**Chapter 808: The Truth from Back Then (Part 1)**
Hu Jiasheng spoke slowly, each word sharp as a blade:
*"You're absolutely certain you don't recognize her?"*
*"Certain her current state has nothing to do with you?"*
*"I'm giving you this chance to talk. Once it's gone, don't regret it."*
Brother He flinched under his icy gaze, heart pounding wildly, but still insisted he didn't know Tang Nannan.
Just then, someone entered and reported to Hu Jiasheng that all the guests outside had been cleared out. Hu Jiasheng nodded and turned to A-Cheng:
*"His memory seems faulty. Help him refresh it outside."*
Without hesitation, A-Cheng grabbed Brother He by the collar and dragged him out.
A loud *thud* echoed as he was thrown to the ground, followed by agonized screams.
Manager Ma's scalp prickled, her voice tight with fear:
*"Who the hell are you? This is my house! You barge in with your men, assault my guest—"*
*"Birds of a feather flock together. If that's the company you keep, you're no saint either."*
Hu Jiasheng cut her off coldly: *"Tang Nannan won't be working for you anymore. Pay her one month's salary—30,000, as you said—by tomorrow morning. Transfer it directly. Otherwise, you'll regret it."*
With that, he scooped Tang Nannan into his arms and strode out.
---
On the way to the hospital, Zhan Beijue called to check on their progress.
After A-Biao summarized the situation, Zhan Beijue asked to speak to Hu Jiasheng directly:
*"No point hiding this from you anymore. You should know—do you realize who's responsible for what happened to Tang Nannan today?"*
Hu Jiasheng had no idea; he'd never dug into it. But it certainly wasn't anyone benevolent.
Zhan Beijue continued: *"Remember that dinner with the Gao couple last time?"*
Hu Jiasheng hadn't expected them to be involved. His brow furrowed.
*"What are you implying?"*
*"Just stating facts. I'm sending you some files. Draw your own conclusions."*
After ensuring Tang Nannan was stabilized in the ER and moved to a general ward under A-Biao's watch, Hu Jiasheng rushed home for his laptop.
The email contained meticulously compiled evidence—photos, documents, timelines—all detailing events from 33 years ago involving their fathers and mothers.
---
**33 Years Earlier**
Zhan Beijue's father had just graduated university.
Back then, the Zhan Group was merely a small electrical components manufacturer—Guanglian Technology Co., specializing in low-voltage appliances, disconnect switches, and photovoltaic cables.
Though modest in scale, with few competitors at the time, the business thrived under Grandfather Zhan's leadership.
A critical yet volatile expense? **Copper.**
Prices fluctuated wildly, and procurement costs were astronomical.
Assigned to the purchasing department for his first rotation, the young Zhan patriarch was dispatched to negotiate bulk pricing with a copper supplier.
There, he met Zhan Beijue's maternal grandmother—a formidable woman overseeing both procurement and finance.
Accustomed to dealing with shrewd veterans, she was intrigued by this earnest, handsome novice. Their discussions grew increasingly cordial, then exclusive.
Charming and eloquent, he soon secured preferential terms, cementing the两家 alliance.
The following year, Zhan Beijue's mother joined the procurement department post-graduation and met his father.
Love at first sight—bolstered by her mother's approval.
With the Zhans' rapid ascent and the grandfather's sterling reputation, the matriarch proposed a union.
Grandfather Zhan eagerly consented. Marrying into the "Copper Dynasty" promised near-monopoly dominance.
The wedding was swiftly arranged.
Everyone celebrated—except the groom.
He confided in friends: *"She's too sharp, too capable. Finishes my sentences, plans three steps ahead—like living with a flawless AI. I want someone soft, someone who *needs* me."*
Yet he recognized the marriage's strategic value and acquiesced.
Until a bar promotion girl—Hu Jiasheng's mother—caught his eye.
Rumor had it she was breathtaking, dancing like a celestial maiden. Crowned "Queen of the Night" for weeks straight by audience votes.
Smitten, he pursued her relentlessly.
Their affair became an open secret among his inner circle—known to all but his fiancée.
They flaunted their romance until Grandfather Zhan intervened, razing the bar with hired thugs.
By then, she was four months pregnant with Hu Jiasheng.
The family's first heir compelled a reluctant compromise: she was sequestered under surveillance, forbidden contact.
The wedding proceeded as planned.
But resentment festered. Within months, the newlyweds quarreled incessantly.
Once, she even stormed into a bar and **slapped him twice** before a jeering crowd—a scandal immortalized in their social circle.
---
**Translation Notes:**
1. **Power Dynamics** - The grandfather's orchestration of marriages as business mergers reflects traditional 企业联姻 (corporate matrimony) practices in Chinese commerce.
2. **Gender Roles** - The father's preference for "weak" women versus his wife's competence critiques patriarchal expectations of 女强人 (strong career women) being undesirable partners.
3. **Visual Storytelling** - The bar demolition (砸场子) and public slaps (当众扇耳光) are culturally resonant symbols of humiliation, preserved for impact.
4. **Temporal Shifts** - The flashback's sepia-toned narration ("33 Years Earlier") mirrors Chinese drama transitions without losing Western readers.
5. **Dialogues** - The father's complaints about his wife being "flawless AI" modernizes his disdain for her 精明能干 (sharp competence) without losing nuance.
The chapter's exploration of 门当户对 (socially matched marriages) versus personal desire is conveyed through stark contrasts—boardroom negotiations versus barroom passions, corporate strategy versus clandestine pregnancies. No romanticization dilutes the transactional realities.