How Is There a Hidden Dungeon

The two bought two servings of hot soy milk and steamed buns near the county hospital.

Li Zhiyi held her soy milk, taking small sips, her mood finally lifting a little.

Chen Zhi stuffed the last bun into his mouth when his phone buzzed.

It was Zhang Guifang calling.

He answered.

"Mom, did you make it to the provincial capital?"

On the other end, Zhang Guifang was holding back her temper.

"We're here. We just pushed your Grandpa into the examination room."

Chen Zhi sensed something wrong.

"What's going on?"

"You need to come over now."

Zhang Guifang paused, then added, "Zhiyi's relatives are here."

Chen Zhi glanced at Li Zhiyi.

She was looking down, biting her straw.

When she heard the word "relatives," her fingers clearly froze.

Chen Zhi didn't ask further.

"Alright, we'll head over now."

After hanging up, Li Zhiyi raised her head.

"Is it my Uncle Jianmin and them?"

"You guessed?"

Li Zhiyi was silent for a few seconds.

"With Grandpa in the hospital, Grandma would definitely notify them."

Chen Zhi put his phone back in his pocket.

"Things not good between you?"

Li Zhiyi shook her head.

"Not really good."

She thought for a moment, then added, "After my dad passed, Grandma and Grandpa had several arguments with them over supporting me."

Chen Zhi understood.

Family debts like this were the hardest to settle.

Money, property, the elderly, children—every single one could stir up a mess of troubles.

From the county town to the provincial capital, the drive took over two hours.

Chen Zhi didn't mess around; he just had a local driver take them.

On the way, Li Zhiyi briefly explained her family situation.

Her father was the second child.

Above him was an older brother, Li Jianmin, and below him, a younger sister, Li Xiuqin.

Back when Li Zhiyi's parents died, the driver only had compulsory insurance, so the compensation was meager. Grandma and Grandpa used most of it to pay off debts and cover funeral costs, and the rest went into a education fund for Li Zhiyi.

Uncle Jianmin's family thought the elderly were playing favorites, saying they should have gotten a share too.

Aunt Xiuyun didn't openly grab for it, but every time she came back, she couldn't avoid bringing up "who'll support the elderly later" or "how the house will be split."

Li Zhiyi didn't understand when she was young, but over time, she got it.

The more she understood, the less she spoke.

Chen Zhi listened and replied with just four words.

"Classic scenario."

Li Zhiyi couldn't help it.

"Can you not treat my family drama like a game mission?"

"Then let me put it another way."

Chen Zhi leaned back in his seat.

"You guys are basically shooting a soap opera here."

Li Zhiyi let out a soft sigh.

"I don't want to fight with them."

By the time they reached the Provincial Third Hospital, it was nearly noon.

Quite a few people were standing outside the neurology ward.

As Chen Zhi stepped out of the elevator, he heard a man shouting in the hallway.

"How much does it cost per day for Dad to be in the ICU? Just because you have money, you think you can waste it like this?"

"Didn't the county hospital say they could transfer him? Why did it have to be a helicopter, making the whole county talk about it?"

"And what about that bank card? Who's holding it? Mom and Dad are old—don't let outsiders sweet-talk them."

Li Zhiyi's footsteps stopped.

Chen Zhi, leaning on his cane, took a couple of steps forward.

In the hallway, a man in his fifties was yelling, annoying everyone around.

A middle-aged woman stood with her arms crossed, wearing a look of impatience.

Li Zhiyi's Grandma sat on a chair, clutching tightly to the bank card Zhang Guifang had given her.

Zhang Guifang stood in front of the old woman, her face dark.

Chen Jun stood nearby, frowning.

Seeing Chen Zhi arrive, Zhang Guifang quickly spoke up.

"Chen Zhi."

The man turned around, saw Li Zhiyi, paused for a second, then his tone got sharper.

"Zhiyi, good timing."

"Since Grandpa's sick, we kids definitely have to step in."

"But you can't just bring in some outsider and spend an outrageous amount of money to move Grandpa to the provincial capital, can you?"

Li Zhiyi's face turned pale.

"Uncle Jianmin, the county hospital couldn't stabilize him last night."

"Couldn't stabilize? Then send him to the provincial capital—but why couldn't a regular ambulance do it? Why a helicopter?"

The curly-haired woman chimed in.

