Grandfather Wen looked at the family’s wealth filling the entire room, his eyes slightly reddening as his voice choked with emotion. “Some of these were painstakingly accumulated by your grandmother and me, bit by bit, when we were young, while others were left behind by our Wen family ancestors.
“It’s because I was useless that such a huge family fortune is about to decline in my hands.”
These were the assets he had carefully, painstakingly hidden away, intending to leave them as a foundation for his descendants to establish themselves and survive.
“Grandfather, the situation is still unstable, and being too wealthy only attracts trouble. Keeping all this wealth isn’t a blessing, it’s a disaster waiting to happen. Rather than let that happen later, we should take the initiative and donate it now.” Ruan Xining spoke clearly and earnestly, every word sincere.
“If we take the initiative to donate most of our wealth, it will show our stance and protect ourselves. It can keep the whole family safe, and afterward, no one will be able to use our wealth against us.
“You saved all this money and property for your descendants, didn’t you? But if we lose our lives, what use is there in keeping all this wealth?”
Grandfather Wen remained silent for a long time, his cloudy eyes filled with deep emotion. After a long while, he sighed. “You’re right. Our Xining has grown up. We’ll do as you say.”
He sorted through everything and made a plan. Some of the antiques and ornaments would be damaged if they were taken outside, while there were also some things the country needed, so Grandfather Wen decided to donate those.
As for the items that would be lost if they were taken out, he set them aside. He believed that sooner or later, these things would have a chance to see the light of day again.
“When will your friend come to collect these things?” Grandfather Wen asked.
“Grandfather, if you trust me, give me the keys. I guarantee that tonight I’ll hide everything so well that no one will ever be able to find it,” Ruan Xining said.
How could Grandfather Wen not trust her? He immediately handed her the keys.
After nightfall, everything was utterly silent. The evening breeze gently swept over the courtyard walls, carrying only a few faint insect calls. The surrounding streets and alleys were already deserted, and the entire world was immersed in tranquility.
Ruan Xining quietly made her way to the basement. Once she arrived, she waved her hand, and box after box of treasures disappeared into her space.
Early the next morning, after barely managing to endure the entire night, Ruan Jianwei finally limped out of the ancestral hall with Ruan Nianzhi. The moment they stepped outside, they saw boxes filling the courtyard, each one packed with gold, silver, treasures, and all kinds of rare medicinal materials.
“Dad, what is all this?” Ruan Jianwei stared at everything greedily.
Ruan Nianzhi excitedly ran over as well. She picked up a golden gold bar and held it in her hands, unable to bear letting it go.
She was just about to ask for one when Wen Chengzong shouted at her, “Put it down. All of these things are going to be donated later.”
“Donated? All of it?” Ruan Jianwei anxiously looked at Grandfather Wen.
“Dad, how can you donate so many things?” This old man must have gone crazy. There was far more gold here than what he had hidden in his study.
And those medicinal herbs were all worth a fortune and extremely difficult to obtain.
Instead of thinking about dividing some of them among his children, he actually intended to give everything to outsiders. Sweat covered Ruan Jianwei’s forehead as greed filled his eyes. He looked at Wen Yunru and hurriedly said, “Yunru, hurry and persuade Mom and Dad. They worked so hard their entire lives to accumulate this fortune. How can they give all of it to outsiders?”
Just then, several steady footsteps approached. The staff who had been notified to come and receive the donated supplies arrived right on time.
Ruan Xining spotted them immediately and stepped forward first, sternly scolding, “Dad! Your thinking is simply too backward.
“How can you call them outsiders? They are the future of our country. As fellow citizens of the same nation, shouldn’t we think about those people who don’t have enough food or warm clothes?
“Grandfather is taking the initiative to donate his family fortune, using our family’s abundance to support the collective and help impoverished people. That is selfless, and it shows that his thinking is progressive.”
“Money is all you have in your eyes! Your outlook is narrow, your thinking is rigid, and you don’t have the slightest concern for the bigger picture of the country or the people.”
Every word Ruan Xining spoke was forthright and righteous.
Ruan Jianwei’s face turned red with embarrassment and anger. He furiously raised his hand and was about to strike Ruan Xining across the face.
A loud slap rang out, accompanied by hearty laughter. The street director looked at Ruan Xining approvingly, though his eyes were even more focused on the boxes of wealth.
“Very good. You’re young, yet your political awareness is quite impressive. You must be the Wen family’s granddaughter.
“No wonder you’re a member of the Wen family. Your political awareness is excellent.”
After speaking, he glared at Ruan Jianwei and waved to the people under his command. “Arrest this man. Take him back and educate him properly. When his political awareness reaches the same level as the Wen family’s, then release him.”
As soon as the middle-aged man finished speaking, his subordinates rushed toward Ruan Jianwei.
“Dad, Mom, I know I was wrong. Save me! I was just talking nonsense. Leader, I know I was wrong!” Ruan Jianwei cried out in fear.
Seeing that her father was about to be taken away, Ruan Nianzhi’s expression changed as well. She desperately looked at Wen Yunru. “Mom, save Dad! That’s no place for a person to stay. Dad’s health definitely won’t be able to withstand it if he goes in there.”
The director was willing to let Ruan Jianwei go for the sake of the Wen family’s generous donation today. As long as Grandfather Wen spoke, he would certainly release him.
Yet the entire Wen family acted as though they had heard nothing and remained completely unmoved. Given the rumors circulating lately that Wen Yunru’s husband had another woman outside, it seemed those rumors were probably true.
The director no longer showed any mercy. He directly ordered his men to carry all the donated goods away, taking Ruan Jianwei with them as well.
As Ruan Jianwei was dragged away, he saw the Wen family’s cold and heartless attitude, and his hatred grew so intense that he gritted his teeth. Once he got out, he would never let them off.
Seeing her biggest support being taken away, Ruan Nianzhi desperately tried to make herself as inconspicuous as possible.
Grandfather Wen watched as so many things were carried away, and he seemed to have aged considerably in an instant, exhaustion written all over his face.
“Grandfather, as long as the green hills remain, there will be no shortage of firewood,” Ruan Xining comforted him. “I’ve already hidden those things.
“I believe that once the clouds clear, we’ll eventually see the moon again. Whatever we’ve lost, we’ll earn it all back sooner or later.”
“Good, good, good. Xining is right.” He needed to pull himself together now.
“Something happened! Yunru, where is your husband? Hurry and have your husband go home. Something serious has happened to your family!”
Just as the Wen family was about to return inside, an anxious shout came from outside the gate.
The moment Ruan Nianzhi heard that something had happened at home, her heart lurched. Could it be that her mother had also been arrested?
Aunt Liu came running to the gate, panting heavily. When she saw the entire Wen family, she became somewhat nervous and uneasy, even lowering her voice several degrees.
“Yunru, something happened to your husband’s cousin. The street women’s director has already gone over there. Hurry back.”
“Aunt Liu, what happened to my maternal aunt?” Ruan Nianzhi asked worriedly.
Aunt Liu glanced at her with a strange expression but did not dare say anything.
“Yunru, you’d better hurry back.”