"Dad? You..." Lu Xinyi's eyes widened, her voice trembling with disbelief. She stared straight at the man before her. This was the father she had always relied on, the man she had trusted implicitly. How could he say something so heartless? Her mind went blank, and she stood frozen in place, unable to process what was happening.
Lu Jiang, too, was panicking. He knew exactly how important Lu Xinyi was to the Lu family, especially to the Huanyu Group. He quickly stepped forward, grabbing Lu Zhenhua's arm, his face filled with anxiety. "Dad, Sis can't leave! Let Shen Yi go instead! Sis... she was just deceived by Shen Yi into saying those things." As he spoke, he cursed Lu Zhenhua's stupidity in his mind, a flicker of worry crossing his eyes. He knew that without Lu Xinyi, the Huanyu Group wouldn't last long. With his father's aging body, how could he possibly keep the group running?
"What? You think your sister is right? That I'm being heartless?" Lu Zhenhua suddenly turned, his eyes glaring at Lu Jiang like a raging bull. His gaze was filled with intimidation and accusation, as if daring Lu Jiang to agree.
Lu Jiang shrank back, instantly falling silent like a frightened quail. He didn't dare provoke Lu Zhenhua at this moment, afraid of being caught in the crossfire. In this family, his father's authority was absolute.
Damn, is this old man serious? He's willing to throw away a daughter he's raised for over twenty years? Has he lost his mind? Even if he's angry, this is way too much! But Lu Xinyi really has it rough—just saying a few words in my defense gets her slapped and kicked out of the house. Unbelievable! Shen Yi stood to the side, watching the chaotic scene unfold, his mind racing with complaints. He frowned slightly, a mix of helplessness and mockery on his face as his eyes darted between the members of the Lu family.
Hearing Shen Yi's thoughts, Lu Xinyi's heart jolted. She suddenly felt like this home had become utterly alien, so much so that she wanted to flee immediately. The person about to be kicked out was standing up for her, while her own beloved younger brother stood by, cold and indifferent. Her mind drifted back to the past—how she had doted on Lu Jiang, giving him everything he wanted, almost blindly spoiling him... Yet now, when she needed support the most, Lu Jiang chose silence.
At that moment, a strong desire to leave this cold household surged within her.
Shen Yi frowned, taking a step forward and raising his voice. "Hey, Lu Zhenhua, you're really going too far! What did Lu Xinyi say that was wrong? You're already not the sharpest tool in the shed, and now you're acting like a senile old man? You want to kick her out? Think about it—without Lu Xinyi, how will the Huanyu Group function? You don't want it to be swallowed by the Xingyao Group, do you?" As he spoke, he crossed his arms, his gaze challenging as he looked at Lu Zhenhua. The Xingyao Group, a leading enterprise from a neighboring city, had long been a rival of the Huanyu Group, competing fiercely in the business world.
Lu Xinyi sat on the floor, mechanically wiping her tears, but Shen Yi's words brought her a rare sense of comfort. Even though she had treated him poorly in the past, in this critical moment, he still cared for her. Compared to Lu Jiang, the difference between them was like night and day. Today, she had finally seen her younger brother's true nature: ruthless, cunning, and cold. She was filled with regret—why hadn't she seen Lu Jiang's true colors earlier? If she had, maybe she could have treated those who truly cared for her better. But now it was too late. Shen Yi had completely lost hope in the Lu family. And it seemed like he had already died once—he would never return to the Lu family...
"You ungrateful brat! Who do you think you are?! I don't need you to tell me what to do! Let me tell you, even without Lu Xinyi, there's still Xiao Jiang! With some training, he'll definitely take the Huanyu Group to new heights, surpassing a market value of 100 billion!" Lu Zhenhua's face turned red with anger as he slapped Lu Jiang's shoulder, as if declaring his determination to the world, his eyes filled with blind confidence.
What the...? So this old man's plan was to kick Lu Xinyi out of the Huanyu Group and pave the way for Lu Jiang? Shen Yi was almost speechless, his face a picture of disbelief. He never expected Lu Zhenhua to have such intentions.
For Lu Xinyi, her father's words were like a sharp dagger, piercing straight into her heart. She had dedicated years of hard work to the Huanyu Group, creating immense value, only to be cast aside in the end.
Lu Jiang could no longer contain his excitement. His face flushed with joy as he shook Lu Zhenhua's arm, his voice trembling with anticipation. "Dad! Are you serious?! You're really going to let me take over the group?" His eyes gleamed with greed, as if he could already see himself as the powerful head of the group.
Lu Zhenhua patted Lu Jiang's head, a proud fatherly expression on his face. "Of course, Xiao Jiang. You're my son. I believe in your abilities. You won't be any worse than Lu Xinyi!" In truth, he knew he couldn't hand the group over to the inexperienced Lu Jiang immediately, but he planned to groom him slowly.
Lu Xinyi felt like she was on the verge of breaking down. Lu Zhenhua's words and Shen Yi's thoughts were like two bombs, shattering her perception of her father. She took a deep breath, slowly stood up, wiped the tears from her face, and walked step by step to Shen Yi's side. Her voice was tinged with desolation and resolve as she said, "Xiao Yi, let's go. If Dad wants me to leave and give the group to Xiao Jiang, then I'll do as he wishes." Her expression was bleak, her eyes devoid of hope.
How could Dad do this to me... I joined the Huanyu Group right after getting my master's degree at 25, starting as a project manager and working my way up to CEO in just a few years. During my time as CEO, the group's market value increased by a third. I created at least 15 billion in value for Huanyu, and yet Dad... Lu Xinyi's heart ached as memories of her hard work for the group flashed through her mind, only to be met with her father's cruelty.
Seeing his daughter's reaction, Lu Zhenhua felt a pang of panic, as if he was about to lose something precious. But his pride wouldn't let him utter any words of retaining her.
"Fine! Fine! Lu Xinyi, you're something else! I'm giving you one last chance! If you come back now, I'll act like nothing happened. But if you insist on leaving, don't ever come back! I'll freeze your cards! Let's see how you come crawling back to me!" Lu Zhenhua's brows furrowed, his sharp gaze fixed on Lu Xinyi, his expression cold and stern. He had always maintained strict control over his family, even holding onto their bank cards as a way to assert his authority.
Damn, can this old man say anything nice? Who would give in to words like that? Especially someone as strong-willed as Lu Xinyi. If you just softened up and said, 'Dad was wrong,' she'd probably apologize right away! Shen Yi shook his head in disbelief, utterly baffled by Lu Zhenhua's logic. With a brain like this, how did he even build a group with a market value nearing 100 billion? Were all his competitors idiots back then? He shrugged helplessly, continuing his internal complaining.
Lu Xinyi had been about to say "Let's go," but hearing Shen Yi's thoughts, she hesitated. Dad wants me to give in, but he's just too stubborn to say it. What should I do? Her face showed her inner conflict, her brows tightly knit. Her strong personality had been honed through years in the business world. To manage the company effectively, she had to be tough and unyielding. But now, faced with her father's ultimatum, she was torn.
Just as Lu Xinyi hesitated, Lu Zhenhua's patience snapped. His face turned livid, his chest heaving with rage as he roared, "Fine! Lu Xinyi, you're still hesitating?! No need to think anymore! Get out of the Lu family! Now!"