Chapter 163 — So It Was Her

At that thought, Zha Ce said, "Dad, I met two friends today, assassins as well. They wanted to discuss a partnership with me, and I turned them down because I don't handle family affairs. Now that I think of it—why don't you see whether you could work with them?"

"Oh?" Old Zha Ce was startled. "You know people in the assassin world too? How did they learn your identity?"

"That's what puzzles me as well. My identity has always been kept strictly secret. I have no idea how they found out." Zha Ce shook his head.

"Then we must be all the more careful—they could be people with ill intentions," old Zha Ce said. "What are their names?"

"I have their card here somewhere—wait, let me find it for you." With that, Zha Ce fished the card Yang Ce and Wang Yanqiu had just given him out of his pocket and handed it to his father.

"The Black Butterfly Assassins." Old Zha Ce blinked. "That's quite a name for a hit squad—calling themselves Black Butterfly. Just one character off from the Butterfly Assassins, the second-ranked group in the world. Yang Ce, Wang Yanqiu... Wang Yanqiu—is this Wang Yanqiu a woman?"

"She is. Why?" Zha Ce started. "Dad, do you know her?"

"Wang. That name is so familiar. Could it be her?" Old Zha Ce sank into thought.

"Dad, what on earth are you talking about? 'Her'?" Zha Ce was baffled.

"How old is this girl?" old Zha Ce asked.

"About ten, I'd say. Like us—she's from the East," Zha Ce said.

"Then it must be her." Old Zha Ce nodded. "To think it would be her. Heh. No wonder she could work out your identity—not surprising at all. And calling themselves Black Butterfly. Interesting. Very interesting."

"Dad, what are you muttering to yourself about?" Zha Ce was thoroughly confused.

"Nothing. Business of the assassin world—you wouldn't understand." Old Zha Ce smiled. "But if it really is that person, then I can rest easy leaving my group in her care."

"I really don't follow a word you're saying." Zha Ce shook his head. "But never mind. Since you think they're all right, I'll meet them when I get the chance."

"Mm, you do that." Old Zha Ce nodded, then said, "Well, we've finished discussing your dreams. Now how about we talk about when you're going to find me a daughter-in-law and give me a grandson? It's bad enough that you're never around to keep me company, but give me a grandson at least, let me enjoy some family happiness."

"Dad, I—" Zha Ce was instantly abashed.

"That girl I introduced you to before is quite nice too—clean family background, a good match for you. Now that I support your career as well, how about we find a chance to go meet her together?" old Zha Ce asked.

"Dad, I've seen her. I don't like Westerners. I still think Eastern women are prettier," Zha Ce said.

"So you like Eastern women." Old Zha Ce nodded and stopped pressing. "Fine. Since you like Eastern women, then find one quickly and bring her back to give me a grandson, and I'll stop meddling in your career."

"Dad, there is someone I like, but she doesn't seem to like me back." Zha Ce hesitated, then finally confessed what was on his mind.

"What's that supposed to mean, she doesn't like you back?" Hearing that his son had someone in his heart, old Zha Ce was immediately interested. "Which girl is it? Your father will help you strategize."

"It's Steward Zhou's daughter. I saw her in Songjiang." Zha Ce flushed red.

"Steward Zhou? You mean our family's Steward Zhou—his daughter?" Old Zha Ce suddenly understood. "Oh, now I remember. Old Zhou has a daughter—she'd be about twenty by now, I suppose. To think of it. How time flies. In my memory she's still a little girl of four or five."

"Dad, what do you think?" Seeing that his father had raised no objection, Zha Ce felt there was hope after all.

"That's easy enough. I'll go talk to Old Zhou, play matchmaker, and the two of you can meet. You're both young—you should have plenty to talk about." Old Zha Ce was eager for a grandson and agreed at once.

"Thank you, Dad!" Zha Ce was overjoyed. He had never expected his father to personally arrange a match for him.

In a VIP ward of the National Hospital in Singapore, Huang Rongtian, Huang Lin, and Huang Yan stood around the bed of an old man—their father, Huang Ce.

"Dad, you're awake?" Huang Rongtian was the first to speak. The doctor had just notified him that his father had regained consciousness, so he had hastily gathered his younger brother and sister and rushed to the hospital.

"Rongtian." Huang Ce smiled bitterly, two thin syllables escaping his lips. It was plain to see how weak he was now, and how much older he had grown.

"Dad, it's good that you're all right." Huang Lin breathed a sigh of relief, then said, "You don't need to blame yourself anymore. Little Sister said she doesn't hold it against you. Isn't that right, Lele?"

"Yes, Dad, don't dwell on it." Huang Yan had once harbored plenty of resentment over her father's deception, but Huang Ce was still her father, and that bond of blood could not be erased. So after he fell ill, swayed by her two brothers' persuasion, she had come around and decided not to hold him to account anymore.

A faint bitter smile touched Huang Ce's lips. "Lele, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lied to you."

"Dad, don't talk about that now. The important thing is that you get well as soon as possible—the company needs you." Huang Yan spoke comfortingly. What she did not say was that the bank was already knocking at their door, that her eldest and second brothers spent every day frantically fending off the creditors, and that the company was on the brink of bankruptcy.

"That's right, Dad. Rongjin and the rest of us are all waiting for you to recover," Huang Rongtian said.

"Thank you for forgiving me." Huang Ce's color improved a little. This had been his greatest burden, and now that his children had forgiven him, his heart was at ease. "How is the company?"

"Not bad. Rongjin and I are holding things up." Huang Rongtian made it sound easy, but only he and his brother knew the pressure they had been under these past days.

"You and Rongjin. Heh—to think even Rongjin could come help at the company." Huang Ce smiled with some pleasure. "That you brothers stand united makes me very happy."

Huang Rongtian and Huang Lin exchanged a glance, and a bitter smile rose on both their faces unbidden. Both knew in their hearts that even with brothers united, the company would be hard pressed to survive.

Knock, knock, knock. A knock came at the door of the ward. Huang Yan, thinking it was a nurse, said, "Come in."

The door was pushed open, and in came none other than Li Shu and Li Tianjia.

"Old Huang! I heard you'd woken up." It was Li Shu who spoke, his voice rather shrill and grating. "My, how did your health get so bad? Hospitalized just like that? Tsk tsk. That's not a good sign at all."

"What are you doing here?" Huang Rongtian glared furiously at the Li father and son and demanded.

"Why, I've come to visit an old friend, naturally," Li Shu cackled. "We've been friends for so many years—you fall ill, of course I have to come see you. But I've brought you some bad news. I hear the bank people have been filling up your company lately. Ah, all of them there for money."

"You—" Huang Ce gasped for breath. "If not for you, would my company be like this? I won't let you get away with it."

"Heh heh, what does it have to do with me?" Li Shu looked utterly uninvolved and twisted his mouth. "Oh my, don't tell me the cerebral hemorrhage has left you muddled, blaming anyone you see."

"Get out! Get out, all of you!" Huang Ce roared, one hand pressed to his heart, the other pointing at Li Shu.

"Uncle Huang, what's the meaning of this?" Li Tianjia spoke up. "My father came to see you out of the goodness of his heart, and this is how you treat him. You really are a piece of work—no wonder you're always getting taken in."

"You—you—" Huang Ce's breathing grew rapid and shallow.

To be continued.