Chapter 64
When Ling Sicheng left H City at the age of six, he had no memory of Duan Montao, and his impressions of the Duan family were all based on what his mother had told him.
His mother harbored a deep hatred for the Duan family, so naturally, she didn’t have anything good to say about them.
As for Duan Montao, his mother only felt that the old man was too stubborn. If not for that, Duan Yang, that beast of a father, wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to try to destroy his father.
This suggested that Old Master Duan wasn’t entirely to blame.
During the month that Ling Sicheng stayed at the old man’s house, he saw a nearly eighty-year-old man tirelessly working for the Duan family, all while suffering the pain of being betrayed by his closest loved ones.
Ling Sicheng had often woken up in the middle of the night to find Old Master Duan standing alone in the yard, smoking.
But when he was with Ling Sicheng, the old man was always gentle and kind, carefully showing concern for everything about him, even if it sometimes seemed a bit awkward.
Ling Sicheng could tell the old man wanted to make up for lost time. He didn’t just want to pass on the entire Duan family to Ling Sicheng; he also wanted to fulfill his role as a grandfather.
But they hadn’t seen each other in too long, and the old man didn’t know how to strike the right balance. Sometimes, his actions seemed unsure.
Ling Sicheng’s nose suddenly tingled with emotion. He stared up at the ceiling, thinking, What kind of person is Duan Yang? How could he be so cold-blooded?
Even someone like him, who had only spent a month with the old man, could feel how kind Old Master Duan was. Yet Duan Yang, who had grown up with him and been pampered since childhood, could still do such things.
He really deserves to be punished! Ling Sicheng thought, remembering how he had only knocked Duan Yang down earlier that day. He regretted not hitting him harder—he should’ve beaten him senseless, or worse!
“Sicheng.”
The old man, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke. His voice was hoarse after a long period of silence.
Ling Sicheng quickly poured him a glass of water. “Grandpa, how are you feeling?”
Old Master Duan took a few sips from his hand and smiled warmly at him. “You child, why aren’t you sleeping in the bed outside? You’re so tall, it must be uncomfortable to sleep on such a small sofa. I’m fine now; you should go to sleep.”
Ling Sicheng tucked the blanket around him and smiled. “It’s fine. I can sleep here. If you need water in the middle of the night, no one else will hear you. I’ll stay here by your side. It’s getting late now, you need to rest. I’ll turn off the lights and let you sleep well, okay?”
Old Master Duan understood that Ling Sicheng was worried about him. His heart swelled with both happiness and sorrow. He grasped Ling Sicheng’s hand and patted it gently. “There’s no rush. I can’t sleep yet. Stay and talk with me. Tell me about the summer vacations you spent at your grandparents’ house. Is that alright?”
Ling Sicheng occasionally shared memories with the old man, as he could tell that Old Master Duan was genuinely interested but afraid of bringing up topics that might be too painful for Ling Sicheng to discuss. He always waited for the younger man to mention them casually, listening with great attention whenever it came up.
It was rare for the old man to bring up such a topic himself.
Ling Sicheng nodded. “Sure. My grandparents’ house was beautiful, right by the mountains and a lake. The people there don’t drink tap water; everyone goes up the mountain to collect spring water every morning and evening. The mountain was full of wild animals. I used to climb trees with the village kids to find bird nests, and we even went down to the lake to catch fish. There’s a big lake there, and they say there are huge wild pigs in the water that can even eat people. I was scared when I first heard that, but I still secretly went to play…”
Old Master Duan listened quietly, his heart filled with a sense of yearning as he saw how happy Ling Sicheng was recounting the past, realizing he had never been part of such moments.
What a good child, just like his father. But he had failed to protect them properly.
Ling Sicheng noticed the sadness in the old man’s eyes and immediately asked with concern, “What’s wrong? Are you tired?”
Old Master Duan shook his head. “No, it’s just that hearing you talk about it makes me want to go there and live permanently.”
Ling Sicheng laughed. “It really is a perfect place to live. Yanyan stayed at my place once, and if he hadn’t been worried about Su Yunzhe finding him, he would have stayed there forever. Grandpa, if you want to go, once you’re better, I’ll go with you. The environment there is great, the air is clean, and the neighbors are all easy to get along with. You might not want to leave once you get there.”
Old Master Duan smiled. “Really? Then I might really go.”
“Of course. It’s not difficult. As soon as the doctor gives you the okay to leave, I’ll take you there immediately,” Ling Sicheng replied.
“Alright, it’s settled then. Sicheng, you’re a good child. I’ve never done anything for you, yet you’re so kind to me. You’re just like your father.” Old Master Duan patted his hand with a sigh.
Ling Sicheng quickly comforted him, “Don’t say that. It’s nothing…”
Old Master Duan shook his head, interrupting him. “I’m just speaking from the heart. It’s nothing. But I’ve been thinking, if I hadn’t been so stubborn and insisted on having your father take over the family business, he wouldn’t have been resented by his own brother, and things wouldn’t have ended up this way…”
“Forget it, forget it,” he waved his hand. “Let’s not talk about the past anymore. Now, I just want to make sure I don’t repeat my mistakes. If you’re like your father and don’t want to take over Duan Shi, I won’t force you. I’m planning to resign from the chairman position after I leave the hospital, sell off the stocks, and if you don’t want the inheritance, I’ll donate it. If I’d always been poor, I wouldn’t have these troubles. It’s just…”
He paused, looking at Ling Sicheng. “When I think about it, I’ve worked my whole life, and now Duan Shi is gone. It’s hard not to feel upset.”
