Silent Reading

9.15.2020

"When my mother married Zhou Junmao, she was already pregnant with me. I am her son with the previous husband. Of course, they claimed it as a 'premature birth'." Zhou Huaijin smiled bitterly, "Everyone thought Zhou Junmao to be a virtuous, capable, assiduous, and even patriotic man --- a moral saint. Mr. Fei, I don't suppose that you thought so too?"

Fei Du looked up at him in surprise.

"Oh. I heard that Mr. Fei Sr. had stayed single after Mrs. Fei passed away." Zhou Huaijin obviously misunderstood why he was surprised. He shrugged in self-ridicule, "What, are these kinds of affairs so incomprehensible for you?"

Fei Du asked quietly: "So you've done a paternity test yourself?"

Zhou Huaijin shrugged again: "Isn't it unnecessary? I've known it since I was very little. After all, Zhou Junmao himself can't be mistaken in this matter. If he had any doubts, he must have done a paternity test with me already. I know him all too well: Huaixin was his true blood-heir yet he was so cold and practically absent in his life, let alone me. To be honest with you, the fact that he didn't poison me to death is already the outcome of many parties' arm wrestle."

Fei Du's hand still trembled uncontrollably so he had to forcibly clamp onto the cold bottled water. Meanwhile, he peeked at Zhou Huaijin pensively --- although Zhou still looked very young, according to his official ID, he was already thirty-eight years old.

Zhou Huaijin was probably unaware of the fact that close to four decades ago, the technology of paternity test wasn't easily accessible yet.

"Are you suggesting that Zhou Junmao would..." Fei Du carefully picked his words, "...resort to some unlawful means?"

"Otherwise, how do you suppose that my birth father died? Was it really a simple heart attack?" Zhou Huaijin replied coldly, "Zhou Junmao's right hand Zheng Kaifeng was a lowborn gangster. 'Birds of the same feather flock together'. There is nothing they wouldn't dare to do."

"How did you know?"

"My mother told me before she passed away. When she was younger she couldn't stand my birth father's control obsession and his...certain habits. But she didn't have the guts to give everything up and leave him. Eventually she started an affair with Zhou Junmao. The two, Zhou and Zheng, persuaded her to do the dirty business for them. Hah...was the adulteress hoping to get a happily-ever-after?" The ever-so-gentlemanlike Zhou Huaijin exposed his acrimony hidden under the skin for decades, "How funny. Before long, she realized that this man was even worse than her first. But unlucky for her, she was already pregnant with me. Zhou Junmao always thought that she had the evidence of their murder of Zhou Yahou. Because of it - and the company's stocks that she held - he plugged his nose and pretended that I did not exist."

Fei Du's cloud of suspicion grew thicker and thicker: "He thought?"

"My mother kept a secret safe in a private bank. Other than herself and her own appointed heir, no one else could open it. The key to that safe was what she used to tie Zhou Junmao's hands. Then the key was passed down to me." Zhou Huaijin sighed, "In any rate, Zhou Junmao is dead now so I can speak the truth: there is only a bottle of expired cardiatric medicine. Otherwise I would have pull him down the pedestal long ago. Why else would I have to keep low like this?"

"So, you're saying that you are the son of Zhou Yahou." Fei Du asked slowly, "who else knows it?"

"Although Zhou Dalong always pretended to be virtuous and gentle, deep down he saw himself as a wolf. How could he allow others to know the color on his head (1)? Besides Zheng Kaifeng, everyone must have been kept in the dark. But Huaixin..." Zhou Huaijin looked up at the light of the operating room again. After a short pause, he continued artuously: "Huaixin has always been more sensitive than the other children. I think he must have guessed it, but he never talked about it. This kid...he grew up under my wings. My mother suffered from the trauma of that murder for the rest of her life. She had Huaixin when she was older, and the postpartum depression worsened her emotional problems, so she practically had no energy to take care of him. In the Zhou family, besides my mother - that stupid murderer - he was the only blood that I had. He was so young, and so innocent. Although that man's blood flowed in his veins...he only had me, and I only had him."

(1). Color on his head: If it's green that means the person was cheated on by his/her partner.

They were a pair of brothers that grew up in a crooked family. They had all the reasons in the world to hate each other, yet with the flowing river of 'time', they learned to lean on each other for survival.

Zhou Huaixin folded his hands on top of his forehead: "If there really were bad karma, why would it fall on him and not me?"

