THE National Day holiday was far from peaceful.

　　According to Wang Chyuansheng’s confession, under Gu Wei’s orders, he had indeed killed three people—Sun Weidong, Jhan Yeh, and Lin Chian. He claimed that he merely followed Gu Wei’s instructions and was unaware of the reasons behind the killings or any subsequent events. Wang Chyuansheng provided a detailed account of the time, location, and process of each murder.

　　When Sun Weidong was handed over to Wang Chyuansheng, Sun was already unconscious and reeking of alcohol. Wang placed Sun in the driver’s seat of a car, positioned Sun’s foot on the accelerator, and staged the scene to make it appear as though Sun had died in a drunk-driving accident. After confirming Sun’s death, Wang left the scene.

　　As for Lin Chian, they decided to silence her only after recovering her WeChat chat history, which confirmed that the ledger was in Jhou Sinyan’s possession. During the three months of her captivity, they subjected Lin Chian to unspeakable torture to force her to reveal the ledger’s whereabouts. The cruelty and brutality of their methods were beyond what any normal person could endure.

　　Jhan Syudong, a man with a daughter himself, was horrified as he listened to the account. So much so that when Lin Chian’s biological mother returned to the country to handle her funeral arrangements, he couldn’t bring himself to reveal too many details about the case.

　　Jhan Yeh was strangled to death by Wang Chyuansheng after returning home from a social engagement. After killing Jhan Yeh, Wang, following Gu Wei’s orders, set fire to the Jhan family home and buried Jhan’s body at a construction site where Jhan Yeh’s own development project was underway. Unfortunately, the main structure of the residential complex had already been completed, with only the landscaping work left, so Wang buried the body under a flowerbed in the greenbelt.

　　Hearing about Jhan Yeh’s fate, Jhan Syudong completely lost control. He stormed into the interrogation room and unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks on Wang Chyuansheng.

　　Luckily, the colleague in charge of the interrogation reacted quickly, turning off the law enforcement recorder as soon as Jhan burst in. After Jhan had vented his anger, his colleagues had to restrain him to prevent him from beating Wang Chyuansheng to death.

　　Gu Wei, the prime suspect in this series of cases, had been under police surveillance, and he hadn’t left Linghai in the past two weeks. Now that Gu Wei’s involvement in ordering the murders had been confirmed, the operation to arrest both Gu Wei and the fake Jhan Yeh was immediately approved. However, somehow, Gu Wei got wind of the news and managed to escape just in time.

　　The police issued alerts to all stations and airports and launched a citywide manhunt for Gu Wei in Linghai. Meanwhile, Jhan Syudong led a small team to take Wang Chyuansheng to Hedong to identify the crime scenes and personally retrieved his father’s remains.

　　Ding Yi could see the pain and guilt that weighed heavily on Jhan Syudong, and all he could do was offer comfort. Although deeply saddened, Jhan Syudong remained clear-headed, knowing that capturing Gu Wei was the most important thing he could do for his father.

　　The task force spent the entire National Day holiday immersed in these cases. They were simultaneously hunting for Gu Wei and interrogating the fake Jhan Yeh. Ding Yi informed Jhan Syudong that the fake Jhan Yeh had previously been in contact with Lee Mu.

　　The fake Jhan Yeh revealed some information, but he appeared to be nothing more than a pawn. When it came to the key points of the case, he was frustratingly ignorant.

　　He admitted that Gu Wei had arranged for him to undergo plastic surgery, first to impersonate Sun Weidong and secure a bank loan, and then, a year later, to take on Jhan Yeh’s appearance. Afterward, he was sent into the burning Jhan family’s home, where his face was disfigured, resulting in his current appearance.

　　He insisted that Gu Wei was behind everything. As for the ledger, he claimed to be completely unaware of it, though it was unclear whether he was lying or genuinely ignorant.

　　Regarding Lee Lesi, he said that Gu Wei had instructed him to cooperate with her in managing public accounts, but he had no idea what the money was for. He remained tight-lipped about his true identity.

　　During the interrogation, when Jhan Syudong casually mentioned Lee Mu, the fake Jhan Yeh’s emotions visibly fluctuated, but he still refused to say anything.

　　Jhan Syudong had his fingerprints run through the database, which ruled out the possibility of him being Lee Fonghan.

　　Later, Jhan Syudong surprised the fake Jhan Yeh by producing a set of fingerprints left on a loan document from thirty-five years ago. The fake Jhan Yeh was visibly startled but quickly composed himself, claiming that Gu Wei had arranged for him to be there.

　　But Ding Yi and Jhan Syudong weren’t convinced. Back then, Gu Wei was an insignificant lowlife—hardly someone capable of orchestrating such a risky operation.

