Lu Zhitao’s commotion attracted everyone’s attention, and even the live orchestra gradually and raggedly trailed off to a stop.
For a moment, no one spoke.
At the center of the storm stood several people. Aside from Lu Zhitao who was still worked up, along with his parents, there were two other men. The younger one looked gentle and well-behaved, while the older one looked somewhat familiar.
Xu Gong from North of the City?
He Xingluo looked at Lu Zhanbei in confusion. What was going on here? Lu Zhanbei didn’t look back at him, his expression growing slightly cold.
Even if Lu Zhitao was dissatisfied with his family’s arrangements, he shouldn’t have caused a scene on an occasion like this. It was completely natural for Lu Zhanbei to be angry.
The sharp, oppressive aura emanating from Lu Zhanbei was extremely intense. Not wanting to become collateral damage, He Xingluo instinctively took a step back.
Just as he started to shift, Lu Zhanbei’s gaze shot over.
He Xingluo froze instantly, behaving as obediently as a house cat. He offered a pale piece of comfort: “Don’t be angry, Young Master. The kid just doesn’t know any better, he’ll learn if you teach him slowly.”
Lu Zhanbei: “A twenty-one-year-old kid?”
He Xingluo tried hard to persuade: “After all, he hasn’t reached the legal marriage age, so calling him a kid isn’t entirely wrong.”
Lu Zhanbei sneered: “Heh.”
He Xingluo evaluated the situation and concluded that Young Master Lu probably wouldn’t take his anger out on him just yet, so he immediately perked up his ears to listen to the gossip around him. A live version of wealthy family drama gossip must be very exciting!
“Who was talking just now?” “The only son of the second branch of the Lu family. I heard the Lu family is going into a business marriage with the Xu family. Why does it look like it’s falling through now?” “Xu Jing still has to engage in a commercial marriage with the Xu family at his age? Has the Xu family fallen off that much?”
This was talking about Xu Gong from North of the City. “Of course they meant the younger one! Xu Jing is already the head of his generation in the Xu family; those commercial marriage opportunities are meant for the younger generation.” “That young man looks unfamiliar; does he usually not come out to socialize? Is he also Xu Jing’s eldest brother’s child?” “That’s the Xu family’s adopted son, named Lu Huai’an.” “Come to think of it, he’s quite unlucky. Nominally an adopted son, he was actually raised as a child-bride, originally meant to marry the sole heir of the next generation of the Xu family. Too bad that person is an absolute eccentric, having already fathered two kids before reaching adulthood.” “So the reason he doesn’t want to marry his child-bride is that men can’t have babies?” “Lu Huai’an looks very gentle in personality; he doesn’t even dare lift his head to speak when being rejected to his face. No wonder the Xu family treats him somewhat shabbily too.” “That’s not it at all. The Xu family has long treated Lu Huai’an like a biological son, and Xu Jing, as his nominal uncle, takes him everywhere he goes. Otherwise, they could have just left him aside, so why bother going through with a marriage alliance with the Lu family?” “Putting it that way, can this marriage actually work out?” “Hard to say. The Lu one looks all bark, but people like that are actually easier to handle. Lu Huai’an, on the other hand, looks quiet and unassuming, but as an adopted son, he has managed to win over everyone in the Xu family and even the head of the house. He’s definitely not as simple as he looks on the surface.” “So that pretty boy is actually a black-bellied schemer in disguise?”
He Xingluo listened to a whole earful of gossip, feeling instantly satisfied as he shifted his attention back to the center of the accident.
After delivering his important directive, Lu Zhitao immediately experienced his parents’ education of love, but he was still worked up, stiffening his neck and refusing to back down: “I said I don’t agree, and I won’t agree! Don’t even think about forcing me to submit!”
He even started being picky about his marriage partner: “He isn’t even one meter eighty tall, I don’t like shorties!”
Saying things like that was quite hurtful. It was pure personal attack.
As the head of the family and someone who had intentionally brought his junior along to discuss the marriage, Xu Jing was not about to take this lack of respect lying down since Lu Zhitao was being so impolite. His face darkened: “What is the meaning of this from the Lu family?”
No matter what Lu Zhitao said, Lu Huai’an didn’t react much, looking like a ball of dough ready to be kneaded. But seeing Xu Jing get angry, he finally made a move, slowly reaching out to tug on Xu Jing’s sleeve.
His voice was very low: “Little Uncle, forget it. Please don’t get angry on my account.”
