Chapter 376: Housekeeper Xiao
This time, it was Lin Rulong's turn to be enraged. Below the stage stood more than half of Provincial City's upper-class figures. Lin Qingyun's public defiance was a slap in the face. How could he, Lin Rulong, ever hold his head high again after this?
"Lin Qingyun! Are you determined to embarrass me?" Lin Rulong bellowed. "Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. Are you still pining for that Zhao Dong? Let me tell you, it's impossible between you two! You are destined to be the Xiao Family's bride! Hurry up and tell Steward Xiao that you have completely forgotten that boy, or don't blame me for disregarding our ties as father and daughter!"
Lin Rulong had completely torn off his mask of pretense, and everyone assumed Lin Qingyun would finally yield. But in the next moment, another cold snort escaped her lips. The crowd was utterly dumbfounded, and Lin Rulong was left completely mortified on stage.
He wanted nothing more than to slap her hard, but she only glared back at him with reddened eyes, showing no trace of backing down. She was, after all, his own flesh and blood. Faced with her defiant, fearless demeanor, Lin Rulong ultimately backed down.
"Fine then!" Xiao Ming's face turned livid with anger. "Lin Qingyun, you're disrespecting the Xiao Family, is that it? Do you have any idea of the consequences of angering us?"
At his words, the members of the Lin Family were immediately aghast and rushed to console him.
Just then, Cai Sumei's sardonic voice cut through the air. "Heh, truly our great 'young miss,' always thinking of her own comfort and not caring one bit about the survival of the Lin Family! You'll be the ruin of us all sooner or later!"
Cai Sumei's sarcasm finally made Lin Qingyun snap. "Shut up!" she roared.
"Cai Sumei, who do you think you are? You're just my stepmother. What right do you have to meddle in my marriage?"
"Yes, I am your stepmother, and I have no right to meddle in your marriage," Cai Sumei said ominously. "But I am a member of the Lin Family, Rulong's wife, and the mistress of this household! By offending the Xiao Family, you are dooming us all, so of course, I have to speak up!
"Lin Qingyun, you're not a child anymore. Don't you know how powerful the Xiao Family is? If we offend them, our family won't survive for three days! And what's so great about that Zhao Dong anyway? Only by marrying into the Xiao Family will you enjoy endless glory and wealth, and only then can the Lin Family prosper!"
"Shut your mouth! Shut up!" Lin Qingyun trembled with fury, her voice a roar. "I won't let you speak about Zhao Dong! I don't care if he's good or not; I like him, and I will marry him! If you want me to marry into the Xiao Family, there's no chance in hell!"
"Heh, how touching," Cai Sumei continued to taunt her. "If Zhao Dong knew how much you're defending him, do you think he'd be moved to tears? I wonder. But what I do know is that you're here crying, while that Zhao Dong of yours... where is he? Don't tell me he doesn't know today is your grandfather's birthday banquet! Yet that coward doesn't even dare to show his face! A useless, spineless piece of trash—is that the man you love?"
Cai Sumei's words struck a nerve. Tears streamed down Lin Qingyun's face, and she was unable to form a single word in rebuttal.
She's right... Zhao Dong... where is he?
Xiao Ming sneered. "Your stepmother is right. You love that Zhao Dong enough to give him your heart. But what about him? In your time of need, he's just a coward who pulls his head into his shell, not even daring to attend the banquet. What makes a man like that qualified to marry you?
"On the other hand, our young master is the heir to the Xiao Family. His strength already far exceeds my own; he is truly a dragon among men. For our young master to have taken an interest in you is your great fortune. I advise you not to be so ungrateful!"
"No!" Lin Qingyun screamed. "Zhao Dong is not a coward! He must have been held up by something! He would never abandon me!"
"Heh, is that so?" Xiao Ming said disdainfully. "If he really dares to come, I'll slap him to death with a single palm!"
At this, realization dawned on the crowd below. Seeing an opportunity to curry favor with the Xiao Family, they all chimed in.
"Miss Lin, stop this foolishness! Just forget about that trash Zhao Dong; he's not worthy of you!"
"That's right! I've never even heard of this Zhao Dong. In contrast, Young Master Xiao's reputation precedes him—he's a true dragon! Marrying him is the right choice!"
"That Zhao Dong is a real bastard! He has no power of his own yet dares to pester Miss Lin. If he actually shows up, Steward Xiao won't even have to lift a finger—I'd want to kill him myself!"
"Miss Lin, Patriarch Lin and the others are just doing this for your own good. You should just accept it!"
This chorus of agreement finally shattered Lin Qingyun's composure. She screamed hysterically, "No! No! I refuse! I refuse! You want me to marry into the Xiao Family? Over my dead body!"
SLAP!
A sharp, crisp slap cut through Lin Qingyun's screams. Cai Sumei shook out her stinging hand, her voice chilling. "Lin Qingyun, I suppose I've been too easy on you?"
"You... you hit me?" Lin Qingyun covered her reddening cheek, her face a mask of disbelief.
"I don't care who you want to marry, but if you're trying to get the entire Lin Family killed..." Cai Sumei sneered, "then I'll have to teach you a lesson on behalf of that dead mother of yours!"
The mention of her "dead mother" sent Lin Qingyun spiraling out of control. She lunged at Cai Sumei like a madwoman.
But Cai Sumei was clearly an experienced shrew. She sidestepped the attack, her hand already raised to strike Lin Qingyun's face once more.
Seeing the palm whistling toward her, Lin Qingyun couldn't dodge in time and squeezed her eyes shut in fear. One second passed... then two... then three. The expected pain never came.
She timidly opened her eyes to see a tall figure standing before her, blocking the sunlight. His right hand was raised, firmly clamped around Cai Sumei's wrist.
"Qingyun, I'm sorry... I'm late."
Tears instantly flooded her vision. Lin Qingyun threw herself into Zhao Dong's embrace, the dam of her composure finally breaking. "Zhao Dong," she sobbed, "you came... you finally came... I thought... I thought you didn't want me anymore..."
"Silly girl." A look of pure adoration on his face, Zhao Dong gently stroked her forehead. "You're the woman I love most in this world. How could I ever not want you?"
As they held each other, the surrounding crowd stared, their jaws agape.
"Is that Zhao Dong?"
"Holy shit! The guy really dared to show up?"
"Does he have a death wish? How does he have the guts!"
"Zhao Dong!" Lin Rulong finally snapped out of it, roaring, "You little brat! You actually dared to come here? You're courting death!"
Zhao Dong shot Lin Rulong a sidelong glance, his tone neither servile nor overbearing. "I'm here to protect my woman. Why wouldn't I dare to come?"
"You!" Before Lin Rulong could continue, Xiao Ming cut him off.
"Boy, you're Zhao Dong?" Murderous intent flared in Xiao Ming's eyes.
"That's me," Zhao Dong replied, his own gaze filled with disdain.