Inside the Tang family home, everyone glanced at the farce and then paid no more attention. Tang Xue dragged Tang Mingkai by the ear to her parents, who looked at their two children with smiles on their faces.
"Mom and Dad, my brother is getting more and more outrageous. Aren't you going to do anything about him?"
“Your brother is testing his brother-in-law. What’s wrong with going a little overboard?” Li Rongyin said to her daughter with a smile.
"What brother-in-law? Mom, what are you talking about?"
"That boy, you seem to be having a good chat with him," Li Rongyin reminded her. Her daughter was aloof; before she and her husband left home, she had never seen her speak to any men her age.
Tang Xue shook her head. "Mom, you've misunderstood. That's Xu Chen."
"Is he Xu Chen? The kid your grandfather always talks about?" Tang Hua glanced in the direction of the front door, saw his daughter nod, and immediately fell into deep thought.
Li Rongyin led her daughter upstairs to the second floor and asked directly, "Xue'er, where does Xu Chen live? What do his parents do? Does he have any siblings?"
"Mom, you're starting to investigate me like this. He has a girlfriend, and I don't like him either. I only mentioned him to you before because I thought he could help you."
"I see. I was being presumptuous, Mom." Li Rongyin smiled and continued, "Xue'er, now that your father and I are back, it's time to start planning your wedding."
"What about the research?"
“No research is as important as your daughter’s happiness. Tell me, do you like Xu Chen? If you do, I’ll try to persuade him.”
"You're just setting us up like this!" Tang Xue said, somewhat annoyed.
"Alright, alright, Mom won't say anymore."
"Mom, why did you let my brother drive Xu Chen away?" Tang Xue looked directly into Li Rongyin's eyes and asked.
“Our family’s relationship with him is too close, abnormally close. Xue’er, this situation needs to change. As for your brother, Mom didn’t expect him to react so strongly at first. My original intention was just to make things difficult for Xu Chen with your brother.”
"Why, Mom? Do you have a problem with Xu Chen?"
Li Rongyin patted Tang Xue's head and asked, "Was Xu Chen invited by your grandfather?"
"Yes, Mom, is it because of this?"
"It's not just because of that. Think about it yourself, what kind of relationship does Xu Chen have with your grandfather that allows him to get so close?"
"Subordinate? Close friend despite age difference? Mom, I think you're overthinking it."
"Subordinates? Of all the subordinates your grandfather had, which one did he give power and houses to, and even say he would send his granddaughter away?"
"Did Grandpa really say that to you?" Tang Xue asked helplessly.
“When we were in the Ugly Country, your grandfather often praised Xu Chen. Sometimes he would tell us with great regret that if Xu Chen didn’t have a girlfriend, he would definitely have betrothed you, Xue’er, to Xu Chen.”
Li Rongyin glanced at her daughter, who was deep in thought, and continued, "That's why I just asked you, what are your feelings for Xu Chen? If you have feelings for him, there's room for maneuver in this matter. If you don't, then the relationship between Xu Chen and our family really needs to change."
Li Rongyin's considerations were not without merit. No matter how capable or powerful Xu Chen was, his union with the Tang family was merely a matter of Tang Tiancheng recognizing his abilities, and Xu Chen contributing those abilities—nothing more. What Li Rongyin truly wanted was for Xu Chen to be completely and unreservedly bound to the Tang family. If this wasn't possible, then this deal would inevitably fail one day. A union based on self-interest will ultimately fail because of self-interest. At least, that's what Li Rongyin believed.
"Hey kid, what are you doing here?" Tang Tiancheng returned home and found Xu Chen missing, so he called to ask.
"Old Tang, if I don't leave, I'll be the one who gets ripped off."
"What do you mean? Did my son say something to you?"
"It was your granddaughter who said it. Her parents are short of money for their research and wanted me to contribute some. I said, Mr. Tang, did you invite me to the banquet or did you want me to pay for it? Just say it directly." Xu Chen chuckled, not mentioning that Mr. Tang's granddaughter had offended him.
"Are you stupid, kid? You don't have to refuse. Xue'er is just asking you for a favor. Can't you refuse?" Tang Tiancheng said as he walked into his house after getting out of the car.
"Old Tang, no matter what, congratulations on your family's reunion."
"Kid, come to the ministry tomorrow, let's have a drink, it's been a long time since we had a drink together."
"Old Tang, are you sure? Are you sure you want to drink with me?"
Tang Tiancheng then remembered who was on the other end of the phone. "The moon is really round tonight. Goodnight, brat." Then he quickly hung up the phone.
Xu Chen smiled as the phone call ended. When he got home, Wang Li was lying on the sofa watching TV.
"Chenchen, you went to eat something delicious again without inviting me."
"How's your cultivation going?"
"It's alright, it's barely passable."
Xu Chen scanned with his divine sense and found that Wang Li's foundation was gradually becoming more solid. He walked over and rubbed Wang Li's little head, then said, "Not bad, what do you want to eat? Your husband will reward you with a big meal tonight."
"Chicken leg".
"This isn't much of a feast, let's talk about it later."
"Duck leg."
"Lili, is your little bottom itchy again?"
"Mmm, it is indeed a little itchy down there, my husband." Wang Li became incredibly alluring in an instant, and Xu Chen stopped talking about making dinner and decided to feed her first.
Time flies, and before they knew it, it was winter break of their second year of college. Xu Chen and Wang Li, having finished their exams, were packing up to return to Xingcheng.
“Chenchen! My grandfather is in the hospital…” Wang Li paused in packing her luggage, her eyes reddening as she looked at her phone.
"Ah, then, let's go home quickly. I'll change my flight and we'll leave right away."
Wang Li nodded. She wasn't in a very good mood the whole way. Winter vacation is supposed to be a time for family reunions, but this incident only made her feel even more disappointed.
After returning to Xingcheng, Xu Chen drove Wang Li to the hospital.
"Lili, I'm going to buy some things for Grandpa first, I'll be right back." Having arrived in such a rush, Xu Chen hadn't prepared anything. He parked the car and bought all sorts of supplies at the nearby supermarket. Wang Li's grandfather had been suddenly hospitalized, and the family had been in a frenzy for the past few days. After listening to Wang Li's story on the way, Xu Chen felt it was essential to buy all the daily necessities.
“Uncle.” In the corridor outside the operating room, Xu Chen saw Wang Yuanchao, who was once full of vigor but was now very dejected.
"You're here, Chen'er, have a seat." Wang Yuanchao patted his pocket, took out a cigarette to offer Xu Chen one, but Xu Chen snatched it from him and, to Wang Yuanchao's astonishment, took out Old Tang's cigarette.
"Uncle, smoke this one."
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