Chapter 364: Was That Supposed To Be An Apology?
Having received his orders, Sixth Brother promptly drove to the Shen family’s home.
By then, Sheng Xiao had already left with Mu Qiqi from that house, or there would be a direct conflict if Sixth Brother saw them.
And though Old Shen was ready mentally, he was extremely upset to really see the Sheng family come calling.
So Old Sheng was really that keen on rejecting his granddaughter?
Fine. He would bring the brat Sheng Xiao over to his family, and let that old man witness how the brat would use whatever resources his family now had to bring them to new heights.
How dare he underestimate belittle the Shen family!
Truly, their decades of friends.h.i.+p really did not pa.s.s the test of time…
Be that as it may, Old Shen would never feel guilty about taking away the Sheng family’s own Crown Prince. It was Sheng Xiao after all, and his legs are attached to his body. Who could ever bother him?’
Meanwhile, Sixth Brother was utterly unaware that the trap was already set. He stormed past Huang Yu into the Shen’s house, and quickly found Old Shen at his fish pond.
And even before he spoke to the old man, he was still thinking inwardly that the old man’s time had pa.s.sed—all he could do was idle around back home and look at his birds, such boring days.
But that was the very thought that left him and his family overlooking a very important matter: the mayoral election.
Hence, Old Shen turned to find Sixth Brother, the corner of his lips curling in a sneer. Nonetheless, he lowered his fis.h.i.+ng pole and walked up to him. “What winds are blowing today? To think that the Sixth Brother of the Sheng family was blown here.”
“Old Shen. I’ve come to take you to a certain place.” Sixth Brother said, at least maintaining the respect he should on the surface.
“Did your grandfather ask for me?”
“Yes.” Sixth Brother nodded.
Was.h.i.+ng his hands by the pool, Old Shen then walked away ahead of Sixth Brother. “Wait for me at the front porch. I’ll change.”
Later, as the two departed but not in the direction of the Sheng’s house, the old man couldn’t help asking, “Where are we going?”
“Patience, Old Shen. You’ll know when we get there.” Sixth Brother was very keen on hyping things up.
Soon, they reached the hospital. While Old Shen appeared perplexed, he came to a realization when he entered Seventh Sister’s ward. “Isn’t she Seventh Sister?”
“Indeed.” Sixth Brother nodded. “Seventh Sister… is very sick and not in her right mind. I hope you could forgive her if she doesn’t recognize you.”
“I see…”
“And the one who made her like that is your good granddaughter, Mu Qiqi.”
Old Shen’s face fell at that, but just as he was about to speak, the Sheng Family’s Third Uncle and Aunt came through the door, promptly catching the old man by the arm. “Old Shen, my daughter wouldn’t have ended up like that if not for Mu Qiqi… Mu Qiqi hurt her so much…”
“Old Shen, you have to stand up for our sake!”
“Old Shen, I only have one daughter, but Mu Qiqi tricked her, leaving her to be defiled by men and now catching some terrible sickness… She’s not in her right mind now, and she would only live out the rest of her days in a hospital… You have to bring justice…”
The couple were attempting to get their word in through snot and tears, accusing Mu Qiqi in front of Old Shen.
“No. Shouldn’t you explain the whole matter?”
“Back then, it was Mu Qiqi’s plan to trick Seventh Sister and your own granddaughter Shen Ruoyi to set them against Minglan, so that our old man would hate Seventh Sister and chase her out of the family. I know that Seventh Sister is at fault, but she is the young daughter from a rich family. Where could she go after she was chased out?”
“Our old man regretted it on the day right after, but that meant nothing. We can’t find Seventh Sister anyway, until her brother found her in a motel two days ago.” The Third Sheng Uncle sobbed. “If Mu Qiqi wasn’t up to her tricks, this wouldn’t have happened…”
However, Old Shen was still wondering what the heck it was all about.
Old Sheng was the one who had given the order before—what does that have to do with Mu Qiqi?
And both Seventh Sister and Shen Ruoyi received their just desserts. What was there to sympathize with?
He had not even mentioned how Shen Ruoyi had been sent to a tundra platoon to suffer.
“Old Shen…”
Meanwhile, the couple was still bawling while holding on to Old Shen, and soon enough, Old Sheng stormed inside as well.
The two elderly men shared a glance before Old Sheng sighed helplessly. “Let’s talk outside, Old Shen.”
Finally, they were proceeding to the heart of the matter.
Those three couldn’t act for their lives after all.
It was not as if Old Shen did not pity Seventh Sister—he was not going to concede that it was Mu Qiqi’s fault because it had nothing to do with her.
Just after the two elders entered the hospital garden, Old Sheng paused because his feet were not as nimble as Old Shen. “Seventh Sister’s matter is causing huge trouble in our family,” he told Old Shen. “Everyone holds grudges against Mu Qiqi, with Seventh Sister’s parents forcing me. It really puts me on the spot, Old Shen.”
Old Shen merely watched, feeling that his decades-old friend was unfamiliar.
Since when had Old Sheng become so long-winded?
“Speak frankly if you have something in your mind, Old Sheng.”
“Perhaps Sheng Xiao is fated not to be with Qiqi. Even a grandfather like me could hard excuse her, what with the family in such an uproar. That is why I came to you today, and what I’m saying is that the marriage between our families should be called off.”
“Qiqi is a good, smart child. She would definitely find some place better.”
“Even so, with Seventh Sister left in such a state and no telling when she would be gone with that illness of hers, there is no way anyone could bear to look at Qiqi with her around.”
Old Shen stayed silent after hearing the other man out.
It was only after some time that he finally spoke in slight embarra.s.sment, “Who holds the greater responsibility for Seventh Sister and Shen Ruoyi—you or Qiqi?”
“You were the one who disowned your own granddaughter. And you’re blaming my granddaughter now that something happened?”
“It… It was my fault. I shouldn’t have listened to Qiqi’s opinion.”
Was that supposed to be an apology?
Finally, Old Shen had truly learnt that now.
“I knew you never acknowledged Mu Qiqi. You’ve only agreed to Qiqi and Sheng Xiao’s engagement because you thought that she is young, and the engagement could be broken off at any time.”
“What are you talking about, Old Shen…” Old Sheng began to resort to sophistry.
“Our families had known each other for decades. Perhaps you a.s.sume that my Shen family is waning in strength too?”
“In fact, our Second Uncle was just elected as mayor days ago. You wouldn’t know about that, do you?”
Old Sheng promptly became stunned. That little fact was not made public, after all.
“But since you had already spoken and made yourself so clear, my family wouldn’t court displeasure. A granddaughter of the Shen family doesn’t have to go the length of latching up to someone else.
“Since you’ve decided that Qiqi is at fault, let that be so. Our granddaughter has wronged you, and I shall make the call regarding the engagement now, and withdraw Qiqi.
“That said, would a niece of the mayor have a problem finding new backers?”