Chapter 312: The Zhong Family's Reaction

However, thinking of this girl who was filled with thoughts of him, Zhang Ping'an could not bear to hide it from her.

"Aihua..."

"Hmm..."

At this moment, Li Aihua was curled up in his arms like a little pig, her breathing steady; she had clearly fallen asleep. Zhang Ping'an felt helpless and had to wait for another time to tell her.

As for the Zhong Mingzhu family, it was even less possible for Zhang Ping'an to say anything; perhaps they all thought Zhong Mingzhu was dead by now.

The night passed without incident. Zhang Ping'an still got up early, and after finishing his own morning exercise, he woke Li Aihua up for her stretching workout; he had to hurry to get her to Body Refining Great Success.

After breakfast, he sent Li Aihua to work, and Zhang Ping'an also turned his bike toward the Rolling Mill. This Zhu Weiguo was no good; he hadn't even offered to give him a few days off. He wasn't as reliable as Comrade Li.

Speaking of Li, Secretary Li arrived; Zhang Ping'an hadn't even sat warm in his office chair yet.

"Section Chief Zhang, Factory Director Li wants to see you."

"Oh, okay."

"Knock, knock, knock."

"Come in."

"Factory Director, I was just thinking of going to your place tonight to see your wife and nephew. I happened to bring some local specialties from Pengcheng for you all to try."

"Hmm... that's good too. Actually, your sister-in-law has something to talk to you about. I was planning to tell you, so let's just talk about it at home tonight."

"Ah?"

"Ping'an, it's better for your sister-in-law to tell you this. Actually, I don't know the specifics very well either; it's just that when your sister-in-law went back to her maiden home, her sister-in-law mentioned it."

"Alright, then I'll go ask my sister-in-law tonight."

"Hmm."

As soon as Li Huaide mentioned Zhong Yan, Zhang Ping'an understood the gist; it was likely about Zhong Mingzhu.

After eating dinner at home, Zhang Ping'an carried the package to Li Huaide's house.

"Ping'an, come in quickly."

"Okay."

The three of them chatted about daily life for a while, and Xu Lijuan hesitated for a long time, as if weighing how to say it.

"Ping'an, actually this matter is about Zhong Mingzhu. I don't know if I should tell you."

"Go ahead and say it, sister-in-law. Since I'm already here, let's just treat it as casual conversation."

"Go ahead, Juan'er." Li Huaide was actually quite curious too; his wife had mentioned it yesterday, but he hadn't asked for details.

"Alright then, it's about Zhong Mingzhu. She went missing in Damao. She..."

Xu Lijuan told everything she had heard from her sister-in-law. It was roughly the same as what Jia Youwei had said earlier; as for the later escape, they didn't know.

"How could that be? She... wasn't she studying at a hospital in Damao? How could it be so sudden that..."

"Sigh, Ping'an, actually this happened almost two years ago. The Damao side has been searching the whole time, but unfortunately, they found nothing. In the end, they had no choice but to release the news. It just reached the country before the New Year. Mingzhu is likely already..."

Xu Lijuan didn't continue, but everyone could guess the result. In the vast ocean, most were doomed. Li Huaide also patted Zhang Ping'an on the shoulder.

"Li Ge, sister-in-law, I'm fine. I just feel a pity for Zhong Mingzhu. Such a good person, how could she... sigh."

Zhang Ping'an dared not and could not say anything; otherwise, knowing Zhong Laotou's temperament, he would be furious if he found out.

"Ping'an, the world is unpredictable. Let the past be the past."

Actually, the Zhong family was regretting it now too, especially Zhong Yan, who was very self-reproachful. Although the sisters' relationship had eased before going abroad, it was too late to say anything now. They shouldn't have forced her to go abroad.

"Right, Ping'an, I told you this because of the... connection you two had before. From now on, just act like you don't know anything."

Xu Lijuan left one thing unsaid: she was afraid the Zhong family would vent their anger on Zhang Ping'an because of this, so telling Zhang Ping'an was a disguised warning.

Although Zhong Yan didn't say anything and just kept blaming herself, there was no telling what the others in the Zhong family were thinking.

"Okay, sister-in-law."

