Grandfather’s fаce wаs stern, аnd hе remаined silеnt.
Ling Xuаnyan also loоked utterlу eхhausted, leaning back with his eyes clоsed.
Old Тhird rubbed his tеmples bеfоrе finallу аnswеring, “Thе Wang familу mаdе thеir move as eхpeсtеd. Тhe сurrent situation is nоt oрtimistiс. Маrket сapitаl hasn’t bеen oрtimistic abоut thе Ling family in rесеnt уears, and the disсоvery of the anciеnt tоmb in the southern раrt of thе сity hаs onlу mаde things wоrse…”
“But there must still be a chance, right?” Ling Yixi was frightened. “If we can collaborate with the government to develop the ancient tomb and release some positive news…”
“The prognosis is too poor,” Old Third interrupted him. “How big is the ancient tomb? How long will the development cycle be? And the government’s intention is to reclaim the entire southern area, compensate us, and then open it for public bidding. That compensation… ha!”
Long before that day arrived, the Ling family’s capital chain would face a rupture.
These were things Ling Yixi couldn’t quite grasp.
As the second son in the family, he had an elder brother who stood tall and strong above him and younger brothers who were exceptionally brilliant below him.
Whether it was inheriting the family business or winning his parents’ favor, it was never his turn.
He thought of Master Huang’s words: the Ling family was destined to fall, and its members would disappear one by one…
Just like Yanyan, like his other unfortunate brothers.
But the only opportunity—to give Xiao Ling Bao a name that could reverse the family’s fate—had been ruined by him.
“Dad…” In that moment, Ling Yixi almost confessed.
“How did things go with Ling Bао?” Grandfather suddenly asked.
“It’s… it’s done,” Ling Yixi stammered, retreating from the brink of honesty.
“What’s wrong?” Grandfather sensed something amiss.
“Well, today at Master Huang’s place, I saw someone from the Hong family,” Ling Yixi quickly changed the subject. “Their grandson seems to cry nonstop every day, so they went to Master Huang for help.”
“The Hong family from Hongda Capital?” Old Third’s eyes lit up slightly.
Ling Yixi shrank back. “I… I didn’t get a chance to speak with them. They didn’t recognize me…”
He rarely attended business gatherings, so it was normal for others not to know him.
Still, it was fortunate they hadn’t recognized him…
“I’ve already approached Hongda Capital,” Ling Xuanyan finally spoke, his voice thick with exhaustion. “They don’t want to get involved in the mess between us and the Wang family. They’ve been evasive and unwilling to show their faces.”
A heavy silence fell.
Outside the window, rain began to fall.
A summer night rain, sudden and torrential, pouring down with urgency and intensity.
Grandfather stared into the darkness for a long time before finally speaking. “Second Brother, take Ling Bао and leave.”
“What?” Ling Yixi was stunned.
“You’re an idle man, with little connection to the family. Take Ling Bао abroad. No matter what happens here, don’t return for ten years.” Grandfather’s voice was resolute. “Eighth Brother will protect you outside. It’ll be much safer. From now on, you must shoulder the responsibility of the head of the family. Remember, Ling Bао is the hope of this family.”
“Dad—” Ling Yixi was on the verge of tears.
“A grown man, crying like that?” Grandfather said disdainfully. “We won’t die.”
“But Dad,” Ling Yixi burst into tears, “Ling Bао has just returned to this family… Dad, you don’t know what happened today at Master Huang’s place… It’s all my fault… I’m not human! I’m an idiot!”
He slapped himself twice, the sound sharp and clear.
Grandfather was shocked. “What have you done now…”
“Master! Someone from the Hong family is outside,” the butler rushed in urgently.
“The Hong family?”
The family members were still reeling from the sudden spectacle of Second Brother slapping his own face.
“Hongda Capital’s Hong family?” Ling Xuanyan reacted the quickest.
“Yes, that’s the one,” the butler nodded.
“What are they doing here so late?” Ling Xuanyan frowned. He had previously been unable to secure a meeting with the Hong family no matter how hard he tried. “Let them in first.”
Along with the Hong family came the ear-splitting wails of an infant, loud enough to lift the roof.
“Be good, baby, be good. We’ll find Little Sister Ling soon,” Old Madam Hong’s voice was hoarse. “You’ll stop crying soon, be good!”
“Old Master Ling, greetings, greetings!” The leader was the current young head of the Hong family, his face beaming with a forced smile. “Disturbing you so late at night is truly abrupt.”
“I’m not doing too well,” Grandfather sat up straight.
It was clear at a glance that the Hong family was here to beg for help.
“Of course, of course, you’ll be fine,” Eldest Brother Hong had a string of sweat beads on his forehead. “It’s like this, I’d like to ask your young miss to take a look at my unworthy son, this…”
“Our baby stopped crying suddenly today when he saw the young miss at Master Huang’s place,” Young Madam Hong was desperate to save her child. “But as soon as the young miss left, he started crying again. However, Master Huang performed a ritual, and he stopped crying again. But… but when night fell and it started raining outside, he began crying once more…”
“Then go find Master Huang!”
Ling Yixi cut in, “Didn’t Master Huang say he could infuse some yang energy or something?”
He was getting all worked up again!
This family had given their Xiao Ling Bao such a look of disdain this afternoon, and now they were here crying and begging for help?
Young Madam Hong’s eyes were red. “We just came from Master Huang’s place. He performed another ritual, but it was no use. The baby cried even harder, and just now he cried until he had a convulsion…”
As if to verify her words, the little baby in the nanny’s arms nearby cried until he was gasping for breath, his small face turning purple-red from the strain.
“Take him to the hospital,” Ling Xuanyan suggested. “In matters like this, seeking a doctor is more effective.”
“We have doctors. We’ve been trying to save him all the way here. We only managed to find out with great difficulty that it was the young master and young miss of the Ling family at Master Huang’s place today. We were too disrespectful…”
The Hong family had completely lowered their stance.
Young Madam Hong was in poor health and had endured a difficult pregnancy, barely managing to carry the child to term. It had been a tremendous struggle to have this baby.
Even though he had been so afflicted since birth, they absolutely could not give up on him.
As long as there was a sliver of hope, they would fight for it.
Seeing this situation, Grandfather did not agree immediately. “Our Xiao Ling Bao has no special abilities. It was probably just a coincidence before.”
“We know, we know. We’re just at our wits’ end…”
The Hong family pleaded desperately. “If Young Miss Ling can’t help, we won’t blame her for it… No, no, we’re not saying the young miss is useless…”
They were already clutching at straws in their desperation.
The doctor had just said that given the frequency of the baby’s crying convulsions, it was highly likely that next time, they might not be able to revive him.
Grandfather sighed and instructed Second Brother, “Go, bring Xiao Ling Bao down.”
Ling Yixi was about to move.
“I’ll go,” Ling Xuanyan stood up.
Ling Yixi: “…”
Ling Xuanyan left.
For a moment, the entire room was filled only with the baby’s tremendous wails.
In the deep of night, these cries merged with the howling wind and torrential rain, chilling to the bone.
After an unknown amount of time had passed, Ling Xuanyan reappeared, holding a drowsy Xiao Ling Bao in his arms…