Haul both those scumbags away

Then why did you even ask?

Cheng An was speechless. He turned away, ignoring Ning Shile, and asked the secretary, "What's so urgent?"

[Huh?!!]

[No, don't!]

Ning Shile screamed inwardly. He wanted to interrupt Cheng An's conversation with the secretary but had no idea how, so he could only stare pleadingly at Cheng An, his face turning red with frustration.

"Cheng Yang is planning to—" the secretary began quietly.

"President Cheng."

Before the secretary could finish, Zheng Father's voice rang out.

Cheng An looked up and saw Zheng Father and Zheng Mother approaching. He immediately put on a smile and went to greet them, bowing and scraping before Zheng Father. "Chairman Zheng, what an honor! I really didn't expect you to come."

"Yes, luckily I came today. Otherwise, I would have missed all this." As he spoke, Zheng Father cast a brief glance at Ning Shile.

Delight spread across Ning Shile's face. He met Zheng Father's gaze head-on, itching to give him a thumbs-up.

[We're all set!]

The secretary glanced at Zheng Father and Zheng Mother, then at Cheng An, biting her lower lip and knitting her brows.

Naturally, she knew the Zheng Family's standing and resources, as well as how much Cheng An valued them. She certainly didn't dare interrupt at a time like this.

But Cheng Yang was about to succeed!

If Cheng Yang really replaced the USB drive with evidence of Cheng An's crimes, wouldn't Cheng An be finished?

At that thought, the secretary instinctively touched her belly.

She absolutely couldn't let her child be born without a father!

And she absolutely couldn't let Cheng Yang ruin her chance to become the lady of the Cheng Family!

Something shifted in the secretary's eyes, as though she had made up her mind. She turned and headed backstage in her high heels.

The Cheng Corporation had really spared no expense this time. Not only had it booked the entire exhibition venue for its launch, it had also booked the restaurant next door to make dining more convenient.

Seeing Zheng Father and Cheng An chatting away, Ning Shile wandered over to the restaurant.

It was much quieter inside.

Rows of little desserts were laid out on the tables, with champagne and red wine on trays. As soon as a waiter spotted Ning Shile, he welcomed him with a smile and showed him to a seat.

Ning Shile wasn't particularly hungry, so he ordered only a small dessert and a coffee, enjoying a moment of peace.

Suddenly, the lights went out.

The music outside picked up speed, its rhythm tightening.

Cheng An's voice rang out as he began introducing his company's project.

[It's starting?]

Ning Shile's heartbeat quickened along with the urgent music. He put down his spoon and hurried outside.

Cheng An stood onstage with a microphone, speaking with great feeling. The big screen behind him lit up, and several staff members were making preparations.

Cheng Yang leaned against the wall with a smile, his mocking expression tinged with schadenfreude, looking ready to enjoy the show.

[What a punchable face.]

Ning Shile had hated that expression on Cheng Yang's face since childhood. Every time Cheng Yang splashed water on him or stole his homework notebook, he wore that exact look.

Like one of those edgy QQ profile pictures from years ago, he leaned against the wall with a calculated mix of rebelliousness and rakishness, convinced he looked cool.

Even worse, Cheng Yang would force Ning Shile to call him "big brother" before returning his things!

That jerk!

[Still, judging by that look, everything should be set?]

Ning Shile hurried forward, ready to watch the drama. Zheng Father and Zheng Mother straightened up too.

They couldn't wait!

"Now, please turn your attention to the big screen." Cheng An stepped aside. With a click, the venue lights went out, and the reporters below raised their cameras. Some even started livestreaming.

Just as the staff finished adjusting the equipment and prepared to play the video—

"Wait!!" The secretary's voice suddenly rang out. She rushed onto the stage and snatched the USB drive from a staff member.

Cheng An's expression shifted slightly. He signaled with his eyes for her to get off the stage. This was no time for her to throw a tantrum!

But the secretary acted as though she hadn't seen him, clutching the USB drive tightly.

Cheng Yang's smile faded. He frowned slightly, straightened up, and walked over.

[Huh!?? Lady, you're going this far!?]

