Cheng You didn't dare to linger on the road, especially with the suicide note.
After getting it appraised, she bought some fruit and went to visit the hospital.
She arrived quite late; everyone had been waiting for her and the suicide note.
Zhu Yan said sarcastically, "Mom, I say you're losing your mind to entrust such an important item to a little girl."
Old Mrs. Lin snorted, "If I were losing my mind, I would have let you two trick the things out of my hands long ago." httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Feng Yaojun coughed twice, "We're talking about the Xu family's affairs now. These things originally belonged to Uncle Xu, so it's only right to return them."
Old Master Feng glanced at him, "Who says it's not right? I never intended to pocket the items. Nan Xi still has elders in his family, and these things shouldn't be held by a junior like him, no matter how you look at it."
Xu Nanxi's expression grew even more unpleasant.
"Grandpa Feng, forgive me for being blunt, but when my grandfather was sent down to the countryside, my grandmother had already divorced him and was no longer considered part of the Xu family. As for Shaohua, he’s surnamed Han, so what right does he have to take our Xu family’s things! We suffered in the countryside while they enjoyed themselves in the city. Why should they still dare to take our things!"
The old lady, who had only recently woken up, almost fainted at his words!
Her face was ashen, and she glared at her grandson with fury.
Shaohua had lived with his maternal grandmother since he was young. She had only had Xu Nanxi as her grandson and had doted on him dearly.
Now, he had turned into a viper biting the hand that fed him!
"Why did I divorce your grandfather? It was to preserve the Xu family's bloodline! When the Xu family was raided, your grandfather divorced me to keep you and Shaohua with me in the city. What did you say then? I, Yuan Chunmei, have lived my life with integrity and have never wronged anyone, especially you, Xu Nanxi!"
Xu Nanxi had resented her back then, believing she had betrayed his grandfather, and decisively chose to be sent down to the countryside with them.
Unable to do anything else, Yuan Chunmei secretly sold her last piece of dowry and gave it to Old Master Feng.
She knew that Old Master Xu would suffer a lot after being sent down to the countryside, but had she and Han Shaohua ever enjoyed any luxury?
The turmoil in the city was even more intense than in the countryside. The grandmother and grandson hid like rats in the street, constantly on the run.
Xu Nanxi had suffered himself and regretted being sent to the countryside, but now he was blaming her.
Xu Boyan stood in front of the old lady and reprimanded, "Xu Nanxi, you can resent this era, resent heaven and earth, but you have no right to resent your family. The family made the best choice back then to protect you and Shaohua. It was your own arrogance."
Xu Nanxi's face turned red from their reprimand. Enraged, he retorted rudely, "Why are we talking about this now? We should be talking about Grandpa's inheritance!"
Yuan Chunmei was overcome with grief, lowered her head, and wiped away her tears.
After years of longing, she hadn't seen the old man return, but instead, she got this ungrateful wretch.
Cheng You, however, thought this was a good thing. It would be best to let them see Xu Nanxi's true colors early, so they wouldn't be schemed against by him later.
Feng Yaojun's face was stern as he chimed in, "Nan Xi is right. Let's deal with his grandfather's belongings first."
Old Master Feng spat, "Anyone who didn't know would think that was your father!"
A trace of embarrassment flickered across Feng Yaojun's face, "Dad, Uncle Xu and our family have had a friendship spanning generations. I'm just concerned for Nan Xi. Regardless, I believe we should act according to the will. Uncle Xu's arrangement must have had his reasons."
The scheme he was hatching was as clear as day.
The word "greed" was practically written on his face.
Old Master Feng's face darkened, unsure of how to proceed.
Cheng You had secretly told him earlier that this suicide note might be genuine.
The ward fell silent, and no one spoke. The atmosphere was stagnant.
Just then, there was a knock on the door from outside.
The man who appraised the calligraphy and paintings entered with a young boy by his side.
"Teacher's wife, it's me, Changsheng!"
Yuan Chunmei sat up straighter, squinting as she examined him.
She looked him over from head to toe, meticulously.
"Changsheng..."
Xu Boyan exclaimed in surprise, "Brother Changsheng? You're still in Yancheng!"
It had been so many years since they last saw each other after the Old Master's incident.
Xu Changsheng and Xu Boyan's grandfathers were brothers.
During the turbulent times, he was also affected.
He was forced to live in a shack made of corrugated iron and was assigned the job of sweeping public toilets.
He had been sweeping public toilets day in and day out for years, and his family was struggling financially. He never dared to approach Yuan Chunmei, for fear of burdening them.
Only in the last two years, as the situation improved, did he dare to come out and sell calligraphy and paintings.
The calligraphy and paintings he brought out were mostly his own copies, but some were genuine works of the Old Master.
Xu Changsheng knelt by Yuan Chunmei's bedside and wept profusely.
"Changsheng is unfilial. I couldn't take good care of you."
Before the Old Master was sent down to the countryside, he had come to see him.
He had asked Changsheng to help if he could.
Changsheng had been useless, with more than he could handle at home, and couldn't even manage his own family.
Xu Nanxi was utterly annoyed by this scene. They were all poor, so why the need for such a reunion.
He failed to notice how grim Feng Yaojun's expression was, nor did he see his meaningful glances.
"Are you done crying? Grandpa Feng, let's hurry and give me my grandfather's belongings. The suicide note is right here. You don't want to take me to court, do you?"
Yuan Chunmei's heart turned cold. She said sternly, "Give it to him! Give him everything! From now on, consider me as having no grandson like him!"
Xu Changsheng leaped up from the ground, glaring at Xu Nanxi.
"How dare you claim these things! You, who can even forge a suicide note, are simply a beast!"
Cheng You was utterly astonished. Earlier, Xu Changsheng had said the suicide note was real, so why was it fake now?
Xu Nanxi's eyes drooped guiltily as he retorted fiercely, "The suicide note was written by my grandfather with his own hand. Don't slander me!"
"Slander you?" Xu Changsheng chuckled coldly. "This suicide note was written by me. How could I not know? Oh, right, you probably don't know, because the person who asked me to forge it was the comrade by your side."
He had agreed because Feng Yaojun had threatened that someone intended to embezzle Old Master Xu's inheritance.
Only this suicide note could help Xu Nanxi retrieve the property.
Upon hearing Xu Changsheng's words, Old Master Feng was furious and swung his large palm at Feng Yaojun's face!
"How could I have given birth to a beast like you! It's one thing to covet the things in my hands, but to covet the Xu family's possessions too!"
To fight for property, he didn't hesitate to ruin his reputation everywhere!
The Old Master's slap landed with full force, splitting Feng Yaojun's lip.
Cheng You couldn't help but marvel inwardly, truly a case of old but vigorous.
Xu Changsheng let out a cold snort and turned to look at Cheng You.
"If this young lady hadn't brought the suicide note to me for appraisal, I would have almost abetted evil!"