VHBF – Chapter 13 The Playboy Daddy (Part 13)

The investigation team’s work progressed surprisingly smoothly this time. In just a few days, they had uncovered the criminal activities of the Zhang, Su, and Liu families—and even unearthed connections to the Luo and Bai family conglomerates.

The public was already familiar with the recent events surrounding the Luo and Bai families. It was as if, within a few days, the entire edifice had begun to collapse. Chairman Luo had been hospitalized—his misfortune seemed truly uncanny.

At that moment, the investigation team suddenly held a press conference and announced that the criminal division had arrested all individuals involved from the Zhang, Su, and Liu families.

At the press conference, Director Li appeared in a formal suit with a solemn expression as he reported the details of this heinous case.

The conference was broadcast live on television and online.

The comment sections exploded.

It turned out that the earlier problems with several of Bai Group’s projects—the broken capital chain—had been deliberately orchestrated by the three families. Luo Group tried to support Bai Group but ended up being dragged down as well—again, the same culprits. They had connections both high up and within the banks. Everything was tightly interwoven.

The most shocking part? In order to strike down Luo Group quickly, the three families even plotted an engineering accident that resulted in the deaths of two young people, multiple injuries, and one person being left paralyzed from the waist down.

How evil can human nature get?

When Director Li mentioned the Bai family, now left without its leaders, the public was stunned.

“There is now only a child under the age of three left in the Bai family. Relatives like Bai Sheng colluded with the Zhang, Su, and Liu families to seize the orphan’s inheritance. Among other crimes, they plotted to have someone crash a large truck into Mr. Luo’s car, causing a serious accident and severe injuries…”

The fact that these people could scheme such things against a toddler for their selfish gain was truly chilling.

Even more horrifying, they faked incidents regardless of human lives. The public was outraged online, calling for justice. The stock prices of the Zhang, Su, and Liu families plummeted to rock bottom and were forcibly suspended.

Director Li’s face remained grim. He was a man who couldn’t tolerate the slightest injustice and was determined to make the truth public as a warning example.

He recalled how those Bai relatives had swaggered arrogantly when first brought into custody, denying everything. But when evidence was presented, they collapsed in tears, begging for mercy, asking if they could be let go.

Upon learning they would be prosecuted, some of the weaker-minded ones completely gave up and began cursing, saying: “We’re the only remaining relatives of that kid. What’s wrong with getting some compensation for raising her?”

“We’ll raise her, and when she grows up, she can take some dowry and leave. What, you expect her to marry someone and take the Bai Group with her? Change her last name too?”

These Bai relatives came from a poor, rural mountain area. Their long-standing belief was to “take the family inheritance if there are no male heirs,” and they didn’t think there was anything wrong with that.

Even when the Bai siblings were still alive, these relatives had secretly tried to persuade them to adopt a son to inherit the Bai Group.

So when they spoke these words now, they felt completely justified—without a hint of guilt. They were even angry: “We were just running errands! That truck crash? That was Zhang and Su’s doing, not ours!”

No matter how they ranted, the law remained the law. This group of criminals remained behind bars, awaiting prosecution.

Director Li lifted his eyes, gaze sharp as he looked into the camera: “Zhang Yu, Su Liang, and Liu Houxin have been confirmed guilty. That concludes the press conference on this case.”

Once the press conference ended and the truth was revealed, many people had an “aha” moment and didn’t find it surprising.

In A City’s business world, the most powerful families were the Luo and Zhang families, followed by the Bai and Su families. The first two were long-standing family businesses—local giants—and had always been at odds. Their descendants had been competing for generations.

The current head of the Zhang family was a pleasure-seeking man with average ability. The Zhangs had been declining year by year and were on the verge of being left behind by the Luo family.

When the Bai family’s little golden daughter was about to acknowledge her father, the Luo family looked ready to accept it too. If that happened, wouldn’t the Bai and Luo families be like one? What would be left for the Zhangs?

Already on bad terms with the Luo family and now facing the possibility of being sidelined, the Zhangs probably couldn’t resist the idea of taking them down and seizing the top spot.

It wasn’t surprising they teamed up with the Su and Liu families to set a trap for the Luo family.

The real shocker was how the Bai family’s own relatives were willing to conspire with those snakes, even when it meant pushing the Bai Group to bankruptcy—for just fifty million!

A hundred-billion corporation, and they thought fifty million in cash was more attractive.

Director Li got into the car, his face somber and silent.

Mu Bai hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Director Li, don’t you think this case went a little too smoothly?”

“It’s only been, what, two weeks? For a case of this level, it usually takes three to five months. This time, everything was wrapped up in half a month. It’s… unbelievably smooth.”

Director Li lifted his eyelids slightly. “The truth is solid. But someone may have wanted us to find it.”

He gave a mirthless smile. “They used us as a weapon. Pretty clever.”

Mu Bai froze for a moment and didn’t say anything else. For some reason, his mind drifted to the young man they saw at the Luo residence that day.

Aloof and lazy… and oddly, seemed to dislike him?

Once the dust had settled, the relevant departments approved the relaunch of the Chengdong Project. The corrupt bank executives were arrested, loans resumed, and Luo Group’s capital chain recovered. They signed contracts on two projects with the Bai family.

At the same time, other stalled Bai Group projects were also revived. Since the press conference, the stock prices of both companies had soared—higher than before the scandal. An unexpected silver lining.

Mr. Luo was transferred to another hospital for a few days. The little dumpling visited every day—either with Grandma or with Daddy.

Every time she went, she would sprawl across Grandpa’s hospital bed, resting her chubby chin on the edge, gazing up at him with her big watery eyes, full of expectation. “Grandpa, hurry and get better! I’m waiting for us to go pick up bottles together!”

Mr. Luo: “…”

Even though she came every day, soft and cuddly, innocent and sweet, always eager for him to recover quickly—it was genuinely heartwarming. Even the doctors and nurses were all charmed and praised her for being such a sweet and sensible little girl.

Mr. Luo pulled the corners of his mouth into a smile, but every time he thought about why she was so eager for him to recover… he just felt numb.

On the day Mr. Luo was discharged, the family of three brought the dumpling to finalize her adoption papers.

Mr. Luo was in a wheelchair, and the dumpling wanted Luo Sheng to hold her hand. But she was simply too short, and Luo Sheng was 188cm tall. Once they got out of the car and he stood up straight, she couldn’t reach his hand at all—tiptoeing and stretching with all her might.

“Daddy, lower yourself a bit!”

Luo Sheng raised an eyebrow and mocked her. “Shorty.”

Yinyin was indignant. She glared up at her father and then turned to her grandparents to complain. “Daddy’s bullying me!”

Mrs. Luo pretended to be stern and scolded her son, saying, “How could you bully our dumpling like that?”

“If you bully Yinyin again, we’ll leave you here to walk home. We’ll take her and go without you.”

The dumpling got anxious at that and rushed to defend her daddy. “No no no! Daddy didn’t bully me—he’s very good!”

Mrs. Luo: “…”

“Tsk, what a little troublemaker!” Luo Sheng bent down and casually scooped her up in his arms.  “Happy now? Let’s go.”

The dumpling giggled contentedly, nuzzling her daddy’s cheek.

A little prickly… but warm.

Yinyin loved it!