Chapter 92: Chen Lan's Maternal Family

The car soon pulled up in front of Lin Shuyu’s house.

This time, not only had the old patriarch come in person, but the main relatives of the Lin family had come along as well.

Lin Jiarong panicked as soon as he got the call, and Chen Lan snapped, “What are you panicking for? Wasn’t everything prepared long ago?”

“Heh. That old fossil really can’t sit still after all. Good thing I was ready for this.”

As she grumbled, Chen Lan opened the door. The moment she saw the old patriarch, her expression changed at once, and she stepped forward with a bright smile. “Oh my, at this hour, why did you come all this way yourself?”

“And speaking of it, we’ve lived here for years, and this is still the first time you’ve ever visited.”

The old patriarch’s weathered face flushed red.

His poor health now made it understandable, of course, but in the years before, when he had still been fit, he truly had never come here.

He waved a hand and said, “You never invited me, did you? What, are you saying this old man isn’t welcome?”

Lin Jiahao was supporting him from the side, and his gaze was also unfriendly as he looked at Chen Lan.

Chen Lan was usually somewhat afraid of Lin Jiahao. She had been about to fire back, but under that look, she quickly forced a smile and said, “How could that be? I’m out here to greet you, aren’t I?”

“Come, come in with me. This place is small, nothing like the Lin family home, so I hope you won’t take offense.”

Once the old patriarch had been helped inside, he did not bother with pleasantries and went straight to the point. “Where is Xiaoyu? I’ve come all this way, and she still won’t come out to see me?”

Chen Lan smiled. “Oh, Dad, didn’t I tell you Xiaoyu went traveling? Surely you don’t think I was lying to you!”

The old patriarch did not believe her and immediately shot Lin Shuqi a look.

Lin Shuqi had been looking for a chance to redeem himself. Seeing the old patriarch’s cue, he dashed off at once.

Chen Lan looked utterly confident and even laughed. “Little Qi, don’t run so fast or you’ll fall and break your neck.”

“Go ahead and look. Even if you tear this house apart, Xiaoyu still won’t be in here.”

When the Lin family heard this, they knew Lin Shuyu definitely was not at home.

Sure enough, after searching for only a few minutes, Lin Shuqi came back in low spirits. “Grandpa, there really isn’t anyone here.”

The old patriarch’s expression darkened as he stared at Chen Lan. “Where exactly did she go? You must tell me the truth.”

Chen Lan smiled. “Where else could she have gone?”

“Xiaoyu has been terribly upset lately and hasn’t been in a good mood, so I let her go out to clear her head.”

“Besides, my father’s seventieth birthday is in two days, and I can’t leave, so I sent her to make the trip for me.”

The old patriarch said coldly, “Today alone they called you all day long. Don’t tell me you never said anything to Xiaoyu about us looking for her?”

Chen Lan wore an aggrieved look. “Dad, that’s really unfair to me!”

“You all know Xiaoyu’s phone has been off the whole time, otherwise you wouldn’t all have been calling her already.”

“I had to work during the day. I was busy until just now before I got home. I only found out a little earlier than you did that Xiaoyu went to her grandfather’s house.”

The old patriarch knew Chen Lan had made up her mind to stall, and he also knew he was wasting his breath. He no longer wished to linger.

He said sternly, “In any case, the moment you contact Xiaoyu, tell her to come back at once.”

“There’s an urgent matter at home that requires her presence. Remember, as soon as possible!”

After he finished, Lin Jiahao ushered him out the door. Unexpectedly, the moment the old patriarch left, several Lin family members suddenly rushed inside and left behind a pile of gifts.

Chen Lan was overjoyed and hurried after them.

By then, the old patriarch was struggling into the car, and when he saw Chen Lan running out, he thought there might still be a turn for the better.

Who would have thought that Chen Lan would actually wave repeatedly and say, “Dad, thank you for the gifts!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure Xiaoyu calls you back in two weeks.”

“Hmph! In two weeks, the flowers will have long since gone cold!” The old patriarch gave a cold snort and never looked back.

“Damn, this is truly satisfying!”

“See this? This wine, this tobacco, this cosmetics—they’re all premium brands. I usually don’t even bear to buy them!”

After the Lin family left, Chen Lan immediately began opening the gifts.

The more she looked, the more excited she became.

Lin Jiarong, smoking beside her, said, “Honey, I still think this isn’t quite proper.”

“I know exactly what kind of temper the old patriarch and my brother have. Now that we’ve gone this far, they’ll definitely come after us mercilessly in the future.”

“Improper? What the hell is improper about this?” Chen Lan snapped. “It’s those ungrateful bastards who’ve gone too far with our daughter!”

“Damn it, now that I’ve finally found a chance, I’m going to ruin them properly!”

Lin Jiarong sighed. “It’s fine to toy with them a bit and give them a little scare, but no matter what, I’m still one of the Lin family. I can’t just stand by and watch the Lin family go bankrupt.”

“Don’t forget, I’m still earning my wage from the Lin family, and your promotion to supervisor only came because of the Lin family’s connections.”

Chen Lan sneered. “Hmph! What supervisor? The Lin family just tossed you a beggar’s bone.”

“Anyway, don’t interfere. If Xiaoyu’s trip to my parents’ home goes smoothly, then what even is the Lin family?”

At that moment, Hong Yu and Lin Shuyu also stepped off the train.

Chen Lan had not lied to the old patriarch. Lin Shuyu really had gone to her maternal family’s home.

“Not bad. As expected of a first-tier city. Huizhou really isn’t something a place like Fengzhou can compare to.”

Hong Yu sighed as soon as he got off the train.

Lin Shuyu laughed beside him. “That’s why it’s called a first-tier city. Fengzhou is only third-tier. The difference is huge.”

Not far away, some people from Huizhou heard their conversation and looked at them as though they were country bumpkins come to town.

For those who lived in a first-tier city, there was, of course, a certain pride to that.

Just as the two were marveling at the place, a BMW and a Mercedes suddenly stopped in front of them.

“Sister Xiaoyu, we’ve been waiting for you forever!”

The BMW door opened, and a fair-faced young woman in a short skirt hurried out. Upon seeing Lin Shuyu, she complained first, then ran up and embraced her warmly.

This girl was Lin Shuyu’s cousin and was still in college.

“Yingying, after all these years, you’ve really become more and more beautiful,” Lin Shuyu said, genuinely happy. She had always been closer to her grandmother’s side of the family.

As for the relatives on her grandfather’s side, they were truly hard to describe.

Chen Yingying smiled. “Cousin, it’s been so long, and you’re still so good with words.”

Just as the two sisters were trading flattering remarks, the Mercedes door opened as well.

A young man in a crisp suit got out, smiled, and then walked toward Lin Shuyu.

Hong Yu had originally thought this young man was Chen Yingying’s boyfriend, but seeing how the man kept staring fixedly at Lin Shuyu, he suddenly had a bad feeling.