Chapter 212: Sun Gang’s Greed Takes Control
Meanwhile, Sun Gang arrived at his grandfather’s residence, finding the patriarch seated tranquilly with tea in the living room.
"Ah, Sun Gang!" his grandfather greeted warmly. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"What, I need a reason to visit my honored grandfather now?" Sun Gang replied, attempting levity.
But the elder saw through it. "You’ve been distant lately, my boy. I was beginning to think you no longer cared about this old man."
Sun Gang hastily reassured, "Of course I still care! How could I not, you’re my grandfather!"
Yet his grandfather knew better. Setting down his tea, the observant elder said "Sun Gang, I’ve watched you grow since boyhood. Now tell me truthfully - why are you here?"
"Actually, I came to seek your counsel on a business matter," Sun Gang revealed.
His grandfather looked concerned. "Is everything alright with the company, my boy?"
"Oh yes, operations are outstanding," Sun Gang hastened to reassure him. "You know I’ve been running things smoothly - no one could manage as adeptly as I have."
His grandfather smiled. "Too true. You have quite the talent for leadership."
Sensing an opening, Sun Gang pressed on. "Since you agree I’ve proven my competency, I wanted to discuss transferring Grandmother’s shares in the group to me."
At that, his grandfather slowly set down his teacup and fixed his grandson with a piercing look. "Her shares? What exactly did you have in mind?"
Sensing his grandfather’s hesitation, Sun Gang pressed on. "With Grandmother’s shares under my control, I’ll hold more sway with the board. We both know Father and my brother lack business acumen - but I have the talent to lead the company to greater heights."
His grandfather’s eyes narrowed at the naked greed in his grandson’s voice. "You wield enough power already as my heir and CEO. The shareholders would never oppose your initiatives with me championing you."
But Sun Gang persisted, emboldened. "Be that as it may, having a bigger stake would reflect how much value I provide. And with you citing my managerial competence yourself, I’ve earned those shares through my own merit."
At that, the elder’s countenance darkened. "Through merit?" he spat. "As if the wealth and prestige you already enjoy isn’t sufficient! Or is this petty maneuvering to undercut your own family somehow still inadequate for you?"
Chastened, Sun Gang averted his eyes, the naked avarice on his features now evident to his incensed grandfather.
Sun Gang bristled, anger rising at his grandfather’s condemnation. How dare the old man lecture him about avarice? Hadn’t everything Sun Gang now enjoyed come through the family’s own generations of ruthless ambitions?
"You accuse me of greed, yet our dynasty was built through far more merciless means," Sun Gang retorted sharply. "Or shall we examine the shady dealings that aided your own ascent within the company back in the day?"
His grandfather slammed down his teacup furiously. "Mind your tongue, boy! Those were desperate times, not that an entitled child like you could understand. I did what was necessary to keep this family empire alive as my own forbearers did by any means!"
Sun Gang leaned forward, eyes cold. "Then you should welcome my initiative to expand our holdings. Resting on past glories invites stagnation and decline."
"Ungrateful wretch!" his grandfather raged. "Were you so dismissive of ’past glories’ when they ensured you could enjoy extravagance without lifting a finger? You will not undermine what I have toiled blood and sweat to achieve!"
"Then perhaps it’s time for this empire to have a new steward more suited to today’s era..." Sun Gang retorted menacingly.
At that thinly veiled threat, grandfather and grandson locked murderous glares, the brewing tension threatening to erupt and tear the family asunder...
Grandfather Sun exploded to his feet at Sun Gang’s insolence. "How dare you threaten me, boy!" he bellowed. "Have respect! I built this empire that pays for the clothes on your worthless back!"
Sun Gang met his furious glare coldly. "Respect is earned. You so readily gave away shares to newcomers like Sun Lixia and her whelps, yet fail to properly compensate my contributions."
His grandfather’s eyes widened in rage and shock. "You went through my private financial records? How else could you know about the shares gifted to them..."
Seeing he had tipped his hand accidentally, Sun Gang realized his grandfather now knew the lengths he had gone seeking dirt against the family. But he pressed on defiantly.
"So you don’t deny showing more generosity to virtual strangers rather than your own flesh and blood?" Sun Gang accused bitterly. "I run the operations daily, yet you’ve given those long-lost interlopers more rewarding dividends faster than me!"
His grandfather strode forward in a rage, raising his hand as though to strike his insolent heir. Sun Gang tensed but refused to back down. The room seemed to crackle with palpable tension until a knock at the door forced them to reluctantly break their bristling standoff...
Still seething, Grandfather Sun spat back "How dare you call them strangers! Sun Lixia is my own daughter - stolen from me years ago! And her children are my blood!"
But Sun Gang refused to back down. "A daughter you never knew or raised! One you gave up all hope of finding decades past!" he retorted venomously.
His grandfather reeled as though struck at the cruel reminder of Sun Lixia’s childhood abduction that had tormented him helplessly for over forty years. Sun Gang pressed his advantage, years of carefully buried resentment now bursting forth.
"You all act so thrilled at her return, yet were content to forget that lost little girl until she reappeared! If losing your child was so devastating, why does our family history omit such a pivotal trauma?" Sun Gang demanded.
"Enough!" his grandfather bellowed, face mottled in anguish and rage. "You go too far, boy! What would you know of the endless searching, the fruitless efforts and tortured hopes..." His voice cracked with emotion. "She was my beloved child!"
Sun Gang had no pity, too consumed by his own jealousy. "Your beloved child quickly usurped in status by random peasants you’ve elevated over your own bloodline..." he spat contemptuously.
Grandfather Sun shook with apoplectic fury as Sun Gang continued denigrating his long-lost daughter and grandsons. Finally he roared with rage:
"Get the hell out of my face this instant, you insolent whelp! I can’t stand the sight of you - get out!"
Sun Gang paused at the door, his features twisted scornfully. "Whatever, old fossil. I was leaving anyway."
As he crossed the threshold, Sun Gang tossed one last verbal dagger over his shoulder: "Mark my words, your misplaced affections will come back to bite you, Grandfather..."
His grandfather grabbed the nearest object - a teacup - and hurled it violently in Sun Gang’s wake. It shattered against the wall as the seething old man bellowed curses at the resentful grandson he once held dear.
Sun Gang slammed the front door forcefully, the entire house seeming to tremble from the quaking fury between its walls. Dark premonitions hung over the now divided Sun household, their once unshakable dynasty no longer feeling anywhere near as secure from external foes and internal strain...
Still trembling with rage after his grandson’s vitriolic confrontation and unveiled greed, grandfather Sun immediately grabbed his phone to call the family lawyer.
No one dared challenge his authority - especially not some entitled, insolent child he had doted on too softly. Evidently kindness had been mistaken for weakness by the arrogant Sun Gang. Very well. It was past time to remind the whelp exactly who built this empire from the ground up through endless sacrifice.
As the line connected, grandfather Sun vowed then and there to put the brazen Sun Gang back in his rightful place through whatever means necessary. Ungrateful boy had the gall to demand a controlling stake when he did nothing but profit off his forbearers’ toil!
Greed for power had clearly corrupted sense and judgment - it was grandfather Sun’s duty as patriarch to discipline such waywardness threatening their enduring dynasty.
Let Sun Gang resent him all he liked - even plot fruitlessly for some illusion of control. At the end of the day, the old man’s word was still ironclad law no one defied without consequences. Not as long as there was breath left in his body and cunning left in his mind...starting now with a simple phone call.
