Chapter 55 - 54: Jealous Pei Xuan, Cold-Faced Yingying
Chapter 55: Chapter 54: Jealous Pei Xuan, Cold-Faced Yingying
Housekeeper Pei hesitated instead. "Wouldn’t it be doing them too much of an honor if you go, Young Master?"
As the next heir of the Pei family, Pei Xuan’s personal information had been well protected by Mr. Pei. Few outsiders had ever seen his true face, and many didn’t even know his name. This was to prevent him from being targeted by people with ulterior motives.
In the last century, a carefully groomed heir of the Pei family had been kidnapped. Because the ransom wasn’t delivered to the specified location as demanded, the kidnappers murdered the hostage and sank the body into the sea. It had yet to be found to this day. This tragic incident taught the Pei family a harsh lesson. Mr. Pei also strictly demanded that Pei Xuan absolutely never reveal his identity outside unless necessary.
"Grandpa’s health is poor. Don’t bother him with trivial matters like this," Pei Xuan said dismissively. "It’s just attending a birthday banquet. Do you really think I’m doing them a favor?"
Housekeeper Pei sighed. "I’m just worried that those with ulterior motives might use your influence, Young Master, to do something bad, and you’ll end up taking all the blame."
"Take the blame?" A faint, mocking smile touched Pei Xuan’s lips. "I could lend them the courage, but do you think they’d dare?"
Housekeeper Pei was a staunch supporter of Pei Xuan. "Of course they wouldn’t dare!"
Pei Xuan lowered his head to read. Housekeeper Pei was just about to excuse himself when he suddenly heard a cold sneer. "A bewitching seductress who beguiled the sovereign."
Housekeeper Pei was bewildered. Who was he talking about? He leaned over and glanced at the page, and the name ’Xie Qingshi’ jumped into his view.
After three seconds of silence, Housekeeper Pei humbly asked, "Have you found some new historical records, Young Master?"
"Do I need historical records?" Pei Xuan said coldly. He had eyes. He wasn’t blind.
Housekeeper Pei was completely baffled.
"My... Our ancestor was a master of both the pen and the sword, and could even lead troops into battle. That Xie Qingshi only knew how to play the zither and make music. What gave him the right to stand as an equal to my... our ancestor?" Pei Xuan looked at him indifferently. "So our ancestor was a loyal subject, while Xie Qingshi was a bewitching seductress who beguiled the sovereign. Is there a problem with what I said?"
Housekeeper Pei felt that something was off, but upon meeting his young master’s icy gaze, he immediately agreed. "No problem at all! Our ancestor was the number one loyal subject. How could the Linsu Xie family possibly compare?"
Only then was Pei Xuan satisfied. "You may leave."
After Housekeeper Pei went out and closed the door, he felt a bit worried. He thought that it was all Mr. Pei’s fault for giving the young master their ancestor’s name. The young master was practically treating himself as the ancestor now, to the point of getting jealous of Xie Qingshi.
The bodyguards exchanged helpless glances.
"At the Meng family’s birthday banquet, you must protect the young master well," Housekeeper Pei said sternly. "If he loses even a single hair, just watch if I don’t thrash you with a broom!"
The bodyguards immediately swore to the heavens with solemn oaths that they would never let Pei Xuan suffer the slightest harm.
"Alright, go do what you need to do." Housekeeper Pei walked away with his hands clasped behind his back, unable to resist muttering, "From the looks of it, Empress Taichu’s methods were quite brilliant. The court was actually able to accommodate so many formidable figures at the same time!"
Just serving their young master alone was enough to make him break out in a cold sweat. He couldn’t afford to provoke him, so he’d better just flee.
By the time the news reached the Meng family, it was already the following morning, and the family was having breakfast.
"The Pei family actually accepted the invitation?" Old Madam Meng was dizzy from the massive surprise.
"It is absolutely true, Old Madam," Housekeeper Meng said, beaming with joy. "This is the very first time!"
