Lin Min’s anger only intensified the more she thought about it. Madam Mu had clearly known about the whole affair. Though Madam Mu favored her nephew, between her daughter and her nephew, she would undoubtedly side with Lin Min without hesitation. Moreover, this grandnephew had turned out to be so brazen, so manipulative, pretending to be simple for all these years, plotting who knew what behind the scenes. Back then, no one had suspected him, only because they didn't want him to suffer another hurt; they never expected it had all been an act.

Furthermore, this nephew who feigned idiocy was audacious enough to plot against the Lin family, causing Mu Mingli to develop a distinct dislike for the Mu family. If Mu Shaohua had orchestrated this, it proved the nephew harbored malicious intentions, possessing ambitions no less grand than those of Father Su. If he hadn’t orchestrated it, but was foolish enough to let his own son manipulate him so easily, then such a person was hardly fit to lead Huaxia. Thus, Mu Mingli felt exactly as her husband did: the Mu family was fundamentally unsuited for the position of head of state.

“Wh-what?” Tian Yuxin racked her brain but never imagined the problem lay with her younger son. This youngest was the apple of her eye; she couldn't bear for anyone else to even touch him. Now for Lin Min to suggest he was merely pretending to be simple, Tian Yuxin naturally assumed Lin Min was deliberately mocking her. A flash of displeasure crossed her mind, but outwardly she suppressed her irritation: “Minmin, perhaps you’re mistaken. You know Jinyan has been ill since childhood, and his nature is a bit naive. If he has offended you, his cousin-aunt, please forgive him.”

Seeing Tian Yuxin’s demeanor, Lin Min couldn't help but smile: “I only thought I was the one who was foolish, played for a fool by him. I never expected someone as astute as you, Cousin-in-law, could make such a mistake.”

With that said, Lin Min couldn’t be bothered with Tian Yuxin any longer and complained directly to Mu Mingli: “Mom, today I only want to talk with my daughter-in-law. As for hosting the guests, perhaps you could take care of that?” Mu Mingli readily agreed. She had only come today because Tian Yuxin, leveraging her familiarity with the Lin family, had deliberately begged her to attend, hoping to boost her own standing in front of the Ye family members by appearing close to Lin Min. Mu Mingli had come specifically to make her give up hope, and having achieved her goal, she now led the way out.

Everyone present held their own thoughts, yet in the end, the public outcry rejected every single individual who might have become the new president. Lin Maoshan, whose age would soon approach retirement within the year, was instead tasked with bearing this heavy responsibility.

When the news broke, while many were disappointed, they couldn't help but feel this outcome was for the best. If anyone else had taken the position, few would have been convinced, but once it was this elder, everyone knew there was nothing left to argue about.

In the Mu household, Mu Shaohua was so enraged he smashed several antiques. His face now wore a sinister gloom as he glared at his younger son standing before him, whose expression seemed innocently bewildered. Tian Yuxin stood anxiously to the side, while the elder son, Mu Jinzhi, wore a look of utter exhaustion.

“Rebellious son, you still put on this act?” After hearing from Tian Yuxin that Lin Min’s shift in attitude towards the Mu family stemmed from this younger son, Mu Shaohua, unlike Tian Yuxin’s doting nature, had someone investigate. Mu Jinyan had played the fool for years, which had inevitably left some traces, but Mu Jinzhi, in his previous self-assured cleverness, had covered up any suspicious findings out of fear that his younger brother might be framed by malicious parties. Mu Shaohua hadn't found anything concrete, but he wasn't an idiot either; previously, guilt over his treatment of this son had led to excessive indulgence, preventing him from considering the possibility of pretense. But now that the notion had taken root, every look at Mu Jinyan suggested deception.

Moreover, Lin Maoshan had once explicitly stated he had raised a good son who wished to harm the Lin family. The incident where Lin Qian was exploited—Mu Shaohua realized Lin Maoshan was referring to Mu Jinyan. The thought that his own path to the head of state might have been ruined because of this son made Mu Shaohua choke with suppressed frustration. Whether he truly believed Mu Jinyan was compromised, or simply needed a target to vent upon, Mu Shaohua needed an outlet for the depression and unwillingness consuming him.

A once-in-a-century opportunity, one that could have elevated the Mu family to new heights, had slipped through his fingers. Mu Shaohua felt he could just hang himself right then and there.

“Father, must you believe what outsiders say?” Seeing Tian Yuxin’s pitiful look and observing the timid expression on his brother’s face, Mu Jinzhi quickly interjected to persuade him: “They are just deliberately trying to sow discord in our family…”

“Get out!” The moment Mu Shaohua heard this, a nameless rage flared: “Are outsiders going to talk nonsense, yet your grand-uncle would speak falsely?” As he finished, he noticed the look of shock on his wife's face. Mu Shaohua’s eagle eyes locked onto his younger son, and sure enough, he saw the boy’s vaguely vacant face suddenly stiffen, his pupils seeming to constrict. Mu Shaohua wore a face that suggested deep calculation, but it wasn't just for show; he could now tell the younger son had been startled by the sudden revelation. Looking at his current performance, Mu Shaohua’s heart sank, and he wished he could just strike the damned thing dead.

