Chapter 978 - 943: Getting the Lay of the Land

Xu Chunliang said, "Grandpa, please spare me. Right now all my heart is in my career. I plan to establish myself first and start a family later."

Gao Xinhua nodded approvingly and said, "A man should put his career first, but you have to be cautious about relationships. There are way too many temptations out there. You’re young and easily tempted, so you must stand firm and think long‑term."

After dinner, Gao Xinhua didn’t stay long. Xu Chunliang walked him to the door and called a car for him.

While they were waiting for the car to arrive, Gao Xinhua said, "Changxing might be transferred. Everyone in the hospital is on edge right now."

Xu Chunliang said, "No matter what, it’s still better than following Hua Nian."

Gao Xinhua let out a sigh and said, "Most people just want a stable life. If we get sold again, we’ll basically be slaves of three different masters."

Xu Chunliang couldn’t help laughing at that.

Gao Xinhua said, "What the hell are you laughing at? You worked at Changxing. Don’t you feel anything for it at all?"

Xu Chunliang said, "I feel something, sure, but that’s for you, not for Changxing."

Gao Xinhua said, "Do your job well. Looking back now, it was the right choice that you didn’t return to Changxing."

The car arrived, and Xu Chunliang helped Gao Xinhua into it, watching him drive off into the distance.

The current situation at Changxing was entirely Zhao Feiyang’s doing. Jishi Medical Investment Co., Ltd. was also capital that he brought in. It’s foreseeable that if this Jishi acquisition goes through, Zhao Feiyang will completely shake off the constraints of Huayuan Group. With his relationship with Qiao Rulong, the power in his hands may actually increase instead of decrease.

As long as Changxing remains in Zhao Feiyang’s hands, there won’t be any fundamental change in management.

Xu Chunliang went home to find his grandpa sitting on the sofa waiting for him.

Xu Chunliang sat down next to his grandpa.

Xu Changshan looked at him and said, "Are you hiding something from me?"

Xu Chunliang laughed and said, "Of course not."

Xu Changshan said, "I heard the two Zhou Brothers hired someone to sue you. Is that true?"

Xu Chunliang looked at his grandpa, puzzled. He hadn’t told anyone—how did he find out?

Xu Changshan said, "There’s no wall in this world that doesn’t leak wind. A lawyer came by a couple of days ago. He told me about it and said we don’t stand a chance in court and that an out‑of‑court settlement would be best."

Xu Chunliang said, "What’s the lawyer’s name?"

Xu Changshan took out a business card and handed it to him.

Seeing Chen Yuan’s name on it, Xu Chunliang couldn’t help cursing in his heart. That son of a bitch actually went behind his back to bother the old man. He was not going to let this slide.

Xu Changshan said, "Chunliang, what do you think?"

Xu Chunliang said, "If they want to fight, then we’ll fight them. The Renhe Hall signboard was given to us by Grandpa’s elder brother. There’s no way I’m handing it over."

Xu Changshan said, "I agree. Chunliang, just brace yourself and go at them. Grandpa is behind you."

Xu Chunliang smiled and said, "Grandpa, you don’t need to worry about this. I can handle it. Oh, and this time when I went to Capital City, I got Huichun Hall filed on the national key protection list. It’s pretty much settled already. Once the Renhe Hall lawsuit is over, I’ll file Renhe Hall as well."

Xu Changshan looked at his grandson with satisfaction. The old man felt a genuine sense of relief. His precious grandson was growing steadily and was now fully capable of carrying things on his own. He no longer had to worry about there being no one to carry the mantle. From now on, those two signboards would depend on him to protect.

Xu Chunliang got in touch with Xiahou Mulan to ask about Cao Bingyi’s attitude. Xiahou Mulan told him that Cao Bingyi had washed his hands of the whole thing, saying he didn’t know anything about it. But anyone with eyes could see that Cao Bingyi was obviously lying.

There’s no way he would take over the Zhou Brothers’ shares without first figuring out who owned the trademark. This guy is an old‑timer in that shady circle and doesn’t take Xiahou Mulan seriously at all.

The one actually suing Xu Chunliang now is Zhao Hengyi. Xu Chunliang decided to start with him. But Zhao Hengyi was currently not in Jizhou, and his exact whereabouts were unknown. The only thing certain was that Zhao Hengyi would show up on the day of the hearing.

At this point, the only way to reach Zhao Hengyi was through Lawyer Chen Yuan.

Xu Chunliang dialed the number on the business card. Chen Yuan had a law firm in Dongzhou and said he could make time to meet with Xu Chunliang.

Qingyuan Law Firm was very well‑known in the Jianghai Region, with offices in several major cities including Dongzhou and Jizhou.

The Dongzhou office was located in the administrative area north of the city government.

Xu Chunliang seldom came to the New City District. In the past, the only reason he came here was because of Su Qing. Her apartment was still here, but she had already moved to the provincial capital.

He finally found a temporary parking spot by the road and pulled in. After the company’s Audi A6 was scrapped, he was now temporarily driving a Passat. He’d been running back and forth to construction sites a lot lately and hadn’t washed the car in the last couple of days, so it looked like a mud‑covered monkey.

There were still more than two hundred meters to go before the law firm. Xu Chunliang walked on under the sun, passing by the apartment complex where Su Qing lived, and couldn’t help looking up. Su Qing had recently been transferred to the variety shows department, so she didn’t go out on interviews as much as before, and she’d just taken over new work and was quite busy. The two of them hadn’t been in touch much these days.

