C21 A Stormy Sea

Was this young man truly a distinguished guest of Director Lin?

The revelation... it was a shock to everyone present!

Most people here would approach Director Lin with the utmost respect. Given Director Lin's esteemed status, how did this country bumpkin, clad in bargain-basement attire, come to know Director Lin?

Moreover, judging by Director Lin's choice of words and demeanor, he seemed to genuinely hold this unassuming man in high regard.

A security guard attempted to justify his actions, "I was unaware that this gentleman was your invitee. Had I known, I would never have acted so rashly."

However, Lin Luoyan remained unswayed, instead offering Yu Beigu an apologetic smile:

"Mr. Yu, I apologize. You were troubled by a petty individual."

"I never expected my staff to be so blind to greatness, to actually offend you."

Her frustration was palpable.

Who was Yu Beigu, after all?

She hadn't been sure at first, but after her grandfather had clarified, she realized she had stumbled upon an incredible stroke of luck.

Even though her grandfather couldn't fully detail Mr. Yu's background, his evident admiration made it clear to her that Mr. Yu might be akin to a Divine Dragon, a figure of immense importance, or as her grandfather put it, Mr. Yu was destined to become a powerful magnate in a province of Fecroyso.

Her grandfather had insisted that she extend every courtesy to Mr. Yu, sparing no expense if necessary.

These instructions bordered on outright flattery.

Yet, to think that Mr. Yu, held in such high esteem by her grandfather, would be publicly shamed by two security guards at the Lin family's appraisal event, threatened with expulsion, and even with police intervention, was unthinkable.

If Yu Beigu were to leave in a huff today, wouldn't all of the Lin family's efforts have been for naught? And wouldn't they have needlessly antagonized a figure with boundless future potential?

Yu Beigu, however, appeared unfazed, as if the prior accusations had never occurred.

"No harm done. They're just insignificant hecklers," he remarked.

He cast a glance at the two security guards and continued in an even tone, "Hmm, it seems these two have a bias against those of us in less expensive attire. I did mention I was invited, but unfortunately, they were too blinded by appearances to see past the fancy clothes of the troublemakers."

I hope that after this incident, both of you will come to understand something important. True nobility lies not in one's social status or material possessions but in one's character and moral compass. After all, without a strong sense of self, wealth and power are nothing but squandered opportunities."

The two security guards shuddered at these words, one nearly collapsing to the ground. They both attempted to smile and said, "Director Lin, please let us explain."

"There's no need for explanations. I'll be discussing this matter with your chairman. I want to know if this is the standard way the manor is managed. Thankfully, I arrived in time, or my esteemed guest would have been turned away, right? And you were about to call the police, too. Quite the display of authority. Yueyue, you're on the payroll of a company under the Lin family, earning a substantial monthly salary. Is this the level of professionalism we're demonstrating? I expect a full account of this incident. Moreover, it seems I've been far too lenient with our subsidiary groups." Lin Luoyan's words were delivered with ease, yet they sent the guards' hearts plummeting into a bottomless chasm.

In a desperate bid to save their livelihoods, the guards turned their pleading gazes to Lee Qingyue, hoping for his intervention since they had just taken a stand for the mayor's son. But even Lee Qingyue, who seemed so formidable, was inwardly quaking with fear.

From the moment Lin Luoyan made her entrance, Lee Qingyue's heart had been racing. And when she apologized to Yu Beigu, his anxiety reached new heights. Despite being the mayor's son, he was now facing Lin Luoyan, the cherished granddaughter of Lin Yiping and the heir apparent to Lin's Group. Even his father would have to approach her with deference and a smile.

His father may be the mayor, but Zliland's economy, the heart of Slagos, depends on the financial might of families like the Lins. Without their cooperation, his political achievements could suffer. Reluctantly, Lee Qingyue knew he had to step forward, despite not wanting to defend the guards. After all, if he didn't, who would be willing to support him in the future?

"Luoyan..."

Lin Luoyan turned to face Lee Qingyue, her expression a mix of cold pride and a mocking smile. "Well? What do you want to tell me? I'm sure you're well aware of who's in the right and who's in the wrong here. So I'd advise you not to waste my time with lies. You're familiar with my temperament, aren't you?"

Lee Qingyue was initially taken aback. Sister Lin, who had always defended him no matter the circumstances, was now being uncharacteristically stern and uncompromising.

His indignation quickly flared up as he retorted, "What makes this guy so special that Sister Lin holds him in such high regard? Besides, he insulted my childhood friend first..."

"Shut up!" Lin Luoyan snapped, her face turning icy. Without regard for his status, she rebuked him sharply in front of everyone.

Her gaze was icy as she glared at Lee Qingyue, her eyes brimming with fury. An assistant had quietly filled her in on the details just moments before.

She was furious with the young man before her; he had nearly derailed her carefully laid plans.

After all, Yu Beigu was not only the man she admired and the one who had saved her, but he was also the cornerstone upon which the Lin family's future rested.

