Unable to withstand the icy atmosphere any longer, Xiao Yisheng spoke in a trembling voice, "Grandpa, is this all a misunderstanding?"
Grandpa Xiao kept his eyes closed and his hand holding the cane remained motionless, like an old monk in deep meditation.
Just as Xiao Yisheng was filled with doubt and uncertainty, the old man spoke up, "Then tell us the whole story and explain it to us!"
The old man's voice was still authoritative, but it had gained a touch of affection and kindness towards the younger generation...
This unusual kindness inexplicably made Xiao Yisheng feel uneasy.
But she couldn't control the joy surging in her heart because of the old man's gentle tone, and she couldn't help but wonder if her grandfather still had some affection for her.
This thought and understanding suddenly calmed Xiao Yisheng down from her initial panic and gradually put her at ease.
She explained with utmost seriousness, "Grandpa, Dad, I didn't become a homewrecker. I met Sheng Su in college, and I've always been his girlfriend. Besides, we just graduated this year. How could he possibly be married? Those things online are just fabricated stories by marketing accounts..."
"Hmm!" The old man pondered for a while before slowly speaking, his voice still gentle, "Then what happened to the injury on your face?"
Xiao Yisheng was flattered and his eyes lit up. He then quickly waved his hand, "No, the injury on my face has nothing to do with this. It was just a small argument with a friend. It's nothing serious!"
The old man suddenly opened his eyes, and his sharp, hawk-like gaze enveloped her with an imposing aura, instantly freezing the smile on Xiao Yisheng's lips.
He involuntarily took a half step back, his lips trembling, "Grandpa, you..." What's wrong?
"Thump!" The old man suddenly slammed his cane on the floor. His voice was cold, but his tone was soft, which sounded particularly jarring to her. "Do you still remember the promise you made when you signed with Bei Yinshi Shu to become a star?"
Xiao Yisheng's heart skipped a beat, and he said stiffly, "I remember!"
Grandpa Xiao didn't speak again, but looked up at her intently. Xiao Yisheng suddenly understood.
In an instant, his heart turned ice-cold, and his voice gradually became stiff and hoarse as he spoke, "I promised that I would not let my profession as a celebrity damage or tarnish the reputation of the Xiao family. Otherwise, otherwise... otherwise I would publicly announce that I would sever all ties with the Xiao family and have no connection with them whatsoever from now on, like strangers!"
"So," Old Master Xiao's gaze was sharp and icy, fixed on her without the slightest softening, "so, your choice?"
It's not a choice at all, but an invisible pressure!
Xiao Yisheng suddenly clenched his hands hanging at his sides, his throat seemingly choked with a wretched sob, unable to utter a sound.
Her lowered eyes held a few trembling tears, yet she stubbornly held them back.
Seeing that Xiao Yisheng did not respond for a long time, Xiao Wei, who had been silent, suddenly stood up and slapped Xiao Yisheng across the face!
"Smack—"
A crisp, yet cruel slap not only struck Xiao Yisheng's face but also shattered her heart.
She could almost hear the sound of her heart shattering and falling rapidly.
The glistening tears that had been welling up in her eyes finally fell. She remained frozen, her face turned away, unsure of how to begin.
"You scoundrel, do you know that because of this incident, the Xiao family is now in the eye of the storm? What kind of position do you put the Xiao family and your brother in? The good image that we have carefully maintained for many years has been ruined by you. How can you still have the face to continue to smear the Xiao family's name?"
Xiao Yisheng let out a long sob, turned her head, and looked straight at Xiao Wei, "But I didn't do anything wrong. This scandal was maliciously orchestrated by someone in the dark!"
"you……"
"Xiao Wei, sit down!"
When Xiao Wei, still breathing unsteadily, sat back down on the sofa, the old man looked up at her again. "Xiao Sheng, you grew up in the Xiao family, but you haven't learned the essence of the Xiao family's character. From beginning to end, what the Xiao family cared about in this matter was not whether you were wronged, but the adverse effects this matter brought to the Xiao family. In a family that has been in business for generations, profit is the most important thing. Do you understand what I mean?"
Grandpa Xiao was like a wise and patient elder, speaking in a gentle and kind tone, yet his words were exceptionally sharp and realistic!
Xiao Yisheng suddenly reached out and touched his burning left cheek, a bitter smile creeping across his face.
Isn't the essence of the Xiao family's character, as he described it, simply putting profit above all else?
Hasn't this always been the case in this rigid and cold family?
Whether she truly became a mistress who interfered in someone else's family or whether she was truly morally corrupt was not the focus of the old man's concern.
Their unwavering commitment was to minimize the negative impact of this incident on the Xiao family.
Making her issue a statement severing ties is nothing more than diverting the anger and attention from the Xiao family's persecution to her, shifting the blame elsewhere!
It's always been like this—cold, indifferent, heavy, and oppressive!
Xiao Yisheng took a deep breath. "Okay, I will issue a statement. I will absolutely not implicate the Xiao family in the slightest. I thank Grandpa, Dad, and the entire Xiao family for their cultivation and education of me over the years. But from now on, I am no longer a member of the Xiao family, and I have nothing to do with you anymore!"
Xiao Wei snorted coldly, "Do as you please!"
The old man gestured for him to calm down, then tapped the floor with his cane. "You want to completely break away from the Xiao family?"
"yes!"
The old man laughed, "But there's no such thing as a free lunch in this world!"
Xiao Yisheng's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"
“My Xiao family never does business at a loss, and neither do you. You have unilaterally issued a statement this time. Once the Xiao family is no longer the target of public criticism, I will arrange a marriage for you!”
We'll squeeze every last bit of value out of you as the eldest daughter of the Xiao family!
Xiao Yisheng's eyes widened suddenly, and she took a few steps back in disbelief, "No... I won't!"
"Why? I, Grandpa, why? I don't want this marriage alliance... No, no, this is your real purpose tonight. You, haha, so that's it, so that's it. This is the Xiao family, this is it," Xiao Yisheng muttered to himself as he backed away, a pale, resolute expression on his face. "But I won't agree, I will never agree, no..."
"What if this is Yiting's idea?"
The old man interrupted her, his gaze fixed intently on her. Seeing Xiao Yisheng's suddenly frozen expression, he repeated, "If I told you that this was Yiting's suggestion to me, would you still refuse?"
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