CHAPTER 227: CHAPTER 227: THE OLDER, THE WISER

Qin Zhiheng nodded without hesitation. "Love is too ethereal and impractical, and it comes with too many uncertainties. Choosing an ordinary person would disrupt our progress. If she and I were together, most of our lives would be spent on things we’re interested in, without too many distractions or drains on our energy."

"It’s like you and Dad. You two managed to turn what should have been a smooth life into such a mess. If just one of you had been willing to let go, our family of three would have been much happier."

"Think about it for yourself. Over these years, have you been lucky or unlucky?"

Qin Mu couldn’t answer.

Qin Zhiheng continued, "I know it’s not for others to judge your choices. I’m also someone affected by this situation. I really dislike the life I once had. I think your choices weren’t good, and I don’t want to follow in your footsteps. I want to choose a partner who is smart enough not to be bound by conventional societal values."

"Lai Shenlan is my best choice."

"I will also work hard to become her choice!"

Qin Mu was stunned by the information in his words.

She knew her son was intelligent, to a degree ordinary people couldn’t comprehend. She, on the other hand, was merely conventionally intelligent. Her past choices, indeed, hadn’t been very smart.

Qin Mu said, "I won’t interfere with your choice. I’ll stay to take care of you. Once your life is stable, I’ll take your dad and travel around."

Qin Zhiheng nodded but still sounded unconvinced.

"I still don’t understand. You’ve spent more time apart than together all these years. How can you still understand each other so deeply?"

"It’s hard to explain. Once you’re set on someone, it’s difficult to let go. Look at Qin Jinhai and Fu Bing, with all their entanglements, do you see either of them letting go?" Qin Mu said.

Qin Zhiheng folded his arms across his chest, passing no judgment on this matter.

In his eyes, it was a waste of precious time and energy. Marriage is a relationship where both parties collaborate. If one loses a partner, one simply works hard to choose another and continue the collaboration. There’s no need to make it so agonizing and invite suffering. It’s no different from self-torture.

Had Qin Zhiheng known he would later enact countless angsty dramas with Lai Shenlan, he would have undoubtedly traveled back in time to beat his current self up.

「*」

All assets associated with the Qin Family were silently and swiftly carved up by Fu Bing, the Lai Family, the Su Family, and other competitors, and all traces of the Qin Family were rapidly erased.

Qin Jinmo didn’t get involved. He and Li Yuan lived together in the house Li Yuan had designed, completely ignoring these matters.

Qin Jinmo had always possessed his own industries, which were intentionally structured to be separate from the main family assets. Ultimately, however, he was the beneficiary. Li Yuan also had ample funds. The two of them could stay holed up at home for a lifetime without it impacting their lifestyle.

Qin Jinmo watched his mother sketch designs and decorative paintings, enriching their home little by little. Under her deft hands, the house gradually filled out, taking on the true semblance of a home.

Qin Jinmo hesitated. "Mom, do you think Jinhai will come back?"

"Wherever Fu Bing is, he will surely be there," Li Yuan said with certainty.

"You don’t resent him for ignoring you?"

"Resent what? The man we love is the man he is because Fu Bing is in his heart. If Fu Bing weren’t in his heart, we wouldn’t love him that way. Once you understand this, how could you possibly resent Fu Bing?" Li Yuan sighed. "You, on the other hand, didn’t gain anything from the Qin Family’s downfall and were even implicated."

Qin Jinmo’s face was relaxed and comfortable. "Who says? My company certainly got its piece of the pie."

Li Yuan smiled and nodded. "It’s good that you’ve gained something. For now, just lay low. Wait for things to blow over, then you can do what you want. You’re still young, with a long road ahead."

"Don’t worry about me, I have my own plans," Qin Jinmo replied.

Qin Jinmo knew in his heart that the Qin Family’s Clan Association wouldn’t be defeated so easily. His best course of action now was to do nothing, to quietly wait for the situation to subside. Even the main Qin Family had suffered a great blow this time; recovering would be very difficult. The Clan Association was originally an organization of the Qin lineage, maintained by mutual interests. Without substantial benefits, it would be difficult for them to maintain equilibrium. It wouldn’t be long before news of discord within the Clan Association spread. Then, they could be defeated one by one.

Although he wasn’t as clever as Qin Jinhai, he had navigated the business world for many years and lacked none of the necessary cunning.

Furthermore, Lian Yingting had already traced Lian Yingya’s disappearance to the Qin Family. Lian Yingting wasn’t the type to give up easily; he would follow every clue to the very end. As soon as a crack appeared in the Clan Association, Lian Yingting would be able to sniff it out and charge in.

「*」

「The Lian Family.」

Lian Xiao and Tian Yun looked at the photo of their younger son, unable to utter a word. No matter how much they yelled or disciplined, it was always out of a desire for their child’s well-being. Who would have thought that an argument would lead to an eternal separation?

Lian Yingting stood quietly behind them. "Dad, Mom, why don’t you go out to clear your minds for a bit? Leave Xiaoya’s matter to me."

"No need. I’m not so old that I can’t move. There are some things you shouldn’t dirty your hands with. I’m already halfway into the grave; it’s more fitting for me to do it," Lian Xiao declared. "When your brother was alive, I either scolded him or hit him; I wronged him enough. This last thing, I must do it for him."

A steely resolve flashed in Lian Xiao’s eyes.

Tian Yun clasped her chest in fear. "Old man, you can’t do anything foolish. Yingting still needs you to guide him. If anything happens to you, who will he rely on?"

Tian Yun was heartbroken. Her younger son was gone; if the head of the family also disappeared, how could they go on living?

"Don’t worry, I won’t exchange a life for a life. However they made Yingya disappear, I’ll make them disappear the same way," Lian Xiao assured.

Lian Xiao’s ability to amass such vast assets under the shadow of the Su and Qin families was definitely not due to luck; he possessed absolute strength and his own network.

Lian Xiao quickly identified the specific individuals responsible. Anything that has happened will inevitably leave traces. Especially since they had taken Lian Yingya over a long distance. The more their figures appeared in surveillance footage, the more their individual features were recorded. It took only three days to identify the specific individuals.

That was how Hen Luo was cornered in a dilapidated rented room. He was still dazed when the cold muzzle of a gun was pressed against his temple.

"You... you... carrying a gun is illegal," he mumbled.

The person pinning Hen Luo down sneered. "Quite the law-abiding citizen, aren’t you? We’re the police, currently on a case. Please come with us to the station."

"I... I haven’t broken any laws..." Hen Luo stammered.

"There are some leads in Lian Yingya’s case that involve you. It’s best you come back to the station to clarify things," they asserted.

Hen Luo wanted to say more, but the cold handcuffs were already locked on, leaving him no chance to struggle.

In the dead of night, the police car silently departed from the urban village.