After news of Zhou Lin and Zhao Jiansheng’s suspension spread through the company, Zhao Chenlin’s position at work remained stable on the surface, but he was inevitably affected to some degree. After all, what the two of them had done was no minor matter. Repeatedly selling company secrets to their rival company, Hengyu, was an extremely serious offense. Suspension was already considered a light punishment.
However, once Zhao Chenlin learned that his parents had gotten into trouble, he no longer had the mind to work. That evening, he hurried back to the Zhou residence, only to find Butler Zhou directing servants to carry his parents’ luggage downstairs.
“What are you doing?” Zhao Chenlin rushed over and angrily shoved the servants carrying the luggage.
Butler Zhou walked over and explained expressionlessly, “Young Master Zhao, this was ordered by the Old Master. If you have objections, you may ask him personally.”
Zhao Chenlin immediately ran upstairs. But before he could storm into Zhou Shichang’s study, his parents just happened to come out. Their expressions were dark and exhausted, making it obvious the situation was far from optimistic.
“Dad, Mom, what exactly happened? Everyone at the company is saying you colluded with Hengyu and betrayed the company. Is it true?” Zhao Chenlin knew his parents were scheming and capable people, but he found it impossible to believe. Their goal had always been Zhou Corporation, so why would they do something that harmed the company’s利益 (interests)?
“Of course it’s false!” Zhou Lin immediately snapped back loudly, completely without guilt. “How could your father and I possibly do something like that? Someone deliberately framed us!”
Zhao Chenlin believed her instantly. “Then explain it to Grandfather!”
“We already did,” Zhou Lin said resentfully. “But your grandfather has already chosen to believe other people’s words. He refuses to believe us.”
“It’s Zhou Cheng, isn’t it?” Zhao Chenlin’s eyes filled with viciousness.
Zhao Jiansheng snorted coldly. “Who else could it be?”
After the servants moved the luggage into the courtyard, Butler Zhou came upstairs again and informed them they could leave. Zhou Shichang had not driven Zhao Chenlin out of the Zhou residence, but seeing his parents treated so unfairly made Zhao Chenlin immediately declare he would move out with them. Zhou Lin stopped him at once. If the entire family left the Zhou residence, they truly would have no remaining chance. Fortunately, their son knew nothing. Zhou Lin believed her father would not implicate an innocent grandson.
After Butler Zhou went back inside, Zhou Lin pulled her son into a corner and warned him quietly, “Listen to Mom. Continue staying at the Zhou residence. If Wang Cheng comes back, think of a way to find leverage against him.”
Zhao Chenlin nodded. “I will. Mom, Zhou Cheng dared to frame you and Dad. I won’t let him off.”
Zhou Lin showed little reaction, but Zhao Jiansheng frowned slightly upon hearing those words. He suddenly felt it might not be good to continue hiding the truth from their son.
After leaving the Zhou residence, the couple moved into a property they had purchased outside. Once settled in, they immediately arranged to meet Ji Tianyu. This time, in helping Ji Tianyu, they had suffered disastrous losses. Ji Tianyu naturally had to bear the greatest responsibility.
But Ji Tianyu was not someone easy to deal with. Hengyu had lost a huge sum of money because of Wang Cheng, causing him to become a laughingstock among his peers. His anger had nowhere to vent, and then Zhou Lin and Zhao Jiansheng showed up at his door. Naturally, Ji Tianyu gave them no pleasant expression. Both sides completely tore apart their alliance, their previous cooperation agreement proving as fragile as paper.
This entire scene was photographed by the people tailing them. Before long, the photos were placed on Wang Cheng’s desk, and he instructed Assistant Liu to deliver them to President Feng and his grandfather.
With both witnesses and physical evidence present, Zhou Lin and Zhao Jiansheng could no longer deny anything.
After receiving orders from upper management, the Human Resources Department immediately posted an official notice announcing the dismissal of Zhou Lin and Zhao Jiansheng, while also reserving the right to pursue legal responsibility against them. In addition, all personnel connected to the two separate confidential information leaks were also fired. The number of implicated people reached more than ten.
Such swift and decisive action left everyone astonished.
Zhao Chenlin had firmly believed his parents were innocent, but after the photographs were posted, he could no longer continue deceiving himself. Deeply shaken, he immediately went to confront his parents and had a huge argument with Zhou Lin. After being slapped once, he ran away and did not show up for work the next day.
Realizing they no longer had any future within Zhou Corporation, and with their funds now frozen, Zhou Lin and Zhao Jiansheng—once accustomed to extravagant living—found those days gone forever. They sought out Ji Tianyu again, intending to use the information they possessed to threaten him into giving them money. Unexpectedly, Ji Tianyu was completely unafraid. He had security guards beat them up before throwing them out of the building.
Zhou Lin was furious. Now that she had nothing left to lose, she no longer feared offending anyone. Since Ji Tianyu had treated them this way, she no longer intended to show him mercy either. She publicly exposed the schemes they had previously committed together. Hengyu had already offended many enemies over the years, and under pressure from its rivals, Hengyu’s stock price plummeted. The company soon teetered on the edge of collapse. Within only a few months, its assets shrank dramatically. Naturally, Zhou Corporation also contributed heavily behind the scenes.
By the time Wang Cheng saw Ji Tianyu again in the newspapers, the once arrogant president of Hengyu had already grown visibly thinner.
