153: The Secret Past of the Wealthy Businessman Zhou Xiaodong

"What do you mean by that?"

Gao Ze stopped and looked at Zhou Xiaodong, who was walking beside him.

"Officer Gao, there's no need to hide it from you. I do indeed have concerns about my father-in-law. My wife, Han Jingmei, is his youngest and most favored daughter, which made her pampered since childhood."

Zhou Xiaodong said, "But my wife, Han Jingmei, is not bad at heart. She manages some small investments and businesses and has never had conflicts with anyone. She has only offended one person!"

"That would be my ex-wife, Xu Meijuan!"

"You have an ex-wife? Han Jingmei isn't your first wife?"

Gao Ze's pupils constricted, feeling very surprised, because the intelligence system had released information about Zhou Xiaodong, saying that he was self-disciplined, deeply in love with his wife, and his only pain was that his daughter, Zhou Lina, disappeared when she was seven years old.

"No, I got married when I was twenty-three. At that time, my wife, Xu Meijuan, and I came to Donghai City together to work hard and start a business."

Zhou Xiaodong shook his head and said, "I originally thought our marital relationship would be stable and long-lasting, growing old together, but I didn't expect that as our business succeeded and we accumulated vast assets, our marital affection would gradually fade, and we would drift apart."

"My wife, Xu Meijuan, became addicted to gambling, often playing cards, or going shopping and hanging out with some young men!"

"Seeing her like this, I tried to persuade her, but it was useless. I couldn't make her settle down. Maybe this is the seven-year itch. Gradually, I developed feelings for Han Jingmei, who liked me at the time."

"Finally, six years ago, my wife, Xu Meijuan, asked me for a divorce, and I agreed!"

"Why do you say Han Jingmei offended your ex-wife, Xu Meijuan?"

A hint of confusion flashed in the depths of Gao Ze's eyes as he asked, "What happened to your missing daughter, Zhou Lina? She should be the child you had with your ex-wife, Xu Meijuan, right?"

"Officer Gao, your questions are essentially one and the same!"

Zhou Xiaodong sighed softly, his eyes filled with reminiscence, "Lina is indeed the daughter I had with my ex-wife, Xu Meijuan. I value and cherish her greatly, and Xu Meijuan feels the same."

"Back then, my ex-wife, Xu Meijuan, knew that Han Jingmei and I had been intimate. She severely warned her that she must treat my daughter, Xu Meijuan, well, like her own biological daughter, or else she wouldn't let her off easy!"

"But just one year later, my daughter, Lina, disappeared."

Gao Ze's heart jolted, and he quickly asked, "How did your daughter, Lina, disappear?"

"She was buying milk tea after school and was abducted by human traffickers. At that time, Han Jingmei and I were married. After learning of the child's disappearance, we reported it to the police. We reviewed the surveillance footage and saw a man luring Lina away."

"I understand what you mean. You suspect that the kidnapping of Han Jingmei's child might be the work of your ex-wife, Xu Meijuan."

Gao Ze's gaze deepened as he said, "Your daughter, Lina, was cherished by Xu Meijuan. Learning of her abduction and loss would indeed make her blame and resent your wife, Han Jingmei!"

"It can be said that your wife, Han Jingmei, is Xu Meijuan's enemy, and she has sufficient motive to orchestrate this kidnapping case!"

"Where is your ex-wife, Xu Meijuan?"

"After she divorced you that year, where did she go?"

Zhou Xiaodong said, "She went abroad!"

"Abroad?" Gao Ze frowned, asking incredulously, "Which country did she go to, and why did she go abroad after divorcing you?"

"She went to Switzerland, her favorite country!"

Zhou Xiaodong shook his head and said, "I also don't understand why she wanted to go abroad. She clearly still had businesses, friends, and lovers in China, but she told me she wanted to see the world!"

"Do you still have contact with your ex-wife, Xu Meijuan?"

Gao Ze asked, "Do you know her current situation?"

"We haven't had contact for a long time!"

"I only received a landscape photo she took in Switzerland on my wedding day, which she sent to me. Since then, I haven't received any information from her."

Zhou Xiaodong said, "I can't get any information about her from her friends either."

Gao Ze frowned deeply and said, "Are the Switzerland landscape photos Xu Meijuan sent you back then still around? Let me see them!"

"Yes, I've always kept them on my phone as a memento!"

Zhou Xiaodong took out his phone and found the photos in his gallery. There were five photos of Xu Meijuan in total.

The photos showed a beautiful, fair-skinned woman, smiling like a young girl at the foot of a snowy mountain, or standing by a shimmering lake, or opening her arms on a fairytale-like blue sky and grassy field, or walking barefoot on the beach.

Analyzing the photos superficially, all of them conveyed happiness and joy.

"Can you send these photos to me?"

"No problem, as long as I can find my child, Zhou Xinchen!"

Zhou Xiaodong sent the five photos to Gao Ze's phone, his face filled with sorrow as he said, "I've already lost one daughter; I can't lose another child!"

..............