Chapter 36: Pretending to Be Second Best

Damn it!

If death is what awaits, so be it.

Zhao Minghui knew there was no turning back for him now. With steely resolve, he decided to carry on with his act, determined to put on one last performance.

He had a strong premonition that his bluff would likely be exposed this time; if he didn’t act now, when would he? Since he’d already set a precedent, he might as well keep up the charade to the very end.

“Well, well, Zhang Tian really is an old hand at this. He knows how to write invitation cards and host an apology banquet, does he?”

“By the way… the person Zhang Tian sent to deliver the invitation hasn’t left yet, has he?”

“Hurry and catch up with him. Tell him I’ll attend the apology banquet. Ask Zhang Tian to prepare accordingly; if the gesture isn’t sincere enough, I won’t forgive him so easily.”

Since he was going to put on a show, Zhao Minghui decided to make it a grand one.

“Wow, Xiao Hui’s aura and bearing—impressive!”

“Tsk tsk, now this is the demeanor of a true young master. Ordinary families could never raise such an outstanding young man.”

“Haha, this is my son-in-law, a true dragon among men. With him, how could our Lin family not prosper?”

The Lin family launched into waves of praise, and Lin Jiahao’s household beamed with joy. Zhao Minghui, letting go of all restraint, happily accepted the flattery.

After enduring so many hardships, the Lin family felt as if they were finally emerging from darkness into dawn.

—

While the Lin family celebrated, news had just reached Lin Shuyu’s household, who had been reinstated to their positions. They too shared a moment of happiness.

Lin Shuyu’s family was the least affluent among the Lins, so even on such a joyful occasion, Lin Jiahua only splurged on a single bottle of wine and a few good dishes; dining out was a luxury he couldn’t bear.

Naturally, Hong Yu was the one preparing the meal. While he was busy in the kitchen, Lin Jiahua and Chen Lan took the opportunity to speak with Lin Shuyu.

“Shuyu, your grandfather softened so quickly this time—he must have realized his mistake.”

“Don’t hold any grudges against your grandfather or the others in the family. No matter what, blood is thicker than water. They may have sharp tongues, but their hearts are soft; a little discipline and they’ll surely relent.”

“And don’t forget, you’ve always been your grandfather’s favorite. If it weren’t for marrying Hong Yu as a live-in son-in-law, you’d still be the apple of his eye.”

Lin Shuyu nodded in agreement.

In truth, there was no need for much persuasion. She had never truly blamed the family patriarch; for the situation they were in, she blamed only her own lack of ability.

If she had been more competent, even if Hong Yu was unremarkable, the Lin family wouldn’t have treated them so harshly.

“Dinner’s ready,” Hong Yu called out as he emerged from the kitchen.

Lin Jiahua smiled, “Come on, let’s eat. All those unhappy days are behind us now; life must go on, right?”

Chen Lan and Lin Shuyu both responded with a soft “mm” and joined him at the table.

Seeing Lin Shuyu’s hearty appetite, Hong Yu too felt a surge of happiness.

To love and protect someone, Hong Yu thought, was truly wonderful.

In his eyes, no wealth or status could compare to Lin Shuyu’s smile. Only now did he understand why, throughout history, there were tales of rulers who would go to war for a woman’s laughter.

The next day, though Lin Shuyu was not fully recovered, she insisted on returning to work.

After all, having regained her job, she treasured it all the more.

The trade company was neither far nor close; Lin Shuyu usually took the bus to work. They did own a car, but it was mostly used by Lin Jiahua.

Thinking of how Shuyu had obtained her driver’s license but seldom drove, still squeezing onto the bus every day, Hong Yu felt a pang of pity.

“There’s no need to cling to pride and suffer in silence. The Hong family owes me so much; there’s no harm in collecting a little interest.”

“Besides, if there’s one thing the Hong family isn’t short of, it’s money. To them, it’s just numbers, but to me, it could mean so much more.”

Hong Yu was a man of action. Having made up his mind, he called Old Da Gong, rested at home until the bank opened, and then headed straight there.

Banks followed a nine-to-five schedule. When he arrived just after opening, the place wasn’t crowded. Fengzhou was a small third-tier city, after all, with a modest population.

“No way! You’re saying our branch is actually part of the same Morgan as the Americans?”

“Don’t kid me! That’s one of the world’s top five banks—privately owned, not like our state-run ones!”

Lan Xiaoqi had just graduated this year. She sent out dozens of resumes and, seeing a bank was hiring, jumped at the opportunity.

She hadn’t expected such luck. At first, she’d thought it was a small private bank, probably just a financial firm offering loans and high-interest lending under the guise of a bank.

Who could have guessed—it was actually a branch of Morgan Bank in China. This was truly beyond her imagination.

“Tsk tsk, you really are a rookie. You only know the basics,” the seasoned staff member Wang Yun explained with a trace of disdain.

“But I can’t blame you. Morgan Bank has hundreds of branches worldwide, but only a handful in China, and only in the first-tier cities.”

Lan Xiaoqi had already revealed she was from the countryside. The fact that Wang Yun, of all people, would even speak a few words to her made Lan feel she was being exceptionally kind—perhaps even charitable, to look after this country girl.

“Wait, but you said only first-tier cities have Morgan Bank. How come there’s one in Fengzhou? We’re just a third-tier city,” Lan Xiaoqi asked in shock.

“How should I know?” Wang Yun replied impatiently. “I just heard that this Morgan Bank branch in Fengzhou was supposedly built for one person. It’s a bit of a mystery, and I can’t say whether it’s true or not.”

Lan Xiaoqi was stunned.

To her, this seemed utterly impossible.

One of the world’s top five banks, establishing a branch in a third-tier city like Fengzhou for a single person? If such a person existed, he’d either have to be a major figure in the Morgan family, or—

Lan Xiaoqi shook her head. She knew it was pointless to dwell on such things.

She was just a new teller. Even if there were such mysteries, they were none of her business.

It was better to be diligent and do her job well. Even as just a small branch, the pay and benefits were good, and working at a bank carried a certain prestige.

At that moment, Hong Yu pushed open the bank’s door.

He glanced at the tellers and found Lan Xiaoqi’s demeanor most approachable, so he walked over to her counter.

“Excuse me, where do I get a number to queue? I’d like to make a withdrawal.”