"My mother was well-read and law-abiding; what serious crime could she possibly have committed? Let’s see how you invent one," Liu Hui demanded.

"Heh heh, you never know until you look. Our investigation revealed that your esteemed mother is actually a counter-revolutionary," Guo Jia chuckled.

"Oh, that's somewhat novel. Counter-revolutionary. Haven't heard that charge in years," Liu Hui mused, stroking his chin.

"You probably don't even know your mother's real name yet?"

"Of course I know my mother's name! Is there an issue with that?" Liu Hui was beginning to feel intrigued.

"Heh heh, your mother truly is legendary! Tracing her took considerable effort on our part. It seems you truly are unaware of your mother's past. Very well, I shall enlighten you: Your mother's real name is Mina. She is from Huhuai City. Before the Liberation, her parents were renowned commercial magnates in Huhuai, running a massive business. After the Liberation, they were simply called capitalists. Your mother was born after the founding of the new China. She received extremely strict upbringing. Although your mother didn't enjoy extravagant material comfort, under the guidance of your maternal grandparents, she became educated, refined, and deeply knowledgeable. Her family life was quite happy until that upheaval starting in the 1960s, which led to the persecution and death of your grandparents, leaving your mother alone. She was barely a teenager then. Don't you think your mother suffered greatly?" Guo Jia watched Liu Hui with a faint smile.

"Spare me the dramatics. Continue," Liu Hui said coldly.

"When your mother was in high school, she met a man. That man’s parents, much like your grandparents, were commercial tycoons before the Liberation, and they too had been denounced and killed. Their shared fate drew them together, and they fell in love. However, the pressures of reality prevented them from being together; they couldn't even publicly acknowledge their relationship. Then, the infamous Down to the Mountains and Countryside Movement began. Both your mother and the man she loved were sent down to a small mountain village along the coast. Fortunately, their labor assignments were close enough for them to meet often. Working side-by-side only deepened their bond. At some point, your mother and that man secretly began living together. The following year, your mother gave birth to a boy," Guo Jia observed Liu Hui meaningfully.

"Are you saying my mother gave birth to a boy?" Liu Hui's voice trembled slightly.

"Heh heh, don't worry, that wasn't you. Let me continue. That man of your mother’s was quite something. He endured immense pressure, sacrificed much, and raised your mother and her child until the boy was three years old—by then it was 1976. That man’s paternal grandfather overseas was nearing death and had prepared a substantial inheritance; the man was his sole heir. Given the political climate, he couldn't possibly leave the country through proper channels to claim it. In desperation, the old man sent agents into the country. After contacting the man, they made the decision to smuggle him out."

Guo Jia glanced at Liu Hui’s tense posture with satisfaction, then continued, "The plan was sound, and the execution went well. The people sent to meet them had located the man and the child and were preparing to move when the child woke up and started crying. You must understand, people in that era were extremely vigilant. As soon as they heard a disturbance, they immediately converged on that location. If they had been discovered, not one of those people would have escaped; a far more tragic fate awaited them. In that moment of extreme urgency, your mother’s maternal instinct surged. She urged the man to take the child and leave immediately, while she went out to deal with the gathering villagers. The man was naturally unwilling, but your mother hardened her heart and left him. She faced the villagers’ fury alone, refusing to reveal anything about the child or anything else. I hear your mother was severely denounced and struggled against those villagers several times. When she returned home, she lay ill for months, confined to her bed."

Listening to his mother's tragic ordeal, Liu Hui clenched his fists so tightly that he didn't notice his own nails digging into his palms.

Guo Jia watched Liu Hui’s reaction with pleasure, then resumed, "Separated from the man and child she loved, and subjected to the savage beatings from the villagers, your mother lost all zest for life. One night, she secretly climbed onto a train that was stopped nearby and fled that sorrowful place. She survived by begging, enduring unimaginable hardships. She would secretly board any train she saw, only wanting to put distance between herself and the place that caused her such pain. Over several months, she managed to travel from the coast all the way inland to Bashan City. However, the constant wandering and deprivation severely weakened her body, and she finally fell gravely ill. Confused and delirious, she wandered into the small town of Pingding Mountain and collapsed right outside your father’s door."

Guo Jia glanced at Liu Hui, but by this point, Liu Hui’s intense emotion had subsided, leaving his face expressionless. Guo Jia was slightly disappointed but continued, "Your father was a kind man. He saved your mother and even hired someone to cure her illness. While caring for her, he became captivated by her. He fell in love with her and proposed marriage. But how could a woman who had just lost her beloved and her child quickly accept a new relationship? So, she refused your father. Your father wasn't angry. Seeing that your mother had nowhere to go, he took her in. Although your father was just an ordinary farmer, he was extremely devoted in love and treated your mother very well. In those times, a person of your mother’s unknown background simply couldn't survive in China. One day, your father was hunting deep in the mountains and discovered the body of a young woman who had recently passed away. Your father immediately found her family, persuaded them not to report the death to the police station, and then had your mother assume that deceased woman’s household registration. That woman’s name—which is your mother’s current name—was Huang Ermei. Heh heh, don't you find that amusing? A woman of your mother’s temperament having such a rustic name?"

