Chapter 118: Exposure

Regardless of how one looked at it, having three high-ranking officials humiliated by a mere teenager was a stifling affair. However, stifling or not, the faction led by Jia Quan held a distinct advantage for the moment, leaving the key members of the opposing side with no choice but to remain calm and secretly plot their comeback.

They knew that to strike, one must aim for the heart; to capture the bandits, one must capture the ringleader. To reverse their fortunes, they had to find a way to check Municipal Party Secretary Jia Quan. Yet, Jia Quan was cautious; while he had his share of minor flaws, he possessed no fatal weaknesses. Even his son, Jia Qing, who seemed impulsive on the surface, was actually a bold and meticulous talent who managed several fishing vessels with great success, generating significant annual profits.

After his father, Jia Quan, took his seat at the focal point of the hall, Jia Qing trotted over and whispered a few words into his ear. Upon hearing this, Jia Quan merely glanced at the two actresses with a neutral expression, neither pleased nor perturbed, and remained silent. Shortly after, Jia Qing received a phone call regarding Lin Yu. Once he hung up, a look of delight appeared on his face, and a scornful smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

While Jia Qing was secretly brainstorming the most satisfying way to humiliate Lin Yu, two hosts from Bincheng City Television walked onto the stage in perfect unison to recite the official opening remarks. At the end, the station’s star anchor, Liu Moran, announced with excitement, "Now, we invite our Bincheng Municipal Party Secretary, Comrade Jia Quan, to the stage to deliver his address."

Amidst thunderous applause, Jia Quan, who possessed a somewhat scholarly and ethereal air, rose slowly and took the microphone. "Well, usually, as a secretary in charge of party and government affairs, I tend to give long-winded speeches at meetings. It’s quite tedious. So, I won't say much today. Everyone works hard and carries heavy responsibilities; let’s take this rare opportunity to relax and rest. That is all. Waiters, serve the food."

Jia Quan’s words left Mayor Wang Kezhou, who had his speech ready, stunned and caught off guard. He looked closer and realized that the table was filled entirely with members of Jia Quan’s faction. His own three key subordinates had been pushed to the most remote table. "This is a provocation," Wang thought to himself. He knew the other side was prepared and would likely set traps for him, so he suppressed his anger and began to guard against them secretly.

As Wang Kezhou offered a helpless, bitter smile, he suddenly saw Jia Qing stand up and walk slowly toward the stage. He snatched the microphone from the host and declared aggressively, "Lin Yu, where are you sitting? Come up here; I have something to say to you."

After he spoke, Jia Quan, the most important person of the evening, showed no reaction, continuing to chat happily with Zhang Kailai at his table. Since he remained silent, no one else dared to speak, left only to observe the situation and speculate in confusion.

"What’s going on?"
"What is he trying to do?"
"This little hell-raiser, how can we deal with him?"
"It looks like Lin Yu is in for trouble."

Lin Yu’s parents, Lin Tiancheng and Wang Chunhua, were startled to hear their son’s name. They knew they couldn't afford to provoke Jia Quan’s son and began to worry, though they tried to remain composed in the crowded room, keeping their eyes fixed on Lin Yu. Yang Zhilin’s heart sank as well. She had known of Jia Qing’s bullying nature since childhood and couldn't help but worry for Lin Yu.

A person’s reputation precedes them; as the notorious neighborhood bully of the government housing compound, Jia Qing had truly never suffered a loss. Zhang Yang, who knew exactly what was about to happen, wore a faint smile. The young socialites around him also chuckled with amusement, convinced that Lin Yu’s luck had run out. If even the Vice Mayor, the Director of the Personnel Bureau, and the Chief of Police had suffered at Jia Qing’s hands, what could the son of a minor official do? Resist? That would be like throwing an egg against a rock. It might even cost his father his position.

"Lin Yu, he doesn't seem to have good intentions. Don't go up there," Jiang Lele said, her face full of worry. After the incident at their table, she had been briefing Lin Yu on Jia Qing’s background. She hadn't expected Jia Qing to call him out publicly, his tone clearly laced with disdainful provocation.

"It’s fine. I’ll go up and see what he wants. Don’t worry; I’m not familiar with him, so it should be nothing," Lin Yu replied with a smile. He stood up and walked toward the stage at a leisurely pace. As he passed his parents and Yang Zhilin, he gave them a calm smile to suggest everything was fine, though he knew deep down that Jia Qing was an adversary and nothing good would come of this.

But even if he were to lose the battle, he wouldn't lose his composure. Lin Yu showed no signs of fear or anxiety, his face as still as water, hiding his inner thoughts. His demeanor led many officials and their families present to admire his calm, like a mountain collapsing before him without a change in expression, and they began to view his future prospects more favorably.

Seeing Lin Yu walk onto the stage, Jia Qing gave a neurotic laugh, tapped the microphone, and said playfully, "So you’re Lin Yu. Not bad."

"Get to the point," Lin Yu replied, remaining calm. He figured that one should take things as they come; what was the big deal?

"You think you’re pretty tough, don't you? You think you’re a big shot just because you hit Zhang Yang twice?" After feigning politeness, Jia Qing immediately snapped, clearly annoyed by the other’s indifference.

At his outburst, most of the people in the audience, especially the children of high-ranking officials, were shocked. Zhang Yang, who had been dragged into this unexpectedly, felt embarrassed, wondering if Jia Qing was helping him or making a fool of him. He felt deeply uncomfortable and couldn't help but look toward his father, feeling he had shamed Zhang Kailai. Zhang Kailai, who had been laughing with Jia Quan, felt indignant, thinking to himself that he gifted the Jia family nearly a million a year, only to be humiliated like this in public.

After Jia Qing’s provocative words, Lin Yu smiled and said, "Buddhism as the heart, Taoism as the bones, Confucianism as the surface—see the world with magnanimity, and the world will look different. If one is too narrow-minded, one will never achieve great things." Since the other side had fired the first shot, Lin Yu saw no need to be polite.

After Lin Yu finished, Jia Qing laughed wildly, raised the microphone, and declared, "Lin Yu, male, eighteen years old, a student at Bincheng No. 1 High School, with mediocre grades. Father, Lin Tiancheng, an average official of little consequence. Mother, Wang Chunhua, recently opened an unremarkable little restaurant. Total family savings are estimated to be less than one hundred thousand... Am I right?"

After Jia Qing exposed Lin Yu’s personal background, the audience erupted in an uproar. Many who had initially thought Lin Yu was a rising star among the elite now looked on with cold disdain.

"So that's all he is?"