Chapter 2401 — Secretly Reaching an Agreement

The submission of Wu Chengtian, the hidden Han family, and the hidden Pi family had all come with specific conditions attached—and Chief Zhu had submitted after a single conversation? That hardly seemed realistic.

"Phew..." Chief Zhu let out a breath of relief and said, somewhat gratefully, "Much obliged..."

"What's the story with Chen Xi?" Wei Zhao asked.

"Chen Xi is the young master's illegitimate daughter... I'm the man he placed at her side... That's all I can tell you. As for the rest, I can't say for now. I hope Mr. Lin understands and doesn't force me," Chief Zhu said.

Everything he had said was something Wei Zhao could later confirm from Chen Xi's mother, so Chief Zhu did not bother to conceal it.

"Oh?" Wei Zhao was taken aback. He had not expected Chen Xi to be Zhao Guangyin's illegitimate daughter. The man had certainly been busy in his younger days—wasn't Zhao Qibing enough? Now here was an illegitimate daughter as well? But what astonished Wei Zhao was that a fine young lady of the Zhao family should be out picking through garbage.

"The Zhao family holds to a very strong preference for sons over daughters, and they draw a sharp line between the legitimate and the illegitimate..." Chief Zhu saw Wei Zhao's confusion and explained.

"So that's how it is." Wei Zhao nodded. That did explain things—and it was likely the reason Zhao Qilei was held in such low regard as well! Zhao Qibing was the son of Zhao Guangyin, the young master; when the line passed down again, it would be his son who became heir. There was no way the position would ever fall to Zhao Qilei. Thinking of Zhao Qilei, Wei Zhao asked, "How is Zhao Qilei doing now?"

"At the hidden families' summit, Zhao Qilei tried to call Mr. Lin to tip him off—to tell him that Zhao Qibing's car had been modified. But he was caught in the act and is now under house arrest," Chief Zhu did not conceal this either. None of it was particularly important; in a few days, when the Xuandan Sect held its trial, Zhao Qilei would tell Wei Zhao himself. Chief Zhu was merely getting ahead of the story.

"Tipping me off, and put under house arrest..." Wei Zhao was astonished. What he had not expected was that Zhao Qilei had been confined because of him! It seemed Zhao Qilei truly acknowledged him as his chief—otherwise he would never have done such a thing. That caught Wei Zhao somewhat off guard.

But now that he knew the truth, Wei Zhao could hardly ignore Zhao Qilei. The man had been confined because of him, and this time his participation in the Xuandan Sect trial was surely a "forced" participation as well. It seemed the Zhao family meant to use the occasion to dispose of him.

"Mr. Lin, there's nothing I can do about this. When it comes to the Zhao family's affairs, I have no say," Chief Zhu said, thinking Wei Zhao wanted him to help. He explained with a bitter smile.

"No need. Just pass a message to him—tell him to go to the trial with an easy mind. He has me," Wei Zhao said.

"That's easy enough." Chief Zhu nodded. This much he could manage.

"As for the hidden Pi family, don't mention it once you're back. The parties involved are all dead anyway—no witness, no case," Wei Zhao instructed mildly. "How you make up your story is your own business."

"Understood." Chief Zhu sighed. Though he had not yet declared himself openly, he was already aboard Wei Zhao's pirate ship. But what choice did he have? If he refused, so what? If Wei Zhao wanted to be rid of him and Uncle Zhu, it was the work of a raised hand, and no one could protect him. He had no choice but to submit.

"Chen Xi is in your hands. I don't want anything to happen to her again," Wei Zhao said in a tone that brooked no doubt. "If something does happen again, something will happen to you as well."

"I understand!" Chief Zhu answered hastily.

"All right, since you're here, take Chen Xi back with you." Having finished his instructions, Wei Zhao was no longer worried. "You know what to do?"

"I know." Chief Zhu nodded, helplessness in his heart.

Wei Zhao got out of the car with Chief Zhu and returned to the villa. He found Chen Xi sitting alone on the sofa, not watching television or reading a magazine—just sitting there foolishly.

It was not that Chen Xi did not want to; it was that being suddenly in such a large and luxurious villa made her uncomfortable and constrained, and she did not dare touch anything in it at will.

"Chen Xi, since your Grandpa Zhu has come to fetch you, go back with him. I won't see you off," Wei Zhao said.

"Ah... all right..." Chen Xi was faintly disappointed. In truth, she had hoped Wei Zhao would take her home, so that she might spend a little more time with him. But she did not dare say so, and could only nod.

"Once you're back, study hard. Don't keep picking through garbage—if you're short of money, go ask Ying Ziyu for some." Wei Zhao did not want Chen Xi distracted by such trivialities.

"Mm..." Ying Ziyu agreed, but plainly would not do any such thing.

There was nothing Wei Zhao could do about it. Though Chen Xi and Ying Ziyu were on good terms, Chen Xi would never use Ying Ziyu's money.

After seeing Chen Xi and Chief Zhu off, Wei Zhao saw that it was still early. He had meant to ask Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu whether anything was the matter, but unexpectedly, he received a call from Qiu Lingshan!

"Little dummy, your timing is really something." Wei Zhao had just finished dealing with everything at hand when Qiu Lingshan's call came in.

"Why are you calling me little dummy again?" Hearing the nickname, Qiu Lingshan felt a certain warmth. As she recalled, Wei Zhao had not called her that for quite some time, and hearing it now gave her an indescribable fondness.

"Ha... it just came to mind, so I said it." Recalling the days when he had first met Qiu Lingshan, Wei Zhao felt a touch of emotion. In the blink of an eye, everyone had come from Songshan City to Donghai City.

"Did you miss me?" Qiu Lingshan's voice turned sweet and coquettish.

"A little." Wei Zhao did not deny it. It had indeed been a long time since he had seen Qiu Lingshan, and seeing her today gave him a sudden sense of closeness. But Qiu Lingshan had a case on her hands, so Wei Zhao had not spoken with her much.

"Ha, real or not, I'm happy to hear it." Qiu Lingshan was a little surprised.

"Just the missing of simple friends," Wei Zhao added.

"Couldn't you have left off that last sentence?" Qiu Lingshan was suddenly deflated.

"There are several kinds of friends too." Wei Zhao broke into a sweat, not expecting such a reaction from Qiu Lingshan, and so hedged.

"Fine, then since that's the case, how about you help me look into the kidnapping case?" Qiu Lingshan's mood had improved somewhat.

"The kidnapping case..." Wei Zhao had just gotten home and was completely in the dark. RQ