Chapter 353: Ning Xuan Is One of the Bai Family
Chapter 353: Chapter 353: Ning Xuan Is One of the Bai Family
Yu Mingche hosted this family banquet. Nine-tailed and their people were in charge of preparing the food, while most of the others prepared performances. At this banquet, Ning Xuan clearly informed everyone that Yu Mingche had the authority to manage all household affairs on her behalf.
This announcement solidified Yu Mingche’s status as the main husband. Ying Yaoshi, who participated in the banquet via video call, raised no objections.
After the banquet, Lin Mo was the first to leave, returning to the Second Corps Headquarters Base. Chen Nan went back to the Chen Family to visit his relatives, and Di Youlin returned to the Di Family to visit his. Yu Mingche was busy with official duties and rarely came home during the day, leaving only Lan Xin and Yun Han to keep Ning Xuan company.
One day, Lan Xin and Yun Han accompanied Ning Xuan on a shopping trip at the Federation Building. All three were dressed very discreetly. Lan Xin and Yun Han even wore veils to avoid attracting too much attention for their exceptional looks. Around noon, the three of them chose a restaurant and prepared to have lunch.
"Bai Xiuying, Second Miss Bai, your Bai Family barely ranks at the bottom of the second-rate families now. What’s with you putting on the airs of a noble lady? If you’re so capable, how come your fiancé from the marriage contract was snatched away by someone else?" a shrill female voice shouted loudly.
"Nonsense, he wasn’t!" Bai Xiuying retorted angrily, but unfortunately, her rebuttal lacked any force and only provoked more ridicule from the crowd.
"Still talking tough? Mr. Chen of the Chen Family, Chen Nan, was originally your fiancé. How come it’s been so long and you still haven’t married him? I heard that Chen Nan is the very first Contractor of Miss Ning—Ning Xuan, the one who earned the title of Alchemy Master, isn’t he?"
"Chen Hao, come and tell everyone, am I right or not?" The young woman who had been taunting Bai Xiuying grabbed a timid, clean-featured young man and demanded.
"Yes, the Contract Master is right. My cousin, Chen Nan, is Miss Ning’s Contractor. For my cousin’s sake, Miss Ning Xuan even gave the improved formula for the Body Refining Potion to our Family Head. The Chen Family’s business is getting bigger and bigger now, all thanks to Miss Ning Xuan’s grace," the young man named Chen Hao replied quickly in a flat voice.
"Chen Hao, I hear your cousin has been home visiting relatives recently. Why don’t you call him out to have some fun with us?" another young lady chimed in, stirring up trouble.
"I can’t. My cousin won’t come out," Chen Hao said, quickly shaking his head in refusal.
"Miss Cao, your Contractor is a bit clueless, isn’t he? How could he refuse without even trying? Is he looking down on me?" the young lady who had spoken earlier said unhappily.
SMACK! Cao Yulan slapped Chen Hao on the back of the head. "Call your cousin right now! Tell him you’re drunk and ask him to come pick you up. If you don’t get your cousin over here today, just you watch how I’ll deal with you!" Cao Yulan furiously berated Chen Hao.
The young lady who had just spoken was Jin Shanshan, a miss from the first-class noble Jin Family, which was much more powerful than their Cao Family. Cao Yulan had gone to great lengths to get in with Jin Shanshan, hoping to gain some benefits from the Jin Family’s business network, so how could she dare to offend her?
"Excellent! When Chen Nan arrives, let’s see if we can set him and Bai Xiuying up again. Get this formerly engaged couple to rekindle their old flame. What do you all think of that idea?" Jin Shanshan said, clapping her hands and laughing loudly.
Chen Hao was still hesitating when Cao Yulan, in full view of everyone, drew the whip from her waist and viciously lashed him with it.
Chen Hao screamed incessantly from the beating. Another young woman beside Bai Xiuying couldn’t help but jump out. "Stop it, Cao Yulan! Chen Hao is part of the Chen Family, after all! Abusing him like this in public, aren’t you just slapping the Chen Family in the face? Aren’t you afraid they’ll come after you?"
Reminded of this, Cao Yulan hesitated and stopped.
"What’s there to be afraid of? As a Contractor, daring to defy one’s Contract Master is a grave sin of disrespect. How is Miss Cao disciplining her own Contractor a slap in the face to the Chen Family? Sixth Miss Bai, you’re exaggerating a bit," Jin Shanshan, who was enjoying the show, retorted with displeasure at the Sixth Miss Bai.
’Jin Shanshan’s right,’ Cao Yulan thought. ’I’m just disciplining my own Contractor. What does it have to do with anyone else? What does it have to do with the Chen Family?’
Cao Yulan leaned down and whispered a few words in Chen Hao’s ear. After hearing them, Chen Hao couldn’t help but tremble. He bit his lip and, under Cao Yulan’s coercion, sent a voice call to Chen Nan.
The call was answered quickly. Chen Hao did as Cao Yulan demanded and said to Chen Nan, "Brother, I’m at Qianjin Restaurant in the Federation Building. I drank too much. Can you come pick me up?"
Chen Nan hesitated upon hearing Chen Hao’s request, but he couldn’t withstand Chen Hao’s repeated pleas and finally agreed.
Hearing Chen Nan say he would be there shortly, Bai Xiuying’s expression changed drastically. She wanted to slip away quickly but was blocked by Jin Shanshan.
"Bai Xiuying, Chen Nan is an excellent Spirit Controller. He should be a good match for you. You two were originally in a betrothal contract. Today, we’ll give you a little push and help you rekindle your old flame. Why are you running away from such a good thing?" Jin Shanshan said, looking at Bai Xiuying with a playful, mocking expression.
Bai Xiuying looked like she was about to cry. She had met Ning Xuan and knew she wasn’t someone to be trifled with. These people were clearly trying to make a fool of her. Bai Xiuying’s terrified expression made Jin Shanshan laugh.
Jin Shanshan and her group laughed wantonly, causing others to look over frequently.
"Second Sister, don’t lower yourself to their level! Cao Yulan, Jin Shanshan, I’m telling you, Ning Xuan has the blood of our Bai Family in her! You’re shamelessly bullying the Bai Family like this—be careful that Ning Xuan doesn’t return to the Bai Family and settle the score with you later!" the Sixth Miss Bai shouted angrily at Cao Yulan.
Cao Yulan looked at Jin Shanshan with some doubt. Ning Xuan’s reputation preceded her. Even though she was just an orphan, her Contractors were all incredibly powerful. Their Cao Family couldn’t afford to provoke her.
"What did you say? Ning Xuan has Bai Family blood in her? How come I heard that when Bai Rilan had her ’accident,’ it was Ning Xuan who was behind it?" Jin Shanshan said, looking at the Sixth Miss Bai with a disdainful expression.
When Bai Xiuzhu heard this, her face filled with panic. She had heard this rumor too, but she refused to believe it.
"Who did you hear that nonsense from? My grandmother’s accident happened because she was old and got upset. What does that have to do with Ning Xuan? Ning Xuan is my Seventh Uncle Bai Xiwen’s daughter! She was always one of us, a member of the Bai Family. How could she possibly have laid a hand on my grandmother?" Bai Xiuzhu retorted, lifting her head and speaking with conviction.
Bai Xiuzhu’s firm and certain attitude silenced everyone for a moment. If Ning Xuan really was related to the Bai Family, then they wouldn’t dare take part in the farce orchestrated by Jin Shanshan.