Chapter 68: The Two of You Sit Over There

"That's right, you two as well!"

Hong Yu turned around, pointing at Zhao Minghui and Lin Shuyu, who were still sprawled on the ground, trying to win sympathy.

Zhao Minghui's eyes blazed with fury. "Hong Yu, don't push it too far. You're just a live-in son-in-law—do you realize you're courting death by doing this?"

Hong Yu sneered, "If you think you have the guts, then come at me. But don't forget about your own family."

Lin Shuyu, who stood nearby, felt a pang of pity. She walked to Hong Yu's side and tried to reason with him. "Hong Yu, that's enough. Things have already gotten out of hand. Why don't we just go home? This meal isn't worth it."

"Why shouldn't we eat? I'm actually a bit hungry," Hong Yu replied with a smile, then turned his gaze to Zhang Tian.

Zhang Tian was an old hand at reading people. Catching Hong Yu's look, he hurried over to Lin Shuyu, bowing and scraping. "Madam Hong, please, please, forgive us for keeping you waiting so long. We're truly sorry."

"Please, take your seat," he said, making a gesture of welcome that was practically servile. But then, glancing back, he saw the old patriarch of the Lin family still sitting at the table. Zhang Tian's eyes narrowed, and he strode over, giving the old man's chair a hard kick.

"Are you senile, old man? Didn't Mr. Hong tell you to get lost? Why are you still sitting here?"

"Out! Out! Make way for Madam Hong!"

The old man was stunned, feeling dizzy and on the verge of fainting from rage. He was the pillar of the Lin family, Lin Shuyu's own grandfather. Now, to be asked to give up his seat to his granddaughter—what justice was left in the world?

"Lin Shuyu, what does this mean?" the Lin family members cried out in anger.

"How can you, as the younger generation, make your grandfather give up his seat? Are you even human?"

"This is outrageous! Absolutely outrageous! Lin Shuyu, if you keep acting like this, heaven will strike you down!"

"I told you before not to let her return to the Lin family. Now do you see? A thankless wretch will only bite back harder!"

"Lin Shuyu, hurry up and apologize to your grandfather!"

At this moment, Lin Jiahao was more clear-headed than the others. Earlier, like Zhao Minghui and Lin Shufeng, he'd suspected that Hong Yu was just a pawn of Zhang Tian or Chen Tiancheng. But from what he'd witnessed—the deference from Zhang Tian, the excitement of Chen Tiancheng—it seemed that wasn't the case. No mere pawn would be treated with such respect; Zhang Tian's actions had been downright servile.

Realizing this, Lin Jiahao quickly came to Lin Shuyu's side and tried to mediate. "Shuyu, no matter how chaotic things get, we're all family here. We're all part of the Lin family, aren't we?"

Lin Shuyu nodded blankly.

Seeing her response, Lin Jiahao pressed on, "No matter what happens, let's not drag Grandpa into this, alright?"

"Grandpa always doted on you. Surely you can't bear to see him relegated to that shabby table, can you?"

Lin Shuyu's heart softened, and she nodded. "Of course I can't."

Lin Jiahao didn't say any more, only turning to look at Hong Yu.

Lin Shuyu understood his meaning, and after a moment's thought, pleaded, "Hong Yu... let Grandpa stay and eat with us. He's old. I really can't bear to see him treated like this."

Hong Yu harbored deep resentment toward the old man, but he couldn't ignore Lin Shuyu's words. After considering, he nodded. "Fine. For his age, he can keep his seat."

"But those two younger ones must eat at the other table."

Zhao Minghui had wanted to leave for a while. Now, with Hong Yu's words, he dragged Lin Shufeng with him, shouting resentfully, "Fine, fine! Hong Yu, you really are something!"

"Do you think we can't afford a meal? Ridiculous! Let's go. After this, we'll never be able to hold our heads up again."

The Lin family members suddenly came to their senses. They'd fallen into a trap just now, but thinking it through—no matter how arrogant Hong Yu was, even with Zhang Tian and Chen Tiancheng backing him, so what? They could simply refuse to eat.

One by one, the Lin family rose from their seats, and Zhang Tian grew anxious. This banquet was his doing, planned to curry favor with Hong Yu and let him bask in glory. If the Lin family all walked out, would Hong Yu be left playing the hero alone?

This was his first task since joining Hong Yu's camp. If he messed it up, how could he ever gain a foothold? Chen Dayong already resented his allegiance to the Hong family, not to mention Chen Tiancheng, who was itching to interfere.

"Stop right there!"

Zhang Tian suddenly barked, "I sent out the invitations, and you all accepted them. Now that you're here, you want to leave without finishing your meal?"

Zhao Minghui retorted furiously, "Don't go too far, Zhang Tian!"

"We've always stayed out of each other's business—why are you making things so difficult for us?"

"And another thing! Have you lost your mind? Your eldest son was kicked into becoming a eunuch by Hong Yu, and your second son got beaten up. Aren't you the least bit angry?"

Trust Zhao Minghui to hit where it hurt most. Zhang Tian's face darkened with rage.

"You little brat! You're just a junior in the Zhao family—even your father wouldn't dare talk to me like that!"

"Fine! If you all want to leave, then go ahead. But don't come crawling back with regret! I, Zhang Tian, swear here and now: if you don't finish this meal and give me face, I will use every connection the Zhang family has to make sure the Zhao and Lin families are utterly ruined!"

Damn! Was he really going to such lengths? It was just a meal, wasn't it? Did Zhang Tian plan to poison the dishes? There were more than twenty people here—if he dared try that, both Zhang Tian and the Tianlan Hotel would go down together.

Thinking it over, Lin Jiahao, as the head of the Lin family, spoke up. "Everyone, since Director Zhang insists, let's just sit down and eat."

The old patriarch, seeing Zhang Tian's determination, also relented. "Let’s eat. Once we’re done, surely Director Zhang won’t detain us further."

Zhao Minghui, seeing that no one in the Lin family sided with him, was frustrated. But he knew the situation was beyond his control and wanted to resolve this humiliating episode as quickly as possible.

However, when Zhao Minghui and Lin Shufeng approached the table, Hong Yu's cold voice cut through the air. "What are you doing here? Are you brainless, or just deaf?"

"Your seats are over there!"

Seeing Hong Yu pointing at the shabby little table again, Lin Shufeng burst out, "Hong Yu, enough! What more do you want? We've agreed to stay and eat—why keep pushing us?"

Lin Jiahao, unwilling to see his daughter suffer, tried to signal Lin Shuyu with his eyes, but she gave no response.

Helpless, Lin Jiahao tried to reason with Hong Yu. "Hong Yu, there are plenty of seats here. If you're still not satisfied, let them sit at the next table. There's no need to be so—"

Hong Yu interrupted coldly, "Do you even understand what it means to return a person's actions back to them?"

"Weren't they quite pleased with themselves when they had that shabby table brought in for us?"

"Now it's only fair they get a taste of their own medicine, isn't it?"

Hearing this, Zhao Minghui knew there was no turning back. He exchanged a glance with Lin Shufeng and turned to leave.

Suddenly, Hong Yu stood up. "Go ahead! But if you dare walk out that door, the Zhao family will be finished by tomorrow. Believe it or not!"

"Believe your own nonsense!" Zhao Minghui shot back venomously.

Hong Yu's eyes narrowed into dangerous slits.