C8 Get Out!

Su Qingtian couldn't help but furrow her brow, her expression turning sour as she spoke, "Third brother, Lin Chen has been falsely accused!"

"We've all heard about it. He was just out at the nightclub having a good time with his classmates when he got caught up in a drug bust. It's a real stain on the Su family's reputation. If we had known he was involved in something like this, we would never have allowed him to marry you, not in a million years!" A stern-faced middle-aged man glared at Lin Chen as he spoke.

"My life is none of your concern. This is my decision!" Su Qingxue retorted firmly.

Lin Chen remained stoic, giving the impression he was the one marrying into their family. Why should he be so concerned? Why did Su Qingxue's relatives all look down on him with such disdain?

Back when he rejoined the Lin family, they were all over the Lin's Group board of directors, eager to have him marry Su Qingxue. How quickly they've turned their backs on him now.

Of course, Lin Chen wasn't currently involved in the Lin family's business affairs. He wouldn't work until after graduation, so he was interacting more with the Su family. The Lin family elders certainly wouldn't bother with him; he was merely a pawn in their alliance with the Su family.

The truth was, the Lin and Su families were not on equal footing. The Su family seeking a marriage with the young master of the Lin family was essentially marrying up. But when the heir apparent to the Lin's Group chairmanship ended up in jail, Lin Chen conveniently returned and was hastily betrothed to the Su family.

This arrangement, though, left the Su family feeling quite resentful. Yet, with the business deal already inked, they had no choice but to go through with the marriage.

To the Su family, Lin Chen was nothing more than a discarded pawn, used for their gain. As long as they secured the Lin family's investment and sponsorship, they had achieved their goal and certainly weren't going to show Lin Chen any respect.

"It's such a waste for my cousin, a woman of unparalleled beauty, to marry the Lin family's reject. To think she's tied to such a spineless man, it's just too tragic!" A man decked out in Armani couldn't help but sneer.

"That's right, the Lin family's castoff is not only three years younger than Qingxue and still a student, but what skills could he possibly have? And to top it off, getting caught at a nightclub? It's a total disgrace. Now the Lin family has washed their hands of him. He's practically living off our Su family's charity!" exclaimed another woman, her face caked with makeup.

Lin Chen remained unfazed. Having inherited the legacy of the Netherlord, such petty aristocratic concerns were beneath him.

For someone like Lin Chen, a Netherlord's heir, the world's worries were plentiful, yet only the act of killing could cut through them. But since these were his wife's relatives, his hands were tied.

Among the group, only one person maintained a serious demeanor. It was the dignified man with a square face presiding at the head of the table—Su Qingxue's second uncle, Su Xinhe.

He gestured for silence and waited for Su Qingxue and Lin Chen to be seated before speaking. "Qingxue, while Phoenix Group has secured an investment from Lin's Group, our subsidiary Celestia is struggling. It might be wiser to sell it to the Zhou family."

"Sell it to the Xie family?" Su Qingxue's face turned icy, her body shaking with emotion. That company was her life's work!

Su Xinhe shook his head, "With your father gone and your mother ill and seeking treatment abroad, there's only so much you can handle alone. Focus on the main company's operations. It's better to sell the subsidiary before it's too late."

"Lose money? I suspect you've been bought off by the Xie family. If it weren't for the Lin family's investment, you would have already sold your shares. You contribute nothing to the company, only waiting to cash in on profits!" Su Qingxue snapped back.

With a loud "Pah!" Su Qingxue's third uncle, Su Zhilong, slammed his hand on the table, fuming, "How dare you speak to your elders in such a manner? You're overextending the business without the capital to support it. What's your plan if you don't sell? Continuing like this will only lead to greater losses!"

"I refuse to sell. If you're not interested in this business anymore, feel free to back out. I'll simply purchase your shares!" Su Qingxue declared, her voice tinged with anger.

