Chapter 25: Forced Marriage

It took quite a while for Mrs. Lin to catch her breath. Trembling, she pointed a finger at Su Xiaobai and scolded, "Y-You’re extorting us!"

Mrs. Lin couldn’t be clearer about the Lin Group’s financial situation. That ten percent share was worth five hundred million at most. Su Xiaobai had directly multiplied the price several times over, so it was no wonder Lin Yexing and Lin Jiaxing had agreed to sell their shares to him.

They were truly more of a hindrance than a help! Why had she ever agreed to transfer that ten percent into their names in the first place? Mrs. Lin regretted it so bitterly that she wanted to slap herself in the face.

"Grandma, don’t be angry. Your health is more important," Lin Aoxue said, worriedly comforting the trembling Mrs. Lin.

"Old madam, that’s completely unreasonable," Su Xiaobai mocked, looking at Mrs. Lin. "The contract is written in black and white, and I’ve already paid your grandsons. Besides, you were the one who just said you’d compensate me. What’s wrong? Can the Lin Family not afford it?"

"Su Xiaobai! That’s enough! I never expected you to stoop to such despicable methods! You truly make me sick to my stomach!" Seeing Mrs. Lin quivering with rage, Lin Aoxue’s pretty face flushed red. She looked up and glared at Su Xiaobai furiously.

That was a full ten billion. Even if the Lin Family sold everything they owned, they couldn’t scrape together that much money. She had thought that as long as they could collaborate with the Yang Family, she would be able to shake off Su Xiaobai’s harassment. But she had never imagined he would forcefully intervene using such underhanded tactics.

Hearing Lin Aoxue’s furious reprimand, Su Xiaobai walked up to her with a wicked smile. "Lin Aoxue, you brought this upon yourself. If you had just obediently accepted my marriage proposal back then, I wouldn’t have had to resort to such despicable methods."

Shifting his gaze to Mrs. Lin, he added, "Old madam, if you want to blame someone, blame this self-righteous granddaughter of yours."

Mrs. Lin, who had finally started to calm down, began to pant heavily again. She pointed a trembling finger at Su Xiaobai for a long moment before rolling her eyes back and fainting. The Lin Family immediately burst into chaos, scrambling to carry Mrs. Lin to the hospital.

"Lin Aoxue, I’ll give you one last chance," Su Xiaobai said, grabbing her arm in a half-threat. "Three days from now, at ten in the morning, I’ll see you at the Civil Affairs Bureau. If you don’t show up, bear the consequences yourself."

Meeting his greedy, possessive gaze, Lin Aoxue couldn’t suppress a shudder of disgust. She viciously shook off his hand and left with the rest of the Lin Family.

A perfectly good collaboration banquet had been completely ruined by Su Xiaobai’s interference. By the time Elder Yang arrived, there was no saving the event. Yang Zhennan looked at Su Xiaobai, his expression as dark as a storm cloud.

"Su Xiaobai, are you openly defying our Yang Family?!"

Yang Zhennan’s booming voice made everyone’s eardrums ring. Su Xiaobai’s expression shifted, and he involuntarily took a half-step back. It was obvious that he was quite afraid of Yang Zhennan, but he quickly composed himself. Straightening his posture, he looked at the older man with feigned calmness.

"Grandpa Yang, how could I ever defy you? I came to this banquet as a shareholder of the Lin Family. I have absolutely no intention of ruining anything."

Yang Zhennan let out a cold sneer. On his way here, his subordinates had already briefed him on the situation. The Su Family would stop at nothing to achieve their goals. He was certain that Lin Yexing and Lin Jiaxing hadn’t sold their shares to Su Xiaobai willingly. Although those two fools had always opposed Lin Aoxue, they weren’t stupid enough to sell out their own family’s interests.

"Su Xiaobai, I advise you to stop right here and leave yourself a way out." Yang Zhennan glanced at Ye Xuan, who stood silently to the side exuding a chilling aura, and silently prayed for Su Xiaobai. He hoped the young man could withstand the wrath of the Cyan Dragon Chief.

Su Xiaobai froze for a moment before bursting into laughter, as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world. "Grandpa Yang, here in Jianghai City, aside from your Yang Family, who would dare defy me?"

Seeing his sheer arrogance, Yang Zhennan shook his head. If Su Xiaobai had a death wish, so be it. "There are some people you simply cannot touch. Look out for yourself."

Leaving Su Xiaobai with that final piece of advice, Yang Zhennan departed with his men. The banquet had originally centered around the Yang and Lin Families. With one party gone, there was no need to continue.

With the hosts gone, the other guests began to disperse. Soon, only Ye Xuan, Yang Bingyu, and Su Xiaobai remained in the massive banquet hall.

"Ye Xuan, I’m taking Lin Aoxue," Su Xiaobai declared, his eyes full of smugness and disdain. "If you know what’s good for you, get as far away as possible and never show your face in front of her again. Otherwise, I’ll show you a fate worse than death."

Su Xiaobai felt incredibly satisfied. Back then, Lin Aoxue had rejected his courtship to marry a piece of trash like Ye Xuan, causing him to lose immense face. Now that he had finally waited until their divorce, he was determined to repay Ye Xuan tenfold for the humiliation he had suffered.

"That’s hilarious. To think you treat a woman Ye Xuan got tired of like she’s some sort of treasure! And do me a favor, don’t buzz around in front of us all day long. You’re polluting our eyes!" Seeing Su Xiaobai insult Ye Xuan, Yang Bingyu immediately jumped to his defense.

Yang Bingyu despised Su Xiaobai from the bottom of her heart, and she genuinely disliked Lin Aoxue, too. She even thought that if the two of them ended up together, it wouldn’t be half bad.

The smile on Su Xiaobai’s face instantly vanished, turning extremely ugly, but there was nothing he could do to Yang Bingyu.

"Just you wait!" Su Xiaobai threatened through gritted teeth, glaring at Ye Xuan. Then, under Yang Bingyu’s furious scowl, he turned and left.

"Ye Xuan, just ignore that idiot. Treat whatever he says as hot air. With me here, he won’t dare do anything to you," Yang Bingyu hurriedly consoled, terrified that Ye Xuan might be upset.

As the saying goes, concern makes one blind. In that moment, Yang Bingyu completely forgot what kind of terrifying existence Ye Xuan was, bluntly declaring that she would protect him.

Seeing her earnest concern, Ye Xuan’s heart warmed. He reached out, ruffled her hair, and smiled. "Silly girl. A mere Su Family is nothing to fear."

As Ye Xuan spoke, he exuded absolute confidence and dominance. The godlike aura snapping off of him brought Yang Bingyu back to her senses.

How could a man whom even Wang Jinbiao treated with the utmost respect ever be threatened by a rich playboy like Su Xiaobai?