DLRAS Chapter 77

Chapter 77: I hope you can help me build this bridge.

Lawyer Zhu sat rigidly on the other side of Huo Niansheng, his expression formal and solemn, making his boss look like an irrelevant idler by contrast.

Everyone else took their positions, sitting in the same seats as yesterday.

Jiang Wanxia had added a shawl today. Wrapping herself tightly, she steadfastly maintained her demand—

Jiang Cai was to change her surname to Huo, return to live with the Huo family, and have a rightful share of the inheritance.

Huo Zhenfei addressed her: “Ms. Jiang, as far as I know, you and your daughter have been living without a fixed residence for these past years, and your financial situation has always been rather tight. After depending on each other for survival for so long, can you bear to be separated from her?”

He gave a faint smile. “Why not just take her with you? The two of you can pick out a house you like, which will be given to you unconditionally. Additionally, the Huo family will pay in full the alimony that should have been provided over the years. This would be best for both sides.”

Jiang Wanxia argued, “But what about after I die? How old is she? No matter how much money you give her, she won’t be able to hold onto it!”

Huo Zhenfei feigned ignorance. “We live in a society governed by law now; how could she not hold onto it? I believe your worry is superfluous.”

Jiang Wanxia threatened coldly, “I’ll go to the media and air my grievances. I also know a lot of shameful secrets about Huo Fenglai from back in the day.”

Huo Zhenfei glanced at his father. Third Uncle Huo sat in the seat of honor without saying a word.

Playing the son, he continued with his mix of coercion and enticement. “With all due respect, if the Huo family truly wanted to use our power to suppress you, the two of you wouldn’t be sitting here perfectly fine, able to negotiate terms like this. My uncle’s conduct when he was alive was flawed, and I express my regrets, but we came to meet you two out of human compassion. If you blow this up for the whole world to know, who will the tide of public opinion target? Do you think you and Jiang Cai will emerge unscathed?”

Jiang Wanxia bit the inside of her cheek, glaring at him.

Her lawyer stepped in to smooth things over. “Let’s all refrain from speaking in anger. Throwing a tantrum won’t solve anything.”

They argued for over an hour and still couldn’t break the stalemate. However, opinions within the Huo family weren’t entirely unified either.

Second Uncle Huo seemed to be overtly and covertly enjoying the show, not minding if things blew up. “This Jiang Cai, whatever else you say, is still Big Brother’s flesh and blood. How he thought about it back then is one thing, but now that he’s gone, there’s no harm in us younger brothers treating his child a bit more kindly.”

Huo Yingfei retorted, “Dad, listen to what you’re saying. I just don’t get it—since when did being an illegitimate child become such a glorious status?”

He was pointing at the mulberry to curse the locust, casting a sidelong glance at Huo Niansheng.

But Huo Niansheng didn’t even look his way. With his head lowered, he focused entirely on flirting and laughing with Chen Wengang.

Chen Wengang, however, dropped his expression and shot Huo Yingfei a look. His demeanor was cold, yet carried the ethereal grace of morning dew.

Huo Yingfei’s heart actually skipped a beat. He thought to himself that while Huo Niansheng might be useless at everything else, his eye for seducing people was fatally sharp.

Yesterday, when he stumbled upon the two making out in the hot spring pool, his first reaction was contempt. He found it shameless. But compared to ethics and morality, men as animals are largely defenseless against the lust of the eyes. That tender, affectionate scene abruptly replayed in his mind.

Huo Yingfei narrowed his eyes, shifted his posture, and coldly crossed his legs.

Huo Niansheng was slouched in the sofa with a warm, fragrant beauty in his arms. Propping up his chin, he was slowly listening himself to sleep.

Third Uncle Huo, whose expression was authoritative without being angry, suddenly turned and asked this nephew, “Niansheng, you haven’t said a word. This is your father’s matter, and it closely concerns both you and Jingsheng. You two brothers should speak up. What are your thoughts?”

Before Huo Jingsheng could open his mouth, Huo Niansheng spoke as if he had just remembered something. “When I came back yesterday, I went to see Grandpa.”

In an instant, everyone’s gaze shot toward him.

Huo Niansheng smiled, completely unfazed. “Actually, he said to just formally acknowledge her.”

