Chapter 859: The He Family Does Not Bully the Destitute

Zhang Ting stared blankly at the coin on the ground, her pupils slightly constricted.

It was heads.

Her throat tightened, and a voice inside her said: Toss it again, best two out of three.

The second toss, the coin flipped in the air, landing with a crisp ring.

It was still heads.

Zhang Ting closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. When she opened them again, her gaze had steadied.

"It seems I should still go talk to He Zheng. Regardless of whether he saves my brother or not, I shouldn't keep it from him anymore."

Early the next morning, Zhang Ting was waiting in the office.

When He Zheng pushed the door open and entered, she stood up with a start.

"General Manager He, I... I have something I want to tell you."

He Zheng waved his hand, his tone light and breezy: "About your brother's matter? Don't say it, I will do my best."

Zhang Ting's mouth opened, but the words on the tip of her tongue were stuck firmly in her throat.

He said he would do his best.

Then should she continue to speak?

She bit her lip and decided not to say those words for now.

Juxiantang Advertising Company, summer vacation had arrived again.

Yang Jing had gotten the role of Little Yanzi as she wished.

She was so happy she hadn't slept for two whole days, tossing and turning while staring at the ceiling, the smile on her lips impossible to suppress.

Heaven had finally opened its eyes; she felt her luck had turned around in this life.

She found Ma Rui, grabbed his arm, and said: "Ma Rui, I know you put in the effort behind the scenes. Don't worry, even if I become famous this time, I won't betray you."

Ma Rui scoffed, leaning against the wall with a devil-may-care attitude: "Whether you get famous or not isn't certain yet. It doesn't matter if you betray me—I have such a way with women, where couldn't I find another pretty girl?"

Yang Jing raised her hand and slapped him hard on the arm.

"You dare? If you dare to find someone else, I'll go find your uncle. Anyway, your uncle told me to keep an eye on you."

Ma Rui rubbed his arm and didn't say a word.

Yang Jing truly had ability.

Ever since she heard from Ma Rui that Liu Wei had gone to seek out He Yuzhu to discuss roles, she couldn't sit still at all.

She ran to the No. 95 Siheyuan every other day.

Even if Ma Rui didn't come over, she would come herself.

Not only did she help out with chores at He Yuzhu's home, but she also got along with He Daqing and Shen Guizhi as if they were one family.

Shen Guizhi was getting on in years and still liked to knit sweaters and the like for the younger generation.

Yang Jing spent almost every day at the No. 95 Siheyuan, calling her "Grandma" while her needlework was even more nimble than Shen Guizhi's.

This naturally won Shen Guizhi's favor, and whenever she saw He Yushui, she would tell her to have this girl marry into the family as a daughter-in-law.

He Yushui was helpless and could only say: "Mom, Ma Rui is still in school!"

After several months of development, Ma Rui's advertising company now not only had its own photography studio but also a recording studio.

Although Deputy Director Liu kept looking for trouble with Ma Rui, this kid was extremely cunning; he used his connection with Liu Wei to get closer to the Department Head and even took the initiative to introduce advertising gigs to the seniors in the Performance Department, which allowed the Performance Department to receive a fair share of examination fees. In half a year, the Performance Department was no longer in the predicament of not being able to afford props for staging plays; not only were they not short on money, but they could also distribute class funds to every grade.

In the blink of an eye, it was 1994, and a piece of major news spread through Si Jiu Cheng like a thunderclap: the Cheng Family had fallen.

On the day Cheng Shao was arrested, his father was also placed under isolated investigation.

She saw the news in the evening paper; Zhang Ting held the newspaper, tears streaming down, dampening the paper.

She then stumbled to the memorial portraits of her parents, stared at the two black-and-white photos, and suddenly laughed out loud.

She laughed with great intensity, tears streaming out, her whole body trembling, and she laughed for a very, very long time.

Finally, she knelt before the memorial portraits and muttered to herself, her voice soft and hoarse: "Dad, Mom, Heaven has eyes... I finally don't have to live in the shadows anymore, and I can live my life in the light. Perhaps my brother can be saved too!"

Another half month passed.

Near the end of the workday, He Zheng called her into his office.

He leaned back in his chair, looked at her, and said: "Let's go, I'm taking you to see someone."

Zhang Ting's heart tightened; her lips moved, wanting to ask but not daring to.

She followed behind He Zheng, her heart pounding, as if something were blocking her throat.

He Zheng drove the car, heading all the way to the East Suburb.

Zhang Ting watched the increasingly desolate road outside the window, her heartbeat quickening.

Until the car stopped in front of a large iron gate—the East Suburb Prison.

Her mind went "buzz."

He Zheng spoke a few words to the prison guard, and after not waiting long, a small door on the side of the iron gate opened, and a thin, tall figure walked out.

Zhang Ting's eyes turned red instantly.

Zhang Biao. Her brother, Zhang Biao.

She grabbed He Zheng's arm in disbelief, her voice trembling: "General Manager He... is my brother... released early?"

He Zheng looked at her, his gaze darkening, and he spoke slowly: "Your brother was framed by Cheng Shao and forced inside. The main culprit of that case was actually Ma Bingchao, and now Ma Bingchao has confessed everything. Following this lead, we were able to uncover those matters regarding the Cheng Family. I didn't tell you before because... I wasn't sure if I could take down the Cheng Family."

Before the words had even faded, Zhang Ting burst into tears.

The grievances, hatred, and lingering fear accumulated over so many years all turned into tears at this moment, unstoppable.

She cried until her body went limp, squatting on the ground, her shoulders heaving.

Zhang Biao stood there, staring blankly at his sister crying like this, at a loss for what to do, his lips trembling as he couldn't speak.

After a long while, Zhang Ting finally stopped crying. She raised her head with red eyes, wiped the tears from her face, and said in a hoarse but firm voice: "Zhang Biao, kneel down for me and kowtow to General Manager He."

Although Zhang Biao did not yet know the specific ins and outs, he was clear as a mirror in his heart—it was the man before him who had saved him.

Without a word, he knelt on the ground with a "thump," and knocked his forehead heavily against the floor, once, twice, three times, four times... his head made a banging sound with every knock.

He Zheng hurriedly stepped forward, grabbed him to help him up, and said, "Get up quickly, don't be like this. I cannot bear this."

Zhang Ting pulled He Zheng to the side and said, "General Manager He, why are you so good to me? I am not worth you treating me this way."

He Zheng said, "Just considering that you helped me earn an extra two hundred million, this deal is not a loss for me."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ting's face turned red instantly, and she felt somewhat ashamed.

She stammered, "General Manager He, since you know my identity, why do you still treat me like this?"

He Zheng smiled: "You are also a person of bitter fate, a victim; the family tradition of our He Family is not to bully those of bitter fate."

He took out a bank card and said, "There is one million inside, consider it your commission. Choose a larger Siheyuan; it will be very valuable in the future. If you don't want to work at the company anymore, you can resign; if you want to stay, just go to work as usual, and live openly and honestly from now on. Let the past be turned over."

"General Manager He, as long as you don't despise me, I... I am willing to be a beast of burden for you, and I would not refuse even death."

He Zheng smiled and said, "Just do your work well; our He Family is not a criminal organization, we don't need you to be a beast of burden."