Chapter 32 The Family Banquet Incident: The three of them were covered in chicken feathers, yet remained clean...

Mo Tingzhou had always known that his son had a bad temper and was unwilling to tolerate it. When he got angry, he could blow the roof off, and no one could persuade him. Therefore, after realizing that he had said the wrong thing, he had no expectations for Mo Ningzhi to come to the family banquet. After hanging up the phone, he quietly began to think about what he could do to calm him down this time.

"Tingzhou, the Shen family will be here soon. Who are you calling?" Zhou Suiyin pressed down her white shawl on her shoulders and sat down next to Mo Tingzhou.

Today is Zhou Yaozheng's special day. Zhou Suiyin is dressed festively in a dark red floral cheongsam that accentuates her slender figure, exuding charm and elegance. Since marrying into the Mo family, her life has become increasingly smooth, and she doesn't look her age. While Old Man Mo is an incompetent father, he is an excellent husband.

“Who else could it be? Ning Zhi,” Mo Tingzhou said.

He didn't notice Zhou Suiyin's expression stiffen instantly after he said that, and shook his head to himself: "I think I said something wrong again. He hung up the phone, so he probably won't be coming today."

Hearing this, Zhou Suiyin first breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at her husband reproachfully: "You shouldn't have called him. Ning Zhi and Yao Zheng don't get along, why did you have to put them together?"

"I just hope that the two brothers can get along well," Mo Tingzhou said, explaining his reasons: "It's not good for things to stay like this forever."

"I think you're just asking for trouble." Zhou Suiyin showed a hint of anger, frowning as she said, "The last incident was Zhou Yaozheng's fault. He didn't act as a good older brother, coming to our door before investigating the matter. I was also wrong. My son and I haven't formally apologized to him yet, and this matter isn't over. As the father, you not only didn't comfort Ningzhi, but you also forced him to attend the family banquet?"

Zhou Suiyin grew angrier as she spoke: "Are you getting senile?"

Knowing he was in the wrong, Mo Tingzhou took her hand and sighed, "I was wrong about this. It's been half a year since we last met, and I've been getting a little anxious. After the banquet tonight, come with me to see him."

"What would I be doing there?" Zhou Suiyin said guiltily. "You and your son can talk things out openly. It's not convenient for me to be there."

Old Mo thought about it and agreed.

Zhou Suiyin was satisfied. She glanced at the time and stood up: "The Shen family should be arriving soon. I'll go ask Yaozheng when he's coming. It's not good to make the woman wait on our first meeting; it would make our family seem impolite."

"good."

As soon as Zhou Suiyin reached the door of the private room, the door opened, and the waiter turned to the man behind him and said, "Sir, this is the room."

Zhou Suiyin stared blankly at the person in front of her: "Ning... Ning Zhi?"

Hearing the noise, Mo Tingzhou rushed to the door, but when he saw Mo Ningzhi's cold face, he felt a little scared.

There's nothing else to worry about but getting his son away again. Last time, it took half a year to coax him, and only now has he finally gotten some good looks. If he runs away again, Mo Tingzhou will be so worried that his hair will turn white.

What troubled him even more was that just as he was about to ask Mo Ningzhi to come inside, Zhou Yaozheng slowly walked over from around the corner with his family of three.

Mo Ningzhi had actually seen this happy family downstairs. The Shen family's daughter was beautiful, and today she was dressed up even more carefully, looking absolutely stunning. The Shen family's parents had a very good relationship, walking hand in hand with smiles on their faces. Born into such a family, the Shen family's daughter's face was full of happiness and confidence from being pampered.

In contrast, Zhou Yaozheng, the other main character at the family banquet, had an unusually cold face, showing no trace of the happiness and joy of a groom.

"Mrs. Shen, Mr. Shen, you've arrived! Please come in, it's been so long!" Zhou Suiyin greeted them with a smile.

The young lady from the Shen family stepped forward and called out in a clear, crisp voice, "Auntie."

