The child from the Zhang family has come to the gate to acknowledge her relatives.
The security guard’s voice was trembling slightly.
Everyone in the family compound knew about Zhang Zhijun having an illegitimate daughter and how Lu Meishu, unable to bear the blow, had committed suicide. Of course the security guard knew too.
Right now, the security guard wanted to slap himself across the face.
He had seen a young girl lingering at the entrance of the compound and, out of duty, had asked her what she was doing. The girl’s tears fell like beads from a broken string.
In the biting cold wind, the girl was wearing only a thin coat and shivering.
She said she was a child of the Zhang family.
The security guard knew every single child of the Zhang family.
The only granddaughter, Zhang Nan, had just passed through under his nose not long ago!
At that moment, the guard’s mind buzzed: What rotten luck. Why did it have to be my shift today of all days?!
Watching gossip from the sidelines was one thing, but pushing an illegitimate daughter right in front of the Zhang family was something else entirely. What if the Zhang family held a grudge against him for it?
In truth, the Zhang family had a very good reputation in the compound and never bullied others with their status.
But that good reputation belonged to the past. Zhang Zhijun had messed around outside and driven his wife to death. Anyone who heard about it would feel a jolt in their heart.
The security guard was afraid of being resented by the Zhang family, but if he did not make the call, a teenage girl wandering alone in the cold wind had already attracted the attention of other residents.
Some residents deliberately stopped to ask the girl what was wrong. Her tears kept falling, and she looked pitiful, hesitant to speak.
No matter who asked, the girl gave the same answer: she was a child of the Zhang family and had come to acknowledge her relatives.
The security guard had no choice but to grit his teeth and call the Zhang family.
The guard was in a dilemma, and the Zhang family was completely unprepared. The whole family was discussing how to handle Lu Meishu’s inheritance when Zhang Zhijun’s illegitimate daughter suddenly showed up at the door?
Zhang Nan turned her head and stared fixedly at Zhang Zhijun’s face, unwilling to miss even the slightest change in his expression.
Zhang Zhijun looked utterly stunned.
Hmph, hypocritical villain, always so good at acting!
Zhang Nan did not believe it, and the rest of the Zhang family believed it even less. Old Master Zhang grabbed the walking stick beside his chair and swung it at Zhang Zhijun.
“I’ll beat you to death, you shameless dog!”
Zhang Zhijun was afraid his elderly father would fall, so he endured several blows without dodging.
Old Master Zhang panted heavily. “How can you face Meishu? How can you face Zhang Hua?”
The family hurriedly supported the old man. Everyone began to condemn Zhang Zhijun one after another.
No one believed such a coincidence could happen. They were here discussing how to handle Lu Meishu’s inheritance, and outside, the illegitimate daughter came to claim kinship.
It was almost Chinese New Year.
If no one was backing her, how would an illegitimate daughter dare to pick this exact moment to come and poke the Zhang family’s eyes?
The entire Zhang family believed that Zhang Zhijun must have privately promised something, giving the illegitimate daughter the confidence to come, no, giving that woman surnamed Zhuo the confidence. The woman herself did not show up and only sent her daughter to test the waters!
Zhang Zhijun was far too absurd.
Lu Meishu had been buried not long ago. Had he already forgotten all the vows he made?
If Zhang Zhijun had become so muddle-headed, what would become of Zhang Hua’s future?
Zhang Nan wanted nothing more than to rush out immediately and slap that little bastard across the face several times.
But seeing her cousin Zhang Hua’s blank expression, Zhang Nan forcefully held back her impulse.
She could not hit anyone yet.
Zhang Nan patted Old Master Zhang on the back while confronting Zhang Zhijun head-on and asking the question every member of the Zhang family cared about most: “The little bastard outside has come knocking. Uncle, are you going to acknowledge her? The inheritance left by Aunt Meishu, Uncle, are you planning to give half of it to that little bitch?”
“Little Nan, you’re a girl. Don’t speak so harshly…”
Zhang Zhijun gave a bitter smile and shook his head. “I already said I will not acknowledge her. Everything your Aunt Meishu left belongs to your brother. How could I give it to anyone else?”
