Chen Cheng chuckled and didn't continue with that topic, shifting the conversation back to Andy's grandfather.

"In that era, it was a very serious matter for a single man and a single woman to be alone together."

"Regardless of whether your grandfather and grandmother actually did that sort of thing, as long as people found out..."

"...there was a high probability they would be labeled with things like 'indiscriminate sexual relations' or 'hooliganism'."

"Your grandfather was also part of the detested 'landlord' class."

"But the fact remains that your grandfather was forced to marry your grandmother."

"And then your mother was born."

Saying this, Chen Cheng thought for a moment. "As for what kind of person your grandfather really was, I haven't met him, so I can't say for sure. However, one thing is certain."

"He might have had human failings, but fundamentally, he wasn't that wicked."

"Hmm?" Andy frowned. "Why do you say that?"

"Because he took care of your grandmother for over twenty years and raised your mother."

"During that time, if he were a scumbag, he had plenty of opportunities—especially after '77—to abandon your mother and grandmother and run away."

Listening to Chen Cheng's speculation, Andy's eyes widened in disbelief.

"During this period, the variable known as Wei Guoqiang arrived in Daishan—"

After he finished, Andy's lips trembled as she swallowed hard.

With Andy's intelligence, by the time Chen Cheng reached this point, she could already deduce 90% of the truth.

Chen Cheng took a breath. "I'm sorry, Andy, for making you face the truth at a time like this."

"But... but..." Andy still found it hard to believe. "But why would Wei Guoqiang look for me?"

Chen Cheng glanced at her state of mind.

A faint smile touched his lips; Andy showed no signs of losing control or being angry.

This showed that she didn't care about Wei Guoqiang, her biological father, at all.

Chen Cheng smiled. "Shall I be a bit more cynical then?"

"Cynical?" Andy was somewhat puzzled.

Chen Cheng nodded. "Maliciously speculating about others should be considered cynical."

"Right now, I am speculating about Wei Guoqiang."

Andy sat up and squinted at Chen Cheng. "You've investigated him."

"And you know him very well. That's why, from the moment you walked in, you've been guiding me to see Wei Guoqiang for who he is as soon as possible."

"You don't want him to affect me, and you don't want me to... acknowledge him or form any emotional bonds with him."

"Am I right?"

Chen Cheng's lips curled slightly. "You're as smart as ever."

He took a breath. "Whew~"

"Wei Guoqiang is indeed not a good person."

"He was right; he arrived in Daishan at the end of the 'Up to the Mountains and Down to the Countryside' movement."

"During that time, he fell in love with your mother and married her."

"After the resumption of the National College Entrance Examination, he got into university and left Daishan. But he didn't divorce your mother."

"Around his senior year, when he was close to graduating, your mother fell into a river, and he rushed back to Daishan from school."

There were some things Chen Cheng still didn't say bluntly.

Why would Andy's mother, who had been fine, fall into the river? Had she seen something at Wei Guoqiang's school?

And then, unable to cope, she jumped into the river? After being rescued, a persistent high fever triggered the onset of her mental illness.

"After graduation, he didn't return to Daishan but stayed to teach at Wujiaochang."

"In the mid-80s, during the 'Xiahai' trend of going into business, Wei Guoqiang left the school and went to Hainan."

"During this time, your grandmother passed away, and your grandfather continued to take care of your mother."

"Later, Wei Guoqiang failed in his business venture and went bankrupt, so he returned to Daishan once more."

"That was when you were conceived."

Chen Cheng smiled. "Let me speculate maliciously again."

"He came back then probably because he realized that starting a business requires a background, resources, and capital."

"He came back to get capital from your grandfather."

"Your grandfather's family were landlords, and he was a student of painting. During the 'Struggle Against Landlords', he must have hidden money and paintings."

"After the Reform and Opening-up, he brought them out to exchange for money to support the family."

"..."

*Gulp*

Andy's eyes widened, a chill running down her spine. "So he didn't just want my grandfather's money."

"He also, for his own selfish desires, got my already-insane mother pregnant with me?"

Chen Cheng shook his head. "Yes and no."

"Contraceptives weren't common back then; getting your mother pregnant might not have been his intention."

"Scumbag!" Andy's lips twitched.

At this point, Chen Cheng didn't need to say anything more; Andy could already piece together the truth.

Upon learning his mad daughter was pregnant, Andys Maternal Grandfather—Andy's grandfather—truly broke down.

His wife was mad, his daughter was mad, and now his mad daughter was pregnant.

All these things combined would make it hard for any sane person to keep their composure.

Not to mention he had a troublemaking son-in-law by his side.

Considering all of Wei Guoqiang's actions, it was hard not to suspect that when he came back for money, he had persuaded Andys Maternal Grandfather to leave with him.

After all, rather than running back and forth for money, what could be more convenient than keeping the 'money bag' right next to him?

And the mad daughter's pregnancy became the final straw that broke Andys Maternal Grandfather.

He ran away, just like his scumbag son-in-law. He abandoned his daughter and his unborn granddaughter.

As for Wei Guoqiang, he was a scumbag through and through, completely beyond discussion.

Chen Cheng was silent for a while, then he ruffled Andy's hair. "Is there anything else you want to know?"

Andy didn't ask directly but raised an eyebrow with a smile. "I've discovered you have the potential to be Sherlock Holmes."

"This investigation was incredibly thorough."

Chen Cheng shrugged. "Actually, finding someone—especially someone who hasn't intentionally hidden their identity—isn't that hard."

"Old Tan probably knows about Wei Guoqiang too."

"So the two of you had a tacit understanding not to tell me," Andy said with a smile.

Chen Cheng nodded. "Even if you had proactively asked to find someone like him, we probably wouldn't have let you find him so quickly."

"You don't like these kinds of complicated interpersonal relationships to begin with."

"Let alone such a complicated person."

"Whew~" Andy pondered for two seconds and let out a heavy breath.

"This is fine too; I didn't want to have much to do with him anyway."

"Let's go, let's go home." Chen Cheng glanced at his watch and smiled. "Let's go to the Western Suburbs to see Xiao Ming. I haven't seen him in a long time."

Andy thought about it and nodded. "Okay~"

They smiled at each other and stood up to leave the conference room.

While Andy was packing her things, Chen Cheng received a phone call.

It was from Zhong Xiaoqin. Chen Cheng glanced at Andy and didn't shy away, pressing answer directly.

"Hello~"

"Cough~ Um..." Zhong Xiaoqin's tone was somewhat reserved. "Um... are you home?"

Chen Cheng's lips turned up slightly. "I'm not home."

"Are you finished with your business? If you are and don't feel like going anywhere else, just go back. The password is xxxxxx."

"Mhm~ I'm finished."

"The apartment is a housing-fund apartment from his workplace, so I didn't take it. He planned to give me all of the savings, but I only took half."

[According to the book's timeline, the divorce cooling-off period was just implemented in the first half of the year. Let's ignore this bug; it's too much trouble.]

Chen Cheng raised an eyebrow. "Are you reporting your assets to me?"

On the other end of the line, Zhong Xiaoqin immediately blushed. "I'm not, I didn't."

"..."

Chen Cheng chatted with Zhong Xiaoqin for a while. Andy watched him with a beaming smile, not interrupting.

After a good while, Chen Cheng put down his phone.

"Let's go~"

Andy gave him a knowing look. "Which girl is it this time?"