Grandpa Su explained his point of view and tried to talk sense into the arrogant brat.
But all Shi Meng did was creepily smile. "Yes, that does seem to be the case, grandpa." He swirled the wine in his glass and continued glaring at Su Lin.
Though Shi Meng didn't have much to say, his mother had a mouthful to say.
"Father, she is lying. She is just doing all this for money. Even now, why is she here?"
"If she is really all that pure and innocent as you say, shouldn't she have stayed away from our family? But what did she do, come whining and crying to you!!"
"She is trying to fool you father!"
"Xiao Ling. I am only old, I am not senile just yet." Grandpa solemnly said. He did not like what the woman was insinuating.
In between their argument, a soft and pitiful voice spoke up, "Sorry, Grandpa. This is all my fault. Mom... She is not completely wrong." Su Lin stammered.
"What are you saying child?" Grandpa asked with concern.
"I actually... umm... came to you for help grandpa. I... I need some money."
Su Lin added the perfect dollop of hesitance and a slight tinge of earnestness and quietly mumbled, as she tucked her hair behind her ear.
Her completely unexpected statement stunned everyone on the dinner table.
"Pfftttt!" Shi Meng abruptly laughed out loud, spitting the drink in his mouth.
"Look at that grandpa. Her true colors are showing sooner than expected. You didn't believe me, when I was trying to convince you. And now, she has admitted it directly!!" The man excitedly exclaimed.
Su Lin sneered inside. But she innocently looked down in embarrassment and mumbled. "Sorry grandpa. I... I don't want to trouble anyone, but I really don't have anyone else."
Her pitiful face looked extremely sad and depressed.
"Our marriage... It's all my fault grandpa. I never tried anything. I was just waiting for him at home everyday. Maybe... maybe that's why our marriage was never strong."
"This time, I really want to try and become someone so I can... stand beside him." Su Lin's eyes glistened. Though her face looked sad, there was a slight blush in her cheeks.
Her wording and her demeneaour were so perfect, that Grandpa Su immediately empathised with her and patted the pitiful woman.
Even Shi Meng couldn't help but choke on his food. What the hell?? Isn't this too much even for her? Stand beside me?? You have got to be kidding me! Can't you tone it down a bit?
Just like the son, the mother also did not buy the act.
"Father. Don't believe her. She is lying. She is just trying to get more money and run away somewhere."
"Why don't I give you some money myself? Just take and leave and never come back to our lives again."
But Su Lin didn't care about all these extra characters. Her target tonight was only Grandpa Su and his investment.
She wanted to start a herbal based cosmetic company, as the first step towards procuring her own empire and unfortunately, she needed a little seed money for that.
Though she might be acting right now in front of the kind old man, she didn't feel guilty in the least. Which investor would lose out from investing on a thousand year old alchemy devil?
She might be the one asking for help now. But later on, it was the Su family who are going to rake in the profits.
Amidst all this toxicity aimed at Su Lin, Grandpa Su remained unnaturally silent. He had a pensive look on his face and gazed at Su Lin with his stern old eyes.
It was almost as if he was trying to gauge her character with his direct gaze.
The old man considered Su Lin's proposal and empathetised with her, but he was not sure Su Lin even had the slightest hint about starting a business, no matter how small it was.
He might be a friend of the family and a well wisher of Su Lin, but deep down the old man was a shrewd business man through and through. So he couldn't help but hesitate.
At the same time, he didn't want the poor child to be subjected to this nightmarish dinner any longer, with Shi Meng staring daggers at her and mama Meng working her loud mouth.
He could only imagine how much all of this must be hurting the kind young woman, who had no one in the world to look out for her.
The old man closed his eyes and sighed. "Enough. We can discuss this later. Now that you are officially divorced, she has nothing to do with the Shi family."
"She is not a client of our company and I will personally deal with her investment."
Grandpa Su angrily shut down the toxic dinner party and chased out everyone.