“Did he really say that?” Huo Zhenfei was suspicious, silently telling him with his eyes not to joke around. “He shouldn’t even know Jiang Cai has returned. Did you tell him? We specifically kept it a secret; there was no need to trouble his mind.”

Huo Niansheng laughed. “Why would you think he doesn’t know? You all aren’t treating him like a blind, senile old fool, are you?”

The words sent a chill down everyone’s spine; it felt like a warning, though it was hard to say exactly what it meant.

While no one knew what kind of spectator’s mentality Huo Niansheng had, deciding to drop this bomb only now, he wasn’t lying.

Whether Huo Kaishan was influenced by the DNA or wanted to accumulate some good karma before reporting to the King of Hell, he had indeed given a nod.

A whole room full of people had argued half the day for nothing.

Huo Zhenfei rubbed his forehead and discreetly glared at his cousin.

Jiang Cai was called in. The lawyer explained the final outcome they had negotiated to her—

“Miss Jiang, you are Huo Fenglai’s daughter, and the younger sister of Mr. Huo Niansheng and Mr. Huo Jingsheng. After a paternity test, there is no doubt about your blood relation. Later, I will take you to handle the household registration transfer and help you transfer to a better school. But you must be careful—absolutely do not spread this news to your teachers, classmates, or anyone you know… This matter is a secret, understand?”

Jiang Wanxia was still dissatisfied with this. “Her surname has to be changed too. She’s a Jiang; living with a bunch of you surnamed Huo, won’t she be ostracized?”

Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, Jiang Cai wore a fierce, contorted facial expression as a defensive mask.

Finding it difficult to communicate face-to-face with Jiang Wanxia, she pointed at her mother and stiffly asked the lawyer, “What about her?”

Huo Zhenfei cleared his throat. “Of course, we won’t treat your mother poorly. I know of a foreign nursing home in Southeast Asia that specializes in treating kidney disease and is internationally renowned. I will arrange for her to convalesce there.”

Jiang Cai looked at him. “Then why can’t this be made public?”

Someone behind her snickered disdainfully. It was Huo Yingfei. “Because there are too many people harboring ulterior motives. Someone like you without a proper title or status… we acknowledge one today, and who knows how many others might come knocking tomorrow. Just count your blessings that we’re letting you through the door now.”

The mumbled insult sounded suspiciously like “little bastard.” Deeply insulted, Jiang Cai shot back, “And which fucking idiot are you? Do you think I actually care?”

Jiang Wanxia pulled at her. “Listen to them!”

She lowered her voice by her daughter’s ear. “Why do you care what he says? You won’t lose a piece of flesh over a few words. Go back and tell your teacher you need to take a few days off, and follow them to get the paperwork done first… Oh, right, since you’re transferring schools anyway, just stop going to class for now.”

Jiang Cai roared at her face. “You’re crazy! Why do you always have to force your ideas on me?”

Chen Wengang, who had been leaning against Huo Niansheng’s arm, let go of his hand and sat up a little straighter to observe the battlefield.

Regardless of what else was said, the matter was settled. Third Uncle Huo stood up, lifted his eyelids, and swept a glance around the room. Finally, he simply said to Jiang Wanxia, “You should persuade her a bit more. Since we’ve reached an agreement, we’re all family from now on.”

Emotionally overwhelmed, Jiang Cai turned and bolted out the door; no one could stop her.

There were no cars available for her to leave this place, and she couldn’t run back to the city on her own. It was Luo Suwei who chased after to counsel her.

Jiang Wanxia, on the other hand, was satisfied with the outcome.

She had secured a status for her daughter, and the Huo family would additionally cover all her subsequent medical expenses. Although this life of luxury arrived late and she couldn’t fully enjoy it, at least Jiang Cai could. She practically wanted to burn high incense in gratitude to the old Master Huo she had cursed a decade ago.

When it was time for the meal, Huo Zhenfei patted Huo Niansheng’s arm. “Let’s all have a meal together. Bring Wengang along.”

Jiang Wanxia was unanimously excluded.

No one went to fetch her. They took their seats, and tea was served.

While waiting for the food, in a setting meant for family chatter, someone finally shook their head first: “…Too unruly.”

