Standing Next To You-Chapter 46: Lose Favor

When Bei Sangyun’s actions finally registered in Lin Ginxian’s mind, his face turned crimson with fury.

"Bei Sangyun!" He began to raise his hand again, but Old Master Lin forcefully slapped the table.

"Impudence! How dare the two of you quarrel at the dinner table!" Old Master Lin shouted in anger.

His thunderous rebuke caused Lin Ginxian to pause. It was only now that he fully realized his father and brothers were all witnessing his disgraceful behavior.

Old Master Lin fixed a stern glare on Lin Ginxian. "You dare to raise your hand in front of me? What do you take me for? You’re not a child anymore, but your temper remains uncontrolled. You have disappointed me, Lin Ginxian."

Old Master Lin stood up, his appetite for the meal entirely gone. He did not even have the heart to announce the good news he was about to share at the end of the meal. How could he present this mess of a family to his good friend?

He would only lose face.

Old Master walked past Bei Sangyun, casting a dissatisfied glance at her. "A daughter who curses at her own father lacks manners and decorum. Lin Ginxian has clearly failed in raising you properly."

Bei Sangyun narrowed her eyes, responding without fear, "He didn’t even raise me. He doesn’t deserve to be called ’father.’"

With that, she left the dining room before Old Master Lin, leaving everyone present in stunned silence.

*****

"Crazy," Lin Xiaoni muttered with shock as she left the dining hall. "I know that girl is fierce, but she always acts like a pretentious saint in front of the adults. What changed her mind?"

Lin Sunji raised her eyebrows in surprise. "So, you do think. If you use your brains like this when you argue with her, she won’t come off as so smart in front of Grandfather."

Lin Xiaoni frowned. "Are you trying to pick a fight with me? I’m talking about her, so why are you dissing me instead?"

Lin Sunji was about to respond with another retort when their first cousin, Lin Zhe, who had been walking behind them, spoke up.

"Sunji, you’re in the same class as Sangyun, right? Did something happen with her in the past couple of days?"

The fight that was about to break out vanished in an instant. Lin Sunji shot a look at Lin Xiaoni, while the latter made a face in response.

Lin Sunji turned around and suddenly adopted a more polite tone. "First brother, she hasn’t really been coming to school at all. She didn’t even inform our teacher why she left. She faked being ill; she must have gone off to play somewhere else."

"Have you noticed anything unusual about her in the past few days?"

Since it was her eldest cousin who was asking, Lin Sunji thought more about it.

"Well, she’s still the same class bully. But when she’s at home, she acts like an obedient daughter. Aside from being a pickier eater than usual, there’s nothing else."

Lin Zhe nodded and fell silent. His eyes behind his glasses turned contemplative.

"There’s no use trying to figure her out, cousin brother. Our third sister is unpredictable," Lin Fei, who was beside him, remarked with a snicker. His eyes showed interest.

Lin Sanju, Lin Sunji’s twin, was left behind in line, his handsome face furrowing in thought. He seemed perplexed by the matter as well.

"Anyway, since that bitch just showed her despicable attitude in front of Grandpa, she would lose Grandpa’s favor, right? She might be kicked out soon," Lin Xiaoni said excitedly.

"You’re really naive. Do you think it’s that simple? The impression she made on Grandfather today was indeed bad, but her rights to compete for the official heir won’t be canceled just because of that. Unless she does something that seriously tarnishes the family’s reputation, she’s unlikely to get kicked out," Lin Sunji retorted, attacking Lin Xiaoni again.

Lin Xiaoni puffed her cheeks. "I know that too, okay."

"Sunji, are you going to school later? Sangyun might attend class today. If you get the chance, talk to her. A person doesn’t suddenly change like that without a reason. She must be under a lot of stress," Lin Zhe suggested.

"First cousin brother, you don’t have to be so concerned about that girl. You always look out for her, but she’s always been rude to you," Lin Sunji grumbled. Her first cousin brother was just too kind-hearted.

"We are all cousins. Our parents are already not on good terms; at least us cousins should be united."

Lin Sunji had nothing to retort to that. Her father and her uncles had always been at odds with each other. Their fights were not normal sibling quarrels but bloody disputes that left the loser with nothing to recover.

She had grown up watching her father and her uncles’ peculiar interactions and had come to understand the underlying meaning behind their words and the knives they hid behind their backs. Growing up like that, she knew that blood relations weren’t as important as self-interest.

The only people she could trust were her mother and father. As for her twin brother, there was a sense of distance between them as they couldn’t trust each other too much since they were both heirs.

Thus, she didn’t trust her cousins and treated them like enemies, especially Lin Xiaoni, who was the most spoiled and favored by their grandfather.

However, there was an exception: their big brother, Lin Zhe.

She could accept it if it was her first cousin brother. She followed most of his advice too. However, she couldn’t stand it whenever her first cousin brother cared for that illegitimate daughter. That bitch didn’t deserve any of their big brother’s care!

Lin Sunji pouted, "I get it. But that bitch Sangyun is not my cousin. I don’t want her to be included in the same category as her. She is a bastard!" ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

"Sunji," Lin Zhe pleaded with her.

"Why are you making our big brother plead with you? Just do it! It’s not like you are going to lose some skin!" Lin Xiaoni was annoyed with Lin Sunji.

"You’re saying that because you’re not the one who has to do it. If you were in my shoes, you would have thrown a tantrum," Lin Sunji replied, equally annoyed.

She turned to Lin Zhe, "First cousin brother, it’s not that I don’t want to do what you’re asking me to. But she might not go to school later. Uncle Ginxin grounded her."

"No, I’m sure she will come," Lin Zhe confidently stated.

Lin Sunji doubted it. That bitch had been slapped in front of everyone and must be dying of shame. How could she have the face to attend school? But since it was her first cousin brother who said it, there must be some truth behind it.

"I’m not entirely sure, but I’ll try my best. Ugh, I really hate talking to that bitch. First brother, I am doing this because it’s you."

Lin Sunji said with an ugly expression. If her hatred towards Lin Xiaoni was a ten out of ten, then her hatred towards that bitch was ten times stronger.

At least when she talked to Lin Xiaoni, she had an eight out of ten chance of winning an argument. But with Bei Sangyun, she only ended up getting angry without the satisfaction of achieving victory.

Lin Zhe showed an appreciative smile. "Thank you, Sunji."

Lin Fei simply shook his head with a knowing smile. In the Lin family, only fools believed in familial love, as everything was treated as a competition.

His pace quickened, passing his two cousins, who were too naive, and he left the hall in a sprint.

*****

A/n:

The Sons of the Lin family: (From Eldest to Youngest)

First Master- Lin Baozi (Lin Zhe’s father)

Second Master- Lin Fang (Lin Fei’s father)

Third Master- Lin Ginxian (Bei Sangyun’s father)

Fourth Master- Lin Ruo (the twins’ father) / Li Mei (wife)

Fifth Master- Lin Xiao (Lin Xiaoni’s father) / Xiao Mi (wife)

Only daughter:

Sixth child - Lin Yin ( Lin Dayun’s mother)

*****

The HEIRS: (From Eldest to Youngest)

First Brother- Lin Zhe

Second Brother- Lin Fei

First Young Miss- Lin Sunji

Third brother- Lin Sanju

Second Young Miss- Lin Dayun (in the States, not yet appeared)

Third Young Miss-Bei Sangyun/ Lin Sangyun

Fourth Young Miss- Lin Xaioni

Hope you won’t get confused next time~ You’ll get to know them little by little ^^

As for our male lead, he will appear soon~