Chapter 291

Chapter 291

◎Give Younger Brother Whatever He Wants!◎

Regardless of their true feelings about Cheng Junan’s death, upon receiving the news of his passing, the Cheng family rushed to the hospital without delay.

Old Master Cheng sat in the ward, his face ashen, as though all life force had drained from him overnight with his grandson’s death.

Cheng Junan’s parents arrived in a panic, their faces masks of shock.

Cheng’s mother threw herself onto the hospital bed, touching her son’s already cold body, unable to accept reality: “How could this be? An-An was perfectly fine when I left this morning. The doctor said his condition was stable. Why did this happen? How could it come to this…”

Cheng’s father also trembled as he touched his son’s face. His outstanding son, who had excelled in everything since childhood and now held the reins of the entire Cheng family—even after learning he had another son with his ex-girlfriend, the choice between a brilliant heir he’d raised and a stranger was no choice at all.

But now, that exceptional child was gone. Though he had sensed things might take a turn for the worse when Cheng Junan fell seriously ill, the reality of his death still struck him as an unbearable blow.

Cheng’s mother sobbed uncontrollably. He was her only son, the pillar of her life. Just yesterday, she had contacted a spiritual master, who assured her he could temporarily suppress the Grudge afflicting her son. Though it wouldn’t solve the root problem, every extra moment bought him a fighting chance to survive.

She had left that morning to raise funds—the master’s fee was steep, and she planned to sell two sets of high-end jewelry. Like Old Master Cheng, no matter what others said, she firmly believed her child was innocent. He would never harm anyone.

Yet who could have imagined that in just half a day’s absence, her son would be gone?

Those who arrived later put on a show of grief, shedding a few crocodile tears. Cheng Junan’s aunt stepped forward, attempting to pull Cheng’s mother away: “Eldest Sister-in-law, what’s done is done. Don’t make Junan’s passing harder. Take care of yourself.”

Cheng Junan’s cousin didn’t even bother pretending. He craned his neck to glance at the corpse on the bed, recoiling in disgust at the sight of the oozing pustules on his arm. Hearing his mother’s hypocritical words, he couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

When his gaze shifted away, he immediately noticed the two strangers standing by the window. Wang Qin frowned sharply: “The hell are you?”

Two complete strangers in his dead cousin’s hospital room—were they some distant relatives here to snatch a piece of the pie?

Old Master Cheng shot him a warning glare: “This is the Third and Fourth Young Lords of the Ji family. Where are your manners? Eaten by dogs?”

Only then did Cheng Junan’s aunt and uncle, who had just entered, notice the non-family members in the room. Unlike the unruly Wang Qin, they had done some research on social circles before returning to the country—especially the Ji family, with whom they had some prior connections before leaving.

When they first planned to re-enter the domestic market, their initial strategy had been to rekindle ties with the Ji family, relying on them to navigate the business elite circles rather than fumbling blindly on their own.

Upon hearing these two were from the Ji family, Cheng Fengxian, Cheng Junan’s uncle, brightened immediately, assuming the old man had personally reached out for connections. If Cheng Junan were still alive, dealing with the Ji family would have fallen to him. But now that he was gone, and his elder brother had no business sense, the future of the Cheng family would inevitably rest on his shoulders.

Already eyeing opportunity, Fengxian brushed past the grieving family and strode toward Ji Yuanting with a beaming smile: “Yuanting and Nanxing, right? It’s been years—you’ve both grown so much! I even played with you when you were little, though Nanxing was probably too young to remember.”

Ji Yuanting smiled politely: “Uncle.”

Nanxing didn’t utter a word, his aloof gaze sweeping the room like a bored aristocrat. Standing behind Ji Yuanting, he surveyed everyone without greeting or responding when spoken to.

Wang Qin, scolded by Old Master Cheng, sulked but didn’t dare show it openly, though his eyes rolled so hard they might’ve stuck.

In his eyes, these domestic folks were just a bunch of unsophisticated bumpkins. The rules here were stifling—so many things were off-limits. What kind of worldly experience could these sheltered young lords possibly have? They probably didn’t even know how to party.

