Chapter 3 — Cut Out of the Will

That is entirely because you refused to come to the hospital! Your grandmother’s medical fees have not even been paid yet!

She has four sons and four grandsons who inherited her real estate properties.

When did paying her bills become my responsibility?

They... they said they are experiencing a tight cash flow right now!

The house hasn’t even been sold yet, where are they supposed to unearth the money!

I laughed.

Dad, this is the most tragic comedy I have ever heard in my entire life.

Just yesterday, they were already busy drafting blueprints for renovations and calculating rental yields.

Today, they cannot scrape together a single coin?

Take that house, mortgage it casually at any bank, and they could easily pull out hundreds of thousands to tide things over.

It is not that they lack the funds; they simply refuse to spend their own money.

They believe that as long as they create enough of a scene, I will soften my heart and foot the bill.

And you think the exact same way, do you not?

My father fell silent. His silence was his silent admission.

Ran, she is still, after all...

Dad.

I cut him off mid-sentence.

You and Mom are currently living inside my apartment.

For all these years, I have never once collected a single penny of rent from you.

I used to foolishly believe that we were a tight-knit family.

Yet yesterday, while I was being publicly humiliated and subjected to insults, you stood by without uttering a single word.

Today, the only reason you called me was to reprimand me.

I am somewhat disappointed.

What... what do you mean by that?

I mean that it is high time you and Mom pay a little price for the stance you have chosen to take.

That apartment—since you two are so desperate to crawl back, so eager to act as loyal members of the Li clan—

Then go ahead and pack your bags.

The apartment I am currently renting for you expires next month.

I have no intention of renewing the lease.

As for the house you are living in right now...

I paused for a brief moment.

I am preparing to put it on the market.

I will give you both one month to clear out your belongings and leave.

From the other end of the line came the sound of my father drawing in a sharp, ragged breath. Followed by a dead, oppressive silence.

Ran! Have you lost your mind? That is your property!

No, it is merely a piece of real estate registered under my name.

One month from now, if you and Mom have not moved out, I will have my lawyers speak with you directly.

I hung up the phone. Immediately afterward, I sent a text message to the real estate agent.

The three-bedroom apartment in the west district, please list it for urgent sale.

After finishing all of this, I felt no rush of triumphant vengeance. Only a vast, hollow exhaustion. Grandmother, when you divided up your houses and handed them to those ungrateful men, did you ever foresee this? The thing you destroyed was never just me. It was your own daughter, and your entire lineage.

05

My father did not call me again. I figured he was busy digesting this heaven-shaking piece of catastrophic news alongside my mother. Two o'clock in the afternoon. The street down below the office building had finally grown quiet. My assistant, little Chen, walked in carrying a stack of documents.

Director Chu, everything has been taken care of.

Mm.

Director Chu... are you alright?

I am fine.

I signed my name at the bottom and handed the folder back to her.

Make an announcement downstairs. Today’s afternoon tea is on me, for the entire company.

Oh? Understood! Thank you, Director Chu!

Little Chen beamed and skipped out of the office. I needed to do something to chase away the lingering gloom in my heart. It could also serve as a small compensation for my staff. After all, they had gotten front-row seats to a free dramatic spectacle today. At four o'clock in the afternoon, I received a phone call from my cousin, Da Ming. His voice was dripping with venom and rage.

Chu Ran, what on earth are you trying to pull?

That question should be directed at all of you.

You are kicking your own parents out onto the street, is that something a human being with a conscience would do?

Grandmother is still lying in the hospital bed, and you refuse to ask about her or care for her?

Do you have any shred of humanity left in you at all?

He began to howl into the receiver. I pulled the phone slightly away from my ear, waiting patiently for him to finish his ranting.

Are you finished?

You...

Cousin Da Ming, if I recall correctly, the apartment you inherited was the largest one, was it not?

Its market value is at least half a million.

If you sell it right now, or take it to the bank for a mortgage,

Never mind Grandmother’s medical expenses, you could easily secure a permanent dwelling for my parents as well.

You are talking nonsense!

That house was given to me by Grandmother! What right do you have to demand I give it up for your parents to live in?

Oh?

I drew the syllable out slowly.

So you do know how to draw clear lines after all.

If that is the case, what is wrong with me taking back the apartment that is registered under my name?

You... you are just twisting words to defend yourself!

I am merely taking a page out of your book.

Since you reaped the greatest share of the benefits, you should naturally shoulder the greatest burden of responsibility.

Now that Grandmother is hospitalized, the very first person who should be rushing forward is you.

Instead of calling me here to interrogate my humanity.

Da Ming was choked into complete silence by my retort. His breathing sounded heavy and ragged through the speaker.

Chu Ran, do not get ahead of yourself.

Do you really think we have no way of dealing with you?

We have already gone out and made inquiries!

A specialized caregiver of Aunt Wang’s caliber cannot possibly be afforded on Grandmother’s meager pension alone!

Tell me! Where did you get the money to hire her?

Did you engage in some shady, disgraceful business behind our backs?

I was momentarily stunned. But an instant later, everything clicked into place. They had failed to uncover any legitimate payment records from the family accounts, so they had resorted to splashing filthy water on me. They wanted to use moral corruption as a weapon to ruin my social standing. What a clever calculation.

What is it you are trying to insinuate?

Hmph, a young woman, barely out of her youth, already sitting as a high-ranking corporate executive.

And yet she somehow manages to pull out hundreds of thousands every year just to hire a private nurse.

The origins of such funds—whether they are clean or not—are rather difficult to say for sure.

His words were reeking with dirty, baseless insinuations.

We have already contacted reporters.

If you refuse to hand over the money and bring the helper back immediately,

Tomorrow, you will become a notorious ‘celebrity’ all across this city.