Chapter 46 Property Division: An older brother's illicit desire for his younger sister...
After a busy morning, with the help of the gardener, a row of temari shrubs were transplanted and are now blooming profusely in the garden.
Grandma Yi beckoned Meng Cenjun over to cool off.
It was hot, and his forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat. The servant handed him a damp towel that had been prepared beforehand.
Meng Cenjun sat on the stone bench, wiping her face with her eyes lowered.
The old lady kindly pushed a cup of mint tea towards me and asked with a smile, "You don't seem to like flowers?"
She had been observing him for a long time; although he had tried his best just now, it was clear that he was only doing it to complete the task.
He didn't reply, but thought about it seriously and felt that he had no reason to like it.
"Is it because of Lan Jia?"
"She can't touch these things."
"So you must be wondering why I planted these flowers and kept so many cats."
Meng Cenjun looked at her.
“Lan Jia doesn’t like coming back, and I respect her choice, but I can’t lose my own life just to wait for her. I’m old, I don’t have many hobbies, and these are the only things I like to do. If I always consider others and force others to change their habits, then I won’t know what to do.”
"Life goes on, doesn't it?"
"A person cannot live their whole life with another person and completely lose their own subjectivity."
He finally realized that she was advising him to let go.
Meng Cenjun felt a mix of emotions, lowering his eyelashes further. He lifted the lid of the porcelain cup, intending to cool it down, but wisps of steam rose and drifted away like wisps of smoke. He felt as if he were being drained of all his energy.
“But this is the only thing I want to do. I have no other skills.” Without Yi Lanjia, he didn’t even know how to live.
"Didn't you used to enjoy doing research?"
"I gave up long ago." He had given up on physics the moment he decided to drop out of school ten years ago.
Grandma Yi glanced at him expressionlessly. "Being too stubborn is not a good thing. You're young, so you may not understand this principle."
He thought he was trying to win her over, but his every move reminded her of Meng Shiyuan from back then.
Stubborn, extreme, and uncontrollable—if you encounter someone like that, you'll be lucky to escape with your life.
Meng Cenjun held the white porcelain cup silently. He didn't know how he had to explain his heart to her before she would believe him, nor did he know to what extent he had to beg before she would allow him to return to Lan Jia's side.
All he wants is a home. For thirty years, why is it always so difficult?
After a long silence, the air seemed to freeze.
Grandma Yi took a sip of tea, glancing at him from the rim of the cup. Seeing that she couldn't persuade him, she put the cup down and began to interrogate him.
"Xiao Cen, you haven't kept your promise to me."
The old lady favored the Qiao family and repeatedly asked him to persuade Lan Jia. Although he agreed on the surface, he never mentioned it to Lan Jia.
Meng Cenjun was never a person who broke his word, but after this incident, he realized for the first time that his character could be so despicable.
People will naturally stop at nothing to get what they want.
Since that's the case, let's just be upfront about it.
“Lan Jia is still young. I don’t want her to have any psychological burden, and I don’t agree with letting her be tied down by marriage so early.”
"How long can you keep her here? You know she has better options, yet you cling to her. Is this really doing her a favor?"
"At least not now. Besides, she knows nothing about relationships and has no feelings for him. Even if we do get married in the future, I only hope that it's because of love."
"You know she's completely clueless?" The old lady suddenly laughed. "Lan Jia is so immature, and you, as her older brother, indulge her and let her run wild?"
He knew she was expressing her dissatisfaction with him. The things they had done behind his back were despicable and taboo—a brother's shameful coveting of his sister. His crimes were enough to send him to hell.
But once a person decides to fall into depravity, he can throw away all the principles, reason, and dignity he once upheld. Even if he is condemned by thousands, so what? He still wants her, he only wants her...
"Does she deserve your 'affection'?" The old lady asked, her voice unusually sharp. "Even if you don't think of yourself, at least think of her."
"What lasts forever in this world? If this affection is ever riddled with holes, what will she do?"
“She has already lost both her parents, you can’t let her lose another family member.”
Meng Cenjun's jaw was taut, and the knuckles of her hand holding the cup were white.
Seeing his attitude, and fearing that she might push him too hard, the old lady softened her stance.
“I have never objected to you setting up your own household and running your own family well, but the premise of establishing this family should be pure, healthy, and untainted by any impurities. Xiao Cen, I also know that you are a good child. When you first came to the old house, I liked you from the bottom of my heart. What follows is my most sincere advice to the younger generation as an old man.”
She paused, almost pleadingly, "Intervene before things get out of control, and get back on track. That would be the best outcome for both of us. Xiao Cen, since you chose to be her family, you should stay true to your duty as an older brother, okay?"
"I really don't understand..." Meng Cenjun said with difficulty, almost thinking she had lost her voice.
Why do you hold such a negative view of our future?
How did she know that there was no future for him and Lan Jia?
How can we know that they will necessarily be riddled with problems in the future?
The old lady lowered her loose eyelids and sighed.
Young people blinded by emotions are the most stubborn creatures in the world.
