Chapter 50: Living Together

Seeing this, Yan Bei quickly helped Chen Fan up.

"Mr. Chen, please don't be so formal. As long as it is within my power, just say the word and I will certainly help you," Yan Bei said with heroic generosity.

"Quietly bring Yingchun and Yingxiong here, and let them stay here for the next few days," Chen Fan said with a somewhat embarrassed expression.

Chen Fan was truly worried about the safety of the two sisters outside.

Given Yan Bei's martial arts skills, it would not be difficult to sneak Yingchun and Yingxia out, but the tricky part was housing them here. After all, this was a prison, and if Zhao Hongwei found out, it would likely bring trouble upon Yan Bei.

"I thought it was some major matter! Leave this to me."

"I have the final say here, and Zhao Hongwei will never be able to find this place," Yan Bei said with absolute confidence.

With that, he hurried away.

"Master Fan, can I go out after my sisters-in-law arrive?"

"Does that mean my money won't be needed anymore? I don't have much money to begin with, and besides, I am helping you with your affairs this time, so how could it possibly use my money?" Guo Hua asked eagerly, staring at Chen Fan the moment Yan Bei left.

However, Chen Fan had already closed his eyes, acting as if he hadn't heard a single word Guo Hua said.

Seeing this, Guo Hua's face immediately twisted into an expression of utter agony.

Time slipped away bit by bit until late into the night, when Yan Bei finally brought the two sisters over.

"Husband..."

As soon as they entered, the two sisters could no longer hold back and threw themselves directly into Chen Fan's arms.

"I know everything that has happened. We will all stay here together for the next few days," Chen Fan comforted them.

Hearing these words, the two sisters gradually stopped crying.

"Sisters-in-law, did you manage to bring the money with you?" Guo Hua chimed in at a most inopportune moment.

Having Guo Hua—who looked old enough to be their father—address them as sisters-in-law caused the two sisters to blush deeply.

"Husband, we converted all the money at home into silver banknotes and brought them along," Yingchun said, taking out a large stack of banknotes and handing them to Chen Fan.

Gazing at the banknotes in Chen Fan's hand, Guo Hua's eyes lit up instantly while he repeatedly swallowed hard.

If not for the fierce and intimidating Yan Bei glaring at him from the side, Guo Hua might have tried to snatch them away on the spot.

"Chief Jailer Yan, please take this money. Aside from helping Guo Hua pull strings, consider the rest a token of my gratitude," Chen Fan said generously, handing half of the banknotes to Yan Bei.

This stunned Guo Hua, who thought to himself that Chen Fan was far too magnanimous.

Such a sum was probably more than Yan Bei's salary over several decades combined.

Even more astonishing to Guo Hua was the fact that Yan Bei refused to take it.

"Mr. Chen, the reason I am helping you to this extent is out of respect for your talent, not for worldly wealth."

"I cannot accept the extra money, so please do not put me in a difficult position," Yan Bei said solemnly.

Seeing that Yan Bei was not just putting on an act, Chen Fan's admiration for him deepened even further.

"Chief Jailer Yan is truly righteous. It was my presumption," Chen Fan said apologetically, before pulling out just a few bills and handing them to Yan Bei specifically for the purpose of smoothing things over.

Little did Yan Bei know that this single choice would alter the course of his destiny, setting the wheels of his fate turning at this very moment.

"First thing tomorrow morning, I will go see the right people and guarantee that Guo Hua can walk out of here before dark tomorrow, without delaying your matters at all, Mr. Chen," Yan Bei said confidently.

Hearing this, Guo Hua's brow furrowed immediately.

"Chief Jailer Yan, if I'm only leaving tomorrow, where am I supposed to sleep tonight?" Guo Hua asked with a bitter expression.

Originally, Yan Bei had arranged a single cell for Chen Fan, and Guo Hua had shamelessly begged to move in as well, volunteering to sleep on the bare floor.

To this, Chen Fan had raised no objections.

But now that Chen Fan had brought his wives in, there was clearly no longer any room for Guo Hua in this cell.

"Tonight, you will sleep in the outer communal cell!" Yan Bei said coldly.

Hearing this, Guo Hua's face immediately crumpled into an unwilling expression.

After all, the outer cell housed dozens of people together, and the stench was something Guo Hua simply could not bear.

"Chief Jailer Yan, can't you arrange another room for me?" Guo Hua asked, flashing a flattering smile.

"No. Will you stay in the outer cell or not?" Yan Bei asked, fixing Guo Hua with a piercing gaze.

Yan Bei's terrifying aura, paired with his sharp glare, immediately broke Guo Hua out in a cold sweat.

"I'll stay, I'll stay. It's only for one night anyway, I can rough it out," Guo Hua said hastily with a bitter smile.

With that, Guo Hua followed Yan Bei out, looking deeply worried.

Chen Fan embraced his two wives and settled down for the night in the cell.

Meanwhile, back at the Su family courtyard, despite it being the middle of the night, a flurry of activity buzzed within.

"Search quietly! If you can't find the young mistress, don't expect to collect your wages," Su Yi said angrily.

Having been fast asleep in the dead of night, he was suddenly jolted awake by a report that his daughter had vanished, frightening both Su Yi and Wang Wei so badly that they sprang straight out of bed.

The two of them were gripped with intense anxiety, not only fearing for the safety of the two sisters.

They were even more terrified of what they would do if Zhao Hongwei came looking for them later to demand the bride.

At the same time, inside the Chen family courtyard, although it was the dead of night, all the members of the Chen clan had gathered together.

Chen Fan's grandmother sat unhesitatingly in the seat of honor, but strangely, Chen Hao was seated right beside her.

In the countryside, hierarchical etiquette and respect for seniority were paramount.

Since Chen Hao was still unmarried and held no official position, logic dictated he had no right to sit next to the matriarch.

Yet not only had Chen Hao taken that seat, but he also sat there with an arrogant expression, looking down upon his grandmother and the rest of the clan.

"Hao'er, you have a very good relationship with Young Master Zhao. Could you perhaps go intercede on our behalf?"

"We cannot let our family be dragged down by that bastard Chen Fan," the grandmother said, flashing a ingratiating smile toward Chen Hao.

At this, the other members of the Chen clan also cast flattering, pleading looks at Chen Hao.

Chen Hao cast an arrogant glance at those around him, a cold smirk curling the corner of his mouth.

"Grandmother, this matter might not be so easy to handle! This time, Chen Fan has committed the grave crime of treason, which according to the law should entail the execution of all nine familial exterminations."

"Though I hold academic honors and might be spared death, the rest of you probably won't be able to escape," Chen Hao said deliberately.

Hearing Chen Hao mention the execution of nine familial generations, the grandmother and the surrounding clan members turned pale with fright.

None of them had expected the situation to be far more severe than they had imagined.

"Hao'er, you are so clever, grandmother believes you must have a way to save our Chen family. The Chen family has to rely entirely on you now!" the grandmother pleaded desperately.

Hearing this, the smirk at the corner of Chen Hao's lips grew even wider.

"Grandmother, didn't you say just the other day that Chen Fan was the future of the Chen family? Didn't you want to hand the Chen family over to him?"

"You should go find Chen Fan right now. Perhaps only this 'future of the Chen family' can save us all!" Chen Hao said sarcastically.

He had always harbored resentment over his grandmother's decision that day to pass the family leadership to Chen Fan.