Chapter 39#
Tan Xiao left without saying goodbye last night, and Zhang Xingchuan’s parents were a little worried. They wondered if their surprise at hearing about the young couple’s relationship yesterday had led to some inappropriate behavior, causing Tan Xiao to misunderstand something.
However, the aunt told them it was impossible. She knew Tan Xiao well and said, “He’s not that kind of petty person.”
Mrs. Jiang and Old Zhang were skeptical. They hadn’t returned to the country often and weren’t very familiar with this aunt.
At noon, Tan Xiao arrived on his bicycle, on time for lunch. He greeted the couple very naturally upon entering.
The couple felt relieved and developed an even better impression of Tan Xiao.
Open-minded people naturally have an aura that makes them easy to get along with and like.
A few days later, Lawyer Hua came from Hong Kong and met Tan Xiao. Her first impression was the same: Tan Xiao was a likable young man.
In Lawyer Hua’s estimation, she had originally expected a rebellious young master blinded by love.
Zhang Xingchuan accompanied Tan Xiao. The meeting took place in Lawyer Hua’s hotel suite.
Seeing the way the two interacted and exchanged glances, Lawyer Hua immediately realized that the young master’s love interest was the CEO Wen Cheng who had sought her consultation.
Then… she thought she had also found the reason for the “persecution” of Wen Cheng by overseas capital some time ago.
The moment Tan Xiao saw Lawyer Hua, he decided to hire her. He shot a look at Zhang Xingchuan.
Zhang Xingchuan understood his meaning but didn’t understand why Tan Xiao had made such a quick decision.
Tan Xiao felt that Lawyer Hua’s aura was very similar to Tan Yun’s. How amazing must this lawyer sister be!
Lawyer Hua had a strong aura, with eyes like an eagle.
If they were opponents, she would be the type of person Zhang Xingchuan disliked dealing with. He had his competitive spirit, but he wasn’t inherently warlike. When encountering a formidable opponent in business, he wouldn’t confront them head-on. If he could win, he would fight; if not, he would bypass them. He believed in making money through harmony.
However, he agreed with Tan Xiao’s decision. Lawyer Hua, as their ally, should be very reliable.
The two sides shook hands, greeted each other, and began discussing business.
Lawyer Hua basically understood Tan Xiao’s request and asked, “Do you know what it means to waive your beneficiary rights?”
“I know,” Tan Xiao said easily. “If I give up my rights, I don’t have to bear any obligations. I don’t want to work in the family business, and I don’t want to be assigned to a marriage.”
Lawyer Hua looked at Zhang Xingchuan. In her eyes, Tan Xiao was still a child, but “parent” Zhang Xingchuan didn’t seem to have any intention of expressing an opinion.
“Actually, about this matter,” Lawyer Hua said, “there might be a better solution.”
She paused. Tan Xiao said, “Please tell me.”
Lawyer Hua said, “If you are currently unwilling to be bound by the family for certain reasons and want to cut ties with the family, then besides waiving the trust beneficiary rights, there is another option: letting the beneficiary rights lie dormant.”
Both Tan Xiao and Zhang Xingchuan looked puzzled.
Lawyer Hua explained, “Dormancy means that you don’t receive fund distributions, and your share remains in the fund pool, but your position is still there. Ten or twenty years later, if you want to return to this pool, you can reactivate it at any time.”
Tan Xiao gasped, “You can actually… save the game? Can it be operated like that?”
Zhang Xingchuan remained silent beside him, occasionally observing Tan Xiao’s expression.
Lawyer Hua smiled and said, “Your analogy is very accurate, it’s like saving a game. If you don’t want to play this game now, waiving the beneficiary rights is like deleting the save file. If you choose dormancy, it’s like saving the game, pausing it for now, but when you want to play again, you can rejoin.”
Tan Xiao asked curiously, “Can it really be done like that?”
“Of course,” Lawyer Hua said. “This is a limited waiver, completely feasible legally, and it leaves you room for maneuver.”
Tan Xiao frowned.
Lawyer Hua had done her homework thoroughly. She even found the sensational high-society gossip from Milan twenty years ago.
“Twenty years ago,” she said, “your mother staked everything to secure your entry ticket. If you keep it now, it could also be for your descendants.”
Tan Xiao: “…”
Zhang Xingchuan was restless. But he didn’t speak or make a move.
Tan Xiao suddenly laughed.
Zhang Xingchuan gently turned his head and looked at him.
“I was originally thinking that saving the game would be good,” Tan Xiao said with a smile to Lawyer Hua, “after all, it’s a game pool of 700 billion RMB. But your words enlightened me, I won’t have children.”
Lawyer Hua said, “That’s not necessarily…”
“No, I’m sure,” Tan Xiao said. “Now and in the future, I am just myself. I don’t need to consider non-existent descendants. I don’t want to leave any room for maneuver. I want to cut ties with that family.”
