Chapter 67
Li Huian looked at her, her expression slightly lowered, and her eyes revealed understanding. "Lianyi, Auntie understands your feelings. This matter is not as simple as you think. Perhaps you think that right and wrong can be determined simply by considering whether it is right or wrong."
"but……"
She paused, glancing at Li Xilai's face as she turned away.
"Today, Auntie is willing to argue with the Fu family and even try to force Fu Chengyue to his death in order to seek justice for Xi Lai. Have you thought about what the Fu family will do?"
"The reason I want Xi Lai to be patient for now is to resolve this in the best way possible, so as not to escalate to the most embarrassing situation and make enemies for no reason."
Li Huian earnestly said, "Xi Lai is my daughter. How could I bear to watch her be bullied and do nothing about it?"
"I believe your father thinks the same way."
"You should understand that if you were the one making the mistake today, the Fu family would make the same decision."
"Besides, what I'm about to say might not be pleasant. Not long ago, the trouble you and Xilai got into was all because of this kind of impulsive behavior. Do you know how much pressure your father took on for you?"
Li Huian looked at Li Xilai and sighed, "Mom didn't want to talk to you about these things."
"But since you were born into this family and have benefited from it, you should also face the moments that require your sacrifice. You are loyal to your friends, but you never thought that you used your mother's name and the family office to do things for Lian Yi."
"Have you considered the social standing of the parents of those students who were accused, how many connections they could possibly have, and the complex web of relationships they had? How many phone calls did your mother receive in those few days, and how many people did she offend?"
Li Huian's words, employing both soft and hard tactics and a shifting attitude from high to low, were far more persuasive than Lian Decheng's performance.
Even Xu Han couldn't help but admire this woman. He had seen plenty of strong, assertive women, but a woman who revealed a hint of delicate charm that was hard to miss was truly unforgettable.
“Auntie, I want to know whether you are speaking to me as a mother or as the head of your law firm.”
Lian Yi noticed Li Xilai's wavering, but didn't care.
She merely raised the corners of her mouth slightly as she looked at Li Huian, unmoved by his words.
“If you were a mother, I think you should be more worried about Li Xilai’s injuries, asking about her condition, and worrying about the psychological and physical damage she has suffered. Only then should you consider the pros and cons of this matter and worry about the future of other people’s sons.”
"Is this alright?"
“If you were speaking to me as the head of a law firm.”
Lian Yi narrowed her eyes and sneered, "Your firm received the money in full. As for the evidence, I had it delivered perfectly. How much pressure you endured to do this is none of my business."
"Does this mean that when I go to eat a bowl of noodles, I have to worry about the risks the chef might take when making it?"
"If you, Aunt Li, can't withstand the pressure and refuse to take on these lawsuits, it only shows that you are a person who is opportunistic, afraid of power, and afraid of what others say. The fact that you can withstand the pressure and do this only shows that you have the ability to make this money."
“I believe that every one of your clients only wants you to be someone who can make money, not someone who shifts the pressure of business onto clients and sits around waiting for them to be grateful.”
After he finished speaking, the room suddenly fell silent, making the heavy panting of the salted fish on the ground all the more noticeable.
Lian Decheng raised his hand to stop Li Huian, who was frowning and about to speak, and for the first time looked at his daughter, who had always been unruly.
“There’s no point in arguing any further,” he said in a deep voice. “Take him back to your Aunt Li. Now go back and reflect on your actions. Stay home during the winter break and don’t wander around.”
After saying that, Lian Decheng looked at Li Huian and said, "I will have someone help take Fu Chengyue away. This matter will be handled by you, Lawyer Li."
Knowing that if he continued arguing, he would probably be rendered speechless by a little girl, Li Huian secretly breathed a sigh of relief when Lian Decheng took the initiative to play the 'bad guy'.
She nodded. "Please rest assured, Chairman Lian, I will not allow anyone to associate this matter with the old man's birthday banquet."
This was Lien Te-cheng's ultimate goal.
If Li Huian is concerned with profits, then he is concerned with whether future cooperation and expansion will be affected.
Lian Decheng only cared that the old man's birthday banquet wouldn't be covered in dust, and even if the price of wiping away the dust was that his daughter had to swallow her anger, he didn't care.
Lian Yi watched with a smile as the two of them reached an agreement in just a few words, a slight mockery playing on her lips.
"I said I wanted him to be utterly disgraced. Aren't you two just talking to yourselves?"
In their eyes, Lian Yi's words were somewhat laughable.
Lian Decheng could barely contain his anger and frowned as he rebuked, "Are you going to keep making trouble like this?"
"I'm giving you face by letting you handle this, but my patience is limited. I'm not here to watch how you manage to reach a cooperation agreement." Lian Yi said calmly, "The Fu family is a prestigious family. As their only son, how does Fu Chengyue take drugs? Where does he buy the drugs? How many people in his circle have been exposed to illegal drugs?"
"I think the Yunhai police would be very interested in these things."
