Chapter 22: Taking Grandfather Back Home

"Dad! You have spent your entire life building the Qiao Corporation; are you really going to leave it to that bastard? He isn't even your adopted son!"

Qiao Guodong's voice exploded outside the hospital room, laced with hysterical fury.

"He is not a bastard!" The elder Mr. Qiao, whose breathing had just stabilized, instantly grew erratic. His finger trembled as he pointed at his son. "Can't you see the current state of the Qiao Corporation?"

"How could I not see it?" Qiao Guodong’s eyes were bloodshot. "He has the corporation in his grip, and I’ve become his puppet! Who on the board of directors even respects me anymore? How much longer are you going to spoil him? I am your biological son!"

"As long as he remains at the Qiao Corporation, I will never let him go. If you continue like this, I will personally deliver his ashes to you!"

"I am the heir to the Qiao Corporation, and my son is its rightful successor!" Qiao Guodong’s hysterical roars echoed through the hall.

These words, like venom-tipped needles, pierced the already fragile heart of the elder Mr. Qiao. His vision went black, and he collapsed, falling straight to the floor.

Qiao Guodong’s hateful and jealous growls were like poison-dipped ice picks. They not only pierced the elder’s heart but also sent a bone-chilling cold through Qiao Chenye, who was thousands of miles away, having just resolved another thorny issue.

He abandoned all his affairs almost immediately and flew to Country M at the fastest possible speed.

The scent of disinfectant in the hospital corridor was suffocating, much like the bottomless mire of the Qiao family itself. Inside the ward, Qiao Guodong was long gone, leaving behind only the rhythmic ticking of medical equipment and the old man’s breathing, which was so faint it was nearly imperceptible.

Qiao Chenye stood silently by the bedside, looking at the old man who had given him a second life and poured his efforts into training him, now lying there with a gray and defeated complexion. A mix of anger, heartache, and overwhelming exhaustion threatened to drown him.

For the next two days, he was swamped. On one hand, he used iron-fisted methods to neutralize the commercial traps Qiao Guodong had set during the chaos, stabilized the panic and rumors within the group sparked by the elder’s sudden collapse, and handled the restless voices on the board who were beginning to lose faith in him. On the other hand, he remained by the hospital bed, personally managing the medical treatment plans and meticulously arranging nursing care. His eyes were bloodshot, yet he refused to slack off for a single moment.

It wasn't until the old man slowly regained consciousness, looking at him with eyes that were cloudy but still wise, and gently stroked his hair with a trembling hand, that Qiao Chenye’s hard exterior finally softened.

Three days later, the elder finally woke up. He looked at Qiao Chenye, who had been guarding him with bloodshot eyes, and stroked his head with a withered hand. "The Qiao family is a bottomless pit; I have wronged you."

"No, Grandfather. The Qiao family raised me; everything I do is worth it." He gripped the old man’s dry hand, his tone firm.

The elder’s mind was exceptionally clear. He understood his own son too well, and he knew all too well what a tempting yet dangerous behemoth the Qiao Corporation had become. The corporation was vast, but because of its immense power, it was also a gathering place for various factions. While those people dared not act openly, they might resort to anything in the shadows. He knew Qiao Guodong lacked the intellect to suppress those old foxes.

"Your father… his heart isn't inherently evil; he just doesn't understand the situation. The current Qiao Corporation has volatile energy and is a piece of cake that everyone craves. If it were handed to him, he would surrender the chairmanship to others in less than a year. But you are different, Chenye. Only you can protect the Qiao Corporation."

Qiao Chenye felt a pang of bitterness and even suggested looking for other heirs of the bloodline, but the elder rejected the idea without hesitation.

"No one can take the Qiao Corporation from you. All of this is yours by right!" The old man’s trust was as heavy as a mountain, effectively cutting off any possibility of Qiao Chenye retreating.

Especially when the elder begged him not to take revenge on Qiao Guodong, hoping he would tolerate his foolish father after he was gone, Qiao Chenye could only suppress all his grievances and unwillingness, making a solemn promise: "I promise you. The Qiao family has been kind to me. I will never do anything to harm the family."

When the heavy deed of gift—representing forty percent of the Qiao Corporation’s shares—was placed in his hands, Qiao Chenye did not feel joy, but rather a crushing responsibility and a shackle.

The elder’s final instruction—"Qiao Guodong must never know about this"—foretold the inevitable storms to come. He knew that if Qiao Guodong discovered the shares had been transferred, he would surely intensify his efforts to end his life, and the future would only bring more trouble.

After arranging everything for the return to his home country and promising to "keep an eye" on Qiao Guodong during the journey, Qiao Chenye walked out of the ward.

The immense mental pressure and days of toil gave him a splitting headache. His disgust for Qiao Guodong ran deep into his marrow, yet he was forced to restrain his claws of retaliation due to his promise to his grandfather. This suppression felt like it would make him explode.

It wasn't until Assistant Liu reported back that news of Wen Ye arrived like a glimmer of light, temporarily illuminating the gloomy depths of his heart.

"Boss, I’ve bought the apartments across from Ms. Wen and the floors above and below. Renovations are underway. Once the formaldehyde is cleared, you can move in, which will make it easier to look after her."

Qiao Chenye took out his phone. There were no messages from Wen Yan on the screen, and he felt a strange sense of gloom. He silently swore that if Wen Yan didn't reach out to him again, he wouldn't pay her any mind when he returned.

Seeing Qiao Chenye frowning at his phone with a hint of unconcealed dejection, Assistant Liu immediately caught on. He quickly stepped forward to add, "Boss, are you waiting for a message from Ms. Wen? She might have been a bit busy these past few days and hasn't had time to check her phone—she’s at the hospital."

"The hospital?" Qiao Chenye looked up sharply, gripping his phone tightly, his voice dropping instantly. "What happened to her? Which hospital?"

"It’s not Ms. Wen who had an accident!" Assistant Liu waved his hands hurriedly, terrified of a misunderstanding. "It’s at the hospital where Dr. Duan and the others work. It’s Ms. Wen’s mother-in-law. She was hit by a car and is still in the ICU."

Qiao Chenye’s tense shoulders relaxed slightly, though he still frowned, his tone uncertain. "Was it… Wen Yan’s doing?"

"Absolutely not!" Assistant Liu denied it hurriedly, his tone firm. "Ms. Wen is so soft-natured and kind; how could she use such violent methods? You’re overthinking it; it has nothing to do with her."

Qiao Chenye was silent for two seconds. He tapped his fingertips lightly on the phone case, his eyes cooling. "Then go investigate. Get to the bottom of the hit-and-run." He paused, his tone turning stern and unquestionable. "Something about this feels wrong; I have a bad feeling. Keep a close watch. Don't let those hands reach toward Wen Yan."

"Understood, Boss. I’ll arrange for an investigation immediately!"

Qiao Chenye nodded without further words and turned to walk toward his room. After days of handling the Qiao family’s affairs and watching over his unconscious grandfather, he was truly at his limit, the redness in his eyes barely concealable.

Meanwhile, back in the country, Wen Yan (Wen Ye) was indeed being driven to the brink by the relentless renovation noise. The seemingly tireless construction crews in the apartments across from her and above and below, along with the "generous red envelopes" that silenced any complaints, hinted at an uncanny display of wealth and arrogance.

On the sixth morning, the renovation noise suddenly stopped. Wen Yan woke up habitually, startled, and was just about to heat some milk when she heard the sound of a key turning in her lock.

"Host, Li Jingyan is back," the system’s voice chimed.