Chapter 213: The Truth of the Accident Three Years Ago!

Fang Qian saw that Tang Chen’s face was cold and indifferent. Feeling puzzled, she said to Huang Zongze, “Boss Huang, I’ve just finished making dinner. Why don’t you stay and eat with us?”

She had said it casually out of politeness, but to her surprise, Huang Zongze immediately agreed, saying, “Great. I’ve been busy all day, so I’ll trouble you for this, Sister-in-law Fang. Let me just put my things inside first.” As he spoke, he familiarly carried his things and walked in.

Fang Qian felt a bit helpless but didn’t say anything. She gave Tang Chen an apologetic smile and then went to the kitchen to continue working.

Tang Chen also walked inside and saw Huang Zongze very casually handing fruits and other items to Xiaojun. Xiaojun happily went to his room to eat.

“I heard from Sister Fang that you, Boss Huang, are the big boss of a chemical plant. How do you have time to come here?” Tang Chen walked up to Huang Zongze with a smile, his lips curved in a harmless expression.

Huang Zongze let out a sigh and said with apparent pain, “Little brother. Since you’re Sister-in-law Fang’s brother, you must know about the explosion case three years ago. After the explosion, not only was my factory completely destroyed, but it also caused the deaths of Sister-in-law Fang’s husband and three other firefighters. I often think about it and feel extremely guilty. I’ve retired now, so when I have free time, I visit the families of the four firefighters to see if there’s anything I can help with. After all, I bear some responsibility for what happened.”

Huang Zongze’s words seemed extremely sincere. If anyone else had been there, they would likely have been moved by his demeanor. However, Tang Chen carefully noticed that although this guy appeared very sad, there was a coldness in his eyes. What was that about? Was there some hidden story?

Tang Chen asked casually, “Boss Huang, I heard about what happened back then. Did you ever find out what exactly caused it?”

Huang Zongze’s eyelid twitched involuntarily. He laughed somewhat unnaturally and said, “I heard from the firefighters that it was a spontaneous gas ignition that caused the explosion. I’m not too clear on the specific details.”

Tang Chen stared sharply at Huang Zongze for a moment. Just as he was about to say more, Fang Qian came out and announced that dinner was ready. Although Tang Chen was suspicious, he didn’t ask any further questions.

The dinner itself was quite relaxed. Even though Tang Chen doubted Huang Zongze, he had no evidence and couldn’t do anything about it.

After the meal, Huang Zongze made an excuse that he had something to do and left first. Tang Chen stayed a while longer. Seeing that it was already getting dark, he also prepared to leave.

“Tang Chen, leaving already? Won’t you stay a bit longer?” Fang Qian saw Tang Chen to the door and tried to persuade him to stay.

Tang Chen smiled and shook his head, saying, “No, Sister Fang. It’s getting late, I should head back. Just take good care of Xiaojun at home.”

“Alright then, I won’t keep you. Come again when you have time. Goodbye.” Fang Qian knew he wouldn’t stay, so she said goodbye and closed the door.

As Tang Chen walked toward his Extravagant Battle Car, he said to the System, “Dammit System, don’t you think this Huang Zongze is really strange? When I asked him about the incident three years ago, his eyes clearly showed panic for a moment. Is he hiding something?”

The System complained helplessly, “Respected Host, this is a show-off story, not a mystery. Why are you suddenly acting so deep?”

“You don’t understand a damn thing!” Tang Chen cursed angrily, saying irritably, “This Young Master just thinks it’s hard for Sister Fang to raise a child alone. If there really was something shady about what happened three years ago, then I must help them get justice.”

Tang Chen didn’t want to waste more words on the cold-hearted System. As he was about to get in the car, he suddenly saw a figure watching him from afar in the rearview mirror. Looking closely, wasn’t that Huang Zongze, who was supposed to have left?!

“Huang Zongze already left, didn’t he? Why did he come back? There really is something strange going on!” Tang Chen narrowed his eyes, thought for a moment, then opened the car door, started the engine, and drove away.

