Bai Hua was someone who loved to stir up trouble. However, in front of Feng Wan, she had to be careful with her words.
More than that, Nan Zhengde was sitting right there, which meant that she had to be on her best behavior as well.
Hence, Bai Hua was in no position to contradict anything Feng Wan said, no matter how harsh it was.
âMum, Iâm not trying to go against her. I was just worried about the kids. They are my precious grandchildren after all. I canât bear to see them suffer.â Bai Hua explained while wiping off her tears, as though she had been wronged.
âJust stop with the act. Where were you when the girl was raising the kids on her own? All of a sudden, youâre their loving grandmother now? Do you think that youâre better than their own mother at taking care of them? Who are you trying to impress?â Feng Wan sneered.
âMum! Why would you think that? Do I really seem that heartless to you?â Bai Hua asked.
Nevertheless, Feng Wan huffed, paying her no further attention.
âAlright, alright. Please just get out now.â Nan Zhengde ordered.
Reluctantly, Bai Hua stood up and left the room.
Feng Wan remained, as she knew that Nan Zhengde was not referring to her.
Nan Zhiyuan was of the same mind.
That was until Nan Zhengde turned to look at him. Seeing as such, he took his leave, soon after.
âSheâs truly ridiculous! Iâm beginning to think that her cancer is merely a ruse! It seems as though sheâs returned to be a nuisance to all who are around her!â Feng Wan exclaimed.
âThe diagnosis was done by some of the countryâs best specialists. Itâs highly unlikely for it to have been a lie. Besides, youâre an elder. You should cut her some slack,â Nan Zhengde reasoned.
âOn the other hand,â he continued, âHer words werenât completely wrong either. How can a mother use her own children to make money? If she really needed it, the Nan Family could have helped her. Right now, it gives others the impression that our family is incapable of even taking care of two kids! She has even tried to hide this from us. This woman is definitely not as kind as she appears to be.â
Nan Zhengde was furious because this incident had brought utter humiliation to the Nan family.
âShe couldâve had her personal reasons, for doing as such. You canât believe everything that Bai Hua says. You know how she is, after all.â Feng Wan pressed forth.
âItâs not Bai Hua. Rather, itâs all the news that Iâve seen online! Argh!â Nan Zhengde raged aloud.
While the two elders were still talking, Nan Chen arrived.
Hoping that Nan Chen would bring Ning Ran along, Nan Zhengde was greatly displeased when he found that Nan Chen had come alone.
âGrandpa, I have a meeting later so Iâm in a hurry. Please just calm down. Thereâs no need to be angry over something like this.â Nan Chen urged while looking at his watch.
âYou are the person in charge of the Nan family. You should know full well how this would affect the family name. How could you have allowed the children to work in such a manner? How much could they have earned? This is simply mortifying!â
Nan Chen could sense the severity of Nan Zhengdeâs rage from the tone of his voice. It was a tone that Nan Chen had seldom heard.
Without a word, he went ahead and poured Nan Zhengde a cup of tea.
âLet it all out, Grandpa. I deserve it,â Nan Chen admitted sincerely.
Hearing what Nan Chen had said, a sense of sympathy welled up in Nan Zhengde, as his anger slowly diminished.
Nan Chen was his successor after all; the person whom he had nurtured, his greatest pride within the Nan family.
âIâm aware that thereâs a lot going on in the company. Nevertheless, the family still comes first. You canât just allow that woman to do as she pleases.â Nan Zhengde chided after he calmed down.
âGrandpa, the reason that I didnât bring her along is that I wanted to talk about this, just between the both of us.â
âAre you trying to defend her?â
âDefinitely not. It is without a doubt that what she has done is completely wrong.â Nan Chen affirmed.
âWhy didnât you allow her to explain herself to me then?â
âHer words donât mean much, since itâs only natural for her to have defended herself. I can only trust the results of my own investigationâ
Nan Zhengde narrowed his eyes as he stared at Nan Chen. âDid you find something?â
âWhen they were doing the commercial, she was not in contact with any of the members of the Nan family. This means that she might not have known of the relationship between the kids and the Nan family. If sheâd known any better, I donât think that she would have done that. The pay for commercials back then was abysmal. She couldâve merely brought the kids to me, naming her price. There was no reason for her to even consider shooting the commercials,â Nan Chen explained.
âAs for the rumors online, about her abusing her children,â he continued, âTheyâre fake. I didnât even have to investigate this. Even if she were as sinister as youâd thought, she wouldnât have treated the kids in such a manner. Iâve bathed the children before and they had no signs of injury of that nature.
Those terrifying photos of a wounded kid are all fake. Thatâs not Dabao, nor is it Erbao. I can guarantee that much.â
Nan Chen finished what he had wanted to say, as he quietly turned his gaze to Nan Zhengde.
âYouâd said that you werenât defending her?â Nan Zhengdeâs brows furrowed.
âGrandpa, youâre a wise and experienced man. Youâd know if I was trying to deceive you. Iâm not defending her here. Iâm merely stating facts.â
âYou can stop with the wooing. Itâs not your style. You are Nan Chen, a man with a sharp tongue.â Nan Zhengde muttered.
âIâm being honest here. You can easily see through me. I canât hide anything from you, even if I tried.â
Nan Zhengde took a sip of tea. âWhat youâve said seems rather logical. However, disregarding whether she had known about the family, I canât accept the fact that sheâd allowed young children to partake in such a job. Chen, sheâs not a good match for you. Let her go.â
Nan Chen grew silent.
However, Feng Wan who was listening on the side spoke out. âDidnât you say that you wouldnât interfere with the youngstersâ decisions? What are you doing right now?â
âIâm not interfering. Iâm simply providing him a suggestion.â Nan Zhengde uttered in defense.
âWhat if Chen refuses? I doubt that youâd sit still and do nothing!â Feng Wan questioned.
âI wonât do a darn thing, you old woman! Stop the nonsense!â Nan Zhengde was flustered.
âOh okay. Chen, youâve heard him, right? Your grandpa has said that itâs merely a suggestion. Thus, you decide who you want to marry! He wonât interfere!â Feng Wan announced as she turned toward Nan Chen.
âYou⦠Are you senile? Why would you say it in such a manner?â Nan Zhengdeâs voice trembled in frustration.
âIâm five years younger than you. Why would I go senile before you?â Feng Wan teased.
âNo one is senile here. You are both old and wise.â Nan Chen urged.
âHeâs the only old one here, not me.â Feng Wan refused to be addressed as old.
Nan Chen smiled awkwardly in respond.
âChen,â Nan Zhengde continued, with a stern look on his face. âEven though youâd done well in Vietnam last time, the Ouyang family are not people whom you can take lightly. Iâve been thinking, what if we cooperated instead, as opposed to always going at it. Continuing like such will only serve to bring hurt to our families. If we were to form an alliance through marriage, no one in the province will dare to stand against us.â
Nan Zhengdeâs reasoning left no room for contradiction, and Nan Chen understood that.
Nevertheless, I donât want to marry Ouyang Qing.
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