Free Web NovelChapter 707: Chapter 677: Uneasy and Restless
Xu Chunliang arrived at the ancient house where Zhou Renhe had taken him last time. Seeing the door ajar, he thought Zhou Renhe had left it open for him. He pushed the door open and walked in. The courtyard was in full bloom, the spring breeze carrying waves of floral fragrance, mixed with... blood!
Xu Chunliang detected the scent of blood in the wind, and his nerves instantly tensed. He quickly walked to the main hall and saw Elder Zhou lying in a pool of blood, barely alive.
Xu Chunliang was shocked and went to Elder Zhou’s side. Checking his breath, he found it weak but still present. Xu Chunliang quickly sealed his acupoints to stop the bleeding and slipped a secret recipe Small Rejuvenation Pill into his mouth. The pill had life-sustaining and protective effects, helping stabilize Elder Zhou’s condition and assisting him through the crisis.
Then he took out his phone to call the police and dial 120.
While waiting for the police and doctors to arrive, Xu Chunliang calmed himself and checked Zhou Renhe’s pulse. Last time, he had already diagnosed Zhou Renhe as critically ill, estimating that he had at most six months to live. Now, three months had passed, meaning even if Zhou Renhe hadn’t faced this unexpected event, he wouldn’t live another hundred days.
Even so, seeing this elder facing such misfortune, Xu Chunliang felt sorrowful. He held Zhou Renhe’s right hand, sending a stream of True Qi into his body to maintain his life force as much as possible.
Zhou Renhe reacted and slowly opened his eyes, looking at Xu Chunliang. "You... finally came..."
Xu Chunliang said, "Don’t speak, let me heal you."
Zhou Renhe slowly shook his head. "Child, don’t waste your effort... I... I have only one request... After I’m gone... bury my ashes with... my father... and..." He wanted to say Xu Changying but couldn’t utter it.
Xu Chunliang nodded, "I understand."
Zhou Renhe pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it to Xu Chunliang. The blood-stained card bore Lawyer Fang Wenzheng’s name. Knowing his time was short, he had arranged his affairs and invited Xu Chunliang today to inform him.
Xu Chunliang said, "Please, don’t speak. I’ll heal you."
Zhou Renhe said, "No need, even if I survive this, at most I have a hundred days. I’ve long been tired... Lately, every night I dream of... Yingzi... It’s time to reunite with her..."
Xu Chunliang felt a chill in his heart; no matter how skilled a doctor may be, there’s no cure for someone determined to die. Zhou Renhe had lived in pain for years, and death, for him, was not fearsome but a release. Since he sought Xu Chunliang to recount his past, he was preparing to leave this world, and today’s meeting was the same.
Sirens wailed outside; police cars and an ambulance arrived almost simultaneously.
Zhou Renhe shouted to the police with all his strength, "A thief pushed me down, it has nothing to do with him..."
Xu Chunliang was moved. Even in such a dire state, the elder thought first to clear Xu Chunliang of suspicion. Otherwise, Xu Chunliang might have been deemed a suspect by the police upon arrival.
Zhou Renhe was urgently taken to the hospital, and Xu Chunliang was routinely questioned by the police. They found surveillance footage in Zhou Renhe’s old house consistent with Xu Chunliang’s account.
Though all went smoothly, Xu Chunliang spent half an hour reaching Jizhou City Hospital, during which he called his grandfather, urging him to visit Jizhou promptly. Xu Chunliang made this decision after careful consideration.
The pulse readings suggested Zhou Renhe wouldn’t survive, but Zhou Renhe’s wish to be buried in the Xu Family Cemetery was not something Xu Chunliang could decide; it needed his grandfather’s consent. To gain it, he couldn’t continue hiding the truth.
Xu Changshan had just returned to Dongzhou from Nanjiang today. On the phone, Xu Chunliang didn’t detail the situation, only mentioning Huichun Hall, arranging Zheng Peian to drive and escort the elder over.
When Xu Chunliang arrived at the hospital, Zhou Yiwen and Zhou Yi Wu were already there. Upon seeing Xu Chunliang, Zhou Yi Wu, overwhelmed with past grudges, charged forward with red eyes. "Xu Chunliang, what are you plotting? How can you harm an old man?"
Zhou Yiwen restrained him, fearing his impulsiveness would ruin things.
Zhou Yi Wu yelled at the police present, "Arrest him! Why not arrest him? He’s the murderer! He’s the murderer!"
Xu Chunliang said disdainfully, "Why are you shouting nonsense? This is a hospital, not a place for you to cause trouble."
Zhou Yiwen understood that Xu Chunliang, by appearing here, was cleared of suspicion, making his brother’s accusations baseless. He calmly said, "Xu Chunliang, why were you at the crime scene?"
Xu Chunliang said, "You’re not the police; I don’t have to answer you."
At this moment, a nurse approached, "What’s all the commotion? This is a hospital. If you want to fight, do it outside. There’s an emergency surgery happening; if you disrupt it, can you take responsibility? Who’s the family of Zhou Renhe?"
Zhou Yiwen and Zhou Yi Wu stepped forward.
The nurse glared at them, "Follow me!"
The brothers followed the nurse to the consultation room.
