Chapter 41: Return 2
Chapter 41: Return (2)
A banquet was being held at the Su Residence’s Fragrant Orchid Pavilion.
The banquet’s host, Yan Wushuang, was holding an soft, plump male child in her embrace. She was traveling among the crowd, occasionally sending her regards to the guests.
“Wushuang is very grateful for the great Qin Clan’s honoring us with your presence.”
“So it’s Elder Zhang! You also came to offer birthday congratulations to my son!”
“For the Wang Clan’s leader to personally come, how could I possibly accept this.”
Occasionally, there would also be a few nicknames that she had taken with her from the brothel that would slip out.
“Oh, Uncle Rong, you also came……”
Everyone voluntarily chose to be ignorant of this.
Today was the first birthday of Su Cheng’an’s third son, Zhou Hao. Su Cheng’an had specifically arranged a banquet for his beloved son and had invited many guests. All of the guests who were on good terms with Su Cheng’an had come to congratulate him.
The entire Su palace was filled with a joyful atmosphere because of this.
Of course, there were also those who were unhappy.
“Su Cheng’an!”
The piercing yell shattered the atmosphere of celebration.
Tracing the yell to its origin, Tang Hongrui was standing on the waterside pavilion.
Her face was filled with a murderous intent.
She stomped over with large strides. Yan Wushuang came to greet her. “Why has sister come?”
“Get the hell out of my way!” Tang Hongrui pushed aside that woman, then arrived in front of Su Cheng’an and began to curse, “Whether our son is alive is still unknown. However, you don’t care at all; instead, you still have the heart to come here singing and dancing! Do you still have a conscience?”
Su Cheng’an froze, not answering.
In fact, the banquet was not his idea. However, Wushuang had constantly nagged him about it, even saying things like “Could it be that if something happens to Su Chen, everyone under the Heavens needs to wear a mournful expression, forbidden to even smile?” She even said that he had been suppressed by Tang Hongrui and that he wasn’t allowed to have his own opinion.
Su Cheng’an had already fought many times with Tang Hongrui. With this additional push, he had caved in and decided to put on this banquest. However, in his heart he also knew that he had let her down. Thus, he did not dare to make a retort.
At this moment, Yan Wushuang had also stepped forwards, “Sister’s words are…… if Su Chen is a son, is my Hao’er not a son anymore? Su Chen has gone to the Scarlet Mountain Range, and we are also worried for his survival. However, we can’t just not do anything, can we? Are we not allowed to live our own lives for every day that he doesn’t return?”
Su Keji also walked forwards and said, “Aunt Yan’s words are reasonable. Today is Hao’er’s first birthday, and is also his most important birthday. If we were to miss it because of Su Chen, perhaps there would be no way of ever getting it back. I trust that Su Chen’s soul in the Yellow Springs1 would not have any rest either.
Tang Hongrui angrily replied, “Su Keji, what nonsense are you spouting? Whose soul is in the Yellow Springs? My son is not dead!”
Su Keji shook his head. “He has not returned after being two days late, and he is also a blind person. I think that it’s quite likely.”
However, his expression seemed to be filled with happiness.
His conflict with Su Chen was very well-known. However, unlike Yan Wushuang, he did not have to depend on Su Cheng’an and didn’t need to give him any face. Thus, at this moment his joy in someone else’s misfortune was very obvious. The corner of his lips even revealed a cynical sneer. He just did not vocalize his happiness.
Tang Hongrui was so angry that she rushed towards Su Keji, but she was restrained by Su Cheng’an, who said with a steely expression, “Have you finished?”
“Cheng’an?” Tang Hongrui looked at her husband, dazed. “He said our son is dead.”
Su Cheng’an pushed Tang Hongrui aside. “He didn’t even care for his own life, so why do you care so much?”
Upon hearing these words, Tang Hongrui was completely shaken.
She didn’t dare to believe that her own husband would actually say such words. She looked at Su Cheng’an again in that moment, feeling like she had never recognized him before. She then said, her voice trembling, “Before, you…… weren’t like this.”
Su Cheng’an, however, acted like he hadn’t heard.
From time to time, the surrounding guests would discuss things. Some were sighing, some were mocking and ridiculing, and some were not concerned at all by it.