Soon, Cheng Junan’s uncle-in-law arrived as well. Almost every Cheng in the country had gathered, along with the company’s top brass. With Cheng Junan gone, someone had to step up to manage the company, or chaos was inevitable.

Fortunately, Old Master Cheng was still around. Though he had long withdrawn from business affairs, his presence alone served as an anchor—at least for now, the company wouldn’t descend into disorder.

Sensing Ji Yuanting’s disinterest in small talk and realizing the situation was hardly appropriate for it, Cheng Fengxian stopped pressing the conversation. Instead, he approached the hospital bed and pulled his elder brother up: “Junan is gone. I know you and Eldest Sister-in-law can’t accept it, but the funeral arrangements must be made. We can’t leave him here to rot.”

Old Master Cheng roared again: “No one moves him.”

Cheng Jun'an's aunt also chimed in: "Dad, I know it's hard for you to let go, but the dead cannot be revived. But you're just making things harder for everyone."

Old Master Cheng stubbornly insisted: "I said no, and that means no! Get out, all of you! Out!"

He physically shoved everyone out, and the bodyguards dutifully blocked the expelled crowd outside the door.

The Chengs sighed in exasperation, thinking the old man had grown senile, stubborn, and unreasonable with age. Yet none dared to openly defy him, leaving them all exasperated.

Wang Qin scoffed: "Then let Grandpa keep watch. Let him sit vigil until the body's crawling with maggots. Let’s see how long he can stand it."

He had long resented his grandfather for manipulating everyone with his will. Despite his advanced age, he demanded absolute obedience, doting on his grandsons while treating his maternal grandsons with disdain—just because they didn’t bear the Cheng surname.

If not for the fact that the old man didn’t have many years left, and Cheng Jun'an’s death would surely devastate him, pushing him closer to the grave, Wang Qin wouldn’t have returned to the country at all. Everything here was so damn restrictive.

Once everyone had left, Old Master Cheng turned to the two Ji brothers: "Well? Did you notice anything?"

Ji Yuanting: "Out of everyone here, your youngest son is the most suspicious. Though we can’t confirm it’s him, he’s the only one wearing occult paraphernalia."

Ji Nanxing: "The necklace on him?"

Ji Yuanting nodded: "What else did you see?"

Ji Nanxing: "Everyone’s auras are chaotic, especially Wang Qin’s—a walking cesspool of vice. But his eyes are empty, meaning he lacks the cunning to pull off such a flawless crime. Cheng Jun'an’s aunt is full of schemes, her crocodile tears while watching your every reaction. Cheng Jun'an’s parents are genuinely heartbroken, their auras the cleanest among them. As for Cheng Jun'an’s uncle, there’s some weird mojo around him. I can see everyone’s aura clearly except his—it’s blurred."

Ji Yuanting: "That’s because of the Wu Shang Lian (Harmless Chain). It’s the signature artifact of Taoist Master Gui Qi from over a century ago."

The artifact was made of silver, but a special kind. Legend had it that Taoist Master Gui Qi obtained it from a foreigner—a blade that had staked a vampire by piercing its heart. After reforging the silver, he crafted it into a talisman.

Even without a Taoist’s activation, the talisman could instantly annihilate any yin entities that drew near.

The artifact’s power was immense, but after Master Gui Qi’s death, its whereabouts became unknown. Some claimed his tomb was robbed, his body and treasures smuggled overseas.

Ji Nanxing, who had studied ancient artifacts, had heard of the Wu Shang Lian and had even sought its whereabouts on international forums. He never expected it to be in the hands of the Cheng family.

He coveted it.

Recognizing his brother’s gaze, Ji Yuanting ruffled his hair: "If he’s guilty, the chain is yours."

Ji Nanxing: "So what do we do now?"

Ji Yuanting frowned: "That plan is dead in the water."

He had temporarily severed the connection between Cheng Jun'an’s soul and body, faking death so completely—one even capable of fooling Grudge and cosmic retribution. Once a body loses vitality, the spirit thinks it’s gotten its revenge, and the Grudge dissipates.