Fei Du knew that according to the social etiquette, now was the time to pat on Zhou Huaijin's shoulder and say words of sympathy. However, he could feel nothing but cold annoyance in his heart. Like a cold-blooded animal with slow metabolism, he was too lazy to reach a hand out.

Staring at Zhou Huaijin with a tilted head, he continued to question in an indifferent voice: "You said that Huaixin was the old man's "only son". That means that you already knew Yang Bo and Zhou Junmao were unrelated?"

"So you've tested the paternal relationship between Yang Bo and Zhou Junmao already? Wow, the local police are really efficient." Zhou Huaijin replied in a coarse voice as he blinked his eyes in an effort to keep calm. He continued: "That Yang Bo...he's only a shallow, insipid lad whose ambition far outweighed his ability. He boasted of being Zhen Kaifeng's protégé. But in reality he only learned the forms, not the essence. Why else would such a boy of mediocre credentials and family, who lacked experience or ability, be promoted to such a high position? People talk. The gossip about him being the 'other son' came out around that time."

"The rumor was quite loud for a time, but no one, not Zhou Junmao, nor Yang Bo's patron Zheng Kaifeng, ever sought to clear it up. In time, the lad probably believed in it himself, thinking he was really a "returning pearl prince" (2)." Zhou Huaijin clamped on the plastic water bottle as he shook his head, "He secretly collected Zhou Junmao's DNA sample, and went to a sketchy paternity testing company behind the back. It appears that some folks really are sneaky from the bones and don't deserve a seat on the table.

(2). Referring to the Chinese period drama "Returning of the Pearl Princess" starring Zhao Wei and Lin Xinru.

Fei Du followed up: "But you found out --- that he went for a paternity test secretly."

"I happened to know the runner of that gray business via golfing." Zhou Huaijin answered, "A stereotypical 'white trash', a fraud. He knew many people's secrets. He may look like a gourd with a sealed mouth that can keep a secret, but arrangements were constantly being made -- as long as you're willing to pay his price."

"So he sold this one to you ---"

"Strictly speaking, he gave it to me for free." Zhou Huaijin said, "What I paid for was the follow up service: I asked him to swap in Huaixin's sample."

Imagine Yang Bo, a poor boy with nothing in his pocket, suddenly getting attention from the big boss. He must have felt immensely proud and grateful, and perhaps a tad bit undeserving for the unearned limelight. While by the side of the man who 'discovered' him, he must have tried his best to look less mediocre. He might even have considered that legendary man to be his role model.

But what if one day he discovered that what he received was what he deserved all along, because he was the rightful heir of his 'role model'?

At first, there must be shock and contempt, because that meant that his mother had betrayed his father and their family, while his role model had betrayed his trust.

Yet the cowardice in his nature eventually won over the contempt, and then a different thought emerged: the thought that he was supposed to be an equal to those silver-spoon 'young elites' who rode on their fathers' shoulders.

Zhou Huaijin, Zhou Huaixin, and their snobbish friends, what right do they have to look down on him?

Why wouldn't Zhou Junmao legitimize him?

He was his son, and the apprentice of Mr. Zheng. Meanwhile, everyone knew Zheng was not on good terms with the eldest son of the Zhou's. Then, as a fellow blood heir, why did he have to earn his salary rather than sharing the profit of the corporation?

Or in another word: why isn't the Zhou's corporation his?

"It was you who gave him hope." Fei Du murmured, " 'He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear his hopes 'bove wisdom, grace, and fear...'"

Zhou Huaijin closed his eyes and continued in an almost inaudible voice: " '...and you all know, security is mortals' chiefest enemy.'"

"Hectate," Fei Du looked at him scornfully, "so you've used your influences to let Yang Bo believe he was a son of Zhou's. You gave him immense hope, but what for?"

"Yang Bo was on Zheng Kaifeng's side. " Zhou Huaijin said, "I don't know why Zheng liked him so much, but he really did treat him like one of his own. He promoted Yang Bo to the position despite a lot of opposition. Even Zhou Dalong was not a fan of the idea --- though he later accepted it. It was a gamble. The odds weren't on my side, so I had to work on disalliancing the enemy. I wanted to blow up Yang Bo's ambition, and use him to plant a thorn between Zhou Junmao and Zheng Kaifeng. I want to make all of them pay."

Fei Du watched him emotionlessly.

