Chapter 428: This Is the Last Time
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Old Madam Fu took out the a.s.sets in her bag that Lin Nuan ultimately didn’t accept and placed them on the coffee table. She sounded fatigued. “Huai’an, you’re aware of Grandma’s condition, I won’t be able to last for a year! For your mother’s sake, you must not lose Kaide Corporation! This is your grandma’s final wish. I’d only be able to die in peace if I can see Kaide Corporation land in your hands.”
The longer Fu Huai’an remained silent, the more unsure Old Madam Fu felt.
“You chose your wife yourself. As your elder, I don’t intend to intervene. I merely ask that you don’t announce your marriage publicly. Lin Nuan had the same intentions, so just as well…”
At this point, Old Madam Fu seemed to have recalled something, so she suddenly smiled and looked at Fu Huai’an.
“To be honest, I’m really fond of Lin Nuan. She’s very considerate of you. She said… she wants to keep your marriage under wraps because she doesn’t want you to become the subject of others’ gossips like she once was. She doesn’t want others to mock you behind your back for having a wife with a crazy mother. That your wife might go crazy one day…”
Fu Huai’an, who had been silent all along, darkened his gaze and clenched his phone tightly. He moved the cigarette away from his lips and turned to see Old Madam Fu, who wore a lonely smile at the corner of her lips. He pulled the ashtray closer and tipped the cigarette ash into the ashtray.
Fu Huai’an never expected Lin Nuan to be so bothered about the fact that her mother had a mental illness.
“As your maternal grandmother, after hearing what Lin Nuan had to say, I’m comforted that you found yourself such a wife. However, at the same time, I’m worried. Worried that Lin Nuan might turn out like her mother and one day forget how much she used to love you! You’re so similar to your mother, so stubborn when you fall for someone. I’m afraid should something happen to Lin Nuan…”
“Nothing’s gonna happen to Lin Nuan!” Fu Huai’an’s tone of voice was as cold and serious as his facial features.
Old Madam Fu’s sharp senses detected that Fu Huai’an was trying to hold back his anger, so she didn’t continue.
Old Madam Fu pursed her lips together and nodded. “I hope so too…”
She pointed at the doc.u.ment folder. “Huai’an, here are all my a.s.sets. I’m leaving it all to you and Lin Nuan.”
“You don’t need to do this. I will get back the Kaide Corporation myself anyway.”
As for the rest, Fu Huai’an didn’t speak further.
Fu Huai’an had sacrificed too much for the Kaide Corporation. He had painstakingly cultivated Kaide from the perilous seedling it once was to the deep-rooted, ma.s.sive tree that it was today, so he certainly wasn’t going to give it up to someone else without a fight.
Even if not for Old Madam Fu, Fu Huai’an would get it back for himself. A man’s pride and ambition were at stake here.
Fu Huai’an placed the ashtray on the office desk, and with one hand in his pocket, his rich vocals carried with them a piercing coldness. “Don’t worry about the Kaide Corporation and take good care of your health. As for Lin Nuan, if you can be fond of her as an elder, that’d be great. Even if you don’t like her, that’s fine. I’ll just try not to bring her with me in your presence! Regardless of whether it’s for the Kaide Corporation or for my own good, I will not allow you to interfere in our matters as a married couple. This will be the last time!”
Old Madam Fu lightly smiled, tearing up at the corner of her eyes. Having heard this from Fu Huai’an, she was a tinge envious of Lin Nuan. At least Lin Nuan’s husband was protective of her.
She looked at her increasingly bony hands, which even when adorned with jewels, were unable to hide the traces of age. She felt inevitably sorrowed.
“The old man sent Secretary Song to me the day before with divorce papers, saying… that Fu Tianci’s mother is his one true love! Since there are no more feelings between the two of us, he wants me to relinquish my position…”
What was ironic was that after spending a lifetime with her, with half a leg in the coffin, he suddenly told her… the true love and marriage that she has believed in all her life was actually a big fat joke.
Just before he was about to meet his maker, Fu Qingquan suddenly realized that his most beloved woman wasn’t the one he spent almost a lifetime with.
In this lifetime, Old Madam Fu appeared to lead a rich life, but in fact, her days were bitter. She lost her daughter early on and later contracted breast cancer and had to remove half a breast. She only managed to hang on because of her husband’s devotion. But in her golden years, she suddenly found out that her husband had an illegitimate son.
With her health worsening by the day, even the devotion that she once thought belonged to her became a joke, became… something that he, Fu Qingquan, settled for before his one true love appeared in his life.
Ever since Fu Tianci appeared, the rage and hate in Old Madam Fu’s heart not only didn’t subside with time but grew increasingly strong. It wasn’t that she was narrow-minded, but that with every step she relented, Fu Qingquan forced her to take yet another step back.
Firstly, the appearance of the illegitimate son, Old Madam Fu forgave it.
Then, when he wanted to keep the illegitimate son by his side, Old Madam Fu tolerated it.
And then, when he provided for the other woman, Old Madam Fu broke it off with Fu Qingquan.
Later, he even dreamt of handing the Kaide Corporation over to that illegitimate son of his.
Now, in order to give this illegitimate son a proper name and place, he was asking Old Madam Fu to give up the position of the mistress of the house to the mother of that b.a.s.t.a.r.d.
Step by step, Fu Qingquan drove Old Madam Fu to the edge.
“Huai’an, before I die… I want to see you get hold of the Kaide Corporation. When that woman realizes her son has no hope of inheriting the Kaide Corporation, will she still love the dying man that is Fu Qingquan, will she still spend the rest of her life with him! To achieve this goal in the fastest time possible, we cannot do without the Chus and their relatives’ support!”
Old Madam Fu’s gaze turned towards Fu Huai’an with hatred in her eyes. “Huai’an, we’re merely not making your marriage public. Not only do you and Lin Nuan have nothing to lose, but you can help to fulfill a dying person’s final wis.h.!.+ I’m not forcing you as your grandmother, but at least… because Fu Wan’s and my blood flow in you, grant my wish…”
In the brightly lit CEO office of the Kaide Corporation, Fu Huai’an leaned against the edge of the office desk with one hand in his pocket, the other holding a cigarette. His silhouette was clearly carved out on the dark gray carpet, appearing towering and magnificent.
Fu Huai’an tipped the cigarette ash into the ashtray, white smoke coming out from the corner of his lips, and spoke in a deep and defined voice. “If I’m unable to claim the Kaide Corporation without support from the Chus and their relatives, that means I’m incapable! What’s more… the Chus’ so-called support isn’t so easily obtained, even if I were to marry Chu Xun. Businessmen are concerned with profits. They only supported me in the past because I offered them more benefits than Fu Qingquan. But now, with the alliance marriage between Fu Tianci and the Mu family from Pengcheng, the Chus are ambiguous in their stand. Just as you and Mrs. Chu discussed Chu Xun and my marriage behind my back, Chu Xun’s brother-in-law was meeting Peng Cheng in the dark on several occasions, and the timing just so happened to coincide with Secretary Song’s schedule. Do you think that’s a pure coincidence?”
Regarding the Chus, Fu Huai’an had long taken precautions. In his plans… he never counted on having the Chus’ support.
Old Madam Fu tightly pursed her lips into a straight line. Her tightened, straight spine slightly quivered, unable to believe the Chus were such people…
So, Fu Huai’an had known it all along.
“Whether I should publicly announce my marriage status, how it should be, that’s up to Lin Nuan and me. It will not implicate the Kaide Corporation or anyone for that matter!” Fu Huai’an sucked in a final breath of his cigarette before putting it out in the ashtray.