Xiao Fengyin's words plunged the entire hall into silence.
Immediately afterward, Xiao Yuxuan roared, "Phoenix Chant!"
In the Xiao family, although it was common knowledge that Xiao Shuihan and his wife had lost their child, no one dared to mention it openly.
This incident was a scar that Xiao Qianshan and Xiao Shuihan could not bear to touch.
Xiao Qianshan believed that his methods were too harsh back then, which drove a group of desperate criminals to a desperate counterattack, resulting in Luo Yilan giving birth but having no one to protect her and the child being lost.
For many years, Xiao Shuihan and his wife have lived in self-blame. He has repeatedly advised them to have another child to alleviate the pain of losing their child and at the same time not to hinder their search for their lost child.
Xiao Shuihan and his wife, however, felt guilty and focused all their energy on finding their child and their careers.
If the two were not truly in love, most couples would have broken up long ago in this situation.
This old wound that no one dared to touch or mention was revealed by Xiao Fengyin without any attempt to conceal it. Fortunately, the third son and his wife were not here; if they had heard it, they probably wouldn't have been in the mood for this meal.
Xiao Yuxuan's angry voice echoed in the hall, and Xiao Fengyin instantly came to her senses, realizing that she had said the wrong thing.
She awkwardly tidied a stray hair behind her ear and said to Xiao Wujie, and also to everyone else in the hall:
"Um... I just thought you were good-looking and approachable, that's all. I misspoke, please don't take it to heart."
Xiao Wujie glanced past her without leaving a trace, looking at Xiao Qianshan, Xiao Yuxuan and the others behind him. His eyes flickered slightly, and then he said lightly, "It's nothing."
Xiao Yuxuan's face was so cold and sullen it could drip water. He slammed his palm on the solid wood table in anger, his voice icy and filled with rage:
"Feng Yin, sit back down!"
Knowing she had done something wrong, Xiao Fengyin obediently sat back down in her seat, head bowed and silent, a rare occurrence for her.
With a refined and gentle demeanor, Xiao Linzui said, "Young friend Xiao, Miss Chu, my niece is straightforward and speaks without restraint. Please forgive her."
As Xiao Wujie nodded indifferently, Xiao Linzui's eyes flickered, and he asked, seemingly unintentionally:
"Young friend Xiao, you share the same surname as my Xiao family, but I don't know your parents' names. Perhaps you really do have some connection with my Xiao family?"
The tea was a little hot, and Xiao Wujie's fingers, which were holding the teacup, twitched slightly. He lowered his gaze and spoke:
"Please forgive me, Uncle Xiao. I was an orphan since childhood and was taken in and raised by my sister. I do not know my parents' names."
Upon hearing this, not only Xiao Linzui, who had already sensed something, but even Xiao Yuxuan, who hadn't thought much about it, was startled.
At this point, everyone's gaze began to subtly drift toward Xiao Wujie, and a delicate atmosphere silently spread.
Xiao Wujie merely lightly stroked the rim of the cup with his fingers, his gaze following the gentle fluctuations of the tea leaves floating within.
Chu Liyue, who had been expressionless, suddenly turned her cold gaze to Xiao Qianshan at the head of the table.
Xiao Qianshan's brows furrowed slightly, and he sighed silently before speaking:
"The third brother and his companion haven't arrived yet, so let's not wait for them and go straight to the restaurant for a meal."
He turned to Lao He and instructed, "When the two of them arrive, just have them go straight to the restaurant."
With that, he stood up first, leaning on his cane, and walked toward the restaurant.
The little guy is very smart, and some things really shouldn't be rushed.
Xiao Wujie and Chu Liyue also stood up along with the rest of the group.
Chu Liyue gently kneaded Xiao Wujie's waist with her fingers and asked softly:
"Back pain?"
She had long noticed that Xiao Wujie wasn't used to sitting on such a hard wooden chair. Usually, when he sat on the sofa, she would put a cushion behind his back. She pampered him at home, so sitting on such a hard wooden chair would definitely make him uncomfortable.