"It's all true. I really don't have a reason to keep on lying at this time." Zhou Huaijin massaged his nose bridge, "Mr. Fei, even though my tactics weren't honest, I did not commit any felony or drag down an innocent soul in my revenge. So you may criticise me morally, but you have to admit that I did what I have to."

"Mr. Zhou, " Fei Du talked slowly, "Whether you should just lose your reputation or be punished more severely is not my decision to make. You'll need to wait for the nature of your 'show' -- wasting police manpower to stage such a farce -- to be determined. It also depends on how the investigation on Zhou Junmao's car accident is concluded."

"I didn't expect Zhou Junmao's car accident at all. If it went according to my script, Yang Bo would hear the paternity test result from that testing center. Then I would "accidentally" receive the result and confront him with it. I'll first make him angry, then say things like "father will never acknowledge you." From what I know about Yang Bo -- how shallow and hot-tempered he was -- he'd most likely be too furious to mind his words and if I were lucky, I'd get some useful slip of tongues from him on record. And hopefully Yang Bo would want to somehow make father acknowledge him to prove me wrong. If he does, then I have follow-up steps for him. But now...well, viola: the death of Zhou Junmao was too inconvenient, and my plan had to be cut short."

"When you heard about Zhou Junmao's death, you immediately realized that although the original plan wouldn't work anymore, it provided another opportunity. So you allowed Zhou Huaixin to call the police so you can use them to attract the public's attention. Then, with Yang Bo as your shield and people's left-over interest towards the car accident, you directed and acted in your own abduction, making Zhou Junmao's death even more convoluted. By framing Yang Bo for the abduction and then coaxing the police to investigate the Zheng Kaifeng's Charity fund, you could've easily beaten down both of your enemies. What's more, Zhou Junmao's reputation would've been destroyed too."

Zhou Huaijin's throat jittered but he didn't speak. With no more explanation, he admitted to Fei Du's accusation in silence.

Fei Du: "Aren't you worried that the Zhou's Corporation would be destroyed in the turmoil too and never recover again?"

"The current Zhou's is the 'Zhou' of Zhou Junmao." Zhou Huaijin murmured, "It is tied to his reputation and his blood, alive or dead. I needed to break his golden statue. As for what else that would bring...well, aren't they all worthless worldly possessions? Mr. Fei, if you had a deeply buried thorn in your heart, would you be afraid to risk your whole fortune just to pull it out? Money, stuff...to men like us, they aren't that attractive anyway."

When Fei Du heard him say "deeply buried thorn", his fingers unintentionally tightened and almost squeezed the water bottle cap into the bottle. Right then, nurses rushed into the operating room with bags of plasma in their hands. Their footsteps seemed weirdly foreboding.

Zhou Huaijin shot up: "Doctor, my brother..."

The Zhous were the biggest patrons of Heng'ai Hospital. One nurse-looking staff spoke with tactful euphemism: "Please rest assured. We will do everything we can."

Zhou Huaijin understood her unspoken meaning. His steps faltered.

Fei Du helped him up by the elbow: "Mr. Zhou, is Huaixin a 'worthless worldly possession' to you too?"

Zhou Huaijin jumped as if his tail had been stumped upon. Fei Du pushed on: "He's figured it out since you and your wing man Hu Zhenyu started your little performance. But he kept quiet and played along. Do you know what he said to Hu Zhenyu?"

"I don't..."

"He said he couldn't care less about your affairs. All he wanted was for you to be safe." Fei Du's words were short but sharp like a dagger, piercing through Zhou Huaijin's ear drum, "Earlier when I bluffed him, he even tried to cover up for you by confessing to have planned the 'abduction' himself. Mr. Zhou, here's a question for you: All along you have been telling me a Hamlet story, but nowhere in your narrative mentioned the woman who tried to stab you. It's as if you weren't surprised by her rage at you at all. Could you tell me --- "

His words were interrupted by the sudden opening of the operation room door.

The galloping clock hands on the wall seemed to have paused momentarily. Zhou Huaijin looked at the doctors coming out of the door in dread. At the same time, Fei Du felt his pocketed cell-phone vibrate. He took it out, and saw a terse text message from Luo Wenzhou: "Dong Xiaoqing died."

Surprised, Fei Du let go of Zhou Huaijin and immediately dialed back: "Are you alright?"

What came through was only noise. Before he heard him respond, Fei Du saw Zhou Huaijin dropped onto his knees and heard the doctor saying: "I'm sorry Mr. Zhou, we really..."