　　Jhan Syudong realized that the fake Jhan Yeh was waiting, still holding out hope. Someone must have leaked Gu Wei’s escape to him, giving him the illusion that he could turn the tables.

　　The investigation and the hunt for Gu Wei had reached an impasse. Gu Wei had become the crucial link in the case. Without concrete evidence, they didn’t dare move against Lee Lesi.

　　If they arrested Lee Lesi based solely on the photos of the ledger, she could simply deny everything. With Lin Haichao dead and unable to testify, they’d be forced to release her once the detention period expired.

　　Ding Yi hadn’t expected that his search for the culprit behind his father’s murder would unravel a string of cases.

　　He had someone look into the Canadian real estate company Lee Lesi had invested in. On the surface, everything seemed normal, with no immediate signs of wrongdoing.

　　The day Ding Yi saw her with Syu Yujhou, he suspected that Lee Lesi was planning to move funds abroad so that she and Xu could flee the country when things fell apart. But what exactly was their relationship?

　　Could the “Dad” Lee Lesi referred to be Syu Yujhou? Given their ages, it wasn’t impossible.

　　Who was Lee Lesi laundering money for? Was it Syu Yujhou or someone else? Who was the “Dad” she mentioned? And what was her connection to Sieh Singlan?

　　These questions were a tangled mess, like a knot that couldn’t be unraveled, leaving Ding Yi with a pounding headache.

　　This holiday had been anything but restful. The only thing that brought Ding Yi any joy was gaining the approval of Su Manhua’s parents. The two of them were completely in love, and even when busy, Ding Yi felt a sense of triumph.

　　After Ding Yi visited the Su family, Su Manhua’s mother was thoroughly pleased with him. From his appearance to his character, from his career to his family background, there was nothing to criticize. The only concern was their long-distance relationship, and she subtly hinted that she hoped Ding Yi would transfer back to Hedong.

　　Her reasoning was simple—she had suffered enough from a long-distance marriage herself and didn’t want her daughter to go through the same.

　　Ding Yi didn’t hesitate to agree, promising to return to Hedong within a year.

　　For the remainder of the holiday, Ding Yi spent most of his time holed up in his apartment, researching the information Jhan Syudong needed. Su Manhua didn’t want to wander too far, so Ding Yi would pick her up, and they’d often spend the entire day together in his apartment.

　　While Ding Yi worked, Su Manhua would guide her students online, helping them revise their papers.

　　One day, after finishing her work, Su Manhua saw Ding Yi still typing away at his computer and couldn’t help but sat there as if in a trance.

　　She had never asked about Ding Yi’s family background before. It wasn’t until a few days ago, when her parents inquired, that she learned Ding Yi’s father was a retired army general. Suddenly, she began to worry whether his family would accept her.

　　Ding Yi noticed her staring at him, he teased and asked, “Is there something on my face?”

　　“Huh? No, I was just wondering what your parents are like. I wonder if they’re easy to get along with,” Su Manhua replied.

　　Ding Yi chuckled and said, “You’re marrying me, not my parents.”

　　“What? Marrying you? Did you propose? Didn’t you tell my dad you were pursuing me? Then let’s start with that,” Su Manhua said. She wanted to enjoy the feeling of being courted. After all, she had been the one trying so hard to spend time with him, and she felt it was a bit unfair.

　　Besides, marrying a man meant marrying into his family, too. Su Manhua held very traditional views on marriage and firmly believed that a marriage without the blessing of both families wouldn’t last.

　　She wanted to take it slow, meet his parents, and gain their approval before even thinking about marriage.

　　“Alright! Do you believe I could marry you before the end of the year?” Ding Yi remained calm and said. He set his work aside and sat down beside her.

　　“In your dreams!” Su Manhua blushed and retorted. She wouldn’t agree that easily and just wanted to see how he planned to pull that off.

　　Ding Yi playfully pinned her down on the sofa, showering her with affection, and whispered against her lips, “Manman, you know, I’m thirty-five already.” Time was short, and he didn’t want to waste any of it.

　　Hearing him call her name so tenderly, Su Manhua felt as if her bones had turned to jelly, and she melted into his embrace.

　　He wasn’t the type to sweet-talk, but the deep emotion in his eyes and the warmth that surfaced in his unguarded moments were more potent than any words. She almost drowned in the tenderness of his embrace.

　　“But... wouldn’t that be a bit of a flash marriage?” she asked.

　　“By the end of the year, we’ll have known each other for a year,” replied Ding Yi. He held her close and sat up. He hadn’t realized she was so conservative.

　　“Well... as long as both our parents agree, then I’ll agree,” Su Manhua said.

