Standing Next To You-Chapter 436: The Lin family, four years later (II)

Suddenly, the music shifted, and all eyes turned to the entrance. Old Master Lin had arrived.

His presence finally dispersed the crowd around Lin Sanju, allowing him to breathe a little easier.

"If they’re overwhelming you, just tell them to f*ck off," Lin Sunji, who had been silent until now, quipped. She took a sip from her wine glass, smirking with a hint of ridicule at her brother. "Why are you even humoring them? Just throw them to ’her’ and let her handle it."

"Watch your language, Sunji. And why are you drinking so early?" He grabbed the wine glass from her hand. "Be careful not to upset anyone. You know how important today is."

"Ugh, why do you always nag me? Even Mother doesn’t nag me this much. Anyway, where are they?"

Lin Sanju gestured toward the entrance. "They’re already flocking around Grandfather."

Lin Sunji glanced over and saw their parents, all smiles, welcoming guests alongside Old Master Lin.

The sight reminded her of the days when her parents were solely focused on winning the old man’s favor. If she didn’t know better, she might have thought they’d reverted to their old ways.

Li Mei, noticing her gaze, glanced over at their table. After whispering something to her husband, Lin Ruo, she left him to continue greeting the guests.

Li Mei approached them. "Is she here? You said she might come today."

Before Lin Sanju could respond, Lin Sunji scowled. "Why are you so concerned about her? Is she your daughter?"

"You brat." A flick on her forehead made Lin Sunji frown even more. "I’ll consider her like a daughter, given what she’s done for our branch. When you meet her later, fix your attitude. She is our benefactor. We haven’t seen her for four years, so be on your best behavior."

Lin Sunji rubbed her forehead and muttered to herself.

Great. Her mother, who had once adored and spoiled her, now seemed to favor another’s daughter. It felt like a harsh reversal of roles—she who was once cherished was now being reprimanded.

"You’ve changed, Mom," she grumbled.

Li Mei, used to her daughter’s complaints, remained unfazed. "Don’t drink too much. Support your brother today. I’m going to assist your father."

As Lin Sunji watched her mother walk away, she grumbled even more.

Her gaze then wandered around the room and landed on a corner table. Her eyes widened, and she froze.

She blinked, trying to confirm if she was imagining things.

But just as she was about to take a closer look, a group of guests moved into her line of sight. By the time they cleared, the figure she had seen at the table had disappeared.

Lin Sunji stared in confusion. Was she mistaken, or had the person she saw merely resembled him?

Recalling the figure and comparing it to her memory, she noted that, while familiar, the temperament seemed very different.

Perhaps she had just mistaken him for someone else.

After all, it was unlikely that person would be here.

****

The banquet proceeded with Old Master Lin’s speech and the audience’s applause.

Seated at his table, Old Master Lin wasted no time in addressing Lin Ginxian, who received a disapproving look from members of the first branch.

"Where is your daughter?" Old Master Lin asked bluntly as soon as he sat down.

Lin Ginxian sighed. This question was all too familiar. He had been hearing it every year since Bei Sangyun left the Lin mansion four years ago.

Old Master Lin was naturally displeased when Bei Sangyun departed without notice—except to the fourth branch—which angered him deeply. Hurt by her departure and his pride wounded, he immediately revoked Bei Sangyun’s title as heir.

Her actions had truly incensed him.

Since then, he had relentlessly pressured Lin Ginxian to summon Bei Sangyun. Each year, Old Master Lin would remind everyone not to support Bei Sangyun if she ever asked for help and to report to him if she was spotted. free𝑤ebnovel.com

But there was no luck. Bei Sangyun had left Country C long ago.

As the years passed, Old Master Lin’s anger slowly dissipated, leaving behind a multitude of questions. Why had she left the Lin family? Why had she been in such a hurry to leave the country, even missing her own graduation?

With these questions in mind, Old Master Lin always inquired about her the moment he encountered Lin Ginxian.

"...I sent the invitation to her butler, but I haven’t received any reply," Lin Ginxian responded, as usual.

"She hasn’t contacted you yet? You’ve truly failed as a father."

Lin Ginxian said nothing and simply took a sip of his wine.

"Anyway, tell her butler that I will announce the official heir at the company’s anniversary banquet. Although she has lost her right to compete, she is still welcome to come to our house. As long as she provides an explanation, I might reconsider and accept her back into the family. But!" Old Master Lin’s tone turned stern, "She must change her surname back to Lin."

Lin Ginxian stared at his wine glass, showing no interest in Old Master Lin’s words. "...I don’t think that will change her mind."

She was stubborn, and her heart would not be easily swayed. He had already conceded in the struggle for inheritance and had transferred all the third branch’s support to the fourth branch in an attempt to soften her heart, yet he hadn’t heard a word from her.

He had sacrificed much and even set aside his own greed, but it had not elicited any emotional response from her. Over the past years, she had remained cold and indifferent.

He had done everything he could, but it seemed too late to mend their relationship.

Thinking about the fractured bond with his only daughter, Lin Ginxian’s expression grew bitter. He drained his wine glass in one go.

Perhaps he would grow old and die without ever seeing his daughter again or fixing their relationship. This, he felt, was his punishment.

Old Master Lin observed as Lin Ginxian drained glass after glass of wine. He ’tsked’ softly and muttered ’useless’ to himself, though his own heart felt a pang of bitterness.

Despite his anger over her changing her surname and leaving the Lin family, why couldn’t he let her go after all these years?

She might have been different and smarter than the others, but her rude manners and strange attitude made her unfit to be his heir. So what was the point in trying to bring her back?

Old Master Lin sighed and took a sip of his wine. Perhaps he was simply growing old and sentimental.