Earlier, Zhang Zhijun had still been talking about waiting for Zhang Hua to finish his studies before taking over the business. Now he did not dare say that anymore. He immediately declared on the spot that all of Lu Meishu’s inheritance would be transferred to his son’s name.
Zhang Nan still wanted to press the advantage, but Zhang Hua spoke up himself: “There is still a lot I need to learn right now. Even if I take my mother’s inheritance, the business matters will still have to rely on my father.”
Was he taking the money but refusing to take responsibility?
Zhang Nan felt this was letting Zhang Zhijun off too easily, but since Zhang Hua was the person directly involved and he was willing, there was nothing she could do.
In these past few months, Zhang Nan had indeed matured quite a bit.
Once they had settled how to handle Lu Meishu’s inheritance, Zhang Nan asked Zhang Zhijun again: “What about the little bastard outside? She’s lingering at the gate and refusing to leave. The whole compound is watching our family make a fool of ourselves!”
Zhang Zhijun looked utterly dejected. “I will go and persuade her to leave.”
Zhang Nan declared that she wanted to go along.
Zhang Hua shook his head at her. “What are you going for? Stay home obediently!”
Just now, when the inheritance matter had not yet been fully settled, Zhang Nan had held back. But now there was no need. She rushed out like a gust of wind.
Tai Wu had originally not wanted to get involved in the Zhang family’s domestic affairs and had stayed upstairs obediently to avoid embarrassing them. But when he saw Zhang Nan running outside, he was afraid she might suffer at the hands of the illegitimate daughter, so he hurried downstairs and chased after her.
Old Master Zhang raised his walking stick again: “If you want to let that bitch surnamed Zhuo into this house, you can do it over my dead body!”
Zhang Zhijun repeatedly assured him that he had no such intention.
In just that short delay, Zhang Nan had already reached the compound gate first.
In the cold night wind, a slender figure was trembling slightly.
Beijing winter nights were bitterly cold, yet that figure wore only a thin off-white coat. From a distance, she looked every bit the pitiful little thing.
Zhang Nan gritted her teeth: Coming here in all white during the New Year period, are you here to attend a funeral?
Too bad Uncle Zhang Zhijun is not dead yet.
Zhuo Yue looked up with teary eyes, expecting to see her dear father Zhang Zhijun. Instead, a swift figure arrived in an instant. Before Zhuo Yue could clearly see who it was, the other person grabbed her by the hair.
Zhuo Yue felt a sharp pain on her scalp and cried out in alarm.
“You—”
Zhang Nan had considerable strength and did not let Zhuo Yue break free. She rained down seven or eight resounding slaps across Zhuo Yue’s face, swelling it completely.
Zhuo Yue was dazed from the beating.
She wanted to fight back but was afraid the Zhang family would see, so she endured the pain with tears streaming down her face, looking utterly wretched.
Tai Wu pulled the furious Zhang Nan back. “Enough, enough. Stop hitting her. The harder you beat her now, the more sympathy your uncle will feel for her later.”
Zhang Nan sneered coldly: “Let him sympathise with whoever he wants. I don’t care!”
While Zhang Zhijun had not yet come out, Zhang Nan hit Zhuo Yue a few more times.
Tai Wu was only worried that Zhang Nan would get the worst of it. He pretended to break up the fight. The security guard had long since retreated into the duty room and refused to show his face.
Zhuo Yue had been spoiled by Xie Jinghu since childhood. When had she ever suffered such humiliation?
In all her life, the greatest grievance she had ever endured was Xie Jinghu demanding she repay money!
After being violently beaten by Zhang Nan, Zhuo Yue firmly memorised Zhang Nan’s face. She would endure this insult for now, but one day she would repay it tenfold, a hundredfold!
Tai Wu found Zhuo Yue’s gaze strangely chilling and stepped in front of Zhang Nan to shield her.
Finally, Zhang Zhijun came out. Zhuo Yue looked at her dear father pitifully, hoping with all her heart that he would stand up for her.
Her cheeks really hurt!
They burned fiercely.
When the night wind blew across them, it felt as if the skin would split open.
