It was already past six o'clock when Lin Xi arrived at the Lin family's house. On the way there, Grandma Lin had urged her twice.
Seeing her come in, her cousin Lin Yan narrowed her eyes and sneered with disdain, "Haha, I told you so. Mr. Shen doesn't fancy her at all. How could he possibly come?"
"He's very busy and has no time," Lin Xi glanced at her, her voice flat and a bit cold.
"Oh, is he so busy that he doesn't even have time for a meal?" Lin Bin, her cousin who was sitting in the living room, said with contempt.
When Grandma Lin saw that Lin Xi was alone, the kind look on her face suddenly disappeared.
"You're really useless. You can't even win over your husband's heart. After being married for so many years, every time we invite him to dinner, he's absent nine times out of ten. If you were more capable and gave him a son, would he still look down on our family like this?"
"Mom, say less. Let's have dinner," Lin Zheng'an said softly beside her.
"Yes, Mom. It's the same with Xiao Xi here," Aunt Wang Guizhi came over with a smile to support the old lady.
Grandma Lin was notoriously partial to boys over girls. Moreover, she had never liked Lin Xi and her mother. So after Lin Xi's father passed away, everything in the family, including the company, was solely decided by the old lady and put under Lin Zheng'an's full charge. Lin Xi and her mother only received a meager living allowance each month.
The reason given was that Lin Xi's father had managed the company poorly, which had led to serious losses and almost bankrupted the company. They claimed that giving them a living allowance was already the utmost kindness they could show.
Back then, out of desperation, Lin Xi sold the family's house to cover her mother's medical expenses.
That half year was the darkest period in Lin Xi's life. Things didn't change until Grandpa Shen found her.
After Lin Xi married Shen Yize, Lin Zheng'an proposed that the company would cover Lin Xi's mother's medical expenses, saying that they couldn't let the Shen family look down on her.
Thinking about the past, it was impossible for Lin Xi not to be angry.
The family sat down at the dining table. Lin Zheng'an looked up and glanced at Lin Xi, "Xiao Xi, what has Yize been busy with lately?"
"Uncle, you know that he never tells me about his affairs," Lin Xi lowered her eyes and ate her meal on her own.
"Lin Xi, you're so pretty. Don't let nature's favor go to waste. Put more effort into your brother-in-law. Men all like women who know how to have fun," Lin Bin said with a smile at the corner of his mouth as he looked at Lin Xi, as if suggesting something.
Lin Xi didn't respond. She could also sense that Lin Zheng'an, sitting diagonally across from her, was looking at her from time to time.
She just pretended not to know and quietly ate the food in her bowl.
Sure enough, halfway through the meal, Lin Zheng'an finally spoke up.
"Xiao Xi, recently your eldest brother has been negotiating a project. The other party thinks our company's strength is a bit weak and isn't very willing to cooperate. Could you please tell Yize and ask him to help make an introduction? The other party is quite familiar with him. As long as Yize is willing to introduce them, this deal will be done."
Lin Xi paused as she was picking up food with her chopsticks. She knew something was up. She couldn't remember how many times they had used the pretext of inviting her back for dinner to give her tasks. Aunt Wang Guizhi was about to start sighing and complaining.
Just as Lin Xi put down her chopsticks, she heard Wang Guizhi sighing, "Xiao Xi, business has been tough these past two years. Your brother's previous two investments were total losses. You know, our family has big expenses. Grandma needs regular check-ups and maintenance. Your eldest brother is dating someone. Yan'er hasn't graduated from university yet. And most importantly, your mother's medical expenses are hundreds of thousands each month!"
Wang Guizhi knew that Lin Xi's mother was her weak point, and that was also their confidence. She thought her husband was really good at handling things. If it hadn't been for the claim that the company would cover her mother's medical expenses back then, they might not have been able to rely on the wealthy Shen family.
"It's such a small matter. Xiao Xi just needs to go back and tell Yize. It's just a matter of saying a few words. I thought it was something big," Grandma Lin said casually while sitting at the head of the table.
