Plunder-Chapter 242: The Puppet Master Confesses

Qiao En persuaded him several times, but Zhou Chucheng remained unmoved.

His reasoning was simple, he wanted to experience the office atmosphere.

Zhou Chucheng’s action naturally caught the attention of many people in the company, but as they gradually learned of his relationship with Zhou Jin’an, they only dared to gossip in secret.

When Zhou Chucheng insisted, Qiao En gave up.

As the end of the workday approached, she took the initiative to send Zhou Jin’an a message.

"Don’t come up later, I’ll meet you in the parking lot."

Her aim in not letting him come up was to avoid awkwardness.

Although Zhou Jin’an agreed, he wasn’t at ease when he got there and still went up to the office.

No sooner had he arrived than Zhou Chucheng immediately came up to greet him.

"Big brother, I did as you instructed and had someone specially watch outside sister-in-law’s room," he said.

His face bore a smile, seemingly awaiting praise.

Zhou Jin’an swept him a cold glance and scolded, "What do you take her for? It’s bad enough that you had someone block her door, now you are personally guarding here too?"

Zhou Chucheng was a little bewildered, wasn’t he just following Zhou Jin’an’s orders?

"Big brother, I..."

"What about you? You shouldn’t be here anymore," Zhou Jin’an cut him off.

Zhou Chucheng suddenly realized and let out a snicker.

However, his face quickly regained its authority.

He called Gong Xuanzhi over and announced to the employees that they would leave work on time today and the office would be disinfected.

Watching the employees file out, Zhou Chucheng was now satisfied.

"Big brother, is what I did okay?" he asked. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Zhou Jin’an didn’t respond but headed towards Qiao En’s office.

"Barely," he said.

Zhou Chucheng’s smile instantly became childlike.

He was especially happy to be praised by his big brother.

However, this time, he was very tactful.

"Big brother, then I’ll leave first, you and sister-in-law can have a good chat," he said.

He slipped away quickly.

When Qiao En came out of the office, there was no one else around.

"Let’s go," he said.

Zhou Jin’an advanced, taking Qiao En’s hand as they left.

"You don’t need to get so panicked next time, I’m really fine," Qiao En stressed again.

"Yes, okay, I’ll listen to you," Zhou Jin’an replied.

In front of Qiao En, the "Tibetan Mastiff" now turned into a docile "Golden Retriever."

The Maybach had just stopped in front of Chu Garden when Qiao En saw a familiar figure.

It was Ding Hao’s mother.

Zhou Jin’an also saw her, and his eyes immediately narrowed.

At the same time, he tightened his grip on the steering wheel and sped up.

"Stop the car," Qiao En urged.

Zhou Jin’an looked at Qiao En with suspicion; the only reason for Ding Hao’s mother to be here was one he wanted to avoid entangling Qiao En in.

"Avoiding won’t solve the problem," Qiao En insisted, and Zhou Jin’an had no choice but to stop the car.

He put an arm around Qiao En’s shoulder as they approached Ding Hao’s mother.

Ding Hao’s mother had become much thinner, the peace on her face had vanished, replaced by fatigue and haggardness.

People can grow up overnight, and aging can happen in an instant.

"Auntie Ding," Qiao En called out proactively.

Ding Hao’s mother responded, "Director Zhou, Mrs. Zhou, I came to see you because of my good-for-nothing son. He’s not on the right path, and it’s all my fault as his mother."

As she spoke, tears were already streaming down her face.

Qiao En, moved by compassion, stepped forward and supported Mrs. Ding’s arm.

"Mrs. Ding, don’t cry, this matter has nothing to do with you."

Mrs. Ding then turned her gaze to Zhou Jin’an, "Director Zhou, I’ve come to plead with you, please spare the Ding family."

As she spoke, her legs slid towards the ground, and she knelt down in front of Zhou Jin’an.

"Mrs. Ding, please get up."

Qiao En tried to pull her up, but she refused to budge.

"I know no amount of apologies can make up for the harm my unfilial son has caused you, but Director Zhou, the Ding family isn’t just Ding Hao, I have two daughters too, and their father is lying in the hospital, his life hanging by a thread. As a widow, I’m really at a loss, so I’ve come to beg you, hoping you’ll show mercy and spare the Ding family a lifeline."

Her plea was earnest.

This was a matter Qiao En had never interfered with.

She believed in Zhou Jin’an and supported all his decisions.

But Mrs. Ding’s kneeling tugged at her heartstrings. She remembered the warmth and tolerance Mrs. Ding showed her during her first visit to the Ding family.

She didn’t speak, only looked at Zhou Jin’an with her eyes.

Anger smoldered in Zhou Jin’an’s eyes.

"Please get up, I know how to handle this matter. Ding Hao has committed a crime, and it is unforgivable. I will consider what to do with the Ding family."

He didn’t make any promises.

Qiao En supported Mrs. Ding’s arm, "Mrs. Ding, please get up first."

Mrs. Ding was not one to linger, she wiped the tears from her cheeks, apologizing continuously.

"I’m sorry, Director Zhou, Mrs. Zhou, it’s all my fault, I failed to discipline him, I spoiled him from a young age, which led him to commit such a heinous crime."

"Do you know what kind of heinous crime he committed?"

Zhou Jin’an couldn’t hold back and questioned.

Mrs. Ding looked bewildered.

"He caused Qiao En to lose our child, and almost took her life."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Ding was greatly shocked.

She looked at Qiao En in disbelief, while Qiao En’s eyes were downcast.

Memories of the past were vivid but too painful to recall.

Mrs. Ding clasped Qiao En’s hand, and tears slid down once more.

"I’m sorry, I’m so sorry."

As she mouthed her apologies, her legs gave way and she knelt before Qiao En again.

"Director Zhou, you can punish that unfilial son however you want, he truly deserves to die."

Zhou Jin’an stood with his back to her, approaching Qiao En and pulled her out of the vortex.

"How he should be punished is for the law to decide. You may go, tell Elder Ding that what I do is simply to teach the Ding family a lesson. There’s a debtor for every debt; I will not implicate the innocent."

As he spoke, he turned and walked away.

Qiao En followed his steps into the house.

Behind them, Mrs. Ding was still sitting on the ground, crying.

From the living room window, Auntie Jiang stood watching everything outside.

Her gaze, blank and fixed, remained on Mrs. Ding, not fading away.

"Why don’t you ask me how I’m going to deal with Ding Hao?"

Zhou Jin’an found it quite strange, Qiao En knew something but not everything, yet it seemed she could keep her cool, not once asking for more details from start to finish.

Qiao En had not yet emerged from the emotions of a moment ago, "Husband and wife are one, your decision is my decision, I trust you."

Zhou Jin’an’s heart was once again struck by warmth.

"I’ve said I would seek justice for our child, so the evil one must be punished. En’en, from now on, I will do my utmost to protect you and our child."

The night Ding Hao was taken to the police station, the interrogation results came out.

He confessed to bribing the delivery van driver to murder Qiao En, and there was evidence to prove he was the one riding the motorcycle.

Zhou Jin’an received this news at three in the morning.

Director Huang sent him the message from the interrogation, and just one glance was enough to drive sleep away with his rage.

Qiao En was sleeping soundly in his arms.

Zhou Jin’an didn’t have the heart to disturb her and just silently protected her by her side.

Moonlight filtered through the gap in the window grilles, tenderly spilling onto Qiao En’s cheeks.

He tenderly bent down and kissed her forehead.

In her sleep, she seemed to sense his warmth and involuntarily snuggled closer into his embrace.

He then tightly clasped her small hand, so tightly, as if to etch her forever into his bones.