Xu Jing was utterly helpless and turned to look at him. Lu Huai’an said softly: “It’s just that I’m not likable enough.” “That’s right, I just don’t like you!” Lu Zhitao finally found an opening and raised his voice again: “The person I like is right here at the scene, and it is—”
Where was Wen Tian? Where was he? Lu Zhitao was dumbfounded instantly. Looking across the venue, every single waiter was wearing a mask, making it completely impossible to tell who was who! Why hadn’t he noticed this earlier? Oh, right, he was too nervous. Half of it was nervousness, and the other half was because he had mentally rehearsed this public confession scenario countless times in his head, even mapping out details like who would sit at the head table at his wedding with Wen Tian. His brain had been bubbling with happiness to the point that he completely failed to notice the waiters were all wearing masks tonight.
However, the atmosphere had already been hyped up to this point, and it was too late to back out now. Lu Zhitao hardened his heart on the spot, pointed blindly based on sheer intuition, and shouted: “It is him!”
The waiter pointed out by Lu Zhitao instantly drew everyone’s attention. Xu Jing also looked over following the crowd’s gaze, exclaiming with intense oppression: “Take off your mask.”
The waiter removed his mask, revealing a mediocre, even somewhat ugly face.
Everyone gasped. The Lu family’s young master had such a heavy palate, and everyone is equal before love? He was certainly unique.
“Foreman Wang? Why is it you?” Lu Zhitao cried out in despair: “Why is it you! How could it possibly be you!”
Lu Zhitao felt like a complete clown, and he couldn’t accept it! What he couldn’t accept even more was how he could fail to recognize Wen Tian just because he wore a mask—he didn’t even deserve to speak of love! He didn’t deserve it! Unable to take the blow, Lu Zhitao suffered a complete mental breakdown, burst into tears, and bolted from the room!
This turn of events happened so fast that everyone failed to react for a moment. Even the well-traveled Xu Jing himself had no idea how to respond.
This provided the Lu family with an opportunity to smooth things over. Old Master Lu personally stepped out to mediate, and thanks to Lu Zhitao, the old man had likely spent a most unforgettable birthday.
He Xingluo was equally dumbfounded, asking the system in his mind: “Why is Foreman Wang here? And where is Wen Tian? Could it be that he just happened not to be in the banquet hall?” The plot shouldn’t have such a loophole.
The little system was also bouncing around frantically, and after running a query, it concluded: “Wen Tian went out on his own.” It was a tone of doubting its own digital existence.
He Xingluo looked toward the exit just as Wen Tian walked back in from outside, stepping in not only while everyone was distracted, but quite possibly brushing right past Lu Zhitao as the latter fled in tears. Such a graceful way to miss each other.
He Xingluo suddenly thought of a possibility and asked the system: “When exactly did Wen Tian go out?” “Right when Lu Zhitao yelled ‘I just don’t like you.’ At that time, he voluntarily gave up his prime spot for eating melons to Foreman Wang, who had sneaked in to watch the excitement, and Foreman Wang even thought he was very sensible.” “The very next second, Lu Zhitao started searching the room for people.” “While Lu Zhitao was picking Foreman Wang, Wen Tian was walking out, radiating the sheer domineering aura of ‘After I leave, let the floods come.'”
“A remarkably vivid and lively description,” He Xingluo praised approvingly. Pausing for a second, he asked again: “System, did Wen Tian smile when he walked out just now? How did he smile?” System: “” The system had shut itself in.
After a few seconds, the system couldn’t comprehend: “Wen Tian is the kindest protagonist; how could he deliberately retaliate against Supervisor Wang?” He Xingluo: “So you think this wasn’t a coincidence either?” The system continued its self-imposed isolation, completely unable to process things anymore. The plot had been falling apart right from the opening act; wasn’t this the legendary apocalyptic bad ending? If Wen Tian didn’t get publicly confessed to, how were the subsequent plots supposed to unfold?
He Xingluo calmly evaluated: “You are being a bit noisy right now.”
Old Master Lu personally smoothed things over, and Xu Jing still had to give him enough face, since even if a marriage alliance fell through, burning bridges lightly was out of the question. Thus, the birthday banquet ostensibly proceeded smoothly, and the orchestra resumed playing.
Yet after such an ordeal, the banquet didn’t continue for much longer.
Beneath the veneer of mutual satisfaction lay the guests’ hard-to-suppress aftereffects of dramatic gossip. The socialites and young masters present felt somewhat listless during the second half of the banquet. Having digested such massive gossip, failing to voice a few impressions felt incomplete. One could easily imagine that Lu Zhanbei was about to become notoriously famous across the entire elite circle.
