Chapter 79: The Dowager Arrives

After work that day, he returned to the rented apartment complex.

Su Weimin still maintained a stubborn expression; as soon as he stepped inside, he sat on the sofa and refused to speak about the agreement they had made earlier.

“Su Weimin, you couldn’t bring yourself to admit it at Yunhai Chamber of Commerce, fine, but now that we’re back home, are you still going to keep up this act?” Gao Yulan shot him an annoyed glare.

“Dad, you really did wrongly accuse Tianlin this time,” Su Rulan urged gently.

Su Weimin crossed his arms, turned his head away, and snorted, his voice full of self-righteousness. “Ye Tianlin didn’t accomplish anything with his own skill this time—it was pure luck. You all think he’s some kind of genius, but if the Capital Consortium hadn’t decided against the partnership, and if Zhang Kun hadn’t brought disaster upon himself, everything would have gone wrong!”

“I think you’re just stubborn, refusing to admit that my good son-in-law is better than you. But it doesn’t matter whether you admit it or not; from now on, we’ll all follow Tianlin’s lead!” Gao Yulan said with disdain.

Su Weimin shrugged, glaring at Ye Tianlin in passing. “I don’t see what I’ve done wrong. Everything I did was for this family—it’s just that I didn’t catch the right opportunity.”

Seeing this, Su Rulan was about to argue her case.

Ye Tianlin reached out to stop her, speaking calmly. “Since Dad still feels this way, let’s leave it be. After all, he needs to save face; we can’t keep pushing him into a corner, right? Are you saying he’s just being unreasonable?”

“I am not being unreasonable! This was never your own achievement. You rascal, you’re getting more and more disrespectful towards me!” Su Weimin’s lips trembled, feeling thoroughly mocked.

Ye Tianlin smiled. “I don’t disrespect you. It’s just that you don’t know how to respect yourself.”

Su Weimin grew furious, slamming his hand on the table. “Ye Tianlin, now that you’ve accomplished something, you completely ignore your father-in-law. Have you forgotten how much trouble you’ve caused me all these years? You’re ungrateful!”

“If I were truly ungrateful, I would have left this family long ago. Why would I stay here day after day, seeing you morning and night?” Ye Tianlin replied.

Just then, the phone vibrated, abruptly interrupting the shouting in the living room. Su Weimin wisely fell silent.

Ye Tianlin glanced at the phone—it was his mother, Jiang Yingxia, calling. He pressed it to his ear to answer.

Whatever was said on the other end, once he hung up, Ye Tianlin didn’t wish to continue the pointless dispute. He simply took Su Rulan by the hand and led her out.

Once they were downstairs and seated in the car, Su Rulan finally asked, her face full of confusion, “Tianlin, where are you taking me in such a hurry?”

Ye Tianlin explained, “My mother booked a restaurant and asked me to join her for dinner. I thought I’d bring you along.”

Upon hearing this, Su Rulan immediately felt nervous, her expression wavering.

During their previous meeting at Tiandu Chamber of Commerce, Jiang Yingxia had been extremely firm, convinced Su Rulan was after wealth and had schemed so much for it. Even the matriarch shared the same view, never showing her the slightest kindness. Who knew what difficulties awaited at this meeting!

Yet, facing Ye Tianlin’s steadfast gaze, Su Rulan managed to suppress her unease and nodded in agreement.

After about ten minutes’ drive, they arrived at a high-end Chinese restaurant.

They walked straight in, pushed open the private room door, and indeed found Jiang Yingxia seated inside.

At that moment, Jiang Yingxia’s face was full of anxiety. But when she saw Ye Tianlin entering with Su Rulan, her expression changed instantly.

“Tianlin, why did you bring this vixen along? Didn’t I ask you to come alone?” Jiang Yingxia said, her tone thick with disdain.

“Auntie, I…” Su Rulan felt deeply uncomfortable under her gaze, her heart racing wildly.

“I don’t want to hear it. Don’t pretend to be pitiful here. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. I’ve seen plenty of women like you—Tianlin has been fooled by you!” Jiang Yingxia snapped.

Ye Tianlin frowned slightly and spoke in a low voice, “Mom, isn’t this a bit much? I’ve explained many times already—Rulan isn’t the kind of person you think she is!”

Jiang Yingxia pursed her lips, then strode forward and pulled Ye Tianlin aside, urging, “You’d better listen to me. Leave this wicked woman right away, return to the Ye family, or else you’ll keep provoking your grandmother!”

“Auntie, I really am not…” Su Rulan was overwhelmed with grievance, feeling abandoned and alone, like a clown facing rejection in the private room.

Before she could finish, Jiang Yingxia cut her off harshly, “Shut up! This isn’t your place to speak. Tianlin has suffered enough because of you, yet you have no self-awareness. If you aren’t full of malicious intent, then what are you?”

Ye Tianlin broke free from Jiang Yingxia and wrapped his arm around Su Rulan, declaring firmly, “Mom, I won’t allow you to speak of Rulan like this. Without her, I would have died long ago!”

Jiang Yingxia stomped her foot in anger, inwardly cursing Su Rulan a hundred times over.

But the Ye family’s heirloom rights were at stake, and who knew what would happen if the matriarch was truly enraged?

As a mother, she would not allow any mistake to occur at this critical moment.

So Jiang Yingxia said, “Tianlin, how can you be so foolish? If this continues, who knows what changes might happen? I’ve already told your grandmother, and she’ll be here soon. When she arrives, you must admit your fault and beg for forgiveness—do you understand?”

“The matriarch is coming too?” Su Rulan was as nervous as a frightened bird. Compared to Jiang Yingxia, she feared the matriarch even more—the old woman’s authority could suffocate anyone.

Ye Tianlin gripped Su Rulan’s hand tightly, his voice resolute. “There’s nothing to worry about. No matter how big the trouble, I’ll face it with you. Besides, I want the matriarch to know that even without the Ye family, I am not worthless!”

At that moment, a familiar voice drifted in from behind.

“Well? From the sound of it, without the Ye family, do you think you could turn the world upside down?”

Turning around, they saw the matriarch had arrived!