It's All Fake

"Grandpa Su."

Huo Shen explained, "I just want to be with Hua'er. I really have no ill intentions."

"I just went down the wrong path for a moment. Please forgive me this once."

Old Master Su said coldly, "Huo Shen, this time you went after Little Xuan. I have no right to forgive you on his behalf."

"If Little Xuan decides how to deal with you, I won't interfere."

Huo Shen's eyes widened.

He never expected that old fool from the Su family to be so ruthless—letting Lin Xuan handle him!

Lin Xuan was a merciless man.

And Huo Shen had already made an enemy of him. Lin Xuan would never let him off easily.

That old man from the Su family, indifferent and uncaring, was practically handing him over to Lin Xuan without restraint—wasn't that pushing him to his death?

"Grandpa Su," Huo Shen begged, "you promised my grandfather you'd take good care of me. You can't do this to me."

Old Master Su’s face was icy. "I'll say it again: you are entirely at Little Xuan's disposal."

If Huo Shen had done something else wrong, he might have helped him.

But what he did was try to break up Little Xuan and Hua'er.

Worse, he fabricated a life-saving debt owed to Hua'er.

That crossed the line.

And he had no right to forgive him on behalf of Little Xuan and Hua'er.

"Besides, Huo Shen, your grandfather was my good brother, and he once saved my life. But over the years, the care I've given you has long repaid his kindness," Old Master Su continued coldly. "This time, you'll have to face the consequences yourself."

The last glimmer of hope faded from Huo Shen's eyes.

He slumped to the floor.

His face was deathly pale.

"Ha ha ha ha—"

Huo Shen laughed bitterly, full of sarcasm.

"Grandpa Su."

"Old Master Su."

He braced his hands on the floor and slowly stood up.

Then he pointed at Old Master Su.

His face no longer held the feigned respect he had always shown.

"You said you treated me like your own grandson?"

Huo Shen’s tone was mocking. "Hah, it's all fake! You've always been far better to Lin Xuan than to me."

"Every time it came down to Lin Xuan and me, you put Lin Xuan first."

"And me? I exhausted myself trying to please you, and all you gave me was a position at the Su Corporation and funding through my PhD. Those are things your Su family could easily dole out. They were nothing but charity, and you still expected me to be grateful? Do you think I’d fall for that?"

Old Master Su was stunned.

He thought he had treated Huo Shen well. He never imagined Huo Shen would see it this way.

"You even said before that you wanted Hua'er to marry me. Lies, all lies! You knew I loved Hua'er, yet you still let Lin Xuan be with her. Humph. Don't give me that sanctimonious talk about treating me like a grandson." Huo Shen sneered.

Old Master Su closed his eyes.

His eyes were filled with disappointment.

The truth was, he had once tried to set Hua'er up with Huo Shen. He even arranged for Huo Shen to work alongside her for a while.

But Hua'er never had any interest in him.

Later, he decided to let things take their natural course. If Hua'er reached twenty-seven or twenty-eight and still hadn't met a man she liked, and if Huo Shen was still waiting, then he would let them marry.

Then Little Xuan appeared.

With Little Xuan by her side, Hua'er was no longer a cold, work-driven robot.

He could see clearly that Hua'er only loved Little Xuan.

Besides, Little Xuan was a good kid. Hua'er would have a happy life with him.

So he agreed to let them be together.

"Huo Shen," Old Master Su said with a deep breath, "think whatever you want."

"From now on, this old man has nothing to do with you."

He had invested so much in raising Huo Shen, only to be repaid with resentment.

He had done all he could.

He was done.

He would just wait for Little Xuan and Hua'er's child to come along and happily babysit.

Raising someone else's child usually just breeds an ungrateful wretch.

It was much safer to look after his own family.

"Little Xuan, Huo Shen is in your hands now," Old Master Su said, turning to Lin Xuan. "However you want to deal with him, I have no objection. Don't worry about me."

"Grandpa,"

Lin Xuan spoke, "I plan to dismiss Huo Shen from his position at the Su Corporation and deport him overseas. He won't be allowed to return to the country."

Old Master Su was slightly surprised.

"Little Xuan..." he couldn't help asking, "are you going easy on him because of me?"

Lin Xuan replied, "Grandpa, Huo Shen didn't actually succeed in harming us. It's only natural that I go a little easier on him."

Old Master Su’s eyes grew slightly moist.

Lin Xuan had built the Skycanopy Group to such heights, and his methods against the Lin family were no joke.

He knew Lin Xuan wasn't the type to be soft on those who crossed him.

Though Huo Shen hadn't succeeded this time, he had tried to tear apart Little Xuan and Hua'er.

If he had succeeded, even if Little Xuan and Hua'er didn't separate, they would have suffered terribly.

That was no small matter.

Yet Little Xuan still let it go lightly.

It had to be because of him, the old man, that Lin Xuan had shown mercy.

"Little Xuan, thank you," Old Master Su said.

Su Hua's eyes darkened slightly.

Coming after Ah Xuan.

Trying to hypnotize him into leaving her.

Hah—

She had fought so hard to be with Ah Xuan.

And she had nearly lost him again, like two years ago, when he frantically tried to escape from her.

Letting Huo Shen off so easily?

Was that possible?

Since Ah Xuan wouldn’t act, she would.

She would make Huo Shen’s life a living hell.

Huo Shen, meanwhile, brightened.

Lin Xuan wasn't going to do anything harsh to him?

Great.

As long as he stayed alive, he still had a chance to come back. Someday, he'd climb higher than Lin Xuan could ever reach, and take Hua'er back!

Old Master Su spoke, "Little Xuan, I'm tired. I'll take my leave now."

"Alright, Grandpa Su, take care," Lin Xuan said.

Grandpa Su had once truly regarded Huo Shen as his own grandson.

Discovering Huo Shen's true face so suddenly was undoubtedly a heavy blow.

It was understandable that he wanted some time to calm down.

Old Master Su gave Huo Shen one last look.

The last trace of pity in his eyes vanished completely.

He left the villa's living room.