"I just said, I’m here to see you today because I want to cooperate with you." Luo Ziling was very satisfied with the change in Chen Yining’s expression. In his eyes, Chen Yining was now someone he could look down upon, so his tone was a bit arrogant, "If you’re willing to cooperate with us, you might avoid being held criminally responsible."
Luo Ziling’s words made Chen Yining very angry.
Having lived for decades and held high positions, being looked down upon by a young man like Luo Ziling would make anyone feel uncomfortable. Especially since Chen Yining viewed Luo Ziling as the Chen Family’s enemy, the murderer of his son. Therefore, when Luo Ziling spoke like this, he was tempted to rush forward and slap Luo Ziling a few times.
Ultimately, he exerted great effort to keep his anger in check.
Because of his anger, he didn’t carefully consider the meaning of Luo Ziling’s words.
"Perhaps you don’t know what’s been happening recently, so let me tell you." Luo Ziling put away his smile and said to Chen Yining seriously, "Just a few days ago, I encountered another assassination attempt, and once again, I narrowly escaped with my life. You guessed correctly, the person who planned it was your Chen Family member, your brother Chen Yijing."
Chen Yining wanted to say that he hadn’t guessed, so how could he guess wrong?
Upon hearing Luo Ziling mention another assassination attempt, he was bitterly thinking, why didn’t you just die?
"This time, we have more evidence and cannot let Chen Yijing go." As Luo Ziling spoke, he smiled again, "If both you and your brother end up in prison, and your father is unable to hold the reins of the Chen Family, who do you think the Chen Family, even if it survives, will fall under the control of?"
Luo Ziling’s words heavily provoked Chen Yining.
"Do you want to destroy our Chen Family?" He asked with a somewhat fierce expression, looking at Luo Ziling.
"Yes!" Luo Ziling replied seriously, "If the Chen Family is destroyed, then I wouldn’t have to worry every day about being plotted against and hunted down by you."
"If the Chen Family is destroyed, its members would become desperate fugitives, all eager to kill you!" Chen Yining laughed aloud.
"You’re wrong!" Luo Ziling shook his head, "If the Chen Family falls, everyone will be thinking about how to survive, how not to be involved in unfortunate events, as everyone needs to feed their families. Just like you now, you’re about to go to prison, and aren’t you already resigned to fate? The thing you think most about is probably your criminal responsibility being lighter, right?"
"What exactly are you trying to say?" Chen Yining really felt like hitting someone.
"I want to help you!"
Luo Ziling’s words stunned Chen Yining.
"Let me tell you one more thing that must not be spread." Luo Ziling said calmly, "Your daughter, Chen Xiaoyi, had a daughter a few days ago. She bore my daughter, so you’re already a grandfather. My daughter’s grandfather is you."
"What?" Chen Yining’s expression changed again, nearly jumping up, "What did you say?"
"There’s no listening device or surveillance here, so I’m telling you this. I believe you’ll keep this secret and not spread it around." Luo Ziling maintained his calm demeanor and said earnestly to Chen Yining, "Because you’ve become my daughter’s grandfather, I want to cooperate with you, help you, let you evade responsibility, and let Chen Yijing suffer!"
"Are you telling the truth?" Chen Yining knew that Chen Xiaoyi indeed had emotional entanglements with Luo Ziling.
But that was a long time ago, and he thought it was over.
With Chen Xiaoyi’s departure to Europe, he thought her relationship with Luo Ziling was over.
Unexpectedly, beneath the calm surface, waves were surging.
"Of course it’s true!" Luo Ziling took out his phone, showed Chen Yining a video and some photos, then briefly explained the situation when he coincidentally met Chen Xiaoyi in a hospital in Europe. After explaining, he regrettably said, "I didn’t know she was pregnant, much less expected her to give birth to a daughter."
Chen Yining’s expression changed again, but he didn’t get angry, instead, he became lost in thought.
"So your purpose today is this: Trying to use my daughter giving birth to your child as leverage to make me help you. If I agree, you won’t pursue our responsibility, and might even withdraw the lawsuit, settling with me out of court. Then, using me and Xiaoyi, you’ll attempt to seize control of the Chen Family, right?" Chen Yining said with a cold smile.
"If I can control the Chen Family, I’d certainly be willing. Because then, the Chen Family wouldn’t be my enemy but my friend, part of our force, not causing me trouble, and even providing much assistance." Luo Ziling said sincerely, "But I’m also self-aware, knowing this is impossible. Therefore, I just hope the Chen Family isn’t my enemy in the future, but a friend. If you’re willing to cooperate with us, we certainly won’t pursue you for criminal responsibility, and we’ll ensure the law enforcement agencies don’t either. But I must hold Chen Yijing accountable, as for your father, there’s no need for me to hold him accountable; his time is running out."
Upon saying this, Luo Ziling took a deep breath and continued, "If your father had sought treatment from me or my grandfather in the early stages of his illness, we could have guaranteed his recovery like Yang Yunlin, without his condition worsening. But now, it’s too late. Despite receiving treatment in Huaxia’s best hospital for months, his condition has worsened. If you visit him in the hospital, you’ll learn of his true condition from the staff there, and your father’s days in this world are numbered."
Hearing that Chen Ruchang is already near the end, Chen Yining wasn’t very shaken.
After being "betrayed" and "abandoned" by his father, Chen Yining grew resentful of Chen Ruchang.
He even felt that if Chen Ruchang died sooner, the family head position wouldn’t "leave him."
No matter what, he wouldn’t transform from a senior official to a prisoner.
Chen Ruchang was too foolish, too selfish, and treated him poorly, hence the current situation.
Since becoming the scapegoat, Chen Yining no longer had any fondness for his father. Upon hearing Chen Ruchang’s limited time, he even felt a bit of schadenfreude.
But he also understood that if Chen Ruchang had limited time, he’d surely arrange his affairs.
If he wasn’t in custody now, but stayed like Chen Yijing, then at the time of his father’s imminent death, there’d be intense competition between the two for the family head position. In other words, if he wanted the family head position, now was the critical time.
Thinking of this, Chen Yining was a bit tempted.
If he were relieved of criminal responsibility, he could potentially regain some position.
If Chen Yijing faced trouble, then with criminal responsibility lifted, he’s more likely than Chen Yining to gain control of the Chen Family.
The temptation was too great.