The newcomer was Chu Xiyuan, whom Song Liang had kicked to the floor a few days earlier. Dressed in formal attire and looking thoroughly respectable, he watched Song Liang with mocking eyes.
Song Liang asked, “What are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here?” Chu Xiyuan laughed. “The Xiao and Chu families have been close for generations. Xiao Ji and I grew up together. Of course I’m coming to Grandpa Xiao’s birthday banquet.”
Then he turned to Xiao Ji.
“You really have lost your mind, bringing him back to the family home. Aren’t you afraid your grandfather will throw you out? Or that your uncles and cousins will laugh at you?”
His words were decidedly unpleasant. Xu Bowen quickly nudged him with an elbow and murmured, “Xiyuan.”
“What? Am I wrong?”
Chu Xiyuan was deeply unconvinced. He and Xiao Ji had grown up together, both in wealthy families with fierce internal competition. He understood perfectly how much support a suitable spouse could provide.
Xiao Ji already lacked the backing of his biological parents. His only supportive uncle was also at odds with the old patriarch. Naturally, he needed a powerful marriage alliance.
Instead, he had chosen Song Liang.
And even setting all that aside, Chu Xiyuan had never heard his friend say he liked Song Liang. It was obvious someone had leverage over him and had forced him into the engagement.
That made Chu Xiyuan despise Song Liang even more.
Xu Bowen couldn’t help sighing. After the club incident, Xiao Yi had reported what happened to their families. Xu Bowen had already tried to reason with Chu Xiyuan, but nothing had sunk in. He remained convinced that Xiao Ji had only agreed to be with Song Liang under duress.
In Xu Bowen’s view, even if Xiao Ji were a fool, Xiao Yi certainly wasn’t. He had more than enough cunning and means at his disposal. If Song Liang had truly used some trick to force his approval of the engagement, Xiao Yi would never stand by while his nephew was manipulated.
But judging by the club incident, Xiao Yi was clearly pleased with this future nephew-in-law. He had even stepped in personally to support him.
That suggested the marriage benefited Xiao Ji. Only an idiot like Chu Xiyuan failed to see it.
Xu Bowen could only tell Song Liang, “That’s just how he is. Don’t be angry.”
“Of course I’m not angry,” Song Liang replied. “I just hit people.”
Xu Bowen: “…”
Chu Xiyuan immediately recalled being kicked to the floor in front of everyone at the club. His face twisted.
“You fucking—”
Xu Bowen clapped a hand over his mouth and smiled at Butler Ye.
“We’re used to horsing around. Sorry you had to see that.”
Butler Ye smiled without comment and invited them inside.
Chu Xiyuan pulled free of Xu Bowen’s hand and sidled up to Xiao Ji like a close brother, pushing Song Liang aside.
Song Liang couldn’t be bothered with him. Supporting his injured arm, he followed them into the old Xiao family home.
The reception room was spacious, its furnishings visibly old. Classical oil paintings full of artistic character hung on the walls.
But Butler Ye didn’t stop there. He led them down a long corridor to the garden behind the house.
From a distance, they could see a considerable group gathered around an elderly man with a cane. His back was turned toward them, and he wore an old-fashioned brown formal suit, standing straight.
Amid the subtle flattery and accommodating remarks around him, he occasionally offered an indifferent reply.
Butler Ye stepped forward.
“Sir, Young Master Chu and Young Master Xu have arrived.”
The figure with the cane slowly turned.
Almost instantly, Song Liang noticed the two men beside him hold their breath and Xiao Ji’s body tense sharply.
Curious, he looked up.
The elderly face was composed and serene, the eyes alert and calm. His features bore traces of resemblance to Xiao Ji and Xiao Wenyu.
Apart from that, there didn’t seem to be anything particularly unusual.
As soon as that thought occurred to him, Xiao Musheng’s gaze settled on his face.
Calm but heavy, it enveloped him before moving to Xu Bowen and Chu Xiyuan. A faint, kindly smile appeared.
“You’re all here?”
Chu Xiyuan managed a smile and greeted him as Grandpa Xiao.
Xu Bowen’s smile was restrained and gentle.
“You look very well, Grandpa Xiao. Nothing like someone in his seventies or eighties.”
“Well enough. Still no match for you young people.”
Xiao Musheng answered with a brief smile, then turned to Xiao Ji.
Before he could speak, Xiao Ji stepped forward.
“Grandfather.”
Xiao Musheng’s expression was indifferent.
“Just you again?”
Beside them, Song Liang thought: Hello?
Xiao Ji understood what he meant. Lowering his eyes, he replied, “A business partner arranged something at short notice, so Uncle couldn’t make it. He asked me to bring his birthday gift and wish you good health and a long life.”
Xiao Musheng gave a short, scornful laugh.
“He can make it to a business partner’s birthday celebration, but not mine.”
Xiao Ji’s face changed immediately. Everyone present wore a subtle expression.
People outside said this father and son were like fire and water. Apparently, the rumors were true.
The son refused to attend his father’s birthday, while the father knew every detail of his son’s movements.
What a “loving father and dutiful son.”
Xiao Ji hadn’t expected his grandfather to know his uncle’s whereabouts either. Flustered, he hurried to explain.
“…Mostly, Uncle’s earlier injuries still haven’t healed completely. The doctor told him to limit his activity.”
Xiao Musheng gave no indication of whether he believed him, but said nothing further. His gaze moved to Song Liang.
Xiao Ji grew even more nervous, holding his breath. He didn’t know what his grandfather might say, yet feared that he might say nothing at all.
Within moments, a thin layer of sweat had formed on his back.
Standing close by, Song Liang watched the entire exchange with considerable interest.
The old man did have a somewhat dangerous presence, but wasn’t this future domineering CEO—the world’s main top—far too easily frightened?
3085 couldn’t help defending him.
【Everything you’re talking about happens in the future. The main top is only twenty-five right now.】
Song Liang: 【Oh.】
3085 was speechless. It had long realized its host thought little of the main top. But there was no helping it. For the sake of the mission, it still had to push them together.
For as long as Xiao Musheng stared at Song Liang, Song Liang stared back, without the slightest concern for whether it was polite.
Only when Xiao Ji signaled for him to offer a greeting did he seem to remember.
He extended his hand.
“Hello, Mr. Xiao. I’m Song Liang.”
Xiao Musheng didn’t even look at the outstretched hand.
Song Liang raised an eyebrow but didn’t mind, withdrawing it.
The next moment, a contemptuous chuckle reached his ears.
“That’s certainly the first time I’ve heard that name in this estate.”
The people around them laughed softly—refined, composed, as though such manners could conceal the contempt in their laughter, leaving its target humiliated and powerless to respond.
Chu Xiyuan and Xu Bowen watched without speaking.
This was the true face of a wealthy family at the very pinnacle of power.
Even their contempt was lofty and elegant, like humans observing ants fighting beneath their feet. It could leave an ordinary person mortified, unable to muster the slightest will to resist.
Although Xiao Ji had anticipated this when he decided to bring Song Liang to the old house, his expression was still far from pleasant.
He didn’t care about Song Liang, but he knew these people weren’t really laughing at Song Liang.
They were laughing at him.
Without his parents, without the planned alliance with the Qiao family, and now choosing a nouveau riche family’s illegitimate son as his partner, he had effectively lost half his advantage in the competition to inherit the Xiao family.
His grandfather had told him to bring Song Liang precisely to make him understand that.
To make him realize that choosing wrongly came at a price like this.
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