"What are you doing?" Cheng Yang approached, his face cold. He frowned at the secretary for a moment before reaching for the USB drive in her hand. "Give it to me."

"No!" The secretary dodged, hiding her hand behind her back.

Cheng Yang stared at her in disbelief. She was the only person he had told about his plan. She had felt deeply sorry for his mother and had offered to help him. She had already helped a great deal and had readily agreed to this, too. What was she playing at now?

He had no time to waste arguing with her. He reached out and stepped forward. "Give it to me."

His shadow fell over the secretary. Frightened, she stepped back half a pace, then covered her belly and looked up. "Cheng Yang, can we just drop this? I'm... pregnant."

Pregnant?

Cheng Yang froze. After a long hesitation, he asked, "Was it that night?"

The secretary looked a little guilty, but still nodded. "Yes."

Cheng Yang knew that once the contents of the USB drive were made public, the Cheng Family's business would go downhill, perhaps even face bankruptcy.

But now the secretary was pregnant. Even if he didn't like her, he still had to take responsibility for the child. If the child was born at a time like this, there would be far too many problems to face.

Raising the child, education, and the family scandal. If he really exposed this, would it affect the child's future?

If possible, Cheng Yang wanted to give the child a complete family.

But if he didn't make it public, wouldn't his mother have died without justice?

His father had subjected her to domestic violence and psychological manipulation. Even when she was ill, he had continued belittling, humiliating, and abusing her, sometimes denying her even food.

Cheng Yang didn't dare imagine how much grief and despair his mother must have felt when she took her own life...

Was he supposed to cover up that behavior? As her son, was he supposed to simply stand by and let her death go unanswered?

Seeing Cheng Yang's expression, Ning Shile nearly stamped his feet in frustration.

[No, Cheng Yang, are you stupid?!!! This awful woman drugged you, got you drunk, and took you to a hotel!!! You two only slept—you didn't have sex!!!]

[I'm seriously going to die of frustration!!! You were so drunk you were unconscious! How could you possibly have had... that function!!!!!]

Zheng Father and Zheng Mother took deep breaths.

...Sex education really couldn't wait!

Child, scientific research shows that alcohol suppresses the central nervous system, making normal sexual activity impossible! This awful woman is lying to you!

[What an idiot!! This awful woman just wants to climb the ladder. Originally, she planned to use this trick to make Cheng Yang take responsibility and become the lady of the house.]

[But she hadn't expected that Cheng An had no intention of letting Cheng Yang take over the company. He was even planning to send his son abroad and write him out of the picture.]

[After learning that, the secretary had to find another way. After a business dinner, she pretended to be drunk and had sex with Cheng An in his car. Afterward, she took a step back to get ahead, crying and saying she would resign. She even said she came from a traditional family and no longer wanted to live now that she had lost her virginity.]

[The secretary was pretty and had a great figure, and apparently she was an innocent little bunny too. Cheng An was completely smitten. He gave her luxury homes and villas, coaxing her to stay.]

[The secretary cried in Cheng An's arms and delivered that classic line: "I'm not with you for any of this, darling. I truly just think you treat me well."]

Thinking about it, Ning Shile was utterly disgusted. What a manipulative fake innocent.

[The two of them lived comfortably and indulged themselves without restraint, and before long, the secretary became pregnant. Afraid Cheng An would make her get an abortion if he found out, she planned to wait until the baby had developed before telling him.]

[That way, no matter how little Cheng An thought of her, he would still let her child enter the Cheng Family, and she could rise in status through the child.]

Zheng Father and Zheng Mother looked at the secretary's delicate, youthful face and shook their heads.

She was so young. Why put all her scheming into something like this? With her looks and ability, where couldn't she put her talents to use? Why insist on relying on her womb and a child?

Zheng Father and Zheng Mother were getting a little too invested in the drama. They began hoping Cheng Yang would stand up and make this awful woman and Cheng An pay!

But Cheng Yang hesitated, instinctively drawing his hand back.

Seeing an opening, the secretary turned to hand the correct USB drive to the staff.

