Chapter 68: The Banquet |
Lin Yanzhou lazily stood up and casually smoothed his sleeves.
“Let’s go.”
He wanted to see just how this so-called “senior brother” invited by the Xiao family would perform.
In a small courtyard not far away, it was unusually quiet.
The noise from outside could not reach here; only the occasional chirping of birds broke the stillness of this corner.
Bai Qingran sat before a mirror, gazing at the carefully applied makeup reflected within.
Her brows were lightly drawn, her lips adorned with cinnabar. A red-gold hairpiece inlaid with rubies rested upon her coiffed hair, making her look exceptionally splendid.
She raised her hand, her fingertips gently touching the cheek of the person in the mirror.
All the congratulations and flattery from the outside world seemed to have nothing to do with her.
An engagement banquet.
What a pleasant-sounding name.
But she understood that it was nothing more than the product of entangled family interests. The Bai family needed the Lin family’s support, and the Lin family did not care about the marriage of a concubine’s son—thus, everything today came to be.
As for her?
No one had ever asked whether she was willing.
Just like back then, no one had asked whether she was willing to marry Xiao Jin.
Later, she heard that the Xiao family had rejected the marriage, that Xiao Jin’s aptitude was mediocre, and that her father had already gone to dissolve the engagement.
But she had made no demands. For someone who could not even decide her own marriage, what right did she have to sympathize with others?
In truth, whether it was Lin Yanzhou or Xiao Jin, there was no difference in her eyes.
It was merely moving from one cage to another.
“Miss, it’s time to go.”
A maid’s voice came from outside the door, carrying a trace of cautious urgency.
Bai Qingran stood up, adjusted her skirt, and a standard smile appeared on her face.
That smile was flawless, as if it had been practiced a thousand times.
She pushed the door open and walked out.
Let all of this end quickly.
At the entrance of the front courtyard, Bai Chongshan stood with his hands behind his back.
More guests had arrived today than he had expected. Although most of them had come for the Lin family’s face, it did not affect his joy in the slightest.
Footsteps sounded behind him.
Bai Chongshan turned around and saw Bai Qingran walking toward him. He nodded in satisfaction—this daughter was finally of some use.
Lin Yanzhou also walked over from the other side, still wearing a weary expression.
The two met at the entrance and glanced at each other.
A smile curled at the corner of Lin Yanzhou’s lips. Bai Qingran lowered her head slightly, pressing her lips together.
They looked at each other in silence.
“Yanzhou, Qingran, you two go out together.”
Bai Chongshan stepped forward and naturally took the lead.
“Come,” he said, a hint of pride difficult to conceal in his tone, “let all the guests see the future son-in-law of my Bai family.”
Lin Yanzhou glanced at Bai Qingran, said nothing, and simply stepped forward.
Bai Qingran followed behind him, walking side by side.
The three of them passed through the corridor and headed toward the front courtyard.
In the front courtyard, all the guests had already gathered.
The moment Bai Chongshan stepped in, all eyes turned toward them in unison.
Bai Chongshan paid no attention to those envious or jealous gazes.
His eyes almost immediately fell upon the young man seated at the Xiao family’s table.
He sat there casually, holding a cup of tea, looking down at it.
Even though he merely sat there without saying a word, for some reason, whenever someone’s gaze swept over that area, it would unconsciously linger a little longer.
Simply because his bearing was too extraordinary.
He was not ostentatious, nor deliberate—he simply sat there quietly, yet made everything around him fade into insignificance.
Bai Chongshan’s heart skipped a beat.
The person the Xiao family had found actually looked quite convincing.
But he quickly calmed himself.
So what if he looked the part? A fake was still a fake.
With a smile on his face, he strode to the main seat and cupped his hands toward all directions.
“Everyone!” he called out loudly, his voice resounding. “Today is the engagement banquet of my daughter and the third young master of the Lin family. Thank you all for coming!”
Polite congratulations rose from all around.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Bai Chongshan stepped aside and introduced Lin Yanzhou.
