Qiuyun wasn’t about to let the conversation return to the laboratory fire. “Mr. Yijie, this morning you took nothing more than a dubious recording and threw mud at our madam. Yet now that the photos are right in front of you, and the matter concerns you personally, you’re denying everything. How very convenient.”
Jiang Yijie glared angrily at the female assistant.
Honestly, if she hadn’t once saved Old Master Jiang, he really would have slapped her across the face!
What a nuisance!
Qiuyun remained completely unafraid. “I have the original files, as well as more than twenty consecutive photos taken by different photographers. Mr. Yijie is welcome to have an expert examine them and determine whether they’ve been photoshopped.”
Her relentless pressure made Jiang Yijie so furious that his entire face turned red. In the end, it was Jiang Yifeng who had to step in personally and stabilize the situation.
Sitting in his wheelchair, he looked up. “Big Brother, Dad asked you all to come here because of the fire at the laboratory in Switzerland. Yet the moment Assistant Qiu arrived, she ignored right and wrong and produced several dubious photos in an attempt to distort the facts. Can I take that to mean that you’re trying to evade the issue?”
Seeing that there was no way around it, Qiuyun could only take a step back. “I discovered something unusual about the photos and came to report it to Mr. Jiang. I happened to come to the main building’s study with him, so I had no idea why Old Master Jiang had summoned you.”
“Hmph! You didn’t know?” Jiang Yijie sneered. “I think you know all too well! Dad, the arson at the laboratory in Switzerland must have been planned by this female assistant. Otherwise, why would she be in such a hurry to change the subject the moment she walked in?”
“I was merely explaining to Old Master Jiang that Madam had been framed by all of you working together. Besides, we only learned this morning that Mr. Jiang’s legs could still be treated. How could we have sent someone to set the fire in less than ten hours? The people we sent haven’t even flown into Europe yet!”
Jiang Yijie said, “Isn’t that precisely your plan? You’ve managed to clear yourselves of suspicion completely, while claiming that you hadn’t officially taken over yet and therefore knew nothing about how the fire started. That way, you wouldn’t have to take any responsibility at all.”
Jiang Yihua said, “And how do you know it wasn’t you who framed us before leaving?”
“Whether we framed you or you had long intended to destroy Fourth Brother’s medication and keep him from ever standing again remains to be seen!”
Both sides clung to their own version of events, arguing incessantly.
What was more, the incident had taken place far away in Europe, and the entire site had been destroyed in the blaze. Investigating it would be hellishly difficult. Each side had a convincing story, and neither was willing to give way.
Old Master Jiang let out a long breath and asked only, “The research institute—was everything destroyed?”
Jiang Yijie snorted. “After a fire like that, of course everything combustible was burned, including the reagents, raw materials, research documents, the researchers’ handwritten notes, and so on. It was all reduced to ashes! I heard from the person in charge that it would take at least two years to restore the project to its current stage. But Fourth Brother’s paralysis was caused by pressure on his spinal nerves. The earlier he receives treatment, the greater the chance of recovery. If he has to wait another two years, I’m afraid…”
Old Master Jiang’s gaze grew distant for a moment.
Although his youngest son harbored the heart of a wolf and a tiger, and Old Master Jiang had grown considerably more distant from him in recent days, he was still the son he had doted on since childhood. No matter how much father and son had clashed, as a father, he naturally hoped his child would be healthy, with all four limbs intact.
Now that this sole hope had been destroyed, he couldn’t help feeling regret and pity.
Jiang Yifeng gently reassured him, “It’s all right, Dad. Medicine is so advanced these days. If this treatment doesn’t work, there are always other options. My attending physician is very good too. He’s been using microcurrent acupuncture to stimulate my nerves. Sometimes I can even feel a faint twinge of pain. The doctor said that’s a sign I’m beginning to recover.”
Seeing how he didn’t seem to mind, and looking at the once flamboyant, womanizing playboy now curled up weakly in a wheelchair, Old Master Jiang couldn’t help feeling distressed.
He comforted him gently. “Don’t lose heart. The family organization will fund the laboratory and have the research institute rebuilt as quickly as possible.”
Jiang Yifeng tugged at the corners of his mouth, revealing a feeble smile. “Thank you, Dad.”
Qiuyun narrowed her eyes.
As expected, he was a master at playing the victim.
By now, she was ninety-nine percent certain that the so-called biological genetic medication was nothing but a smokescreen!
The fire had first destroyed the evidence, making it impossible for anyone to uncover their fraud. Then it framed the eldest branch, saddling them with the accusation of harming their own brother. Finally, it allowed Jiang Yifeng to play the victim in front of Old Master Jiang, easing the tension between father and son and paving the way for him to return to the group and take charge.
Three birds with one stone. No wonder he had lain low for so long, waiting until the second and third branches had been eliminated before making his move.
Inside the study, Old Master Jiang shifted his gaze to his eldest son. Jiang Yihua frowned and was just about to speak when Old Master Jiang raised a hand to silence him.
“Everyone else, leave. I have something to discuss with Eldest.”
The others acknowledged him and withdrew. Jiang Yijie pushed his younger brother’s wheelchair, while Qiuyun walked behind them and gently closed both doors of the study.
The three of them went to the tea room nearby, where the servants brought them tea.
Jiang Yifeng waved everyone away, then maneuvered his wheelchair in front of Qiuyun. He raised his brows, his tone filled with smug satisfaction. “I’m rather curious, Assistant Qiu. How do you plan to get out of this situation?”
Just as Qiuyun had told the young miss, the law held no sway within a family like this.
For example, even though the third branch had caused Eldest to be hospitalized and destroyed Jiang Yifeng’s legs, Old Master Jiang hadn’t handed him over to the authorities. Instead, he had kept him under his own control.
Conversely, so long as Old Master Jiang believed something to be true, it didn’t matter if they went abroad, spent enormous amounts of time and effort tracking down every involved party, or used threats and inducements to obtain testimony. If there was no evidence, whether he believed them or not depended entirely on a single thought from Old Master Jiang.
And at present, the situation was overwhelmingly tilted to one side. Old Master Jiang had deliberately kept Mr. Jiang in the study, ostensibly to preserve Eldest’s dignity and prevent the future head of the family from being reprimanded in front of his younger brothers.
That also meant Old Master Jiang had already decided that the eldest branch was responsible. It was only that years of trust had not yet been completely exhausted, so after giving Jiang Yihua a thorough scolding, he was still willing to give him a chance to mend his ways.
But if incidents like this continued to occur, no one could say what the final outcome would be.
Qiuyun remained silent, having nothing to say.
Jiang Yifeng straightened slightly and leaned toward her, lowering his voice so that only the two of them could hear. “Assistant Qiu, are you really not going to reconsider my earlier proposal? My promise to you still stands.”
Marry him?
Qiuyun was speechless. “I told you before. You’re not my type.”
Jiang Yifeng replied magnanimously, “I’ve thought it through. A few playthings are no big deal. Whatever type you like, you’re free to find them. I won’t interfere, as long as you marry me.”
“…”
“Before, Big Brother and I were evenly matched, so it was only natural for you to have reservations and reject me. But now Big Brother can barely take care of himself. As the saying goes, a wise bird chooses the best tree to nest in. You should know what the best choice is.”
