"Susu, seeing you so happy now, I'm truly happy for you," Ai Yifeng said with a touch of guilt. "I still want to apologize to you again for what happened back then..."
"I forgave you long ago. Don't be so sentimental. We'll talk more when we meet tomorrow night." Susu couldn't stand his repeated apologies and hoped he could truly let go of the past.
"Okay."
...
The president's office of the Ao Xiang Group.
Tianyi was energetically discussing matters with several senior executives when his secretary knocked and entered, saying, "President Qin, a Mr. Bai wishes to see you."
"Mr. Bai?" Tianyi asked, puzzled. He didn't recall having an appointment with anyone surnamed Bai today.
"Yes, he said his surname is Bai, and his name is Bai Shuren. Bai Zheng is his cousin." the secretary replied.
Upon hearing the name Bai Zheng, Tianyi's heart skipped a beat.
He remembered this name being mentioned frequently during his parents' arguments when he was a child. Why would someone from the Bai family be looking for him? Was he sent by Bai Zheng?
He calmed himself and told the secretary, "Please have him wait a moment. I'll have him brought in after I finish this discussion."
"Understood." The secretary withdrew.
Tianyi's focus shifted while speaking with the senior executives. He hastily concluded the discussion and dismissed them.
Shortly after, Bai Shuren entered, appearing somewhat reserved.
"President Qin, hello."
"Mr. Bai, hello. May I ask what brings you here? I'm a bit busy this morning..."
Before Tianyi could finish, Bai Shuren suddenly knelt down.
Tianyi was taken aback and asked, "Mr. Bai, what are you doing? Please get up."
"President Qin, this old man has a request. I will not rise until you agree," Bai Shuren said, disregarding his pride.
Tianyi's expression darkened, and he remained silent, assuming the Bai family had come prepared.
Bai Shuren, having made up his mind, continued, "My cousin had a prior acquaintance with your mother. Before he left the Bai family to go abroad, he instructed me that if the Bai family faced difficulties or an emergency, I should seek help from your mother."
"I'm sorry, but my mother passed away many years ago. I'm not very familiar with her past affairs, and she never mentioned knowing your cousin when she passed away," Tianyi said coldly.
This thorn had been embedded in his heart for so many years that it had long since numbed him, making him forget the pain.
Yet today, Bai Shuren had come to stir it.
Bai Shuren took out a yellowed photograph from his pocket and showed it to Tianyi.
"My cousin gave up his inheritance from the Bai family and went abroad for the sake of your mother's reputation. No one knows if he's alive or dead now. Look, their past photo together, they were truly a perfect match."
Tianyi didn't want to look and directly asked, "Tell me, what is it?"
"My son, Bai Chengyi, has been arrested, and the Bai family has collapsed. I am incompetent. I only beg you to save my son and prevent him from going to jail..."
"Mr. Bai, I am neither a police officer nor a judge. If your son has done wrong, he must bear legal responsibility. I do not possess such immense power."
"He is the sole heir of our Bai family. He cannot have a criminal record or a stain on his name. As long as he remains innocent, the Bai family still has hope," Bai Shuren stated his reason.
Tianyi said with a laugh, "Whether the Bai family can rise again depends on his abilities, not whether he has a criminal record. Mr. Bai, I actually think it might not be a bad thing for him to learn a lesson in prison. Please get up, I cannot help you with this matter."
"For the sake of your mother's relationship with our Bai family, and because you also carry the blood of the Bai family, you cannot stand by and watch us perish!"
Bai Shuren's mention of carrying the Bai family's blood completely enraged him. His eyes turned red, and he said coldly, "Get out."
Bai Shuren quickly changed his words, "I meant that the old lady of the Qin family is also a daughter married out from a collateral branch of our Bai family. She is your grandmother, so naturally, you also have Bai family blood."
"If you don't leave now, I will call security."
Having witnessed his parents argue over Bai Zheng so many times since childhood, he had always disliked the Bai family and had never associated with them.
Seeing that he was resolute in his refusal to help, Bai Shuren slowly stood up from the ground, placed the old photograph on his desk, and said faintly, "I have many more photos like this, as well as letters between your mother and my cousin. If our Bai family reaches a desperate situation, I will have no choice but to sell these to raise money to hire the best lawyer for Chengyi."
Tianyi's hands, hidden beneath the desk, clenched into fists in anger.
Bai Shuren, failing to persuade him with gentleness, resorted to force, which was clearly a threat.
"Please, be my guest," Tianyi said, appearing indifferent.
Bai Shuren left his office dejectedly, having exhausted all other options, otherwise, he wouldn't have resorted to seeking help from Qin Tianyi.
Now that even his last straw of hope was gone, he was forced into desperate measures.
After Bai Shuren left, Tianyi immediately instructed his secretary via intercom to have security monitor his departure from the Ao Xiang Group building and to deny him entry in the future.
Having given these instructions, he picked up the photograph from his desk with two fingers. He glanced at the young man and woman nestled by a shimmering lake, their smiles beautiful and sweet.
Since he could remember, he had never seen his mother smile like that.
It seemed his mother had never truly been happy after marrying into the Qin family.
And the man beside his mother was Bai Zheng, whom he had heard about. He was handsome and charming, likely having captivated many girls at the time.
If they loved each other so much then, why didn't he marry his mother and be with her? Why did he only know how to evade, claiming it was to protect his mother's reputation?
In reality, his mother had carried a lifelong stigma. Why did this man still not dare to step forward and clarify everything to everyone?
As he was about to throw the photograph into the trash, he noticed a line of delicate handwriting on the back.
"May our friendship last forever!"
Signed, Shouzheng, on a certain year, month, and day.
Tianyi cursed inwardly, "Scumbag! A disingenuous signature."
If Bai Zheng had openly confessed his feelings to his mother back then, perhaps his mother wouldn't have chosen his father, Qin Zhaoye, and wouldn't have had an unhappy marriage.
He didn't throw the photograph away. Instead, he folded it in half, tore off Bai Zheng's part and discarded it, keeping his mother's half.
However, he still called An Jing and asked him to investigate the recent situation of the Bai family and the details of Bai Chengyi's case.
An Jing found it a bit strange. Why was he suddenly interested in investigating these matters? He couldn't help but ask, "Why are you suddenly concerned about the Bai family?"
"Stop rambling and just do as you're told," Tianyi said before hanging up.
An Jing stood holding the receiver, utterly bewildered. But with the boss's command, he, as the second boss, had no choice but to comply.
...
For the past few days, the entrance of the Huangfu Group had been so crowded that normal passage was impossible.
Since the Xie family's downfall, almost all of its members had perished. The only surviving wife of Xie Zhendong had also been arrested.