Returning home, Li Aihua was reading on the bed waiting for him. After Zhang Ping'an lay down, Li Aihua opened her mouth to speak several times but stopped.

"What's wrong, Aihua?"

"Brother Ping'an, I heard my parents talking about the Zhong family's youngest daughter today. It's Zhong Mingzhu. She... she seems to have gone missing."

"Hmm?"

"My father told you to be careful. The Zhong family might vent their anger on you because of this. But Brother Ping'an, don't be afraid. If they dare to bully you, I'll tell Grandpa."

"Haha, it's fine. This matter shouldn't involve me. Don't worry, let's sleep. We have to work tomorrow."

"Hmm..."

The next day, Zhang Ping'an exercised and went to work as usual. When he was pedaling his tricycle to go hunting in the mountains, he was called over by someone in a Jeep waiting at the gate of the Rolling Mill.

"Kid, get in the car and let's talk." The one who spoke was none other than Zhong Dingbang. At this moment, he looked significantly older than he had three years ago.

"Okay."

Zhang Ping'an frowned slightly, but he couldn't refuse. He left his tricycle at the Security Section and got into the Jeep.

At this moment, it was just him and Zhong Dingbang in the Jeep; the driver and the guard were both keeping watch outside.

The people in the Security Section saw this and didn't dare say anything, only calling to notify Li Huaide.

"Kid, the Xu family girl told you about Mingzhu's matter, right? You said if you had let Mingzhu marry you back then, your and Mingzhu's child would be almost two years old by now, right?" Without waiting for Zhang Ping'an to answer, he continued:

"I really regret it. I knew her temperament was as stubborn as mine, yet I still forced her like that. I..."

"Sigh, I misjudged you, kid. Mingzhu changing her attitude toward us before going abroad was also because of you, right? You don't need to deny it; Yan'er told me everything."

"It's fortunate that you guided her, otherwise, I'm afraid Mingzhu's final impression of us would only have been... the evil side."

"Old Master Zhong, you don't need to be like this. Mingzhu, perhaps a good person has their own heaven-sent luck."

Currently, the Damao authorities had classified it as a missing person case; not seeing a body meant there was indeed still a glimmer of hope.

"Let's hope so. It is I who failed Mingzhu, and I also wronged you. If only back then... forget it, forget it. You go back."

"Take care of yourself." Zhang Ping'an couldn't say much else.

He had just stepped out of the Jeep when he saw Li Huaide hurrying over from a distance; Zhong Dingbang saw him too.

"Let's go."

"Yes, Chief."

"Ping'an, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Factory Director."

Li Huaide pulled Zhang Ping'an to one side.

"Are you really fine?"

"Yeah, Old Master Zhong just chatted with me about some family matters."

"Mm, it's good that you're fine."

"Thanks, Li Ge."

That Li Huaide was able to rush over the moment he heard the news made Zhang Ping'an very touched.

"Psh, why are we brothers still saying things like that?"

Li Huaide patted Zhang Ping'an's shoulder nonchalantly, while simultaneously feeling a sense of relief in his heart; if he had really clashed with Zhong Laotou, he truly wouldn't have been qualified, and he would have only been able to ask his own father-in-law to step in, but fortunately, everything was peaceful.

Since Zhong Dingbang had sought him out himself and hadn't done anything to Zhang Ping'an, it meant that this matter was now a closed chapter.

Zhang Ping'an no longer had the heart to go out hunting, so he returned to his office to slack off, though his mind was occupied with thoughts.

Originally, if Zhong Laotou had targeted him, he could have kept this matter a secret with a clear conscience, but now Zhong Laotou's repentant appearance made him feel uneasy.

Of course, telling him was impossible; at the very least, it couldn't be said before the Reform and Opening-up, so he could only put effort into the old man's health to ensure he lived a long life, allowing the father and daughter to meet, as he was, after all, the future grandfather of his children.

"Sigh, what a mess."

Upon returning home, Zhang Ping'an told Li Aihua about today's events so she wouldn't worry.

"Really?"

"Mm, you can rest easy now," Zhang Ping'an said, rubbing her little head.

"Hee hee, mm."

Li Aihua had indeed had the thought of looking for her grandfather, but now that the matter was resolved, she was also relieved.