The Sweetness of the Seventies
Chapter 564 - 535: Arrival, Visit_1

Chapter 564: Chapter 535: Arrival, Visit_1

Upon returning to the guest house, Jiang Lifang waited for Huo Zhekun to come back, ready to share the news she had learned that day.

Lao Lian brought Jiang Lifang a bowl of noodles, saying, "Comrade Jiang, you must not have eaten, right?"

"Indeed, I went out all morning and didn’t eat," Jiang Lifang replied. "Thank you, Lao Lian!"

"No need to thank me. Comrade Huo, go ahead and eat the noodles quickly. You can’t hold up without food," Lao Lian said, and after finishing his words, he went out. If it weren’t for the Huo Family back then, his whole family would have been gone.

Now that the Huo Family was in peril, all he could do was help as much as he was able.

After Jiang Lifang finished her noodles, Huo Zhekun had also returned, and Lao Lian brought a large bowl of beef noodles for him as well.

While eating, Huo Zhekun listened to the information his wife had gathered.

By the time he had finished eating, Jiang Lifang had also nearly finished relating her findings.

"The information I found is similar to yours," Huo Zhekun said. "You guessed it was Zhou Yuanyuan using Huo Yingqi, while I confirmed that it was indeed Zhou Yuanyuan who used Huo Yingqi. However, that was done in secret. During the inquiry, Zhou Yuanyuan wouldn’t admit to it at all, so now Huo Yingqi has no defense and the allegation of betrayal and treason against the Huo Family is solidified."

"Ah!" Jiang Lifang sighed, "Previously, father-in-law said if Yingqi doesn’t change and continues to be so close to that Zhou family’s girl, it would eventually bring trouble to the Huo Family. I didn’t expect his words to come true."

"Indeed, it’s a sin not to have raised the child properly," Huo Zhekun said. "Now the entire Huo Family has been implicated. It’s only because our family is in Nan City that we weren’t arrested. If we can’t find some useful leads, I fear our end will not be good either."

"Then... then should we tell Yingjie not to come back?" Jiang Lifang, worried that the Huo Family wouldn’t overcome this crisis and that their whole family would be implicated, thus thought of having their son stay away.

Huo Zhekun gave a bitter smile and replied, "The world is so vast, where could we possibly go?"

"Abroad!" Jiang Lifang declared. "Let Yingjie go abroad. With Yingjie’s abilities, he could save his life."

Huo Zhekun pondered for a moment and then nodded, "Right now, the situation isn’t so dire that our family of three is also caught up in it. If things turn unfavorable, we will send Yingjie away."

"Yes," Jiang Lifang nodded in agreement, seeing this as their last resort, "By the way, could the Huo Family’s situation affect the Qi Family and the He Family?"

Huo Zhekun shook his head and answered, "For now, no. After all, the Qi Family has made great contributions to the nation, not just for the Huo Family; also, the technology provided by the Bai Family is currently in demand. If they were to ungratefully discard those who have served their purpose, it would dampen the patriotism of overseas Chinese, so those two families should be safe. Once abroad, with the He and Qi Families’ support, as well as the Bai Family’s, Yingjie will have some refuge."

"Ah, that’s the only way then," Jiang Lifang said with a bitter smile, the unpredictable nature of life leaving her uncertain about what to do next.

While the couple was talking, Huo Yingjie, with his luggage in tow, had arrived in Yanjing and went straight to the guest house where Lao Lian was.

Seeing her son alive and well brought tears that Jiang Lifang couldn’t hold back, especially as the Huo Family was facing such troubles.

"Mom and Dad, don’t cry," Huo Yingjie said. "Tell me everything you know."

Although Huo Yingjie could deduce some trends, he couldn’t know all the details.

"Alright, we won’t cry, we won’t cry," Jiang Lifang began, "The situation is like this..."

"Hmm!" Huo Yingjie nodded, "Dad, any news on your end?"

Huo Zhekun repeated what he knew about the situation, giving Huo Yingjie a general understanding.

Based on what his parents told him, combined with the strategies he had thought of on the way, Huo Yingjie had an approximate plan for their response.

"Yingjie, you didn’t have lunch, did you?" Jiang Lifang asked, knowing that her son had come straight after getting off the train.

"Yes, I haven’t eaten." Huo Yingjie nodded, indeed feeling a bit hungry.

Over there, Lao Lian, having thought ahead, had already prepared a large bowl of noodles and brought it over.

Lao Lian knew that Huo Yingjie was an important figure, a core member of the Huo family. If Huo Zhekun and his son couldn’t solve this problem, the Huo family would truly be in trouble, and he would need to think of a way out to ensure the safety of his entire household.

After eating the noodles, Huo Yingjie felt warm in his stomach and broke into a sweat on his forehead.

"This afternoon, let’s go to the police station to see our big brother," Huo Yingjie said. "The information we’ve gathered so far has come from outsiders; some things are more reliable when they come from one’s own family. As for that Huo Yingqi, just how foolish can she really be!"

"All right, I’ve already smoothed things over; we can go see Yingjun this afternoon. As for your grandparents, uncle, and aunt, we won’t be able to see them just yet," Huo Zhekun said. "Lifang, you don’t need to go out this afternoon. Rest at home, Yingjie and I will go."

"No, let me accompany you," Jiang Lifang insisted. "I can’t rest well here anyway, and it’s distressing to be alone." Rather than worrying alone at home, it would be more comforting to go out with her husband and son.

"Dad, let mom come with us," Huo Yingjie said. "Otherwise, she’ll be here worrying by herself."

The family went out and arrived at the police station near the Huo Family Old Mansion, where the detention center was located.

Since the people living in this area were high-ranking officials, the police station was also of a higher standard.

Seeing Huo Zhekun arriving to visit Huo Yingjun and Zhao Huanhuan, the officers didn’t obstruct them; instead, after making them wait a little while, they allowed them to go in.

Although members of the Huo family were detained, the authorities hesitated to make things difficult for them because someone higher up had spoken on their behalf.

Should the Huo family survive this ordeal and settle scores later, the consequences for the police could be severe, so Director Liang was exceedingly humble and low-profile.

Huo Yingjun, hearing that his younger brother wanted to see him, was extremely happy; this was the first visit from his family since their confinement. After being arrested for five or six days, cut off from the outside world, Huo Yingjun was very anxious.

Huo Zhekun and Huo Yingjie went to see Huo Yingjun while Jiang Lifang went to see Zhao Huanhuan.

"Uncle, younger brother, how are things on the outside?" Huo Yingjun eagerly inquired. His appearance had grown haggard after several days of torment.

Huo Zhekun recounted the news they had gathered, and then asked, "Yingjun, these are, after all, pieces of information we’ve collected, and we can’t confirm their truth. What exactly happened at home? Can you talk about it?"

Learning that the Huo Family Old Mansion was sealed off and that the whereabouts of his grandparents and parents were unknown, Huo Yingjun felt a deep sense of guilt, covering his face with his hands, his heart wracked with unbearable pain.

"It was Yingqi," Huo Yingjun said. "Somehow, that Zhou Yuanyuan managed to return to Capital City and got in touch with Yingqi. You know how Yingqi is, overconfident and utterly foolish. She believes whatever Zhou Yuanyuan tells her. Zhou Yuanyuan claimed someone was after her because she possessed evidence that could clear the Zhou family’s name, so she handed over a package to Yingqi for safekeeping. I don’t know what kind of spell Zhou Yuanyuan cast on her, but Huo Yingqi actually believed it and even stored those so-called game-changing items for the Zhou family in our grandfather’s most secretive study."