Chapter 147 Essential Skills

"Drop it you must, whether you can bear to or not!" Elder Xi had completely lost his reason at this moment. "Otherwise, let him follow the path of that rebellious brat and be expelled from the Xi family!"

Madam Xi was instantly dumbfounded.

What on earth is the old master throwing a tantrum over today?

Xi Bozhong, however, had caught the implication. "Father, could it be that Elder Brother left the Xi family all those years ago precisely because of Xianyu Qing's mother?"

More than two decades ago, Xi Bozhong's eldest brother, Xi Bocong, had eloped in his youth because of a young girl and had never returned. Xi Bozhong was aware of this matter.

What he had not known, however, was that the woman in question turned out to be Xianyu Qing's mother. No wonder his father was flying into such a rage!

What a truly disastrous debt of karma this was!

Elder Xi had no desire to rake up family scandals once again, so he issued another warning in a stern voice: "You need not inquire about the past, and henceforth, none of you are permitted to have any further involvement with that girl. If you dare disobey, do not blame me for turning hostile and disowning you all. Leave, all of you!"

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Xi Bozhong hurriedly pulled Xi Junle out of the study.

Once downstairs, Xi Bozhong advised his son: "Since your grandfather is firmly opposed to this, you must put that girl out of your mind. We can only say that the two of you lacked the destiny to be together. From now on, stop torturing yourself!"

Madam Xi was oblivious to the past grievances between Xi Bocong and the older generation; what she cared about was Elder Xi's tyrannical coercion of her son.

"Our Xi family is a scholarly household, a family of educators. We have always taught our students to treat others with gentleness and to repay grievances with virtue. Yet Father's behavior today..."

"You don't understand!" Xi Bozhong interrupted. "Entangled within this matter are my eldest brother's affairs and the grievances of the previous generation. It was destined from the start that this would never end well."

"..." Madam Xi was momentarily left speechless.

How did everything sound so convoluted and complicated?

"Mother, you need not worry about my affairs. From now on, I shall have no further contact with Qingqing."

Xi Junle's expression appeared remarkably calm. Knowing her son well, Madam Xi recognized this as the silence of someone deeply wounded, and she could only admonish him gently: "Junle, you must not neglect your health for the sake of work the way you used to."

"Yes." Xi Junle acknowledged her words with a nod, then turned and walked back to his room.

Watching her son's heavy, dragging footsteps, Madam Xi's heart still ached profoundly.

"Bozhong, do you think Junle will remain so dispirited from now on?"

"He will not," Xi Bozhong comforted her. "Our son is not that fragile."

Yet a mother knows her son best, and Madam Xi felt that it would be no easy feat for her son to overcome this hurdle.

Ah, if only she had known beforehand, she would never have tried to play matchmaker between him and that Xianyu Qing girl!

---

On Friday evening, Zhai Yan'er's birthday banquet proceeded as scheduled.

Originally, Zhai Muli had adamantly refused.

Unreconciled, Zhai Yan'er had picked up the phone and called her father, Zhai Yaoming, who was far away overseas.

Zhai Yaoming still doted deeply on his youngest daughter. Not only did he support her in holding the banquet, but he also instructed Butler Shen to make the celebration exceptionally lavish.

Upon hearing this, Butler Shen sought instructions from Zhai Muli. At that moment, Zhai Muli was heavily occupied with official state affairs concerning Country F and had no energy to endlessly bicker over the matter, so he gave his consent.

Luo Lina was among the invited guests. Arriving full of anticipation, she discovered that Zhai Muli himself was nowhere to be seen, and she asked Zhai Yan'er, "Yan'er, why isn't your older brother hosting your birthday banquet tonight?"

Zhai Yan'er was extremely displeased by this. "Hmph, my brother cares for nothing but his work; when has he ever bothered about me, his younger sister!"

In truth, these were merely words spoken in anger.

Although Zhai Muli was physically absent, he had still instructed the butler to prepare a restrained yet luxurious celebration for his sister.

