novelraw Chapter 83 Turbulent Waves
Chapter 83 Turbulent Waves
Gu Yanshen had just hung up the phone with Gu Qishan when he received a call from Xue Jingyan.
"The elderly woman suffered a sudden acute myocardial infarction...and resuscitation efforts failed."
Despite having a premonition, and knowing that his grandmother was old, in poor health, and facing a calamity with little chance of survival, when the cold verdict actually came, Gu Yanshen's fingers gripping the phone tightened suddenly, his knuckles turning bluish-white. He maintained his answering posture, his gaze blankly fixed on the still-dark night outside the window, his Adam's apple bobbing violently, and a single, scalding drop of liquid unexpectedly landed on the back of his other, clenched fist.
"...Who was the last person to see Grandma?"
Xue Jingyan paused for a moment: "According to the hospital's surveillance footage, after the last visiting hours and the nurses' rounds, before the incident, only your third aunt, Su Lanzhi... entered the ward alone and stayed for about fifteen minutes."
Gu Yanshen didn't ask any more questions and slowly put down his phone.
His tall figure appeared unusually lonely and tense in the dim light. His shoulders trembled almost imperceptibly. This man, who was a powerful and always calm and composed figure in the business world, now resembled a child who had lost his last refuge, silently venting his immense grief.
A pair of soft, warm arms gently encircled his trembling waist from behind. Lu Xiran had woken up sometime earlier. She didn't speak, but pressed her cheek tightly against his straight back, using her warm body heat and silent embrace to tell him—you still have me.
The grandmother who had been lovingly holding her hand and giving her earnest advice that afternoon was gone in the blink of an eye... Lu Xiran's heart ached, and tears silently streamed down her face.
"Uncle..." she choked out, hugging him even tighter.
Gu Yanshen took a deep breath, raised his hand, and covered her hand that was wrapped around his waist. The warmth of her skin touched his cold palm, and the icy grief that was almost swallowing him up began to crack slightly.
"You should rest first." He turned around and pulled her into his arms, his voice hoarse, filled with suppressed grief.
"I'll go with you..." Lu Xiran raised her tear-filled face. "I must go..."
Gu Yanshen shook his head, cupped her face in his hands, and wiped away her tears with his thumbs. His eyes were red, and his voice carried a fragile pleading tone: "Ranran... be good, wait for me at home. Now... is not the time."
Gu Yanshen didn't give her a chance to argue, "Wait for me at home... okay?"
Seeing the unfathomable pain and forced exhaustion in his eyes, Lu Xiran couldn't bring herself to say anything. She nodded and squeezed his hand tightly in return: "Okay, I'll wait for you at home."
Gu Yanshen lowered his head and placed a cool kiss on her forehead, then released her and turned to walk towards the dressing room.
When he emerged again, he had changed into a solemn black suit, his tie perfectly tied, and the tear stains on his face had long since been wiped away. He had regained his usual cold and almost expressionless demeanor. Only his slightly reddened eyes and the bloodshot veins deep within them betrayed the storm he had just weathered.
Like a precisely programmed machine, he began to handle various matters calmly and methodically.
At Bai Fang's funeral, almost all the prominent figures in Haicheng were present. As the eldest grandson, Gu Yanshen stood at the front of the family line, his back straight and his face calm, accepting the condolences and comforts from everyone without showing any emotion.
After the funeral, everyone returned to the Gu family's old house.
A subtle yet tense atmosphere permeated the air; the sadness seemed to be merely a facade, beneath which a more complex undercurrent surged.
Gu Yanshen had already asked Lin Chen to take Lu Xiran, who was exhausted and still suffering from pregnancy complications, home to rest.
In the living room, the three Gu brothers and their families gathered, all their eyes focused on a middle-aged lawyer wearing gold-rimmed glasses and with a serious expression—Lawyer Feng, Bai Fang's former private legal advisor.
"Everyone is here." Without any further pleasantries, Attorney Feng took a document from his briefcase. "According to Ms. Bai's wishes, she made this will two years ago, which was witnessed by two independent lawyers and is legally valid. Now, I am hereby entrusted to read it."
He cleared his throat and began to read. When he read the part about the distribution of shares, the air in the living room seemed to be sucked out instantly.
"...Ms. Bai holds a total of 35% of the shares in the Gu Group. Of these, 21% was left to her husband, Mr. Gu, and was equally distributed among their three sons, Mr. Gu Qishan, Mr. Gu Qisheng, and Mr. Gu Qiran, each receiving 7%. The remaining 14% was Ms. Bai's personal share, which was bequeathed entirely to her eldest grandson, Mr. Gu Yanshen."
"What?!"
"That's impossible!"
Gu Qiran was the first to jump up from the sofa, his face flushed, his voice shrill: "Why?! We three sons only get 7% each, but Gu Yanshen takes 14%?! Is Mom getting senile?!"
Su Lanzhi immediately chimed in shrilly, "Exactly! The day Mom suddenly fell ill, weren't the last people to see her Gu Yanshen and his wife? I think there's something wrong with this will! Maybe they took advantage of Mom's insanity..."
"Mr. Gu, Mrs. Gu," Attorney Feng adjusted his glasses, his gaze calm and unwavering, "the entire process of making this will was videotaped and archived, and the identities and qualifications of the two witnessing lawyers can be verified. The legal validity of this will is beyond question. Any objections should be resolved through legal channels."
He went on to read out the other distributions of the property.
The Gu family's old house was to be inherited by the three brothers, and the remaining cash and real estate were to be divided roughly equally. However, the last item was read out, which caused another disturbance.
"...All the jewelry, ornaments, and antique accessories in my personal collection, regardless of their value, are hereby bequeathed to my granddaughter-in-law, Ms. Lu Xiran."
"What?!" This time, Liu Lin was the first to lose her composure. Her well-maintained face was contorted with jealousy and anger. "Why should she get it all?! How long has Lu Xiran been in this family? What kind of spell has she cast on the old lady?!"
Su Lanzhi also sneered, "So all you know is how to cook a few bowls of soup? You've got the old lady completely bewildered, she even gave away her family heirloom!"
Attorney Feng remained composed and explained, "These are clauses that Ms. Bai added herself two months ago. She specifically noted, 'I am very happy to have Ranran by my side in my later years. These material possessions are a gift to her, hoping that she will always be happy.' This is the old lady's heartfelt wish."
He looked around and asked, "Is Ms. Lu Xiran not present today?"
Gu Yanshen nodded slightly, his voice low: "She went back to rest first."
"Alright, I'll handle the relevant list and subsequent handover matters with Ms. Lu another day." Attorney Feng said, preparing to put a detailed jewelry list back into his briefcase.