But scolding aside, Dong Chen understood that no matter what, Xia family’s daughter could not be handed over to Lin Xiao Tian.
This was no longer a trivial emotional entanglement between children; it was a matter that concerned the destiny of two families.
With the eldest son of the Xia family now disabled and unable to manage family affairs, only their only daughter, Xia Qing Ling, remained. This was the perfect opportunity for the Dong family to merge with the Xia family, and he had to seize it.
"Have you thoroughly investigated Lin Xiao Tian's background?" Dong Chen looked at his son.
Hearing his father's words, Dong Lin felt a surge of joy in his heart.
His father's question clearly indicated he was on his side. It seemed that after all, he was his own biological son. Despite Dong Chen's disappointment, he would always stand by his side.
"I inquired with Xu Qing He. Lin Xiao Tian is just a farmer, still living in a mountain gully. Furthermore, his parents disappeared long ago. You could say he's no different from an orphan."
Dong Lin spoke these words with arrogance, his tone filled with disdain.
Compared to him, these circumstances were so vastly inferior!
But before he could finish speaking, he saw Dong Chen’s dark expression.
"Is that all?" Dong Chen pressed.
"That's what Xu Qing He told me himself," Dong Lin replied.
He hadn't lied about this. He had already inquired with Xu Qing He when he was planning to make a move against Lin Xiao Tian.
However, as he answered, Dong Chen's gaze grew increasingly helpless.
"Tell me, how can an ordinary farmer have tens of millions in his bank account?"
Dong Lin was immediately rendered speechless.
"Father, you know about this?"
"What? If I hadn't asked, you weren't planning to tell me?"
"This... I wouldn't dare deceive Father. I was planning to tell you later."
Looking at the stammering Dong Lin before him, Dong Chen was about to explode with anger.
He knew his own son all too well.
Dong Lin wasn't unwilling to speak, but he deliberately withheld the information, intending to make his father act against Lin Xiao Tian without hesitation.
He also knew that if his father learned of Lin Xiao Tian's background, he would likely have reservations. Dong Lin, eager for revenge, certainly didn't want his father to hesitate for a moment, hence his deliberate concealment.
Fortunately, Dong Chen had a nagging suspicion and had inquired with those who had accompanied them, only then learning about the matter. Otherwise, he would have truly fallen into Dong Lin’s trap.
"You scoundrel, you dare to scheme against me?"
"Father, I didn't. I just... forgot!"
Dong Lin's fumbling responses only fueled Dong Chen's fury.
Even his lies were so poorly acted. Could he truly feel at ease entrusting the Dong family to such a person in the future?
"Forget it, I'll have someone else tell you!" Dong Chen said, making a phone call.
A moment later, someone entered the office. It was Hu Fu.
Hu Fu was a psychiatrist, a renowned physician at the National Medical Hall. However, the National Medical Hall did not place much emphasis on psychology, so Hu Fu had not been given significant recognition. Nevertheless, Dong Chen greatly appreciated Hu Fu's competence in handling matters, which was why he felt comfortable entrusting Dong Lin to him.
"Hu Fu, have you prepared the information I requested?"
Hu Fu nodded and respectfully handed over a stack of documents.
"Good. You may leave now." Dong Chen's gaze remained fixed.
Hu Fu said nothing more and withdrew from the office like a servant.
In a private medical institution, the chairman was akin to a local emperor, and bureaucracy was pronounced. Hu Fu's specialty was not particularly vital, thus his standing among the higher echelons was even lower compared to doctors in other departments.
Dong Chen and the others were accustomed to ordering Hu Fu around in this manner.
But they were unaware that Hu Fu, as he left the office, was filled with a sense of desolation.
"Dr. Hu?" a passing doctor greeted him.
"Heh heh, Dr. Zhang!" Hu Fu immediately put on an exquisite smile, as if his recent desolation had vanished.
Meanwhile, inside the office, Dong Chen rubbed his eyes as he looked at the information before him.
He was truly exhausted!
A young doctor who could use the Golden Needle to open acupoints, whom even Su Qing Lan praised highly.
A rising star in the business world with a strong background, closely associated with the renowned Jiang family.
A prodigy in pharmaceuticals, who had released new drugs that shocked the medical community with his very first endeavor.
Any one of these titles alone would have been enough to make him a prominent figure.
And now, all of them were concentrated in a single person.
He recalled Su Qing Lan's report from the previous day. She had said that Lin Xiao Tian was an exceptionally rare talent and that he should absolutely not antagonize him. At the time, he had considered that if Lin Xiao Tian truly possessed abilities, he might spare him.
But as these documents lay before him, his thoughts changed.
What did he mean by "sparing him"?
That was the prerogative of the strong over the weak.
And the person described in these documents was far from weak.
While having tens of millions wasn't much of an achievement in itself, for someone so young to possess such medical skills and financial standing implied a power behind him that was utterly unimaginable.
This was no longer a question of whether he should spare Lin Xiao Tian, but whether he should even dare to oppose him!
"Father?" Dong Lin called out, seeing his father’s haggard appearance.
"You go out first!" Dong Chen dismissed him.
Dong Lin had no choice. He didn't know what his father was thinking and could only leave dejectedly.
Upon leaving the office, Dong Lin saw Hu Fu smiling and approaching him not far away.
"Young Master Dong, how is the situation?"
"It's all thanks to your good work. You truly are my father's good dog!" Dong Lin snorted coldly.
"Young Master Dong, I..."
"Shut up!"
People were coming and going in the hall, but Dong Lin showed Hu Fu no respect. After saying this, he left on his own.
Hu Fu wanted to explain, but seeing the look of disgust on Dong Lin's face, he knew that going up to him now would only further enrage him.
Watching Dong Lin's retreating back, Hu Fu clenched his fists.
He had worked diligently for both father and son, only to be treated like a dog. Thinking of this, Hu Fu felt a sense of patheticness.
Just as he was lost in his despair, his phone suddenly rang.
When doctors at the National Medical Hall called each other, the caller ID automatically displayed the other party's name. Hu Fu's phone was no exception.
But at this moment, looking at the name on the call display, Hu Fu was somewhat bewildered.
Lin Xiao Tian?
Why would he be calling him?