Many who had never set foot within the Zhai family estate were eager to come and catch a glimpse of it. Regrettably, the people Zhai Yan'er invited were strictly young socialites from aristocratic families linked to the Zhai household. The total number of guests at the banquet did not even reach twenty.

Failing to spot Zhai Muli, Luo Lina was not discouraged; she conversed cheerfully and animatedly with the other noble daughters in attendance.

Xianyu Qing arrived somewhat late. Because the guests present were exclusively female, Jiang Mohe found it inconvenient to show his face and instead brought Su Cha along with her.

Having recently made top headlines alongside Nangong Ao, she was recognized by quite a few people.

The moment she appeared, murmurs and whispers rippled through the crowd.

"Isn't that Young Master Ao's official little girlfriend?"

"What official little girlfriend? Has Young Master Ao ever acknowledged her?"

"Even if he hasn't, she's already living with him, isn't she? Aren't they afraid of making the Second Young Miss of the Xiao family jealous?"

"What of it? As long as such a Cinderella can catch Young Master Ao's eye, who cares about being official or not!"

"Exactly!"

"Still, isn't she a member of the Nangong family now? How dare she show up at Miss Zhai's banquet?"

"Hch, she's just shameless!"

...

Listening to these malicious speculations, Su Cha boiled with rage inside.

Xianyu Qing, however, remained serene and unruffled. She had grown accustomed to hearing such remarks every time she attended a social gathering.

Coming here today was simply to offer her birthday congratulations to Zhai Yan'er; she cared not a whit about what gossip others chose to chew over.

"Qingqing!"

Having just finished managing the other guests, Zhai Yan'er caught sight of Xianyu Qing and immediately hurried over to welcome her.

Seeing her rushing forward in high heels, Xianyu Qing felt her heart leap into her throat on the other girl's behalf. "Slow down a bit."

Today was her birthday, and if she were to accidentally trip, it would be utterly humiliating!

Zhai Yan'er stuck out her tongue playfully. "It's fine. Apart from gossiping, wearing high heels is an essential skill for us 'socialites'!"

As soon as these words left her lips, the guests who had been whispering behind her back moments before could not help but blush.

Xianyu Qing smiled faintly. "Very well, I suppose I must learn a few essential skills myself from now on."

Not far away, Luo Lina, noticing that Xianyu Qing had stolen much of her thunder the moment she arrived, walked over to greet her as well. "Classmate Xianyu, it is quite rare to run into you at an occasion like this!"

*As if our young miss has never attended a banquet before!* Su Cha muttered inwardly.

Xianyu Qing nodded politely. "Vice President Luo, I am pleased to see you as well."

Luo Lina, however, wore a smile laden with hidden meaning. "Classmate Xianyu, I hear that you and Young Master Ao are dating and living together, and that you haven't been attending classes for quite some time. Is your health... holding up well?"

When she uttered those final words, Luo Lina deliberately swept her gaze down toward Xianyu Qing's abdomen, the suggestive implication glaringly obvious.

Su Cha barely managed to restrain herself, but Xianyu Qing retorted coolly, "Vice President Luo, I never imagined you were also so fond of chasing baseless rumors. I had assumed that as the vice president of the student council, you would lead by example and uphold public decency!"

Luo Lina's smile immediately turned awkward and forced. "I was merely expressing concern for you, nothing more."

"Ah, then it seems I misunderstood." Xianyu Qing's demeanor remained completely at ease, as though the unpleasant little episode had never occurred.

Zhai Yan'er was somewhat slower on the uptake and failed to catch the hidden innuendo in Luo Lina's words. She whispered to Xianyu Qing, "Since those news reports are false, you should ask your older brother to step forward and clarify the facts. Otherwise, it will have such a terrible impact on your reputation."

Xianyu Qing replied, "The innocent require no defense. Sometimes, trying to explain only makes things darker!"

Zhai Yan'er pondered this for a moment and decided it made sense.

The internet was precisely like that—the less truth there was to a matter, the more bizarrely it spread!

"Oh right, where is your brother?" Xianyu Qing asked.

Zhai Yan'er curled her lips in disdain. "Don't ask! He flew abroad on a business trip yesterday!"