At this juncture, though he didn't know why Lin Maoshan would say such a thing, Mu Jinyan was alarmed and naturally dared not admit anything. He saw clearer than the seemingly simple Mu Jinzhi that the look in Mu Shaohua’s eyes now held no trace of affection. But it didn’t matter to him; this was a man inherently cold-hearted, only desiring the Mu family’s wealth and status. Affection was irrelevant. At most, the care from Mu Shaohua and the others would make his plans run smoother; otherwise, it would just be slightly more difficult. He was determined to take possession of the Mu family, and he wanted every member to witness his success—he, born years later, was certainly no worse than his elder brother who had an innate advantage.

The more Mu Jinyan refused to confess, the colder Mu Shaohua’s gaze became. Only now did Mu Shaohua admit he had misjudged things years ago. The more Jinyan insisted he was simple, the more Mu Shaohua was convinced the son was deeply calculating. Coupled with the fact that the position he had coveted for years was lost because of this son, Mu Shaohua's internal misery was boundless.

At this moment, Tian Yuxin also stood by her younger son. In her eyes, Mu Shaohua had gone mad, refusing to trust his own son over the words of outsiders, throwing the family into chaos. Mu Jinzhi also felt his father was overreacting; while he didn't voice his opinion, he clearly treated Mu Jinyan with greater warmth, as if trying to soothe his fragile spirit, which seemed on the verge of breaking from fright. Seeing all this, Mu Shaohua was profoundly disappointed. He looked at his elder son, whom he had always greatly admired, only to realize his vision was so limited. He wondered if people had only thought him competent before because of his youth, or if he had simply never touched the very core of power, thus hiding the flaws in his character.

Regardless, Mu Shaohua was utterly disillusioned with the Mu family. Yet, he hadn't completely given up hope. One son appeared shrewd on the surface but was fundamentally idiotic; the other was clever enough to feign simple-mindedness, but his scheming was too deep. Furthermore, even if he schemed, he was plotting against the Mu family. Mu Shaohua had shown him such affection over the years, yet Mu Jinyan pretended ignorance of his true nature, and now he had caused Mu Shaohua to lose his chance at the head of state position. Naturally, he would no longer feel any fondness for Mu Jinyan.

Then there was Tian Yuxin. In the past, he thought she was decent; she understood propriety, and though not exceptionally clever, she could manage the Mu household’s internal and external affairs well and maintain good relations with the Lin family. Though Mu Shaohua never particularly liked her, they had been married for years and had two sons; he held a degree of respect for her. But now it seemed neither of the sons she bore was any good—whether deep in their bones or in their minds, they were fundamentally flawed.

Mu Shaohua, of course, would not admit his own failings. Instead, he now entertained the wish to find another woman and have a son, hoping to stage a comeback later. The Mu family could not be left in the hands of those two sons.

While Tian Yuxin grieved that her younger son was being misunderstood by her husband, all her focus was on Mu Jinyan, and she failed to notice Mu Shaohua’s change. As for Mu Jinzhi, even if he noticed, he simply assumed his father was deeply shaken by recent events and paid it no mind. This deepened Mu Shaohua’s disappointment in the entire family, completely extinguishing any hope he held for them.

By the time the whole affair erupted, more than two months had passed. During this period, Lin Min successfully found people to deal with Gu Yingxi. She was married to a crime boss; though she lacked her own core direct subordinates, she had people who could be commanded. Dealing with a young girl, Lin Min thought, should be trivially easy. Yet, when they were preparing to stage a minor car accident, not only did they fail to hit Gu Yingxi, but after a moment of shock, she collapsed in front of a flashy Maserati, coincidentally being admitted to the hospital by the Bai brothers, who had just returned to the country. Furthermore, Gu Yingxi was nearly four months pregnant, so the matter quietly faded away.

Once the incident occurred, if the person had been killed or knocked unconscious and there were no witnesses, that would have been one thing. But Gu Yingxi was left hovering between life and death, and she was pregnant. Lin Min’s hired hands managed to suppress the initial incident easily enough, but who were the Bai brothers? How could they stand by and watch a tragedy unfold before their eyes? Their parents had died in a car accident, making them intensely disgusted by such events. Moreover, Gu Yingxi was carrying a child; if that child were lost, it would dredge up memories of their own vanished parents. Consequently, they refused to let the matter rest and took it to the internet.

Bai Mingyu was a highly influential celebrity. When he brought this up, it was unlike ordinary exposé—it immediately drew outcry from his fans and massive support groups. As a result, the situation escalated wildly. Everyone was calling for the direct execution of the culprit who had caused the pregnant woman’s miscarriage. For a time, the issues surrounding the Su family were somewhat overshadowed, while the power of these fans threw the internet into turmoil.

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