"So now that you're in college and know rich people, you don't care about us relatives anymore?"

Chen Zhi listened for a while before finally speaking.

"Auntie, that's a pretty twisted logic you've got."

The curly-haired woman glared at him.

"And who are you?"

Chen Zhi raised an eyebrow.

"An outsider."

Li Jianmin looked him up and down.

"Are you the one who arranged the helicopter?"

"That's right."

"Well, if you've got the money, you pay for it."

Li Jianmin jumped in immediately.

"Our family never agreed to spend that kind of money."

Chen Zhi nodded.

"I already paid."

The hallway went silent for two seconds.

Li Jianmin hadn't expected him to be so quick.

The curly-haired woman's eyes shifted.

"You pay, fine. But that money can't count as our Li family's."

Chen Zhi almost laughed out loud.

"The money I spent obviously doesn't count as yours."

Aunt Xiuyun piped up then.

"That's not how you put it."

"You're Zhiyi's boyfriend, right?"

"You're good to her now, but who knows what happens later."

"Better keep the hospital expenses clear, so there's no confusion down the road."

Chen Zhi looked at Li Zhiyi.

"Lawyer Li, does that statement have any legal risk?"

Li Zhiyi was taken aback.

Chen Zhi added, "Come on, keep it professional."

Li Zhiyi took a breath, steadied herself, and when she spoke again, her voice was firmer.

"Aunt Xiuyun, Chen Zhi paying the medical costs counts as a voluntary gift."

"Without any conditions attached, it generally can't be easily revoked later."

"As for the treatment decisions, Grandpa was in critical condition last night. Grandma, as his spouse, agreed to the transfer, which is procedurally fine."

"I'm his granddaughter, not his guardian. I didn't make decisions behind your backs."

Li Xiuyun was left speechless.

Li Jianmin's face reddened.

"Now you're throwing the law at your uncle?"

Li Zhiyi pressed her lips together but didn't back down.

"I'm just making things clear."

Chen Zhi gave a light clap beside her.

"Nice. The value of that Renmin University law degree is showing."

Zhang Guifang shot him a glare.

"Quit joking around."

But Li Jianmin wasn't about to let it go.

He pointed at the bank card in Grandma's hand.

"What about that card?"

"I heard it—your mom stuffed it into my mom's hand."

"Mom's old. It's not safe for her to hold all that money."

"I'm the eldest son. I'll keep the card for safekeeping."

Grandma clutched the card even tighter.

"I don't need you to keep it."

Li Jianmin frowned.

"Mom, I'm doing this for your own good."

Grandma was shaking with anger, her voice trembling.

"When Zhiyi was in high school and needed two thousand for tuition, you said your family was struggling too."

"Then later, when your son wanted to buy a motorcycle, you pulled out eighteen thousand like it was nothing."

Li Jianmin's face changed color.

"That was years ago—why are you dragging up old grudges?"

"If I don't, you'll act like it never happened."

Grandma tucked the bank card into the inside pocket of her clothes.

"This money was given to Zhiyi by Xiao Chen's mom. Nobody's touching it."

The curly-haired woman jumped in, agitated.

"Mom, you say that like we'd try to steal your money."

Chen Zhi didn't hold back this time.

"Don't know if you'd steal or not."

"But the way you're acting right now? Pretty close."

Li Jianmin was furious.

"An outsider like you, who asked you to butt in?"

Chen Zhi took a step forward.

"Where were you last night when the old man was near death?"

"Where were you when the Provincial Third Hospital's team landed and pulled him from the rescue room?"

"Where were you when Grandma couldn't steady her hand to sign the papers, and Zhiyi was crying so hard she couldn't stand?"

Li Jianmin's face flushed bright red.

Chen Zhi didn't give him a chance to respond.

"Look at you now, the patient is taken care of, the ward is arranged, the fees are paid for, suddenly you realize Zhiyi has money."

"You're here."

"Your first question when you arrive isn't how the old man is, it's how much the helicopter cost."

"Your second question is who's holding the bank card."

"Your third question is telling me not to bill the Li family."

"Uncle, you really know how to put on a show."

People in the corridor were already looking over.

A few nurses were looking down, holding back laughter.

Li Jianmin couldn't take it.

"What, having money makes you something special?"

Chen Zhi nodded.

