There was shock and utter disbelief on Long Jufang’s face as he stared wide-eyed and open-mouthed at Long Jinjing, Sir Lu Jianhong, and Lu Zihao. Then he shuddered when Lu Zihao gave him a cold glare before pulling Long Jinjing closer to him.
That protective action alone was enough for Long Jufang to finally understand the relationship between his illegitimate grandniece and Sir Lu’s grandson. His shock and disbelief immediately transformed into a calculating glint in the eyes which he quickly hid. He didn’t want to earn the ire of the grandfather-grandson duo.
Long Jufang tried to lighten the tense atmosphere with a smile. His mouth shook a little in the process due to him restraining himself from grinning ear to ear.
Look at that!
Two daughters from his Long clan marrying into the two most powerful business families in the country!
It was indeed an excellent decision for him to side with Iris instead of Long Hui. The half-sisters, Iris and Long Jinjing, had become very close in the last couple of years. Iris poached her sister to become an executive in her own company. Since then, the two of them had been soaring up higher and higher than what most members of the clan expected from the sisters.
One had a problematic past while the other was an illegitimate daughter. Both of them brought shame to the Long clan for different reasons but were now redeeming themselves many times over.
Iris managed to become the new Madam Jin while Sir Lu Jianhong just declared that Long Jinjing was going to become his grandson’s bride.
Long Jufang almost couldn’t contain his excitement. Look at his fellow elder, Long Meng, who chose to side with Long Hui. The eldest son was considered by many as the heir apparent but now he was basically in exile to escape a lawsuit against him. Long Hui’s downfall was the exact opposite of his half-sisters’ continued rise to the top.
Once again, Long Jufang inwardly praised himself for his good insight in betting on the right child—no, children. He always looked down on Long Jinjing because of her illegitimate birth, but at the moment, it was as if she had transformed into a plain pebble into precious pearl.
“I see. So that’s how it is.” Long Jufang nodded and continued maintaining a subtle smile even though his muscles were aching to fight a big grin from spreading across his face. He looked at Long Jinjing and gave her the kindest expression that he could muster for an illegitimate child. “Jinjing, you’re as secretive as your sister. Your granduncle had no idea that you’re going to marry Mr. Lu Zihao.”
The red-faced Long Jinjing stiffened and looked like she was about to panic but Lu Zihao only pulled her closer to his body before glaring harder at Long Jufang as if he wanted to murder him. Long Jufang trembled and immediately avoided the younger man’s scary eyes.
“N-no, we’re n-not—” Long Jinjing stammered but Lu Zihao interrupted her before she could finish her sentence.
“Jinjing has no obligation to tell a distant relative like you about what’s happening in her life,” Lu Zihao said in a low voice so cold that Long Jufang felt his innards almost get frostbitten.
The smile on Long Jufang’s face stiffened. It took a tremendous amount of control for him not to explode at the younger man’s disrespectful words towards him, an elder. He immediately sensed the mockery in Lu Zihao’s tone especially when he said the words “distant relative” to refer to him, Long Jufang. The younger man was indeed Sir Lu Jianhong’s grandson. Both of them spoke whatever they wanted without caring for propriety at all.
Long Jufang cleared his throat and continued smiling even though his teeth were grinding so hard that it felt like he might just crush his own jaw. He hated it but thought that he had no choice but to take the jab from the younger man without complaining.
The atmosphere had now turned awkward.
Long Jufang turned to Iris and Jin Liwei, giving them a meaningful look to help him out. Iris tilted her head to side with an innocent expression as if not understanding what he wanted. Jin Liwei had a cold and unreadable expression. It was clear from his expression that he would only follow whatever his wife wanted. If Iris didn’t make a move, he wouldn’t do anything either.
Frustrated, Long Jufang could only suffer this humiliation in silence. Before he could control himself, he automatically sent an accusing look at Long Jinjing.
Bang!
Most of them were startled.
Dom and the middle-aged woman both shrieked in an almost identical manner.
Iris clutched at her chest and paled. Jin Liwei was by her side in an instant, enveloping her in a protective embrace.
Everyone looked at one direction.
Lu Zihao’s hammerfist was still grinding on the hardwood table where he slammed it just now. Veins popped up on his skin. He looked bloodthirsty and ready to pounce at Long Jufang any second now.
“Ni—Zihao!” Long Jinjing immediately grabbed his arm when she recovered from her shock. Then she touched his clenched fist on the table and started rubbing it. “Did you hurt your hand? Let me take a look.”
Lu Zihao didn’t reply to her. He was busy murdering the terrified Long Jufang with his eyes.
He hissed at the elder, “I dare you to look at Jinjing like that again and I’ll—”
Bang!
Everyone looked at another direction.
This time, it was the grandfather who slammed his hammerfist on the table. Long Jufang watched as Sir Lu Jianhong, who had been silent after questioning him earlier that he hadn’t answered yet, stand up in a huff. The older gentleman looked furious like his grandson.
“What bloody farce it this?! I want to know! Dinner has not even started yet and the table has turned into a cockfighting ring where you keep on pecking at each other?! This old man has lost my appetite! You eat by yourselves! Hmph!”
“S-sir Lu….” Long Jufang blanched and panicked. He wanted to stop the older gentleman from leaving.
Lu Zihao also stood up and pulled the anxious Long Jinjing with him before following his grandfather out of the formal dining area. Heavy silence enveloped the table after their sudden departure.
