Standing Next To You-Chapter 334: Confirming Suspicion

"Someone is surely trying to make herself important, arriving when everyone is already present. This is the first time I’ve seen a youngster do this in our family. Don’t you think it’s outrageous?"

Lin Baozhi’s comment caused the atmosphere to grow tense in an instant. His wife, Yu Qiao, gently tugged on his sleeve as if to stop him.

"Don’t be like that. Little Sangyun must be busy; after all, she is in high school and their finals are just around the corner."

"Busy? Who among us isn’t busy? Is she managing a business like us?" Lin Baozhi scoffed.

Lin Xiao, Lin Xiaoni’s father, glanced at the couple. These two were teaming up to roast Lin Ginxian’s daughter in front of the old man. Since an opportunity was present, he joined in as well.

"I agree with Eldest brother this time. Look at Lin Ruo’s children, they are in the same grade as her, but they managed to allocate time for the family dinner. My daughter is also preparing for the finals, but she put it aside for this important event. After all, we rarely gather as a family."

After speaking his piece, he glanced at Lin Ruo and Li Mei, subtly hinting at them to add fuel to the fire.

With Lin Baozhi opening the topic, this was a great chance to attack the third branch. He had more ammunition to use, but he would only reveal his cards at the most opportune time.

However, contrary to his expectation, Lin Ruo and Li Mei remained silent, as if they didn’t catch his hint at all.

Fortunately, his smart wife, Xiao Mi, caught the hint and did not let the topic die down.

"Right. No matter how busy she is, she should still stay at home for the dinner and play with her cousins. Father rarely asks us to have dinner together. We seldom have opportunities to bond like this."

Lin Ginxian’s hands clenched around his utensil, turning his knuckles white. Every family dinner, they always tried to strike him first. Because of his ’faulty’ daughter, they always had the opportunity to attack him.

He tried to suppress his temper. "...We have disappointed you all. Sangyun, apologize to everyone."

All eyes turned to Bei Sangyun.

Despite the pressuring the gazes of the adults, Bei Sangyun remained composed. She was slicing her steak into little bites without any intention of eating them.

The light sound of the silver knife hitting the porcelain plate was amplified in the silent atmosphere.

Her silence and indifferent expression caused the adults’ faces to turn ugly.

This child was now openly ridiculing them. But seeing her being disrespectful towards her elders in front of the headmaster, their expressions softened.

Right, the ruder she is, the better for them.

Only Lin Ginxian was shaking with anger.

When everyone thought she wouldn’t answer, Bei Sangyun put down her utensil and looked up at everyone. "Why should I apologize? What did I do wrong?"

Everyone’s expressions changed. But before they could speak, Bei Sangyun turned to the old man sitting at the head of the table.

"Am I not allowed to go out on the day of a family dinner? I even made sure to arrive in time."

Old Master Lin: "...."

He felt a headache coming on. There was no rule that they couldn’t go out on the day of a family dinner. But isn’t it common sense that they should all be here? It was the day the head of the family chose for them to reunite and bond. It was the rare day where the headmaster came out to check on his children and grandchildren.

This day was mainly for both the older and younger generations to curry favor and impress the headmaster.

Obviously, Bei Sangyun did not break any family rule. But what she had done clearly made her lose some good favor with him- the headmaster.

Old Master Lin waved his hand. "You did not break any rule, so there’s no need to apologize. However, when I summoned you, you should have responded."

Bei Sangyun shrugged. "I was busy. I didn’t see your call."

Her casual answer, devoid of any sincerity, caused everyone at the table to look at her in shock. How could she talk back to the headmaster like that?

Old Master Lin was speechless as well. However, he had already tasted Bei Sangyun’s indifferent responses before. And after what happened with the Simon family, Old Master Lin knew he had wronged her. That must be the reason why this granddaughter of his had suddenly grown cold.

He sighed. "Fine. I won’t pursue the matter. But next time, when I call you, you have to be available."

Bei Sangyun just shrugged again, without giving a proper response. But the old man did not get angry.

This caused the people at the table to look back and forth between them, their faces showing confusion.

That’s all?

They had expected Bei Sangyun to be scolded and punished for her rude manners. But nothing happened.

The momentum they had built was gone instantly. For the moment, they couldn’t attack Bei Sangyun.

Lin Ginxian’s dark expression finally subsided a bit.

The meal continued in silence under the strange atmosphere. When the table was cleared by the maids, and desserts and wine were presented, Lin Baozhi gestured to his son.

Lin Zhe received his father’s hint and brought up the matter at hand.

"Grandfather, since everyone is present, I would like to continue our conversation from earlier."

Old Master Lin knew what the first branch was scheming, but he had promised to give them an explanation, so he let them proceed. He turned to the second branch.

"Lin Zhe told me that you stole the task I gave him. It’s fine if no money was wasted and you delivered a better outcome. However, what you did disrupted business and incurred a loss. How will your second branch answer for this?"

Lin Zhe stared closely at the second and fourth branches. If he put pressure on the second branch and the fourth branch stepped in to help, then his suspicions would be confirmed.

However, Lin Fei took responsibility for the whole matter. He said he saw the opportunity and took it. Because he wanted to test how far he could go, he handled the task himself. It was a ridiculous reason, but it fit with his personality, so no one doubted it.

Lin Fei’s father, Lin Fang, scolded him in front of everyone and then apologized to Old Master Lin. They put it off as Lin Fei’s fault. For compensation, the second branch promised to share resources with the first branch and offer other benefits as well.

They managed to get this much because Lin Zhe strongly pressured them, only stopping when Old Master Lin stepped in to mediate the matter.

However, from the beginning to the end, Lin Zhe did not see what he was looking for. The fourth branch remained indifferent and did not step in to help the second branch, as if they didn’t care at all.

Lin Zhe began to doubt his own suspicions. Could it be that the second branch wasn’t behind the fourth branch after all?