"Lian Yi! Who do you think you're talking to? Who are you threatening?!"
Lian Decheng's long-suppressed anger, once the seed of doubt was planted in his heart, made him think more deeply about every word Lian Yi said.
"I didn't want to say anything to you, but look at the state you're in now. If your Aunt Li saw you like this, she'd think we have no manners at home!"
"What makes you think you have the right to speak so confidently?! Huh?"
Lian Decheng's usually dignified face looked particularly terrifying now, due to his intense anger.
His long-held aura of power and influence was directed directly at Lian Yi without reservation.
"If you didn't have the surname Lian, what right would you have to be here? If you weren't my daughter, Lian Decheng, would you even be able to walk through the doors of this firm? If it weren't for the fact that you bear the surname Lian, how many times would the school have expelled you over the years?"
The barrage of rhetorical questions showed no sign of stopping.
Even Xu Han, who was standing to the side, looked at Lian Decheng with some surprise, even though he had no feelings for this niece and even felt a little disgusted by her.
But no one could have imagined that Lian Decheng, Lian Yi's notoriously indulgent and doting father, would say such things to Lian Yi in public.
"If you hadn't been so reckless at such a young age, going to those clubs, would all this trouble have happened? Why is it that everyone believes whatever others casually say about what Lian Yi did?"
Lien Te-cheng's voice boomed, "It's because your family spoils you that you really think you can do whatever you want and be the boss everywhere. If it weren't for the fact that you're surnamed Lien, the Tsai family would have made sure you could never recover!"
"You were so arrogant and domineering that you forced the Cai family to send that kid away, and then you insisted on sticking your neck out and showing off. If it weren't for the Lian family protecting you, do you really think you could still stand here and speak disrespectfully to your elders?!"
"You think you've done something right and that no one will dare to retaliate? Fine, if you insist on getting Fu Chengyue into trouble today, I'll spread the word tomorrow that everything Lian Yi does outside will have nothing to do with the Lian family!"
As the current pillar of the Lian family, Lian Decheng's words were like a thunderbolt striking from a clear sky.
Li Huian frowned in surprise, more astonished by Lian Decheng's attitude than Lian Xuhan.
Throughout this whole affair, all she wanted to teach Li Xilai was to understand one thing: before doing anything, one must consider the gains and losses, and that a small act of impatience can ruin a great plan.
Breaking off the engagement with the Fu family and making Fu Chengyue pay the price are all things that can be planned slowly. Even if it's a temporary grievance, it's all forbearance for the sake of obtaining greater benefits in the future.
But judging from Lian Decheng's attitude, this doesn't seem like he's teaching a child at all.
Upon hearing this, Li Xilai was startled and quickly looked at Lian Yi, took a few steps closer to her, and whispered Lian Yi's name.
Lian Yi raised her hand, stopping Li Xilai from saying anything that was meant to persuade her.
"Father, you've finally spoken your mind."
Lian Yi gazed at Lian Decheng. Even at this moment, her face remained calm with a faint smile, and her amber eyes showed no sign of hurt, sadness, or surprise.
Upon meeting such a gaze, Lian Decheng's anger suddenly dissipated.
“However, since there are outsiders here, let’s not mention this matter for now.” Lian Yi smiled and said, “Whether my surname is Lian or not is not important. Since you think this surname is very important to me, then let’s do it your way.”
Lian Decheng was stung by the knowing look in her eyes; he pursed his lips and furrowed his brow.
Although he subconsciously thought that the 'thing' Lian Yi mentioned was unrelated to his guess, Lian Yi's behavior tonight had repeatedly changed his perception of her.
“You’ve all just been going around in circles, telling me what you care about without considering what I care about.” Lian Yi lowered her gaze slightly. “But that’s not important.”
“Father, you should know that I have never been one to like being wronged. I am unforgiving when I am in the right, and this has always been my standard of conduct.”
Lian Yi smiled and said, "That's fine. You should go and inform people from all walks of life that from now on, I, Lian Yi, have no relation to the Lian family whatsoever."
"As for this, I'll take it with me for now."
Lian Decheng could not tolerate Lian Yi's audacity. Her attitude made him feel a sense of crisis, and his first reaction was to suppress and restrain his daughter.
"Stop right there!" Lian Decheng said, "Don't think that just because you're spoiled at home, I was just joking with you. If you dare to walk out of this door today, I, Lian Decheng, will disown you as my daughter!"
"Since you are no longer a member of the Lian family, then the Lian family has nothing to do with you anymore. From now on, you cannot use any of the Lian family's resources. From this moment on, you will walk out of here on your own."
Lian Decheng appeared quite calm when he said this, and because of this, no one thought he was just saying it in anger.
But neither Li Huian nor Lian Xuhan bothered to even pretend to persuade him after hearing his words.
Of course, disobedient children need to be disciplined. Why should I interfere when others are disciplining their children?
Lian Yi scoffed, "Father, you've been waiting for this to come out for a long time, haven't you?"
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