Chapter 111 - The Most Stunning One (3)
Chapter 111: The Most Stunning One (3)
The former master of the Zhao family’s words were like a huge rock being thrown into a calm lake and turned the atmosphere at the banquet into an instant uproar.
Unbeknownst to everyone on the spot, even the main character itself, Zhao Youlin had just learned about it and was just as shocked as they were.
Under the crowd’s attention, Zhao Youlin was too embarrassed to speak loudly, so she could only keep smiling while gritting her teeth as she asked in a whisper, “Old man, what’s going on?”
The former master of the Zhao family returned his smile and replied to her, “Don’t be so disrespectful. Call me Grandpa.”
Zhao Youlin gritted her teeth again.
Li Hongyu and her family had not only been caught by surprise upon seeing Zhao Youlin, but now, they were also truly shocked by the statements made by the former master of the house.
The phrase “How can the person that the former master is introducing be Zhao Youlin” that came to mind changed to “Zhao Youlin has suddenly become the most likely heir to the Zhao family among his grandchildren?!”
“Mother, why did the wench…” Zhao Youxi’s expression changed drastically. She ran over to Li Hongyu in a panic and pulled her arm anxiously for help.
“The wench was just an unwanted and abandoned woman not long ago. How could she turn out to be the one who can step on everyone’s head and have the most right to inherit the family business within such a short period of time?
“Why?! Why did it turn out like this?! What is that woman capable of?! Why did she have the right to stand in that position? A position that I’ve never even reached! What right did she have?!”
Mu Tingfeng stood at a place not far away from Zhao Youxi. His expression instantly darkened when he heard Zhao Youxi calling Zhao Youlin “a wench” for real. His eyes gave off a bone-chilling coldness.
Li Hongyu was expressionless. She no longer could maintain the usual elegance and dignity on that pretty face. Her eyes were like they were being quenched with poison that shot straight at the person standing above.
Indeed, Zhao Youxi and her brother had never stood at the place right next to the former master of the Zhao family. This was because the former master had never acknowledged them.
But, why was the wench given the green light to do so? Darn it! She was still defeated by the wench left behind by that witch even after so many years of hard work. How could she be willing to be defeated like this?!
If she had known it would end up like this from the beginning, she would have killed the wench by all means at that time. At least the wench would not backfire on her as she did now!
On the contrary, Zhao Shuncheng was filled with ecstasy after his initial surprise in contrast to Li Hongyu and her daughter’s resentment and jealousy.
Zhao Youlin was his own daughter. So, the former master truly meant it when he announced Zhao Youlin’s identity before the crowd.
What would happen if Zhao Youlin really became the heir of the Zhao family? If so, would his status in the Zhao family not be… Let’s just say, even if she did not inherit it for real, with the title as the second heir of the Zhao family, he was confident that everyone would give their honor to the father of the second heir.
Zhao Shuncheng was happily planning for himself. Little did he know that the former master’s following words instantly shattered all his fantasies.
“I know that many of you are wondering why I’ve made such a decision. In fact, I made this decision solely because of one thing that I’m going to say now.”
Upon hearing the former master’s speech, everyone stopped chatting and pricked up their ears to listen to what the former master was going to say next.
“As you know, my eldest son and my eldest daughter-in-law have been married for more than twenty years and had no children until today. As their father and father-in-law, I couldn’t bear to see them die without a child in their old age. Youlin is smart, well-behaved and understanding. So, I’ve decided to pass her on to my eldest son and eldest daughter-in-law, and Youlin would exercise her responsibility of supporting her adopted parents as well as being entitled to her well-deserved rights and benefits.”
Right after the former master spoke, the commotion turned into an instant uproar again.
Zhao Youlin looked at the chaos among the crowd. She was shocked beyond words and her smile was so strained that she almost wanted to brawl with the former master on the spot.
“Old man, what’s this all about?! Darn it! What the hell do you want from me?!”
He had actually announced her as the second heir of the Zhao family before the public, making her the direct competitor, much less a target to everyone.
Now, he announced that she was going to be the adopted daughter of the most powerful man in the Zhao family, who was only second to the former master. She knew that she no longer had the opportunity to stay with Joy outside.
‘Is this old man so eager to force me and Joy back to the main residence? What exactly is he trying to accomplish?!’
The former master of the Zhao family kept smiling decently, and he looked calm. Regardless, Zhao Youlin still felt like striking him. Once again he said, “As I mentioned, call me Grandpa.”
“Old man!”
“Call me Grandpa!”
“Old man!
“Grandpa!”
“Good girl. You’re truly my good grandchild.”
Zhao Youlin fell speechless.
Meanwhile, Uncle Zhao had been watching the two. Even though their smiles were graceful and decent on the surface, they were fighting like children between themselves. He shook his head and turned away for he could not bear to watch them anymore. He silently stared at the pattern on the staircase handrail, pretending he had not seen anything.
The former master of the Zhao family was choked by Zhao Youlin’s final words. The smile on his face twitched slightly. Then, he heaved a sigh, “Your eldest uncle and eldest aunt are childless even until this day, and your eldest aunt has been treating you like her own, have you not even, for a moment, thought of…”
‘Are you trying to pull kinship in your tricks?!’
The smile on Zhao Youlin’s face also twitched a little. One had to say that the former master’s timing was spot-on.
Zhao Youlin turned her head and saw the equally surprised and overwhelmed Duan Yarong and Zhao Shunrong. She thought the two must also have not known about this from the beginning. This old fox had not informed any of the parties involved. He had made the decisions for them beforehand.
Zhao Youlin heaved a sigh of relief after finding out that the two must also have not known about it. It was not because she repulsed the two, it was purely because she hated the feeling of being forced into things.
However, since the two people had not known about it beforehand and their level of surprise was just as much as hers, she could naturally vent out her anger at the old man who had taken the liberty to make the decision for them.
Zhao Youlin fully intended to do so. Unfortunately, the old man did not give her a chance to do so.
When the former master saw Zhao Youlin withdrawing her gaze from Duan Yarong and Zhao Shuncheng, he changed his expression and said hypocritically, “Moreover, aren’t you annoyed by your father and the mother-daughter pair occasionally causing you trouble? When you’re adopted by your eldest uncle and with his current status, they won’t dare to find any faults with you even if they have God by their side.”
The former master of the Zhao family had reached the main point. What Zhao Youlin hated most was the Zhao family’s oddballs who occasionally came for her and caused her trouble.
If she was adopted by Zhao Shunrong and with his current status in the Zhao family, they would not simply come to provoke her no matter how bold they were. As the old saying went, one had nothing to be scared of if he had a strong backup.