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“Smack!”
Suddenly, another slap echoed through the room, landing harshly on Xu Manni’s face.
Xu Manni recoiled in pain, her eyes widening as she saw it was Xie Zhen, her face contorted in shock. Tears immediately welled up in her eyes.
Xie Zhen’s expression was fierce, filled with anger. “Xu Manni, what have you done? Are you trying to kill someone?” His voice thundered with rage, his eyes blazing like a wrathful deity.
Xu Manni, terrified, clutched her face and could barely utter a word, her tears streaming uncontrollably. She had always been intimidated by Xie Zhen. In her childhood, he was a formidable figure in military uniform, and as she grew older, his high-ranking position only heightened her fear of him. Now, faced with his wrath, she was utterly silent.
“Hmph!”
The elderly couple, who had been quietly observing, also displayed their displeasure.
The elder was named Xu Dating, who had reached his seventies. His white hair and frail figure made him almost immobile, relying on support to move. He was accompanied by Xie Zhen for support.
The grandmother was Zhao Chunmei, equally elderly with white hair. They generally stayed in the Xie family’s estate and rarely went out. They had come specifically because they heard about Xie Bingyan’s hospitalization.
“Where’s Xu Deming?” Xie Zhen inquired.
Xu Wanting, tearfully, responded, “Dad came earlier and stayed here for a few hours. But he had to leave temporarily due to some issues at Fengxiang Jewelry. He’ll be back later.”
“What’s the current situation?” Xie Zhen asked, frowning.
“It’s still unstable. Fortunately, the greenery and vines cushioned the fall, otherwise, it would have been much more severe,” Xu Wanting said as she sat down.
Xu Xue Hui quickly brought over some chairs for Grandpa Xu Dating and Grandma Zhao Chunmei, helping them to sit.
“And Xu Mo?” Xie Zhen inquired.
“He hasn’t come. He’s been harboring hatred,” Xu Wanting said.
“Why haven’t you brought him home?” Grandpa Xu Dating, gripping his cane, asked, striking it forcefully. His hands trembled as he spoke.
Seeing the elder’s reaction, Xu Wanting and Xu Xue Hui fell silent. The elderly man, a former military figure, exuded an intimidating presence. It was better to avoid angering him; no one dared to speak out when he was upset.
“Wanting, tell me exactly what happened. Start from the beginning and explain everything!” Grandma Zhao Chunmei was also angry.
Xu Wanting glanced at them, hesitated for a moment, then nodded and began recounting from when Xu Mo was abandoned.
“Mom made a mistake—a grave mistake! Xu Mo isn’t just a wooden puppet or a tool to hurt Dad. Once he realized everything, he left with resentment.”
“And that child… was wronged?” Zhao Chunmei’s eyes seemed to redden as she listened.
“He was deeply wronged! No one in the family liked him, so he went out on his own and even signed some severance agreement. After he left, he started from scratch and built his career from nothing to where he is today!” Xu Wanting said, her eyes also growing moist.
“What a good child! Xie Zhen, what a good child! How could Xie Bing Yan be so foolish? Xie Zhen, how could you become an accomplice?” Xie Dating was furious, striking his cane heavily on the ground, almost shattering the floor.
“Xu Mo’s achievements are his own, and they have nothing to do with me. But if he wants to harm Xie Bingyan, I won’t allow it! As for his hardships… A man should endure some suffering; there’s no need to blame the heavens and complain!”
“Foolish!” Xie Dating, enraged, lifted his cane and struck Xie Zhen on the head. Xie Zhen quickly raised his hand to block the blow.
“That’s not just suffering! That’s abandonment and abuse. How can it be considered mere hardship? He’s been abandoned and mistreated since he was a child…”
Xie Zhen fell silent, his expression filled with guilt.
“Anything else? What other grievances did he suffer?” Zhao Chunmei asked Xu Wanting.
Xu Wanting’s eyes reddened further as she took a deep breath before speaking. “Someone poisoned him, trying to kill him!”
“What?” Hearing this, Xie Dating and Zhao Chunmei were shocked.
Even Xie Zhen was startled.
“Wanting, what are you saying? Poisoning? When did this happen?” Xie Zhen was completely unaware of this incident.
“It’s something that happened a long time ago, seven years ago, when Xu Mo had just left. At that time, he had only recently been brought back home and was still very hopeful about everything. Even though Dad, Mom, and all of us didn’t like him, he was still very happy to be at home, trying to please everyone. Until one day, he discovered someone had poisoned him.”
Xu Wanting’s tears streamed down her face, leaving streaks on her flushed cheeks. “It was palladium poisoning, with excessive heavy metals. Once it reaches a certain level, it can cause paralysis or a fate worse than death. Xu Mo had to undergo a full-body examination at that time.”
“……”
“……”
Xie Dating and Zhao Chunmei’s faces turned pale.
“So, this means that child didn’t just suffer; they also tried to poison him?” Zhao Chunmei’s voice trembled.
“Yes!” Xu Wanting nodded.
“Could it be that Xu Junzhe did it?” Xie Zhen’s eyes were filled with a fierce intensity.
Xu Wanting took a deep breath before answering, “Yes, that’s our guess. We suspected it might have been mother, but it turned out not to be the case. After she found out about the poisoning, she was furious and suspected Xu Junzhe.”
“Such wicked deeds! How could a person do something like this?” Zhao Chunmei exclaimed, her anger palpable.
“Seven years ago? How come I never heard of this before?” Xie Zhen asked, bewildered.
Xu Wanting continued, “We thought it was done by mother, but it wasn’t her. It seems she suspected Xu Junzhe when she learned of it.”
He had always thought he understood the situation, believing that mere neglect or strict demands from Xie Bingyan would be manageable for Xu Mo, as a man should endure hardship. But the news of the poisoning truly shocked him.
He never realized that Xu Mo had endured such severe suffering.
No wonder Xu Mo harbored such deep hatred toward him and Xie Bingyan.
How could he not hate them?
How could he not feel such anger?
“We now also suspect Junzhe! That’s why Junzhe has disappeared,” Xu Wanting said, swallowing her tears. “Junzhe must have wanted to gain all the family assets. From the moment Xu Mo returned to the family, Junzhe started to push him out. At that time, we didn’t realize or understand what was happening…”
“Such sins! Xie Bingyan is committing sins!” Xie Dating banged his cane, clearly pained. “I wondered why things had gotten so serious! I always said Xie Bingyan’s temperament needed changing! Look at how she’s brought calamity even upon her own son!”
Zhao Chunmei trembled all over. “So, that child… has he grown up now?”
“Yes! He has grown up! He’s become far superior to anyone else! Despite all the hardships he’s endured, he’s never fallen. Now, he’s the CEO of two multi-billion-dollar conglomerates!” Xu Wanting’s tears streamed down her face.
“What a good child… truly a good child!” Zhao Chunmei immediately burst into tears, her frail body shaking with sobs.
“Xie Bingyan! You drove such a good child away with all your might! You’ve brought this upon yourself!” she cried out, her voice filled with anguish.