Chapter Sixty-Four: Starlight

Abao handed the phone to the old lady with utter indifference. On the screen, a video began to play as she tapped it.

In the footage, more than a dozen people appeared, all wearing pained expressions, gathered together in a room, currently being interrogated.

“Say it loud—who are you all? Why have you gathered here? What is your purpose?” a cold voice off-screen demanded.

“We... we’re all Chen Peng’s men. He sent us and told us to get rid of Chen Muxue and that useless Su Zheng. He promised us a sum of money and told us to leave Qingyang afterwards.”

“Is that true?”

“Yes, it’s true—absolutely true!”

The scene shifted.

Now, another room appeared on screen, with three terrified faces: Chen Peng, Chen Wenli, and Chen Xiong.

“Chen Peng, you speak first. Did you order someone to kill Chen Muxue and Su Zheng?”

“I... I...”

A sharp slap sounded.

“Ah... yes, it was my order.”

“Why?”

“I... I just didn’t like him, so—”

Another slap.

“Stop hitting me, please, I beg you, no more! It hurts... I’ll talk, I’ll talk!”

“Wait!” At that moment, a woman’s voice interrupted—Chen Wenli spoke up, and the camera shifted to her.

“You gentlemen look like you’re also from the underworld. How about we resolve this privately? Name your terms—if it’s within my power, I’ll agree!”

“Privately? I’m asking if he has any accomplices! Why are you interrupting? Are you his accomplice?”

“No... I’m not, it has nothing to do with me. Xiaopeng, tell them, does this have anything to do with me? Was it grandmother who told you to do it? Say it!”

Chen Wenli’s voice was clearly leading, her expression anxious as she pressed Chen Peng.

“Sis, you... you…”

Chen Peng was stunned by his sister’s words, his face filled with shock.

“What do you mean, ‘you’? I’m telling you, you’d better not take the blame for grandmother anymore. Tell these gentlemen the truth—if you do, I’ll ask your future brother-in-law, Feng Qingyuan, to give you a villa of your own!”

Chen Wenli reminded him again.

“Wenli! You... you wretched girl, ungrateful child!”

At this point, the old lady could bear it no longer. She had never imagined that at the most critical moment, it would be her beloved granddaughter, Chen Wenli, who would try to frame her!

On the screen, Chen Wenli’s face showed not a trace of guilt, only anxiety and malice.

Now the old lady finally understood. Memories flashed through her mind—how Wenli had always behaved toward her, how she often complained about Chen Muxue.

It was just like the expression she wore now.

She realized that from beginning to end, she had been deceived by this unfilial granddaughter. That was why she harbored such deep resentment toward Chen Muxue’s family.

The old lady hated her own foolishness; she had never listened to Chen Muxue’s explanations and always judged with disgust and prejudice.

She recalled how, just moments ago, Chen Muxue, with tears in her eyes, had asked if she could treat her better. The memory cut into her heart like a knife—pain, regret, and fury surged within her.

A violent surge of emotion overwhelmed her already weary body. Suddenly, she threw her head back and coughed up a mouthful of blood, collapsing into her grand armchair.

“Grandma! Don’t scare me, please—I didn’t mean to, I had no choice!”

Seeing her spit blood and faint, Chen Peng rushed forward in a panic, shouting.

“Hmph! This family—an old fool and cunning youngsters. Since old Chen died, it really is nothing but trash now!” Abao looked at Chen Peng with disgust. He lost all interest in staying, waved his hand, and left with his men.

As for hush money, Abao had already gotten a hundred million from Chen Xiong; anything he’d said earlier to the old lady had just been out of spite.

Of course, he would never really demand money from her. After all, she was Doctor Su’s mother-in-law—even if she’d done wrong, it wasn’t his place to act. If Doctor Su found out, there would be consequences.

Chen Peng felt conflicted as he watched his grandmother faint—guilt and fear battled within him. He had no idea how she would deal with his family once she woke up.

Nevertheless, he called for an ambulance and had her taken to the hospital.

By evening, Chen Xiong and Chen Wenli also arrived at the hospital, looking like defeated roosters, their heads hanging low.

“Dad, sis, what do we do now?!” Chen Peng asked nervously.

A sharp slap landed across his face—Chen Wenli had struck him.

“Useless! Useless!”

“Sis, why did you hit me? You were the one who told me to say those things—you wanted to pin the blame on grandmother!”

Chen Peng cried out, clutching his face in grievance.

“Shut up!” Chen Wenli glanced around in panic, then glared coldly at Chen Peng and warned him, “You’d better remember—this matter must never leave your lips. Not a word to anyone, understand?”

“As for grandmother, I’ll figure something out. Isn’t she in a coma now? Heh... There’s still a chance—not time to despair yet!”

She looked at the unconscious old lady, a grim expression once more flickering in her eyes.

“Dad, grandmother already announced this morning that you’re now the head of the Chen family. With her ill and needing rest, the whole Chen family will rely on you now, heh heh...”

She gave a sly laugh and glanced at Chen Xiong.

Chen Xiong remained silent for a long time, but did not refute her.

“Sis, should we get someone else to look after grandmother?” Chen Peng seemed to realize something and asked cautiously.

“No. For now, don’t let anyone know about grandmother’s illness. Dismiss all the servants who were present today. If any Chen family members come to the ancestral home to see her, just say... hmm, that she needed peace and has gone traveling abroad.”

There was even a hint of excitement in Chen Wenli’s eyes as she continued, “Dad, I’m sure within a month or two, you’ll have the whole Chen family in your grasp. By then, who knows if grandmother will ever wake up? Heh heh... Don’t you think so, Dad?”

She glanced at Chen Xiong as she finished.

Chen Xiong’s face twisted as he struggled inwardly, but in the end, he nodded slightly.

Chen Wenli’s delighted laughter rang wantonly through the hospital room...

The next day was the day of the Li family’s banquet.

Chen Xiong, dressed in his finest, took Chen Peng and another young member of the Chen family and drove early to the Li family estate.

Chen Wenli did not go with them—she went to meet her boyfriend, Feng Qingyuan, to attend the banquet with him.

At the entrance of Liyuan Community, Su Zheng, Chen Muxue, and Chen Jianguo and his wife also got into the car and set off.