　　Ding Yi grinned, having gotten what he wanted, but Su Manhua wasn’t so pleased.

　　“You’re too sneaky! Now I don’t get to be courted or proposed to,” said Su Manhua. It wasn’t that she was vain, but she couldn’t help feeling a little cheated.

　　Ding Yi cupped her face in his hands and gave her a deep kiss.

　　“Don’t worry. There will be courtship, and there will be a proposal,” he said. He knew that if he skipped those steps, she’d probably hold it against him for the rest of their lives.

　　She had been resting in his embrace, but upon hearing his words, she looked up at him with delight—only to accidentally kiss his chin.

　　He chuckled softly, then lowered his head to kiss her again. He knew what she was concerned about, so he reassured her, saying, “What are you worried about? You have Sia Chingching, that little guardian beast, backing you up.”

　　Besides, even Ding Jing, who is so picky, likes her. His parents, who had been hoping for him to settle down, would definitely not oppose their relationship.

　　Hearing Ding Yi mention Sia Chingching, Su Manhua couldn’t help but laugh.

　　Ding Yi gently stroked her soft hair, hesitated for a moment, and then told her about his past.

　　After listening, Su Manhua simply held him tightly, her eyes red with emotion, not saying a word. Her heart ached for him. She hadn’t expected that someone who seemed so strong had endured such deep wounds in his childhood. She vowed to treat him even better in the future.

　　Seeing her like this, Ding Yi felt his heart melt. “It’s all in the past,” he said. He hadn’t expected that he’d be the one comforting her in the end. But as soon as he started, her tears, which she had been holding back, came pouring out.

　　Ding Yi was caught off guard, completely unsure of what to do. When Su Manhua saw his flustered expression, she couldn’t help but laugh again. Embarrassed and slightly angry, Ding Yi silenced her with a kiss.

　　For couples in love, time together always flies by. On the last afternoon of the National Day holiday, Ding Yi took Su Manhua to the airport. They lingered at the security checkpoint, reluctant to part, until it was almost time for her to board. Su Manhua finally went through, turning back to look at him every few steps.

　　Ding Yi returned to his apartment and began sorting through the information he had gathered over the past few days. That evening, he met with Jhan Syudong to exchange information.

　　In recent days, Ding Yi had been investigating the financial transactions of Syu Yujhou and his family. Though some of his methods were a bit unorthodox, they were far better than groping around in the dark.

　　Syu Yujhou’s own financial dealings seemed aboveboard, but his wife’s transactions raised some serious red flags.

　　Ding Yi discovered that in October of last year—just one month before Lin Haichao’s suicide—a large sum of over ten million yuan was deposited into Syu Yujhou’s wife’s account, with the transaction labeled as a payment for a jade trade.

　　Syu Yujhou’s wife was a full-time housewife who enjoyed traveling to Ruili to buy jade and gemstones. Upon seeing this transaction, Ding Yi’s first instinct was that it involved money laundering.

　　Ding Yi also enlisted the help of a college friend abroad, who found out that Syu Yujhou’s wife and children had already obtained Canadian green cards, leaving Syu Yujhou as a so-called “naked official”—a term for government officials whose families have moved abroad.

　　With this piece of information, Jhan Syudong could now hand over the lead to the disciplinary authorities. As long as they could bring Syu Yujhou in for questioning, it was likely they would uncover much more.

　　What Ding Yi didn’t expect was that before Jhan Syudong could make any progress, a bombshell news story rocked the entire office on the first day back after the National Day holiday.

　　Syu Yujhou was under investigation for his alleged involvement in illegal brokerage activities in the Rongsin Bond case. He had been acting as a middleman—commonly known as a “bridge” for funds—and had been suspended pending investigation.

　　This was a serious matter, so much so that the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) issued a public notice. The CBIRC announced that they would be conducting an inspection of Hedong Commercial Bank a week later to investigate any involvement of the bank’s staff in illegal brokerage activities.

　　After the bank’s executive meeting ended, Tian MingJhang rushed to Ding Yi’s office to gossip.

　　“Boss, do you believe it? With the head office’s habit of fixing symptoms rather than the root cause, your workload is going to increase real soon,” he said.

　　“It’s hard to say,” Ding Yi replied. Typically, when faced with such inspections from regulatory bodies, the head office would require all branches to conduct internal checks first.

　　Not long after, Ding Yi’s phone buzzed with a new message. The OA office system had issued a notice titled “Regarding the Investigation of Employees Involved in Illegal Brokerage Activities.” After reading the content carefully, Ding Yi realized that Tian MingJhang’s prediction had indeed come true.

　　He had been seconded to Hedong Head Office to participate in a province-wide investigation. His luck was truly unparalleled!