Lawyer Hua asked, “Are you sure?”
Tan Xiao nodded and said, “I’m sure.”
At this moment, he turned to look at Zhang Xingchuan, and the two smiled at each other.
Lawyer Hua observed them and found that their relationship was not quite what she had expected. She had thought that the young master would be obedient to the CEO, and that this absurd decision to waive beneficiary rights might even have been a bad idea from the CEO.
However, during today’s communication, she noticed that Tan Xiao listened carefully to her, always thinking, and every answer was the result of his own thought process. When making decisions, he did not seek Zhang Xingchuan’s opinion.
And Zhang Xingchuan was merely present throughout, giving the young master ample space and respect for his independent decisions.
“Okay,” Lawyer Hua said. “Since you have made your decision, I will proceed according to your wishes.”
At this point, Tan Xiao looked at Zhang Xingchuan, waiting for him to speak.
Zhang Xingchuan said, “Then I’ll leave it to Lawyer Hua.”
Both parties signed the lawyer’s contract on the spot, which became effective upon signing.
Tan Xiao provided Lawyer Hua with the pre-prepared trust agreement, beneficiary certificate, and other documents.
Lawyer Hua also needed some time to read carefully, understand the trust structure, and confirm the specific procedural requirements for waiving benefits, as the requirements vary greatly among different trustees. Afterwards, she would begin legal analysis and plan design. Once the plan was determined, she would communicate and coordinate with the trustee.
If all went smoothly, Tan Xiao’s detachment from the trust fund would take approximately four to eight weeks.
However, according to Lawyer Hua’s estimation, the real challenge would be when they reached the stage of interacting with the trustee.
As a deep partner of the Doria family, the trustee, upon receiving a communication letter from Tan Xiao’s lawyer, would inevitably notify the Doria family. How the family would react at that time would be the most variable factor in the entire deletion process.
Lawyer Hua stated clearly, “If someone in your family doesn’t want to let you go, there are many ways they can do it: dragging out time, stalling procedures, freezing your existing assets, and setting up various legal obstacles for you. You must be prepared for the worst; it could drag on for a year and a half, or even longer.”
Tan Xiao said, “I’m not afraid of being dragged. I’m not waiting online, I have my own things to do.”
“…” Lawyer Hua thought, how can this young master be mature one moment and naive the next?
Zhang Xingchuan was not as optimistic as Tan Xiao. He was a little worried. If the Doria family merely “dragged” things out, it would indeed be as Tan Xiao said, no big deal. But he was afraid of other small tricks. However, he couldn’t guess the other party’s reaction now, nor could he take targeted preventive measures. He could only adapt to the situation when it arose.
Unknowingly, they talked until late at night. Lawyer Hua had explained everything clearly. She had to return to Hong Kong tomorrow morning and would communicate online if anything came up later.
Zhang Xingchuan and Tan Xiao bid her farewell and left.
On the way back, Tan Xiao saw Zhang Xingchuan still looking worried.
“Lawyer Hua is just doing her professional duty, pointing out all possibilities,” Tan Xiao said. “My family shouldn’t set up obstacles for me, right? If I leave, they can get more money. Why would they stop me? If it were me, I wouldn’t stop myself.”
Zhang Xingchuan was amused and said, “If your family were all like you, those 700 billion could be handed over to the country.”
“It would be great if people all over the world could share it,” Tan Xiao sighed and said, “My doctoral supervisor, China’s top financial scholar, would have to start working when Homo sapiens left Africa, and work without eating or drinking until 2026, just to possibly earn the money in that trust.”
Zhang Xingchuan, driving, said, “Lawyer Hua’s save game plan, aren’t you going to reconsider it? I’m even tempted.”
Tan Xiao said, “Save it for whom? I’m really not playing anymore. Do you want it? Then I’ll save it for you.”
“…” Zhang Xingchuan said in a card game tone, “I can’t afford it.”
Tan Xiao said, “Don’t try to test me. You clearly don’t want me to do that. If I were persuaded by Lawyer Hua and chose the save game option, wouldn’t you be sad?”
Zhang Xingchuan fell silent.
If Tan Xiao still had any attachment to family wealth, why would he give up his beneficiary rights? He could just break up with Zhang Xingchuan and go home.
In a sense, he chose Zhang Xingchuan over money and love.
Lawyer Hua’s advice was based on considering the client’s interests, which is a professional lawyer’s duty to inform.
But for Zhang Xingchuan, when that dormant plan was brought up, it was like an announcement of a fact. He suddenly had a chance to become a wrong option for Tan Xiao. Ten or twenty years later, Tan Xiao might regret it, feel he made the wrong choice, and could reload the save file.
So, you can play like that, huh?
Zhang Xingchuan, of course, had no prejudice against Tan Xiao himself. He believed Tan Xiao’s love for him was like the bright moon.
But this save game rule was simply a bug. Human nature cannot withstand such a test.
