now I'm not in the mood for anything."
"Oh, it's my fault, it's my fault." Bie Yunzong shrugged nonchalantly and said in a leisurely tone, "I didn't just find this big fish, I also got some unexpected gains."
Su Yanxi raised an eyebrow: "What unexpected gain?"
“I’ve caught Qi Xiang’an red-handed.” Bie Yunzong snorted, exuding the unruly aura of a wealthy young master. “Just as my wife guessed, Qi Xiang’an has also changed his name.”
"—I found out his old identity."
#40 Only a daughter-in-law like Yanxi can keep you in check.
Before explaining Qi Xiang'an's past identity, we have to start with that bastard Cheng Zhuo.
On the way to visit her in-laws, Bie Yunzong explained all the information she had found over the past few days.
"According to my friend's investigation, Cheng Zhuo should have changed his identity twice. Once when he was twelve years old, before he entered junior high school; and once after the incident in his senior year of high school."
The first time he changed his identity, he didn't change his name. Cheng Zhuo's parents wanted to send their only son to the best school in Beishan City, so they spent a lot of money to change his household registration information, making Cheng Zhuo, who was originally from a small county, a city resident.
The second time, he changed both his identity and name. Fearing that their son's excellent grades would be affected by local public opinion, Cheng Zhuo's parents simply found someone to transfer Cheng Zhuo's household registration to Jingu City.
Chapter 89
"The second time was much more difficult than the first time. At least the first time, the household registration was still in the same city, but the second time it was across 1,800 kilometers, flying directly from the south to the north. Cheng Zhuo studied in Jingu City for the two months before the college entrance examination."
Su Yanxi brought her cat son along on this trip. The well-behaved Lan Jinying was currently dozing peacefully in Su Yanxi's arms.
Su Yanxi stroked Nubi's soft, smooth long fur, lost in thought: "So Cheng Zhuo is from Beishan? A neighboring city of mine. No wonder I always felt his accent was strange, sometimes like the South, sometimes like the North."
Even though Bie Yunzong couldn't stand being alone, he also reached out to pluck the cat's fur: "Cheng Zhuo's two 'rebirths' were both done by the same person."
"The person who took the money to do the favor was the head of the household registration section of the provincial government office, named Zou Xinyuan. He was arrested more than seven years ago for embezzlement and bribery, and he's still in jail working on a sewing machine."
Su Yanxi slapped away Bie Yunzong's hand, frowned slightly, and thought for a moment: "I've never heard of this name. Should I know him?"
"It's good that he was caught. People who use public authority to seek personal gain should be locked up for twenty or thirty years."
If it weren't for these greedy corrupt officials secretly accumulating wealth, Cheng Zhuo's disgusting deeds wouldn't have been exposed only now.
"This man surnamed Zou has a close friend, Ji Fucheng, who is the director of the Jingu City Office. This man was also dismissed from his post seven years ago for embezzlement and bribery, and has not been released since."
"Cheng Zhuo wanted to use the man surnamed Zou to change his identity and become a resident of Tianjin, but the man surnamed Zou didn't have that kind of authority, so he—"
"Zou Xinyuan definitely has to ask Ji Fucheng for help before this matter can be resolved?"
The logical relationship was not difficult to understand, and Su Yanxi quickly grasped it.
"I understand the logic, but what does this have to do with Qi Xiang'an?"
“The connection is huge.” Bie Yunzong was good at creating an atmosphere, making it more and more mysterious as he spoke. “Ji Fucheng didn’t always work in the northern region. He did well in the southern region in his early years before being transferred to Jingu City, which is closer to the central government.”
Twenty years ago, these corrupt officials were just low-level government employees. Through local assignments, they were sent to Nanxiang City, a third-tier city with an underdeveloped economy but unlimited development potential.
They arrived at the place where Su Yanxi, then known as Su Yanxi, had lived: Huxin District of Nanxiang City.
Bie Yunzong finally got to the point: "Wife, do you understand now? These people used to work under our father."
Su Yanxi frowned even more.
He understood, he understood all too well. His father was framed by a group of people precisely because he was upright and honest and refused to associate with those with ulterior motives.
My innocent father was wrongfully imprisoned, while the real corrupt official has been at large for so many years!
Su Yanxi felt wronged for her father, but also felt that karma is a wheel, and no one can escape the punishment of the law. Those who have truly done evil will not escape the punishment of the law!
Whether it's a lion or a tiger, they'll all spend their lives in jail!
"Go on," Su Yanxi said, her voice turning deep as she tried her best to control her emotions.
Bie Yunzong patted his wife's back reassuringly and continued, "When you were eleven, your father was wrongfully imprisoned. That same year, a new mayor took office, and people surnamed Zou and Ji were both promoted."