Ling Sicheng opened his mouth, unsure of what to say.
He had never wanted a single cent from the Duan family, and he certainly didn’t want Duan Shi. He wasn’t cut out for running such a big company.
Old Master Duan was right—he was just like his father, only capable of doing the simplest of jobs. If Duan Shi had been handed to him, it would have been a disaster.
Old Master Duan had suddenly said he wouldn’t force him to inherit the company, and he should have felt relieved.
But hearing the old man speak those words in this situation, Ling Sicheng felt that if he agreed, it would be a betrayal.
No one could have the same deep feelings for Duan Shi as Old Master Duan did. That business empire was something he had painstakingly built from nothing. The idea of handing it over because he couldn’t find a suitable heir must be something he was deeply reluctant to do.
In the past, Ling Sicheng had been unwilling to inherit because he thought Old Master Duan didn’t really need to pass Duan Shi to him. He didn’t want it, and he thought Duan Yang was a better fit.
But now that Old Master Duan couldn’t give it to Duan Yang, it meant that Ling Sicheng was the only heir.
If he didn’t want it, it would have to be given up.
“Grandpa, I can’t manage the company. I’m just not the right person for it. But if you agree to let me hire professional managers, I’ll inherit it,” Ling Sicheng blurted out the words before he even realized it. He had agreed.
“Really?” Old Master Duan’s eyes lit up with joy.
Ling Sicheng didn’t hesitate for a moment and nodded. “Really.”
“Good, good. I’ll call the lawyer tomorrow and finalize everything. I won’t object to hiring professional managers; they’re more capable anyway. Sicheng, you… you’re sure about this, right?”
Old Master Duan was both happy and uncertain, afraid of pressuring Ling Sicheng too much.
“No, I’m just afraid you’ll want me to take charge. As long as you don’t need me to, it’s fine.” Whether he was reluctant or not didn’t matter anymore. In Ling Sichen’s eyes, it was enough to see the old man so happy. After all, at his age, he only had this unfamiliar grandson by his side. It was about time to make the old man happy.
The old man was eager to transfer the Duan family business to Ling Sichen’s name. Over the next few days, even while hospitalized, he was busy every day—introducing Ling Sichen to many senior figures in various companies, explaining the company’s situation, and arranging for a professional manager to be found.
Shen Yan and Su Yunzhe had visited him several times, but he was always too busy.
However, it seemed like his mental burden had been lifted, and he seemed much more energetic. After undergoing several comprehensive health checks, his heart was in a completely stable and healthy condition.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect Ling Ge to agree. He really is one of those tough on the outside but soft on the inside guys. Looking at it this way, Feng Ge still has a chance,” Shen Yan said as they left the hospital on their way home. He was sitting in the passenger seat, peeling chestnuts and chatting intermittently with Su Yunzhe.
“Of course! Do you think my judgment is wrong?” Su Yunzhe raised an eyebrow smugly.
Shen Yan popped a peeled chestnut into his mouth. “Yes, yes, you’re very insightful! But with all that insight, how did you not realize Ling Ge would inherit the Duan family business? He’ll probably be staying in H City for quite a while. By now, Feng Ge must have quit his job at the school and moved to Ling Ge’s hometown to live there. He probably thought that being closer to Ling Ge would give him an advantage, but…”
Shen Yan shook his head. “He lost the game! He lost his job and still won’t get what he wants.”
“That’s not my problem. I’m just here to point him in the right direction. Does he expect me to help him chase someone?” Su Yunzhe said.
Shen Yan chuckled. “You make it sound like you know how to chase someone. Do you remember your roses and your tacky candlelight lunch?”
Su Yunzhe pinched his cheek. “How is that tacky? I successfully won over my wife and even got her pregnant.”
“Was that really because you chased her? That was… because you were so handsome, okay? Try being uglier and see if it still works!” Shen Yan thought to himself as he continued to eat chestnuts.
In reality, he wasn’t even sure when he started to like Su Yunzhe, but it definitely wasn’t because of the roses and candlelit dinners that made his heart flutter.
When they got home, it was still early. Shen Yan, who had been feeling sleepy since the pregnancy, ate a little and then curled up on the couch, falling asleep.
When he woke up, it was already around five in the afternoon. Su Yunzhe was standing on the balcony, taking a call. In the distance, the late-returning yachts left white waves on the sea, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of seafood chicken soup.
Shen Yan lazily turned over, propping his head on his arm as he watched Su Yunzhe’s silhouette.
However, Su Yunzhe’s call lasted so long that Shen Yan almost felt like he was turning into a stone statue waiting for his husband to return his attention. The other person didn’t even seem to sense his presence.
After thinking for a moment, Shen Yan got up and walked over. He hugged Su Yunzhe from behind, said nothing, and simply rested his head on his shoulder while watching the distant waves.
Su Yunzhe patted his cheek, continuing his conversation on the phone. It was almost over, but Shen Yan could still tell from the tone that they were discussing something serious. Instantly, his mind became alert.
After Su Yunzhe hung up, Shen Yan couldn’t wait to ask, “Shen Bowen made his move?”
Su Yunzhe nodded. “Yes, he made contact with people in the underworld. Then he reached out to Wu Ying and they’ve set up a meeting time and place.”
Shen Yan felt a twinge of anxiety. “Is it foolproof?”
This idea had come to him easily, but after all, he was just an ordinary person with no real experience in such dangerous matters. Now that it was happening, he couldn’t help but feel nervous.
Su Yunzhe squeezed his hand. “Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to Wu Ying. All we need is for her to know that Shen Bowen plans to kill her to silence her.”
