Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu-Chapter 1156: Not for a lifetime

Lin placed a cup of caffè macchiato in front of a fuming Shui.

"I cannot believe that man! How could anybody have such a degrading view of art? Everything is not about money!"

Behind the counter, Cai jumped up slightly, who was wiping the plates clean. He wasn’t aware of what transpired in the Zhong villa, but he mumbled to himself.

"Well, yeah easy for a rich heiress to say..."

The lunch hour had just gone by so it was relatively quieter at the cafe.

Lin pondered. He felt guilty for Shui getting dragged into his mess. Whatever Zhong Sihan wanted to do, Lin stood at the center of it. The Blooming Art Gallery was only getting into the crossfire between their dispute.

"I will talk to him again. Rest assured, Miss. Han. I won’t let Mr. Zhong get Blooming."

Shui blinked at him. Curiosity only grew further and further in her heart.

So she asked, "How was your relationship with him in prison?"

Lin was about to answer when he held back his words. He couldn’t quite get the right words to explain.

"It was good...I think."

"You think?"

"He couldn’t quite understand why I never fought back with the bullies, even when I explained it to him multiple times."

"What! Bro, you were bullied in prison!?"

Apparently, Cai was kept in the dark.

"It’s in the past, Cai."

"But you never told me!"

"You would have been mad."

"Uh-huh, I’m mad!"

"It’s okay now, Cai."

Shui knew why because Yunru had made a guess. Violence on your part wasn’t looked upon so favorably, especially when you were aiming for parole in the near future. It didn’t matter who started the fight. Looking at Cai, she knew for whom Lin stayed silent. Honestly, Zhong Sihan was unbearable at the moment but if not for his intervention, who knew how far Hou Lin would have suffered.

She then asked, "But when did he go to prison? He is my Grandpa’s age and his brother must have died more than thirty to forty years ago I guess...? Was he in prison for that long?"

"No, he was in prison for ten years and just got released."

She frowned. "That’s why I don’t understand. It should have happened at that time itself. Why such a delayed result?"

"It has something to do with his nephew. When his brother died, he was around four or five years old I suppose. With her husband gone and her son still too young, there was nothing much his sister-in-law could do at that time. Her family was kind of estranged too. Then her son got older, but Mr. Zhong Sihan’s influence was far too strong for him to take on. There were many, many disputes between them.

Amidst all this, he got married too and had children. It only got more unbearable because now he was getting humiliated in front of his wife and children. But Mr. Zhong didn’t yield and never let his nephew take any spotlight in the company. He had been trying to get his father’s assets back, but Mr. Zhong didn’t let that happen either. There was nothing much for his grand nephew and niece too."

Ugh...

I’m not sure how much was Mr. Zhong’s brother is wrong, but why do I feel bad about his family?

"What happened ten years ago? What changed?"

"He got his hands on his father’s suicide note. Mr. Zhong had kept it with him."

Her eyes widened, stunned.

Why would a man like him keep his brother’s suicide note with him?

"His father had clearly written in it that he was ending his life because of only one person - Mr. Zhong. He ruined his life, took his business and respect from him and humiliated him at every step of the way. He apologized to his wife for leaving her alone, but he just couldn’t bear it anymore. That was all the incriminating evidence he ever needed. He went straight to the cops and submitted his father’s suicide note."

"And Mr. Zhong confessed?"

"Yes. He said he drove his brother to his death."

Her lips parted in disbelief.

This is even more bizarre. If that letter was so damning, then why did he keep it with him instead of destroying that only piece of evidence against him?

A faint inkling nudged her.

Guilt?

But meeting Zhong Sihan today, she wasn’t sure if that man was capable of feeling guilt and remorse.

But still I don’t get it...

Sure, his nephew got the letter, but why did Mr. Zhong confess instead of fighting back? He could have easily quashed the case if he wanted to. He was too influential for that letter to even make any dent in his life.

But he gave up on that and chose to go to prison? And leave all his estate behind he fought so hard to protect from his brother’s family? Wasn’t that basically giving his nephew a free pass?

Zhong Sihan in prison would definitely weaken his position and allow the nephew to take his place. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

She looked back at him. "Had he asked you in prison too about this...adoption?"

"He mentioned it quite a few times actually. I didn’t consider it seriously though."

Well yeah that’s the normal reaction...

Lin said sincerely, "Please don’t worry, Miss. Han. I assure you I will figure out a way to handle this."

Cai chimed in. "Can Miss. Han’s family not step in? I’m sure your brother will be able to do something about it."

Cai’s point held merit. The Han family was powerful in its own regards and if Zhong Sihan wanted to build a hotel, then there was no other person than her brother, Siying to fight for it.

Shui knew that Siying would definitely be able to exert that pressure on Zhong Sihan and force him to take a step back.

But after much thought, she shook her head.

"Bro can help me, but I don’t want to win back Blooming that way."

Her eyes narrowed. "He has challenged me as an artist. There will be no meaning if I take Bro’s or Dad’s help. It will only prove his degrading assumptions about art. If I have to push him back, then I have to make such a painting he would never ever forget in his lifetime."