Standing Next To You-Chapter 44: Family Dinner

It took a long time to convince Grandma Bei to allow Bei Sangyun to leave with Butler Xin. They hugged each other for a while.

"I’ll be back in a couple of days. You have to listen to the doctor. If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask Guard Huang. He will guide you and be your personal assistant for a while."

Bei Sangyun glanced at the silent Guard Huang. "Right, Guard Huang?"

"... Yes, young miss."

That gaze was intimidating. Guard Huang couldn’t help but break into a sweat.

Grandma Bei had no choice but to let Bei Sangyun go. She held onto Bei Sangyun’s hand tightly. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

"Remember what I told you? Don’t let anyone mistreat you. Stand up for yourself if it becomes too much. Don’t endure it; come to me quickly. Although I’m not as strong as I used to be, I can still hold my ground. I’ll make sure to give them a piece of my mind."

Grandma said solemnly.

Bei Sangyun was deeply touched. In the past, she had thought her grandma’s stubbornness and toughness were negative traits that hindered her ability to get along with others.

Only now did she understand how precious those qualities were. Grandma Bei’s words were comforting and eased the restlessness in her heart. The world might curse at her, but Grandma Bei would always be on her side.

"I’ll take good care of myself, grandma. I’ll be back with you soon."

Bei Sangyun left with Butler Xin.

She glanced back at the hospital once more, her gaze warm.

But when she turned around, the warmth in her eyes disappeared, replaced by a cold and aloof expression as she prepared to face the people she was about to meet.

******

The grand Lin mansion was bustling with activity today because the headmaster, Old Master Lin, had announced through his personal butler that he would be joining dinner tonight.

All the other heirs who had initially made plans elsewhere canceled them and returned home early. This included their parents, who were staying at their own villas.

No matter how important the appointment or the business meetings were, it could not compare to the importance of gaining favor from the headmaster of the Lin family.

They promptly arrived at the Lin mansion, eager to make a favorable impression on the family patriarch.

With all the masters returning, the Lin mansion was livelier than usual.

In the west wing, Lin Sunji admired herself in the mirror.

"You look absolutely stunning, First Young Miss. Red suits you perfectly," her personal maid complimented, causing Lin Sunji’s confidence to soar.

"I couldn’t agree more. Though any color suits me, I have a special fondness for red. It makes my complexion appear even fairer and ensures that I stand out."

Lin Sunji twirled around in front of the mirror. "I will be the prettiest in the dining room tonight."

Her personal maid nodded in agreement and continued with another round of flattery.

Li Mei, Lin Sunji’s mother, entered the room and saw her daughter in a stunning red dress with heavy makeup. She frowned.

"Why are you dressed up as if you’re going to a party? You’re attending dinner with your grandfather, not your peers! Change your dress and go lighter on the makeup. Your grandfather doesn’t like it when the younger generation wears heavy makeup."

Lin Sunji’s pretty face scrunched up. "But if I wear white and use less makeup, I’ll look like I’m attending a funeral. That bitch Xiaoni will surely dress more grandly than me. She’ll stand out and make fun of me!"

"Let her foolishness be her own downfall. Grandfather looks more favorably at someone who is dressed simple but elegant."

Li Mei went to Lin Sunji’s closet and found a dress that her daughter hadn’t worn yet.

"This dress will do. Put it on."

Lin Sunji’s eyes widened as she looked at the dress in horror.

"I don’t like that dress! It’s too long and my collar is covered! It even has long sleeves! I don’t know why it is in my closet but this dress is for nuns!"

"I bought this dress specifically for this kind of occasion. All your dresses are too short and revealing. You can’t wear them in front of your grandfather."

Lin Sunji resisted changing, but her mother was equally determined. She even considered threatening her with not buying any new dresses this week, knowing how much Lin Sunji loved her wardrobe upgrades.

And Lin Sunji couldn’t bear the thought of going without new, luxurious dresses.

Reluctantly, Lin Sunji changed into a white dress while grumbling. Her exquisite makeup was replaced with a simpler look.

She frowned in front of the mirror, she looked less lively than earlier.

Lin Mei observed her daughter and nodded with satisfaction.

"You need to appear as a modest and conservative young lady in front of your grandfather. That way, he’ll be more inclined towards you. People of his generation appreciate when the younger generation dresses appropriately."

Lin Sunji pouted in response.

Lin Mei gently held her daughter’s shoulder and looked at her lovingly. "Don’t be upset. Mommy will buy you a few more dresses that are even better than the red one. There’s a rumor that your favorite designer is releasing a limited edition dress. I’ll make sure to get it for you."

The sadness in Lin Sunji’s eyes disappeared. "You promise? I want the whole set, not just two."

Money wasn’t an issue for the Lin family, so Li Mei nodded.

"I’ll get you the entire set, including the matching accessories. But you have to ensure your ranking is higher than Lin Ginxian’s daughter."