Switching to Huang Zongze’s perspective: after seeing Tang Chen leave, he spat hard and said furiously, “It’s all because of that bastard ruining my plans. Otherwise, that bitch Fang Qian would have been under me long ago. Tsk tsk, just thinking about that woman’s body—I’d die happy if I could have her just once.”

Huang Zongze seemed to get angrier as he spoke, his face twisting viciously as he added, “And that idiot even asked me what happened three years ago. I handled that matter so thoroughly, how could you possibly find out?”

“I knew it was related to you!” At that moment, Tang Chen’s furious shout rang out. Startled, Huang Zongze turned his head abruptly, only to meet a large fist smashing directly into his face.

Thud!

Several of Huang Zongze’s yellow teeth were knocked flying. His body crashed heavily against the wall, then he fell to the ground, convulsing.

“Cough, cough… you, weren’t you gone?” Huang Zongze covered his face, gasping in pain.

“Hmph, you think only you know how to play tricks?” Tang Chen stepped forward and delivered another punch, then lifted him up by the collar, saying word by word, “Tell this Young Master what exactly happened three years ago!”

“Nothing… it was just an explosion… ah!”

Huang Zongze’s eyes darted around nervously as he tried to evade the question, but Tang Chen exerted force and twisted his right arm until it broke. The pain was so intense he almost passed out.

“This Young Master heard everything clearly just now. There must be something shady about what happened three years ago. You won’t talk? Fine, this Young Master will take you to speak before the deceased!” Enraged, Tang Chen gripped his neck, exerted force, and leaped over the wall into Fang Qian’s yard.

“Sister Fang, are you still awake?” Tang Chen called out softly.

“Who is it? Tang Chen? Coming.” Fang Qian’s voice came from inside. She opened the door and, upon seeing the scene, immediately panicked, saying, “Tang Chen, what’s going on? Why are you…”

Tang Chen cut her off coldly, “Sister Fang, is Xiaojun sleeping in the other room? Close the door first. Boss Huang has something to confess.”

“Ah, alright.” Fang Qian let Tang Chen inside. Although completely bewildered, she obediently closed the door.

“Kneel!” Tang Chen kicked Huang Zongze’s head, forcing him to his knees in front of the photograph, where he groaned in pain.

“Tang Chen, what exactly is happening? Did Boss Huang offend you?”

Tang Chen sighed and said seriously, “Sister Fang, the explosion three years ago that killed your husband might not have been so simple. I suspect it was intentional.”

“What? Tang Chen, what do you mean?” The tragedy three years ago had taken the life of the man she loved most. She had decided to try to forget it, but now Tang Chen was telling her that the explosion might have been deliberate. What was going on?

Tang Chen said earnestly, “Sister Fang, I don’t know all the specific details of this matter, but Boss Huang here knows everything. We’ll know as soon as we ask him. Speak now!”

“No, no… it was nothing. It was an explosion caused by employee negligence. There’s really nothing else.” Huang Zongze of course couldn’t admit it and stubbornly denied everything.

“Still dare to lie!” Tang Chen cursed, pressed Huang Zongze’s head down to the floor, and said coldly, “Listen carefully, this Young Master is not a fool. What you said outside clearly had deeper meaning. I advise you to confess honestly, otherwise this Young Master will make your life worse than death!”

Huang Zongze was terrified. The aura emanating from Tang Chen was too overpowering; it made him feel suffocated and too afraid to resist. He timidly nodded and then began to recount the events of that year bit by bit.

Three years ago, Huang Zongze, the once prosperous chemical plant boss, faced the biggest crisis of his life. He was about to go bankrupt. Funds couldn’t be raised, and the factory was on the verge of collapse. Having lived a glorious life for most of his years, he couldn’t just watch his life’s work be destroyed. He tried every possible way to find a solution, but no one could help him.

He knew he couldn’t declare bankruptcy because the employees’ wages alone would amount to a huge compensation sum. So, he came up with a crooked idea. He secretly bought a bomb and, that night, threw it into the factory, detonating it. The bomb immediately started a fire, which drew the firefighters to the scene. He had previously bribed someone, intending to announce after the fire that the explosion was due to improper operation by workers. That way, he wouldn’t have to compensate anyone. The only thing he hadn’t anticipated was that while few workers died, four firefighters lost their lives.