Chapter 138: If You Want to Play, I'll Play Along

"Holy cow!"

"Is all this really necessary? What kind of day is it, anyway?"

"Are some big shots coming to our Huaizhou?"

"That can't be right! Look at those license plates—they're from all over Hannan!"

"Damn it, I really want to go over and see what's happening."

"Forget it, you'll get yourself killed if you go over there. I just saw Xiao Sa, the boss of Pengzhan Restaurant, fawning over them like a servant!"

...

The pedestrians were buzzing with discussion. Li Tian soon waved his hand, sent a mass message on his phone to inform the various tycoons of Hong Yu's location, and set off first.

Watching the luxury cars, which were usually rarely seen, speed past him one after another, the feeling was truly both shocking and incredible.

—

The Chen family mansion was located in Chen Family Village, a rather remote area in Huaizhou.

Back in the day, the Chen family was just a small, modest household in the village, not even considered wealthy by local standards.

However, the old master of the Chen family was both capable and lucky. Decades ago, when he worked as a carriage driver, he became known for his diligence. Later, while driving, he met a benefactor who directly paved the way for the entire Chen family's rise.

Because of this, the old master held a high status within the family. Although he had stepped back from managing affairs twenty years ago, not a single member of the Chen family dared to show him any disrespect.

The Chen family was wealthy now and had bought the old master a house in downtown Huaizhou, but the old man wasn't used to the fast-paced city life, so he had always remained in Chen Family Village.

At this moment, several cars were already parked at the entrance of the Chen mansion, though they were nothing special—just standard commuter vehicles worth a hundred or two hundred thousand.

Since it was still early, the Chen family members from the city hadn't arrived yet; those currently there were mostly neighbors from the vicinity.

But by the time Hong Yu and Lin Shuyu arrived, several luxury cars had already pulled in.

Walking through the Chen family gates, Lin Shuyu initially wanted to take Hong Yu to greet her grandfather.

However, upon seeing her aunt among the relatives surrounding the old man, she hesitated and decided to wait a while before approaching.

Chen Jianwei was also there, chatting with the old master, while Lin Shuyu's aunt remained silent, head bowed, staring at her phone.

Suddenly, the aunt seemed to spot Lin Shuyu. Pretending not to have seen her earlier, she looked up and said, "Dad, isn't it about time?"

"Why hasn't my sister, Chen Lan, arrived yet? I haven't seen her in two years. She doesn't even answer her phone when I call. I have no idea how she's living these days!"

"Sigh, I heard the Lin family she married into isn't doing so well, right? I told her a long time ago: when choosing a man, you can't just look at his family background; you have to look at whether the man himself is worth investing in!"

The Chen family members were all afraid of Lin Shuyu's aunt; only the old master, as her father, could keep her in check.

The old master snorted coldly. "Shufen! You are my daughter; do you think I don't know what you're thinking?"

"Every gathering for the past few years, you've been showing off. Aren't you tired of it?"

Despite his age, the old master knew his children's true colors all too well.

At this moment, Lin Shuyu walked up with Hong Yu. "Grandfather, I'm here."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Is that you, Xiaoyu? You're the only one who came for your grandfather's birthday?" Chen Shufen sneered. "Your mother is really something. With just the two of you, your table must be awfully lonely, right?"

"Hahaha, but then again, with your parents included, I suppose there are few of you. If the whole family is going to be humiliated, it's better to just send the two youngsters to take the blow."

Chen Shufen's words were harsh, but Lin Shuyu knew that the situation would likely turn out exactly as she had predicted.

There was an old custom at the old master's banquets: each family was assigned tables, and whoever invited the guests was responsible for hosting them at their respective tables. Over the years, this custom had evolved into a way to compare the power and influence of each branch, leading to several conflicts.

Lin Shuyu remembered clearly that in previous years, the tables belonging to her uncle and aunt were packed with people, sometimes even requiring extra seating. These people might not have held high status, but because there were so many of them, it looked impressive.

As for her family's table, it wasn't just unfilled—it was completely empty.

If they were in Fengzhou, even if her father lacked status in the Lin family, he could at least call a few classmates. But in Huaizhou, he wasn't familiar with anyone, so naturally, he couldn't bring guests to celebrate the old master's birthday.

As for Chen Lan, she was a Huaizhou native and had classmates and close friends, but her sister, Chen Shufen, was determined to undermine her. In the past, before Chen Shufen's husband became successful, Chen Lan's friends would support her, but now that Chen Shufen was intentionally targeting her, they had to consider their own standing.

In any case, for the past few years, Lin Shuyu's family table had always been empty, leaving them humiliated every time they attended.

Originally, this was Chen Shufen's favorite part of the event. She hadn't expected Chen Lan to skip it entirely this year; while it made her feel smug, it also left her slightly annoyed.

What annoyed Chen Shufen was that she had lost one of her favorite forms of entertainment for the day.

In the past, because she hadn't followed the family's wishes, she had been scolded mercilessly by her sister and others, which had left her with some psychological issues. She had long sworn to herself that once she had the upper hand, she would take revenge by any means necessary.

Forget it!

Since Chen Lan wasn't here, toying with her daughter would suffice.

Chen Shufen quickly made up her mind. Looking at Lin Shuyu, she suddenly smiled. "Not bad! Xiaoyu, you seem to be doing alright for yourself; you even brought an attendant with you!"

"But this attendant isn't much to look at, is he? If you're going to hire one, you should at least pick someone strong and sturdy. Not only is your attendant scrawny, but he's also wearing cheap Taobao clothes?"

"Xiaoyu, it's not that I, your aunt, want to lecture you, but since you're willing to spend money on an attendant, a suit wouldn't have cost that much. You really are just like my sister—stingy to the core."

Lin Shuyu felt incredibly embarrassed. She lowered her head and whispered, "Aunt Shufen, he's not an attendant. He is my husband..."

Lin Shuyu's words immediately shocked those present who hadn't yet noticed Hong Yu.

"Holy cow! You've got to be kidding. Is this the legendary live-in son-in-law?"

"Damn! You guys have to admit, looking at him now, he fits every single trait of a live-in son-in-law: a spineless, useless, penniless loser!"

"I heard Xiaoyu has been supporting this deadbeat for years. I can't believe she actually brought him here!"

"Hasn't Chen Lan's family lost enough face? All these years have been humiliating enough, and yet they still brought their live-in son-in-law!"

"Other times would be one thing, but what kind of occasion is this? With so many big shots coming, what malicious intent does Chen Lan have to pull a stunt like this?"

"She was probably bullied too much in the past and wants to get back at our Chen family. If people see this live-in son-in-law, they'll just think our Chen family has fallen!"

Hearing these cutting remarks, Hong Yu frowned.

He glanced at Chen Shufen, Lin Shuyu's aunt, and saw her grinning broadly, looking like a villain whose scheme had succeeded.

Fine!

If you want to play, I'll play along!

A cold glint flashed in Hong Yu's eyes.