Chapter 49. See that? I just...
On Friday afternoon, Xie Tang finished her work early and left work.
When I got home, a black Bentley was parked in front of my house, and a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties wearing a suit was standing next to the car.
Upon seeing Xie Tang, he politely stepped forward to greet her: "Mrs. Chu, I am the butler of Young Master Dou's household. The young master specifically instructed me to pick you up for his birthday banquet."
Xie Tang asked suspiciously, "Didn't Brother Song already refuse?"
The butler's smile remained unchanged as he said, "Young Master Chu did indeed decline the invitation. However, the young master said that he is too busy with official duties to attend, but you must have the time. The young master very much hopes that you will grace us with your presence and insists that I pick you up."
"Please tell your young master that I'm sorry, I also don't have time to attend." Xie Tang politely declined and turned to enter the courtyard.
The butler stepped forward, maintaining a respectful demeanor, but his words carried a hint of pressure: "Mrs. Chu, please wait. The young master instructed that if he could not receive you, I would wait here. The banquet will be postponed until your arrival."
Xie Tang looked at him incredulously, "What does your young master mean by this? I have no close relationship with Young Master Dou. What does it have to do with me when his birthday banquet starts?"
“Young Master said that you received a rather generous wedding gift from him, which can be considered a token of his affection.” The butler’s tone was calm, yet he did not yield an inch.
"That was a bet between him and Song-ge at pool, it has nothing to do with their personal relationship. You can wait if you want." Xie Tang turned around angrily, dialing Chu Song's number as she walked, but she couldn't get through.
Huasong Building.
Tong Lan stared intently at the phone on the table. At that moment, the phone felt like a hot potato to her; every vibration made her heart stop.
An hour ago, Chu Song handed her his phone for safekeeping, instructing her that he was attending an urgent international meeting and should not be disturbed unless it was extremely urgent.
Five minutes later, the phone rang. Tong Lan quickly answered and carefully explained, "President Shen, President Chu is still in a meeting and can't answer... Do you need to speak to him urgently?"
She repeated the sentence three times.
As expected, Shen Jialang always replied, "It's okay, I'll call again in five minutes."
Tong Lan was inwardly groaning. She would rather Shen Jialang said he had something urgent to do than wait anxiously like this.
Time passed, the conference room door remained closed, and Tong Lan's unease grew stronger.
If Shen Jialang really had nothing important to say, why would he call every five minutes?
This doesn't make sense!
Unable to make up her mind, she texted Fu Xiu for help: Help! Urgent! The Dou family has been calling repeatedly looking for President Chu! I asked if it was urgent, but they just said they'd call back in five minutes! Should I interrupt the meeting to notify President Chu? Give me a straight answer!
Five minutes later, the phone vibrated again.
Tong Lan's heart leaped into her throat, and she almost pleaded, "Please, hang up quickly..."
The vibration lasted for thirty seconds, then finally stopped.
Tong Lan had just breathed a sigh of relief when her phone rang again!
She was on the verge of tears.
Just then, the conference room door opened, and Chu Song walked out.
Tong Lan felt like she had seen a savior. She grabbed her phone, ran over in her high heels, and presented it with both hands: "President Chu, it's President Chen on the phone. He's very persistent!"
Chu Song took the phone and walked towards his office. "What is it?"
“…You should still have your sister-in-law come over.” Shen Jialang’s voice was filled with helplessness and urgency. “Dou Xiao is making a scene and insists on waiting for you or…sister-in-law to arrive before he will show up. I know you can’t get away, so just have your sister-in-law show up. The old man’s blood pressure is about to rise from his anger.”
Chu Song sat down on the sofa, loosened his tie, and asked in a cold tone, "What exactly does he want?"
“He’s really stubborn now, insisting the banquet isn’t over until he sees your party. You know how many daughters of prominent families the old man invited today. Now he’s throwing a tantrum in front of him, in front of so many guests… it’s too embarrassing. Please help me out, just for my sake…”
"Has he considered the consequences of his reckless actions?"
“I understand your concerns. I will personally arrange for people to ensure your sister-in-law’s safety and stay by her side at all times. As soon as the banquet ends, I will have someone send her home immediately, and I will make sure she suffers no grievance or disturbance whatsoever. I promise.” Shen Jialang’s tone was solemn.
When Xie Tang came out after taking a shower, Aunt Yu had already set out the meal.
"The Dou family's butler is still waiting outside. Sigh, this whole mess is making things difficult for you and Asong."
Xie Tang told him not to worry about him and to sit down and eat.
She had only taken a few bites when Chu Song called, telling her to get ready so that Chu Yi could take her to Dou Xiao's birthday party later.
Xie Tang was silent for a moment, then responded softly, "Okay."
After hanging up the phone, she absentmindedly ate a few bites of rice and went back to her room.
Chu Song said to "just tidy it up a bit," but she dared not be careless.
She remembered that he had told her to pay attention to her demeanor, and that she had to maintain appearances on certain occasions.
In such a place where celebrities gather, she couldn't embarrass Chu Song, even though she was filled with resistance to this forced invitation.
When she went out, Chu Yi was already waiting for her by the black Maybach. In the twilight, he was dressed in a black suit, and his gold-rimmed glasses added to his refined and handsome appearance.
Seeing Xie Tang come out, he stood up straight and called out "Sister-in-law" before opening the passenger door for her.
"Thank you for your help," Xie Tang said, and sat down.
The car fell silent for a moment.
Since marrying into the Chu family, Xie Tang and Chu Yi have hardly spoken a word to each other.
The silence in the small space made her feel somewhat uncomfortable.
Chu Yi seemed to notice and reached out to turn on some soft music.
Xie Tang suddenly remembered Qin Wu.
Why wasn't Qin Wu with you?
