Zhao Yufen also began to wail and lament, “Oh, this is an outrage! You’re trying to drive the Third Branch to our deaths! Chengren only has that small amount of shares, and now half of it is being snatched away!”
“You wicked girl, you heartless thing! Are you just going to stand there and watch outsiders bully your own parents like this?!”
Liu Chengren’s fierce opposition was expected.
Before Su Wan could speak, Liu Chengye, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines, suddenly spoke up. “Third Brother, those words are out of line.”
Liu Chengye frowned, putting on an act of being concerned for the family. “Father’s health is the top priority for the Liu family.”
“Now that there is a medicine that can treat him, and it only requires some shares in exchange, the public pool has already shouldered half. It is only fair and reasonable for the other half to come from you.”
“After all, you were only given those shares by Father back then because Xin’er married well.”
“Using them now to trade for the medicine that will save Father’s life is putting them to their best use. This is your chance to show your filial piety.”
“For you to oppose this so adamantly... could it be that in your heart, those few shares are more important than Father’s life?”
These words were incredibly venomous!
He had directly slapped the label of “unfilial” onto his brother!
Upon hearing this, Liu Zonghan’s gaze indeed turned sharp, cutting toward his youngest son like a blade!
He was already suspicious by nature, especially concerning whether his children and grandchildren were wishing for his death so they could divide the family estate.
Liu Chengye’s words had struck his most sensitive nerve!
“Chengren!” Liu Zonghan’s voice carried a heavy weight of pressure. Though he was still weak, his authority remained undiminished. “Are you unwilling?”
Caught between his elder brother’s accusations and his father’s overwhelming pressure, Liu Chengren’s face turned from a flushed red to a pale white, and then from white to a deathly ash-gray.
He opened his mouth to defend himself, only to realize he was completely isolated.
His eldest brother was clearly happy to see this happen, his father had already made his choice, and the surrounding servants and the butler all kept their heads bowed...
All his struggles and opposition were rendered powerless before the two mountains of “unfilial piety” and “disregarding his father’s life.”
It was as if all the strength had been sucked out of him. He slumped back into his chair, unable to utter another word of protest.
He knew this matter was settled.
The shares could not be saved.
Su Wan watched Liu Chengren’s devastated expression with cold eyes, feeling no sympathy for him.
Her original plan had been even harsher—she had wanted to move all ten percent of Liu Chengren’s shares into Liu Xin’s name.
But on second thought, she decided against it.
She couldn't drive them to a total dead end.
Liu Chengren and Zhao Yufen were, after all, Liu Xin’s biological parents. Though they were cold and selfish, the blood relation could not be severed.
If she truly stripped them of all their shares, causing them to completely lose their financial support and status within the Liu family, there was no guarantee they wouldn't do something desperate to retaliate against Liu Xin and Lele.
Secretly tripping them up, smearing their names, or even more malicious schemes were all possible.
After all, people who have nothing left are the easiest to be driven by hatred.
Leaving them with five percent of the shares was like a carrot dangling in front of a donkey.
It made them feel the pain of the loss, but not to the point of total despair; they could still maintain a basic lifestyle and their dignity.
More importantly, that remaining five percent would keep a flicker of fantasy alive in their hearts. Liu Xin was their daughter; she had been obedient since childhood, and though she seemed a bit tougher now, the bond of blood remained.
As long as they treated Liu Xin a little better from now on and coaxed her, perhaps their daughter would soften her heart. Then, that five percent—or even more benefits in the future—might flow back into their hands?
At the very least, now that Liu Xin held shares, her status would skyrocket. As her parents, they could benefit from her reflected glory, which was far better than a total fallout and being kicked out of the game.
Human nature was often like this; giving a glimmer of hope was a better way to control behavior than giving total despair.
Seeing the situation settled, Liu Zonghan caught his breath and finally made the final call:
“Fine! We will do as Su Wan says. The public pool will provide five percent of the shares to be transferred to Liu Xin’s name.”
“Chengren, you will also take five percent from the shares in your hand and transfer them to Liu Xin. Handle the procedures as quickly as possible.”
Only then did Su Wan pull out the small milky-white bottle again.
“Old Master, your illness is deep-seated and requires long-term conditioning. This medicine should be taken once a month, ten drops each time, for the best effect.”
“I will leave the medicine,” she looked at Liu Xin, “in my sister-in-law’s care.”
“Every month when it’s time to take the medicine, Old Master, you can get it from my sister-in-law.”
This arrangement caused Liu Zonghan’s pupils to contract slightly, but then a flash of realization and complexity crossed his eyes.
What a shrewd girl!
This wasn't just a transaction; it was the strongest protective talisman she could give to Liu Xin!
As long as the medicine was in Liu Xin’s hands and he needed to get it from her every month, who in the Liu family would dare to neglect or bully her again?
Unless they didn't want the Old Master to continue his treatment or didn't want him to live!
This effectively tied Liu Xin’s safety firmly to Liu Zonghan’s health and life!
Liu Zonghan took a long look at Su Wan and finally nodded slowly.
“Very well.” Those two words carried the weight of a thousand jin, and they completely established Liu Xin’s future status in the Liu family.
A genuine smile finally appeared at the corners of Su Wan’s mouth.
The issue of settling her sister-in-law, Liu Xin, and her nephew, Lele, had been resolved in the most secure way she could think of.
From now on, Liu Xin was no longer that helpless, destitute eldest daughter-in-law of the Su family who could be driven away and bullied at will.
She held ten percent of the shares in the Liu family enterprises, making her a shareholder within the family who could not be ignored.
No one in the Liu family, including Liu Chengren and his wife, would dare to touch her easily.
As for Li Bao and his gang of local thugs, after this lesson, they shouldn't have the courage to go after Liu Xin now that she had the formal protection of the Liu family. Their anger and greed could only continue to target Su Wan herself.
And as for Gu Huaiyu and Bai Ruochu...
They might have the power to pressure the Liu family, but was a pair of isolated widow and orphan worth them truly going to war with the Liu family?
Most likely not.
Their primary target had always been her, Su Wan.
In this way, Liu Xin and her son were removed from the direct eye of the storm.
With her weakness properly hidden and protected, Su Wan felt an unprecedented sense of relief.
She could finally let loose and no longer be restricted at every turn. She could manage her base in the Apocalyptic Plane, accumulate strength, and plan her counterattack on Blue Star!
With the business concluded, Su Wan had no intention of staying longer.
She silently retrieved the heavy pile of over a thousand grams of gold from her Portable Storage Space and placed it on the coffee table in the living room.
“I’ll have to trouble Old Master Liu to help process this gold and exchange it for cash,” Su Wan said casually.
The bright yellow gold bars and jewelry emitted an enticing luster under the lights.
Liu Zonghan looked at the gold, his eyes deep with thought.
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