“She said what?” Zhou Jintao frowned at his son, Zhou Huifang’s words.
“She must have thought that we are the ones who wanted to drug her.”
“And did you?”
“Of course not! I was only there to meet her and I was planning to help Lanying not cause chaos.” Zhou Huifang did not plan to do something towards Lily as he was afraid to earn Zhuo Jingren’s ire. This was not a good time to have enemies as he was focused on helping her sister.
Zhou Huifang stared at his father’s morose expression as he pursed his lips. He waited for him to say something but the old man never did. He seemed to have fallen into deep contemplation.
“Ummm… Father? I was just… you know, Lanying had always been saying that grandfather is…”
“Stop talking nonsense. Your sister is a drug addict she needs help.”
Zhou Huifang lowered his gaze as he remembered Lily’s eyes when she told him that she was coming for them. Why would she deliberately provoke them? They have not done anything wrong to them. According to Zhou Huifang’s memories, this Zhou Jingren should be the one afraid of them. After all, his parents were the ones who did something to the Zhou Family. He remembered his uncle – who until now have not recovered from the heartache that Zhuo Jingren’s mother had caused.
Right. Zhou Jingren and his family should be the ones that fear them, he convinced himself.
“I will leave and talk to your grandfather.” Zhou Jintao said. His face dark as he walked out of the hospital room. After reaching the parking lot, he instantly instructed his men to drive him to his father, the current patriarch of the Zhou Family.
After more than a twenty-minute drive, Zhou Jintao arrived in a mansion just west of Pudong Shanghai. He walked straight towards his father’s study and went inside without even knocking the door.
“Did you try to poison Zhou Jingren’s woman?” he asked as he sat opposite his father.
“Poison? No.” the old man did not look at his son as he answered. His croaky voice echoed inside the room.
Zhou Jintao narrowed his eyes. “But you tried to drug her.” It was not a question. It was an accusation that contained a hint of declaration. Zhou Jintao was sure that his own father had something to do with what happened.
“Hmm… tried.”
“Father! I want you to take this seriously!” Zhou Jintao raised his voice, his hands were balled into a fist. “Lanying was the one who took the wine! She is still in the hospital now.”
“Or so… I’ve heard.”
“Father! How could you say this? She- She is your granddaughter.”
“A foolish one.” the old man finally lifted his gaze away from the piece of paper that he was reading. “She must have known about it. Or why would she deliberately do it? Isn’t that something that a foolish person would do?”
Zhou Jintao stared at the Patriarch, his eyes wide, anger started to coursed in his veins. He tried to calm his nerves. “Lanying is still your granddaughter.”
“She will marry to the Shangguan Family soon.” the old man leaned against his chair.
“The young master of the Shangguan Family had been married thrice. All of his previous wives died.”
“But didn’t he give his wives family enough compensation? That man wanted Lanying in exchange for a business partnership.” the old man said, seemingly unimpressed by his son’s words. “It is worth it.”
Zhou Jintao opened his mouth. He wanted to rebut him, tell him that Zhou Lanying is still the most intelligent grandchild that he had. But in the end, he closed his mouth and pursed his lips. It would be useless. There is no stopping things once his father already made up his mind. Instead, he let out a sigh and bid his father goodbye. After all these years of serving his father, he is still inferior in his eyes compared to his older brother.
“Second Master, ” he halted his steps and looked at the servant who called his name. “The First Master wanted to see you.”
“Right now?” he asked. The servant nodded in response before he turned his back and lead him towards the balcony of the mansion. On the Balcony, a man’s laughter caught his attention. He was wearing a purple shirt and a beautiful woman wearing a short halter dress sat on his lap.
“Brother?” Zhou Jintao greeted with a smile.
“Take a seat.” the man instructed before he resumed kissing the woman in his arm, his hand stroking the woman’s legs.
“Ehem…” Zhou Jintao cleared his throat after a few seconds. This attracted his brother’s attention, and the latter instructed the woman to wait for him in his room.
“She is beautiful, right?”
“She is exquisite.” Zhou Jintao lied. The woman’s makeup was as thick as their concrete wall. How could she be beautiful?
“Hahaha… I always know your type. Tell me if you like her… Don’t worry your wife will never find out. I promise.” He pursed his lips and waited for his younger brother to answer him.
“You called for me?” Zhou Jintao asked after he nodded. This was not the first time that his older brother said something like this towards him. To be honest, he was already used to this.
“How is Lanying?” Zhou Kang smiled at his younger brother.
“She is good. The drugs already left her system.”
“Good! Good. That is a piece of very good news.” his older brother let out a mirthless laugh. “Now… I heard that you were at the gala yourself?”
Zhou Jintao nodded in response.
“And his wife was there? Was she very pretty too?” Seeing Zhou Jintao’s uncomfortable look, Zhou Kang laughed. “Kidding. I am joking. Stop being so stern.”
“Come on! Give me a smile.” Zhou Kang let out another laugh. It was obvious that he was enjoying his brother’s discomfort. “Ah… you really are…” He shook his head before his expression turned serious. “The police let go of Zhou Jingren. Not enough evidence.”
“Apparently… that witness that you found was not enough to detain him. Hey… did you know that the witness also said that she will not testify just a few minutes after Zhou Jingren arrived at the precinct?” Zhou Kang continued. “Ah… I was surprised too… Do you know what is more surprising? That wife of his… Lily was it? She talked to the witness for a few minutes. And the moment she left the park was the same moment that the witness withdrew her testimony.”
