It turned out that Tan Linyuan knew everything.
Tan Jinxian was speechless for a long while. Then he forced out a dry smile and said, "Linyuan, why are you saying such estranged words? Those remarks about the outsider are just rumors spread by others to sow discord among our family. No matter whether you have the Tan family's blood or not, after all these years of getting along, your Second Uncle has always regarded you as his own nephew."
"Then tell me, am I really a member of the Tan family? And—does the blood in my veins truly belong to the Tan family?" Tan Linyuan's gaze was meaningful.
Tan Jinxian's face turned ashen.
Indeed, the entire Tan family had never acknowledged Tan Linyuan's bloodline.
They always talked about being a Tan family member, but in fact, none of them believed that the blood in his veins was that of the Tan family!
"Twenty years ago, the Tan family thought that my mother had an affair with Lin Jing'an and gave birth to me, an illegitimate child."
Tan Linyuan said expressionlessly, "Then twenty years later, this illegitimate Tan Linyuan naturally has no right to interfere in the internal affairs of the Tan family."
Tan Jinxian sensed his determination but still refused to give up. He tried to play the emotional card: "No one has mentioned this matter for all these years. You don't have to always keep it in mind."
He even quoted his daughter Tan Wanru's words: "Why should the grudges of the previous generation continue to trouble your generation?"
"If it's the grudge of the previous generation, then why do you still make things difficult for my wife and child in the name of a curse?"
He thought he could say it calmly, but this sentence still carried an uncontrollable coldness and sarcasm.
"Now I've done as you all wanted—the so - called 'Tan family members' wanted. I've become a monk with a jade - faced Buddha body and a living Buddha who saves all sentient beings. Why haven't I fulfilled your wishes yet?"
They could say both good and bad things as they pleased.
Tan Jinxian was rendered speechless. He just opened his mouth blankly and said, "But the Tan family... the Tan family is on the verge of collapse..."
Tan Linyuan turned a blind eye.
His heart had long since left the Tan family.
Or rather, his heart had no place to rest.
As the saying goes, "Where the heart finds peace is home", but his heart had nowhere to be at peace.
Naturally, he would no longer be touched by anything from the outside world.
So, Tan Jinxian's initial feeling was not an illusion.
Tan Linyuan was indeed colder, more aloof and icy than before.
He was now a heartless man.
Tan Linyuan's voice was slightly deep, without any trace of emotion. He said calmly, "Second Uncle wants me to go back now, not because you're reluctant to see me in seclusion for too long as a 'Tan family member', but because no one in the Tan family can handle the fat that has fallen back into their pockets."
Tan Jinxian was stunned.
He didn't expect that Tan Linyuan knew far more than he thought.
His plan was supposed to be well - hidden, and he had played his idle role to perfection, but Tan Linyuan still saw through it.
Did it mean that he also knew about the things back then...?
No, it was impossible.
Those who knew the truth were either dead or crazy. Only he, Tan Jinxian, knew the real prophecy of Master Wenjing back then!
Thinking of this, he breathed a sigh of relief in the hope of getting away with it.
Then, Tan Linyuan continued, "The year my elder brother died, I had a DNA test. The hospital has a backup of the test results. If the Tan family really wanted to check, they wouldn't be unable to find out."
In the final analysis, they just didn't care about him.
It didn't matter whether he had the Tan family's blood or not. If he did, it was taken for granted; if not, it would be even better.
Because if he wasn't a member of the Tan family, they could use him like a dog as a matter of course; and when he was no longer useful, they could easily kick him out.
But now it seemed that the one being kicked out was not Tan Linyuan.
It was the Tan family.
In the end, Tan Jinxian returned empty - handed.
This trip was completely meaningless. Instead, his last hope was shattered.
Tan Linyuan's attitude was very clear: Since they had chosen to drive him away back then, they should have expected that he wouldn't go back.
The Tan family members couldn't get any money, so they all came to Tan Jinxian for an explanation. Tan Jinxian was so angry that he said directly, "It's all that heartless orphan's fault. Go reason with him!"
The internal chaos, combined with the external protests and targeting, caused the giant ship of the Tan family to capsize at the speed of light.
Many people said that Tan Linyuan would surely be forced by the pressure to end his seclusion ahead of time.
Just like a few years ago, he would save the Tan family from the fire and water.
However, it didn't happen.
He remained completely still. Even on the day when the Tan family declared bankruptcy, he never showed up once.
Some people inevitably said that he was cold - blooded, and some even dug out the old rumors. But more people said that he had truly achieved selflessness.
The highest state of a living Buddha was not to interfere with the cause and effect of all things in the world.
Now Tan Linyuan had completely taken off the hat related to the "Tan family".
From now on, the Tan family was the Tan family, and Tan Linyuan was Tan Linyuan.
They were clearly separated in this life and would have nothing to do with each other anymore.
In order to pay off the debts, Tan Jinxian's family had to move out of the previous Tan mansion. They used the property as collateral and squeezed into an independent apartment.
A lean camel was still bigger than a horse. Their living conditions were of course not bad compared to ordinary people, but they were really far from what they used to be.
Tan Jinxian suddenly aged. He didn't even like to talk all day long, and he had lost his previous hobby of tasting tea.
On the contrary, Tan Wanru was very happy because the collapse of the Tan family had prevented her and Wei Zhengdong from going through the divorce procedures on time.
She had plenty of time to repair her relationship with Wei Zhengdong. Moreover, Tan Wanru had studied design. She had her own jewelry design brand before, and her income was enough to support the family while fulfilling her dream.
Looking back, only Tan Jinxian was left sighing in regret.
But he still wasn't willing to accept it.
He was not willing to accept why the scales of fate always tilted towards Tan Siqi?
Even his son was so outstanding that he could cause the collapse of the Tan family.
However, on second thought, at least Tan Siqi was also in a down - and - out state now, even worse than him.
Maybe this was the best ending for their brothers' rivalry, Tan Jinxian thought.
...
After the Tan family declared bankruptcy, a series of its enterprises were immediately acquired. The major controlling shareholder was an investment company in Jingbei called Huaili.
Although the name was unfamiliar, its strength and capital were very powerful.
That is to say, except for the change of the controlling shareholder, there were no major changes in the internal personnel, projects, etc. of the entire enterprise.
For the company, it was just a change of name, and everything was still proceeding in an orderly manner.
The employees who were worried about the company's collapse and had left their jobs could finally put their hearts at ease.
Those charity projects that had been temporarily stopped due to the donation cut - off were all taken over by Huaili and continued to be funded according to the original plan.
There was a welfare home construction plan among the projects, which had been delayed for quite a while due to the suspension of capital injection.
Those homeless children were temporarily accommodated in Changuang Temple, and Tan Linyuan directly gave up his meditation room for the children to live in. He then went back to his suburban house to continue his seclusion.
For him, it didn't matter where he secluded himself.