The Meng family had sent all sorts of invitations and visiting cards to the Pei family before, but they had been turned down every time. Still, the Meng family never gave up. Who would have thought that the Pei family would actually send someone to attend Old Madam Meng’s birthday banquet?
Meng Miaoyan was also delighted. "Grandma, your prestige is truly great!"
"It has nothing to do with my prestige. It must be because your grandfather did Mr. Pei a small favor in his early years," Old Madam Meng said with a smile, though she didn’t specify what it was. Old Sir Meng had passed away three years ago, and the company had already been handed over to the next generation.
Xu Zhao Yu, however, looked somewhat troubled. Meng Baizhou noticed the shift in her mood. "Zhao Yu, what’s wrong?"
"Dad, what else could it be? It’s obviously because Uncle Chengli and the others are coming too," Meng Shuyan said sarcastically. "It would have been fine if the Pei family wasn’t coming, but now that they are, what if we end up embarrassing ourselves in front of a Pei family member?"
The smile on Old Madam Meng’s lips froze slightly, and her expression cooled. She had completely forgotten about that matter.
Meng Miaoyan chimed in, "Grandma, we shouldn’t let them come. Your eightieth birthday is such a grand occasion. What if they ruin it?"
Old Madam Meng sighed. "I don’t want to strain our relations with the Xu family over such a trivial matter. When the time comes, we’ll just seat them in a corner. As long as they don’t cause any trouble, we can just pretend they aren’t there."
"It’s all my fault." Xu Zhao Yu couldn’t help but start crying again. "If it weren’t for me, Chengli wouldn’t have... wouldn’t have..."
"Alright, Zhao Yu, it has nothing to do with you," Old Madam Meng comforted her. "If the Xu family gives you a hard time, you shouldn’t go back there so often. Tossing and turning back and forth like that isn’t good for you."
"Mom, it is still my home after all. I can’t bear to let it go." Xu Zhao Yu wiped her tears. "Don’t worry. The fault lies with me, and I absolutely won’t let anything go wrong at your birthday banquet."
"Let’s eat. Don’t overthink it," Meng Baizhou said, gently patting her back.
Xu Zhao Yu gave a soft murmur of agreement and resumed her meal.
That night, Shi Changying got into the private car sent for her by the Xu family. Xu Shuangqiao had also come to pick her up. She happily beckoned for Shi Changying to get in. "I finally have a younger sister!"
Shi Changying glanced at her. "Isn’t Xu Shuyu your younger sister?"
"Yes, she is." Xu Shuangqiao looked a bit resentful. "I even held her when she was little, but she has never once smiled at me."
"I won’t smile at you, either," Shi Changying replied flatly.
Xu Shuangqiao felt very hurt. "Fine." She wondered if she was destined to only have cold-faced younger sisters. This world was truly not very friendly to her.
Thirty minutes later, the vehicle arrived at the Old Xu Mansion.
Seeing Ming Chengli waiting for her at the main entrance, Shi Changying raised an eyebrow. "Dad, it’s rare for you to be home earlier than me."
"Uncle Chengli didn’t use to get home until after ten o’clock?" Xu Shuangqiao asked in astonishment. "Your work is way too exhausting, Uncle Chengli."
"Doing what you love is never exhausting," Ming Chengli said, his face glowing with vitality. "Our Changying has finally gained a little weight."
Recalling the amount of food Shi Changying had consumed that night, Xu Shuangqiao felt even more exasperated. "God is so unfair! If I ate like Changying does, I’d be fat enough for the slaughterhouse by now!"
"Correct. You are a pig," Shi Changying said.
Xu Shuangqiao was rendered speechless. Her sister was not cute at all!
The three of them entered the living room. Hearing the commotion, Old Sir Xu came downstairs. "You’re back?"
"Grandpa, why are you still awake so late?" Xu Shuangqiao asked with concern.
Old Sir Xu shook his head. He remained silent for a moment before finally making up his mind. "Chengli, Changying, it would be best if you two didn’t attend this upcoming birthday banquet."