If he were driven away by this debacle, it would be an irreparable loss.

"I had believed that, as Uncle Lee's son, you would live up to the great expectations placed upon you. But today, you've thoroughly disappointed me.

Did you really think Mr. Yu was beneath you simply because he dresses plainly and prefers to keep a low profile?

Such assumptions might be excusable as naivety in others, but Lee Qingyue, how did Uncle Lee raise you?

How is it that you've failed to learn even a fraction of his wisdom?

Do you realize that you, along with your rowdy friends," Lin Luoyan's eyes blazed with anger as she turned to Lin Shasha, Xu Yuwei, and the others, "are judging a person's worth and abilities based on their attire and demeanor?

If that were the case, then by your logic, your ancestors for the past three generations were nothing but peasants!"

Lin Luoyan's voice was cold and unforgiving. "Don't delude yourselves into thinking that dressing smartly and attending high-society events on your parents' coattails makes you any better than anyone else."

"If you weren't born into your current families, what would you amount to? Moreover, Lee Qingyue, I am deeply disappointed in you. I will have a word with Uncle Lee about this."

She finished speaking and, paying no further attention to Lee Qingyue, whose face had turned ghostly pale, she turned to Xu Yuwei and remarked, "You lack fortune. Your Xu family had the chance to rise above, but you squandered a golden opportunity due to your shortsightedness."

With that, she shifted her focus and, with a warm and respectful smile, addressed Yu Beigu, "Mr. Yu, shall we? I'll escort you to the appraisal conference myself. Furthermore, the Lin family will provide a satisfactory explanation for this incident. Let's head to the VIP exhibition hall first.

"These individuals are mere jesters and pale in comparison to you. I trust you won't give them a second thought."

Yu Beigu offered a slight smile and proceeded with her to the VIP hall.

Before departing, he gave Lee Qingyue an indifferent glance, devoid of any discernible emotion—no anger, no sorrow, no joy—as if he had never taken any of this to heart.

The two security guards, overwhelmed, collapsed to the ground. The thought of losing their jobs—and with it, the means to support their families—weighed heavily on them, the responsibility too much to bear.

Lee Qingyue hung his head, grinding his teeth, fists clenched tightly.

Yu Beigu's final look had been dismissive, as if he were regarding mere ants. It was clear that they had never been of any significance to him, despite their delusions of superiority.

Lin Shasha, meanwhile, stood with her head bowed, biting her lower lip, her eyes flickering with a mix of shame and fear.

Who was this young man, and how did he wield such influence?

Though the Lin family wasn't as prominent as Lin Luoyan's, they were still among the second-tier elite of Zliland. Coupled with the Xu family and the mayor, they held considerable sway. In Zliland, their influence was something others would carefully consider before crossing.

Yet, Lin Luoyan had publicly chastised them without a hint of mercy, all for the sake of a seemingly unremarkable country person.

Xu Yuwei's bright eyes flickered with a hint of gray. For some reason, when Lin Luoyan's gaze met hers, there was a mocking glint, as if she were taking pleasure in Yuwei's misfortune. Could her family, the Xu's, have truly missed out on a significant opportunity because of that young man?

"This damn thing!" Lee Qingyue exploded in anger once Yu Beigu and Lin Luoyan had walked a considerable distance away. In a fit of rage, he grabbed a wine glass from a nearby table and smashed it onto the floor with force.

"Mr. Lee, please watch your behavior. If you continue to cause a disturbance, we will have to ask you to leave," a member of the event management team warned, frowning as he stepped in to defuse the situation.

Surveying the room, Lee Qingyue noticed the barely suppressed laughter on the faces around him. Recalling the public humiliation and the harsh reprimand he had just received, almost as if Lin Luoyan had pointed directly at his nose and cursed him, he left the venue in a sullen mood.

...

"Lin Luoyan actually did that? Impossible!" Xu Changyuan's face paled as he listened to Yuwei's account, uttering an incredulous exclamation.

"Mr. President, what's going on?" someone asked.

Lin Luoyan had always kept a low profile. Before she took the helm of Lin's Group, she rarely mingled with the second-generation elite of Zliland. While her peers flaunted their sports cars and luxury watches, Luoyan had already earned a double doctorate in economics and statistics from Stanford and became the youngest Harvard MBA graduate in Asia.

She seldom attended the gatherings of Zliland's second-generation elite, and even when invited by the older generation of business tycoons, she was selective, only occasionally making an appearance.

Rumor had it, though, that she had her own exclusive circle. It was small and private, yet it comprised some of the world's most impressive young talents.

"Lin Luoyan actually berated Lee Qingyue and Lin Shasha publicly, all for a young man from the countryside?"

"It seems we may have seriously underestimated that young fellow," Xu Changyuan mused, no stranger to life's vicissitudes. After hearing his daughter's narrative, he was visibly shaken. He rubbed his forehead subconsciously and slumped into his leather chair, deep in thought.