Chapter 115: Slapping the Xie Family in the Face

In the evening, the door to the private room was suddenly knocked, and the waiter exchanged a few words with Doctor Jin at the threshold. Wen Yao noticed Doctor Jin's brows furrow slightly; he told the waiter to wait outside and returned to the table.

“What happened?” Manager Qiu inquired.

Doctor Jin glanced toward the door and replied, “Xie Yushan heard you were here and wants to bring his son to pay his respects.”

Wen Yao watched Manager Qiu’s expression visibly change. He opened his mouth, intending to refuse, but after casting a glance at the Wen family, he altered his response: “Let him come.”

Doctor Jin raised his eyebrows, “Now?”

“Yes.”

Doctor Jin thought for a moment and immediately understood Manager Qiu’s intentions. “Alright, I’ll go tell him.”

After exchanging a few words with the waiter, the boy ran off cheerfully.

At the table, only a few adults remained with Wen Yao and Wen Jun. Seeing Wen Yao’s questioning gaze, Doctor Jin explained, “It’s the Xie family you know. Xie Yushan is aware of Old Qiu’s background and has tried several times to get his eldest son accepted as a disciple. Old Qiu refused; after numerous attempts, the eldest son was sent to the Xie clan’s academy. Now, it seems he wants to let his younger son try his luck.”

“Whether he comes or not makes no difference,” Manager Qiu snorted coldly. He had never thought highly of the Xie family, even if they were distant relatives.

Wen Yao and Wen Jun exchanged glances. It had indeed been a while since they last saw the Xie family’s young master—the future tycoon rescued by Wen Jun himself.

They wondered what expression the Xie family would wear upon seeing them here.

Wen Jun, sitting beside Doctor Jin, whispered to his apprentice, “Old Qiu is standing up for your family.”

The Xie family’s actions before had left them unimpressed; despite owing their lives to the Wen family, they had looked down on them because of their background. In the past, neither would have bothered with such affairs, but now things had changed.

Wen Jun was his beloved apprentice, and Daitou was Old Qiu’s godson. Naturally, they couldn’t allow their own to be bullied. Though the opportunity to set things straight came late, it was still a reckoning.

Soon, the door to the private room was knocked again. Doctor Jin called out for them to come in but remained seated, as did Manager Qiu, who called Daitou over to his side.

Xie Yushan had brought Xie Anyi to Drunken Immortal Tower to see the lantern festival, accompanied by Qiu Rongrong. Though Xie Yushan usually kept Qiu Rongrong and Xie Anyi apart, festivals and holidays required family gatherings.

Upon hearing that Manager Qiu and Doctor Jin were also at Drunken Immortal Tower, Xie Yushan thought to bring Xie Anyi over for a visit, hoping to curry favor with the illustrious sage sought after by nobles and princes alike.

As the door opened, Xie Yushan was taken aback by the number of people inside. When he saw the Wen family trio, he was stunned.

Qiu Rongrong too hadn’t expected to see Wen Yao here.

Regaining his composure, Xie Yushan said, “I didn’t expect Doctor Jin and Manager Qiu to have guests. We must be intruding.”

“You’re mistaken, Master Xie. They aren’t my guests—they’re my family,” Manager Qiu replied bluntly.

Xie Yushan was left awkwardly standing, his gaze tinged with scrutiny as he looked at the Wen family.

Wen Yao ignored him, rising to greet Qiu Rongrong, “Sister Qiu, you’re here too. Come in.”

Xie Yushan’s expression shifted, surprise flickering as he looked at Qiu Rongrong—yet she was already being pulled inside by Wen Yao.

Qiu Rongrong felt bewildered. She had always thought the Wen family were mere farmers; even with Wen Jun as Doctor Jin’s apprentice, their status remained unchanged.

But being treated differently by Manager Qiu changed everything. Sharing the same surname, Qiu, she understood well his background and standing.

Wen Yao, pulling Qiu Rongrong in, introduced her to the Wen family, “Grandfather, Grandmother, Doctor Jin, Uncle Qiu, Second Uncle and Aunt, Third Uncle and Aunt—this is the Sister Qiu I’ve mentioned.”

Qiu Rongrong paused, noting that Wen Yao had introduced her as herself, not as Mrs. Xie.

A warmth blossomed in her heart as she curtsied, “Rongrong greets the elders.”

“Very good, don’t be formal, we’re all family here,” Madam Luo quickly rose, pulling Qiu Rongrong to sit beside her.

Daitou glanced at Qiu Rongrong, then at the young boy standing next to Xie Anyi, and whispered to Jin Xiuyi, “That’s the unlucky kid they were talking about.”

Jin Xiuyi and he simultaneously looked at Xie Anyi.

Jin Xiuyi’s eyes sparkled; Sister Wen Yao had said it was his father who wouldn’t let him see his mother, and Uncle Qiu had called his father a selfish villain.

That was rather pitiful.

So, Jin Xiuyi tugged at Daitou, and the two ran over to Xie Anyi, “Come, sit with us.”

Before Xie Anyi could react, he was pulled over to sit among the children.

Now, only Xie Yushan remained standing at the door.

Manager Qiu raised his eyebrows, “What’s wrong? Does Master Xie expect me to personally invite him in?”

Xie Yushan finally snapped out of it, hurriedly protesting as he walked in.

He had just intended to sit next to Manager Qiu, but Manager Qiu called out, “Second and Third, come sit here.”

The two brothers, inexplicably summoned, found themselves seated before they could react.

With no other option, Xie Yushan had to sit below them.

He tried to make conversation with Manager Qiu, but the latter was engrossed in his own discussion with Old Wen, ignoring him entirely. On the women’s side, Qiu Rongrong was surrounded by the Wen family ladies, chatting freely. Even Xie Anyi was engrossed in conversation with Daitou and Jin Xiuyi, with lively Wen Ying nearby. Only Xie Yushan sat awkwardly, out of place.

Seeing him left alone, Wen Xiucheng, who was nearest, felt compelled to make small talk. Usually reticent, he could only muster, “Master Xie, you’re here for the lantern festival too?”

Xie Yushan, accustomed to feeling superior, had always disdained mingling with these rustic folk. Now, being ignored, his face soured, and he merely replied with a curt nod.

Wen Xiucheng, noting his demeanor, awkwardly scratched his nose and turned to talk to Wen Xiuzhu instead.

Once again ignored, Xie Yushan felt a surge of anger, but wanting to clarify the relationship between Manager Qiu and the Wen family, he suppressed it and asked Wen Xiucheng, “Are you related to Mr. Qiu?”

His initiative surprised Wen Xiucheng, who answered, “Mr. Qiu? You mean Manager Qiu? He’s our Daitou’s godfather.”

“Daitou?” What kind of rustic name was that?

Wen Xiucheng pointed to Daitou, who was busy entertaining Xie Anyi, “That one—the youngest in our family.”

Xie Yushan was speechless.

Looking at the rustic child, Xie Yushan felt a sense of imbalance. Why, after offering a hefty sum, did Qiu Zhi refuse to teach his own son, yet readily accept a farmer’s child as his godson? At this moment, Xie Yushan felt as though his pride had been soundly humiliated.