"Aren't you happy that I'm here to support you?"
"What support?" Jingwei couldn't help but retort. "Other than the bodyguards outside, the both of you didn't lift a single finger to help me when I asked."
Not that he expected them to. His family had a reputation of never faulting on their promises and threats. His father spent his lifetime making sure that his family was feared by their enemies and allies alike.
Sun Haowei sucked in a deep breath to calm himself down. Tianwei merely raised an eyebrow at his younger brother's daring.
Behind him, Xue Ning was shocked that Jingwei actually called out his father. Not that he didn't deserve it, mind you. Xue Ning had several less-than-kind words to say to him too.
"In fact, I think Shengli, Xue Ning and even Yi Ting helped me more than you did," Jingwei continued frankly, ignoring the way a muscle twitched in his father's jaw. "We couldn't even get assistance from the company's lawyers because you refused to let them help me."
After Xue Ning had opened his eyes to his father's behaviour regarding his mother, he could no longer bring himself to be as civil as before. His father had made things difficult for him and his friends, all because he made a decision he didn't agree with!
"Did Mom tell you to come here to support me?" Jingwei asked, half-curious, while his father remained silent. "Did she appear in your dreams to remind you that today was my conference?"
Xue Ning barely managed to stifle her gasp of surprise, while Tianwei's mouth fell open in shock.
Why was Jingwei bringing up his mother? The late Madame Sun was a taboo subject in the family. Ever since she passed, the only time where Tianwei realised it was socially acceptable to talk about her was during Qing Ming, where they visited her tomb.
And even then, it was mostly Jingwei and him doing the visiting. Their father hardly showed up.
It was a sobering realisation, that their mom would be an unspoken being in their household. Tianwei was a young teen back then, and the confusing mix of emotions was hard to process, even for someone as rational as him.
It must have been worse for Jingwei, who was still a child trying to grieve. He felt a twinge of guilt for not doing more for his brother, but back then, he never rebelled against his father's wishes.
His father slammed his hand against the table, angered by his impudence. If this was Jingwei from a year ago, he'd simply be glad that they showed up in support!
If his father was displeased with his performance at the press conference, Jingwei would be cracking jokes to defuse the tense situation, or simply accept whatever scolding Sun Haowei wished to throw his way with a bowed head and slumped shoulders.
But the Jingwei of now held himself proudly, meeting him in the eye without cowering or apology. He briefly inclined his head, still waiting for an answer.
Tianwei suddenly felt chills crawl down his spine. What happened to his brother? How could a few days of living with Miss Li inspire such a change in his behaviour?
"How dare you talk back to me!" Sun Haowei declared, pointing a finger at Jingwei, shaking in anger.
How dare his son bring up his dead wife to call out his behaviour!
"How am I talking back to you?" Jingwei asked, genuinely curious, oblivious to the rising tension in the room.
The bodyguards around his father were too well-trained to show any outward emotion, but internally they were hoping for Jingwei to keep his mouth shut!
They wouldn't be able to protect him from his father if necessary. They also won't be able to protect the Older Sun from a heart attack!
"I merely mentioned if Mom had paid you a visit in your dreams. She wished me luck for today's conference." Jingwei continued. "Or maybe she visited you, but you didn't recognize her."
"After all, you haven't seen her face in decades."
"Insolent boy!" Sun Haowei roared, nearly purple in the face.
"Father calm down!" Tianwei said in alarm. "Remember, your blood pressure!" He then shot a look at Jingwei, "just because you did well at the press conference, doesn't mean you can treat Father like this!"
He then made his father drink his tea, giving a quick look to his bodyguard to keep an ambulance on speed dial.
"Like what? I just made an observation!" Jingwei pointed out, but he decided to back down for now. He just wanted his father to reflect on himself, not cause his blood vessels to rupture and give him a stroke.
"But was I wrong? The both of you left me to flounder on my own. If that's the case, why show up now?"
Realisation dawned in Jingwei's eyes the moment he finished speaking.
"Ah. You want to make sure all of us show a united front to the press." Jingwei said. "You can't let them know that the Sun family left their youngest to swim or sink. It would make you look heartless, and god forbid anything damage your reputation."
Even tigers wouldn't eat their young. At least not when the world was watching.
Jingwei had a feeling that if the press conference didn't go well, his father and brother would never have made their presence known to him. But because the crisis was averted, they were here to ensure the positive PR was shared with the whole family.
Tianwei raised an impressed eyebrow. Jingwei had managed to guess at his thought process.
"You've gotten smarter," Tianwei praised, almost proud. "You've done well at the press conference and I don't have to disown you as my brother."
Jingwei scoffed, but he couldn't help the corners of his lips from rising. It was rare for his brother to outrightly praise him, and a small part of him still preened internally at his approval.
"Done well?" His father scoffed. "It was barely passable, then you had to ruin it by introducing her to everyone!"
At his words, Jingwei's eyes hardened.
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