Chapter 203: 203: Reminiscing About the Past (Extra update for every 100 monthly tickets)
"I can’t compare to you. I only have two sons, and my eldest son is competent, able to manage the household, and has given me three big grandsons. Look, just these few..." As he spoke, the old man from the Zhan Family introduced his grandsons to the old man from the Mu family.
"Hello, Grandpa Mu!"
"Good, good, good. They’re all very nice, energetic, handsome young men; you can tell they’re outstanding at a glance. Our family’s boys aren’t so lively; they’re a headache, always mischievous..." The old man from the Mu family then introduced his grandsons in return.
"Hello, Grandpa Zhan!"
"Good boys. Your grandsons and granddaughters really outnumber ours; old fellow, you’re still better at this!" After the Mu family’s old man finished his praises, the Zhan family’s old man continued complimenting.
Thus, throughout the banquet, all that could be seen was the old men from the Mu and Zhan families sitting there, exchanging compliments on how exceptional each other’s grandchildren were.
Mu Mingyu quietly tugged at his wife’s dress and whispered, "Wife, don’t you think this is a bit strange?"
Tong Yunyun whispered, "What’s so strange? Did you forget? Last time, Xiaobai came back and said that a grand aunt from the Mu family cured the Zhan family’s young master’s strange illness and even took him as a disciple."
"You’re still the smarter one, wife; you remembered it immediately." Mu Mingyu had long forgotten about this matter.
For him, as long as he has enough to eat, wear, and spend, he’s satisfied.
For this simple-minded husband, Tong Yunyun thought: If he doesn’t do anything stupid again in the future, that would be perfect!
"Speaking of which, my grandson Jingshu has quite a deep connection with your Mu family. Doesn’t your family have a grand aunt named Mu Qiuniang? Jingshu became her disciple. I happened to be away at that time, so I never got to meet this Master..." After chatting for a while, the Zhan family’s old man finally got to the point.
"Yes, yes, yes. Our family’s grand aunt may look young, but she’s highly skilled. Usually, we don’t dare to disturb her," the Mu family’s old man said, elevating Mu Qiuniang’s status. "If it weren’t for my family’s Arong getting into big trouble, I wouldn’t have dared to invite her for my big birthday. And even now, the banquet hasn’t started, so she’s resting in the back."
"This grand aunt is indeed incredible, a person with real skills. We tried so many doctors, both domestic and foreign, without success; even the famous Doctor Lu wasn’t able to treat Jingshu’s strange illness. But with just one move, the grand aunt cured it, resolving a major worry for me. I must thank her greatly..."
"No problem, I’ll have Arong bring the grand aunt out. Arong has also been accepted as her disciple, so he and your Jingshu are fellow apprentices."
The Zhan family’s old man exclaimed, "Oh, that’s great news! But who between the two of you is the senior disciple?"
Zhan Jingshu smiled kindly at Murong and said, "I should be the senior, right? When Master took me in, she said I was her first disciple."
The idea of someone younger being his senior did not sit well with Murong. Wasn’t that her grand aunt? How could she be so biased?
"Master is too biased; I’m clearly older than you."
"But I joined earlier, didn’t I?" Zhan Jingshu looked innocent.
"Alright, Arong. Even though he’s younger than you, he’s more sensible, so calling him senior is fine." The old man from the Mu family urged him to quickly invite the grand aunt, saying her eldest disciple’s family had arrived.
"Yes, grandpa!"
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Outside the hotel, numerous families received the news—the Yan family hadn’t yet appeared, but the Zhan family, their in-laws, had, led by the Zhan family’s old man with the entire family in tow.
"What do we do? Should we go or not?"
"We should go; why not? No matter what, the Zhan family’s old man is Yan Shao’s great-grandfather. If the great-grandfather personally went, as juniors, we can’t cause trouble for him, can we?"
"Makes sense; I’ll go too then."
...
The originally quiet birthday celebration for the Mu family’s old man suddenly saw a large influx of people, some holding invitations and some without, all rushing in within half an hour.
Mu Mingyu said to his wife, "Tsk, tsk, tsk... These people are so opportunistic. They all hid away when the Zhan family hadn’t arrived, but now that they’re here and they know there’s no issue with our Mu family, they all come running out."
Tong Yunyun stood with him at the door, wearing a smile that was both unfamiliar and polite, whispering when nobody was looking, "Isn’t that how the world works today? It’s all about connections or interests; there’s nothing strange about that."
"I just think their thick skins are too much; even like this, they still have the nerve to come."
Despite the dissatisfaction, the reception work had to continue, so Mu Mingyu just grumbled a little.
"Big brother and the others have it better. As the head of the family, they just need to stay inside. Unlike me, my face is almost stuck in a permanent smile."
Tong Yunyun rolled her eyes at him: "If you could be as shrewd as your big brother, able to navigate those social games, you’d be in there too."
"Forget it. You even say I’m not clever. If I go, wouldn’t I be throwing myself under the bus? Selling myself out doesn’t matter, but I can’t sell out my wife..." Mu Mingyu laughed.
If it weren’t inappropriate for the setting, Tong Yunyun really wanted to give him an eye-roll.
Admitting he’s not clever was one thing, but why drag her into it?
The commotion at the Mu family naturally attracted the attention of the four major families. Especially Yan Hao, who, after having a fight with Murong and making some declarations, had been keeping an eye on the Mu family.
When he heard that his great-grandfather, the Zhan family’s old man, personally took the Zhan family to celebrate the Mu family’s old man’s birthday, his face turned colored from anger.
Was this great-grandfather really his? Despite knowing he’d spoken out, he went to support the Mu family; wasn’t this too much?
Wasn’t he his real grandson?
If the Zhan family didn’t want to acknowledge him, he didn’t want to acknowledge them either!
Yan Hao decided decisively, but Ying Kun, Lu Buding, and Zue Youqi were not quite as straightforward. After all, the Zhan family’s old man was Yan Hao’s great-grandfather. Even being angry with a nephew, they couldn’t exactly do anything against a grandson.
However, these few were different; they couldn’t afford to offend the old man from the Zhan family.
The young ones immediately relayed the situation to their families, and the arrangement was to prepare for two outcomes: continue to stand with Yan Shao and not attend the Mu family’s old man’s birthday, or have their families send someone else.
This way, in Yan Hao’s eyes, these three were true comrades who, even if they "upset" the family, supported their brother.
But in the Mu family’s eyes, they were merely a few "insensible juniors," not representative of their respective families.