Chapter 53 Reconciliation: "Past Events Forgive and Forgive"

53

In the end, the group chose a Western restaurant with good privacy. Fang Huaijin was still on her way when Fang Yanxiu entered and picked up the menu very familiarly.

"It's rare to see President Fang take the initiative to invite me to dinner," he said, his gaze sweeping over Fang Huaixu and Meng Yao, as if he had already anticipated something, his words laced with sarcasm: "What's wrong? Are you here to complain to your brother, or is this a trap?"

Fang Huaixu didn't look at him, his voice calm and even: "Our relationship isn't that good, I just wanted to give you a choice."

"Choose?" Fang Huaixu handed the menu to the waiter, leaning forward slightly, elbows on the table, his eyes filled with mockery. "Choose what? When did you start talking such empty words?"

“We’re all adults here, there’s no need to beat around the bush,” Fang Huaixu met his provocative gaze and got straight to the point: “We all know about the Lin family’s affairs and your underhanded tricks in the past. As family, I don’t want things to get too ugly, so I’m giving you a chance. If you stop now, I can let bygones be bygones.”

Fang Yanxiu, however, seemed to have found a topic of interest and turned the conversation to Meng Yao: "What Lin family? Aren't they your sister-in-law's family? We're all family, why are you speaking so formally?"

He no longer concealed his knowledge of the Lin family's background, and looked at Meng Yao with undisguised contempt: "Or has Miss Meng already been kicked out of the Lin family? Indeed, a social media influencer who only gained some fame by imitating Lin Yue and trying to attract attention, what right does she have to sit here and talk to me if she hadn't married into the Fang family?"

These words were extremely insulting. Fang Huaixu's face instantly darkened, and he was about to lash out when Meng Yao stopped him, chuckling lightly, "What I do is none of your concern. At least every penny I earn is something I can be proud of. Unlike some people who use the Fang family name to embezzle family wealth and betray their own family. In terms of qualifications, what right does an adopted son who can't even know his own place have to question whether others are qualified?"

These words struck Fang Yanxiu squarely, his smile vanished, and his eyes turned sinister: "Do you know what you're saying?"

“I’ve made myself clear enough,” Meng Yao retorted without backing down. “You’re allowed to reopen other people’s wounds, but others aren’t allowed to touch your sore spots?”

Seeing that Fang Yanxiu was about to explode, Fang Huaixu timely changed the subject: "I know you're stalling for time. It's the same if Fang Huaijin comes. Don't change the subject. You know why I came to see you. I have no interest in getting entangled in your grudges, and I have no intention of fighting you for the family property. How you want to make a scene is your business, but if you involve the people around me again, I will not give you a second chance."

"You say you need to give me a chance? It sounds like you're doing me a favor."

Fang Yanxiu scoffed, his tone filled with deep-seated resentment: "That should have been ours in the first place. I've been groveling before the old man since I was six, doing all the dirty and tiring work that he didn't want to do. Why should all the benefits end up in your hands, you ungrateful wretch? That should have been ours in the first place."

Fang Huaixu remained silent, a hint of weariness flashing in his eyes. He was long tired of this endless suspicion and attack: "If you want an explanation, I've said it many times: I can't control Dad's thoughts. Tianmu is doing very well now, and I've never thought of competing with you..."

"What I hate most is your cowardly attitude."

Fang Yanxiu interrupted him fiercely, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world, each word seemed to be bitten out: "You pretend to not care about anything, putting on an aloof and arrogant look, but in reality you have not missed out on any good things. Are you showing off that you can get everything without doing anything? I don't believe you, I only believe in myself. I will clear all obstacles to make my life better. I don't care if you want to fight or not. I feel uncomfortable seeing you comfortable for a day!"

He became more and more agitated as he spoke, took a deep breath, and raised an eyebrow: "So what if you know we're behind this? Do you have any evidence? Do you dare to do anything to us? Are you going to run to the old man and complain? Just like your naive and innocent mother, all she does is stay in the lab and dream."

Fang Huaixu's expression changed slightly when his mother was mentioned. Just then, a waiter knocked on the door and came in to serve the dishes, interrupting the tense atmosphere.

Fang Yanxiu rolled his eyes in annoyance, then his gaze fell on one of the soup dishes and he suddenly stopped.

This is a signature dish here: Cordyceps flower stewed pigeon.

He seemed to remember something amusing, a cheerful smile spreading across his face. He picked up a spoon and gently stirred the clear soup, his gaze fixed on Fang Huaixu: "Since we're here to reminisce, does seeing these pigeons remind you of anything? Like... that parrot you treasured so much when you were little? Its blue feathers were beautiful, and it could even mimic your mother's speech, remember?"

Fang Huaixu's body suddenly tensed up, and his face instantly turned pale.

Fang Yanxiu admired Fang Huaixu's reaction and continued slowly, "Do you remember how long you searched for it when it went missing? I remember it more clearly than you do. You never reacted to how I bullied you before, and I thought you didn't feel anything. That was the only time I saw you cry, and I saw you search for it for three days and three nights without saying a word or sleeping... At that time, I regretted it. I regretted why I simply let it go. I should have let it die little by little in front of you, so that you would remember it more clearly..."

Snap!

A crisp, loud slap rang out unexpectedly.

The person who stood up was not Fang Huaixu, but Meng Yao!

She rushed over the instant Fang Yanxiu finished speaking, her movements so fast that no one could react in time.

