Chapter 2571 — Wei Zhao's Promise

"No need. Just see that it's all donated to the Songshan City Orphanage," Wei Zhao said with a wave of his hand.

He had no shortage of money—better to give it all to Yu Xiaoke and let her improve the orphanage.

"Very well." Old Master Zhuang nodded without any change in expression, but inwardly he filed away the name of the Songshan City Orphanage. Old and crafty as he was, he had naturally guessed that this orphanage was under Wei Zhao's protection, and he quietly added it to the family's own list of protected interests.

Soon enough, Zhuang Niaoqiang, Zhuang Niaopao, and Chief Zhu returned. From the look of things, they had already dealt with Chen Bawang and his son, Chen Xiaoba.

"Mr. Lin, you will never see those two again," Zhuang Niaoqiang said cautiously.

"Good. Chief Zhu, why don't you introduce yourself? From now on, in Songshan City, you'll all look out for one another."

Wei Zhao turned to Chief Zhu.

Chief Zhu gritted his teeth. He knew that to reveal his identity here meant an irrevocable break with the Hidden Zhao family and Zhao Qibing; but he had no choice. If he did not make his allegiance clear, he could well end up like Chen Bawang and his son.

"Chief Zhu here. I belong to the Hidden Zhao family—or rather, at present, I am one of Mr. Lin's men," Chief Zhu introduced himself.

"Oh? A man of the Hidden Zhao family?" Old Master Zhuang was slightly taken aback. He had not expected that to be Chief Zhu's identity. Their own move into Songshan City would put them squarely at odds with the Hidden Zhao family, and now here was Chief Zhu, one of Wei Zhao's men. What did that mean? Had the Hidden Zhao family already pledged themselves to Wei Zhao before anyone else? He had heard nothing of it.

"Of course, before all of you, my identity is simply one of Mr. Lin's men. I have nothing to do with the Hidden Zhao family," Chief Zhu explained, seeing Old Master Zhuang's momentary surprise.

"Ah..." Old Master Zhuang nodded, now understanding the relationship between Chief Zhu and Wei Zhao. So Chief Zhu did not speak for the Hidden Zhao family; his ties to them were slight at best.

"All right, if there's nothing else, I'll be on my way. As for your opening up in Songshan City, just use my name—I trust Li Cihua will know better than to stand in your way," Wei Zhao said.

"Very well, Mr. Lin. Then do not let us keep you..." Old Master Zhuang had meant to invite Wei Zhao to stay for a meal, but it was clear by now that Wei Zhao had no such intention. Still, the matter was settled—so long as Wei Zhao agreed to let the Hidden Zhuang family act under his name, that was enough.

Wei Zhao's name was a golden signboard; was that not exactly what the Hidden Han family relied upon now?

Wei Zhao nodded. Taking Ying Ziyu—who was carrying Chen Xi on her back—he left the Hidden Zhuang estate together with Chief Zhu. There was much he still needed to ask Chief Zhu, and he had no mind to linger; naturally, these were also things not fit for Ying Ziyu and Chen Xi to hear.

"Ziyu, shall I take you two home?" Wei Zhao asked once they were in the car.

"All right..." Ying Ziyu was always wonderfully docile before Wei Zhao.

Chief Zhu drove, Wei Zhao sat in the passenger seat, and Ying Ziyu sat in the back keeping an eye on Chen Xi, as the car slowly rolled out of the Zhuang family manor.

Ying Ziyu was curious—how had Chief Zhu claimed to be of the Hidden Zhao family? And what sort of family was the Hidden Zhao family, anyway? It sounded rather formidable. Was he not just a scrap collector?

But Wei Zhao had not explained, so it was not her place to ask. She was just burning with curiosity when Wei Zhao spoke: "Ziyu, about what happened today—don't tell Chen Xi. Her mind is rather innocent, and I don't want her exposed to too much of this sort of thing."

At his words, Ying Ziyu nearly lost her temper. What was that supposed to mean? That she was not innocent? That she could be contaminated at will? Even as she was glad that Wei Zhao was so good to Chen Xi, she was thoroughly annoyed, and gave a faint "oh."

"You and Chen Xi are different. You used to be a gang leader—you thought nothing of cutting people down with a machete. You didn't even bat an eye today when Chen Bawang and Chen Xiaoba were buried. It does no harm for you to know some of these things," Wei Zhao went on.

"Oh?" Ying Ziyu brightened again. Did that not mean she was privy to more secrets than Chen Xi? It seemed she was a cut above Chen Xi after all, then? At the thought, Ying Ziyu cheered up.

"And as for Chief Zhu's identity, don't say much about that either. Let him quietly protect Chen Xi," Wei Zhao said.

"All right." Ying Ziyu felt that at this moment she was a grown woman, able to discuss matters with Wei Zhao as an equal—and did that not mean she had a chance? Her heart traitorously began to beat faster.

"What's the matter with you? Why does your face look off?" Wei Zhao turned to glance at Ying Ziyu and asked, somewhat puzzled.

"N-nothing... I was just thinking that Wei Zhao-gege trusts me, so I'll be sure to keep the secret!" Ying Ziyu said.

"Oh..." Wei Zhao nodded, thinking nothing more of it.

Since it was getting late, Wei Zhao did not treat Ying Ziyu to a meal. Instead he carried Chen Xi on his back to Ying Ziyu's place, set her down, and left with Chief Zhu—much to Ying Ziyu's disappointment. She had wanted to wake Chen Xi. Chen Xi had not even seen Wei Zhao this time; how disappointed she would be when she woke and learned of it!

Ying Ziyu knew Chen Xi well. Though Chen Xi never said so, she thought of and longed for Wei Zhao every day, hoping he would come to Songshan City to see them. Only that afternoon, when Ying Ziyu told her that Wei Zhao had come to the school looking for them, Chen Xi had been overjoyed, her little face flushed pink with excitement.

It seemed she would have to keep it from Chen Xi... And what excuse was she going to dream up to explain what had happened earlier? Ying Ziyu felt a headache coming on.

Now only Wei Zhao and Chief Zhu remained in the car. Wei Zhao turned to Chief Zhu: "Out with it. What is really going on with Chen Xi?"

"Chen Xi is Zhao Guangyin's illegitimate daughter. But the Hidden Zhao family values sons over daughters, and Zhao Guangyin never much cared for her. To keep his wife from flying into a rage, he even once thought of killing Chen Xi and her mother. But by chance, under the guidance of an expert, he discovered that Chen Xi has the constitution of a cauldron vessel—properly cultivated, she could become a first-rate cauldron. So I was dispatched to Chen Xi's side, to protect her on the one hand and to guide her in the cauldron-vessel cultivation method on the other." Chief Zhu made a long story short and laid the whole truth bare: "And before this, I was also under Zhao Guangyin's orders to poison Chen Xi's mother—but Mr. Lin saw through it..." (To be continued.)