Chapter 74.1 - Close Comfort
Chapter 74.1 — Close Comfort
If Qin Jiran was just an actor within the entertainment circle, old man Qin would not even place him in his eyes regardless of his rank as a Film Emperor. Towards people with their statuses, an actor was just an actor. There was no possibility they would possess the power to sway Company Qin.
But Qin Jiran’s status wasn’t as simple as just an actor. He was also the husband of family Su’s princess, Su Yanyi. Old man Qin had no choice but to value this relationship now. Of course, what old man Qin valued the most was family Su’s attitude!
If family Su didn’t really mind Qin Jiran, he wouldn’t even want to see Qin Jiran once before he died. He was just an illegitimate son. Based on his beliefs, he had no qualifications of inheriting the will. He shouldn’t divide even a bit of the will to him!
But family Su valued Qin Jiran. He had seen this through the reports by the media as well as family Su’s attitude. Therefore, he couldn’t help to be worried.
What if Qin Jiran wanted to use family Su’s power to go against family Qin? What if Qin Jiran wanted to seize family Qin’s inheritance because he wasn’t satisfied that he was abandoned?
Old man Qin laid on the hospital bed and thought about family Qin’s family properties the most. He had three sons as well as grandsons and granddaughters. What should he do with family Qin’s inheritance? Before, he had considered this problem many times. He changed the will time after time. Although it hadn’t met his expectations, he was reluctantly comforted. But in this final moment, Qin Jiran had appeared. With family Su as support, he couldn’t help to overthink this.
Old man Qin even had the conspiracy theory that family Su had stood out right now to form a relationship with Qin Jiran most likely so they can seize family Qin’s inheritance under Qin Jiran’s name. Otherwise, how come they made no moves within the three years he and Su Yanyi were married and decided to make their relationship public when he was seriously ill? If there was no plot within, this was way too coincidental!
Therefore, the old man Qin wanted to see Qin Jiran. He also thought of a couple of ways to handle him. One of the ways was to retreat in order to advance. On the surface, he was dividing the inheritance to give to Qin Jiran so that he was speechless and couldn’t attempt to gain more. Of course, there was the implication of being set up high and giving the inheritance to charity. Likewise, he could use this method to tell Qin Jiran that since he obtained a part of it then he shouldn’t attempt in vain to get more.
Besides this point, old man Qin had other thoughts. Family Qin was in disorder right while the sons and grandsons fought over the inheritance, each on their own. But if they had a common enemy then they will most likely end the fight within and fight together against the outsider. Obviously, the people old man Qin considered to be outsiders are Qin Jiran and Su Yanyi. With these people as the common target for family Qin, the inner battles won’t be that intense.
Old man Qin had exhausted his thoughts and ingenuity to consider for family Qin. In order to avoid establishing family Su as an enemy, he even smiled towards the illegitimate son he looked down upon the most. He had attempted his best.
Sun Yanyi and Qin Jiran naturally couldn’t guess through old man Qin’s painstaking efforts. Based on the two people’s IQ, they could easily guess what happened. Especially Su Yanyi who was outraged by injustice for Qin Jiran. According to her way of thinking, if Qin Jiran really accepted the offer and stopped hating family Qin, then he won’t keep his eyes on family Qin’s other properties which mean that family Su couldn’t really do anything under Qin Jiran’s name.
“Old man has great ideas.” Su Yanyi didn’t bother to disguise her sarcastic tone.
“Family Su’s girl, what do you mean by this? Do you want to stop him from admitting to his ancestral roots?” Old man Qin looked seriously, scolding her. He looked at her as though she was an immature child.
Although no matter age or bloodline wise, old man Qin was their elder, and he needed to respect the wise as well as venerate the young. However, when he heard that old man Qin talked to Su Yanyi with a reprimanding tone, Qin Jiran was angry!
“Old man Qin, you know your motives. You are smart but please don’t take others to be stupid either. I am treating you like a stranger so please don’t find problems for me and insist upon establishing a couple more enemies!” Qin Jiran walked up and blocked in front of Su Yanyi. It was obvious he was trying to protect her!
He definitely couldn’t tolerate Su Yanyi being scolded because of himself. Therefore, Qin Jiran spoke without apprehension. Since old man Qin wanted to plot against him, then he needed to assume the evil consequences of doing so!
This was the first time Qin Jiran wanted to plot against family Qin. He undoubtedly wanted nothing and did nothing. How come family Qin still found him time after time, wanting to humiliate and scheme against him? What did family Qin take him to be!
“Presumptuous. This is how you speak to your elders? Do you really not understand what manners are or did family Su give you the confidence to do so?”
“Old man, cool down. Mister Qin just misunderstood you. Please don’t get angry. Pay attention to your body.” Zhang Yuanzhuo immediately came up to calm down old man Qin, as if deep in thought.
Misunderstanding? Just what would be considered a misunderstanding? Qin Jiran felt as if he hadn’t misunderstood anything! This old man obviously came without good intentions!
“I don’t think this is a misunderstanding. This is an open secret. It was obvious that nothing good will come out of the old man Qin finding us. Inheritance? You want to give Jiran a little inheritance then make him a target amongst family Qin. When the time comes, not only will Jiran not be mad at you but he will also be thankful you had given him some inheritance. He would even become the target of everyone’s scheming and help you settle the internal strifes within family Qin. Old man, do you really think we are stupid?”