But to her surprise, Zhang Zhijun did not scold Zhang Nan. Instead, he spoke gently to her: “You have caused such a big scene. People will only laugh at our family more. Go back home first!”
Zhang Nan stuck out her neck stubbornly. “Uncle, you just swore to the whole family that you would not acknowledge this little bastard. Were you lying?”
Zhang Zhijun had a headache. “I meant what I said. You are a girl. Do not keep calling her ‘little bastard’. What will others think when they hear? I promise I will not acknowledge her. Go back quickly.”
Zhang Zhijun’s gaze swept quickly over Zhuo Yue before he added:
“I do not know how she found her way here. I will arrange a place for her to stay temporarily until her mother comes to pick her up.”
Zhang Nan let out a mocking laugh.
Waiting for the woman surnamed Zhuo to come and pick her up? Did that not mean openly meeting with the woman surnamed Zhuo?
In the past, Zhang Nan would have kicked up a huge fuss, but now she chose to quit while she was ahead.
As long as the little bastard and that bitch surnamed Zhuo could not step through the Zhang family gate, Zhang Zhijun could meet them as many times as he liked.
Zhang Nan had deliberately questioned Zhang Zhijun in front of Zhuo Yue just to strike a blow at her and make her face reality!
Sure enough, upon hearing Zhang Zhijun say he would not acknowledge her, Zhuo Yue could barely stand steady.
Three parts was an act of pitifulness, seven parts was genuine misery.
Zhang Nan felt extremely smug. She walked away with her head held high like a swan, followed by the princess swan’s most loyal guard.
Before leaving, Zhang Nan did not forget to comfort the security guard: “You heard it too. Next time anyone claims to be a child of our Zhang family, they are definitely a liar. You do not need to call our house. Just call the police station directly!”
The security guard mumbled a vague agreement.
Since the Zhang family refused to acknowledge her, Zhang Zhijun’s illegitimate daughter had no business coming here to block the gate. Besides, Zhang Zhijun’s house was not even in this compound!
Once Zhang Nan left, the security guard shrank back into the duty room.
Zhang Zhijun looked at the dishevelled Zhuo Yue, his expression dark and unreadable.
“Get in the car. I will find you a hotel.”
“Mm…”
Zhuo Yue followed closely behind Zhang Zhijun.
She had so many things she wanted to say to Zhang Zhijun!
Just a moment ago she had been devastated, but now hope surged up again.
Daddy was only afraid to say he would acknowledge her in front of the Zhang family. Once father and daughter were alone, Daddy would surely comfort her properly!
Father and daughter got into the car one after the other. Only after Zhang Zhijun made sure no one outside could see clearly into the vehicle did his face finally darken.
“Idiot.”
Zhang Zhijun looked at Zhuo Yue with no trace of fatherly affection in his eyes. “How could I possibly have a daughter like you… Is your mother so impatient that she sent you here to force my hand?”
Zhuo Yue had just been beaten and now scolded by Zhang Zhijun. Full of grievance, she hurriedly explained: “Mummy doesn’t know I came to Beijing. I came on my own!”
For once, Zhuo Yue was telling the truth, but how could Zhang Zhijun believe her?
Without Sara Zhuo’s permission, how would Zhuo Yue have come to Beijing alone?
Although the flight from Shanghai to Beijing was not long, including travel to the airport and waiting time, a round trip would still take at least half a day.
Even if Sara Zhuo had not known at first that Zhuo Yue had come to Beijing, would she really not worry after her teenage daughter went missing for half a day?
Sara Zhuo had not warned her in advance and had allowed Zhuo Yue to come, catching Zhang Zhijun completely off guard. And today, of all days, happened to be when they were discussing his wife Lu Meishu’s inheritance. Zhang Zhijun hated being threatened, and he hated even more when things slipped out of his control.
This was not the first time Sara Zhuo had acted on her own initiative!
Zhang Zhijun pressed his lips tightly together. “I will have someone buy you a return ticket to Shanghai. Do not come looking for me again in the future. My family can no longer withstand any more storms. You should have the surname Zhuo, and you can only have the surname Zhuo.”
