Chapter 75: Coming to Court with Roses
Early morning sunlight spilled through the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the Lin Family’s spacious and bright dining room.
An exquisite breakfast was laid out on the long dining table, its aroma filling the air, yet it couldn’t dispel the heavy, almost stagnant tension that permeated the room.
"Zhenye."
Su Wan’s icy voice suddenly rang out, shattering the oppressive silence.
"About you secretly transferring 5% of the company’s shares to Yue Yao—let’s talk about it now, while the whole family is here."
Lin Hao’s hand, reaching for a piece of bread, froze in mid-air. He looked up, stunned.
The smile on Lin Yueyao’s face froze as well.
Lin Zhenye looked up at Su Wan, his displeasure evident. "Didn’t we already talk about this last night? Why bring it up during a meal? We can discuss it later in the study."
"The study?"
Su Wan’s voice suddenly rose, laced with the anger and disappointment she had suppressed all night.
"Why the study? You hid this from me, and I found out. Are you going to hide it from Shengsheng and Xiao Hao now, too? Or is it that you know deep down what you did was wrong and can’t be discussed out in the open?"
"Su Wan!"
Lin Zhenye’s face darkened, and his tone grew heavy.
"Watch your words! Yue Yao’s efforts and contributions over the years are plain for all to see. Giving her a reward and some security is perfectly reasonable, both emotionally and logically."
"Reasonable?" Su Wan’s eyes reddened with anger. "Then what about Shengsheng? Our own daughter just returned, and she’s already distant with us. How could you break her heart like this? Lin Zhenye, do you even care about Shengsheng at all?"
Confronted like this, Lin Zhenye’s face went pale. He avoided Su Wan’s gaze, and though his voice remained firm, it had lost some of its force.
"Yun Sheng just got back; everything takes time to adjust to. I’ll make proper arrangements for her in the future."
"The future? What future!"
Su Wan refused to accept such a vague delay tactic. She shot to her feet, the legs of her chair scraping harshly against the floor.
"Shengsheng lived in that kind of environment for eighteen years! Don’t we, as her parents, have any idea how much she’s suffered? She has finally made it home, and instead of compensating her immediately, you’re here giving me excuses about ’the future’!
Lin Zhenye, we have three children. Even if you can’t be perfectly fair, you can’t show such blatant favoritism. If you’re going to distribute shares, then all three children get them!"
A vein throbbed on Lin Zhenye’s temple. He took a deep breath, trying to suppress his anger.
"Su Wan, be reasonable! It’s a huge block of shares; you can’t just split them up on a whim. In any case, as for Yun Sheng... I will consider it, but I need time!"
The air in the dining room froze completely. The servants had long since retreated to the corners of the room, holding their breath.
Lin Hao watched, dumbfounded. Normally, he might have jumped up to redirect his parents’ argument toward Yun Sheng, blaming her for disrupting the family’s peace since her return.
But today, he opened his mouth and, uncharacteristically, said nothing.
For one thing, he himself only owned the 3% of shares his grandfather had gifted him years ago. Suddenly learning that his father had secretly transferred 5% to Lin Yueyao sparked an awkward feeling and a faint sense of injustice that he just couldn’t suppress.
For another—and more importantly—he simply didn’t have the energy or mental space for it anymore.
Ever since Bai Ye had arranged for him to report to Luo Cheng, Lin Hao had been thrown directly into the Tower’s special training program.
In just a few short days, he had been put through the wringer.
That wasn’t training, it was torture! It was hell!
Right now, he just wanted to stuff the food in front of him into his stomach, then seize the moment to go move his stiff body in the courtyard, or maybe just collapse back into bed for another ten minutes...
Amid this suffocating silence, Yun Sheng gently set down her chopsticks, dabbed the corner of her mouth with a napkin, and stood up.
"Mr. Lin, Mrs. Lin, please take your time. I’ll be returning to my room."
She turned and walked toward the dining room exit.
"Yun Sheng." Lin Zhenye’s voice came from behind her, laced with post-argument exhaustion and a hint of unyielding command. "Wait a moment."