Su Yanyi revealed the hidden meaning and was slapping old man Qin’s face in public too. However, since he dared to scheme them like this, how would she not be embarrassed to say this out loud?
Old man Qin’s originally sallow face turned red. Half the reason due to anger and the other had to do with Su Yanyi’s words. When people become old, they are fond of their faces. Now that his thoughts were pointed out in public, old man Qin looked at Su Yanyi as though he was looking at his enemy.
From his beliefs, the only reason why Qin Jiran became his apprehension was because of Su Yanyi. Otherwise, where did this illegitimate grandson have the confidence to challenge him?
“Humph, I think you guys are the ones that have an open secret. You and he already married three years ago but kept the news in secret until you announce your relationship not too long ago. I was already seriously ill at the time. It goes without saying why you guys had chosen to make your relationship public. Qin Jiran, you are the grandson of family Qin. Are you really going to plot against your relatives with an outsider?” Old man Qin sat up, with the help of Zhang Yuanzhuo. He panted for breath, completely embodying the image of a seriously ill person.
Everyone knew about old man Qin’s sickness but to what extent and how long he could hold on, was something not everyone was able to understand. Su Yanyi couldn’t help but think of sentence: gauge a gentleman’s heart with one’s own mean measure.
If it weren’t for family Qin who joined forces with outsiders to expose Qin Jiran and family Qin’s relationship, even if she knew, she wouldn’t have done anything to family Qin. Especially since Qin Jiran wanted nothing to do with family Qin so where would he even have the time to scheme for family Qin’s inheritance? But old man Qin actually thought they plotted for the relationship to be made public. This was ridiculous and absurd!
Su Yanyi thought it was amusing. In reality, however, it’s not that she couldn’t understand why old man Qin had believed everything to be a conspiracy. She was just furious that this impression was placed on her and Qin Jiran.
Su Yanyi laughed, talking before Qin Jiran could: “Old man, are you teaching us what to do? From the start, we were not interested in family Qin’s inheritance. After your words, I think we could consider it. No one dislikes having more money.”
Didn’t old man Qin cared about family Qin’s inheritance? Didn’t he want to guard against them, to the point he plotted for them to be everyone’s common enemy? Since this was the case, if she wasn’t being true to the title, then she should be sorry with the old man’s scheme!
Su Yanyi was like this, a person who enjoyed a challenge and liked to use a similar, eye to the eye tactic, to handle her enemies. At the same time, she loved slapping one’s face when doing something. She would destroy whatever her enemy cared about. This was the most satisfying way of battling!
Old man Qin felt that he was about to faint from lack of oxygen. This stupid girl seemed to be saying that he was the one who asked to be schemed. He was extremely furious!
Old man Qin would never admit that he gauged a gentleman’s heart with his own mean measures. In his eyes, this illegitimate grandson, Qin Jiran, wanted to combine the strength of family Su in order to scheme family Qin. But this was something he would never allow. He needed to do everything he could to prevent this.
“Humph, the ambition of wild wolves. Do you think you can seize family Qin’s inheritance by relying on an illegitimate son? This is ridiculous. I agree to give you guys some only because he is part of the bloodline. Don’t try to win an inch and want a foot. It’s better if you guys know your places. Cough, cough, cough…” The old man was so angry he started to violently cough before his words were even finished. He looked worn out.
Su Yanyi furrowed her eyebrows, thinking it really wasn’t worthwhile to argue with an old man who was about to die. Although she was indifferent about her reputation, she didn’t wish for rumors of how she angered someone to the point they died to spread. How wronged would she bad?
“Don’t you think that you’re trying to find problems out of nowhere?” Su Yanyi asked calmly. Seeing the old man like this, she wasn’t even angry anymore. This world is so big, with all sorts of people. There was no need to be upset with a man about to die. Then, she is being too narrow-minded.
Su Yanyi held onto Qin Jiran’s hand, looking at the door and hinting at him to leave. She thought that there was no need to stay here anymore. More so, she believed it was a waste of time to communicate with someone who wasn’t on the same level as them. There wasn’t really the necessity.
Qin Jiran thought there was no reason to stay here either. Since he understood old man Qin’s motives then they should leave. He didn’t want to listen to this old man say anything more. He had nothing to say to him either. People who walked different paths couldn’t make decisions together.
“I have nothing to do with family Qin. Don’t force me to become enemies with family Qin. Do your beast.” Qin Jiran linked his hand with Su Yanyi’s, leaving. They faintly heard old man Qin’s angry voice from behind but this had nothing to do with them. In reality, he didn’t want to threaten him but he was annoyed with old man Qin’s persistent phone calls. Plus, when he came here, he had faced a scene like this. This truly made him disgusted. He hoped that his words would lead family Qin to be cautious and not bother him anymore.
“I really don’t want anything to do with them. Family Qin, to me, doesn’t even worth more than a stranger.” Qin Jiran and Su Yanyi were walking when he responded in a sour tone. If he could choose, he’d rather everyone in family Qin to be unable to recognize him.
“I understand.” She naturally understood. If it weren’t for family Qin who looked for problems, she was unwilling to have any relations with family Qin either.