Standing Next To You
Chapter 84: On their knees

Chapter 84: On their knees

Lin Ginxian couldn’t hide his satisfaction. The tables had turned, and this situation presented an opportunity to expose the fourth branch’s deceit and take them down.

"You people dared to frame my daughter? Do you desire the inheritance so much that you’d stoop so low as to ruin a young girl’s reputation? If anyone here doesn’t deserve to bear the Lin family name, it’s you!" Lin Ginxian shouted, his face showing anger.

He turned to his father. "Father, I can’t forgive them. If my daughter hadn’t been able to prove herself today, these people would have permanently tarnished her reputation. They plotted to remove her from this family. I’ve struggled for so long just to find her, and I won’t let them harm her again. These people don’t deserve to carry the family name."

"Lin Ginxian! You’ve gone too far!" Lin Ruo retorted.

"Too far? Should I stand by and watch as all of you destroy my daughter? You people should be expelled from this family!"

Lin Ginxian’s fury was palpable, and he seemed determined to see justice served.

Bei Sangyun couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Among all these people, this man seemed to be the most hypocritical.

Old Master Lin glared at his two sons. "I’m still here, and yet you two are shouting incessantly!"

The two brothers exchanged glares and fell silent.

Old Master Lin massaged his head. "I’m very disappointed in you, Lin Ruo. Did you call me here just to use me to cast out your own niece?"

"No, father. That wasn’t our intention," Lin Ruo replied, realizing there was no point in denying the truth. The only way forward was to confess their transgressions and appeal to their father’s compassion. Acting defiant might only anger him further and lead to their expulsion.

To show his sincerity, Lin Ruo knelt on the floor.

"My daughter is still very young, and she didn’t fully understand what she was doing. As a father, I can only believe in her and defend her. While she made a grave mistake, it’s also true that she was harmed by her own cousin."

Li Mei gave a knowing look with the horrified Lin Sunji before joining her husband on the floor.

"Father-in-law, I must also shoulder the blame. Out of anger, I failed to investigate and encouraged my daughter to escalate this situation. But please don’t hold it against Sunji. She’s just a child. Please give her a second chance. If you must punish someone, punish us."

Lin Sunji teared up. "Mom...Dad..." Her tears fell as she knelt beside her parents despite the pain in her knees.

"Grandpa, I promise I won’t do it again. Please don’t punish my parents. They weren’t aware of everything I did. Huhu..." Lin Sunji’s cries filled the living room.

The fourth branch had admitted their wrongdoings and knelt, seeking forgiveness.

Bei Sangyun observed them coldly. This scene brought back some unpleasant memories.

In the past, the fourth branch had also knelt like this, but it wasn’t to ask for a second chance from the old man. They had begged her to spare them, or at least spare their daughter and son.

But no matter how much they had bowed and bled from knocking their heads on the cold ground, she had remained unmoved and was ruthless to the end.

Bei Sangyun looked away, unwilling to dwell on those memories.

The fourth branch might have been scheming and had caused her immense mental stress, but within the Lin family, they were among the most sincere in their devotion to their children.

She glanced at Old Master Lin and noticed him gazing at the three with a stern expression. But she knew the old man well enough to realize that the familial love being demonstrated by the fourth branch might genuinely touch his heart.

The fourth branch still had their wits about them.

Old Master Lin watched with a cold expression as the three pleaded on behalf of each other. He angrily slapped the table.

"Enough! You should not be asking me for forgiveness," he declared, turning his attention to Bei Sangyun. "Since these people have wronged you, you will be the one to decide how to punish them."

Bei Sangyun resisted the urge to roll her eyes, stopping herself just in time.

It was yet another test.

The old man wanted to ascertain if her heart was capable of expelling her own family members for a single mistake or if she could find it within her to forgive them and offer a second chance.

The old man’s intentions were puzzling, and he seemed to contradict himself.

On one hand, he had gathered his capable grandchildren in one house to compete against each other, yet he also wanted them to foster family bonds.

Given the importance the old man placed on family, the right response was to forgive them, extend a second chance, and administer appropriate punishment.

The Bei Sangyun from the past, who had sought to curb the old man’s favor, would have taken this course without hesitation.

The fourth branch turned to Bei Sangyun.

Li Mei and Lin Ruo humbly implored her for forgiveness, stressing that she need not forgive them but rather their daughter. As schemeful individuals, they also understood the meaning behind this and the correct answer to the old man’s test.

If Bei Sangyun chose to strip Lin Sunji of her inheritance rights, her own right to compete would be in jeopardy. The old man would brand her as someone cruel and she would lose his favor.

Although it was still a losing situation for them, at least they would be able to drag down the third branch with them.

Lin Sunji was too young to grasp the true circumstances. She harbored resentment toward Bei Sangyun for shaming her parents and believed that asking for forgiveness from her was futile.

The intimidating gaze Bei Sangyun had given her still haunted her, and she was convinced that Bei Sangyun would not extend forgiveness but rather torment them further. Nevertheless, she had no choice but to humble herself for the sake of her parents.

Meanwhile, Lin Ginxian approached Bei Sangyun. "My daughter, you are under no obligation to forgive them. If not for their actions, your reputation wouldn’t have been tarnished. However, they are still your uncle, aunt, and cousin. While I may not like it, as a family, we ought to give them a second chance. They do seem sincere."

Lin Ginxian had discerned the hidden test and was concerned that Bei Sangyun might not grasp it, so he subtly offered her the hint himself.

Old Master Lin fixed his gaze on Lin Ginxian and then turned to Bei Sangyun, awaiting her decision.

****

A/n: The third branch is Lin Ginxian with his daughter- Bei Sangyun. The fourth branch is Lin Ruo, with his wife- Li Mei, his daughter- Lin Sunji, and his son- Lin Sanju.

For more clarification, refer to the Lin family tree:

The Lin family

HeadMaster: Old Master Lin (Lin Zhigou)

His butler: Butler Yang

Sons:

First Master- Lin Baozi (Lin Zhe’s father) referred to as First Branch

Second Master- Lin Fang (Lin Fei’s father) referred to as the Second Branch

Third Master- Lin Ginxian (Bei Sangyun’s father) referred to as Third Branch

Fourth Master- Lin Ruo (the twins’ father) / Li Mei referred to as Fourth Branch

Fifth Master- Lin Xiao (Lin Xiaoni’s father) / Xiao Mi referred to as Fifth Branch

Daughter:

Sixth child - Lin Yin ( Lin Dayun’s mother) referred to as Sixth Branches

They are other branches as well but they are the branches of the main family.

Grandchildren: (The heirs candidate)

First Brother- Lin Zhe

Second Brother- Lin Fei

First Young Miss- Lin Sunji

Third brother- Lin Sanju

Second Young Miss- Lin Dayun (in the states)

Third Young Miss-Bei Sangyun/ Lin