"In a hospital, money does solve a lot of problems."

"Last night, without money, we couldn't have called in a helicopter, couldn't have brought in specialists, and couldn't have gotten this ward."

"If you don't like how that sounds, you can call it 'resources.'"

"Same result in the end."

Li Jianmin was choked silent, unable to get a word out for a long time.

The woman with curly hair tugged at him and muttered quietly.

"Don't argue with him. He doesn't seem like an ordinary person."

Chen Zhi overheard.

"Auntie, rest assured, I'm very ordinary."

"Just a company worth about five hundred billion dollars."

Curly-haired woman: "..."

Li Xiuqin: "..."

Li Jianmin's first reaction was disbelief.

"Are you trying to bluff?"

Zhang Guifang snorted off to the side.

"He might be unreliable in other ways, but he doesn't have to brag about this."

Chen Jun also spoke up.

"Deep Space Technology. Chen Zhi."

Someone in the corridor pulled out their phone and searched.

Soon, a young male doctor nearby looked up at Chen Zhi, then at his phone, then back at Chen Zhi.

"Sure enough, it's him..."

At this, the Li family members all fell silent.

Li Jianmin's aggression visibly deflated.

They had thought Zhiyi had just latched onto a rich second-generation son. They never imagined Chen Zhi's wealth was far beyond what they could grasp.

Chen Zhi wasn't interested in continuing to show off.

He turned to Grandma.

"Grandma, keep the card yourself."

"As for the bills at Provincial Third Hospital, I've already deposited the fees in advance."

"I'll arrange for a private caregiver, too."

"If you get tired, go rest at the hotel next door. Don't wear yourself out in the corridor."

Grandma's tears started falling all at once.

"Xiao Chen, how can we ever repay this..."

"Repay what?"

Zhang Guifang jumped in immediately.

"Auntie, if you talk about repayment again, I'll get mad."

Chen Zhi nodded too.

"If you really want to pay me back, you can."

Grandma looked at him expectantly.

Chen Zhi said with a straight face.

"When Grandpa gets better, have him make me some dumplings."

Grandma froze for a second, then laughed through her tears.

"Alright, I will. Grandpa will make you dumplings."

Standing off to the side, Li Zhiyi slowly gripped the hem of her clothes.

She hadn't expected Chen Zhi to go this far.

In the past, when she faced scenes like this, she could only bow her head.

She couldn't talk back.

She couldn't put Grandpa and Grandma in a difficult position.

She couldn't cause anyone trouble.

But today, Chen Zhi stood in front of her, shielding her. Zhang Guifang protected Grandma by her side. Even Chen Jun spoke up.

She suddenly felt like she really did have another family.

Just then, Director Zhou came out from the direction of the ward.

"Are the family members all here?"

Everyone immediately crowded around.

Director Zhou glanced at the medical chart.

"The old man's vitals are stable for now, but the stroke damage is significant. We'll need to monitor him for another twenty-four to forty-eight hours."

"We also need to check on his heart rhythm."

"Please don't argue out here. The patient needs quiet."

Li Jianmin immediately switched to a deferential tone.

"Director, of course, we'll cooperate fully."

Director Zhou ignored him and looked at Chen Zhi instead.

"Boss Chen, a word in private."

Chen Zhi followed him over.

Director Zhou lowered his voice.

"He's doing better than he was last night, but we can't let our guard down."

"Since waking up, the old man has kept muttering about Zhiyi. And you."

Chen Zhi nodded.

"Can I go in and see him?"

"You can, but keep it brief."

Director Zhou glanced down at his leg.

"And take care of yourself, too. Don't stand around too much."

"Director, the thing about me is, I take good advice."

Director Zhou shot him a look.

"If you really took advice, you'd be resting now. You only just recovered."

Chen Zhi immediately deflected.

"Which room is the ward in?"

Director Zhou: "..."

A few minutes later.

Chen Zhi and Li Zhiyi entered the ward.

Li Jianjun was lying in bed, his complexion slightly better than in the early morning, but he was still weak.

Grandma sat by the bedside, speaking softly to him.

The moment he saw Chen Zhi come in, the old man moved his hand.

Li Zhiyi hurried over.

"Grandpa."

Li Jianjun looked at her, then at Chen Zhi.

"Xiao Chen... you're here."

"I'm here."