Zhou Suiyin was delighted and immediately took off her jade bracelet and put it on her. After refusing it for a while, Miss Shen generously accepted it and then gave Zhou Suiyin a gift in return.

"Come in, come inside. We've already ordered the food. Old Shen, you'd better have a good drink tonight," Mo Tingzhou called out.

Father Shen laughed heartily and agreed, and the two families happily went into the house.

Zhou Yaozheng didn't go inside. He stood at the door with a complicated expression. He didn't seem happy at all, as if he hadn't married a beautiful woman, but a demon. He couldn't smile at all. "Why are you here?"

A large door seemed to separate the two lively places, creating two different scenes inside and outside the door. Mo Ningzhi leaned against a clump of Monstera deliciosa, a backpack slung over one shoulder, his thumb hooking the strap, and tilted his head to look into the private room.

Hearing this, she turned around and saw Zhou Yaozheng's displeased expression. Mo Ningzhi was immediately delighted. "Let's watch the show! What's the point of a scene like this without an audience?"

Zhou Yaozheng frowned and ordered, "Go back."

Mo Ningzhi chuckled softly, took two steps closer to him, and curled her lips into a wicked smile, "What, afraid I'll ruin your family dinner?"

Zhou Yaozheng stood still, letting Mo Ningzhi approach, her slightly lowered gaze quietly falling on his face. "You won't."

Mo Ningzhi sneered: "Then you're wrong. I can't stand seeing others do well, especially you."

Zhou Yaozheng remained calm as he looked at him, his dark eyes devoid of emotion. "If you don't want to laugh, then don't. If you don't want to come, then don't. Nobody is forcing you."

Mo Ningzhi froze for a moment, then quickly laughed again, looking at the person in front of him with a mocking expression. "Zhou Yaozheng, you are the least qualified to say that."

The person who threatened him the most was Zhou Yaozheng, so how could he have the nerve to say such a thing?

After saying that, he turned around and went into the private room.

Mo Tingzhou was very happy tonight. His own son didn't swear or undermine him. He ate quietly after entering the house. When faced with the concern of Shen's parents, he would occasionally look up and respond with a few words. He behaved very well and was very pleasing.

Old Mo hadn't experienced such a harmonious family joy in a long time, and after drinking a bit too much, he gradually got tipsy.

"Old Mo, your two sons are both outstanding individuals. They are good-looking, capable, and well-behaved. You have a worthy successor," Father Shen said with satisfaction.

Old Mo laughed twice, then chimed in, "Brother, you're too kind. My two sons aren't as easy to deal with as your daughter; they fight every day. But I also know their relationship is..."

Zhou Suiyin's expression gradually changed, and she tugged at his clothes under the table. Mo Tingzhou snapped out of his daze, met Mo Ningzhi's ambiguous smile, and sobered up instantly, awkwardly shutting his mouth.

Miss Shen wasn't introverted; she didn't talk much at the dinner table, but every word she uttered was appropriate. Zhou Suiyin became increasingly satisfied with her, and the two families discussed holding an engagement banquet soon, which was thus settled. Halfway through the family banquet, the topic somehow shifted to Mo Ningzhi.

Miss Shen said, "Ningzhi, I've heard you're a very talented photographer. I wonder if you're free recently? I'd like to ask you to take a set of photos for me."

What type?

Miss Shen glanced shyly at Zhou Yaozheng, "For two people, outdoors, something festive."

Mo Ningzhi immediately understood; it was either engagement photos or wedding photos. "Of course, when?"

Miss Shen turned to Zhou Yaozheng and asked, "That depends on your brother's schedule, Yaozheng. When are you free?"

All eyes turned to Zhou Yaozheng, but he remained unmoved, not even lifting his eyelids. "I'm fine with anything."

Miss Shen nodded, "Then let's do it next weekend. That way it won't interfere with your brother's work. The payment can be according to your standards, I'm fine with anything."