Yun Sheng stopped but didn’t immediately turn back.
All eyes in the dining room focused on her ramrod-straight back.
"Yun Sheng, about the shares... do you have an opinion? If you think it’s unfair, you can say so directly."
Only then did Yun Sheng slowly turn around. Her expression remained neutral as she looked calmly at Lin Zhenye.
"You are the head of the Lin Group, so naturally, the decision about the shares is yours. I’ve only just returned and have made no contribution to the company or the Lin Family. One shouldn’t be rewarded without merit. I have no objections."
"No objections? What do you mean, no objections!"
Su Wan immediately retorted, agitated. She walked over and grabbed Yun Sheng’s arm.
"Shengsheng, don’t be afraid. This is what you deserve." She turned to Lin Zhenye. "Lin Zhenye, you listen to me! Today, you will give me—and this family—a clear answer! Reconsider the distribution plan, and make sure all three children get a share. Otherwise, we’ll do this by the book—we’ll call a board meeting and let them be the judge!"
"Su Wan! You’re being utterly unreasonable!"
Lin Zhenye shot to his feet, his face ashen.
"Is changing company share distribution a game to you? You think you can just take them back and give them to whomever you please? Yue Yao is an S-class Guide; her contributions are undeniable! Yun Sheng has only been back for a few days! What right does she have to 5%? You’re just being difficult for the sake of it!"
"Me, being difficult? Lin Zhenye, search your conscience and tell me, is what you’re doing fair to Yun Sheng?"
Seeing this, Lin Yueyao’s eyes grew even redder, and tears streamed down her face.
She walked over to Su Wan and tried to take her hand, her voice choked with sobs.
"Mom, please don’t be like this. It’s all my fault... Dad, please stop fighting with Mom. I don’t want the shares. I really don’t. I just want Mom and my sister to be happy..."
"Yue Yao, this doesn’t concern you. Stay out of it!"
Just as the conflict in the dining room was about to reach its peak, the atmosphere so tense it felt ready to snap, a servant hurried in from outside.
"Mr. Lin, Mrs. Lin, there’s a Mr. Lin here to visit. He says... he’s looking for Miss Yun Sheng."
"A Mr. Lin?" Lin Zhenye’s brow furrowed, his anger temporarily suppressed. "What Mr. Lin? A relative from the main family?"
Su Wan also stopped talking and looked at Yun Sheng in confusion.
Yun Sheng’s heart skipped a beat.
’Mr. Lin?’
’It couldn’t be... Si Jin, could it?’
’Why would he suddenly show up at the door? And so brazenly? Wasn’t last night’s performance enough for him?’
Before she could react, a tall, imposing figure had already strode into the dining room as if no one else was there.
The newcomer wore a well-tailored, dark gray casual suit that accentuated his broad shoulders and long legs, giving him a distinguished air.
Most eye-catching of all, he was holding a massive bouquet of... vibrant, dew-kissed roses.
In the interstellar era, natural plants were a scarce resource, and roses, being exceptionally difficult to cultivate, were considered the ultimate luxury.
The man holding this priceless bouquet walked in with perfect composure, instantly drawing everyone’s gaze.
His gaze swept over the variously expressive faces in the room before finally landing on the slightly frozen figure of Yun Sheng.
He strode forward, his posture poised, and spoke in a polite and gentle tone.
"Mr. Lin, Mrs. Lin, my apologies for the intrusion. I am Miss Yun Sheng’s... friend, Lin Mo. I ran into Miss Yun Sheng by chance yesterday, and we had a wonderful conversation, but unfortunately, we had to part in a hurry. I took the liberty of visiting today in the hopes of... getting to know Miss Yun Sheng better."
As he spoke, he presented the red roses to Yun Sheng with perfect ease.
"I hope this bouquet isn’t too forward."
Si Jin smiled at Yun Sheng, his eyes sparkling as if filled with starlight, yet also hiding a provocative playfulness that only the two of them understood.