“This is the third young master of the Lin family, Lin Yanzhou. At such a young age, he has already reached the Golden Core stage, with limitless prospects. Being able to form a marriage alliance with the Lin family is the fortune of my Bai family.”
Lin Yanzhou stepped forward with a smile.
“Uncle Bai is too kind,” he said. “To have Miss Bai as my companion—that is my true fortune.”
Bai Chongshan was overjoyed, repeatedly waving his hands. “Not at all, not at all.”
The guests also began to speak in turn—phrases like “a talented man and a beautiful woman,” “a match made in heaven” flowed endlessly, like a rehearsed performance.
Bai Qingran stood beside Lin Yanzhou, a faint smile on her lips, yet her gaze was fixed somewhere unknown.
She had heard these words far too many times—long since numb to them.
Bai Chongshan raised his hand and loudly announced:
“Everyone, the banquet is ready—please take your seats!”
The guests sat down one after another, and with the crisp clinking of cups, the banquet officially began.
Perhaps because the host had arrived, some guests became bolder.
Amid the warmth of wine, several ill-intentioned gazes swept toward the Xiao family. One man, emboldened by drink, deliberately raised his voice:
“Young Master Xiao, back then you and Miss Bai were quite the pair—what a pity fate did not favor you.”
As soon as the words fell, a few low chuckles sounded in the room.
Hearing this, Lin Yanzhou also grew interested. He lifted his wine cup and looked toward the Xiao family with amusement.
Xiao Jin’s hand holding the cup tightened slightly.
However, Lu Fengmian smiled faintly and casually took over the conversation:
“Junior Brother Xiao has always been devoted to the Dao. The elders often praise his pure heart, saying he has a bright future upon the great path. Matters of fate cannot be forced, nor should they be allowed to hinder one’s progress.”
He looked up at the middle-aged man who had spoken, a smile curling at his lips.
“Wouldn’t you agree?”
The smile on the man’s face froze instantly. He let out an awkward chuckle and lowered his head to drink.
Xiao Jin could not help but glance sideways at Lu Fengmian.
Senior Brother’s ability to lie… was it really this strong?
The sect elders praised him?
Which elder? That transmission elder could not even remember his full name.
Xiao Jin withdrew his gaze, lowered his head, and drank his tea, barely suppressing a smile.
After the brief clash, everyone continued drinking and chatting.
But Xiao Jin kept feeling gazes falling on him from time to time, like needles, making him very uncomfortable.
He pretended not to notice and continued eating the food in his bowl.
Suddenly, a figure stopped in front of him.
Xiao Jin looked up.
Lin Yanzhou stood there holding a cup of wine, a hypocritical smile on his face.
“Brother Xiao.”
His voice was not loud, but it was enough for the surrounding tables to hear.
“I didn’t expect you to really come in person. You are truly magnanimous.”
He paused, tilting his head as he looked at Xiao Jin.
“When I think of you and Miss Bai…” He did not finish, only dragging out the final tone, revealing a meaningful smile.
The surrounding noise gradually quieted, and countless gazes fell upon Xiao Jin.
Xiao Jin tightened his grip on his chopsticks.
Before coming, he had already known that today’s banquet would not be peaceful. He had prepared himself mentally to hear such words.
Just as he was about to speak and clear things up, from the corner of his eye, he suddenly noticed—
Lin Yanzhou’s gaze shifted from him to Lu Fengmian beside him.
That gaze carried undisguised scrutiny.
“This friend by your side,” Lin Yanzhou lifted his chin, nodding toward Lu Fengmian, “looks more like the real deal than you.”
Xiao Jin’s mind buzzed.
That single sentence instantly shattered all his patience and restraint.
Almost instinctively, he stepped forward, shielding Lu Fengmian behind him.
His eyes locked onto Lin Yanzhou, his voice as cold as ice.
“You’d better watch your tone.”
Lin Yanzhou froze for a moment, then burst into laughter.
“Oh? What a loyal servant!”
He deliberately emphasized the words “loyal servant.”
Xiao Jin’s back tensed like a fully drawn bow.
He stared fixedly at Lin Yanzhou, saying nothing—but the chill in his gaze was something anyone could feel.