Upon leaving Tiandu Imperial Seal, Duan Yiheng immediately placed a call to Qin Yang:
"Contact Dr. Jin's team. Tell them to head to the villa and stand by; they need to be on-site within two hours." Qin Yang paused in surprise. "I'll handle that right away." Subsequently, Duan Yiheng issued a clearance order to the security office.
Assuming that something had gone wrong with the Old Master, the security office naturally agreed without hesitation. Upon returning to the villa, Sister Mei looked astonished when she saw him. "Didn't you go out? Why are you back at this hour?" Duan Yiheng replied:
"They probably haven't had dinner in the North Courtyard yet. I'm going to join Grandpa for a meal. I'll be staying over there for the entire afternoon. Keep a close watch—if anyone from the East Wing heads toward the North Courtyard, call me immediately." "Understood," Sister Mei replied. "Has something happened?" Duan Yiheng said:
"I just have some matters to discuss with Grandpa." For some reason, Sister Mei suddenly felt a strange sense of unease. Duan Yiheng proceeded to the North Courtyard, where the Old Master instructed the kitchen to prepare a fresh meal for him. "Thank you, Grandpa." Duan Yiheng took a seat to the Old Master's right.
The Old Master studied Duan Yiheng intently for a long moment before suddenly smiling. "When did you find out about your father's affair?" Duan Yiheng's expression grew solemn. "I've known for quite some time, though I only began to suspect the identity of his mistress during the charity gala." The Old Master asked:
"And later, you verified it—confirming that he was indeed entangled with the Board Secretary?" "Yes," Duan Yiheng nodded. "Then why didn't you simply announce their relationship directly at the board meeting?" Duan Yiheng replied: "Surely you wouldn't have wanted to witness a scene like that?
Over the years, haven't there been enough corporate scandals—detrimental to the company—triggered by the extramarital affairs of senior executives?" "Let's eat first," the Old Master said. "After dinner, we can go upstairs to have some tea and play a game of chess." Duan Yiheng agreed: "Very well."
The atmosphere in the dining room was surprisingly relaxed. After finishing their meal, the two men headed into the tea room. Unexpectedly, Uncle Deng appeared just then and announced: "Old Master, Young Master—the Eldest Miss has arrived." Duan Yiheng frowned; before he could say a word, Lin Xi had already walked into the tea room. "Grandpa," Lin Xi called out, then shifted her gaze to Duan Yiheng. "Brother." Duan Yiheng's expression remained unchanged as he took a sip of tea. "What brings you here?" Lin Xi replied, "I came to visit Grandpa." Duan Yiheng's gaze sharpened slightly, shooting Lin Xi a look that clearly said, "You're taking matters into your own hands." Lin Xi sat down beside the old man and asked with a smile what kind of tea he was drinking. The old man chuckled in response and personally poured a cup for her to taste.
Lin Xi raised her eyes toward Duan Yiheng; only after seeing him avert his gaze did she lower her eyes and take a sip. She had no ulterior motives—she was simply worried. She wouldn't say a word; she just wanted to stay by Duan Yiheng's side, letting him know that she was there for him, too.
Before long, Duan Yiheng suggested they go to the chess room. The old man readily agreed, and as they were leaving, he asked Lin Xi, "Would you like to come along and watch?" Lin Xi shook her head. "I'll pass. I think I'll go wander around downstairs for a bit. You and Brother go ahead."
She knew that Duan Yiheng was about to formally negotiate terms with their grandfather. Once inside the chess room, the old man asked Duan Yiheng to fetch the white jade Go set. Duan Yiheng turned to ask, "Aren't we playing Chinese chess?" The old man shook his head. "Just Go." Duan Yiheng complied and brought over the Go set.
As the pieces were laid down in turn, Duan Yiheng gradually gained the upper hand. His playing style today was remarkably aggressive. The old man cast a deep, meaningful glance at him. "Young man, impatience and recklessness are grave taboos." Duan Yiheng replied with a demeanor that was neither servile nor arrogant:
"Chess is like life. Sometimes, impatience and recklessness aren't necessarily bad things; on the contrary, it is the courage to break through that allows one to escape a predicament." "It seems you have a hidden meaning behind your words?" The old man picked up a white stone. "I suspect your purpose in coming to see me today isn't quite so simple."