"I've lived for over seventy years, and this is based on my experience over most of my life." It's also a lesson learned through blood and tears.
"Xiao Cen, you can think I'm awful or heartless, but I'm saying all this so that you won't regret it in the future."
They certainly have plenty of time, a long life ahead of them, but she's different. She's practically buried up to her neck; once she closes her eyes, she can't care about anything anymore. If she dies in the future, Lan Jia will be all alone and helpless. She won't have the chance to protect her anymore, and every night she tosses and turns, filled with lingering fear.
“You haven’t told me everything about yesterday,” he said in a low voice.
"Knowing too much will make you more burdened. With so many burdens, will you still have the strength to move forward?"
Her choice to keep it a secret was also a way of protecting him.
"Xiao Cen, think it over carefully. Go back when you've figured it out."
The old lady stood up and, supported by her servant, walked wearily out of the pavilion.
The sun was blocked by clouds, and the sky turned gray and gloomy. Meng Cenjun sat there listlessly, his sweat soaked through by the cool breeze, feeling a bone-chilling cold.
The old lady walked onto the stone path and then turned back to call his name.
Meng Cenjun turned her head to listen as she still worriedly instructed, "Don't mention today's conversation to Lan Jia."
He agreed without any expression.
The next evening, Lan Jia finished filming and flew downstairs like a little bird.
Song Qingqu, carrying two canvas bags, chased after him, laughing, "Your leg isn't healed yet, slow down!"
"Hurry up! Sister Xinwen is still waiting for us at the hospital."
On the cobblestone path, they finally caught up, and the two walked side by side toward the large banyan tree not far away. Zuo Tai always parked his car there.
As Lan Jia approached, she noticed that besides her own car, there was another black sedan parked there.
I glanced at the license plate and saw the driver's side door open, and a person got out.
Lan Jia stared at that familiar figure, her heart pounding.
"Brother Qin?"
She took a step and rushed over.
Zhou Qin smiled and nodded: "Young Miss."
"My brother is back?" she asked in a low voice, glancing through the back window of the car.
Before he could answer, the passenger door opened again, revealing a stranger. He was wearing a suit and glasses, and had a respectable appearance, but nothing else particularly remarkable about him.
When he saw her, he respectfully greeted her, "Young Miss."
Lan Jia nodded in agreement. When she noticed that he didn't move, he smiled and his expression came alive. His narrow eyes gleamed with shrewdness, like a fox.
"Miss, this is Qian Yue, the financial advisor for the Yi family office," Zhou Qin introduced.
"Oh, hello." She turned to Zhou Qin and asked, "Hasn't my brother come back?"
"Yes, the master isn't finished yet, so he sent us over. Miss, do you have time now?"
"This..." She had an appointment, so she asked, "Is there something very important you need to talk to me about?"
Qian Yue nodded.
Song Qingqu, who was standing to the side, handed her the canvas bag and said considerately, "Then you go first."
"At the hospital?"
"Don't worry, I'm here."
"Then let Zuo Tai take you there. The things are all in the trunk. You can give them to Sister Xinwen."
Song Qingqu nodded, and Zuo Tai, seeing that Zhou Qin was taking care of her, also agreed with a straight face.
Lan Jia got into another car and followed the two to a restaurant owned by the Yi family.
This place only accepts members and is extremely private. When the manager saw Zhou Qin, he immediately led them to the highest-level private room, which meant that arrangements had been made in advance.
Although it was her family's property, Ke Lanjia had never been here before, and no one here knew her. Meng Cenjun had always been very careful to protect her privacy. Although she was the nominal heir, she never needed to participate in any business activities that required her to appear in public, which allowed her to live a carefree life.
Upon entering a private room called Lanshe, one finds a marble square table that can accommodate twelve people, its precious peacock blue color resembling the sea on an oil painting.
Zhou Qin pulled out the chair in the center. "Miss, please sit down."
Qian Yue sat opposite her, and Zhou Qin sat down next to him, informing him, "We can begin."
Lan Jia sat upright, her hands resting on her knees, inexplicably feeling as if she were being interrogated. "Start...start what?"
Qian Yue took out a thick stack of documents from his briefcase and handed them to her: "Miss, this is part of the property details and the transfer agreement. Please take a look."
Lan Jia casually flipped through the documents, which included property ownership certificates from multiple countries and regions, stock dividends, bond interest, and fund income details from multiple investment accounts, as well as a large number of detailed lists of antiques, jewelry, calligraphy and paintings, and related certificates. As she looked through the pages one by one, the dense information made her dizzy.
She suddenly had a bad feeling and, holding her breath, asked, "Why are you showing me these?"
Qian Yue didn't answer. Zhou Qin also took out a document from his briefcase, which was wrapped in a black hard cover, like some kind of secret.
He unfolded it and handed it to her. "Miss, the master instructed that this document also needs your signature."
Lan Jia glanced at it and saw the words "Paine Shares Transfer Agreement" in big letters. Her face turned deathly pale instantly.
Author's note: Dividing the property inexplicably feels like I'm getting a divorce [laughing and crying emoji]
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