"The two were first promoted together to the provincial office, and not long after, the one surnamed Ji was transferred to Jingu City. Before Ji Fucheng was transferred, he claimed that he had found his child who had been lost for many years."
Ji Fucheng helped the child register for household registration and obtain a new household registration. Anyway, he knew someone at the service hall, so he could get the household registration done with just a word.
Su Yanxi's heart skipped a beat: "Is it Qi Xiang'an...?"
Bie Yunzong nodded: "That's my guess. Isn't this a perfect opportunity to change identities?"
"But if the child is already registered in Ji Fucheng's household registration, when Ji Fucheng is arrested for embezzlement, won't the child also be investigated? When a big tiger falls from power, all his assets will be investigated and confiscated; family members suspected of involvement will be monitored, and it's impossible to let him continue to shine in the entertainment industry."
"But that so-called son severed his father-son relationship with Ji Fucheng when he was fifteen or sixteen years old."
Su Yanxi was taken aback: "Huh?"
"When severing ties, Ji Fucheng moved his son's household registration out of the city and changed his son's name. Later, when Ji Fucheng was arrested for corruption, that 'son' was no longer involved in the whole affair."
Su Yanxi clicked her tongue: "What a coincidence? I think severing ties is just a pretense; they're just getting wind of it and preparing for their own demise."
Bie Yunzong shrugged and spread his hands: "That's all the information I can find. For anything more, you'll have to ask your brother."
After a conversation in the car, they were almost at the villa area where their parents lived. Su Yanxi tidied her hair in front of the car window, adjusting her emotions and composure.
"Let's talk about it after we finish eating. Let's not talk about these unlucky people and things before we eat."
Bie Yunzong straightened his back and gave a perfunctory salute: "Yes, wife!"
When they arrived at the gate of the detached villa where their parents-in-law lived, their older brother and sister-in-law also arrived. The older brother and sister-in-law held the soft, cuddly baby in one hand and pinched the baby's little hand with the other, waving to Zongxi and her husband.
"Oh, the uncles are here too! Nono, quickly say hello to them!"
The chubby, soft-looking nephew instantly melted Su Yanxi's heart. He handed the cat to Bie Yunzong to hold and went over to tease the little one: "Long time no see, Nuonuo! Do you still recognize me?"
Unlike the close interaction between the brothers on the right, Bie Congrui and Bie Yunzong, who are brothers, dislike each other.
Bie Congrui raised an eyebrow and sneered, "What a nuisance."
Bie Yunzong's lips twitched speechlessly: "Then aren't you the unlucky one? Will I be in big trouble after being looked at by your sour face?"
"Alright, alright." Cheng Xiaohui, who came out to greet them, happened to stumble upon the two brothers arguing. "You two, how old are you? Why are you still arguing? Arguing is one thing, but arguing in front of your wives and children, aren't you ashamed?"
Chapter 90
Bie Congrui stopped abruptly and greeted his mother, "Mom, how have you been lately?"
Cheng Xiaohui waved her hand and stepped forward to gently hug her eldest son: "Great! You can even walk five blocks in high heels!"
The youngest son, Bie Yunzong, who had been spoiled since childhood, was not so particular. He was always taking advantage of everyone and would tattle on his mother: "My brother insulted me first! He called me a little bad luck!"
"If I'm a little bit of bad luck, then what do you think you are?"
"Your brother was just teasing you, why did you take it seriously?" Cheng Xiaohui poked Bie Yunzong's forehead, both amused and exasperated.
It's quite strange, but her youngest son's personality is quite different from the rest of the family. To put it simply, her husband, Bie Xiangtian, and her eldest son, Bie Congrui, are similar in personality—both mature, steady, reserved, and dignified.
They express their emotions in a relatively reserved way, emphasizing ritual and propriety.
However, the younger son is naturally lively, straightforward in his speech and actions, and expresses his emotions frankly and openly, with clear likes and dislikes. From a common perspective, Bie Yunzong's personality is very "rebellious." If he is not properly guided in the early stages, he is very likely to go astray later on.
Fortunately, his whole family doted on Bie Yunzong, raising this rebellious boy into a real source of joy. In a canine family teeming with wolves, why can't there be a little wolf-dog?
Cheng Xiaohui touched her youngest son's face affectionately and asked, "Has Xiao Zong gained a little weight? His face looks fuller than before."
“This is my collagen,” 23-year-old Bie Yunzong replied shamelessly. “When I was with my wife in Guangcheng, she would always pack me fish maw and chicken soup and stuff, which made me gain weight.”
"After returning to Beicheng, I worked out every day, and now I have a lot of muscles."