Chapter 246
The news of Jin Zhengxiong’s arrest somehow got leaked, delivering another devastating blow to the already overwhelmed Jin family.
Jin Yuyan sat in her office, sneering coldly at the headlines, and immediately invested the newly acquired one and a half billion into the stock market, stabilizing the Jin family’s stocks as quickly as possible to preserve its foundation.
Though the Jin family had evaporated a considerable amount of funds and fallen out of the super family class, fortunately, Jin Yuyan’s timely rescue managed to save the majority, leaving the Jin family at the lower end of the elite families, preventing them from slipping into the second-tier families.
Thus, the ranking of Bai City’s elite families was refreshed once again.
In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed. During this time, Jin Ling and Jin Long had tasted the cold warmth of human relationships. First, they were collectively ousted by the company’s shareholders from their decision-making positions, reduced to mere shareholders without any say in the company. Then came an even harsher blow, as Jin Zhengxiong was convicted on all charges, and the company was reported for tax evasion, resulting in it being shut down. Their stocks turned into a pile of worthless paper, leaving them with only the real estate left by Jin Zhengxiong and some funds.
But the story didn’t end there. Most of the Jin family’s assets were used to compensate the families of victims in a past mining disaster, leaving Jin Ling and Jin Long with only a house and two million in cash. Due to their previous actions, Jin Yuyan had completely severed ties with them, refraining from kicking them when they were down only because they were relatives, and not offering any assistance.
The siblings, who had always lived extravagantly, tasted poverty for the first time.
“Sister, what should we do now?” Jin Long lay on the sofa in defeat, holding his head and speaking weakly.
His face still bore bruises and scars, remnants of revenge from those he had previously bullied.
At the other end of the sofa, Jin Ling didn’t appear to be in a much better state. Her hair was a mess as if it had been pulled into a bird’s nest, her face bore scratch marks, and there was a newly crusted wound at the corner of her mouth, making her look equally disheveled.
“What to do? What else can we do? We’re nothing now, we’re just two dogs. What do you think we can do?” Jin Ling yelled hysterically, pounding the sofa beneath her.
When Jin Ling’s voice finally subsided, Jin Long lifted his head from the sofa, looked at Jin Ling, and said, “Sister, why don’t we sell this house and take the money to another city to start over? I don’t want to stay in Bai City any longer. I don’t like it here at all.”
Under Jin Ling’s glare, Jin Long’s voice grew softer, his fists clenched tighter by his side, but he still persisted in voicing his thoughts.
“No, we’re not cowards in the Jin family. We have to get back up where we fell. If we just take the money and leave with our tails between our legs like homeless dogs, how would we have the face to call ourselves members of the Jin family? If that little bitch Jin Yuyan knew about this, she’d laugh at us to death. Do you want to be laughed at by her?” Jin Ling scolded loudly.
“But we’ve offended so many people in Bai City, there’s simply no space for us to live here, sister. What can we do here besides suffer humiliation and squander our resources? The two of us alone can’t bring back the glory of the Jin family.” Jin Long finally mustered the courage to look up at Jin Ling, raising his voice to express his thoughts.
Jin Long’s words plunged Jin Ling into silence, leaving the vast living room feeling unusually empty and desolate all of a sudden.
“Sister?” It was the first time since childhood that Jin Long had spoken so loudly to Jin Ling. Looking at her inscrutable expression now, his newly gathered courage deflated like a balloon pricked by a needle.
“You’re right, this place isn’t suitable for us now. We should lay low elsewhere and return when we’re strong enough. But before leaving Bai City, there’s something we must do.” Jin Ling’s expression slowly turned sinister.
“What is it?” Jin Long instinctively felt that whatever Jin Ling was about to propose wasn’t going to be good, but he still asked.
“Revenge, of course. The predicament our family and our grandfather are in now is all because of whom? It’s because of Xu Ke and Lin Mengyao, and Jin Yuyan and that old man Jin Zhengying. If it weren’t for them, our family wouldn’t be in this state. They orchestrated all of this, and I want to make them pay.” Jin Ling said viciously.
“What does all of this have to do with them?”
Jin Ling glared fiercely at Jin Long, “If it wasn’t for their flashy appearance at the banquet, would we have even noticed them? If we hadn’t noticed them, would all the subsequent events have happened? If those things hadn’t happened, if Jin Yuyan and that old man Jin Zhengying had stood by us, would we have called Grandfather to stand up for us? If Grandfather hadn’t come, would everything that followed have occurred? So it’s all their fault, and yet we have to swallow the bitter fruits of their wrongdoings. Why? Why should we be reduced to this while the real culprits remain unscathed? It’s not fair!”
“Of course, we need to rectify this wrong,” Jin Ling’s eyes stared blankly ahead, her voice suddenly turned so light and soft that if Jin Long hadn’t been utterly silent and completely focused on her, he would have missed it.
“Brother, you will help me, right?” Jin Ling sharply turned her gaze onto Jin Long, making him flinch.
Jin Long instinctively felt something off about Jin Ling’s demeanor, but he couldn’t refuse his sister, so he nodded obediently.
“Good boy!” Watching Jin Long nod, Jin Ling smiled contentedly, patting Jin Long’s head like petting a dog.
Jin Long bowed his head, allowing Jin Ling’s actions without making a sound, though his eyes slowly shifted from confusion to a resolute determination. Jin Long pursed his lips slightly as if making a firm decision.
“Sister, do you have a plan for our revenge?” When Jin Ling finished petting his head, Jin Long cautiously raised his head to ask.
“I have a rough idea, but it’s not mature yet. Once I refine it, I’ll tell you. I won’t let any of them go.” As if envisioning the success of her plan, Jin Ling squinted her eyes, revealing a satisfied look.