The moment Ding Huizhu saw Old Master Xu, her dissatisfaction reached its peak. "Didn't I tell you to stay away from the neighbors?"

Her upbringing wouldn't normally allow her to speak ill of elders, but since Old Master Xu provoked her first, she didn't need to give him any face.

"And what does your family reunion banquet have to do with them?" Ding Huizhu became increasingly angry as she spoke, her tone growing more and more sarcastic. "You turned away your own maternal grandmother and uncles, yet you treat everyone else as honored guests. Do you think the Xie family are some low-class nouveau riche?"

Xie Li glanced at Ding Huizhu with a puzzled expression.

In her memory, Ding Huizhu was always proud of her scholarly family background and always kept good manners in her bones.

But now, with this angry outburst, she seems a bit like a shrew.

"Huizhu." Another aged voice came, this one slightly weaker, but still incredibly intimidating.

"Is this how you treat the Xie family's distinguished guests? Is this your upbringing?"

Ding Huizhu was stunned when she saw Old Master Xie standing in front of her—she had only been angry and hadn't been careful with her words, but she hadn't expected to be caught red-handed by her father-in-law.

Ding Huizhu blushed with shame and cried out in a trembling voice, "Dad, I..."

Ever since she was scolded by Grandpa Xie last time, her reputation as a daughter-in-law has been teetering on the brink of collapse.

She didn't want her father-in-law to see her lack of manners, as it would make her feel ashamed to face her husband, let alone establish her status and position in the Xie family.

Grandpa Xie's eyes were filled with disappointment; he no longer wanted to hear her explanations.

“You were originally Lili’s biological mother, so you should have attended today’s family reunion banquet. But now it seems that it was the right thing for you not to attend.”

He remained silent, which was a way of saving face for Ding Huizhu. If outsiders knew that Ding Huizhu, her biological mother, had been stripped of Xie Li's guardianship, they would wonder how the outside world would view her.

That would raise questions about Ding Huizhu's upbringing and the upbringing of the Ding family.

Ding Huizhu was also afraid of this. "Dad, I was just confused for a moment. Ziyuan was concerned about your health, that's why..."

She hurriedly pulled Xie Ziyuan, hoping that Xie Ziyuan's presence would remind Old Master Xie that he still needed Xie Ziyuan to cure his poison.

"Lili has already said that my health is none of anyone else's concern." Old Master Xie lightly dusted off non-existent dust from his clothes, not even glancing at Xie Ziyuan.

"Dad!" Xu Zhen suddenly spoke, stepping forward to grab the old man's arm, clearly very familiar with him.

"Didn't I say I'd handle things here?"

Grandpa Xu gave a disdainful look. "Don't bother with your old man, he's annoying. Haven't you heard people say your old man is a nouveau riche?"

Xu Zhen didn't take it to heart: "Haven't you always called yourself a nouveau riche?"

I used to be so afraid of my relatives from my hometown getting involved that I kept a low profile so much that my son almost didn't recognize me. Now I'm actually disgusted by my nouveau riche persona.

After thinking about it, Old Master Xu agreed, "Sigh, I should have known better than to use the identity of the Feed King as a shield. It made many people unaware that Jian'ou Capital is my company."

He paused, then added, "Oh no, Jian'ou's capital development is too fast. It lacks foundation and is ultimately just a nouveau riche, don't you think?"

The last sentence was said to Ding Huizhu with a smile.

Ding Huizhu froze completely, her heart filled with doubt and uncertainty, and she dared not say another word.