Seeing that Lin Xi lowered her eyes and didn't say anything, she glanced at Lin Xi unpleasantly, "Xiao Xi, go back and tell Yize. It's just such a small matter. Do you have to keep your head down and not say a word?"
Hearing this, Lin Xi slowly raised her head. How thick-skinned did one have to be to act so arrogantly?
"Grandma, since it's a small matter, why didn't Uncle go directly to Shen Yize? If it's really as simple as just saying a word, Shen Yize wouldn't be so unkind, would he? Over the years, every time you said it was a small matter, but which time wasn't it the Shen family that played the role of a bridge and helped out? If the deal goes well, the Lin family makes money. If it doesn't, the Shen family takes the losses. Why don't you think about why I'm not valued by Shen Yize?"
Grandma Lin got angry when she heard her say this, "You little girl, you've gone too far! How dare you talk to me like this? Don't forget that you're surnamed Lin. We're your family!"
Lin Xi coldly swept her eyes over the people at the table. Family? Which one of them here had ever treated her as family? If she hadn't married Shen Yize, she probably wouldn't even have the 资格 to sit and have dinner with them.
"Grandma, when I got married, you asked for ten million yuan as betrothal gifts. Over the years, although it's said that the company covers my mother's medical expenses, isn't it just using my dowry to pay for my mother's expenses?
And the company. Before, my father had been managing it very well, but Uncle said it had been losing money year after year and didn't give me or my mother any dividends. Over the years, you haven't taken less advantage of the Shen family, have you? After the company turned around, I didn't see you give me any benefits either."
Everyone was stunned when they heard this. The dining room suddenly became quiet. Why was this girl suddenly bringing up old scores today and even asking for dividends?
The old lady got so angry that she stood up and walked in front of Lin Xi, shouting angrily, "Lin Xi, do you think that just because you're the daughter-in-law of the Shen family, you've got wings and can do whatever you want?"
After saying that, she raised her hand and slapped Lin Xi. The old lady was in good health and took good care of herself, so the slap was quite powerful.
Instantly, Lin Xi's ears were ringing, and her eyes were full of stars. Five finger marks were clearly visible on her fair face, looking rather hideous.
Lin Xi hadn't expected the old lady to slap her. It seemed that her words had touched the old lady's nerve.
Lin Yan sat aside and watched the show, saying, "Some people think that they can become a phoenix just by clinging to a high branch. Little do they know that they're so worthless that they don't even dare to say a word."
"Yan'er, shut up," Lin Zheng'an said.
Although Lin Zheng'an was also angry, he hadn't expected his old mother to slap Lin Xi. Now they still had to rely on her to influence Shen Yize, so it wasn't advisable to fall out with her. So he went forward to persuade her in a gentle voice.
"Xiao Xi, Grandma is old. Be more obedient and don't get angry with her. Although the company has turned around these years, it's really not doing well. It's just barely getting by. Now that you're the young mistress of the Shen family, this amount of dividends isn't even enough for Yize to buy a gift."
Lin Xi sneered. Was it just a matter of more or less money?
She had originally wanted to mention the divorce, but then she remembered what Grandpa Shen had said in the morning, so she swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
It was better to avoid any unexpected troubles before getting the divorce certificate.
"Uncle, I can't help with the company's affairs. Shen Yize won't listen to me either. You'd better think of another way. And please return the betrothal gifts from the Shen family when I got married. I'll pay for my mother's medical expenses myself from now on."
After saying that, Lin Xi picked up her bag and turned to leave. Since she hadn't divorced Shen Yize yet, Lin Zheng'an naturally wouldn't dare to make things too difficult for her. And there wouldn't be a big problem with her mother for now.
As for the ten million yuan betrothal gifts, the Lin family had asked for such a high amount when Grandpa Shen insisted that Shen Yize marry her. Of course, she had to ask for it back.
Now that she thought about it, Shen Yize's dislike for her probably started from that time.
After leaving the Lin family's house, Lin Xi's forced firmness immediately collapsed, and tears burst out like a flood.