Chapter 208 — Yang Ce Is My Friend

"If the interests of the family came into conflict with the interests of your friend, how would you choose?" Tian Long glanced at Tian Yan and asked.

Tian Yan did not understand why his father, who had always kept such matters from him, had suddenly become so insistent today, determined to force a definite answer out of him. Still, Tian Yan shrugged and said, with a trace of helplessness, "Dad, what you're saying is still too vague. The interests of the family—what sort of interests exactly? The interests of a friend—what sort of friend, to what degree? All of that would affect the final answer."

"All right, since you've asked, I'll speak to you frankly." Tian Long looked at his son for a moment before continuing. "In the past I seldom talked to you about these things because you were still young, and because my position—which looks so glorious—is in truth extremely awkward. I'm nothing but a pawn of the Sun family. But what I want to discuss with you today concerns the future fate of our Tian family!"

The fate of the Tian family? Tian Yan was slightly taken aback and could not help sitting up straighter. Whether or not he had ever taken part in the family's important discussions before, at this moment he could not help growing serious. Indeed, what Tian Long had said was rather shocking—how had this, out of nowhere, come to involve the fate of the family?

"Dad, just say whatever you want to say." Tian Yan nodded and said gravely, "I know you want me to do something, but what exactly is it?"

"If I asked you to choose between the interests of the family and Yan, what choice would you make?" Tian Long spoke the words he had ultimately wanted to say.

Originally, Tian Long had intended to circle around the matter a few times before bringing it up with Tian Yan, but since Tian Yan had asked first, there was no need for him to beat around the bush any longer, and so he came out with it directly.

"Yang Ce? The interests of the family?" Tian Yan was stunned the moment he heard this. "Dad, what does Yang Ce have to do with the interests of the family? Are you mistaken?"

Indeed, Tian Yan could not conceive how the interests of the family could have anything to do with Yan. Quite apart from the fact that these were two entirely unrelated matters, Yang Ce and his own family—one in Songjiang, the other in Donghai—could never come into any conflict of interest at all. So Tian Yan simply could not fathom why his father would ask such a question.

"Never mind that for now. Answer me: if such a moment ever came, would you choose to stand on your friend's side, or on the side of the family's interests?" Tian Long made a gesture, cutting Tian Yan off, and spoke word by word.

"I..." For the first time, Tian Yan hesitated. Though he did not know why his father was asking, he truly found the question hard to answer. Yang Ce... the one brother in Songjiang he could really talk to. The last thing Tian Yan wanted was to do anything that would damage their relationship. But the interests of the family... television and novels were always saying that the interests of the family stood above all else, and when Tian Yan had watched those, his blood had raced. Yet now that it came to himself, Tian Yan hesitated...

Seeing that Tian Yan did not speak, Tian Long frowned, as if somewhat angered. "Donghua, I always thought you were a sensible child. How is it that you can't make even such a simple judgment?"

"Dad, if you want me to make a judgment, you have to at least tell me what this is about, don't you? Does it really involve Yang Ce?" Though Tian Yan did not quite believe his family could have anything to do with Yan, his father's expression and tone now did not seem feigned, which left Tian Yan somewhat at a loss.

"It concerns a matter of life and death for our bid to your family. Can you decide now?" Tian Long raised his voice. He had not expected Tian Yan to value Yang Ce so highly. True, the two of them shared a dormitory room, but surely the friendship between classmates, however important, could not outweigh matters at home? That was why Tian Long had not previously regarded persuading Tian Yan as any great undertaking. But now things were different—the bond between Tian Yan and Yan seemed far closer than he had imagined.

"This..." Tian Yan was dumbstruck. He simply could not work out how the Tian family had come to a moment of life and death. The Tian family was in Donghai, and though not as illustrious as the Sun family, it was no exaggeration to say they could summon the wind and call the rain!

Among the upper circles, who did not know Tian Long? It could be said that there was almost nothing the Tian family wished to accomplish in Donghai that they could not. Within reason, of course.

"Dad, are you joking? Isn't our family doing perfectly well? How have we come to a moment of life and death?" Tian Yan asked with a forced smile. "Is the Sun family preparing to cast us off?"

"It's not the Sun family casting us off—it's we who have cast off the Sun family!" Since Tian Long already had the Sun family's people under his control, there was no longer any need to conceal the matter, and so when Tian Yan asked, he said it outright.

"Cast off the Sun family?" Tian Yan's expression changed at once. He was no fool, and he faintly guessed something from his father's expression. "Dad, you mean..."

"Exactly. We've turned against them. We're going to overthrow the Sun family and become the foremost house in Donghai! We'll take back the enterprises and the glory that once belonged to the Sun family!" Tian Long nodded solemnly. "The Sun family's people are already under my control. Donghai will soon be the world of our Tian family."

"Ah!" Though Tian Yan had been mentally prepared, he still cried out in alarm!

Yet the Sun family, in Tian Yan's impression, was nothing special. He felt neither fondness nor dislike for them, because his father had seldom let him take part in family affairs before. So his understanding of the Sun family was only general, and apart from having met Sun Lin and Sun Jie a few times, he had had little dealings with any of them.

As for that lofty, high-and-mighty Sun Zhiwei, Tian Yan felt an indescribable disgust for him. Hearing now that the Sun family had fallen, what pleased him most was that Sun Zhiwei would no longer be able to put on such arrogant airs!

But as for the rest of the Sun family and where the Sun family was headed, Tian Yan did not much care.

"From now on, we'll never have to act according to anyone else's moods again." At this, Tian Long stood up, somewhat agitated, and looked at Tian Yan with piercing eyes.

Tian Yan gave a faint sigh. Though he had no great bond with the Sun family, he still felt vaguely uncomfortable at this moment. The Tian family had always been servants to the Sun family, and now they had climbed over the heads of their masters—Tian Yan found it rather dishonorable, and if word got out, it would not look good either.

Still, that contest on such a level was not something Tian Yan could control. It was a matter between the older generation; a junior like him could only let it be. So long as he held fast to his own bottom line and principles, that would be enough. As for everything else, there was nothing he could do.

"Dad, though I don't understand your affairs, nor understand what's so bad about our family as it is, or why you insist on taking another step forward—on all of that, I reserve my opinion," Tian Yan said. "But you've already gotten what you wanted. I don't see what this still has to do with Yan."

Tian Long hesitated a moment before saying, "All right then, I'll tell you the truth. The reason it succeeded this time is that there is a mysterious boss behind me, who provided the funds for me to buy people's loyalty. But he also made his demands—namely, that this storm must reach Songjiang. And that, I have done.