"Yes, but I won't do such thankless work for free. So, I'll take a little interest from you for now," Chen Fei said with a slight smile, his eyes narrowing as he leaned his head against her fragrant shoulder once again.

Feeling the masculine scent approaching—a mix of sweat and a domineering presence—Shadow Immortal Dance's heart inexplicably trembled. She bowed her head in silence, and just like that, neither of them spoke.

At the same time, inside the old residence of the Chen Family of Capital City, Elder Master Chen Huatian sat in a wheelchair, quietly positioned before his desk. Not far away, his two sons, the eldest, Chen Bingzhang, and the third, Chen Yaohong, were seated respectfully on either side of him. Farther back stood two other men who appeared to be in their forties or fifties. One was Chen Zhenjun, one of the 'pair of tigers' of the Chen Family's third generation. The other...

He was tall and thin. Dressed in a suit, he had a lively spirit that betrayed no sign of him nearing fifty. His face had few wrinkles, and his expression seemed earnest and simple. If any officials from Capital City were present, they would surely recognize him at a glance: one of the Chen Family's 'pair of tigers' from the third generation and a Deputy Director of a special action bureau.

"Is everyone here?"

Seeing that everyone in the study had arrived, Elder Master Chen Huatian slowly put down his copy of "National Strategy." A hint of his formidable authority emanated from his murky eyes as he scanned the room, asking faintly.

"Dad!"

"Grandpa."

A mixture of aging and robust voices filled the room.

"Dad, you've called us all here tonight. Is there something important?" Just as their voices died down, the Elder Master's third son, Chen Yaohong, slowly spoke up.

The Elder Master's third son, Chen Yaohong, was a frail-looking old man, likely in his sixties or seventies. His wrinkled face was covered in liver spots, and his arms and legs were thin. His sparse white hair was so thin it looked like single strands, making him appear like a man with one foot in the grave.

"I called you here because there is, of course, something to discuss," the Elder Master said coolly, glancing at his third son.

"Yes." Hearing this, even an old man like Chen Yaohong trembled slightly and quickly lowered his head. He knew full well that his father was a domineering man who hated to be interrupted.

Seeing this, everyone present remained silent, as if they were accustomed to it.

At this, Elder Master Chen slightly narrowed his murky eyes and suddenly looked toward his eldest son's side of the family, toward his grandson. "Zhenjun," he said faintly, "Little Liin's situation should be stable by now, right?"

"Yes, Grandpa."

Chen Zhenjun clearly hadn't expected the Elder Master to bring this up. He seemed pleasantly surprised but nodded and said, "After treatment, Little Liin's condition has gradually stabilized. Elder Du said that with another year and a half of recuperation at his place, he should make a full recovery."

"Is that so?"

Hearing this, the Elder Master nodded slightly and continued, "Here in Capital City, Elder Du is a master physician, second only to Xunn Lun. Since he has said so, there shouldn't be any major problems. This is indeed good news."

He then paused, a curious look on his face as he added, "Worthy of being a descendant of our Old Chen Family. Truly remarkable."

At his words, everyone present couldn't help but freeze, especially Chen Zhenjun and his father, Chen Bingzhang. They stared at the Elder Master, surprised and contemplative. Could it be that the Elder Master was preparing to speak his mind?

If the father and son duo could figure this out, then Chen Zhenguo and his father, Chen Yaohong, were not far behind. A strange light glinted in Chen Yaohong's murky old eyes as he turned to Chen Zhenjun and suddenly asked, "Zhenjun, I heard that your son's injuries were treated by a Divine Doctor you invited from Jiangnan?"

"...Yes, Third Uncle. Mr. Chen was indeed someone I invited from Jiangnan, and he truly is a Divine Doctor," Chen Zhenjun replied after a moment's hesitation, nodding in confirmation. At the same time, he couldn't help but glance at his cousin, Chen Zhenguo, whose expression was now extremely complex.

"Dad, you've suddenly gathered us all here; there's no need to beat around the bush. Is there something you're finding difficult to say?" At that moment, however, Old Master Chen Bingzhang suddenly spoke up, looking at the Elder Master.

Hearing this, the Elder Master's expression stiffened. He gave his eldest son a deep, blank stare before the old skin on his face simply trembled. He leaned back into the soft cushions of his wheelchair, tilted his head up at the ceiling, and fell silent for a long time, as still as an old monk in deep meditation.

Seeing this, the expressions of everyone present shifted. The Elder Master's behavior was too peculiar, leaving them unable to fathom his thoughts.

