Chapter 228：The Challenge (3)

"Father?!" Xiu Ling elicited a gasp when she saw the man that strode through the group of directors. Even Lin Kang did not see this coming. He jumped up from his seat as a sign of respect for Elder Lin, the real shot-caller at Lin Corps.

"Father? What are you doing here?" The question slipped out from Lin Kang's lips. He had a hard time processing what was happening before him and that rarely happened for the man that usually had everything within his grasp.

Elder Lin moved slowly across the office and took the seat across from Lin Kang. There was a sense of quiet power about him that none of the people dared to speak. Elder Lin looked up at Lin Kang and announced to everyone in the room, "Didn't you ask earlier who was behind this insurgency? It was me. I was the one who called for this movement. If you want to blame someone, then you can blame me."

Of course Lin Kang would not do that. While he had no problem decimating the board of directors, he still had a great deal of respect for his father. Furthermore, he understood that his father always had a valid reason to his every action so Lin Kang asked, "But father, why are you doing this?"

Elder Lin sat up straighter in the chair and he answered in a volume that was probably meant for Xiu Ling as well, "because it has been brought to my attention that you have been using company resource for the sake of making life more convenient for my daughter-in-law. As much as I understand the concern and love you have in your actions, I still do not agree that work should ever mix with family life.

"It is exactly what the representative from the group of directors had said earlier, I do not like the direction the company is taking and hence I am raising an issue about it."

Lin Kang then understood why the group of directors dare to make such a rude demand, yes, his father definitely would have been able to mobilize the lot of them to do something like this.

While Lin Kang understand the rationale behind his father's action, it did not mean that he agree with it. He failed to see why his father would have been concerned about him spending company resource on Xiu Ling.

For one, Xiu Ling did not really spend that much. Even though Lin Kang tried to shower his wife with materialistic items, Xiu Ling never once really fancy them. Take for an example, the high-end mall that Lin Kang bought for her. Other than that one time Lin Kang took her on a date there, Xiu Ling had never once return to the place other that. Xiu Ling was not a money-spender.

Xiu Ling did ask for his help occasionally but they were often for favours that could not really be considered a giant waste of company resource. They were things like borrowing a few member of his company security team, the only large expense was the money that was used to pay Qing Qing so that she would move away from the city. Even so, the amount was so insignificant to Lin Corps because that very amount could be earned back in matters of minutes.

This was the reason why Lin Kang could not understand why his father was making such a big deal out of it. This might be the first time Lin Kang go against his father, it would be for the woman that he could love for the rest of his life.

However, before he could say anything, Xiu Ling suddenly asked in her soft voice, "Father, if you don't mind me asking, why now? I have been Lin family's daughter-in-law for quite some time already. Why is this suddenly an issue now?"

Lin Kang wanted to tell her to stop wasting her time. It was obvious that Elder Lin was being unreasonable but no one seemed to be interested in his opinion.

In fact, Elder Lin turned away from Lin Kang to address Xiu Ling. Lin Kang was not the reason why Elder Lin had done all these things.

From the words of the board of directors and then Elder Lin himself, Xiu Ling had a feeling this whole incident was carried out because of her. Elder Lin wanted to communicate something to her and she was going to find out what.

Elder Lin looked at Xiu Ling and smiled. It was not a disingenuous smile, if anything, Xiu Ling could have sworn she saw a trace of approval within that smile before it disappeared. Elder Lin answered, "Because before this, your role at Lin family has always been Lin Xi's mother but now, you're also gaining the identity of Lin Kang's wife and with that change in identity, things are bound to be different."

What he said flew over the heads for some of the members for the board of directors and even Lin Kang but Xiu Ling caught the inherent meaning. Previously she had a pass because of Lin Xi, however, now that Lin Kang had taken a serious interest and concern in their marriage, she needed to prove herself worthy of carrying the Lin family name. Xiu Ling found that to be fair.

After all, she had been hearing all those stories at the company which stated that she only got so far because of preferential treatment due to the fact that she was the CEO's wife. She could not counter that claim because it was the truth. In other words, Xiu Ling agreed with Elder Lin. Then again, if she had a way to prove herself, she would do it. Xiu Ling scrunched up her face in contemplation as she tried to figure out what she could do or say to convince her father-in-law that she was worthy of staying as a Lin.

Lin Kang saw the frown on his wife's face and he mistook that as Xiu Ling being offended. Fire surged through the man and he told Elder Lin, "Father, I am not going to remove Xiu Ling from the company. If you have any other solution, I might be able to consider but definitely not this one. Xiu Ling is staying put."

Elder Lin turned back to look at his son like he was studying Lin Kang. The two powerful men of the Lin family tried to stare each other down, or at least Lin Kang was trying to do that. Elder Lin was merely observing Lin Kang.

After a while, Elder Lin said, "I never said Xiu Ling have to leave immediately. Actually I have an idea in mind for Xiu Ling to prove that she was deserving of all the special treatment that you have been giving her."

Lin Kang asked, "What is it?"