Xu Chunliang arrived at Qingyuan Law Firm and spoke to the receptionist. The young lady at the front desk was very polite, telling him that Senior Counsel Chen was currently meeting with a client and asking him to wait for a bit in the lounge; once the previous client left, she would notify him right away.

Xu Chunliang sat down, drinking the free coffee from the firm. He raised his wrist and checked the time; it was already five minutes past the time Chen Yuan had agreed on with him. Two possibilities: one, Chen Yuan actually did have some important client to see; two, this guy was seizing the chance to make things difficult for him.

Judging from how Chen Yuan was snubbing him, this bastard clearly thought he had the upper hand.

Xu Chunliang had come here to sound things out. Know yourself, know your enemy, and you’ll never lose a battle. He needed to figure out exactly how many cards Chen Yuan held and what they were, so he could counter them one by one.

He waited fifteen minutes before the receptionist finally came over to tell Xu Chunliang he could go in.

Xu Chunliang followed the receptionist, who was swaying her snake-like waist, into Chen Yuan’s office.

Chen Yuan stood up from his chair and extended his hand, but he didn’t step forward to greet him, just waited for Xu Chunliang to come over and shake: "Mr. Xu, sorry to keep you waiting."

Xu Chunliang didn’t shake his hand. Wearing a suit and tie didn’t automatically make you an elite.

Seeing that Xu Chunliang had no intention of shaking hands, Chen Yuan could only awkwardly lower his hand and said, "Sit." He even dropped the "please"—tit for tat.

Xu Chunliang sat down in the chair opposite him, the two of them separated by the desk.

Chen Yuan had the receptionist bring in two cups of coffee.

Xu Chunliang said, "I already had some in the lounge just now, no need. Your firm’s coffee is too sour."

Chen Yuan laughed. "Free coffee is always like that."

Xu Chunliang said, "You lawyers don’t exactly have low incomes, do you?"

"It’s passable." Chen Yuan sized up Xu Chunliang. In his view, the fact that Xu Chunliang had taken the initiative to come over before the hearing meant he was lacking confidence. "Mr. Xu, what can I do for you?"

Xu Chunliang said, "Aren’t you just asking the obvious?"

Chen Yuan laughed. "I’ve long heard that Mr. Xu is a straightforward, plain-speaking person. Seeing you today, it’s really true. You’re here for the lawsuit over the Renhe Hall trademark, right? You’ve already received the court summons?"

Xu Chunliang said, "Were you the one who told my grandfather about this?"

Chen Yuan said, "As a lawyer I need to understand the situation from all angles, so I had a conversation with Mr. Xu and briefed him on some aspects of the case. What? You’ve been hiding it from him all along?"

Xu Chunliang said, "Do all you lawyers have such loose tongues? If you’re suing me, then come at me. What are you dragging my grandfather into it for?"

Chen Yuan’s smile didn’t change. "Didn’t I just explain? Mr. Xu, what exactly did you come here for today? If it’s to negotiate, then let’s sit down and negotiate properly. I’d also ask Mr. Xu to mind his attitude and maybe first listen to the plaintiff’s demands."

Xu Chunliang said, "What does the plaintiff want?"

Chen Yuan said, "Mr. Zhao Hengyi demands that you return the ownership of the Renhe Hall trademark and cease all damage to the Renhe Hall trademark."

Xu Chunliang said dismissively, "On what grounds?"

Chen Yuan said, "With respect, you have no chance of winning this case. Zhao Hengyi can produce quite a bit of evidence. Back then it was indeed Zhou Ren who took over the pharmacy from his father."

"What’s the point of digging up that old rice and rotten grain now? The trademark registrant is clearly documented—it was Mr. Zhou who registered the trademark, and he gifted the ownership of that trademark to me."

Chen Yuan said, "Even if Mr. Zhou Ren had partial rights to use the trademark, that doesn’t prove that those usage rights necessarily belong to you."

Xu Chunliang said, "I’ve got a will in my hand, a legally executed will."

Chen Yuan said, "The one who helped draft that will back then was Lawyer Fang Wenzheng, wasn’t it? Where is he now? What if I can prove that the will itself is invalid? As far as I know, the will also left you a house, thirty percent of Renhe Hall’s shares, and the right to use the Renhe Hall trademark. If that will is overturned, it means you’ll lose everything."

In fact, Xu Chunliang already knew there was a problem with the will. Fang Wenzheng had tampered with it, all for the sake of today’s attack from the other side, and Fang Wenzheng had probably already pocketed a big sum and successfully slipped away to Australia.

Chen Yuan said, "I have a suggestion: you give up the Renhe Hall trademark, and we settle this lawsuit. On the surface, you’ll have lost ownership of the trademark, but the Renhe Hall trademark isn’t of much practical use to you. You’ll be keeping the rest of your assets, so you’re not really losing out."

Xu Chunliang laughed. "Lawyer Chen, what kind of logic is that? It’s my property, and I’m supposed to just hand it over for someone else to use for free, and you say I’m not losing out? How did you become a lawyer with that level of intelligence?"

Chen Yuan said, "Then we’ll see each other in court. Once we’re in court and that will you’re relying on is overturned, your loss will be far more than just the ownership of the trademark."

Xu Chunliang looked at Chen Yuan. "You people started laying the groundwork for this a long time ago, didn’t you? Fang Wenzheng is in on it with you, isn’t he?"

Chen Yuan curled his lip. "Don’t throw around accusations when you’ve got no evidence, especially not in court."

Xu Chunliang said, "You really think that without evidence you can’t lose this case?"