Chapter 288: Did Eighty Thousand Sell Herself Out?

As twilight began to fall, Xie Miao finished work, drove her car, and hurried to Yunhu Courtyard.

In the living room, Du Xiaofeng and Xie An had already been waiting for a long time.

However, under the warm yellow lights, a subtle, almost imperceptible tension floated in the air.

Xie Miao smiled and exchanged pleasantries with Tang Ye, trying to probe from him the reason for her uncle's summons tonight.

But Tang Ye only smiled gently, speaking vaguely, and did not reveal a single thing.

Not long after, Du Chengfeng returned.

He walked straight into the study, while Xiao Qin enthusiastically greeted everyone to gather at the table for a meal.

On the dining table, the steamed sea bass sent up wisps of heat, and the sweet fragrance of the sweet and sour pork ribs lingered at the tip of the nose.

Everyone took their seats, and only after Du Chengfeng was seated did everyone begin to use their chopsticks.

A faint smile hung on the corner of Xie Miao's mouth as she took a velvet jewelry box from her handbag and gently pushed it toward Du Xi: "Xi Xi, you're married; this is a wedding gift from your sister."

Du Chengfeng swept a glance at Xie Miao with eyes as sharp as an eagle's, and in a cold tone, he stopped her: "Du Xi cannot accept this."

Xie Miao's almond eyes widened, her face full of surprise: "Uncle, aren't you being too sensitive? It's just a necklace worth a few thousand yuan; it's perfectly normal for sisters to give each other gifts. Since becoming Secretary-General, you've become increasingly cautious. Don't worry, even if the sky falls, I won't cause you any trouble."

Her tone seemed relaxed and teasing, but in reality, every word was barbed; the dissatisfaction and resentment accumulated over many years were all hidden in these light, airy words.

Du Xiaofeng's expression darkened instantly, and she glared fiercely at her daughter: "How are you talking to your uncle? You have no manners at all!"

"Mom, can't you have a little backbone?" Xie Miao sneered, her eyes reddening, her emotions like a bursting dam that could no longer be contained. "For so many years, you've had Uncle on your lips every day, but does he really treat us like family? Last year when Dad ran for DeputyFactoryDirector, just because of one word from him, all his efforts went down the drain. What 'contentment brings happiness'—to put it bluntly, in his eyes, we are just a burden!"

These words were like a heavy hammer, striking Du Xiaofeng until her face turned deathly pale; she looked toward Du Chengfeng in a panic, her eyes full of alarm and helplessness.

Meanwhile, Du Chengfeng's complexion turned livid instantly, and the veins on his temples throbbed slightly.

In fact, Du Chengfeng had never once neglected his care for Xie Miao.

From elementary school to middle school, Xie Miao had long lived and eaten at the Du Family, and the Du Family treated her like their own daughter;

In high school, her grades slipped due to puppy love, and Du Chengfeng spent an entire night trying to persuade her with earnest words, only to be met with the back of the young girl as she slammed the door and left;

When she was looking for a job after graduating from university, it was also Du Chengfeng who pulled strings everywhere, only then finding out about the recruitment notice at the XinhuaBookstore to help her secure a stable job.

It was just that over these years, Xie Miao had gradually grown dissatisfied in her leisurely position, and every time she wanted to change jobs, Du Chengfeng had blocked her with the excuse that "stability is paramount."

The rift between the two had thus grown deeper and deeper.

Seeing the atmosphere becoming tense, Tang Ye hurriedly advised in a low voice: "Sister Miao, don't be so impulsive with your words. Calling you over for dinner today is mainly to remind you not to be used by those with ulterior motives. Dad is now a tall tree that catches the wind; many people are watching him, and they have also set their sights on you."

"It's not your place as an outsider to interrupt!" Xie Miao glared at him.

In her heart, Tang Ye marrying Du Xi was merely to cling to the power of the Du Family.

Watching Tang Ye receive so many resources while she, as a niece, was restricted at every turn, jealousy and grievance surged in her heart like a tide.

"Xie Miao, don't go too far. Tang Ye is my husband; how can he be considered an outsider?" As a husband-protecting fanatic, Du Xi naturally could not tolerate others speaking of her husband this way.