Duan Yiheng cut off the white stone's path, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the documents he had brought with him. Having lost the game, the old man asked, "What's inside those documents?" Duan Yiheng picked up the file and handed it over.
"Since you have accepted Duan Zheng's extramarital affair, I presume you will be able to accept this matter as well. Grandpa, when it comes to extramarital affairs, the first thing that crosses the minds of people like us is—children. I believe you must have already considered this possibility; you simply haven't uncovered the evidence yet." This statement amounted to a direct, explicit revelation. The old man mused for a moment before accepting the document. Having been a commanding figure in his youth—a man who had seen it all—he betrayed not a single flicker of emotion upon learning he had a granddaughter. "What is the meaning of you handing this to me?"
The old man smiled faintly. "They say you're a dutiful grandson; aren't you afraid that the shock might be too much for me—that I might just keel over and die on the spot?" Duan Yiheng replied, "I wouldn't let anything happen to you. As it turns out, my suspicions were correct."
The old man had previously dispatched Uncle Deng to conduct an investigation, having indeed anticipated the possibility that Duan Zheng might have illegitimate children. "In that case..." The old man's gaze turned as sharp as a hawk's. "What is it you want from me, Yiheng?" Duan Yiheng slowly uttered two words: "Equity shares." The old man gave a soft chuckle:
"Is this a threat?" Duan Yiheng shook his head. "I prefer to think of it as taking precautions." The old man pressed on, "Then tell me: what reason do I have to grant you those shares right now?" Duan Yiheng explained:
"On the surface, the relationship between Duan Zheng and Ke Yu appears to be that of lovers. However, standing behind Ke Yu is Old Mr. Zheng—your old associate—whose influence within the company runs deep." "With just a single word from him, the members of the Board of Directors would turn into nothing more than weather vanes, swaying whichever way the wind blows.
Grandfather, it is said that with every new emperor comes a new court of officials. The very first thing I intend to tackle upon taking office is the Zheng family—and I will not keep you in the dark about it." The old man sighed. "Do you think the Zheng family is so easily dealt with? Don't make the mistake of assuming that just because Ke Yu is a woman, she will simply lie down and let herself be slaughtered."
"I have never thought that way," Duan Yiheng said. "On the contrary, she is a woman of considerable cunning and possesses a meticulous mind. Yet, even the strongest fists cannot fight off four hands at once; and standing behind her are three elder sisters-in-law, all watching with the predatory eyes of tigers." The old man grasped the full picture instantly. "You've struck a deal with the Zheng family?"
Duan Yiheng nodded. "Opportunities to split the Zheng family into three separate factions are rare indeed. Ke Yu practically handed this chance to me on a silver platter. It is a feat you yourself—for all your power—could not have accomplished. Furthermore, given the scandalous affair between her and Duan Zheng, no one could possibly find fault with my actions."
The old man glanced down at the documents. "Perhaps even Heaven itself is on your side." It was Duan Yiheng, of all people, who had been the first to discover the existence of the child—and he had even managed to use that discovery as leverage to negotiate terms. The atmosphere upstairs remained relatively pleasant; downstairs, however, the tension was palpable. Upon seeing Dr. Jin's medical team, Uncle Deng froze in bewilderment for a moment; however, the instant he grasped the situation, he made to rush upstairs—only to be intercepted by Lin Xi. Frowning deeply, Uncle Deng demanded, "What is the meaning of this, Miss?" Lin Xi beckoned to the bodyguards stationed at the door, then stepped directly into Uncle Deng's path and said:
"If Grandfather were in any distress, my eldest brother would have the doctors go up immediately." Uncle Deng's eyes widened in fury. "And what if he *doesn't* call them?" Lin Xi replied, "He wouldn't fail to call. The complete silence from upstairs simply indicates that their conversation is still ongoing—meaning Grandfather is doing just fine. Please, Uncle Deng, wait a little longer with me."
"What exactly are you people trying to do?" Uncle Deng stared at Lin Xi in utter disbelief. "If it weren't for the Old Master—Miss—would you even have the standing you enjoy today?" Lin Xi nodded. "I know that. But even so, I still cannot allow you to enter."
With a sudden surge of determination—despite his advanced age and stiff limbs—Uncle Deng attempted to force his way through, only to be firmly pinned back by the two bodyguards.