But at a time like this, they certainly didn't dare to question him further. They could only wait in silence, their hearts pounding with unease.

After what felt like a long time, the Elder Master, who had been sitting like a monk in deep meditation, finally let out a soft sigh.

His cloudy eyes turned toward his third son's grandson. "Zhenguo," he said slowly, "the ones who used to hold the positions called me. They asked me which of you two, Zhenjun or yourself, I planned to promote this term. I thought about it for a long time, and I told them... I choose Zhenjun. You won't blame your grandfather, will you?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present couldn't help but tremble. This was true for Chen Bingzhang and his son Zhenjun, as well as for Chen Yaohong and his son Zhenguo.

"Dad!"

Old Man Chen Yaohong was especially stunned. A gloomy, sullen look flashed through his murky eyes as he spoke with dissatisfaction. For the Elder Master to suddenly say such a thing and make such a choice—wasn't that tantamount to abandoning his son?

After all, in politics, a saying was passed down among top-tier Red Families like theirs.

A single step delayed is every step delayed. Even if you eventually reach your rightful position, it will be too late. He had lost to his older brother, Chen Bingzhang, back then, which caused him to fall behind at every step. How could he possibly be content now?

"Enough."

This time, however, the Elder Master's face turned stern. "Although Zhenguo has a good grasp of the big picture and is diligent," he said darkly, "he still lacks a certain boldness. In this regard, Zhenjun performs better and is more suited to lead the charge for our Old Chen Family! So..."

"Boldness?" But this time, Old Man Chen Yaohong did not back down, his tone growing even more furious. "Dad, is it 'boldness' just because that boy defied you and went to Jiangnan to bring my grandson to Capital City!? You need to be clear about this! If it weren't for you back then... we would never have ended up in this situation today!"

At these words, the color drained from everyone's faces.

"Third Brother, what is this nonsense you're spouting? Shut your mouth!" Old Master Chen Bingzhang couldn't help but shout, shooting his brother a warning look. What a joke. With the Elder Master's status, when had he ever been questioned like this?

"Dad, what are you doing? I'm fine..." Even Chen Zhenguo's expression changed abruptly as he spoke in a panic. In the eyes of the younger generation, the Elder Master's domineering and assertive nature was deeply ingrained. He never expected his own father to erupt like this.

"That's enough."

This time, however, Elder Master Chen Huatian did not get angry. He simply waved his hand calmly and looked deeply at his third son. "Yaohong, I know that for all these years, you've held a grudge against me. You resent me for not choosing you back then, for choosing your elder brother instead."

"...I just feel it's unfair to my son!" Hearing this, Chen Yaohong's expression shifted several times. His tone finally softened a little as he turned his head away, averting his gaze sullenly.

"If you had managed to refute me like this back then, perhaps I would have changed my mind." The Elder Master's next words, however, caused Old Man Chen Yaohong's expression to freeze. It took him a long time to come back to his senses.

It wasn't just him. The others present now looked at the Elder Master with a peculiar gaze.

They suddenly felt that tonight, the Elder Master was somehow different from usual.

"Yaohong, to you, I may just be your father or grandfather. But in the eyes of outsiders, I am the Pillar of the Sky for the entire Old Chen Family. I must bear responsibility for the whole family! You should understand how vital a quality boldness is for a great family! Ask your heart: if Bingzhang gave you that position, could you do a better job than him? Besides, that position... is truly not an easy one to hold," the Elder Master sighed.

This time, Old Man Chen Yaohong was left speechless. That's right. Even if he took his elder brother's position, could he guarantee... he'd do better? A higher position meant greater responsibility. The weight of that responsibility was enough to crush a man, just as it had... the Elder Master himself.

"Dad, I was wrong. Big Brother, I'm sorry..." At sixty or seventy years old, what was there left not to understand? It had been nothing more than obsession and unwillingness to accept defeat. Now that everything was out in the open, Old Man Chen Yaohong could naturally let it go.

"It's good that you've thought it through. To be able to see you let go of the grudge you've held for so many years before I leave... that's enough for me," the Elder Master said with a faint smile.

"Leave?"

His words stunned everyone. The faces of Old Master Chen Bingzhang and Old Man Chen Yaohong changed drastically. "Dad, what do you mean by that?" they asked, a terrible premonition rising in both their hearts.

And the words the Elder Master spoke next, so nonchalantly, did indeed... startle them all, causing their expressions to change completely, bordering on panic.

Because the Elder Master had said this: "It's nothing... My time is just up."

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