Chapter 14: No One Can Help You!

Her tone was full of doubt: “Could there be no connection to your father’s affairs?”

Jiang Zhaoyang pondered for a moment, choosing his words carefully: “There is!”

He paused, then continued, “After all, that’s my father.”

“How could I be indifferent to what concerns him?”

Liu Huang spoke slowly, “Though I’m not fully informed about your father’s situation, I have heard some whispers.”

“I heard it might involve a scandal over irregular fees at a middle school.”

“Someone anonymously reported that your father accepted bribes from a middle school principal and turned a blind eye to the school’s misconduct regarding fees.”

“Could such a thing be true?” Jiang Zhaoyang’s eyes widened in shock.

He found it hard to accept that his father could be caught up in such a disgrace.

“Whether or not it’s true, I really don’t know. After all, I’m not part of the disciplinary committee; I have neither the authority nor the obligation to investigate these matters.”

“But rumors rarely arise without some foundation.”

He paused, seemingly deep in thought.

Liu Huang then added, “Your father’s patron, Su Chaohan, is no longer the man he used to be.”

“Since moving to the city, he’s been marginalized, losing his former power and influence.”

“This time, no one will come to your father’s rescue.”

“Su Chaohan is powerless; your father’s prospects are bleak.”

At this, Liu Huang’s face was filled with regret. “When your father’s power was at its peak, I warned him: a clever rabbit has three burrows and must prepare an escape route.”

“The world is unpredictable; never hang yourself on a single tree.”

“You must possess the skill to navigate gracefully, to benefit from all sides, only then can you stand undefeated in this complex and ever-changing world.”

“But he ignored my words, disdainful.”

“He thought as long as his patron remained, he could rest easy.”

Liu Huang’s tone held a trace of sarcasm. “Alas, nothing in this world changes according to one’s will.”

“Power, status, wealth… things that seem unbreakable are like sandcastles in the wind, always vulnerable to the storms of reality.”

“Everything has its cause and effect; this is consequence following cause, no one else to blame.”

“I’ve said all that I can. My knowledge about your father’s affairs is limited, but I have laid it all bare.”

“Do you have any questions?”

“Or is there something unclear that you want me to explain further?”

---

“Uncle Liu, I… I just want to know where my father is right now,” Jiang Zhaoyang’s voice was as faint as a whisper.

Each word seemed forced out through clenched teeth, revealing his deep anxiety and unrest.

“Where?” Liu Huang’s lips curved into a mocking, cold smile, tinged with disdain and contempt. “Do you really think he’s still locked up in the county? How naïve!”

“What?!” Jiang Zhaoyang was struck as if by lightning, stunned. The shock within him surged like a tidal wave, engulfing him instantly.

He muttered in disbelief, “My father is just a mid-level official; not in the county? What… what’s going on?”

“Where exactly is he?”

Liu Huang shook his head lightly, a cold smile playing on his lips that blended ridicule for Jiang Zhaoyang’s ignorance with a detached view of life’s uncertainties.

“He’s been promoted for investigation, now directly under the city’s disciplinary committee. This means his issues are beyond the county’s jurisdiction.”

“This is not good news for your father.”

“For the entire Jiang family, it’s like a bolt from the blue, an inescapable disaster.”

“Ah?!” Jiang Zhaoyang’s heart clenched sharply, a wave of dizziness overwhelming him, nearly causing him to stagger.

His father had always been cautious in his dealings—how could he suddenly be in such a predicament?

He could not accept this harsh reality, nor believe his father capable of any wrongdoing.

Who had his father offended?

Why was this happening?

Was it really worth such a commotion?

Jiang Zhaoyang’s thoughts deepened; this matter was far more complicated than it appeared.

“I heard you’ve been assigned to guard the reservoir?” Liu Huang squinted, a knowing smile on his lips, as if he had already seen through it all.

These words struck Jiang Zhaoyang like thunder out of a clear sky.

His heart jolted; before he could speak, how did Uncle Liu know this?

Suddenly, He Di’s image flashed through his mind—surely that spiteful, ill-intentioned fellow had leaked the news.

“Yes, Uncle Liu, Mayor Lin informed me this afternoon,” Jiang Zhaoyang said frankly, feeling no need to hide the truth, his tone tinged with helplessness and frustration.

A playful glint appeared in Liu Huang’s eyes. “You’d better prepare to settle down for life.”

“Officialdom is like a chess game; one wrong step leads to continuous mistakes!”

“Your father sent you to gain experience, hoping you would grow stronger through trials, accumulating valuable wisdom for the future.”

“But man proposes, heaven disposes. It seems he miscalculated.”

“Life is like a chess game; once a move is made, there’s no regret. Each step can be a turning point or a dead end.”

---

At this, Liu Huang sighed and shifted tone. “If you’re at the county party office, how bad could it get?”

“Now it’s too late to regret! Take care of yourself.”

“The road ahead is yours alone to walk.”

“No one can save you!”

Jiang Zhaoyang felt utterly despondent.

Dizzy and disoriented, as if the whole world was spinning.

He forced a weak smile, trying to sound natural. “Uncle Liu, I feel dizzy.”

“I want to go back and rest early, so I won’t keep you.”

“Go ahead!” Liu Huang did not insist.

“I’ll see you out,” Liu Wen added.

After all, she had been Jiang Zhaoyang’s longtime lover.

Angry as she was, her feelings for him remained deep.

Zhu Jieyu, seeing this, was about to say something to stop them.

But Liu Huang gave her a subtle look, silencing her.

Though reluctant, Zhu Jieyu understood that letting Liu Wen accompany Jiang Zhaoyang, and perhaps clear the air on some matters, might be the best choice at this moment.

“Go,” she said.

The two left the room, the door closing softly behind them.

Zhu Jieyu frowned slightly, her gaze tinged with confusion and impatience.

She said to Liu Huang, “Do you really believe this kid can turn things around and stage a last-ditch comeback?”

“I think all his struggles will be in vain.”

Liu Huang waved his hand with a bitter smile. “A comeback?”

“Theoretically possible, but extremely unlikely. It’s like a comet hitting the Earth.”

“Then why bother nagging him with so much nonsense?”