Zhou Yun’s outburst was so sudden that the brains of the guests in the banquet hall momentarily short-circuited.
“Wait, what did she just say? Miss Liu is a gang boss?”
“What a ridiculous joke! The Madam personally endorsed her—how could she be involved in organized crime?”
“Has that Zhou girl lost her mind? To dare spout such nonsense at a time like this, is she asking for trouble?”
“......”
Voices of doubt and ridicule grew louder, with everyone staring at Zhou Yun as if she were insane.
It wasn’t that they didn’t believe her—it was that they simply dared not believe.
Just moments ago, the Madam herself had said that even a high-ranking leader had praised Liu Yutong.
How could someone remembered and complimented by such an important figure possibly be a criminal?
Unless Zhou Yun could produce irrefutable proof, the chaos she was causing today was nothing short of walking to her own doom.
And on top of that, having a granddaughter like Zhou Yun was nothing less than a disaster for the Zhou family!
Lin Dong and the other Lin family members began to panic upon hearing Zhou Yun’s words.
Lin Feng, in particular, had witnessed Liu Yutong’s influence in Pearl City firsthand. That kind of scene would make anyone doubt that Liu Yutong was a harmless woman.
Could Zhou Yun actually have real evidence?
If she did, they were in serious trouble.
Of course, Lin Dong shared similar worries, his heart pounding with anxiety.
Earlier, when he heard the Madam say she knew Liu Yutong and thought highly of her, he had been ecstatic.
He never imagined that his seemingly unremarkable stepdaughter possessed such immense clout, valued by the Madam and even praised by a top leader.
He felt more and more that agreeing to back Gao Min in Pearl City had been an incredibly wise decision.
After all, everyone present understood just how valuable the Madam’s approval was.
Simply put, from now on in the capital, no one—whether from the most elite noble families or the newly rich and powerful—would dare look down on you.
Such was the Madam’s influence.
But now, this seemingly unbeatable ally was being accused of being a gangster.
Did he know whether Liu Yutong was shady?
Sure, she had a dark side.
But that didn’t matter. From this moment on, she had to be seen as clean!
Seeing the situation spiral out of control, Lin Dong stepped forward to strike preemptively.
“Zhou Yun, shut your mouth!”
“You’ve been picking fights since you walked in here, first insulting my Lin family, and now slandering Miss Liu as a criminal. Have you gone too far!”
He then turned to Old Master Zhou.
“Elder Zhou, you’ve seen what your granddaughter has done today, haven’t you? Is this the Zhou family’s upbringing? If you don’t give us an explanation today, the Lin family will not let this slide!”
Old Madam Jiang also spoke with a stern expression.
“Today is my eightieth birthday, with the Madam’s presence—it was supposed to be a joyful occasion. Old Zhou, your granddaughter has been causing trouble since she arrived, first insulting my guests and now publicly defaming someone. Don’t you owe me—and everyone here—an account of this?”
Her words prompted other family elders to join in condemnation.
“Elder Zhou, dragging this out will only hurt everyone. Better take her home now.”
“Exactly! To act so recklessly in front of the Madam is utterly brazen and disrespectful!”
“......”
In an instant, everyone’s accusations targeted Zhou Yun and the Zhou family.
Even the families that were usually on good terms with the Zhou family now stood against them.
It wasn’t that they were heartless—it was that circumstances demanded it.
Because the Madam was present.
Where the Madam was, there was absolute authority and correctness.
Anyone who spoke up for Zhou Yun would be seen as opposing the Madam.
So which side to choose was obvious—you could figure it out without thinking.
Zhou Liren’s face darkened to an extreme.
He had just ordered his granddaughter Zhou Yun to be taken away, only for her to return and blather on in front of the Madam, sealing their fate.
Even worse, this had completely made the Zhou family lose face in front of the Madam and all the assembled nobles.
“Zhou Yun, get out of here! Get as far away as possible!”
“Take her away! Now! Stop making a spectacle of yourself!”
The old man Zhou Liren had completely lost his composure.
Standing there, Zhou Yun felt utterly aggrieved as everyone pointed fingers at her.
She was telling the truth!
Why wouldn’t anyone believe her?
Why?! Why was everyone siding with that wretched woman?
Why?!
The more she thought about it, the more wronged and defiant she became. She steeled herself and decided to go all in.
“I’m not lying! I’m not!”
“I have proof!”
She raised the brown paper bag in her hand high. “Here! These are the proofs! She leads thousands of black-suited men—all gangsters. There are photos in here to prove it. She’s a gang boss!”
“And I also know what she did in Pearl City. She fought with the underworld there, took out several crime lords, and forced a boss named Zhao Weixiang to flee abroad, only for her to hunt him down and have him killed.”
“This is all true. I’m not lying. Why won’t you believe me?”
“I swear, if I’m lying, may I be struck by lightning and die a miserable death!”
Hearing such a vicious oath and so many sensational revelations, some guests finally began to waver.
Could Zhou Yun be telling the truth?
If so, then this girl the Madam was holding hands with was truly...
They dared not think further.
The atmosphere grew tense once more.
Those who had been condemning Zhou Yun gradually fell silent, observing the situation before continuing.
At the very least, they needed to verify whether Zhou Yun’s evidence was real before speaking, lest they pick the wrong side.
Lin Yi, standing not far from Liu Yutong, felt her heart leap into her throat.
Did Zhou Yun really have photos?
If they were genuine, what then?
Not only would Liu Yutong be finished, but Lin Yi’s own future would also be ruined.
She had been so close to Liu Yutong, even proudly emphasizing their relationship in front of the Madam, taking pride in it.
If Liu Yutong truly were a criminal, what would Madam think of Lin Yi?
A C-level official colluding with a gang boss?
Her political career would be over, and she might even face a purge.
Yet rationally, she still preferred to trust Liu Yutong. She had conducted a private background check on her; though there were some wild rumors, there was no solid evidence of any wrongdoing.
Zhou Liren, too, felt uncertain.
He didn’t know whether to believe his granddaughter or the documents she held.
He had also learned some details about Liu Yutong from Jiang Yuan before; that girl did seem quite shady.
If what his granddaughter had in her hands was genuine, then Liu Yutong was finished, and the Lin family would suffer as well.
As for his Zhou family, this could turn the tables and restore their dignity.
With this thought, he suppressed his inner agitation and no longer stopped Zhou Yun.
Gambling on this!
If the gamble paid off, once Madam was enraged, neither Liu Yutong nor the Lin family would escape.
Perhaps because everyone present harbored their own ulterior motives, the atmosphere fell into an eerie silence.
Everyone was waiting for a verdict.
Madam had been silently observing everything from the start, never uttering a word throughout the unfolding commotion.
Of course, given her status, she would not easily meddle in such trivial matters.
Only after everyone had quieted down did Madam finally turn to Liu Yutong beside her and ask,
“Girl.”
“Given what she said, what do you think?”
