“Didn’t she just refer someone to do business with the logistics department? What possible consequences could there be anyway?” Grandfather Huo waved his hand dismissively. “Don’t fret over nothing. No fish can survive if the water is too clean: someone who is too austere has no friends. Shaoheng, you’re still too young—”
“Grandfather, the person she referred is implicated in illegal profit of 5.3 billion RMB. The Military Audit Office is currently verifying their transactions, but the company is preparing to wire the money to Italy,” Huo Shaoheng interrupted Grandfather Huo as he declared the hard truth.
“What did you say? 5.3 billion?!”
“Yes, and not only she did she direct the referrer, but also one of the shareholders of that company. That alone is violation of military intermediary regulations.” Huo Shaoheng paid close attention to Grandfather Huo’s reaction since he was an elderly person who could easily fall ill. This wasn’t worth his suffering.
Grandfather Huo’s breathing grew laborious and he used all his will to compose his emotions, but his hands shook uncontrollably. Looking at his grandfather’s ashen face, Huo Shaoheng recalled his grandmother lying on her sick bed over a decade ago. Her face had also blanched when she had heard that grandfather wouldn’t be visiting her… Time could fly and hearts could be changed, but all the while, feelings would remain the same. “You know better than I do, what kind of background the Zhang’s have. I’m sure you also know that she has the ability to swallow such a large sum of money.” Huo Shaoheng leaned forward slightly. “The supplying of shoddy products, embezzlement, and attempting to wire money overseas during an audit—do you know about any of this?”
“What are you talking about?!” Grandfather Huo’s hand gripped his blanket and he gasped out, “I don’t believe it… I don’t believe it! She wouldn’t dare to; She’s someone who’s even afraid of walking in the dark.”
Huo Shaoheng was done with trying to persuade him. He stood up and calmly reminded Grandfather Huo, “Grandfather, I’ve said all that I can. You can decide what you want to do. Someone will come seize this property tomorrow. They will have to spit out those funds and all Zhang Feng and her son’s properties will be confiscated. These are all illicit funds that must be reimbursed.”
Grandfather Huo couldn’t fully act out his rage, so he instead threw down his pillows and blankets. He supported himself on the bed frame in order to get up and glared at Huo Shaoheng. “If the apartment is seized, where will your Third Uncle’s family live?! I have to take them back to the manor!”
“Although I don’t have a Third Uncle, you can bring whoever you please back home.” Huo Shaoheng bowed slightly. “It will be quite interesting when the police come to make arrests at the military housing area.”
“What are you talking about? Arrests? Arrest who?” Grandfather Huo sensed that something was being unsaid. “What did you do to Zhang Feng exactly?”
“I didn’t do anything.” Huo Shaoheng denied. “I only reminded the Military Auditing Office that someone is acting out of desperation and attempting to secretly send the money away.”
“She would never do that! I don’t believe that she wouldn’t do such a thing!” Grandfather Huo was very agitated and shuffled forward in his slippers to wave his arms and shout, “Have her come see me! You can confront her in person!”
“It’s too late.” Huo Shaoheng followed behind Grandfather Huo and shook his head. “The Military Police have already arrested Head Nurse Zhang.”
“Arrested her? What right do they have to arrest my people?” Grandfather Huo jerked his head back to stare down Huo Shaoheng. “And you’re still saying that you have nothing to do with his?! If it wasn’t for you, why would the Military Police be required to arrest a Medical Officer?!”
Huo Shaoheng shrugged. “I have nothing to say, if that’s what you want to believe. However, she’s not a Military Officer; she’s just a nurse. You can’t confuse the two.”
“How are doctors and nurses any different from each other?!” Grandfather Huo was furious, he turned around to grab his coat, “I’d better go see Old Ji. She can’t be arrested just like that.”
Seeing that Grandfather Huo was still stubbornly defending Zhang Feng, Huo Shaoheng knew he had no other options left. Even if he had a solution, he didn’t want to use it. Stony faced, he stood in the middle of Grandfather Huo’s room and listened to him mutter as he buttoned up his coat and walked outside.
“Father!”
“Grandfather!”
Zhao Baochen, Zhang Wenna, and Zhang Wenjie hurried over when they saw Grandfather Huo slowly climb down the stairs. “Father! Several soldiers came to arrest Mother just now!” Zhang Baochen was very anxious. “Can you go take a look what’s going on right now?”
“Grandfather! That was so scary! Where’s Elder Cousin? Didn’t he go upstairs right now?” Zhang Wenjie and Zhang Wenna crowded around Grandfather Huo and started chattering.Their voices were much too loud and sounded like a horde of bees at Grandfather Huo’s ear.
Grandfather Huo waved his hand weakly and sat on the living room couch. He looked down at his feet as he considered it, then stared at the plush Middle Eastern woven floral carpet before speaking slowly, “About your Mom, I have to gather some information first. As for all of you…” He looked up at the four stricken faces and then said, “Do you have anywhere else to live? I suppose you won’t be able to stay in any of the houses under your Mother’s name.”
“What? Why not?” Zhang Baochen asked. “Why wouldn’t be able to stay there? These are our homes! We don’t have mortgages on them! We don’t owe the bank any money!”
“Stop asking me the other stuff for now, and just tell me if you have anywhere else to live.” Grandfather Huo’s expression darkened as he scolded Zhang Baochen. “You are the sole backbone of your family and a grown man, so how can you be crying like a baby when something is happening to your Mother! What nonsense!”
Zhang Baochen had never experienced such hardship all his life. Although he was an illegitimate child, he had a powerful father and had been the most spoilt child at his grandmother’s home. When he grew up, he’d developed a habit of not taking responsibility due to Zhang Feng’s coddling. He had a mother who knew how to make lots of money, a wife who could give him children, a nanny who cared for the children, and servants who took care of household chores. All Zhang Baochen had to do was to go to work and chat with Grandfather Huo when he came home. He had never thought he’d see the day the Military Police would take his own Mother away!
“Father, you don’t have an apartment under your own name? There’s one in Zhichun Precinct, right? Let’s go there.” Zhang Wenna saw that her dad was floundering and took it upon herself to comfort him.
Qian Shihui nodded right away. “That’s right. Let’s go stay at Zhichun Precinct for now.”
Grandfather Hup was finally relieved when he saw that the Zhang’s had a place to stay. “We can’t afford any delays; hurry up and pack your things up from here. You’ll have to move out right away.”
The Zhang’s and their servants packed up together. Huo Shaoheng walked through the busy room and stood beside Grandfather Huo. “Grandfather, this way please.”
Grandfather Huo was stony faced as he followed Huo Shaoheng out of Chaoyang District to return to the Huo manor in the military housing area. Neither men spoke during the entire car ride back. After the silent trip, Huo Shaoheng merely watched the iron gates rise as they drove through, making no effort to move. Huo Guanchen and Huo Jialan came out to help walk Grandfather Huo inside, and Huo Shaoheng finally ordered the driver to start the car.
…
The next day, Dacheng Industries Ltd, the largest trading company in Z City, found its accounts frozen as they had been previously notified. On the second day of the first month of the lunar new year, the chairman of the company, Zhao Da personally went to inquire at the bank but was given the cold shoulder.
“Chairman Zhao, you almost got us in a lot of trouble! Your company is currently being audited by the military, and you didn’t feel the need to tell us! Any companies being audited by the military cannot remit overseas before the audit is complete. Don’t tell me that you didn’t know about this regulation?”