From a distance, Qin Lan and Qin Bing watched. Qin Bing was fine, as she rarely visited Jiangdong and was not very familiar with her cousin, having little contact with him.
Although she called him 'Second Brother,' their relationship was more about blood ties than shared experiences. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that an ordinary friend might have a better relationship than the two of them.
Thinking about it, if he were a friend, would he have made her kneel without reason for what happened yesterday? And even used their branch's return to the Qin family as a threat?
However, Qin Lan’s face was filled with complex emotions. Within the Qin family, Qin Long was one of the great-grandmother’s most favored great-grandchildren. Today, however… Suddenly, Qin Lan felt a strange sensation in her heart.
"Ye Fei…"
At a certain moment, Qin Lan took a deep breath and looked at Ye Fei, wanting to say something. But before she could utter a word, Ye Fei's gaze interrupted her.
Ye Fei's gaze sent a tremor through Qin Lan's heart! Yes, when her grandfather was expelled from the Qin family, who had shown such sympathy? Everyone, including the great-grandmother, had acted with extreme heartlessness! Especially the eldest uncle Qin Jun’s branch, who wished her grandfather had died back then! And now, she was acting like a saint. In an instant, Qin Lan’s resolve strengthened once more!
"Xiao Fei, are you satisfied with this outcome?" the great-grandmother asked Ye Fei with a smile.
"Great-grandmother is old. Have you forgotten what I said earlier so quickly?" Ye Fei asked, looking at the great-grandmother with a cold smile.
*Swish! Swish!*
Upon hearing Ye Fei’s words, the great-grandmother’s expression changed drastically! She never expected Ye Fei to be so assertive, refusing to back down even an inch! Considering her status, the head of the Qin family, the great-grandmother of the Qin family! When she was young, she had been renowned and had led the Qin family to its peak! Now, as she grew older, although most of the Qin family’s affairs had been handed over to the younger generation, her authority within the Qin family remained unparalleled! Yet, under these circumstances, Ye Fei showed her no respect at all.
"It's good for a young person to have spirit and tenacity, but without adaptability, they are destined not to achieve great things!" "Do you truly believe that our Qin family must join the Nine Dragon Chamber of Commerce?" The great-grandmother looked at Ye Fei, took a deep breath, and her voice turned stern.
She had already brought people to apologize, and even Qin Long, her most beloved great-grandson, had knelt to apologize. Yet, Ye Fei still refused to forgive or compromise! Did they really have to publish a notice in the newspaper, or rewrite their family tree? Absolutely not! This was absolutely unacceptable! The great-grandmother was truly enraged at this moment!
"Heh, I never said that!" Ye Fei was not intimidated by the great-grandmother's aura. Ye Fei then looked at the great-grandmother and let out a cold laugh. Before the great-grandmother could speak, Ye Fei continued, "It seems that Great-grandmother did not come to sincerely invite the thirteenth branch, Elder Qin, back to the Qin family, but to give orders." "Since there is so little sincerity, then I think it's best to forget it. Bing Bing, Xiao Lan, let's go!" Ye Fei withdrew his gaze from the great-grandmother and then turned to the two women, Qin Bing and Qin Lan, and said.
Qin Bing and Qin Lan were stunned by Ye Fei's words! They moved their lips, wanting to say something. But, the words reached their lips and then were swallowed back. In the end, after their expressions shifted for a while, the two women gritted their teeth and, under the watchful eyes of many Qin family members, followed Ye Fei away!
*Ring ring! Ring ring!*
At this moment, the great-grandmother's phone rang. She took out her phone and frowned slightly when she saw the displayed number. Then, she walked aside and answered the call.
"What!?" However, before the great-grandmother could even speak, she let out a cry of surprise upon hearing what was on the other end of the line. In that instant, her body began to sway, and her face turned pale.
"Great-grandmother, what's wrong? What's wrong? Are you alright?" The Qin family members, seeing the great-grandmother swaying and about to fall, rushed forward to support her.
"Quick! Quick, help me invite them, those three beasts… Ah, no, help me invite those three little ancestors back!" The great-grandmother ignored everyone's questions, shoved them away, and spoke urgently. She had intended to say "beasts," but as the words reached her lips, she immediately realized it was inappropriate and changed it to "little ancestors!"
*Swish! Swish!*
The Qin family members were utterly bewildered, having no idea what was happening! Even though they didn't quite understand the situation, they were very clear on one thing: something bad seemed to have happened!
"Xiao Fei! Xiao Fei! Bing Bing, and Xiao Lan, don't go, don't go!" The great-grandmother had been using a walking stick when she arrived. At this moment, she abandoned the stick, throwing it to the ground, and sprinted towards Ye Fei and the other two who were leaving!
"Great-grandmother was wrong! Great-grandmother truly wronged your family before, Great-grandmother is willing to apologize to your family and publish it in the paper!" The great-grandmother said directly without much preamble as she approached.
*Swish! Swish!*
The onlookers, who hadn't paid much attention before, all changed their expressions upon seeing this. The Qin family members widened their eyes, unable to comprehend what was happening! Just moments ago, the great-grandmother had been unyielding and unwilling to compromise! She had even intended to go all the way with Ye Fei! But in the blink of an eye, her attitude had completely changed! What was going on? Right! It was that phone call. After the great-grandmother received that call, her attitude had changed 180 degrees! So, the question was… what was the reason for such a significant shift in the great-grandmother's demeanor? The crowd pondered over it, but found no answers!
"You bunch of beasts, why are you still standing there! Come here and kneel!" While everyone was lost in thought, the great-grandmother spoke again. As she spoke, she suddenly turned her head and berated everyone angrily!
*Swish!*
The faces of the crowd changed again upon hearing the great-grandmother's words. Kneel! Apologize! What did this have to do with them? Moreover, the decision to expel them from the Qin family and erase them from the family tree was entirely the great-grandmother's decision! Although they had also contributed to the situation, the ultimate decision-making power rested with the great-grandmother! Yet now, the great-grandmother was dragging them in to take the blame! Everyone present wore expressions worse than if they had eaten something foul! But, even with their unpleasant feelings and unwillingness, they were powerless.
"Are you not going to kneel?" Seeing the crowd hesitate, the great-grandmother berated them again!
"Later, all of you collateral branches must hand over a portion of your assets to be managed by Xiao Lan's branch!" the great-grandmother declared again.
*Swish!*
The expressions of the crowd changed again upon hearing the great-grandmother's words! Their other twelve branches would all have to hand over a portion of their assets to be managed by Qin Bing and Qin Lan's branch? They weren't fools; they knew exactly what this meant! It meant that the assets they had plundered from the collateral branches when Elder Qin was expelled from the Qin family would now have to be returned in full! Not a single cent less, and perhaps even more!
*Thump! Thump!*
Under the great-grandmother's angry reprimand, a group of people were forced to kneel on the ground!
"Xiao Lan, it was Great-grandmother's foolishness back then… How about this, after you return to the Qin family, Great-grandmother will take special care of you… What do you say?" The great-grandmother’s expression softened considerably when she looked at Qin Lan and Qin Bing! Previously, she had worn a fierce and menacing look, and the speed of her mood change utterly stunned the two women.
"Great-grandmother… I, I, I…" Qin Lan was a little nervous and didn't know how to respond, stammering her words. "Xiao Lan, Great-grandmother asks you, do you want to return to the Qin family? After all, your roots are in the Qin family, and returning to the Qin family has been your grandfather's lifelong wish. Would you bear to disappoint him?"