Chapter 161
“I hate it when people poke me with their fingers, it makes me want to break them.” Xu Ke said, looking at Lin Shixian, who was clutching his finger and howling in pain.
Although Xu Ke’s voice was not loud, it pierced through Lin Shixian’s screams and reached everyone’s ears clearly.
“Are you crazy? You, a live-in son-in-law, dare to lay hands on my father? Do you believe I can find someone to cripple you?” Lin Zihua supported his father, glaring angrily at Xu Ke, and spoke viciously.
“You can give it a try and see who in Luocheng can take me down.” Xu Ke’s lips curled into a mocking smile, and he spoke nonchalantly.
“Don’t think you can act so arrogantly just because Xu Jie backs you up. You’re nothing but a toy who serves with his looks. Who do you think you are, putting on airs here? I only need to find someone to replace you by Xu Jie’s side; do you think she will still favor you? You will be nothing then.” Usually refined, Lin Zihua was on the verge of a breakdown from the continuous pressure, and at this moment, he cared nothing for the setting or image, directly shouting out his thoughts.
“If you are confident in finding someone to replace us, then you shouldn’t be here bothering us anymore. When asking for a favor, one must have a favorable attitude. Do you need others to teach you this principle? Now, I’ll say it one last time, get out of my way!” Xu Ke’s squinted eyes bore blatant ridicule, truly astonished by such stupidity, continuously challenging his perception of the lowest human IQ.
“This is an internal matter of the Lin Family, and you, an outsider, need not intervene. We will only discuss this with Mengyao.” The Lin matriarch stood at the forefront of the crowd, saying this as she looked Xu Ke squarely in the eye. It was her first time looking directly at Xu Ke, but her gaze quickly shifted behind him.
“Yaoyao has nothing to say to you.” Xu Ke did not budge, meeting the Lin matriarch’s eyes as he replied.
A silent confrontation unfolded before the two of them, and just then, a slender, fair hand reached out from behind Xu Ke, tugging on his sleeve, and shortly, Lin Mengyao’s face emerged fully from behind Xu Ke, “My stance is the same as Xu Ke’s, we have nothing to say.”
“Lin Mengyao, after all these years the Lin Family has nurtured you, is this how you repay the Lin Family? Today, whether or not you agree, you will have to agree. The Lin Corporation mustn’t go bankrupt.” The Lin matriarch stomped her cane heavily on the ground, glaring at Xu Ke, who blocked Lin Mengyao again, clearly impatient as she tried to use filial piety to pressure Lin Mengyao.
“You!” The Lin matriarch was angered by Xu Ke’s insolent attitude, her wrinkled hand trembled in mid-air, and just as she pointed her finger at Xu Ke’s nose, Xu Ke brushed it aside.
Xu Ke directly pulled Lin Mengyao’s hand and broke through the Lin Family’s encirclement, leaving the furious Lin matriarch behind.
The two got in the elevator, and Xu Ke heard Lin Mengyao breathe a sigh of relief, followed by her voice echoing in his ear, “The Lin Corporation hasn’t been doing well lately. There’s a rumor that the cash flow has been cut off. Does this have anything to do with you?” Lin Mengyao shook their clasped hands and looked up to ask softly.
“Why do you think that?” Xu Ke gently swept a finger over Lin Mengyao’s hair and asked softly.
“Just a hunch.”
“Indeed, I had a hand in it, but don’t worry, I understand what the Lin Corporation means to you. I won’t let Grandpa’s hard work be destroyed just like that.” Xu Ke gently pinched Lin Mengyao’s recently plumper cheeks and said with a smile.
“I trust you,” Lin Mengyao buried her head in Xu Ke’s chest and whispered, “As long as you say it, I believe you. But no matter what happens, don’t ever lie to me.”
“Of course not.” Xu Ke followed Lin Mengyao’s lead to embrace her, his gaze wandering as he looked at the numbers in the elevator, his thoughts unknown.
Meanwhile, right after Xu Ke and Lin Mengyao left, the Lin Family started arguing. Lin Shixian pointed at Li Lihua’s nose and scolded her, “You useless thing, Lin Mengyao is your daughter and you can’t even control her. What right do you have to stay in our Lin Family? Hurry up and get lost. I should’ve kicked you out back then instead of keeping you, you’re making us lose face!”
Li Lihua, having been snubbed by Lin Mengyao and now being scolded in front of the younger generation, couldn’t swallow her pride. She retorted, “And you have the nerve to criticize me? Even the entire Lin Family couldn’t persuade her. Your mother even resorted to threats and still couldn’t do anything? Lin Mengyao takes after your old Lin Family roots—cold and ruthless. Instead of wasting your breath blaming me, why don’t you think about what to do next? I’m not your wife, and I won’t indulge you. If you dare point your finger and scold me again, I won’t hold back either.”
“What’s the use of quarreling now? Instead of arguing here, the two of you should think of a solution.” Lin Shide, disturbed by the bickering, couldn’t help but speak up to quiet them, but he didn’t expect that Lin Shixian, already filled with rage, would turn his aggression towards Lin Shide.
“Stop pretending to be the nice guy. Where were you when we needed that little rascal’s help? Don’t you think you’re disgusting now?”
Being attacked without reason, Lin Shide’s face turned ugly. What started as an argument between two turned into a three-way dispute, “Enough! All of you, stop arguing! I told you to shut up and stop fighting!” The Lin matriarch, caught between her two sons, was getting a headache from their argument and tried to shout them down. Still, it’s easier to open mouths than to close them—their arguing had almost reached a loss of reason.
Because of this, not only were the Lin matriarch’s cries unheard, but she was accidentally pushed aside. Being elderly, she rolled her eyes and fainted, which finally stopped the family squabble as they scrambled to get her to the hospital. However, none of this mattered to Xu Ke and Lin Mengyao anymore as they had already turned off their phones, lay in bed, heads leaning against each other as they fell into sleep.