They were talking about Jiang Cai. The mother and daughter were a package deal, and neither had won any goodwill.

Second Uncle Huo’s wrinkled face crinkled as he brought his teacup to his lips. “Looking at the way that girl acts, she won’t be an easy one to handle in the future either.”

His son, Huo Yingfei, sneered aloud. “Honestly, what can a woman who sells herself produce besides a deformed melon or a cracked date?”

“Yingfei, that’s still your uncle’s daughter. Don’t be so loose-lipped.”

Huo Zhenfei chimed in. “Let’s not. Calling someone a ‘chicken’ is a bit too crude. Of course, I also think Jiang Wanxia is hardly an upstanding person. Jiang Cai grew up following her around, and obviously has flaws in her temper and personality. She’s already sixteen, and whatever bad habits she was going to form have already formed. We can’t control her, and it’s unlikely we can fix her. At the very least, we need to keep a close eye on her so she doesn’t stir up trouble everywhere.”

Huo Jingsheng interjected. “Isn’t that simple? Just find someone to watch her twenty-four hours a day.”

Huo Zhenfei disagreed. “Following her twenty-four hours a day isn’t realistic. Besides, you can watch someone for a while, but not for a lifetime.”

Huo Yingfei said, “Let’s just keep an eye on her for now, and we’ll see after this initial period passes. To put it bluntly… in a couple of years, it’s hard to say if that Jiang Wanxia will even still be around, and the young one will be an adult by then. What, are we really planning on raising them for the rest of their lives?”

Huo Zhenfei cast him a glance. “This is Grandpa’s wish. What can you do?”

Huo Yingfei didn’t respond, shifting his gaze elsewhere.

Chen Wengang sat quietly beside Huo Niansheng. The server brought over a few side dishes, and Huo Niansheng picked up a piece of yuba with his chopsticks and placed it in his bowl.

After a while, Huo Yingfei went to the restroom. When he came out, someone was washing their hands.

The restaurant’s elegant decor extended into the restroom, with bright, translucent lighting, pristine mirrors, and a faint, sophisticated fragrance floating in the air.

Chen Wengang turned his head to look at him, his figure framed against the mosaic tile wall.

Huo Yingfei silently clicked his tongue.

In the past, he mostly targeted women. He was obsessed with that attitude of half-pushing and half-yielding, playing hard to get—explaining this made it easy to see why this young master was constantly embroiled in sexual harassment scandals. Later, when the trend of playing with men became popular in his circle, he found that men were quite different from women; rarely did anyone raise a fuss about harassment. Huo Yingfei had tried it out of curiosity, and while it wasn’t terrible, it just wasn’t very interesting.

It was only when he suddenly saw someone who caught his eye that he began to suspect he had just been trying it with the wrong people.

Feeling a mix of contempt and excitement, he put on a polite facade. “Your surname is Chen, right? I was a bit offensive yesterday, and I owe you an apology. Actually, I was targeting Huo Niansheng; I don’t harbor any malice toward you. You and him…”

Chen Wengang looked at him. “Was the beating he gave you not enough of a warning to stay away from me?”

Huo Yingfei’s face darkened.

Chen Wengang merely smiled at him, turned around, and left, closing the door behind him.

He returned to Huo Niansheng’s side, and shortly after, Huo Yingfei also returned.

Third Uncle Huo directed his attention over, condescendingly initiating a conversation. “Your name is Chen Wengang? Are you the one from the Zheng family?”

Chen Wengang smiled politely. “You know me?”

Third Uncle Huo was very amiable. “You might not know this, but I was classmates with your adoptive father, Zheng Bingyi, though we weren’t in the same grade. So a lot of things are just a matter of ‘no coincidence, no story.’ Like this time—did you already know Jiang Cai and her mother beforehand?”

Chen Wengang replied, “I wouldn’t say beforehand. We only had contact due to work.”

Third Uncle Huo said, “My point is that this might actually be a good thing. You can see how much resistance Jiang Cai has toward us. But since my father wants to acknowledge this granddaughter, we will unconditionally fulfill the old man’s wishes. As her uncle, I don’t actually want to be her enemy. Since she might trust you, I hope you can act as a bridge for me.”

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