The entire bar descended into silence.
The other people had been driven out of the bar by the bodyguards, including the waitstaff.
Ling Wei stood there at the bar counter, stupefied.
Each of those words was like a knife that cut deeply into her heart.
Ling Rui saw that and could not help but grin gleefully.
He was planning to add fuel to the fire, but the current scene had satisfied him.
His sister was utterly finished. Even though she was engaged, she was caught having a tryst with another male, even making out with him in public. In their father’s eyes, she was immoral and frivolous.
Furthermore, the male was Tai An Group’s enemy.
How could she continue as Tai An Group’s president? Once she fell from grace, it was his turn to take over.
He had planned the arranged marriage and the incident at the bar.
He was the one who pulled the strings and called for the arranged marriage. Once she married into another family, her influence in the Ling family would be diminished and she would have to give up her president’s position.
He could also use her marriage to forge connections with the Song family in the Capital.
That was like killing two birds with one stone.
Whatever happened today was only to hasten the process. He could get back at his sister at the same time.
He never liked his sister. He thought that she, as a woman, had no right to claim the president’s position that was supposed to be his. He was the better sibling after all.
Every time other people talked about the children of the Ling family, they would praise his sister and ignore him.
He wanted to reclaim what was supposed to be his, and at the same time ruin his sister’s reputation.
He glared at Ling Wei coldly, then turned to look at Tang Hao.
He gritted his teeth. His gaze was brimming with resentment.
‘This is just a small lesson for you. When I have the Song family’s favor in the future, you’ll suffer a much worse fate. That’ll teach you!’
Meanwhile, Ling Mingshan looked at his own daughter, then at the detestable Tang kid. He became angrier than ever.
“Say something! Are you mute?” Ling Mingshan roared.
He was livid. His daughter was already engaged, yet she made out in public with another male. What would happen to the Ling family reputation if news got out?
The Song family was one of the most powerful families in the Capital. If they called off the engagement because of this incident, it would be a great loss to the Ling family.
Furthermore, if they blamed it all on the Ling family, that would have been a disaster.
“You unfilial girl, I thought you would know how to behave. Look around you, why would you ever come to this place?” Ling Mingshan roared as he pointed at the surroundings.
“And that person, too! Don’t you know that he’s an enemy of the Ling family? How could you be friends with him?
“I would have turned a blind eye on that before, but you are engaged now. How can you be seen in public with another man?”
Ling Mingshan’s face was contorted as he roared.
Ling Wei stood there without saying a word. Her face was paler than ever.
Her gaze was hollow.
She did not have the strength to fight back. How could she say that her brother had set her up?
Her father would not believe it. No one in the Ling family would believe it.
Furthermore, she was the one who invited Tang Hao. Tang Hao was the enemy of the Ling family. No one would stand on his side.
“I say, Sister, how can you behave that way? You’ve been silly. Know your place and stop bringing shame to the family! It’ll be bad for us if news got out,” Ling Rui said sarcastically.
Ling Mingshan’s expression became worse when he heard that.
Uncle Ming walked up to him. “Old Master, Young Miss… indeed made some bad choices. Furthermore, you should know that Young Miss doesn’t agree with the engagement. She’s still trying to process this turn of events.”
Ling Mingshan grunted angrily. “So what if she doesn’t like it? It’s not up to her to decide. She is my daughter. It’s not up to her to decide who she should marry.
“I’m doing this for her own good. Don’t tell me that the Song family isn’t any better than this filthy kid?
“Who does this filthy kid think he is? He’s just a country bumpkin from a mountain village. Once a country bumpkin, forever a country bumpkin, no matter how much money he earns. That won’t change the fact about what he truly is.”
Uncle Ming was shocked by those words. He fell silent.
Ling Mingshan chuckled at Tang Hao, then turned to speak to Ling Wei. “From now on, I’m taking you off the president’s position. Go home with me, and you cannot step outside of the house for the next half a year. Stay at home until the date of your marriage.
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t agree to the marriage. You still have to get married anyway. This is for the benefit of the family, don’t you know?”
Ling Wei trembled. Her hollow gaze flickered with a hint of life.
There was a sparkle in her eyes. It was a spark that ignited the anger in her heart, which burned like a raging fire.
She could tolerate their accusations that she was immoral or incapable, but she could not tolerate that they treated her as a tool for their benefit.
She took a deep breath and found the courage that she never had before.
She smirked coldly. “What benefit for the family? You sound so noble when you say it. I’m not a tool that you can use like this. Who do you think you are to decide who I shall marry?
“Enough with the lies. If you want to marry, why not get married yourself? I don’t care about the Song family. I’d rather die than marry that Song Linfei.”
She wore a determined expression on her face as she uttered those words.
“You…” Ling Mingshan was livid. His eyes were opened round and wide.
“How dare you talk back to me, you unfilial girl]?” Ling Mingshan roared. He stepped forward and lifted his hand, preparing to slap her on the face.
Ling Wei closed her eyes in agony.
The slap never landed on her face.
When she opened her eyes, she saw Tang Hao firmly grasping Ling Mingshan’s hand.
“What are you doing? Get lost at this instant. I’m disciplining my daughter. It’s none of your business!” Ling Mingshan said angrily.
He tried to pull away, but the boy’s grip was as firm as a metal clamp.
“What are you doing, you bastard? Let go of me now!”
Behind him, Ling Rui was trembling out of excitement, as though he had found the perfect opportunity.
“Quick, you idiots! Why are you still standing there? [Go up and kill that bastard!”
He turned around and yelled at the bodyguards.