He Xingluo was both excited and apprehensive. Would this scene really just pass like this, so simply? It was truly hard to believe.
He dutifully accompanied Lu Zhanbei until the very end of the banquet. As it concluded, He Xingluo asked: “Young Master, what did you say to the Old Master just now? Are we just leaving like this?” Lu Zhanbei: “What, are you still dwelling on the chandelier?” It was truly touching that he still remembered the chandelier. Young master was really something, enough to make one shed tears.
He Xingluo quickly shook his head, full of sincerity: “It was I who was blind; compared to the chandelier, you are much more dazzling, Young Master.” Lu Zhanbei: “Flattering me?” He Xingluo: “Have some confidence in yourself, Young Master, everything I said is true.”
Lu Zhanbei had nothing more to say, so he reverted to the previous topic: “I told Grandfather I’d find time to talk to Lu Zhitao.” He Xingluo: “Then are you going?” Why did he look so unhurried?
Lu Zhanbei looked at him with an expression that said you’re asking the obvious: “Weren’t you injured?” He Xingluo: “”
Lu Zhanbei spoke in an extremely calm and casual tone: “I’ve already contacted the family doctor, asked him to come take a look at you.” He Xingluo instantly thought: “!!” What?! The family doctor! Here he comes, the ubiquitous fire-fighting family doctor mandatory in every wealthy family novel! He Xingluo felt both curious and somewhat expectant: “That’s so embarrassing.” “Is this the kind of family doctor who will have to be buried with me if he fails to cure me?” Lu Zhanbei didn’t understand this sudden burst of excitement and was simply speechless: “If he can’t even treat a minor injury like yours, he’d indeed be quite incompetent.”
He Xingluo met the family doctor in person shortly after. The man looked to be in his thirties, with fair skin, wearing black-rimmed glasses and carrying a medical kit. The family doctor greeted Lu Zhanbei respectfully. Lu Zhanbei gave a slight nod: “Dr. Zhao, take a look at him, and don’t you dare refuse medical treatment.” He made it sound like it was life-threatening. However, Lu Zhanbei’s awkward pause made He Xingluo shamefacedly recall that his discomfort wasn’t really something to be casually put on public display. Dr. Zhao asked with a good-natured tone: “Butler He, where does it hurt?” He Xingluo gave a light cough and described the situation tactfully.
Dr. Zhao furrowed his brow and blurted out: “Let me take a look.” He Xingluo: “”
Five minutes later. The two of them emerged from the fitting room one after another. Dr. Zhao was holding that expensive pair of suit trousers, announcing his diagnosis right in front of Lu Zhanbei: “Butler He, you appear to have had an allergic reaction.” He Xingluo: “” Dr. Zhao explained: “Initial judgment is an allergy to the fabric of the suit trousers. While uncommon, it’s not entirely impossible for special fabrics to cause this.” “Additionally, well, the horseback riding session earlier was also a bit too intense.” Hearing this, Lu Zhanbei cast a sideways glance over. The expression seemed to say, See, you really are delicate. No wait, who was to blame for this in the first place? Lu Zhanbei asked: “Can it be treated?” Dr. Zhao replied: “Applying some anti-allergy ointment externally should do it, and you’ll need to change into a pair of loose trousers.” He Xingluo spoke gloomily: “I’ve already changed.” In the changing room of that room, he had found a pair of loose pajama pants. Only, the aesthetic was somewhat reminiscent of prison-issued gear. Lu Zhanbei looked at it with disdain: “I’ll have someone find you a new set.” He Xingluo politely declined: “No need, right?” Once bitten twice shy, he wouldn’t dare casually wear clothes given by Lu Zhanbei anymore. Lu Zhanbei took another glance: “Then change back into your own clothes.” He Xingluo was completely speechless. Who gets it—being driven crazy by work is what he deserves. The world had truly gone mad.
Twenty minutes later. On the way back, the previously clear weather began to rain without warning. In almost an instant, thunder boomed and a torrential downpour poured down. He Xingluo looked out the window at the rain striking the glass. Precisely because he was watching so intently, he witnessed the entire process of Wen Tian walking through the rain, falling down, and nearly getting hit by a car driven by Teacher Kevin, who never gets into accidents. Sure enough, in CEO romance literature, no rainstorm ever falls in vain.
In the back seat, Lu Zhanbei spoke up to inquire: “What’s going on?” Consciously cooperating with the plot, He Xingluo said: “It looks like there’s someone on the road, I’ll get out of the car and take a look!” As the words left his mouth, he pushed open the door and stepped out into the rain.