Zhang Liling stayed in her bedroom until it was time for dinner. When her father came back home and asked if she had arrived, Shi Wenqian had given him a passing answer.
"You asked her to come back, would she dare to not obey you?"
Zhang Renshu had no comments for her. She has been acting like Zhang Liling was not his daughter, and had no right to come back at will.
Zhang Renshu snubbed her and went to freshen up in his bedroom.
When everyone had gathered around the dining table except for Liling, he asked a servant to go and call her.
"Honey, you haven't told me the reason you called her home, is anything the matter?" Shi Wenqian probed.
"You have been quiet and composed since this morning, why don't you keep waiting till I mention it?" Zhang Renshu asked with a frown.
He had already sent for Zhang Liling to be called over, so what was the use of asking questions when everything would be out in a few minutes?
Shi Wenqian hated to be caught unawares, and this is the reason she has been pressing on the matter.
No matter what he says later, she would still have a way around it. This was what she thought and decided to stay put.
Soon, Zhang Liling appeared from her bedroom and joined them in sitting around the dining table.
She passed a silent greeting to her father before hearing him issue a command to the servants. "Serve the food."
"We will talk after eating," Zhang Renshu said while shifting his gaze from one person to other.
As he had said so, whether they could be patient or not, they had no choice. It was after dinner that he revealed the reason he wanted a meeting with them.
"The reason for this important meeting is very simple, and what a simple statement can solve," Zhang Renshu said before shifting his focus to Zhang Liling and Zhang Mingyu.
"I have decided to pick my successor between the two of you. Anyone one of you who does well and outshines the other both in academics and in prospects, would be trained and drilled by experts to be my successor."
"Honey!" Shi Wenqian called out with an ugly expression on her face.
'So, he really meant what he said?'
Zhang Xiaoling smiled to herself, but deep down her heart, she could feel a wrenching pain in her heart. Zhang Renshu was going to choose between Zhang Liling and Zhang Mingyu to be his successor, why she who had more capabilities and insight than them, was not in the race.
She could feel herself almost unable to hide the pain, dissatisfaction and anger in her. She knew the reason he didn't bother sparing her a glance, and that is because, she was not his biological child.
Zhang Renshu would never make anyone who is not his biological child, stand the chance to become his successor!
Zhang Liling and Zhang Mingyu on the other hand, looked surprised. The latter was more shocked, than the former who looked only surprised at that decision.
"Dad, are you saying that from today onwards, Mingyu and I are now competitors?" Zhang Liling asked with a surprised gaze at her father.
Zhang Renshu nodded in response. "Yes. Since I now regard you as a prospective candidate, you have to show me if you are worth my position or not."
"Wait, I thought that you have long decided to let Mingyu to take over your position, why did you change your mind?" Zhang Liling asked with an interested gaze.
She really wanted to know what prompted her father to make that kind of decision.
Shi Wenqian half-rolled her eyes at her, but remained quiet, while fixing her gaze on her husband. She too wanted to know what he would say.
"You don't need to know much. You only need to know that nobody is entitled to what belongs to you. Only you have the right and power to give or not to give to anyone." That was Zhang Renshu's response to her question.
Zhang Liling kind of got what she meant. Shi Wenqian and Mingyu's gazes changed. They could no longer hide their anger at the treatment and decision they felt was unfair.
As for Zhang Xiaoling, she didn't look that bothered anymore. She didn't like Zhang Liling or Zhang Mingyu that much, but if it were to be before, she would do anything to help her bother.
Right now, she hated him only because their mother seems to adore him more because of the position of Zhang Renshu's successor.
Now that she was not involved in this position, she could just sit back and watch Zhang Liling and Zhang Mingyu fight each other.
Zhang Liling scoffed to herself. Her father's response made sense, but how was that supposed to be her concern? He was involving her in this fight not caring if she would be in danger or not.
She hated the fact that he was selfish. It was possible that he was using her to make her half-brother to sit up.
"I don't want it," Zhang Liling replied, while shocking everyone in the room.
"You don't want what?" Zhang Renshu asked in a dangerous tone.
Zhang Liling looked very serious as she said to him, "Dad, I am not interested in being your successor. You just declared in front of everyone that Mingyu and I are now competitors for your current position at Zhang Group. What do you think will happen later? Have you forgotten what anyone can do to win by all means? Dad, my life is so precious to me!"
'Smart!' Zhang Xiaoling thought that of Zhang Liling after that she said.
Shi Wenqian looked so mad that she slapped her palm on the table, and pointed a finger at Zhang Liling while asking, "What nonsense does your suggestive words mean?"
Zhang Liling was outrightly hinting that her life may be in danger if she fights for the successorship with her son, and that was indirectly pointing fingers at her.
Even Zhang Mingyu knew that much and couldn't help asking, "Liling, what nonsense are you saying?!"
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