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Novel Catalog
Chapter 33
Lin Yuzhen flinched at the harshness in her grandfather’s voice. Her chest tightened as she struggled to find words, but she remained silent, her hands clenched at her sides. The sting of his words cut deeper than she expected. It wasn’t the first time Lin Xiao had treated her as insignificant, but hearing him dismiss her so coldly, especially after everything she had done for the family, felt like a betrayal.
Lin Wen, on the other hand, was trembling with rage, his fists clenched in his lap. The bitterness he had been holding inside for years now surfaced, fueled by the unfairness of the situation. He had come here with the hope that his father might see reason, that he might intervene and stop Lin Qiang’s destructive plans. Instead, he was met with a complete refusal to acknowledge the truth.
“Father,” Lin Wen said through gritted teeth, his voice trembling with emotion. “Are you truly this blind? You can’t even see what your eldest son is doing to the family?”
Lin Xiao’s eyes flickered for a moment, but he quickly masked it with a look of indifference. “Don’t test my patience, Wen. You’re speaking out of turn. I won’t tolerate this slander against my son.”
“Your son?” Lin Wen’s voice cracked, his frustration overflowing. “The same son who has been sabotaging the family at every turn? The same son who is willing to destroy Yuzhen just for his own gain?” His face flushed with anger. “How can you be so loyal to him, even when he’s tearing us apart?”
For a long moment, Lin Xiao simply stared at his son, his face unreadable. Then, without warning, he turned away, picking up his prayer beads again as if dismissing the entire conversation. “I don’t want to hear any more of this. You’ve gone too far, Wen. I’ve had enough of your nonsense.”
“Enough of my nonsense?” Lin Wen nearly shouted, his voice rising with disbelief. “I’m not the one causing this rift! I’m not the one plotting against the family, against my own niece! Lin Qiang is the one who’s done this, and you can’t even see it!”
Lin Xiao didn’t respond. Instead, he continued with his prayers, as if the discussion was over.
The silence that followed was suffocating, and Lin Wen’s heart sank. He felt like a fool for having come here, trying to appeal to the man who was supposed to be the patriarch of the family. But the reality was clear now: Lin Xiao wasn’t going to do anything to stop Lin Qiang. He wouldn’t even acknowledge the damage his son was causing. To him, Lin Qiang could do no wrong.
Lin Yuzhen’s voice trembled as she finally spoke, breaking the silence. “Grandpa, don’t you care about what happens to us? To the Lin family? This project, this whole future—everything is at risk because of Lin Qiang, and you’re just turning your back on it.”
Lin Xiao didn’t even look at her. “You are too emotional, Yuzhen. Focus on the work. I’ve made my decision.”
Lin Wen’s frustration was reaching a boiling point, but he forced himself to calm down. His father’s indifference was infuriating, but there was nothing he could do. Not in this house, not with Lin Xiao this way.
He looked over at Yuzhen, her eyes filled with hurt. His heart softened at the sight of her, knowing how much she had sacrificed for the family, only to be treated like this.
“Let’s go,” Lin Wen said quietly, turning his chair toward the door. “We’ll handle this ourselves.”
Yuzhen nodded, her voice barely a whisper. “I can’t believe it… Grandpa really doesn’t care.”
As they made their way out, Jiang Ning was waiting at the door, his expression unreadable. He didn’t need to ask what had happened; the tension was thick in the air.
Lin Wen gave a short shake of his head, his face hardening with resolve. “It’s over. He won’t do anything. We’ll have to fight this ourselves.”
Jiang Ning’s eyes narrowed as he looked at them, his voice low and determined. “Then we fight. We don’t let Lin Qiang destroy everything.”
Lin Wen met his gaze, a flicker of hope rekindling in his chest. “We’ll need all the help we can get. But we can’t back down. Not this time.”
Together, they left the Lin estate, the weight of their family’s future heavy on their shoulders. Despite the cold dismissal from Lin Xiao, they knew they couldn’t stop now. Lin Qiang’s plans were too far-reaching, and Lin Wen and Yuzhen weren’t about to let him tear the Lin family apart.
