After the trial concluded.
The moment she learned of the result, Mrs. Lin ground her teeth.
"What is going on?"
She nearly lost her gentle composure as she glared angrily at Lin Feng.
"Your sister was bullied like this, and as her older brother, this is how you handle it?"
’Who cares about some fine?’
Never mind the fact that they were getting wealthier by the day; she couldn’t care less about a mere hundred thousand.
Even back when they were just an ordinary family, she would never have traded her daughter’s reputation for a hundred thousand.
So, she was very disappointed in Lin Feng.
She knew that with Lin Feng’s resources, it would have been a simple matter to sue that so-called Little Broken Station and make them pay dearly.
’How could her daughter be bullied so wantonly?’
Lin Xiaoman’s eyes reddened at her mother’s words. Her mom had always doted on her the most.
Lin Feng watched this touching display of mother-daughter affection, feeling like a complete outsider who couldn’t get a word in.
He sighed, feeling utterly wronged.
"Oh, Mom!"
"I’m rich, yes, but I’m not so powerful that I can bend the world to my will."
"I was able to sue Little Broken Station because of Xiaoman, and also because I’m the owner of her live-streaming company."
"As for Xiaoman’s case, I’ve already done everything in my power to ensure Little Broken Station received the maximum penalty. Beyond that, I’m truly helpless."
’Of course, if everyone who had been harmed by Little Broken Station banded together, they could probably sue the platform and get it shut down for good.’
’But unfortunately, that would be a monumental task. The people harmed by Little Broken Station wouldn’t be easy to find.’
’And even if they found video and text evidence, it would be useless without enough witness testimony.’
Mrs. Lin wasn’t listening to a word Lin Feng said. She huffed coldly. ’How dare he make excuses in front of his own mother!’
Lin Xiaoman, of course, knew that Lin Feng was innocent.
She looked at her mother, torn between laughter and tears, then glanced at Lin Feng, her eyes sending a clear message:
"Want me to put in a good word for you? I want the latest lipstick."
Lin Feng narrowed his eyes. Out of his mother’s line of sight, he shook a fist at Lin Xiaoman.
"Oh, really?"
"How about a free ’educational’ session from your loving older brother? The latest model. You want it?"
Lin Xiaoman raised an eyebrow. She casually glanced at Lin Feng’s hand, then at his defiant expression.
"Fine! If you’re not going to take this opportunity, then my hands are tied."
"My dear brother, I wish you the best of luck..."
"Wait!"
Lin Xiaoman’s eyes grew increasingly red, as if she were about to burst into tears at any second.
A chill instantly ran down Lin Feng’s spine.
In a moment of panic, he yelled at his mother and sister.
The shout was so loud it startled his mother.
"Hey! Lin Feng, have you lost your mind?"
"What are you yelling so loud for all of a sudden?"
’Honestly, if I had known this boy would be such a handful when he grew up, I would have disciplined him more thoroughly as a child. It would’ve saved me so much grief now.’
Lin Feng felt so wronged. It was obviously Lin Xiaoman who had deliberately provoked him.
But looking into his mother’s eyes, he found himself unable to say any of that. His utter frustration melted into a sigh, and he said earnestly:
"I’m sorry, Mom!"
"I didn’t mean to do that just now. My voice was a little loud. I apologize. Please don’t be angry."
"I really can’t do anything more about my sister’s case, but don’t worry, I won’t let that Little Broken Station off the hook."
His mother seemed somewhat satisfied with his response. She patted his head and then let out a yawn.
"Mom, are you tired?"
Lin Xiaoman chimed in with timely concern, playing the part of the warm, caring daughter.
"Let me help you back to your room to rest. It’s still a while until dinner. I’ll come get you later."
Warmed by her daughter’s thoughtfulness, Mrs. Lin found her son even more vexing.
So, she shot Lin Feng a glare and let Lin Xiaoman help her walk away.
Lin Feng was helpless in the face of his mother’s favoritism. What could he do?
One was his birth mother, and the other was his birth mother’s precious daughter.
He couldn’t find it in himself to blame either of them.
As they went upstairs, Lin Xiaoman glanced back at Lin Feng.
Seeing his dejected expression, she had been about to offer some comfort. But in the next instant, she saw Lin Feng lift his head and give her a lazy look.
"We have a deal. I’ll buy you the lipstick."
"But you listen to me. If Mom is still mad at me when she wakes up, you’re done for."
Lin Xiaoman: "..."
’Whatever. For the sake of lipstick, a wise woman knows when to yield. How could I not endure this little bit of aggravation?’
The power of lipstick is immense!
「Two hours later.」
When Mrs. Lin came downstairs after her nap, she was all smiles upon seeing Lin Feng, as if nothing had happened earlier.
During the meal, Mrs. Lin suddenly remembered something. She put down her chopsticks and asked Lin Feng:
"By the way, I haven’t seen your little girlfriend around lately."
’She had a good impression of Su Ruoxi. The girl had a good image and an excellent temperament. If all went well, she would be the Lin Family’s future daughter-in-law...’
The more Mrs. Lin thought about her prospective daughter-in-law, the more she liked her.
Having not seen her for a long time, Mrs. Lin was starting to miss her.
Having learned his lesson from the argument about the lawsuit two hours prior, Lin Feng didn’t dare say anything that might displease his mother. He did his best to cater to her:
"Well, Ruoxi has been studying very hard recently, so she hasn’t had time to come out."
"Mom, if you want to see her, I’ll check when she’s free in the next couple of days and bring her home."
Mrs. Lin nodded, satisfied. ’This clueless son of hers is finally learning how to talk,’ she thought.
...
「Meanwhile, at the Little Broken Station headquarters.」
In the president’s office, even though he knew they would most likely lose the case today, Bao An’s face still darkened the moment he heard the lawyer’s report.
"P-President!"
The lawyer was so nervous he started to stutter. "It was my failure. I’ve betrayed your trust."
’It was all his fault,’ the lawyer thought. He just prayed Bao An wouldn’t make things difficult for him.
Besides that, even if he were fired, he would accept it.
Bao An rubbed the bridge of his nose and said, under the lawyer’s anxious gaze, "It’s not your fault. Douhu is just a tough opponent."
Besides, he hadn’t expected Lin Feng to be able to gather such comprehensive evidence in such a short amount of time.
And all of this evidence was related to Lin Xiaoman alone.
This result, as sudden as it was expected, actually allowed Bao An to breathe a sigh of relief.
At the very least, Lin Feng hadn’t tacked on any other charges. If he had, Little Broken Station would truly be finished.
He realized he couldn’t underestimate Douhu Entertainment, and he certainly couldn’t underestimate Lin Feng. He couldn’t expect any leniency; if he was going to make a move, it had to be direct and decisive.
He would never again make a stupid move like the one he pulled last night.
"That’s enough. You may go."
Bao An looked at the lawyer and waved a dismissive hand. "I’ll handle the rest myself."
The lawyer blinked and stammered, "B-but..."
"I told you to get out, don’t you understand?"
Bao An suddenly roared, glaring icily at the lawyer.
Helpless, the lawyer could only retreat in embarrassment.

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