At this time, Lawyer Fang Wenzheng from Wenzheng Law Firm arrived, having been called by Xu Chunliang. After introductions, Fang Wenzheng requested to see Xu Chunliang’s ID to confirm his identity. Fang Wenzheng said, "Here’s the situation: Elder Zhou made a will at my firm a month ago, and much of it concerns you. However, it’s inappropriate to disclose it before his passing."
Even without the disclosure, Xu Chunliang could already guess. Zhou Renhe’s will could likely be a shocking blow to his two adopted sons.
Fang Wenzheng asked, "How is the elder now?"
Xu Chunliang said, "He’s still in critical condition, it’s not looking optimistic." Zhou Renhe’s desire for death left no will to live, making it impossible for even immortals to save him. Xu Chunliang gave him a Small Rejuvenation Pill, which should prolong his life. Of course, if Zhou Renhe accepted True Essence infusion, he might survive a few more days, but Elder Zhou refused any cooperation, leaving Xu Chunliang helpless.
Since Fang Wenzheng had come, he didn’t plan to leave immediately, so he sat down to wait for Elder Zhou’s final result.
The Zhou brothers, Zhou Yiwen and Zhou Yi Wu, came out of the consultation room, their faces full of sorrow. The doctor had clearly told them that Zhou Renhe’s condition was not optimistic and that they should prepare for the final matters.
The two brothers walked to a distance. Zhou Yiwen took out a pack of cigarettes, Zhou Yi Wu took one, first lighting it for his brother, and said in a low voice, "The old man actually hid an old house, even keeping it from us."
Zhou Yiwen said meaningfully, "I’m afraid there’s a lot more he’s hidden from us."
He glanced over to where Fang Wenzheng was and said, "That person is from Wenzheng Law Firm. What’s he here for?"
Zhou Yi Wu said, "I haven’t heard that he has any connection with the old man."
Zhou Yiwen had a bad premonition: "Could it be that the old man made a will?"
Zhou Yi Wu said, "No way, such a big thing, there’s no reason not to tell us." But apart from this, he couldn’t think of why a lawyer would be here. Zhou Yi Wu said, "Even if he made a will, why is he sitting with Xu Chunliang?"
Zhou Yiwen said in a low voice, "The old man hasn’t been honest with us. He met Xu Chunliang before, and there are quite a few secrets between them."
"Weren’t they enemies?" Zhou Yi Wu was somewhat bewildered.
The brothers were extremely uneasy at heart. Fang Wenzheng’s appearance made them realize there’s a high chance the old man had made a will in advance, and this will was related to their vital interests. Although the old man had retired from Renhe Hall, the holder of the Renhe Hall trademark was still him. More than half of Renhe Hall’s properties everywhere were still in his name. Even though they wanted the old man to transfer the Renhe Hall trademark to them, he always found excuses. He even said once he’s dead, everything would be theirs anyway.
Now the Zhou brothers realized that the old man had been guarding against them all along, possibly leaving them with a big trap.
Zhou Yi Wu couldn’t hold back anymore: "I’m gonna ask."
Zhou Yiwen said, "Stay calm!"
Zhou Yi Wu said, "Calm my ass, if the old man plays tricks, everything we’ve worked hard for will become someone else’s."
Even though Zhou Yiwen was in turmoil, he pretended to be calm: "It’s okay, we hold seventy percent of Renhe Hall’s shares."
"What’s shares worth? The trademark isn’t in our hands. If the old man gives the trademark to someone else, what do we do?"
Zhou Yi Wu couldn’t stand it anymore. He approached Fang Wenzheng, took out a cigarette and forced a smile, "Lawyer Fang, want a smoke?"
Fang Wenzheng shook his head, "No thanks, I don’t smoke."
Zhou Yi Wu seized the chance to sit down, "Lawyer Fang, are you also here for my father’s matters?"
Fang Wenzheng nodded.
Zhou Yi Wu said, "Is it about the will?"
Fang Wenzheng nodded again, and Xu Chunliang beside them secretly wanted to laugh, thinking this guy was obviously tense.
Zhou Yi Wu said, "My elder brother and I are the legal heirs of my father’s estate. Can you announce the will to us?"
Fang Wenzheng said, "According to Mr. Zhou Renhe’s request, his will must only be announced after his death."
Zhou Yi Wu said, "Can you reveal some of the will’s contents to me?"
Fang Wenzheng shook his head, remaining principled.
Zhou Yi Wu said, "The doctor just asked us to prepare for the final matters. My dad’s unlikely to make it."
Xu Chunliang said, "You wish he goes quickly, don’t you?"
Zhou Yi Wu glared at Xu Chunliang, "What’s it to you about our Zhou family matters? Don’t pretend to be sympathetic here."
Xu Chunliang sighed, "I don’t want to meddle, but Lawyer Fang said, the will’s content is related to me, so I had to stay."
Zhou Yi Wu, upon hearing the will’s content related to Xu Chunliang, exploded in anger: "Lawyer Fang, is that true?"
Fang Wenzheng nodded.
Zhou Yi Wu angrily said, "By what basis? He has no relation with my dad. Why is he mentioned in my dad’s will? Have you made a mistake?"
Here’s another update delivered. Over the past month, there’s been a lot going on with Octopus. Hope everyone shows some understanding. I’ve been making every effort, no break in updates despite being sick or my son taking the college entrance exams, and now busy with volunteering, yet I haven’t missed a beat. Trying to get back to two updates, it’s not easy for anyone. I’ll try to adjust the pace and return to normal as soon as possible.
