CHAPTER 191: CHAPTER 191 THE REAL MASTER BEHIND THE QIN FAMILY

Wu Shi’s eyes flashed with amusement. "I thought you would reject the proposal for the sake of Qin Jinhai."

"I wouldn’t."

This matter provided ample room for the Qin Family and Qin Sheng to maneuver. Even if the club where Li Qing was abused had a notorious reputation, the Qin Family and Qin Sheng could still find a scapegoat to take the fall. Qin Sheng must have been at his wit’s end to be put forward by the Qin Family.

This meant that Qin Sheng had been abandoned. It wouldn’t be long before news of Qin Sheng’s death in prison spread.

"How do Li Yuan and Qin Jinmo see this matter?" Fu Bing asked.

"I’ll look into it."

"Mm."

She allowed the toxin that had been lying dormant in Qin Sheng’s body to disperse. Even if Qin Sheng had the strategies, he no longer had the physical strength to save himself. Once he was deemed worthless, he would naturally be discarded by the Qin Family. The Qin Family would put forward another family head to take over.

Fu Bing felt somewhat melancholic. She had thought that bringing down Qin Sheng would equate to avenging herself. In the end, she realized that Qin Sheng was merely a pawn too. Even after taking revenge, she felt no relief.

While Fu Bing was contemplating, Uncle He came in.

"Xiaobing, the person who tried to impersonate you is dead, so my art exhibition will be called off."

"The exhibition can go on as planned. There are many people who love and admire you. They would be overjoyed to know you are still alive."

"Now when I paint, it’s purely out of love. The day you and Xiaowan need me, I will reveal my identity. Now that both of you are safe and with me, whether someone recognizes me doesn’t matter anymore."

Fu Bing wanted to persuade him further, but considering she herself didn’t like to be in the limelight, spending days cooped up at home, busy with her own affairs, almost like someone with autism, she couldn’t bring herself to do so.

"I respect any decision you make. In my and Aunt Ning’s eyes, you are who you are. Your identity to the outside world cannot change our love for you," she said.

Uncle He smiled. "When do you plan to return to Jiangnan? Since you came back to Jiangcheng, you’ve barely left the house or smiled. If you are this unhappy here, let’s go back."

"We need to wait a little longer."

"Are you waiting for Qin Sheng’s case to conclude before leaving? You can delegate these things, and someone will handle them. The siblings from the Jian Family are very capable, and they’re familiar with Wu Shipyard. It will be much better to let them deal with it than for us to do it ourselves."

"I might be used to dealing with things on my own from before. Suddenly, I have many capable friends, and I find there’s less for me to handle. Having been betrayed before, I don’t feel at ease being passive, but I also don’t want to dampen their enthusiasm." Fu Bing rubbed her face with frustration. "I’ve been burned before, and now I’m both cowardly and fearful, afraid that I might wake up one day back in jail."

Uncle He patted her head gently with his intact hand. "No wonder you’ve grown your business so much, yet I haven’t seen you happy."

"Once bitten, twice shy," Fu Bing forced a smile. "Even though I haven’t truly taken over the assets Qin Jinhai left for me, they’re still rapidly turning into a vast fortune that’s flying my way. This unearned wealth makes me uneasy. I fear a sudden disaster."

Relieved at her words, Uncle He said, "Your Aunt Ning and I thought you weren’t worried."

"After being conned so many times, how could I not be?"

"Don’t you trust that he sincerely left them to you?"

"It’s hard to verify sincerity. Such large assets require management. Among those managers are exceptional talents, who are very selective about their bosses. Having found a boss without their knowledge, they’re bound to harbor resentment. Accustomed to arrogance due to their talents, there’s no guarantee they won’t set traps for me."

In her three years in prison, she had encountered all kinds of bizarre individuals and strange thought processes. She had a clear understanding of just how low human nature could stoop. She could fully trust those she spent her days with, yet she couldn’t feel trust towards a group of strangers she had never met.

Uncle He felt even more pity for her. "If you’re worried, why not get in touch with Qin Jinhai’s mother and older brother, see if they’re trustworthy, and return those assets to them. We can earn the money ourselves."

"You’re not the kind of kid who takes advantage of others. In your heart, those assets aren’t as important as Qin Jinhai caring about you."

Sometimes Uncle He wondered whether it was Fu Bing, who raised her, who was a great educator, or if she was naturally indifferent to material possessions. She had only felt anxious about money when she was in debt. Once the financial pressure eased, she stopped caring about money. Even now, most of her money was with Xiaomei.

"I’m still assessing Mrs. Qin and Qin Jinmo."

His family was still alive, and both legally and morally, his wealth shouldn’t stay with her. Li Yuan and Qin Jinmo being unaware of Qin Jinhai’s detailed assets could indeed make sense. If they knew he had substantial wealth and had transferred it all to her, would they remain indifferent? Their lack of action could be because they hadn’t yet dealt with their current formidable enemies. Once they were free, they would surely come knocking.

Sure enough.

The next day, just as Fu Bing got up, Li Yuan came over.

Li Yuan looked much healthier than at their last meeting.

Li Yuan carefully sized up Fu Bing, a smile flickering in her eyes.

"You look very well. Have all your injuries healed?"

"I’m recovering nicely."

Li Yuan nodded with a smile. "We have found evidence related to Qin Sheng arranging for you and Ren Ye’s car accident. We also have leads about the false accusations made against you back then. Soon, he’ll face penalties for multiple offenses, and Qin Sheng’s days ahead won’t be easy."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"You are the woman my son loves the most. I love what he loves, so I naturally feel close to you." Li Yuan’s face still held a smile, but if you looked closely, there was a hint of bitterness.

"Mrs. Qin, I’ll be honest with you, I don’t trust you."

Li Yuan was momentarily startled. "It’s okay if you don’t trust me. I’m just here to remind you that the Qin Family has its exclusive merchant association, formed by the Qin Family Clan. These people are the true masters of this great Qin Family ship. You may be a standout among the younger generation, but compared to them, you are still too young."

"They’ve lost Jinhai and now Qin Sheng. They won’t let things lie."

"You, who should hate me the most, don’t bear any resentment. Why is that?" Fu Bing couldn’t help but ask the question that puzzled her most.

Li Yuan smiled tenderly. "Ever since Jinhai met you, you’ve been on his mind. And because of your presence, I’ve received love from him. Without you, he would have been just a cold tool. You’ve given me ten years of his love, which is very valuable."

Fu Bing ventured, "He left quite a lot of assets for me."

"I’m aware. He consulted with me and Jinmo before he processed the transfer, and we both agreed."

"Qin Jinmo?"

"Yes, he is not the incompetent, quick-tempered, envious person the rumors make him out to be. That’s just the facade he shows to others, similar to how Jinhai behaves differently in public and in private."

Fu Bing listened without betraying any emotion.

Li Yuan looked at her with an exceptionally tender gaze.

"You are someone Jinhai trusts, and I trust you just the same. Let me tell you some private matters about the Qin Family."