“Why do you think the Su Clan’s Fourth Young Master didn’t just stay obediently in his clan? What was he doing if not courting death?”
“That’s right. He was just a blind person, yet he still dared to the Scarlet Mountain Range.”
“And he was only in the Body Tempering Realm.”
“Yes, what a pity. After all, he was still a genius.”
“But only a former genius. How many tens or hundreds of geniuses like him can be found in Northface City every year?”
“That’s right, that’s right.”
Upon hearing these words, Tang Hongrui had completely given up on these people.
At this time, a voice suddenly sounded out.
“Who says I’m dead?”
As soon as the voice sounded, everyone throats seemed to have been clamped. They fell silent simultaneously.
Su Cheng’an, Su Keji, Yan Wushuang, the entire Su Clan, and all the guests arduously turned their heads, looking behind them.
A youth was standing there. If it wasn’t Su Chen, who else could it be?
“Su Chen?” Su Keji’s eyes were spitting flames.
“You actually didn’t die!” Yan Wushuang clenched her fists so tightly that her fingernails almost pierced her skin.
“Chen’er!” Tang Hongrui let out an extremely excited yell, rushing towards her own son.
Only Su Cheng’an’s feelings were the most complex.
Upon seeing his son who had returned, he discovered that he did not feel happy at all. Rather, a pressure that he hadn’t felt in a long time had landed on his heart.
However, in the end, he did not say anything, instead only knitting his brows together.
At the same time, Tang Hongrui fiercely hugged her own son, touching his face as if worried that he were only a dream. “Chen’er, why have you only returned now?”
“The mountain road was rugged and I am blind. My direction was uncertain, and I still spent a lot of energy to walk out of the mountain range,” Su Chen gently smiled. “To arrive only two days late is already pretty good. I am lucky that I didn’t head in the wrong direction and run into a beast region.”
“So you do know that it was dangerous?” Tang Hongrui poked her son’s forehead, but her eyes began to fill with tears of joy.
“It’s my fault for making mother worried about me,” Su Chen respectfully replied.
“Let’s leave this place. Just ignore these people.” Since her son had returned, Tang Hongrui was no longer in the mood to remain here. She grabbed Su Chen’s hand and was about to leave.
“There’s no rush,” Su Chen said. “When I arrived, I heard that today was actually my third younger brother’s first birthday. No matter what, I am still an older brother, and I should still congratulate little brother Hao. I just returned from the mountain range, and I brought back some special items. They aren’t particularly valuable, but they are not things that you can easily find on the streets, so why not give them to third younger brother as a congratulatory gift.”
“Chen’er, you……” Tang Hongrui was stunned.
Yan Wushuang was celebrating the birthday of her own child while your survival was still unknown. This was not putting on a ceremony; they were basically celebrating Su Chen’s death! Now that you have returned, you actually want to give them presents?
“This is proper etiquette,” Su Chen said with a smile. As he walked forwards, he pulled out a jade pearl from his body and said, “This is the Jade Bone Demon’s bone from between its eyebrows. It is smooth and lustrous and is good for nourishing Origin Qi. Wearing it as an accessory for a long period of time can strengthen one’s body. I obtained it by accident, so I might as well give it to little brother Hao as a gift.”
In the end, Yan Wushuang was still someone who was very skilled in reading people. She had seen many worldly scenes before. Seeing Su Chen behave in this way, a smile had already reached her face as she said,
“It seems like Fourth Young Master is able to see the big picture and understands the principles of etiquette,” she said as she smilingly received the pearl.
Su Chen said, “Would Fourth Aunt be willing to let me hold little brother for a moment?”
Yan Wushuang sank into silence for a moment before finally agreeing.
Su Chen received the child, then hugged it in his bosom, pinching its cheeks as he said, “Although I cannot see, I can tell that he is quite pudgy. Look at how his little legs kick; they are quite strong.”
Yan Wushuang smiled as she was about to follow-up. However, Su Chen’s smile suddenly vanished as he continued, “Such a healthy, lively baby! Fourth Aunt, do you think I would be able to kill it in an instant?”
1. The Yellow Springs is the underworld in Chinese culture.