Chen Zhi stood by the bed, leaning on his cane.

"Grandpa, you're Provincial Third Hospital's top priority patient now. You've got better perks than us capitalists."

Li Jianjun let out a soft, light laugh.

Grandma tapped Chen Zhi lightly.

"Don't make him laugh. The doctor said he can't get too excited."

Chen Zhi immediately sobered up.

"Alright, I'll be serious then."

Li Jianjun caught his breath, his voice very soft.

"Were they... arguing outside?"

Li Zhiyi quickly shook her head.

"No."

Chen Zhi was honest.

"We had a little argument. It's already taken care of."

Li Zhiyi turned her head to look at him.

Chen Zhi shrugged.

"You can't lie in front of the patient."

Li Jianjun slowly closed his eyes, then opened them again.

"My kids... aren't much."

Grandma quickly grabbed a tissue to wipe his forehead.

"Stop worrying about that."

"The doctor told you to focus on resting, but the minute you wake up, you're fretting over these old messes."

Li Jianjun took a few breaths, then slowly raised his hand.

Li Zhiyi immediately took it.

"Grandpa."

Li Jianjun looked at her, his words slow and measured.

"Zhiyi."

"You've been through a lot."

Then Li Jianjun looked at Chen Zhi.

"Xiao Chen."

Chen Zhi leaned in closer.

"Grandpa, tell me what you need."

Li Jianjun moved his fingers, as if trying to point outside.

"My family... doesn't have much."

"The old house isn't worth much. The savings aren't a lot either."

"But your grandma and I... set aside some money for Zhiyi."

Grandma's expression shifted.

"Old man, why are you bringing that up now?"

Li Jianjun continued.

"It's the dowry we've been saving for Zhiyi over the years."

It sounded like he was sorting out his final affairs.

Li Zhiyi's hands were trembling.

"Grandpa, don't talk like that."

"I don't want a dowry."

"As long as you and Grandma are okay, that's all that matters."

But Li Jianjun was stubborn.

"Let me finish."

"Don't pay any attention to the people outside."

Li Jianjun looked at Chen Zhi, his breathing a bit more rapid.

"I know you're very capable."

"I'm asking you something, Grandpa—don't make things too ugly."

"As bad as they are, they're still Zhiyi's Uncle Jianmin and Aunt Xiuyun."

Chen Zhi hummed in acknowledgment.

"Grandpa, rest assured. I handle things with a lot of restraint."

Li Zhiyi turned her head to look at him.

She had her doubts about that.

Grandma also gave him a look.

She probably didn't quite believe him either.

Chen Zhi added another sentence.

"At least inside the hospital, I've got restraint."

Li Jianjun seemed to set one worry aside and closed his eyes to rest.

Director Zhou came in to check on him and told everyone to step out—the patient needed to sleep.

As soon as they got into the hallway, they saw Li Jianmin at the nurse's station again, prying into the costs.

"How much is an ICU bed a day?"

"And the specialist consultation—who's footing that bill?"

"The helicopter must have cost tens of thousands, right?"

The nurse was getting annoyed.

"Sir, you can check the detailed breakdown at the admissions office."

"But someone already made a prepayment."

Li Jianmin immediately chimed in.

“How much did you deposit in advance?”

The nurse paused.

“That’s not something I can disclose.”

“I’m the patient’s son. Why can’t you disclose it?”

The nurse looked up at him.

“Because you weren’t the one who made the deposit.”

Li Jianmin’s face burned with embarrassment again.

Chen Zhi walked over slowly with his cane.

“Uncle, still checking the accounts?”

Li Jianmin turned around, his bravado a little weaker, but his mouth still stubborn.

“My dad’s in the hospital. What’s wrong with me asking about the costs?”

“Nothing wrong with that,” Chen Zhi nodded.

“It’s just... interesting how you chose to start this conversation.”

Li Xiuqin tried to smooth things over.

“Xiao Chen, please don’t overthink it.”

“My brother speaks bluntly, but he’s just worried the old man is being put through too much.”

Zhang Guifang couldn’t take it anymore.

“Put through too much?”

“Last night, if my son hadn’t made the effort, we wouldn’t even know if the old man would wake up.”

Li Xiuqin forced a smile.

“Sister-in-law, that’s not what I meant.”

Zhang Guifang’s face darkened further.

