Chapter 58
“Mom…” Ye Zhi hesitated for a while before calling out, feeling a bit timid even before speaking. This “mom” sounded somewhat guilty.
Ye Wan stood here with a smiling face upon hearing the sound of the car. Seeing Huo Ran and Huo Youqiao behind her, she knew what was going on. Despite feeling unhappy inside, she maintained an elegant and charming smile. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you come home. I had some free time today, so I thought I’d come and see you, and also pay a visit to Mayor Huo.” Her gaze then fell on Huo Ran’s face, and she quickly crouched down, showing a friendly smile, “Is this Ranran? Such a beautiful little girl. Hello, I’m Ye Zhi’s mother, you can call me mother-in-law.”
Ye Zhi felt uneasy, but Huo Youqiao remained calm and walked over to greet her, “Hello, Auntie. You came without prior notice, so you’ve caught us off guard.”
“It’s okay, we’re family, no need to be so polite.” Ye Wan stared at him for a few moments, then smiled again, “I often see you on TV, and today I finally get to see you in person.”
As Ye Zhi changed his shoes and helped Huo Ran change hers, he never got used to facing his domineering mother, especially in front of Huo Youqiao, and he knew the purpose of her visit.
She was here to pull strings.
But he had never told Huo Youqiao about this in advance. Several times, he wanted to pull his mother back to his bedroom to have a private chat, but Ye Wan pretended not to notice and instead focused on building a good relationship with Huo Youqiao, using her social skills to the fullest.
She spoke beautifully, portraying the unwanted marriage (between Huo Youcheng and Ye Zhi) as a modern concept of marriage among young people. She even downplayed her eldest son.
“Ye Zhi is just a foolish person, lacking in insight and cowardly with no opinions of his own. He doesn’t actively improve the relationship, which leads to Youcheng always wandering outside.”
Ye Zhi felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, focusing on peeling shrimp with pursed lips, not saying a word.
Huo Youqiao spoke up, “He’s good.”
Just three words touched Ye Zhi’s heart slightly, easing his sense of unease a little.
Ye Wan smiled and said, “Seeing how well you get along reassures me. In fact, I didn’t just come to see Ye Zhi today; there’s something difficult to mention, and I wanted to seek Mayor Huo’s advice, or rather, ask for a small favor.” She glanced at her eldest son, “I wonder if Ye Zhi has mentioned this to you?”
Huo Youqiao calmly responded, “What’s the matter? Auntie, please go ahead.”
Ye Wan quickly changed her expression to a somewhat troubled look, “I don’t know if you’re aware of the Lin Baosong case?”
Huo Youqiao replied, “I am. It’s the largest corruption case recently uncovered by the government, and evidence has been found. Lin Baosong is about to be sentenced.”
Ye Wan continued, “My youngest son’s husband is also involved. His name is An Yongnan. In fact, he bribed someone out of a moment of confusion, and he didn’t gain much from it. His company is also suspected of tax evasion. I heard that the investigation has concluded, and the trial is scheduled for the day after tomorrow. He might not only go bankrupt but also go to jail. So, I came today to ask for your help.”
Huo Youqiao glanced at Ye Zhi, who had his head lowered, then met Ye Wan’s gaze, “Auntie, are you asking me to abuse my power?”
Ye Wan hurriedly replied, “No, I just hope you can help a little, maybe just say a few words. You’re the mayor, it should be a small favor for you. We’re such close relatives; you should be willing to help, right? After all, if he really goes to jail, my son will have to divorce him. A divorce with a lifelong mark means he’ll have to erase the mark and remove the gland in the future, which will make him worse off than an ordinary person.”
Huo Youqiao paused for a moment, his tone becoming colder, “Bribery and tax evasion are serious crimes, which the government has been focusing on in recent years. Please forgive me for not being able to agree to your request.”
“Mayor Huo, I’m not asking you to do anything illegal. You just need to say a word or two, maybe give a hint, and the people handling the trial will go easy on him. Is that too difficult for you?”
“This is already against the law.”
Seeing his serious expression and determined tone, Ye Wan knew that this trip today was in vain. Feeling a little discouraged, she couldn’t help but say, “Seeing how well Ye Zhi takes care of your daughter, can’t you make an exception? I heard he often prepares lunchboxes for your daughter, plays with her, and even takes care of her when you’re busy…”
Before she could finish, Ye Zhi finally couldn’t help but say, “Mom, please stop.”
Even if Ye Wan was angry, she wouldn’t make a scene in front of Huo Youqiao, after all, he was an important “resource” for her. So she quickly smiled again, “I’ve asked for too much. I’m just too anxious. Mayor Huo, please don’t mind. You can pretend you didn’t hear about this matter. Let’s not affect the relationship between us relatives.”
Huo Youqiao lowered his eyelids and said calmly, “Of course not.”