"She's frantically working on her thesis."
"She's pursuing a master's degree?" Xie Tang asked, somewhat surprised.
"Yes, it's a combined Master's and PhD program, so I'll have to endure two more years."
Once the conversation started, the two chatted casually.
Xie Tang discovered that Chu Yi was not as cold as he appeared.
She gazed at the gradually emerging villa outline outside the car window. The Qin family's old mansion was already quite impressive, and the Chu family had an even deeper heritage, but the scale of this peninsula city-state in front of her still exceeded her expectations. She couldn't help but sigh softly, "The Dou family... they really don't hide their true strength."
The villa stands on the riverbank, surrounded by the river, like an isolated island.
As the moon rises, it shines on the shimmering river, reflecting the dazzling lights of the villas.
The site is enormous, with nothing else in sight but lush trees and exquisite gardens, exuding a luxurious yet classical grandeur.
Chu Yi chuckled upon hearing this: "Each has its own merits. In terms of group market value, the Dou family is inferior to the Chu family; but in terms of foundation and connections, the Chu family should indeed... show some respect."
"Oh~" Xie Tang asked casually, "So... what do you usually do?"
Chu Yi was a little surprised by her jump, and a playful smile appeared on his lips: "Guess? Grandpa won't let me into Huasong."
Xie Tang truly didn't expect him to play riddles with her. "I won't guess."
"Grandpa said," Chu Yi laughed self-deprecatingly, "as long as I don't act recklessly, the Chu family will support me for life and I'll never have to worry about food or clothing."
"Don't act recklessly..." Xie Tang whispered, "Grandpa's request sounds simple, but it's also... quite practical."
"Probably." Chu Yi tugged at the corner of his mouth. "We've arrived..."
Once the car came to a stop, the Dou family driver took the keys from Chu Yi and drove the Maybach to the parking area.
Chu Yi straightened his suit and extended his arm to Xie Tang: "Sister-in-law, my brother instructed me to protect you the whole time tonight."
"Oh?" Xie Tang raised an eyebrow at him.
"It's my duty," Chu Yi said seriously.
Xie Tang obligingly took his arm, lowering her voice as they walked: "Is this young master of the Dou family really that scary? Or... is there something else going on?"
Chu Yi glanced at the butler walking ahead and lowered his voice even further: "You've met Dou Xiao before; his actions are a bit... illogical. As for the others at the table, they're a mixed bag, so it's always good to be cautious."
Suddenly, Xiang Shaoyun's fierce face flashed through Xie Tang's mind.
Chu Song told her to stay away from that person.
I hope we won't run into each other tonight.
——————
The banquet hall was brightly lit, filled with elegantly dressed women.
The air was filled with the rich fragrance of flowers and the mellow aroma of wine, and the soft light illuminated faces brimming with anticipation and excitement.
Xie Tang scoffed inwardly—the so-called rule of "the banquet will not begin until the host arrives" was nothing more than Dou Xiao's pretext for doing whatever he pleased.
This person's behavior is truly perverse!
She wore a dazzling champagne-colored evening gown, and from the moment she stepped into the hall, the previously bustling crowd strangely quieted down.
Countless gazes, as if drawn by an invisible magnetic force, converged on her.
After a brief silence, low whispers spread through the crowd, all speculating about the identity of the mysterious female guest who arrived half an hour late.
Shen Jialang coughed lightly and stepped forward with his wife Yu Ning.
Xie Tang, arm in arm with Chu Yi, smiled and nodded to the crowd, then calmly shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with Shen Jialang and his wife.
In the second-floor corridor, Dou Xiao's gaze was fixed on Xie Tang.
She chatted and laughed with Shen Jialang and his wife, her eyes sparkling with a gentle and warm glow, like a quiet and dazzling Udumbara flower blooming in the night.
Why did she get married?
"Smack!"
With a muffled thud, Master Dou's cane struck Dou Xiao, neither too hard nor too softly.
Dou Xiao then came to his senses and turned to his grandfather with a grin: "Grandpa, see? I like this kind of person! Aren't you arranging blind dates for me? Find someone like this, beautiful, capable, and able to keep me in check!"
Upon hearing this, Master Dou swung his cane again, this time with full force.
Dou Xiao nimbly dodged to the side.
The old man's beard trembled with anger, and he hissed, "Nonsense! There are so many virtuous women in the world, why do you have to covet another man's wife?"
“Grandpa, you don’t understand,” Dou Xiao shrugged nonchalantly. “This isn’t about caring, it’s about appreciating. I wanted to show you that I’ve always admired this kind of demeanor.”
Master Dou's gaze involuntarily fell upon Xie Tang once more.
She was stunningly beautiful and possessed an extraordinary temperament. Her composure, confidence, and profound inner qualities were evident in her every conversation.
He couldn't help but be secretly amazed that Qin Ruhai had such an outstanding daughter!
Then he thought of his own good-for-nothing grandchildren, who couldn't even compare to a single finger of the other family, while the Chu family's descendants were all outstanding, and the daughters-in-law they married were all exceptional...
At this thought, the nameless fire in the old man's heart burned even brighter, and he swung his cane heavily at Dou Xiao again with a whoosh.
He glared at his most beloved grandson, his eyes filled with disappointment and anger, and he lowered his voice to scold, "You worthless brat! Don't you even ask yourself if you're good enough for her! Why would someone like her even look at you? How could the Dou family raise such a good-for-nothing!"
"Tch!" Dou Xiao scoffed, abandoning his nonchalant attitude, and said resolutely, "Grandpa, you've seen the person, and I'm making this clear. If you send any more of those pampered young ladies to bother me, I'm not stepping foot in the Dou family's door! You can give the business to whomever you want!"
Before he finished speaking, he had already turned around and strode downstairs.
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