Chapter 150: A Secret Affair Exposed at the Engagement Banquet
Yan Hongyi paused, then lightly tapped the cup lid against the rim.
He raised his eyes and looked solemnly at Lin Xuqiu.
"Speak."
The music in the hall stopped at some point, and all eyes were silently focused on the main table.
Lin Xuqiu took a deep breath, as if he had made a tremendous decision.
She rose, facing the guests, a polite smile still on her lips, but pain etched in her eyes.
"Today is supposed to be a joyous day for the Lin family and the Yan family to reunite through marriage, so there are some things that shouldn't be said at this time."
"But for the sake of my two children's future happiness, I have to take the liberty of speaking up."
She turned to Yan Hongyi, her voice trembling slightly.
“Dad, I watched Tingnan grow up, and I have always had unwavering faith in his character and abilities.”
"It is a great honor for Yiyao to have such a good match. It is a great honor for the Lin family to marry into such a family."
At this point, her tone suddenly changed, becoming somber.
"But recently, I've heard some rumors, which I initially didn't want to believe, but after checking with various sources..."
She paused, her gaze seemingly unintentionally sweeping in the direction of Su Ruan before quickly looking away.
"To my surprise, Ting Nan already had someone else by her side."
"And the relationship is very close, it was not something that happened overnight."
The entire room fell silent instantly.
Then, a suppressed uproar erupted from the audience like a tidal wave.
Huo Siyue suddenly gripped Su Ruan's arm tightly, her eyes wide open.
"Holy crap! She's here! She really dares to say that!"
Su Ruan herself merely raised an eyebrow slightly, took a sip of champagne, and a hint of mockery flashed in her eyes.
really.
It's the same set.
Lin Li's expression changed drastically. He tried to grab Lin Xuqiu's arm, his voice low and urgent with a warning.
"Enough, Xu Qiu!"
"Why can't we talk about this privately? Why make things so awkward!"
Lin Xuqiu seemed not to hear him, and with a flick of her sleeve, shook off his hand.
She turned her gaze to Yan Tingnan, her tone filled with the pain and disappointment of an elder.
"Ting Nan, I've always treated you like my own child, even more so than my own biological child."
"I think you are steady, reliable, clear-headed and restrained, the best person to entrust Yiyao with for life."
Her voice suddenly turned stern as she continued to exert pressure.
"But what about you? How have you repaid the trust of both families?"
"He agreed to the marriage proposal while keeping a mistress outside, and even brazenly brought her to such an occasion!"
"Where do you place the Lin family? Where do you place Yi Yao?!"
She suddenly raised her hand, her fingertips pointing directly at Su Ruan in the crowd.
"Miss Su, you tell me yourself, isn't that right?"
"You are young, beautiful, and talented. You are an excellent woman, and I originally admired you very much."
"But you shouldn't have set your sights on the wrong person and interfered in someone else's marriage."
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire audience erupted in uproar.
All eyes were either directly or bluntly directed at Su Ruan.
Inquiry, disdain, curiosity, schadenfreude... all sorts of perspectives intertwined.
He then cautiously observed Yan Tingnan's reaction.
Once their names were mentioned, the audience could no longer contain their murmurs.
Song Shengsheng's expression was solemn, her brows furrowed.
His body instinctively blocked Su Ruan's side and front, and he warily scanned the various gazes coming from all directions.
All eyes remained on Su Ruan, awaiting her reaction—whether she would defend herself or lose her composure.
Countless gazes, like needles, pierced through him relentlessly.
Su Ruan remained silent.
His gaze swept past the throng of people and landed on Yan Tingnan in front of him.
Yan Tingnan was slowly turning the ring on his ring finger, his eyelashes lowered, his expression indifferent.
It was as if the storm aimed at him was nothing more than the buzzing of mosquitoes and flies.
Their eyes met for a fleeting moment.
He looked up and smiled at her.
Su Ruan felt a sudden sense of relief.
OK.
He remained calm, so she had nothing to fear.
Her eyes darted lazily, meeting Lin Xuqiu's piercing gaze.
Seeing her silence, Lin Xuqiu assumed she was feeling guilty and continued to accuse her.
"I've heard that Ms. Su's studio has risen so quickly because of the special support and preferential treatment from Qingyan Resources."
