Chapter 641 Enemy Of My Enemy
It was already ten in the morning when Nan Chen woke up. It had been a while since he had slept so deeply to rise at that hour.
He was an early riser even if he stayed up late to work overtime as he usually did, and rarely did he have the opportunity to sleep in.
There had been too much to do of late, and he was physically and mentally exhausted. It was blissful to have a good night’s sleep once he could relax.
After all, Nan Chen was only mortal who required sleep. Upon waking up, he felt refreshed. Then, after washing up, he hobbled over to the courtyard with his cane and saw his grandfather practicing Tai Chi.
Nan Chen no longer lived in the villa in Red Maple City since it had been given to Bai Hua and the others. Instead, he took up temporary residence at Commoner Residence.
When Ning Ran and the children returned, they would move to a more luxurious and spacious villa.
Nan Chen felt the blow of impermanence more strongly after the catastrophe and decided to spend more time with his grandfather.
Because of the condition of his legs, Nan Chen could not do strenuous exercises.
He could only manage basic stretches to relax his body while holding on to the tree in the yard for support.
With a final flourish, Nan Zhengde brought his fists down and took the towel handed by Chai Hua. “Let’s have breakfast.”
As Nan Chen had been asleep, breakfast time had long passed.
Having expected his grandson to be starving upon waking up, Nan Zhengde had the kitchen prepare lunch. The former had breakfast and lunch as a single meal.
“Do you not have plans today?” Nan Zhengde asked with concern. “Take the time to rest. It had been a trying period. Put aside the company’s affairs for now. You’re too tense.”
“Yes, Grandpa. I’m not going anywhere today. I’ll just keep you company while you write and read, all right?” Nan Chen offered with a grin.
Nan Zhengde laughed. “Sure, if you don’t mind getting bored. I’ve read a few books recently, and I would enjoy sharing my thoughts with you.”
“I look forward to a good lesson from you, Grandpa,” Nan Chen replied. “It’s been a while since we’ve had a chat.”
Those words were not merely of flattery. Nan Chen had always viewed his grandfather’s mind as a treasure trove from which he could learn much.
The experience and wisdom his grandfather had accumulated over the decades in the business world could not be obtained even from the best business schools.
The most valuable part of his experience was not just learning how to succeed but also how to remain steadfast in the face of adversity.
Though success was critical, the premise of success was preservation. Survival.
Surviving was the most crucial thing in the world. It was the premise and foundation of everything one strove for, which was why one dedicated ninety percent of their behavior over their lifetime toward that end.
Elderly people understood the game of survival better than anyone.
“Did Chai Hua tell you about Ouyang Duo?” Nan Zhengde asked.
Nan Chen nodded as he took a sip of soup. “He told me early yesterday morning.”
“What do you think?”
“There must have been somebody helping him. He wouldn’t have been able to escape otherwise,” Nan Chen mused. “It was a premeditated escape plan, and I think Ouyang Duo would escape successfully.”
Nan Zhengde nodded. “Yes, I think so—”
“Bad news. Ouyang Duo has escaped!” Nan Xing dashed in before Nan Zhengde could finish speaking.
“What’s with all the yelling?” Nan Zhengde scolded. “We knew about it long ago. Have you only just heard?”
“How are you still so calm after finding out?” Nan Xing cried, panicked. “We must find a way to help the police catch him.”
“No,” Nan Zhengde said. “Let him go.”
Nan Chen was bewildered. “Why? Are we just going to let him get off scot-free?”
“With the criminal charges against him, Ouyang Qi will undoubtedly find him the best lawyer if he goes to trial,” Nan Chen said. “He will serve a few years and be released in the blink of an eye. Now that he’s on the run, he’s become a fugitive and has added a new charge to his crimes. He would not dare appear publicly in China for at least ten years, which is worse than going to prison. Those who helped him escape appeared to be saving him but had, in fact, sabotaged him by costing him the chance to redeem himself.”
Nan Zhengde laughed. “Yes! Just as I thought. You should learn a thing or two from your brother, Xing. You can’t see things clearly as he does!”
Nan Xing thought there was some truth to the reprimand, but that did not stop him from feeling upset. “I didn’t manage to think carefully about it. I could have figured it out if I did.”
Nan Zhengde turned to his grandson. “Then think about this. Who helped Ouyang Duo escape?”
“What’s there to think about?” Nan Xing said impatiently. “It has to be his subordinates or family members. My money is on Ouyang Qi.”
“Most definitely not,” said Nan Zhengde shortly.
Nan Xing was puzzled. “Why not? It’s only natural for the son to rescue the father. Why wouldn’t Ouyang Qi do that?”
“Ouyang Qi came to the Nan residence and begged us to let Ouyang Duo go, demonstrating his capacity for rational thought. He knows he cannot take his father away by force, which would only do more harm than good. Even if he did manage to break Ouyang Duo out, Ouyang Duo would not be able to clear his name from the shadows.
“The best-case scenario would be to send Ouyang Duo to a country with no extradition treaty with China. At best, he would lead a slightly more comfortable life than in prison, but at the price of never returning within this lifetime. Ouyang Qi must have considered all that since he is no fool, and he would not put his father in a more significant predicament than he is already in. So he was not the one who rescued Ouyang Duo.”
Nan Xing tilted his head to the side and mulled it over before nodding.
Although he was incapable of considering some things, it did not mean he could not follow.
“Who could it be if not Ouyang Qi?” Nan Xing wondered. “What is their purpose in helping Ouyang Duo escape?”
“We don’t know who it is,” Nan Zhengde agreed, “but hasn’t the purpose already been stated? Weren’t you listening carefully?”
“I was, but you didn’t mention that.” Nan Xing did not understand.
“Did we not mention that the person only appears to be rescuing Ouyang Duo?” Nan Chen chimed in. “Since he wasn’t interested in rescuing him, the purpose is obvious.”
Nan Xing appeared to have understood at last. “So, the person who rescued Ouyang Duo was actually sabotaging him? He prevented Ouyang Duo from being processed by the book of spending a few years in prison and making a comeback after getting out.”
“Yes, exactly that.”
“If that’s the case, isn’t the person who rescued Ouyang Duo our ally?” Nan Xing exclaimed. “Is there not a saying that the enemy of my enemy is my friend?”
“That’s not necessarily the case, but I know who this person is,” Nan Chen said. “At least, I know he must be related to this matter.”
Nan Zhengde immediately grasped Nan Chen’s meaning. “Are you referring to the person who bought Sunshine Corporation shares in bulk?”
“Yes. They were bought up as quickly as we could dump them last night. The buyer obviously intends to hold on to them for the long haul. If he wanted controlling rights in Sunshine Corporation, he would naturally not give Ouyang Duo a chance to recover. With Ouyang Duo put away, only Ouyang Qi and Ouyang Qing’s elder sister and Feng Jialing are left in the Ouyang family.
“Ouyang Qi, the Nine-Fingered Prince, is well-known for his proclivities in food, drink, and play, and not for his business acumen. With her husband in prison, it is unlikely that Feng Jialing would take over, as she has no experience in running a company. The only one left would be Ouyang Qing’s sister, who rarely appears in public. In other words, the chances of the Ouyang family making a comeback are minuscule if Ouyang Duo cannot recover. That is why the mystery man helped Ouyang Duo escape.”
Nan Chen explained things so well that Nan Xing understood them perfectly.