Fearing someone might carry a protective artifact, Ji Yuanting had Ji Nanxing stash Cheng Jun'an’s soul in a golden bell.

The initial plan was to observe who slipped up, then release Cheng Jun'an’s lingering ghost to frighten them into revealing useful information.

But now, the uncle became their prime suspect, wearing the Wu Shang Lian. Any lingering ghost approaching him would be instantly destroyed. That plan was dead in the water—they needed another approach.

Old Master Cheng interjected: "So if we just remove the chain, that’ll solve it?"

Ji Yuanting: "Ideally, yes. Without its concealment, we can see him more clearly."

Old Master Cheng nodded. Picking between his useless son and brilliant grandson required no hesitation.

Knowing they were still outside, he ordered the bodyguards to let Cheng Fengxian back in.

Cheng Fengxian’s heart leaped. Being summoned now likely meant talk about who’d take over. With Cheng Jun'an dead, the company needed a leader—and he was the obvious choice.

Aren't all Cheng children equal? Are daughters just outsiders by default? Why won't you give her a single chance?

Cheng Fengxian pushed the door open and entered. Old Master Cheng sat on the sofa, glaring at him. "Kneel down!"

The eavesdroppers outside immediately perked up their ears. Cheng Junan's aunt no longer looked grief-stricken; instead, her eyes sparkled with gleeful malice.

Cheng Fengxian was stunned. "Dad?"

Old Master Cheng snarled, "If you still acknowledge me as your father, kneel!"

Now it was Cheng Fengxian's turn to pale. With the Ji family present, how was he supposed to save face in the future?

Yet he dared not disobey the old man's order. He dropped to his knees with a grimace. "Dad, what's wrong? No one wanted Junan dead—we're all devastated. But why take it out on me?"

Old Master Cheng roared, "Tell me what you've been doing behind my back!"

His stomach dropped, but with Cheng Junan dead, the matter was surely over. As long as he tidied up the loose ends, no one would ever know. He steadied himself. "Dad, what have I done? Nothing at all."

Old Master Cheng snapped, "Nothing? Then how did you end up tens of millions in debt?!"

Ji Nanxing glanced at Old Master Cheng, then at his senior brother. They had already learned this from Cheng Junan, who had kept it hidden, assuming the old man was unaware. Turns out, he knew.

Cheng Fengxian was startled too, then secretly sighed in relief before putting on a remorseful face. "Dad, I was scammed. I didn’t mean to. I’ve been trying to cover the losses. I know I was wrong—I’ve repaid most of it, just over a million to go. Dad, please help me. I’ll never make reckless investments again."

Old Master Cheng shoved his hand away. "I’ve bailed you out time and again, yet you never learn! How much of the Cheng fortune do you think there is for you to squander? Can’t you act responsibly for once?"

With that, he ripped the necklace from Cheng Fengxian’s neck and, before the latter could react, hurled it out the window.

Ji Yuanting had already stationed bodyguards downstairs. The moment the necklace was tossed out, one of them grabbed it and took off running.

With bloodshot eyes, Cheng Fengxian shoved the old man aside and lunged for the window—but the necklace was already gone.

"What the hell are you doing?! Do you even know what that was? How dare you throw my things away!"

The murderous rage in his gaze stunned Old Master Cheng. Though the Ji brothers had warned him the necklace was no ordinary trinket—some kind of powerful artifact—he hadn’t expected it to provoke such a violent reaction.

Cheng Fengxian shoved the door open and ran out. He had to retrieve the necklace. Without it, he was dead.

Ji Yuanting clicked his tongue. "Seems he’s the one behind Cheng Junan’s death."

Old Master Cheng’s heart clenched. "What’s on him?"

Ji Nanxing said, "Nothing on him. But the lingering Grudge on Cheng Junan started coiling around your youngest son the moment the necklace was thrown out. That confirms his involvement."

Yet there were no signs of soul displacement or tampering with fate. How had Cheng Fengxian transferred the Grudge to Cheng Junan? And given the severity of the snakestring sores, how many lives did it take to accumulate such resentment?