The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era-Chapter 793 - 792: Chen Family’s Effort Goes to Waste

"Who are you looking for?"

"Old Madam Chen, don’t you remember me?"

Upon hearing this, Mother Chen squinted her eyes, thinking for a moment, then remembered having met the person last year in Shanghai City.

At that time, the person had come to their home and talked with her son in the study for quite a while.

"Let me introduce myself, my surname is Gu, a senior lawyer and partner at Boya Law Firm..."

...

Upon learning that members of the Chen family had been harassing the two children these past few days, Pei Wenping was furious and was about to call Pei Yang and her nephew Pei Ke to go to the Chen family and settle the account, but the Chen family beat them to it by coming to their door first.

"What do you want with so many people here?"

Pei Wenping didn’t recognize Gu Ming and his assistant and thought they were some kind of reinforcements found by the Chen family, so she cautiously blocked the door from letting anyone in.

Meanwhile, the siblings Chen Xiaolu and Chen Xiaochao stood protectively, one on each side of Pei Wenping, warily eyeing the members of the Chen family.

Yi Ling couldn’t hide her smugness as she introduced Gu Ming’s identity, "This is the private lawyer hired by big brother before he passed away. Big brother had made his last will and testament with Lawyer Gu. How big brother’s estate will be divided is not up to you, nor is it up to the law, it’s up to the will!"

Yi Ling had this attitude because Chen Yi, before his death, placed great importance on his younger brother Chen Liang.

He definitely wouldn’t have left his will without a share for Chen Liang.

Knowing Gu Ming’s identity, like the members of the Chen family, Pei Wenping was shocked.

A private lawyer is different from a general lawyer.

A private lawyer has a strong trust relationship with their client, is very familiar with the client’s property status and economic behavior, and also has a strict duty of confidentiality and loyalty.

However, Pei Wenping didn’t immediately trust Gu Ming’s identity and instead contacted Shanghai City to verify Gu Ming’s credentials.

During this time, Shen Mingzhu and Bai Chuan also rushed to the family courtyard.

Gu Ming’s identity was quickly verified to indeed be Chen Yi’s private lawyer.

"Everyone’s here now, Lawyer Gu, please read out big brother’s will."

Yi Ling was eager to know how much Chen Yi had left for the Chen family.

Currently, Chen Liang was the only living offspring of the Chen family; what belonged to the Chen family essentially belonged to the two of them.

After signaling his assistant to take notes, Gu Ming took out a document bag sealed with security tape from his briefcase, showed the intact seal to everyone before tearing it open, and then took out the will inside:

"I, Chen Yi, identification number... In the event of my unfortunate death, all of my property under my name will be distributed as follows: the two commercial properties located at 89 Fuzhou North Road, Lidu Garden, will be jointly inherited by Chen Xiaolu and Chen Xiaochao."

Yi Ling couldn’t help but say, "What about mom and dad, then?"

Gu Ming looked at her, "These two properties were specified by Mr. Chen Yi to be inherited by his two children."

The implication was that no one else had a share.

Seeing Yi Ling had no objection, Gu Ming continued to read the rest of the will: "The cash deposits, bonds, and funds under my name will be equally divided into five portions..."

Upon hearing this, Yi Ling felt a surge of excitement.

With four people—Father Chen, Mother Chen, and the two siblings—divided by five portions, didn’t that mean there was one portion for Chen Liang?

"By Chen Zuo Jun, Yan Huilan, Chen Xiaolu, Chen Xiaochao, and Pei Wenping to be equally inherited."

The smile that had not yet spread across Yi Ling’s face froze.

"Why does she, an outsider, get a share of the Chen family’s money?"

Gu Ming, accustomed to such scenes, remained calm and didn’t even blink an eye, "This was Mr. Chen Yi’s own wish."

Yi Ling was choked with anger.

Gu Ming continued to read the subsequent content of the will: the income from all future works and script creations under Chen Yi’s name would still be divided into five portions, to be equally inherited by Father Chen, Mother Chen, and the mother and son, Pei Wenping.

As for the money Chen Yi transferred to Pei Wenping, it all belonged to her personally as a voluntary gift.

The Audi car goes to Chen Liang.

Having heard the entire will, Yi Ling became furious, pointing at Pei Wenping, she loudly questioned, "Even she, an outsider, gets a share. We’re his actual brothers and sister-in-law, how is it possible we get nothing?!"

"Mr. Chen Yi left the Audi car in his estate to Mr. Chen Liang."

Though the Audi wasn’t cheap, when compared to millions in savings, real estate, bonds, funds, death compensation, and the royalties from all his works, it was practically nothing!

Watching the unshakable Pei Wenping, resentment and jealousy burned like twin infernos in Yi Ling’s chest.

"What a shitty will, it’s probably something you concocted yourselves, banding together to deceive us, right?"

The elderly couple from the Chen family also felt angry and unsatisfied with the content of the will; so much money, yet the lion’s share went to Pei Wenping, a stranger.

Provoked by Yi Ling’s words, they too began to doubt the authenticity of the will.

Chen Yi had been dead for so long, why wait until now to reveal the will?

Furthermore, as Chen Yi’s biological parents, they had never heard him mention making a will.

Gu Ming came prepared, showing the notarized document and Chen Yi’s handwritten draft.

"It’s indeed big brother’s handwriting." Chen Liang expressed after examining the handwritten draft.

Yi Ling scoffed, "Faking handwriting isn’t difficult."

Seeing Yi Ling so irrationally stubborn, Shen Mingzhu, who hadn’t planned on getting involved, couldn’t help but speak up, "Handwriting can be forged, but could a notary certificate be fake as well?"

Yi Ling was lost for words.

Whether the notary certificate was authentic would be clear upon investigation.

Anyone with a functioning brain wouldn’t commit such a foolish act; forging a notary certificate is illegal and punishable by imprisonment.

Gu Ming let out an almost imperceptible sigh, and then explained why he came forward to read the will at this point.

"It was Mr. Chen Yi’s wish that if his estate couldn’t be amicably divided within a month after his demise, I was to read the will."

"I should have come over last week, but I ran into some trouble abroad and only returned last night."

The lawyer’s explanation was like a resounding slap to the faces of the members of the Chen family.

Especially Yi Ling, who was filled with regret.

Had she not been greedy for a larger share of the inheritance, allowing the brother and sister to receive their fair portions, none of this would have happened today.

"Why did Chen Yi make a will?"

Pei Wenping, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke up.

Gu Ming took out another envelope from his briefcase and handed it to her.

"Ms. Pei, this is something Mr. Chen Yi specifically instructed to be given to you alone."

Pei Wenping opened the envelope, only to find it was a medical file.

On reading the contents of the medical file, she gasped looking towards Gu Ming, "He had gastric cancer?"

"Gastric cancer? Who has gastric cancer?!"

The shock of the Chen family members was no less than Pei Wenping’s, as it was clear they were also unaware of this fact.

Gu Ming explained, "In May last year, Mr. Chen Yi was diagnosed with early-stage gastric cancer, fortunately, the surgery was very successful. After the surgery, he sought me out to write this will, as a precaution."

Watching Mother Chen break down in tears, Gu Ming continued, "Mr. Chen Yi chose to keep the illness a secret to avoid worrying you all."

"It’s all because of you, this jinx, not only did you cause Xiaoyi’s death, but you’re also taking the money he worked so hard for, even his life. Why weren’t you the one to die, you are the one who should be dead!"

Whether it was the shock of her son having had gastric cancer or the unwillingness to see her son’s money fall into the hands of Pei Wenping, Mother Chen suddenly lashed out at Pei Wenping in a furious tirade.