At the front of the stage, Cheng An had no idea what those two were doing. All he knew was that the video still hadn't played, and everyone below was waiting!

Aside from the media, there were plenty of industry heavyweights in the audience. How could he waste their time by keeping them waiting?

Cheng An strode over, snatched the USB drive from the secretary's hand, and plugged it into the computer himself.

The secretary's hand was suddenly empty. Before she could react, Cheng An gave the order: "Play it!"

The secretary reached out, screaming herself hoarse. "You can't play that!!"

Cheng An stubbornly insisted, "Play it!"

The staff member clicked play.

An image appeared on the big screen, but it didn't seem to be a project introduction. With its blurry picture and distorted colors, it looked like surveillance footage.

Everyone was puzzled, but surely Cheng An had his reasons! So they waited quietly.

Then Cheng An's face appeared onscreen.

In the footage, Cheng An appeared to be drunk. He stood alone in the living room, swearing viciously, one insult after another spilling from his mouth as he violently hammered on a door with repeated bangs.

The screen split into two views.

One inside the room.

One outside.

The woman inside seemed so tormented that she was on the verge of a breakdown. She braced her back against the door, sobbing and begging for mercy.

But her cries of pain only seemed to fuel the man's violence. He raised his foot and kicked the door open with a crash!

Then he seized her by the hair, hauled her off the floor, and clamped a hand around her throat, slamming her against the wall with swift, vicious precision.

One punch!

Two punches!

Three punches!

The woman's agonized cries echoed through the hall.

Even though it was only blurry surveillance footage.

Even though they were standing in an exhibition venue, it still sent chills down their spines.

The reporters silently lowered their cameras. The chat rooms of several livestreamers exploded!

"Holy shit! Domestic violence?????"

"Is that Cheng An in the video!? What is he doing!! Didn't he say he adored his wife more than anything???!"

"I'm shaking with rage. Is he even human!!?"

"He calls himself a good husband in public, but what does he do at home!!!"

"Hypocrite! Monster!"

But that was far from all. Countless surveillance clips of domestic abuse played onscreen.

There was also footage of Cheng An afterward, kneeling before his wife, apologizing and pleading.

In the footage, Cheng An said his wife wouldn't survive without him. She had no job, no skills, and no way to make it in society.

If they divorced, what would her family think of her? What would outsiders think? She was only a woman, born to shoulder responsibility.

He even said that a man only hit a woman because he loved her. If he didn't love her, he wouldn't do it.

At first, those words might sound as though Cheng An was considering things from his wife's perspective, but the more closely they listened, the more wrong it sounded.

Wasn't he actually belittling and undermining her?

Ning Shile scoffed. [Isn't this just emotional manipulation!?]

[What love? What responsibility? Cheng An is just afraid she'll divorce him, escape his control, and expose his vile behavior!!]

Understanding dawned on Zheng Father and Zheng Mother.

So this was psychological manipulation! No wonder it had sounded wrong!

[What does he mean, she's only a woman and was born to shoulder responsibility? This family isn't solely the woman's responsibility, okay?]

[Women are born with a place of their own in the world. They aren't vessels for you to dump your family burdens and frustrations into while you look down on them!]

Zheng Mother nodded.

Yes! Shile! You're saying exactly what we're all thinking!!!

Ning Shile was so angry his teeth ached.

[Why has the Zheng Family's business grown so successful? Isn't it because Zheng Father recognizes Zheng Mother's work and respects her? A harmonious family makes everything prosper!]

Zheng Father was thrilled.

Good boy! Keep talking if you're this good at it! I'll shower you with money!

Cheng An stood stunned as he listened to those words. Once he recovered, he yanked out the USB drive and hurled it to the floor.

An uproar broke out around him.

Breathing hard, he looked around. Then his expression abruptly changed, and he grabbed the secretary's chin, demanding viciously, "Did you do this?"

Cheng An's gaze was so cruel and venomous that it seemed he would snap the secretary's neck the next second if she so much as nodded.

The secretary was so frightened that her eyes reddened. Unable to speak for a long moment, she merely pointed at Cheng Yang beside her.