Lin Sunji grew displeased at the mention of Bei Sangyun. She grumbled, "She only ranked higher than me last time because I wasn’t feeling well during the previous exam. But she won’t surpass me again. She’s not even attending school and has missed a lot of points!"

"She missed school?" Li Mei asked in shock.

Lin Ginxian’s daughter, the illegitimate child, had one redeeming quality: her academic achievements.

Lin Ginxian wasn’t proud of the fact that he brought a child out of marriage and made that child compete for the inheritance.

If Lin Ginxian had not been injured and could not impregnate his current wife to produce any more children, that illegitimate daughter wouldn’t have had an opportunity to come to the Lin family or be recognized as his daughter.

Initially, he was about to give up the slot for his child’s inheritance since he did not have any children, but the appearance of the illegitimate daughter rekindled his greed for the inheritance.

Giving up because he had no other choice than to lose even if he had the opportunity was a very different matter.

When the illegitimate daughter displayed extraordinary intelligence, Lin Ginxian totally changed his mind. He still desired to be the guardian of the official heir. So he put in extra effort to groom her when she showed more intelligence than the average child.

That’s what Lin Ginxian was betting on.

However, apart from her intelligence, there was nothing remarkable about his illegitimate daughter.

Therefore, Lin Ginxian would never allow his daughter to miss school and jeopardize her chances of becoming the top-ranked student.

The fact that news of the illegitimate daughter’s absence from school hadn’t leaked was likely thanks to Lin Ginxian’s efforts. He must have taken measures to prevent her truancy from becoming known and reaching Old Master Lin’s ears.

Li Mei was suddenly rejuvenated. She asked Lin Sunji when the illegitimate daughter had stopped attending school.

When she learned it had been two days, Li Mei was overjoyed!

That illegitimate daughter dared to skip school for two days without any valid reason?

It must be related to the news she heard about her husband two days ago. The illegitimate daughter met the Old Master and the other masters on her way out. Instead of greeting them politely, she left rudely which caused Lin Ginxian to be angry.

At that time, Li Mei hadn’t thought much of it. But after hearing this particular information from her daughter, Li Mei was sure that something was going on in her Third brother-in-law’s family.

Her eyes were brimming with delight.

Hahaha! This couldn’t have come at a better time!

*****

At the long dining table, Old Master Lin’s five sons and their respective wives were in attendance. All the heirs, except for Bei Sangyun, were present as well.

The food was served, and when Old Master Lin picked up his utensils, the others followed suit.

Lin Xiaoni, dressed in light pink, glanced at Lin Sunji’s white dress, a mocking laughter dancing in her eyes.

"First sister, are you attending a funeral? You look as pale as a ghost. If someone saw you, they’d think you were in mourning rather than joining a family dinner."

Lin Sunji poked her steak aggressively as she narrowed her eyes. "Don’t start with me, Xiaoni. I don’t want your stupidity to rub off on me."

Upon hearing that, Lin Xiaoni stopped laughing and shot an angry glare back at Lin Sunji.

"You...!"

"Xiaoni," Xiaoni’s mother, Xiao Mi, interrupted her daughter from causing a scene in front of Old Master Lin.

Lin Xiaoni fell silent but continued to glare at Lin Sunji.

Lin Sunji returned the glare. She detested Lin Xiaoni but also harbored resentment toward the person who had arranged for the spoiled brat to sit in front of her.

Li Mei’s attention wasn’t on her daughter or Lin Xiaoni. She glanced at her husband and gave him a discreet signal.

Lin Ruo, Li Mei’s husband and Lin Sunji’s father, spoke, breaking the silence at the dining table.

"It’s not often that we gather for a simple dinner. We’re grateful to Father for allowing us to come together and strengthen our family bonds."

He spoke with a cheerful tone, as if genuinely pleased to be dining together.

Then, he looked at the empty seat. "This would have been a perfect and memorable family dinner, but it’s a pity that someone is absent. Sigh." He sighed as if he deeply regretted that their gathering was incomplete.

All eyes turned to the vacant seat.

The adults at the table, including Lin Zhe and Lin Fei, understood the underlying message in Lin Ruo’s words.

They wore expressions that suggested they were anticipating a show.

While on the other hand, Lin Ginxian’s face darkened.

*******

A/n: Let’s meet the Fourth Branch of the Lin family.

Fourth Master- Lin Ruo

Fourth Master’s Wife- Li Mei

Daughter- Lin Sunji (First Young Miss)

Son- Lin Sanju (Third Young Master)

.....

Other Lin family members that are mentioned in this Chapter:

Lin Xiaoni (Fourth Young Miss)- the youngest among the heirs.

Lin Zhe (First Young Master)- the oldest among the heirs

Lin Fei (Second Young Master)- the second oldest among the heirs.