Xie Miao sneered: "Fine, I won't argue with you. I just want to ask, what heinous crime have I committed that requires you to target me like this!"

Tang Ye and Du Chengfeng exchanged a look, and after receiving silent permission, he spoke slowly with a grave expression: "Today, Wang Xingjian found Dad and showed him a file. Inside was detailed evidence regarding your acceptance of two hundred thousand in bribes while handling the Suiyuan County Library bidding project."

These words were like a thunderclap; Xie Miao's face turned deathly pale in an instant.

Her whole body was as if struck by lightning, standing there in a daze.

"The officialdom is far more complex than you imagine; those people eat people without spitting out the bones. You recently bought a new car and have been living comfortably, but that was merely bait they laid out," Tang Ye continued.

"Although I was the one who acted as the go-between for this project, Wang Xingjian also took money! The middleman said he took the lion's share, and I only got eighty thousand!" Xie Miao panicked and hurriedly defended herself.

"Eighty thousand?" Du Chengfeng was furious and slammed the table hard, making the bowls and chopsticks rattle. "You are truly muddled to the extreme! You sold yourself for eighty thousand yuan!"

Only then did Xie Miao realize the severity of the matter and hurriedly confessed: "Uncle, I was bewitched by Wang Xingjian at the time. He said he could help me open up the teaching aid market in Suiyuan County and even gave me a slip, saying that all the teaching materials for the whole county would be my responsibility. He also said he was an old colleague of yours for many years and that your relationship was especially good... I, I was possessed by a ghost at the time. He was involved in this matter too!"

"Where is the evidence?" Tang Ye frowned, his tone serious. "Now, as long as he hands the materials to the Discipline Inspection Commission, can you escape? Can you dare say you haven't acted in Dad's name all these years?"

Xie Miao trembled all over; at this moment, she finally understood that she had long been trapped in a dead end.

She turned to look at Du Chengfeng, her eyes full of pleading: "Uncle, you are the Municipal Party Committee Secretary-General; as long as you put in a word with the Discipline Inspection Commission..."

As she spoke, she actually walked directly in front of Du Chengfeng and knelt down with a "thump."

"Uncle, I know I was wrong, you must help me! I was framed by others! You are the Municipal Party Committee Secretary-General, the favorite aide of Secretary Zhou; you can definitely protect me!"

Tang Ye gave Du Xi a look.

Du Xi hurriedly stepped forward to help Xie Miao up.

Tang Ye advised softly: "Things are not as simple as you think. Dad is a Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee Member and must lead by example. If he comes forward to protect you, it will only put himself in a passive position."

Xie Miao shook her head, suddenly realizing the key: "Wang Xingjian setting me up must have a purpose. Uncle, stop fighting with him; as long as you reach a settlement with him, he will definitely let me go."

Du Chengfeng sighed, his tone heavy: "This time, the Municipal Party Committee has established a Special Case Investigation Team to investigate the whereabouts of the five hundred million in Government funds, and Secretary Zhou attaches great importance to it. If I let Wang Xingjian go, who will let me go? Many things are not up to me; even if I didn't want this official hat, this case must have an explanation. Wang Xingjian is like a dog jumping over a wall in desperation; he won't let go easily."

Upon hearing this, Du Xiaofeng realized that her daughter's affair might implicate her brother and cause him to lose his official hat, and her eyes instantly turned red with anxiety.

She rushed forward, raised her hand, and slapped Xie Miao hard across the face: "If you cause your uncle to lose his job, I will sever ties with you!"

With a crisp "slap," Xie Miao clutched her face and looked at Du Xiaofeng in disbelief.

Tang Ye was also stunned, not expecting Du Xiaofeng to be so resolute.

Only now did he understand that in Du Xiaofeng's heart, her brother was the heaven and earth of the family, their supreme pride, and her previous attitudes toward him seemed to have an explanation now.

Tang Ye sighed and said softly, "I have a way; perhaps it can solve the problem at hand."

Everyone's gaze focused entirely on Tang Ye...