"Yes," Xia Ming said, getting up to leave.
Zhang Yuyun stopped him again and asked, "Did you tell anyone else about the illegal things Old Zhao did?"
"No."
"Apart from me, don't tell anyone else about these matters. Keep it buried, understand?" Zhang Yuyun cautioned him.
"I understand, of course I do," Xia Ming said quickly.
Zhang Yuyun then waved him away, feeling her worries were unnecessary. Xia Ming had also been involved in these matters, and for his own sake, he wouldn't dare speak carelessly.
However, she herself needed to think carefully about how to fulfill her promise to Ai Yifeng, both by having Xia Ming testify for Xi Xianya and by preventing the police from discovering Zhao Jianhua's previous illegal activities. This way, the Huangfu Group's project could be resolved without implicating the group. At least, it shouldn't be discovered before she finished liquidating the group's entire business and cashing out. Even if these matters were exposed, it would have to be after she and her two sons had gone abroad.
...
The lawyer, having obtained the victim's family's letter of forgiveness, happily informed Ai Yifeng and also told him that Xi Xianya's case was about to officially go to trial. However, given the defendant's health condition, the trial was unlikely to drag on for too long, and even after a verdict, the start of her sentence would be determined by her physical state.
Ai Yifeng was not surprised that the lawyer had obtained the letter of forgiveness, but he was curious why Zhang Yuyun hadn't contacted him about the witness yet. After finishing his call with the lawyer, he contacted Zhang Yuyun.
"Ms. Zhang, didn't you say you could get Zhao Jianhua's assistant to testify to the police?"
Zhang Yuyun was actually more anxious than him, as the launch of the Huangfu Group's network project was imminent. But she had to ensure that Xia Ming testified exactly as she intended at the police station before she could feel at ease.
"Yes, I'm still communicating with him. Don't worry, it shouldn't be a big problem."
"That's good."
Zhang Yuyun seized the opportunity to ask, "As soon as he testifies at the police station, can you immediately start the network platform project? Our contract with Huangfu Group has a completion deadline."
"As long as he goes to testify, I can start anytime."
"Alright." Zhang Yuyun added, still uneasy, "But let me be clear, I can only persuade him to be a witness. Whether he can help your girlfriend after testifying, I can't guarantee. But you can't go back on your word then."
"I understand. As long as you do as I ask, I will absolutely keep my word," Ai Yifeng promised.
Zhang Yuyun breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I asked Old Zhao's assistant, and your girlfriend was indeed threatened by several of them that night..."
"What kind of threat?" Ai Yifeng asked urgently.
"They threatened her to play cards with them, and the rules of winning and losing weren't very favorable to your girlfriend... so she refused, which led to the conflict with Old Zhao." Zhang Yuyun deliberately avoided the deeper reasons.
Ai Yifeng said "oh," but he could guess with his toes what kind of disgusting rules they would have for playing cards.
"Old Zhao's assistant is worried about implicating himself if he tells the truth. So I'm still persuading him, trying to agree to some of his conditions. It shouldn't be a big problem," Zhang Yuyun wanted him to know that it wasn't easy to do this for him. Even though Ai Yifeng didn't want money, she would still have to pay quite a bit.
"I understand. I will help you build the project and ensure you can account for it to Huangfu Group," Ai Yifeng said, having understood her meaning and showing his sincerity.
"Then wait for my good news," Zhang Yuyun felt it was easy to talk to intelligent people.
Ai Yifeng felt that Zhang Yuyun should be a trustworthy person, and it seemed Xi Xianya was saved. If there was a witness for self-defense, she might be released soon.
...
The next day, after Xie Zhendong woke up and his condition had somewhat recovered, Zhan Jiayi asked him to continue writing the characters he hadn't finished the night before. Encouraged by her and the doctor, Xie Zhendong managed to write out the remaining characters. Zhan Jiayi then understood his full intention: debt repayment and business restructuring. It turned out Xie Zhendong wanted to find investors, pay off some debts, and then restructure the group's business, which would also involve cutting back on the shipping sector.
Zhan Jiayi spoke out her understanding of his meaning beside Xie Zhendong. Xie Zhendong nodded with satisfaction, indicating that she had understood correctly.
"But in this situation, who would be willing to be our group's investor, and who has the capability?" Zhan Jiayi asked.
Xie Zhendong gestured for her to extend her hand and weakly drew a character in her palm.
"Qin?" Zhan Jiayi said it out loud.
Xie Zhendong nodded slightly, then lost strength. The doctor reminded her, "Madam, Mr. Xie being able to do this is already a miracle. He cannot be overworked; he needs rest."
"Okay." Zhan Jiayi had already figured it out; Xie Zhendong wanted Ao Xiang Group to be the investor. However, she felt that cooperating with Ao Xiang Group would be difficult. There had been too many past grievances. Qin Tianyi would be lucky if he didn't laugh at them, let alone invest billions to help them through their difficulties? Moreover, there had never been any business dealings or cooperative projects between the Xie family and Ao Xiang. She didn't know how to directly ask Qin Tianyi.
As she was worrying, her phone rang. She left Xie Zhendong's room and answered it outside.
"Ms. Zhan, I think I know who has been betraying the group behind the scenes," came Old Zhou's voice from the other end of the phone.
Zhan Jiayi immediately asked, "Who?" At this moment, she wished she could dismember the person.
"Bai Chengyi."
"Ungrateful!" Zhan Jiayi exclaimed angrily. "Go find Xie Huibing for me. I'm going to the group immediately."
"Alright."
"Also, don't alert him yet. Control Bai Chengyi and don't let him escape," Zhan Jiayi instructed.
Old Zhou was also very angry with Bai Chengyi and said, "Understood. I've already sent people to detain him."
...
Xie Huibing received a call from Old Zhou at home and quickly agreed to go to the group to meet Zhan Jiayi. She also asked Old Zhou, "Uncle Zhou, my husband didn't come home all night. Was he working overtime at the group? He..."
"Second Miss, I'm not sure about that. Mr. Bai rarely stays at the group headquarters; he's usually at the branch companies," Old Zhou said subtly.
Xie Huibing asked again, "Then why is Zhan Jiayi looking for me? She forced my mother away, and now that my father can't manage the group, she's acting like a tiger borrowing its might. Is she planning to target my husband and me?"
"Second Miss, you're overthinking it. Please come to the group first," Old Zhou felt that the Xie family was truly getting worse with each generation. Xie Zhendong could still hold up the Xie family, but his children were too useless. He could only sigh inwardly. Although Zhan Jiayi had some ability, she was, after all, a woman and too young. She couldn't hold up the already riddled Xie family for long. It seemed he had to plan his own escape route as soon as possible.
Xie Huibing felt uneasy and wanted to ask more, but Old Zhou had already hung up.