"They've managed to elevate a small company like SoftVoice to its current level of fame."
"I used to think it was just a case of Nan Xicai praising talent, but now it seems..."
She smiled bitterly and shook her head, everything unspoken.
Finally, she looked at Yan Hongyi, whose face had turned ashen.
With tears in her eyes, she delivered the most devastating blow.
"Dad, I've guarded the Yan family for over thirty years, watching over Ji Bai..."
"You know best how I got through it."
"Back then, Ji Bai was the same way, blinded by so-called true love, and ended up like that."
"Back then, Ji Bai and that woman surnamed Jiang caused chaos in the Yan family, bringing shame upon you and leaving me a widow..."
"That kind of pain is etched in my memory."
Her voice choked with emotion, but she forced herself to remain composed.
"I can't stand by and watch another Jiang Ya appear and ruin Ting Nan's bright future, and I can't let my niece Yi Yao repeat my mistakes!"
"Trapped in a loveless marriage for life, married to a husband who was entangled with other people before marriage, she suffers loneliness and desolation all by herself!"
"Our Lin family may not be as wealthy and powerful as the Yan family, but we cannot allow our daughter to be treated like this!"
These words are extremely harsh and venomous.
He directly compared Yan Tingnan to his early-deceased father, Yan Jibai.
Su Ruan was defined as someone whose relationship with another woman was something that couldn't be openly acknowledged.
It also ruthlessly reopened the old wound in Yan Hongyi's heart.
His indulgence and eventual disappointment in his eldest son, Yan Jibai, is an old pain that the Yan family is unwilling to mention.
Lin Li's face was extremely grim.
"Xu Qiu! What nonsense are you spouting!"
He shouted angrily, veins throbbing on his forehead, as if he wanted to drag the person away immediately.
The marriage must go through!
The Lin family needs the Yan family as a powerful support; they absolutely cannot let it be ruined by Lin Xuqiu's recklessness!
Lin Xuqiu didn't even glance at him, only looking sadly at Yan Hongyi.
"Dad, I have evidence, I have videos."
"It's not much, but it's enough to prove that what I said is true."
"If I hadn't been forced into a corner today, I would never have used these things to embarrass both the Yan and Lin families."
"If this marriage is forced, I'm afraid it will only end up as a resentful couple and ruin the lives of their two children!"
"If that's the case, my Lin family will be guilty beyond redemption, so let's call off this marriage!"
"I only beg you, for the sake of the deceased Ji Bai, and for the sake of my many years of hard work in protecting the Yan family, cancel this engagement and spare Yi Yao's life."
"If you can't give the Lin family an explanation and give Yiyao justice today..."
"Then don't blame me for laying all this out in the sunlight!"
Lin Xuqiu slightly raised his chin, his posture resolute, implying that he held evidence that brooked no argument.
Huo Siyue's face turned red with anger, and she wanted to rush out to argue, but Song Shengsheng held her arm tightly.
Song Shengsheng lowered her voice: "Don't make things worse! Watch your brother!"
Yan Hongyi's face was ashen, and he slammed the teacup he was holding onto the table with a loud clatter.
The entire venue was deathly silent.
Everyone held their breath.
Yan Tingnan finally made a move.
She raised her eyes and looked calmly at Lin Xuqiu.
"Are you done talking?"
His voice was steady, yet it carried an imposing presence, silencing the whispers throughout the room.
Yan Hongyi spoke in a deep voice, his cane striking the ground.
"Tingnan, what do you want to say?"
Yan Tingnan nodded slightly, his gaze still fixed on Lin Xuqiu's face.
"Since Aunt Lin has evidence, why not release it now?"
"Let everyone see just how despicable I really am."
His tone was polite, but as cold as an ice blade.
"It's good to let the Lin family, and everyone present, see clearly."
Lin Xuqiu was momentarily speechless at his reaction, and the follow-up remarks she had prepared got stuck in her throat.
"Ting Nan, I'm only trying to save you some face because of the relationship between our two families!"
"If you insist on tearing things apart, don't blame me..."
"Aunt Lin."
Yan Tingnan interrupted calmly.
You may not have understood what I meant.
He took a half step forward, his tall and straight figure bathed in a cold halo of light.
"I suggest you don't put it there."
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