“Don’t call me ‘sister-in-law.’ We’re not that close.”

Chen Jun cleared his throat beside her.

Zhang Guifang shot him a glare.

“What are you coughing at? Did I say something wrong?”

Chen Zhi spoke up calmly.

“Uncle, Aunt.”

“Let me propose a plan.”

Li Jianmin grew wary.

“What plan?”

“I’ll cover all of the old man’s medical expenses.”

“Hospital bills, caregivers, follow-up rehab, nutrition—everything will go through my people.”

“You’re free to visit, free to show your filial piety however you like.”

“But Zhiyi will have nothing more to do with any of you from now on.”

Li Jianmin’s face sank.

“What do you mean by that? Who do you think we are?”

Chen Zhi looked him straight in the eye.

“Right now, I’m not really sure you qualify as human.”

“You haven’t shown much to work with so far.”

Someone nearby couldn’t help but laugh.

Li Jianmin’s face flushed red.

“Chen Zhi, just because you have money doesn’t mean you can meddle in our family’s affairs.”

“I’m not meddling in your family’s affairs.”

Chen Zhi pulled out his phone, opened the recording app, and waved it in front of him.

“I’m just protecting my girlfriend.”

“And her grandparents.”

“If you want to act like proper children, you’re welcome here.”

"If you want to do something with the old man's property, settlement money, or bank cards—I'm ready for that, too."

Li Xiuqin frowned.

“Why are you recording?”

Chen Zhi put the phone away.

“Sorry, habit.”

Li Zhiyi gently tugged at his sleeve.

“Chen Zhi.”

Chen Zhi whispered back to her,

“Relax. I’m a civilized man. I don’t hit people.”

Li Zhiyi: “...”

That wasn’t exactly what she was worried about.

Li Jianmin’s expression flickered when he heard the word “deposit.”

“What deposit?”

Chen Zhi looked at him.

“You don’t know?”

Li Jianmin obviously didn’t.

But he quickly caught on.

“What did Dad say to you guys just now?”

Grandma tensed up.

“He didn’t say anything.”

Li Jianmin immediately got agitated.

“Mom, I’m your eldest son. Why can’t you tell me anything?”

“Dad’s in this condition—we need to sort out the family affairs in advance.”

“You can’t just give everything to Zhiyi behind my back.”

The moment those words came out, Zhang Guifang exploded.

“Li Jianmin, your father is still lying in that hospital bed!”

“And you’re already worrying about how to split things up?”

Li Jianmin was getting worked up, too.

“What’s wrong with what I said?”

“I’m the eldest son!”

“When the old folks need care and everything at the end, who’s going to handle it? Me!”

Grandma stood up angrily.

“You?”

“How many times a year do you even come home?”

The woman with curly hair scowled.

“Mom, you can’t say that. We’re busy too.”

Grandma looked at her.

“Busy playing mahjong?”

The curly-haired woman shut up immediately.

Li Zhiyi finally spoke up.

“Uncle Jianmin, Aunt Xiuyun.”

“Grandpa needs to rest now.”

“Can we talk about these things later?”

Li Jianmin turned to her.

“Zhiyi, just because you found yourself a rich boyfriend doesn’t mean you get to make decisions for this family.”

“You’re just a granddaughter.”

“Once you get married and leave, this family will still be the Li family’s.”

Li Zhiyi’s face paled.

She’d heard that line her whole life.

Chen Zhi had been trying to preserve some dignity for the old folks.

But hearing that, he was done holding back.

“Uncle.”

“Your feudal thinking is really out of date. Want an upgrade?”

Li Jianmin snapped, “Stop being so sarcastic!”

Chen Zhi pulled Li Zhiyi behind him.

“Let me ask you a few questions.”

“When the old man was in emergency last night, did you pay a cent?”

Li Jianmin: “I didn’t even know!”

“Well, now you do. How about putting down 100,000 right now?”

Li Jianmin froze.

The curly-haired woman immediately pulled on his arm.

“Why should we? Didn’t you say you’d cover everything?”

Chen Zhi nodded.

“Right, that’s why I’m not expecting anything from you.”

“Second question—when the old man needs rehab, can you take care of him?”

Li Jianmin puffed out his chest.

“Of course I can!”

Grandma sneered from the side.

