The Cannon Fodder Doesn't Want to Return to the Rich Family (Translated)

Chapter 56

Chapter 56

The scene fell into an awkward stalemate.

As Lu Yao and the Lu family were put on the spot by the elderly matriarch, Xia Yue lowered her head slightly, her face showing a satisfied smile.

Her jealousy toward Lu Yao had built up throughout the evening, and her mood improved significantly seeing him uncomfortable.

Seeing Lu Yao's cold expression and his reluctance to take the golden necklace, the Li family's matriarch turned her attention to her daughter, Ms. Li.

She stepped forward, attempting to affectionately take Ms. Li's hand, but Ms. Li pulled away.

Unperturbed, the matriarch adopted a pitiful expression, her voice dripping with affected grievance and sympathy.

Looking at Ms. Li, she said, "I truly regret my previous mistakes. When one gets old, it's easy to become confused. I know what I did was wrong, but I genuinely want to make amends now. There should be no grudges in a family. Besides, I raised you. This necklace is just a small token of my love. Are you really not going to let the child accept it?"

The Li family's matriarch spoke with calculated intent, first displaying a pitiable demeanor in front of everyone, and then using her role as a mother to pressure Ms. Li.

If Lu Yao accepted the necklace, it would imply that the Lu family had made concessions, making it difficult for them to continue their suppression of the Li family.

The Li family's matriarch was no longer seeking to leverage the Lu family's power for her gain; she merely hoped that Lu's father and the others would agree to move past the previous issues and stop their deliberate suppression of the Li company. She would be satisfied if this were achieved.

The Li family could not afford to be subjected to such turmoil by the Lu family any longer.

Ms. Li, being perceptive, understood the matriarch's ploy. However, she was unwilling to concede easily. She was already infuriated by the Li family's previous attempts to create discord between Lu Yao and Lu Qi.

Her mother's favoritism toward her brother throughout their childhood and the ongoing attempts to make the Li family leech off the Lu family were infuriating. It seemed the Li family's scheming had no bounds.

As Lu Yao continued to refrain from accepting the jewelry box, the Li family matriarch showed no sign of discomfort.

She pressed on, "As the saying goes, 'When an elder gives something, it should not be refused.' This is a gift from your grandmother, so you should take it. Otherwise, I might think you're disregarding my gesture."

The matriarch's persistent efforts to coerce Lu Yao into accepting the gift continued. She had pre-planned her tactics with the Li family's elder uncle.

Hearing the matriarch's words, the elder uncle joined in with a sardonic laugh. "Mom, if they don't appreciate your gesture, it's understandable. The Lu family is quite influential; they might not value such a sincere gift."

Xia Yue, noticing the tension, decided to speak up. "No matter how wealthy someone is, they should respect the intentions of their elders."

Her comment drew attention from the crowd, which was already observing the unfolding situation. Xia Yue's male companion was taken aback by her behavior and harshly whispered, "Xia Yue, stay out of this." The guests were aware of the past conflicts between the Lu and Li families and preferred to avoid further involvement.

Xia Yue, who had always had strained relationships, was not easily deterred. Her frustration and desire to cause discomfort for Lu Yao motivated her to engage further.

With a righteous tone, Xia Yue said, "Respecting elders is a fundamental virtue. It's appalling to see some people become arrogant just because they're in a better position."

Her male companion, embarrassed and annoyed by Xia Yue's actions, left her behind, deciding he would not continue to support her.

The Li family's matriarch, seeing Xia Yue's apparent support, felt a sense of triumph. However, she soon encountered an unexpected challenge.

Jiang Bai, stepping forward into the limelight, addressed the matriarch calmly, "Matriarch, you say this necklace is a gesture of goodwill towards Lu Yao?"

The matriarch, recognizing Jiang Bai, initially nodded in agreement, "Yes, but it seems neither my daughter nor my grandson cares for this token of affection."

Jiang Bai's demeanor shifted, becoming cold. He said with emphasis, "Do you know that Lu Yao is allergic to gold?"

The matriarch was taken aback, stammering, "I... I didn't..."

Jiang Bai's eyes narrowed with a cold smile. "You claim to care for Lu Yao, yet you are unaware of such an important detail. Allergies can be serious, even life-threatening. Your insistence on forcing him to accept this gold necklace raises questions about your true intentions."

Lu Yao, observing Jiang Bai's rare show of sternness, felt a subtle, almost imperceptible sensation of relief. He had mentioned his allergy to Jiang Bai before, but he hadn't expected him to remember and act on it so promptly.

The Li family's matriarch was left speechless, unable to refute Jiang Bai's pointed accusations.

Lu Qi, who had been quietly watching, could no longer contain his laughter. "Some people might be old, but they clearly don't understand the basics of decency. They try to act all righteous while imposing on others. It's laughable."

The crowd, initially silent, now saw the Li family matriarch in a more unfavorable light.

Ms. Li, who had reached her limit, declared, "Let's call it a night. The party is over."

With the host signaling the end of the event, the remaining guests began to leave.

Seeing the matriarch's failed attempt to impose herself, Xia Yue glared at her in frustration. The old woman had clearly been outmaneuvered by Jiang Bai.

Before the matriarch could make another move, a police car arrived with a sudden screech, drawing everyone's attention.

Several officers stepped out and subtly encircled Lu's father and the Li matriarch.

The leading officer approached Lu's father and said, "Good evening, Mr. Lu. We apologize for arriving at such an inconvenient time, but we need to proceed with our investigation."

Lu's father, maintaining his composure, nodded, "Understood. We will cooperate fully."

The unexpected arrival of the police added another layer of tension to an already fraught evening.