But Qi Shaoxiong had no intention of honoring the agreement. "It was just a promise, and you took it seriously? Jiang Xing, when you managed the company, did you believe every promise someone made you? Don’t you know that only a contract signed in black and white, with a stamp, has legal force?"
To get the antidote for his sister, he had made a special trip back to the Qi family’s old mansion that day. He had planned to use the fact that Jiang Youli had poisoned his sister to get Qi Huan reprimanded in front of their grandfather, but it backfired, and instead Qi Huan ended up gaining a share of the family fortune for nothing!
So, he had no interest left in caring whether Jiang Xing lived or died!
Jiang Xing was shaking with rage. Qi Shaoxiong had broken his word, and yet he was the one being mocked!
Still, this was the Qi family, and the other man was Young Master Qi. Jiang Xing dared to be angry but not to curse, so he could only protest: "Young Master Qi, today I betrayed my own sister again just to come here and testify for your sister! In front of Old Master Qi, are you really going to go back on your word like this?"
Qi Shaoxiong replied dismissively, "So what? Do you think my grandfather cares? You were foolish enough to believe me easily."
Jiang Xing clenched his fists.
Jiang Youli added fuel to the fire: "Jiang Xing, Qi Shaoxiong is right. You were stupid to trust him without any leverage. You never learn from your mistakes. Before, you were tricked by Jiang Yonghe and generously gave her your chance at the antidote. Otherwise, your poison would have been cured long ago."
His own sister’s cruel mockery dealt Jiang Xing a blow like never before. His eyes reddened, and his voice was hoarse as he said, "Xiao Li, you know perfectly well that I was deceived by Jiang Yonghe back then. Why do you have to cling to that and refuse to forgive me?
"I’ve already paid the price for every mistake I made against you. I tried to disfigure your face, but you severed my tendons, and now I’m a cripple. I conspired with Qi Yue to set you up, but the Jiang family fortune has nothing to do with me anymore. I’ve fallen this low—can’t that even satisfy you?"
Jiang Youli remained unmoved and spat out two words: "No."
Those two simple words drained the last bit of strength from Jiang Xing, leaving him utterly desolate.
Seeing him suffer like this, Jiang Youli added spitefully, "If you hadn’t shown up here today to testify for Qi Feixue and accuse me, I might have had it in me one day to generously give you the antidote. But you still chose to hurt me to get what you want, so do you really think I could pity you and forgive you?"
She was deliberately lying to Jiang Xing. She had never planned to give him the antidote; she just wanted to make him live with even more regret.
Just then, the kitchen staff came to announce that dinner was ready.
Old Master Qi said, "Alright, it’s time for unnecessary people to leave. Butler, show the guest out."
"Yes." The butler stepped forward from behind Old Master Qi and coldly gestured to Jiang Xing, "Please leave."
Jiang Xing glanced at Jiang Youli, then finally stood up, looking dazed, and slowly walked away.
Seeing that the matter of the poisoning had basically been settled, Qi Huan turned to the sullen-faced Qi Shaoxiong with a cheerful, polite smile and said, "Since you two siblings rarely come back to the old mansion tonight, how about staying for dinner to celebrate me getting my first share of the company?"
Qi Shaoxiong suppressed his emotions and replied, "My sister has just been cured of the poison. I need to tell our parents the good news, so I won’t stay to celebrate with you, Huan-ge."
"I see. What a pity." Qi Huan sighed with feigned regret.
Qi Shaoxiong: "..."
Qi Shaoxiong didn’t want to stay there for another second. He stood up and said to Old Master Qi, "Grandfather, my sister and I won’t be having dinner with you tonight."
Old Master Qi waved his hand. "Go ahead."
Qi Feixue also stood up. "Grandfather, we’ll be heading back now."
With that, she picked up her bag and followed behind her brother as they left.
After walking a short distance from the front hall, Qi Feixue immediately said indignantly, "Ah Xiong, what were you thinking? You actually agreed to the compensation Jiang Youli demanded for Qi Huan. Would Grandfather really have let his own granddaughter die if thrown out?"
Qi Shaoxiong pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, lit one, and put it in his mouth. "Can’t you see how Grandfather treats Jiang Youli?"
"Of course I noticed. A man of Grandfather’s status actually indulges Jiang Youli so much—I really don’t understand it." Qi Feixue looked utterly confused.
Qi Shaoxiong exhaled a plume of smoke. "It seems you still haven’t figured it out. Grandfather was clearly putting on an act for us."
"What do you mean?" Qi Feixue was puzzled.
Qi Shaoxiong said coldly, "It means we’ve been reading him wrong all along. We thought Grandfather intended to change the successor, but from his attitude tonight, he has no such plan. He was just using Jiang Youli as an excuse to legitimately gift a portion of the shares to Qi Huan ahead of time."
Qi Feixue widened her eyes in disbelief. "That can’t be. If Grandfather really meant for Qi Huan to remain the Qi family successor, why did he announce at the engagement party for Qi Huan and Jiang Youli that the successor wouldn’t be decided for three months?"
"A whetstone." Qi Shaoxiong said suddenly.
Qi Feixue looked clueless. "What?"
Qi Shaoxiong said firmly, "Grandfather wants us to be Qi Huan’s whetstone, to sharpen him even more after his legs recover."
"Then what do we do?" Qi Feixue was beginning to have her doubts, because Grandfather’s behavior tonight really didn’t add up.
To put it bluntly, in the entire capital circle, aside from that old lady of the Long family, hardly anyone dared to disrespect Grandfather.
Especially a junior!
But Grandfather was so lenient with Jiang Youli!
Clearly, it was because he still valued and prioritized Qi Huan!
"Ah Xiong, if it’s really like you say, then what’s the point of all our efforts?" After her anger subsided, Qi Feixue felt nothing but resentment.
She couldn’t accept that their branch could only manage the business in Africa, no matter how well they performed, forever serving as mere background to Qi Huan!
Qi Shaoxiong said nothing.
Seeing how grim his expression was, Qi Feixue didn’t press further.
Not until they left the Qi family mansion and got into the car did Qi Shaoxiong say coldly, "Since I’ve decided to seize the position of Qi successor, I’ll take it, no matter what method I have to use!"
He would never forget the day he and his father were sent to Africa to be "tempered"—the other rich young masters from the city laughing behind his back.
"Don’t let Qi Shaoxiong put on airs in front of us. He’s nothing more than a stepping stone for Qi Huan, the eldest son. Just like his father, he’s only fit for Africa. They call it tempering, but it’s really just exile!"
Why should he, also the legitimate Young Master Qi, be stuck in a place like Africa?
He refused to accept his fate!
He swore to himself that he would become the person in control over here in the capital!
When he first learned that his grandfather had planned to announce Qi Huan as the heir, Qi Shaoxiong had considered hiring someone in Africa to get rid of Qi Huan. However, he didn't expect Qi Yue, Qi Huan's younger brother, to take action first.
Although Qi Huan didn't die, he lost the use of his legs. Qi Shaoxiong thought that his chance had finally come.
Surely his grandfather wouldn't still intend to hand over the Qi family to a grandson with disabled legs!
As expected, his grandfather postponed the announcement of the heir.
Qi Shaoxiong thought he really had a chance, but it was only tonight that he realized that the old man of the Qi family had never really thought of giving up on Qi Huan in his heart.
Since he couldn't compete internally, then he would let external forces intervene.
The best external force, of course, was still the Long family.
Qi Shaoxiong stubbed out the cigarette in his hand. If he couldn't have it, then he'd rather destroy it!
The Qi family in the country might collapse, but his business in Africa would definitely not!