Meanwhile, before Ji Tianyu could even retaliate, Zhou Lin’s own Tangren Media company began collapsing the moment her actions were exposed. Not only did all the artists flee, but the businesses cooperating with the company also began terminating contracts one after another. Investors withdrawing their funds instantly saddled Zhou Lin with debts reaching tens of millions.
In the past, wherever she went, people scrambled to flatter her. Now she had become a public disgrace that everyone avoided and cursed. Even the Zhao family, who once eagerly tried to curry favor with them, stayed far away, terrified Zhou Lin might ask them for money.
To repay the debts, Zhou Lin had no choice but to sell off property. Only then did Zhao Jiansheng discover that his wife had secretly purchased so many properties behind his back. The couple quarreled repeatedly because of it. Yet even after selling the properties, the money was still insufficient to clear their debts.
Later, Zhou Lin went to beg Zhou Shichang several times, but he refused to see her. The only reason he had not sent the couple to prison was because Zhou Lin carried Zhou family blood. After that, Wang Cheng stopped paying attention to them entirely.
The next time Wang Cheng saw Zhou Lin was when he accompanied Mother Zheng shopping.
Winter had arrived, and the weather suddenly turned cold. Mother Zheng remembered how rarely her son accompanied her shopping these days, so when Wang Cheng happened to visit the Zheng family residence, she immediately dragged him out to shop with her.
Wang Cheng had little interest in shopping, but he had indeed been extremely busy lately—occupied with company affairs during the day and spending evenings with Chu Yifeng—leaving very little time for his family. Seeing Mother Zheng in such high spirits, he agreed.
Unexpectedly, before they even entered the mall, they ran into Zhou Lin, who was currently dragging along her son. Both sides froze upon seeing each other.
The Zhou Lin of today could no longer compare to the woman she once was. Burdened by debt, her appearance had become haggard, and her life noticeably impoverished. She could no longer afford clothes costing tens of thousands per piece. The clothes she wore now looked washed many times over, faded in color. The handbag she carried appeared old and worn, with peeling leather at the corners. The former Zhou Lin would never have carried such a bag outside.
Seeing Wang Cheng and Mother Zheng sizing up their clothing only darkened Zhou Lin’s already sour expression further, while Zhao Chenlin simply felt unbearably humiliated.
“It’s been a long time, Zhou Lin,” Mother Zheng said with a smile. “Looks like life hasn’t been treating you well. Why don’t I see Zhao Jiansheng? I heard you two argue all the time now. Are things alright?”
Zhou Lin glared at her with bloodshot eyes and gritted teeth. “Zhou Hui, you’re feeling very pleased with yourself right now, aren’t you?”
“And why shouldn’t I be?” Mother Zheng suddenly let out a cold laugh. “Do you know how many years I’ve waited for this moment? If I hadn’t considered you people too filthy to dirty my own hands with, do you think I would have let you off so easily?”
The hatred that suddenly erupted from Mother Zheng startled Zhou Lin badly. She had never before seen Zhou Hui display such an expression—one that practically wished her dead. And her words clearly carried another meaning.
Could it be… could it be she already knew about that matter?
“You don’t need to doubt it,” Mother Zheng said, savoring Zhou Lin’s horrified expression. “I already know the truth about what happened back then. I also know the person who worked together with you was Zheng Ru. So you’d better not test my patience. Otherwise, one day, if I grow even more disgusted by the sight of you, I absolutely won’t spare you just because of the Zhou family’s reputation. Chengcheng, let’s go.”
Zhou Lin stood frozen in place.
She had always believed Zhou Hui could never possibly learn the truth about Wang Cheng’s disappearance all those years ago.
Yet she had known all along.
Immediately, Zhou Lin lost all interest in shopping. Fearful, she hurriedly dragged her son back home. Knowing Zhou Hui’s personality well, she understood those words were no empty threat. From then on, she no longer dared come there again.
Zhao Chenlin allowed himself to be dragged away numbly, yet he could not stop himself from turning back for one final glance at the figures of Wang Cheng and Mother Zheng. The scenery around them looked bright and beautiful. Once upon a time, he felt as though he had possessed something similar too… only he no longer knew when he had lost it.
Although Zhao Chenlin’s circumstances were now miserable as well, he still lived somewhat better than Zhou Lin and Zhao Jiansheng. Later on, Zhou Shichang gave him a sum of money, though not all of it could be withdrawn at once. Each month, he was only allowed to withdraw twenty thousand yuan. Zhou Lin and Zhao Jiansheng had initially planned to seize that money from their son, but the restriction prevented them from succeeding.
Neither of them had jobs anymore. Large companies refused to hire them, while smaller companies were beneath their pride. Working themselves to exhaustion for an entire month only earned two or three thousand yuan—not even enough to cover basic expenses. As their lives worsened day by day, Zhou Lin eventually had no choice but to survive by selling off her old jewelry.
Meanwhile, Zhao Jiansheng’s temper grew increasingly violent under the crushing pressure of such a miserable life. Almost every single day ended in arguments with Zhou Lin, and eventually physical violence began occurring as well. The couple endlessly blamed each other.
Later, Zhao Chenlin simply moved out altogether. Perhaps experiencing such dramatic rises and falls in life caused him to mature considerably. The arrogant and domineering personality he once had completely disappeared. It was said he later found an ordinary job and began living the steady, grounded life he had never previously experienced.
As for Zhou Lin and Zhao Jiansheng, they continued arguing endlessly. Eventually the domestic violence escalated further. Their marriage—one that had lasted nearly thirty years—finally shattered completely.
In the end, all they were left with was a single divorce agreement.
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