Negotiations like this should be collaborative, especially since everyone involved held shares and were family. But when disagreements led to arguments, no one was willing to back down.

"You clearly don't want to have a civilized conversation," Su Zhilong said, frustration evident in his tone. But before he could continue, a muffled knocking sound interrupted from outside the tea pavilion.

"Everyone out! This tea pavilion is now under the Dragonspire Conclave's control. Clear out, now!"

As the command echoed, Chen Hu, Zhou Haide's bodyguard, along with a tall, slender hall master, entered with a group of brash thugs in tow.

Lin Chen, who had his back to them, remained unfazed, sitting calmly beside Su Qingxue. He didn't even bother to glance their way upon hearing the mention of the Dragonspire Conclave.

"Mr. Su, we couldn't hold them back. They're regulars here, so..." the tea pavilion's manager stammered, addressing Su Xinhe with a look of sheer terror.

Hearing the name Dragonspire Conclave, the Su family members turned pale with fear. They couldn't fathom how they had crossed paths with such a notorious underground organization. Today seemed to be their unlucky day, as they sat in silence, too scared to even breathe too loudly.

Yet, Su Qingxue rose to her feet, her indignation palpable as she glared at the intruders. "It doesn't matter who you are. We've reserved this room. Can't you find another spot? This is outrageous!"

With a loud smack, the gangly leader slammed his hand on the table and bellowed, "The Dragonspire Conclave meets here almost daily. That alone means you should give up the room. Don't question it!"

His words were followed by the menacing advance of his companions, all clad in black, their hostile gazes intimidating everyone present. The rest of the Su family looked on in fear, well aware that the Dragonspire Conclave was a lawless entity not to be reasoned with.

"Could we possibly wait for twenty minutes? We'll be on our way once we've wrapped up the business discussion. Let's show some respect for both the Su and Lin families," Su Xinhe said, standing with a smile, careful not to exclude the Lin family from the conversation.

"We're only interested in money," the tall, thin man said with a smirk, making a money-counting gesture. "What's so special about the Su family? The Lin family is a major player; we can't afford to cross them!"

He scanned the room, but none of the Lin family were present. Surely, anyone would recognize a young master from such a prominent company as the Lin's Group. Only Lin Chen, the exiled heir who had just returned to the Lin family, was not yet known to them.

The Dragonspire Conclave might not have as much money as the Su family, but their influence was widespread. Crossing them could spell trouble for the Su family, which is why, aside from Su Xinhe, no one else dared to speak up.

"Well then, let's head out. Since we live quite a distance away, let's plan to meet at the company next time. It's not ideal to air our dirty laundry, but it can't be helped. The meeting is adjourned," Su Xinhe said with a sense of resignation.

Su Qingxue was far from satisfied, biting her lower lip in frustration. She was deeply disappointed with the Su family members' lackluster attitude towards the Phoenix Group, as if they were already setting up their own separate entity. She knew she had to resolve today's issue.

Ding San, the gaunt man, couldn't help but smirk with self-satisfaction. "Smart move. Now scram!" he said with a chuckle.

"No, this is non-negotiable. You want me to sell a subsidiary, and this is crucial for me. Let's finish this discussion tonight! Tell me how much you want—I'll pay!" Su Qingxue turned to Ding San and demanded coldly.

Ding San's eyes were locked on Su Qingxue, clearly captivated by her stunning beauty and commanding presence, and he was further intrigued by her defiant spirit. Sporting a mischievous grin, he teased, "If I say I want a million, will you give it to me? If not, you can stay, and the rest can beat it!"

"You..." Su Qingxue let out a cold huff, her body shaking with indignation, too upset to even finish her sentence.

Ding San's smug grin widened as he leered at Su Qingxue. "Why not stay and enjoy some tea and conversation with us?" he suggested with a chuckle. As he reached out to lift Su Qingxue's chin, his wrist was abruptly seized by another firm hand.

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