Not only Fang Yanxiu, but even Fang Huaixu was stunned.

Time seemed to stand still for a long time. Fang Yanxiu covered his cheeks, which had turned red instantly, and stared at Meng Yao in disbelief. His eyes were first filled with astonishment, and then quickly replaced by rage.

"You dare hit me?" Fang Yanxiu suddenly stood up, his eyes fierce, and he was about to rush over.

"Fang Yanxiu!" Fang Huaixu reacted quickly, instantly grabbing his wrist and firmly protecting Meng Yao behind him.

Meng Yao's aura was in no way inferior; she stared fearlessly into his eyes: "I've already hit you, so tell me if I dare or not? I've wanted to hit you since I walked in, so what?"

"What's wrong? Why are you making such a racket?"

Just then, the door was suddenly pushed open by a pair of hands, and Fang Huaijin walked in with an indifferent expression. After looking the three people facing each other up and down, he sneered: "So lively? I've come at the wrong time. Then I'll go back. The big stage is for you."

Fang Yanxiu was so angry that veins bulged on his forehead. He pointed at Meng Yao and yelled at Fang Huaijin, "Go to hell! What are you saying? Didn't you see that bitch hit me?"

Fang Huaijin approached, carrying her bag, and pinched his cheek to examine him closely: "It really is... Sister-in-law is so strong?"

Fang Yanxiu glared at her with displeasure, but Fang Huaijin suddenly couldn't help but smile, lightly patting his cheek and teasingly saying, "So what if I hit you? Your mouth was asking for a beating anyway."

"Get out!" Fang Yanxiu angrily slapped her hand away. "Who the hell are you on?"

"I'm not taking sides," Fang Huaijin waved his hand. "But you're really making too much noise, my ears can't take it. Can you please quiet down for a bit... Didn't you say you came to talk to me about serious business?"

Fang Huaixu stared coldly at the two of them, his expression turning sour. He picked up a brown paper document bag from the table and threw it directly in front of them: "Look, it's important business."

Fang Huaijin was not annoyed. He calmly opened the folder, browsed it for a few seconds, his eyes flickered almost imperceptibly, and then he took a deep breath, as if he was deep in thought.

Fang Yanxiu didn't understand her silence, so he snatched the document away and discovered that it contained information about Fang Huaijin's true background.

Although Meng Yao's heart was still beating fast, her tone was unusually clear and calm: "I suspected a long time ago that the source of those smear articles targeting Tianmu was not simple. Lin Tianhai may have ulterior motives, but if he didn't have anyone backing him up, he wouldn't dare to openly go against Tianmu like that, even if he had ten times the courage. So from the beginning, I focused my investigation on you."

Her gaze fell on Fang Yanxiu, whose face was pale, and Fang Huaijin, who remained expressionless: "You hid very well. It did take a lot of time to investigate, but we finally found the key. Fang Huaijin, you are not Fang Hongsheng's biological daughter at all. His real illegitimate daughter, who was raised outside the home, did live in the same orphanage as you, but she died of illness when she was ten years old. Now we have all the witnesses and evidence. So, can you calm down and have a proper talk with us now?"

"What should we talk about?"

Upon hearing this, Fang Huaijin chuckled softly, lazily raising his eyes: "I knew this day would come. After pretending for so long, I'm almost starting to believe it myself."

She stepped aside to make way for the furious Fang Yanxiu, casually waving her hand: "Since there's nothing left to talk about, let's settle our scores now. We're not the kind of people who suffer in silence."

Fang Yanxiu had clenched his fists, his face ashen.

Fang Huaixu then spoke up: "I found out the dates of these things six years ago, but I didn't bring them out because I felt it was unnecessary and I wanted to leave you some room to maneuver."

His gaze swept over Fang Huaijin and Fang Yanxiu: "I'll reiterate one last time, I have no interest in the family property, not before, and certainly not now, otherwise I wouldn't have waited until today to bring these things out. My only request is that you stay away from my life from now on. If you're willing to reconcile, I can pretend nothing happened, and this evidence will be sealed forever. Otherwise, given my father's personality, you should know what he'll do once he finds out he's been deceived for so many years."

"I don't want to hear a single word."

Fang Huaijin flicked his cigarette ash dismissively, his tone indifferent: "At worst, it's just targeting me. I'm already a worthless life, I've had my fill of comfort. I don't need any opportunities you offer, and I'm not going to be threatened by you for the rest of my life."

Her gaze suddenly shifted to Meng Yao: "All I know right now is that she hit Yan Xiu earlier, but she hasn't started settling accounts yet."

She made a move to get up, but Fang Yanxiu grabbed her arm tightly.

"etc."

Fang Yanxiu's voice carried an unprecedented tension and weighing of options. He glanced at Fang Huaixu, then at the documents on the table that could destroy Fang Huaijin. As if he had thought of something, he gritted his teeth and unexpectedly took a step back: "...If you keep your word, I can let it go."

"you!"

Instead, Fang Huaijin became anxious and tried to stop him, but Fang Yanxiu grabbed him tightly around the waist and stared sharply at Fang Huaixu: "If you breach the contract, or try anything else later, you know I'm capable of anything."

Fang Huaixu met his gaze and calmly nodded: "I promise you."

Author's Note: The relationship between the older brother and sister is actually quite...innocent. If you want to see a side story, I'll release it there. [droopy-eared rabbit head]