Chapter 294 — A Painful Choice
Years of Heartflutter · Page 4 of 5
"Dad, you still don't understand. My future is something I carve out for myself, not something you give me." Tian Yan sighed. "And I don't need you to do this..."
"Don't need it? Hah! Let me tell you—once Sun Lin and I are in our coffins, what will your standing in the Sun family be? Do you even know? Will they trust you the way they trusted me? What will you do then?" Tian Long gave a cold snort. "Tian Long, you're wrong," said Yang Xutang. At last he understood why Tian Long had resolved to betray Sun Lin—it was for the future.
Since ancient times, a new ruler brings a new court; the saying goes that one dynasty does not employ the men of the last. Tian Long feared that once Sun Jie and Sun Zhiwei held power, they would squeeze Tian Yan out—and so he had struck first.
"I'm wrong? How am I wrong?" This time Tian Long laughed instead of growing angry. Tian Yan said he was wrong, and now this Yang Ce had to chime in as well.
"The Sun family's holdings—I honestly don't think much of them. The enterprise I have in Africa is a hundred times that, at least. Sun Jie included—she'll be coming out with me in the future. So who will be left to manage the Sun family's holdings in Donghai?" Yang Ce gave a cold laugh. "Use that pig brain of yours and think. Sun Zhiwei is hopeless—he couldn't be propped up if you tried. Among the friends I trust, besides Zhang Bin, who else is there? Only that son of yours, Tian Yan, who is a hundred times cleverer than you! I'll hand the Songjiang business to Zhang Bin. As for who gets the Donghai business—think it through yourself." At these words, not only Tian Long but even Tian Yan was stunned. Tian Yan had never imagined Yang Ce would say such a thing, nor that Yang Ce would entrust the business to him to manage.
What kind of trust was this? Tian Yan's nose stung at once. He had never thought he occupied such an important place in Yang Lanxu's eyes, that Yang Ce would entrust something so important to him.
"Ha? You can say anything you like now!" Tian Long recovered from his brief astonishment and burst out laughing. "No matter how gloriously you dress it up now, it's useless! Anyone can fire a shot after the battle's over! If you'd had this idea, why didn't you say so earlier? Besides, what use is your promise? Will Sun Lin still dance to your tune?"
Tian Yan, however, pressed his lips together, somewhat unconvinced. Because he knew that Yang Yanzhou's words always counted; Yang Yongjin was not one to make empty promises.
Sure enough, Tian Yan had been right—Yang Ce spoke.
"First, Tian Long, I can tell you plainly: what I've just said is no hindsight."
Yang Ce looked at Tian Long and said, word by word, "You are you, and Tian Yan is Tian Yan. Father and son are not the same, and I will not take my anger at you out on him. So what I said still stands! Before I leave, I will hand all of Donghai's affairs to Donghua to manage."
Tian Long had not expected Yang Ce to say such a thing. That Yang Ce could still make such a promise under these circumstances seemed to Tian Long utterly incredible—but he said nothing, only listened as Yang Ce went on, waiting to hear what else he had to say.
Tian Yan could no longer hold back his emotions. His eyes stung, and he said, "Boss..."
"...I don't want anything..."
Yang Jiyan waved a hand, signalling Tian Yan to say no more and simply listen:
"Second, as to whether Uncle Sun agrees—I can tell you for certain that if he knew the assets I hold now were ten or a hundred times what he has, he wouldn't care about any of this!"
"Ten or a hundred times?" Tian Long's eyes went wide. He could not bring himself to believe Yang Ce truly had so much money. The Sun family's assets were, after all, worth at least a hundred million—ten or a hundred times that, how much would that be?
"Of course, ten or a hundred times is only a figure of speech," Yang Linyue said mildly.