Zhang Xingchuan’s parents were at home. Tan Xiao had been staying at his own place these past few days. Zhang Xingchuan didn’t come every day, and his parents, who rarely returned to the country, also needed his company.
After talking with Lawyer Hua today, it was very late. Normally, Zhang Xingchuan would drop Tan Xiao off at home, and he would naturally stay overnight.
But after they exchanged those few words, the atmosphere became a bit stiff.
Tan Xiao was a little annoyed that he shouldn’t have spoken like that, but essentially, he wasn’t wrong. Zhang Xingchuan was just saying one thing and meaning another, not wanting him to choose the dormant plan, yet pretending to be magnanimous.
As they neared home, Tan Xiao decided to get angry and said, “Drop me off at the door, you go back to your place.”
Zhang Xingchuan glanced at him. He turned his face away, looking outside.
Zhang Xingchuan parked the car outside the door. Tan Xiao unbuckled his seatbelt, got out, and went inside without looking back.
Zhang Xingchuan: “…”
Tan Xiao entered the lobby and stood in front of the elevator, not pressing any buttons. The elevator was so shiny it could be used as a mirror. He muttered curses at Zhang Xingchuan’s reflection in the elevator door.
What is your husband doing? He thought to himself, I said he was testing me, and he just accepted it, right? If I say tomorrow that he’s going to blow up the Earth, will he accept that too? Doesn’t he even defend himself a little?
Then he remembered that Zhang Xingchuan had to accompany his parents these two days, and the time he could spend with him was much less. He felt even more unbalanced and wanted to come up with some nasty words to mock Zhang Xingchuan, but couldn’t. It’s really nice to have parents around. How lucky Zhang Xingchuan is.
Tan Xiao was a very good-tempered person, rarely got angry, and had never done something like slamming the door and leaving. Zhang Xingchuan was stunned in the car, unable to immediately figure out what to do next.
Half a minute later, he got out of the car and followed him in.
Tan Xiao was getting impatient, about to go out and see why he wasn’t coming, when he almost bumped into Zhang Xingchuan who was just coming around the corner.
Zhang Xingchuan said, “You…”
Tan Xiao turned back again and pressed the elevator button.
Zhang Xingchuan realized that Tan Xiao was clearly still waiting for him.
“I thought you really weren’t going to let me up,” Zhang Xingchuan said.
Tan Xiao had just mimicked his saying one thing and meaning another. Tan Xiao didn’t reply. The elevator door opened, and he stepped inside.
Zhang Xingchuan also walked in.
As the elevator ascended, the two stood inside. Zhang Xingchuan said, “What, you’re not going to talk to me anymore?”
Tan Xiao said, “Don’t hit on me randomly, I don’t know you.”
Zhang Xingchuan tried to take his hand, but he put his hands in his pockets. Considering there were cameras, Zhang Xingchuan didn’t touch him again.
At Tan Xiao’s doorstep, Tan Xiao still had his hands in his pockets and showed no intention of opening the door. Zhang Xingchuan used his fingerprint to unlock it, pulled the door open, and looked at Tan Xiao. Tan Xiao went in first, followed closely by Zhang Xingchuan.
Tan Xiao said, “I didn’t let you in.”
Zhang Xingchuan said, “Then I’ll leave right now.”
He said it but didn’t go out, and even closed the door behind him.
“Go back to your own home,” Tan Xiao said. “Hurry up and leave.”
Zhang Xingchuan couldn’t tell if he was serious or not and said, “Baby, let’s talk, let’s not fight, okay?”
Tan Xiao said, “Who’s fighting with you?”
Zhang Xingchuan said, “Then come here, hug.”
As soon as he opened his arms, Tan Xiao walked over, pressing his chest against Zhang Xingchuan’s pectoral muscles, their noses almost touching.
Zhang Xingchuan chuckled as he hugged Tan Xiao, trying to kiss him, but Tan Xiao turned his face away.
“I said the wrong thing,” Zhang Xingchuan said. “I absolutely didn’t mean to test you. I was worried, and I wanted to pretend not to be worried, which is why I said that.”
He was very concerned about that save game plan, but he felt that he shouldn’t show this concern, as it would make him seem easily vulnerable.
That’s why he reluctantly asked Tan Xiao: Do you want to choose this plan? I think it’s not bad.
Zhang Xingchuan self-evaluated, “I’m just too pretentious.”
Tan Xiao said, “Is that all? Are there any other problems? Confess them all.”
“My clear soup master,” Zhang Xingchuan kissed the master’s lips before saying, “What other problems do I have?”
Tan Xiao said, “You have a big problem. Do you understand? Whatever I do, I won’t hurt your heart.”
Zhang Xingchuan smiled and said, “Understood, I’ll remember it firmly from now on. Anything else?”
Tan Xiao had already calmed down; he wasn’t that angry to begin with.
“And then,” Tan Xiao commanded, “let’s woohoo!”