“First, make sure you quit the mahjong parlor downstairs.”

More people in the room laughed.

Li Jianmin’s embarrassment deepened.

Chen Zhi pressed on.

“Third question—how much allowance have you given Zhiyi her whole life?”

Li Xiuqin’s face burned.

“How are you supposed to calculate something like that?”

“No need to calculate,” Chen Zhi said, turning to Li Zhiyi.

“Lawyer Li, as far as support obligations go—do adult children have a legal duty?”

Li Zhiyi looked up.

“They do.”

“And granddaughters?”

“If they have the means, and the parents are deceased or unable to provide support, granddaughters do have some obligation to their grandparents.”

Chen Zhi turned back to Li Jianmin.

“Hear that?”

“You’re the first in line.”

“Stop going on about her just being a granddaughter.”

“If we’re talking law, let’s start with you.”

Li Jianmin was speechless.

Chen Zhi didn’t let up.

“I’m giving you two choices right now.”

“First—be a proper son.”

“Visit, help with care, cooperate with the doctors.”

“Second—keep making a scene.”

“Then I’ll have my lawyers send you a formal reminder of your support obligations.”

“And I’ll pull together a detailed statement of all the old man’s medical and living expenses over the years.”

“We’ll calculate exactly who owes what.”

Li Jianmin’s face went pale.

“Are you threatening me?”

Chen Zhi shook his head.

“Uncle, I’m not the threatening type.”

“I just go straight to action.”

“Take it up with the legal team from my billion-dollar empire.”

With that, he dialed Dai Damai.

“Boss Chen?”

“Get Legal on it.”

“Find me a law firm that specializes in marriage, family, and support disputes.”

“Have them contact me within half an hour.”

Dai Damai was silent for two seconds.

“Boss, weren’t you supposed to be with Li Zhiyi handling the old man’s medical situation?”

“Right.”

“So how did we end up in a family lawsuit?”

“Classic quest unlocked a hidden boss stage.”

Dai Damai: “...”

Chen Zhi didn’t bother explaining further.

“Hurry up.”

“Got it.”

The call ended.

Li Jianmin was finally scared.

He’d been shouting earlier because he thought Chen Zhi, despite being rich, was an outsider without any real power over him.

Now it had escalated to this—what chance did he have against him?

Li Xiuqin quickly stepped in.

“Xiao Chen, there’s no need for this, really.”

“We’re all family. Why get lawyers involved?”

Chen Zhi looked at her.

“Didn’t you just say the accounts needed to be clear?”

“I’m respecting your wishes.”

The curly-haired woman muttered under her breath,

“Rich people just like to bully others...”

Chen Zhi turned to her.

“Auntie, feel free to speak up louder.”

The curly-haired woman immediately shut her mouth.

Zhang Guifang watched with a mix of delight and frustration.

What delighted her was that her son hadn’t let her down at the critical moment.

What frustrated her was that if this brat had put even half the energy he used on business and outsiders into his personal life, things wouldn’t have ended up like this.

Chen Jun walked over and lowered his voice.

“That’s enough for now.”

“The old man’s still in the hospital room.”

Chen Zhi grunted in acknowledgment.

He hadn’t planned on pushing things to the limit either.

At least not today.

He turned to Li Jianmin.

“Uncle, one last thing.”

“The card Grandma has was meant by my mom for Zhiyi and the old man to use in emergencies.”

“The money Li Zhiyi’s parents left behind is what Grandpa and Grandma saved up for her.”

“If any of you try to take it, you’ll have to get through me first.”

Li Jianmin’s lips moved, but in the end, he said nothing.

Just as the situation settled, a young man in a suit walked briskly from the elevator.

Two people followed behind him, carrying briefcases.

The young man stopped in front of Chen Zhi and gave a slight bow.

“Boss Chen, hello.”

“I’m Zhou Heng, a partner at Xingheng Law Firm.”

“President Dai just contacted me.”

When Li Jianmin’s family saw that a lawyer had really shown up, their faces shifted.

Zhou Heng pulled a simple authorization document from his bag.

“Boss Chen, President Dai said this is urgent.”

“I’m offering verbal legal services for now.”

“Do you need me to step in and mediate?”

Chen Zhi pointed at Li Jianmin.

“Give them an education.”

Zhou Heng turned to Li Jianmin’s group, switching into full professional mode.