"What's so funny about it? A name is just a designation. In the eyes of a child, a mother is sacred and cannot be profaned," Liu Hui said coldly.

"Heh heh, I was out of line. I apologize. Let me continue. Your father was a man of perseverance. Although your mother rejected him, he cared for her day in and day out for years. As time passed, the domestic situation didn't change significantly. Your mother still couldn't see a day when she would reunite with the man and child she loved. Moved by your father's genuine affection and utterly disheartened, she finally agreed to marry your father, and then you were born," Guo Jia concluded this legendary account.

"It is certainly legendary, but this isn't a major issue. At most, it was an illegal change of household registration; it doesn't qualify as counter-revolutionary. You’ve told me all this for a reason beyond just clearing up my confusion, haven't you?" Liu Hui asked mockingly.

"Heh heh, as expected of Boss Liu, you spotted the issue so quickly. When your mother fled that coastal village, the villagers reported her to the authorities as a fugitive counter-revolutionary. At the time, a few wanted notices were briefly issued, but your mother hid in a remote place like Pingding Mountain and changed her name, so no one ever found her. Later, the upheaval ended, and the nation began rehabilitations. If your mother had applied, her counter-revolutionary status could have been removed at any time. But the heartbreak she suffered in that coastal fishing village made her never seek out those people to clarify things. You must understand, in China, if the people don't pursue something, the officials rarely bother to investigate. If the party concerned isn't anxious, who will rush to clear your name? Thus, your mother’s problem is this: to this day, she remains officially classified as a counter-revolutionary," Guo Jia finished, smiling at Liu Hui.

"Following your agency's usual procedures, you wouldn't just tell me the answer, would you? Surely you have taken further action?" Liu Hui sneered.

"Heh heh, Boss Liu really understands us. Your father, for alleged corruption, and your mother, for counter-revolution, have already been arrested by the Bashan State Security Bureau. Oh, and those two men you sent to secretly protect them? We’ve brought them in too," Guo Jia finally showed a triumphant expression.

"Mother being a so-called counter-revolutionary warrants the involvement of the State Security Bureau; that's somewhat understandable. But Father is merely a so-called corrupt official, yet he receives the same treatment from the State Security Bureau? Isn't that making a mountain out of a molehill? Should I perhaps offer my thanks for such attention?" Liu Hui coldly laughed.

"If you offer thanks, I'll say you're welcome!" Guo Jia replied cheerfully.

"Things have reached this point. I must hand the hospital over to you now?" Liu Hui asked.

"If you hand the hospital over to us, we will resolve everything the higher-ups mentioned, and you can live your happy life in peace," Guo Jia smiled.

"I still don't agree," Liu Hui suddenly laughed.

"You don't agree? Why?" Guo Jia asked loudly.

"You can threaten me with them this time, but you can use them to threaten me again next time. Rather than being controlled by you for my whole life, I'd rather we destroy each other so that no one gains anything," Liu Hui’s expression changed drastically.

"It seems you haven't grasped the gravity of the situation. You think just because they are in trouble, and you aren't, that you can defy us?" Guo Jia remained unruffled.

"Do you have something else that could implicate me as well?" Liu Hui asked.

"Heh heh, remember on New Year's Day, a group of men in black attacked your hospital? You fought them off and killed many of them, correct?" Guo Jia suddenly inquired.

"That's right. You’re not suggesting these men were government agents, and we should pay with our lives, are you!" Liu Hui sneered.

"Those men in black have nothing to do with us; they were Japanese. I don't care how many you killed. However, you shouldn't have killed one of them named Sakai," Guo Jia stated.

"Oh, should I not have killed him? Should I have waited for him to kill all of us? I recall he killed two of our security guards!"

"That man Sakai was a crucial spy we had embedded deep within Japan, a sleeper agent for over a decade, very close to reaching our target. But he was killed by your hospital staff, causing immense loss to the nation—do you realize that? As the owner of the hospital, can you truly bear the crime of murdering a vital national operative?" Guo Jia’s voice suddenly rose, attempting to intimidate Liu Hui, yet deliberately omitting any mention of Sakai having initiated the violence or killed anyone.

Applause suddenly rang out from beyond the room. The basement door was pushed open, and two figures entered. One threw the captive Wen Sheng onto the floor, while the other laughed, "Not bad, truly splendid! I managed to catch a fine show."

～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～ Many people have been criticizing Qian Yu Chu Hai these past two days, but Qian Yu Chu Hai is quite pleased because they aren't just aimlessly criticizing; they are pointing out many inappropriate or poorly written aspects of the book. Qian Yu Chu Hai will pay attention to improving these points going forward. Thank you!