Mo Ningzhi smiled upon hearing this: "No need. The engagement banquet is next month. Just give me an extra portion of wedding candy then, sister-in-law."

"Clatter".

The spoon in Zhou Yaozheng's hand fell undignifiedly. He frowned, his gaze sweeping across the entire table to Mo Ningzhi, his face ashen as if he had just eaten a dead fish.

For a moment, Mo Ningzhi felt that Zhou Yaozheng and Qin Weijin were no different now, both being scumbags in a refreshingly unconventional way. Mo Ningzhi originally thought that Qin Weijin's actions had already surpassed all others in the scumbag category, but she didn't expect that Zhou Yaozheng would emerge as the next wave.

Zhou Yaozheng clearly disliked this Miss Shen, yet he agreed to the engagement for no apparent reason. Since he had agreed, he pretended to be unwilling and insincere, refusing to even smile in front of their parents, which was extremely awful.

Mo Ningzhi suddenly felt very bored.

People are meaningless, things are meaningless, whether it's Qin Weijin or Zhou Yaozheng, they all have the same kind of detestable appearance.

After finally getting through the family dinner, Old Man Mo and Zhou Suiyin got up to see the guests off. Mo Ningzhi got up to leave, but as she passed Zhou Yaozheng, the man suddenly spoke up: "Satisfied now?"

Mo Ningzhi stopped in her tracks: "What?"

He simply couldn't understand Zhou Yaozheng's thought process.

"Are you satisfied now that you've helped me get engaged?" Zhou Yaozheng gripped his chopsticks tightly, the veins on his palms bulging as he pressed them against the table.

"Zhou Yaozheng, are you sick in the head?" Mo Ningzhi said.

“I didn’t plan to get engaged,” Zhou Yaozheng suddenly said.

Mo Ningzhi really didn't understand the significance of tonight's family dinner, and her face turned ugly. "What does it have to do with me?"

At this moment, Mo Tingzhou and Zhou Suiyin returned after seeing off their guests. Seeing the tense atmosphere in the private room, their expressions both changed. Zhou Suiyin asked, "Xiao Zheng, what's wrong with you now?"

Zhou Yaozheng, unusually, ignored his mother, stood up, and stared straight at Mo Ningzhi, "I said I didn't want to get engaged, so you don't need to change your mind so soon."

Zhou Suiyin's expression changed: "Xiao Zheng, you..."

Mo Ningzhi cursed that he was crazy and turned to leave. But Zhou Yaozheng, who was usually rational and calm, suddenly lost control. Before anyone could react, he grabbed Mo Ningzhi and demanded, "Didn't you hear what I said?"

Now, even Mo Tingzhou could see something was wrong. "Xiao Zheng, let go!"

Zhou Suiyin hurriedly tried to pry his hand away, afraid that the two would fight, but Zhou Yaozheng stubbornly looked at Mo Ningzhi, tightening his grip on her hand, "Answer me, Mo Ningzhi."

"Smack!"

The private room fell into a deathly silence.

Zhou Suiyin's voice was still trembling, and her eyes were red as she looked at Zhou Yaozheng: "Are you awake yet?"

Zhou Yaozheng's face turned to the side after being hit, and he suddenly loosened his grip. Old Man Mo quickly pulled Mo Ningzhi aside, afraid that his son might get carried away in anger and give Zhou Yaozheng another round of punches.

Only now did he realize that the conflict between the two had reached an irreconcilable point, and that it was no longer something he could resolve by mediating.

Mo Tingzhou sighed: "Ningzhi, you should go back first. Dad will give you an explanation for this matter."

Mo Ningzhi left without looking back. He had no expectations or concern about Zhou Yaozheng's confession, and as it turned out, he shouldn't have had any expectations, because he didn't receive any calls or messages until he got home.

The three people disappeared cleanly, covered in chicken feathers.

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Author's Note: This is a transitional chapter. Goodnight.