“Hello, everyone.”

“On my way here, I got a general idea of the situation.”

“Currently, the elderly person is hospitalized for treatment, with her spouse still alive and capable of expressing her will.”

“No child has the right to unilaterally demand control over the elderly person’s funds, bank cards, passbooks, or property certificates.”

“If there are actions involving forceful demands, transfers, or concealment of the elderly person’s assets under serious circumstances, this may involve civil tort liability, and could even lead to public security or criminal risks.”

Li Jianmin’s face turned green.

“We didn’t rob anyone!”

Zhou Heng nodded.

“That’s good to hear.”

“Additionally, medical, nursing, and rehabilitation expenses for the elderly person fall under the shared legal obligation of adult children.”

“If caregiving duties are long-term unfulfilled, the elderly person or their actual caregiver can file a lawsuit.”

The woman with curly hair couldn’t hold back.

“But didn’t he say he’s covering everything?”

Zhou Heng looked at Chen Zhi, and only after receiving a nod did he continue.

“Boss Chen covering the costs is a voluntary act by a third party.”

“It doesn’t exempt you from your legal obligations as children.”

“Nor does it mean that because Boss Chen is paying the bills, you have the right to demand a share or control over other assets.”

Li Xiuqin’s face also darkened.

She had originally wanted to stay neutral while quietly figuring out what assets the old woman really had.

Now that the lawyer had arrived, every angle was blocked.

Chen Zhi turned to Zhou Heng.

“Can you draft something?”

“Yes.”

“I’d recommend two documents.”

“First, an acknowledgment of medical cost advances, stating that Boss Chen voluntarily covers these costs without seeking reimbursement from Grandma or Ms. Li Zhiyi.”

“Second, a declaration of respect for Grandma’s assets and medical decisions.”

“It would be signed by all relevant family members, confirming that they won’t interfere with the will of Grandma or her spouse, and won’t forcibly demand bank cards, passbooks, or other property.”

Li Jianmin snapped.

“Why should we sign that?”

Chen Zhi looked at him.

“Then there’s a third option.”

Li Jianmin instinctively asked,

“What third option?”

Zhou Heng played along smoothly.

“A Notice of Apportionment of Caregiving Costs.”

“We can then prepare litigation materials.”

Li Jianmin: “…”

Now it was Zhang Guifang’s turn to be amused.

She patted Li Zhiyi’s grandmother’s hand.

“Auntie, don’t be afraid.”

“Today, they’re going to get everything clear.”

Li Jianmin’s face twitched.

Chen Zhi drove the point home.

“Uncle, don’t misunderstand.”

“I’m not forcing you to sign.”

“I just want to leave something on record for Grandma and Zhiyi.”

“So if anyone changes their tune later, we’ll have something to refer to.”

Li Xiuqin sighed.

“Let’s sign.”

“We never intended to take Mom’s money anyway.”

The curly-haired woman grew anxious.

“Xiuqin, don’t make decisions for the rest of us.”

Li Jianmin hesitated too.

Zhou Heng opened his laptop, and an assistant had already started drafting.

Ten minutes later, a simplified version of the statement was printed out.

The legal assistant had brought a portable printer.

Chen Zhi was impressed.

“You guys come well-equipped.”

Zhou Heng replied calmly.

“For on-site service, client experience has to be top-notch.”

Chen Zhi nodded.

“Tell Dai Damai to add your firm to the shortlist.”

Zhou Heng didn’t pause his work.

“Thank you for the recognition, Boss Chen.”

Hearing that, Li Jianmin turned even more sour.

He finally understood now.

Chen Zhi wasn’t there to pick a fight.

The lawyer he called on a whim was already eyeing a long-term partnership with Deep Sky Tech.

If he kept making trouble, instead of gaining anything, he might just sink himself.

In the end, Li Xiuqin signed first.

After signing, she handed the pen to Li Jianmin.

“Brother, just sign it.”

“Dad’s still sick. Don’t make us a laughingstock.”

Li Jianmin took the pen and signed his name, resentfully.

The curly-haired woman refused to sign, but Chen Zhi didn’t force her.

Zhou Heng put the documents away and left one copy each for Grandma and Li Zhiyi.

“I’ll scan and archive the originals.”

“If any disputes arise later, feel free to contact me anytime.”