She had just gently rubbed it a couple of times when Xiao Wujie grabbed her arm, seemingly seeking a sense of security.
He pressed himself against Chu Liyue, shook his head slightly, and said in a low, husky voice, "It's alright, no need to rub."
Seeing his slightly lowered gaze and thoughtful expression, Chu Liyue didn't say anything more. She gently rubbed his head and let him cross his arms as he followed the group ahead.
Xiao Fengyin had an unusually good attitude. Even after being scolded, her face was full of sunshine, without the slightest hint of gloom.
Seeing Xiao Wujie clinging to Chu Liyue's arm with a look of dependence on him, she felt as if she had opened the door to a new world. She tried her best to keep her voice down, but couldn't hide her excitement:
"You two have the scripts upside down."
"Miss Chu, is this your fiancé? Or are you keeping a young wife?"
Xiao Wujie lowered his gaze, not looking at her, but his pale, thin lips gently bit down.
Chu Liyue lightly patted his lower back, her gaze towards Xiao Fengyin was chilling.
Xiao Fengyin looked at them with a slight pause, and a strange expression suddenly appeared on her beautiful face.
This scene felt strangely familiar.
The Xiao family's restaurant also exudes a classic charm, with understated luxury and elegance. The matching solid wood chairs gave Xiao Wujie a headache.
His back pain is related to his and his sister's future happiness. It's like the Xiao family's tables and chairs are designed to bring him bad luck. He hasn't even sat down yet, and his back is already subconsciously aching.
The warm yellow light cast by the lanterns gently caressed the exquisite mahogany dining table, and servants orderly brought out one after another of the finest dishes with unique Lingnan characteristics.
Xiao Qianshan has a habit of "not speaking while eating or sleeping," and Xiao Fengyin, who is usually talkative and lively, is now keeping quiet because she said something wrong, making the atmosphere at the dinner table somewhat dull.
Xiao Wujie couldn't eat. He took a sip of hot water from the cup Chu Liyue handed him, then picked up his chopsticks and started serving food to Chu Liyue.
For a moment, only the crisp sound of bowls and chopsticks clattering echoed in the restaurant.
In the quiet atmosphere, a servant's respectful voice suddenly called out from outside: "Third Master, Madam."
Xiao Fengyin spoke first, her eyes gleaming with joy: "Third Uncle, Third Aunt has arrived."
The arrival of Uncle and Aunt meant that she could speak again. Xiao Shuihan and his wife did not live in the old house and returned infrequently. Every time they came, the people at the dinner table would naturally break the rule of "not speaking while eating or sleeping" and try to make the atmosphere more lively.
The names Xiao Shuihan and Xiao Shuihan seemed to possess a magical power, causing everyone at the table to unconsciously raise their eyes and look towards the door.
Two tall, slender figures stepped into the restaurant with elegant and dignified steps, bathed in soft light.
The man was dressed in a suit and tie. According to Xiao Qianshan, he was over forty years old, but there was not a single wrinkle on his face. His features were chiseled, deep and charming, so exquisite that it was hard to look away.
The woman holding his arm wore a long purple-gold dress, her hair styled in a high bun. Time had left no trace on her face; her youthful appearance had faded, and she exuded an elegant and noble charm.
The two complemented each other's temperaments. The man was dashing and heroic, yet his eyes and brows were gentle. The woman was noble and beautiful, but her eyes, though sparkling, carried an aloofness and a sense of oppression that kept people at a distance.
Unlike Xiao Yuxuan and Xiao Linzui who were so respectful to Xiao Qianshan, the man looked up at the imposing Xiao Qianshan and said in a calm voice, "Old man."
The woman politely called him "Father," which slightly softened Xiao Qianshan's ashen expression.
They found an empty seat and sat down, and coincidentally, the empty seat was right next to Xiao Wujie.
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