Chapter 363: Chapter 124: The Third Stolen Child (Part 3)
If Huo Wen’an doesn’t die, their hopes can only be in vain.
Huo Wenbei never expected Xu Xingguang would reveal the internal struggles of the Huo Family in public, openly and directly.
Noticing his grandfather’s increasingly inscrutable expression, and his fingers unconsciously stroking the snakehead on his cane, Huo Wenbei knew that the old man was angry.
Suddenly, Huo Wenbei knelt on the ground, his forehead touching the floor, admitting his fault in a fearful manner. "Grandfather! Wenbei was muddled, Wenbei indeed harbored ambitions to vie for the position of Young Helmsman."
"As a descendant of the Huo Family and the younger brother of the Young Helmsman, Wenbei should have wholeheartedly assisted his elder brother in managing the Huo’s consortium, but I committed such folly when my brother was critically ill!"
"Wenbei has come to a profound realization of his mistake and voluntarily asks for punishment, willing to go to the Central Cave for a month of self-confinement!"
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Huo’s expression dramatically changed, "No!"
Mrs. Huo rushed to Huo Wenbei’s side, squatting down, clutching her youngest son’s arm protectively, and said to Huo Canghai, "Father, the conditions in the Central Cave are harsh, with gales during the day and cold tides at night; staying there for a month, Wenbei won’t die but he’ll lose half of his life!"
Huo Wenbei, however, said to Mrs. Huo, "Mom, don’t say anymore, I made a mistake, I deserve punishment."
"Father, I’m willing to take the punishment for Wenbei!" Mrs. Huo couldn’t bear to see her youngest son confined in the Central Cave.
She had lost one child; she couldn’t lose a second one.
Huo Canghai rubbed the snakehead on his cane with his thumb, operated his wheelchair to turn around, and glanced at Huo Wenbei, his aged voice carrying an imposing aura without anger: "Brotherly strife is a great taboo in the Huo Family. Wenbei, since you’ve realized your mistake, go and confine yourself in the Central Cave for a month."
Upon hearing this, a trace of unwillingness flashed in Huo Wenbei’s eyes, but he still pushed Mrs. Huo away, willingly accepting this punishment. "Thank you, Grandpa, for giving Wenbei a chance to reflect and reform!"
Huo Wenbei was directly taken away by the Huo Family guards to be sent to the so-called ’Central Cave’ for a month’s confinement.
Xu Xingguang watched Huo Wenbei cooperate with the Huo Family guards to go accept punishment, pursing her lips slightly, harboring a sense of vigilance towards this Huo Wenbei in her heart.
Someone capable of breaking their pride, willingly kneeling and admitting mistakes, hiding and waiting for a new opportunity, then moving strategically, is far more terrifying than a stubborn person.
Huo Wen’an, this brother, is a tough character.
Seeing the Old Helmsman actually punishing Huo Wenbei to a month’s confinement in the Central Cave, several other small maneuvering descendants of the Huo Family were as pale as wax at the moment.
They neither had the courage like Huo Wenbei to admit mistakes in time, volunteer for punishment in the Central Cave, nor the guts to plead for forgiveness from Huo Canghai in person.
Huo Canghai lifted his drooping eyelids, looked at the restless young faces in the Huo Family lineup, and said, "A group of useless people, staying on Divine Concealment Island is only occupying a latrine without shitting, you are given ten hours to get off the island!"
He does not dislike his descendants vying for power, but he loathes those who can’t admit it after doing so, cowards who refuse to concede defeat when they lose.
Leaving Divine Concealment Island means that for the rest of their lives, except for family rituals, they will never have the opportunity or qualification to set foot on the island again.
It also means they forever lose the qualification to approach the Huo’s consortium!
Some clenched their fists, some had red eyes, some were filled with unwillingness. Yet under Huo Canghai’s hawk-like gaze, not one dared to jump out to argue or reason with him.
They, like discouraged quails, turned away dejectedly and left.
Jiang Heng stood with other outside guests, feeling at a loss whether to stay or leave at the moment.
Huo Canghai glanced at them indifferently, chuckled coldly, and said, "The Young Helmsman has been freed from his illness, and within the next three to five years, he’s unlikely to die. It’s too early for everyone to stay here and keep vigil for his spirit. Please all return."
Upon hearing Huo Canghai’s words, everyone turned and made haste to leave.
After walking a bit, Jiang Heng suddenly turned back, looked past the crowd of the Huo Family, and locked eyes with Xu Xingguang standing outside the emergency room from afar.
Xu Xingguang moved her red lips, mouthing something to him.
Jiang Heng couldn’t decipher the meaning of her lip movements, but after mimicking Xu Xingguang’s mouth motions and making several similar sounds, he finally understood what she said.
Xu Xingguang said: [It’s not over yet.]
It’s not over yet.
Ha.
Jiang Heng looked up at the azure sky above, a nameless fury suddenly rising in his heart.
