He trembled all over, his chest heaving like a bellows as he glared at the clan patriarch, Lin Chaoyi, seated at the head of the hall.
"That was for my son! A spot I fought tooth and nail for!!"
He stared at Lin Chaoyi and said, enunciating every single word.
"How dare you?!"
"Are you fucking rebelling!?" Lin Chaoyi shot to his feet as well, smashing his teacup on the floor.
"I'm your goddamn father! What's wrong with using something of yours?! What's wrong with it?! I raised you, and this is how you fucking repay me?"
Roaring in fury, Lin Chaoyi advanced on Lin Shunhe, leaning on his cane with each step.
"What now? You think you've grown a spine?! Daring to smash things in front of me?! Feeling capable now, are you!?"
He seized Lin Shunhe's arm and yanked it toward his own head.
"Come on! If you've got the nerve, then do it! Hit me! Hit your father! I'm standing right here! If you dare to raise a hand, then swing away!!"
"HIT ME!!" Lin Chaoyi's roar vibrated through the great hall.
Their arms strained against each other, veins popping on their dark skin.
Lin Shunhe's face was flushed purple with rage, his eyes bloodshot, his gaze fixed murderously on his father.
His fists were clenched white-knuckled, yet he didn't move a muscle.
Seeing he had managed to cow his son, Lin Chaoyi's tone softened slightly, and he began to explain in a cold voice. "Hongyu's name has already been submitted for the spot! The Chen Family has already accepted her! It's a done deal; it can't be changed. What you need to do is face reality! Help Hongyu establish herself and thrive with the Chen Family. Only then will she have the chance to turn around and give your son a helping hand later! By then, two members of our Lin Family will be in the Chen Family. That's what would be a truly great thing for the family!"
Lin Shunhe's fists remained clenched. Looking at his father's lecturing expression, he felt a wave of disappointment and grief so strong it nearly overwhelmed him.
'His whole life, he had never gotten any support from his father. Any good fortune always seemed to go to Hongyu's side of the family. Even his current position as the oil mill's Steward wasn't from his father; he had gotten it himself after luckily winning the favor of a noble at the Government Office.'
'He had always thought that when it came to himself, he could just endure it. After all, it was his father; he could put up with it and life would go on. But he had never imagined that the spot he had fought tooth and nail to win for his son would be calculatingly snatched away by this old bastard!!?'
The more Lin Shunhe thought about it, the angrier and more wronged he felt.
Meanwhile, Lin Chaoyi was still droning on, saying that he needed to put the Lin Family first, that as long as the family as a whole was strong, everyone would benefit, and that he shouldn't be resentful over a momentary sacrifice...
"AHHH!!!"
Suddenly, Lin Shunhe violently flung his father's hand away. He pointed a trembling finger at him, his body shaking and his teeth clenched.
"My whole life, I've never relied on you for a single thing! I tolerated it when you sacrificed me in the past, but now you're fucking sacrificing my son!! Fine!! From this day forward, I, Lin Shunhe, and my family of three will have nothing more to do with the Lin Family!! We sever all ties!!!"
He roared this with all his might, then turned and stormed out, not sparing another glance for the beet-red Lin Chaoyi.
"You!!" Lin Chaoyi pointed after him, so choked with rage he couldn't form a complete sentence. "Unfilial son!! You... you unfilial son!!"
BAM.
The doors to the hall were flung open. Lin Shunhe strode out and vanished around the courtyard corner in an instant.
Lin Chaoyi stood rooted to the spot, grinding his teeth. He didn't dare call anyone to stop him, however. After all, his actions had been dishonorable. If word of this were to spread, it would reflect poorly on both him and the entire Lin Family.
"But what did I do wrong!?" he gasped, teeth clenched. "Everything I did... it was for the Lin Family! For everyone!"