Chapter 131: This Time, I, Su Weimin, Am Doomed

Soon, the Matriarch and Jiang Yingxia departed from Clear Water Bay.

Su Weimin, his face clouded with gloom, had lost all joy in the milestone of moving into a villa. Unable to contain his frustration any longer, he erupted in a fit of rage, pacing back and forth while spitting out complaints.

"Ye Tianlin, you really are a fine son-in-law. You’ve truly opened my eyes to your incompetence!"

"Do you even understand that you are nothing but a puppet of the Shangjing Consortium from start to finish? The Ye Family is your only true sanctuary!"

"By provoking the Matriarch to this extent, you are clearly asking for trouble. A simple concession earlier would have smoothed everything over, yet you stubbornly refused to yield!"

"I, your father-in-law, exhausted myself trying to mediate, even taking a slap to the face for my efforts, and this is the result? Are you trying to hurry me to my grave?"

Su Weimin ranted and raved, his chest heaving with indignation. He found Ye Tianlin’s actions utterly incomprehensible and profoundly foolish. He believed that if the Matriarch seized this opportunity to lead the Ye Family and defect to the Shangjing Consortium, her status and real power would allow her to make Ye Tianlin’s life a living hell in an instant.

Moreover, the Shangjing Consortium’s intentions were undoubtedly driven by profit; compared to a puppet like Ye Tianlin, the Matriarch, who held actual control, was clearly the more valuable partner.

Conversely, if Ye Tianlin had just listened and resolved the conflict, it would have been beneficial in every respect—not only could he have returned to the family fold, but he would have continued to enjoy the Consortium's support.

Su Weimin felt he could have figured this out with his eyes closed, yet Ye Tianlin remained indifferent, as if nothing could go wrong. His complete lack of foresight and inability to prepare for danger made Su Weimin feel as though he were on the verge of a stroke.

Su Rulan pulled a long face and said, "Dad, even if things are as you say and Tianlin is just a puppet, did you really have to spill everything the moment you saw the Matriarch?"

"I... I was only doing it for that fool’s sake! We are family; isn't it better to keep things peaceful?" Su Weimin retorted indignantly.

As Su Rulan prepared to argue back, Ye Tianlin raised a hand to stop her. He stepped forward and said calmly, "Actually, from Father’s perspective, he isn't entirely wrong. There's no need to argue; in fact, I should thank him."

"Thank me?" Su Weimin pointed at himself, baffled.

"Exactly. If it weren't for you, how could the Matriarch have been so deeply convinced, giving me a chance to strike her down a second time?" Ye Tianlin smiled serenely.

Su Weimin’s mouth twitched. "You’re talking nonsense! If the Shangjing Consortium weren't backing you, how could you possibly hurt the Matriarch? Thinking you can keep attacking her is a pipe dream. You’re like a clay bodhisattva crossing the river—you can barely save yourself!"

"If you don't believe me, just wait and see if the Matriarch hits a wall," Ye Tianlin replied.

Su Weimin sneered, "Who do you think you are? Without the Matriarch, you’d be nothing. Now that your wings have hardened, you think you can fly? Challenging her is pure arrogance; you have no idea how small you really are!"

Exhausted, Su Weimin slumped onto the sofa, rubbing his aching cheek and sighing. "It’s over. We’re finished, and this time it’s worse than ever. Your defiance is unforgivable. Once the Matriarch succeeds, she won't let us go. We're as good as dead."

"I was so happy to move into this Clear Water Bay villa today, only to run into this. How can I be so cursed?"

"And the worst part is you, Rulan. You had no sense of the situation, blindly supporting him and offending Jiang Yingxia. How are we supposed to maintain any semblance of a relationship with them now?"

Su Weimin clapped his thighs in distress, looking as if he were about to weep. Su Rulan rolled her eyes, feeling embarrassed by her father’s needless worrying. Deciding not to explain, she took Ye Tianlin’s arm and said, "Tianlin, show me our room. I want to start decorating!"

"Of course, let’s go," Ye Tianlin said, pointedly ignoring Su Weimin as he led Su Rulan affectionately toward the second floor.

Su Weimin sat slumped on the sofa, his face twisted in misery. "You two are truly heartless. You have no idea of the gravity of this situation. How can you even think about decorating at a time like this?"

"No matter how big or beautiful this villa is, what good is it now? You’re under the thumb of the Matriarch!"

"It seems I am destined to meet my end."