Chapter 138: Xu Tian Comes to See Off the Villa

Yan Qingxue saw Zhang Yuzhen hurling harsh words at her father and guessed how their family usually treats her own parents.

She trembled with anger; if Su Xiuya hadn't held her back, she would have rushed up to slap that spiteful, vicious aunt already.

Butler Xiao glanced at his wrist and said, "The birthday banquet is about to start; Mr. Su, please bring your wife and Weixin inside to take seats."

After saying that, he greeted Su Mingli and the others, then turned and walked toward the villa.

Tonight's banquet is held in the main building's hall; at this moment, Yan Family Elder Yan Ruhai is already seated at the head table.

Although Yan Ruhai is advanced in years, his spirit is vigorous, and he exudes authority without anger while seated at the head.

When his gaze fell on Yan Jinsong's family, his expression soured slightly, but he immediately turned his head the other way, as if he hadn't seen them.

"Grandfather."

Yan CEO's son Yan Hongyu led a delicate‑looking girl to stand before the Yan Family Elder.

"May your blessings be as vast as the Eastern Sea and your longevity as the Southern Mountains, Grandfather."

"Very well, very well."

Yan Ruhai saw Yan Hongyu, and a faint smile appeared on his solemn face.

"Grandfather Yan, greetings. I am Xu Miaoyin of the Imperial Capital Xu Family, here representing my family to wish you a happy birthday, hoping you may have today's joy every year."

When the girl's words fell silent, an instant hush spread around.

"The Imperial Capital Xu Family?"

That's a family whose name ranks among the notable in the Imperial Capital.

A daughter of such a family was actually pursued by Yan Hongyu?

"The Imperial Capital Xu Family?"

Yan Ruhai calmly examined Xu Miaoyin, then nodded with satisfaction: "Very well, let Hongyu escort you to a seat; if you need anything, feel free to ask him."

"Thank you, Grandfather Yan!"

Xu Miaoyin obediently nodded, then took Yan Hongyu's wrist and turned with him to sit.

As soon as Yan Hongyu and Xu Miaoyin sat down, Su Weixin hurried over.

"Cousin, your suit today is really handsome!"

Seizing the chance, Su Weixin sat on the seat opposite Yan Hongyu, envying him as he reached out to touch the cuff of Yan Hongyu's shirt: "Those on the cuff are real diamonds, right?"

Yan Hongyu felt a slight contempt for Su Weixin's forward behavior, yet he kept his courteous demeanor and smiled lightly, saying to Su Weixin:

"They are real diamonds, but the purity isn't high; if you like them, I'll give them to you when you return."

Su Weixin gratefully replied, "Really? Thank you, cousin!"

Zhang Yuzhen, seeing her son's close rapport with Yan Hongyu, felt very pleased.

Now Yan Hongyu is the only one among the Yan family's younger generation who can assume the heir position.

If her son can maintain good relations with him, his future will be boundless.

"Weixin, whenever you're free, you must learn more about business from cousin, so that in the future you can help ease your father's burdens," Zhang Yuzhen flattered Yan Hongyu subtly.

"Cousin is the most outstanding among our family's youth; he is my role model!"

Seizing the chance, Su Weixin added, "It's an honor to learn from cousin."

"It's best that you think that way; after all, among the Yan family's juniors, your cousin rides ahead of all, a generation ahead that those collateral nephews can never catch up to, no matter how hard they try."

Zhang Yuzhen said this while casting a vague glance toward Yan Jinsong's side.

"Some people can only produce loss‑making offspring, and now they even dare to adopt a godson to split the inheritance—how unlucky."

Sitting opposite Yan Hongyu, Xu Miaoyin's complexion darkened at those words.

Zhang Yuzhen suddenly recalled the rumors about Xu Miaoyin's status as an illegitimate daughter, realized her slip, and, feeling a bit annoyed, explained:

"Miss Xu, I was referring to the daughter of Uncle Hongyu's family. That girl is uneducated and behaves like a little thug, and now she can only work as a secretary for others."

"She naturally cannot compare to a lady of your stature."

Xu Miaoyin forced a smile, but her expression remained sour.

Seeing the atmosphere grow increasingly awkward, Zhang Yuzhen forced two strained laughs and rigidly changed the subject.

"Hongyu, I heard the matter with Miss Xu has been settled?"

"Hmm," Yan Hongyu nodded. "Actually I've known Miaoyin for a long time, but we only truly got together recently."

"So what does Miss Xu's family side mean?" Zhang Yuzhen pretended concern.

"As for matters of the heart, my father respects my decision."

"Moreover, Hongyu is such an outstanding person; the family will surely be very pleased with him."

"That's good. No matter how I look at it, you two are a perfect match of talent and beauty, and since Hongyu is also the heir of the Ye Family, your union would be a strong alliance."

"Aunt, what's going on with my big uncle?"

Yan Hongyu recalled the rumors he had heard and, without showing emotion, asked, "Has he recently adopted a godson?"

"Exactly," Zhang Yuzhen sneered at the remark. "I have no idea where that poor kid came from. In my opinion, my sister is already of advanced age; if she can't bear a son, she should accept her fate. She's already been driven out by the Yan family, yet she still seeks some underhanded way to claim part of the estate, not caring about outsiders' ridicule."

Zhang Yuzhen's words were so harsh that even the usually good‑natured Su Xiuya couldn't help but retort.

"Yuzhen, how can you speak like that? What do you mean by 'underhanded methods'?"

"I've never thought having a daughter is bad; what era are we still being male‑biased?"

"Besides, we took Xiao Tian as a godson because he gets along with me and Jinsong; how did it become so filthy when it passes through your mouth?"

Usually Zhang Yuzhen is sarcastic, and Su Xiuya tolerates it for the sake of her younger brother's face.

But now, in front of everyone, the other side mocks her for taking Xiao Tian as a godson to vie for inheritance, even ridicules Xiao Tian himself, which she cannot tolerate.

"Big sister, don't be angry; Yuzhen is just like that—blunt, but she has no ill intent…" Su Mingli, seeing Su Xiuya truly angry, quickly stepped in to mediate.

"Mingli, can a lack of filter really be an excuse?"

Su Xiuya, utterly disappointed, said, "Yuzhen is also a mother figure; doesn't she know what should or shouldn't be said?"

Yan Hongyu saw Su Xiuya quarrel with Su Mingli and Zhang Yuzhen, a mischievous glint flashed in his eyes; he kept his warm‑jade noble‑son image, yet he was keenly hoping the two would argue even more fiercely, preferably making a big scene.

"On what grounds do you accuse my mother?"

Before Zhang Yuzhen could reply, Su Weixin, looking indignant, pointed at Su Xiuya and shouted:

"You lot of vampires, leeching off our family, and my father still pays you wages."

"If it weren't for us, your whole family would have been begging on the streets long ago. Not only are you ungrateful, you become even more pretentious. What's wrong with saying a few words to you? Isn't my mother telling the truth?"

"Your daughter is a loss‑maker; she graduated college but can't find a job, and only got a secretary position by sleeping with the big boss. You think she's useless, so you find some stray kid to be a godson, hoping that stray kid can get a share of the Yan Family; the little calculation really clicks!"

"Enough!"

Su Mingli couldn't help scolding: "Weixin, how can you speak like that about your cousin?"

"Since Yan Qingxue dares to do those filthy deeds, does she still fear being talked about?" Su Weixin sneered disdainfully.

"Dad, did I say anything wrong?"

"Is it true that she couldn't find a job after graduating college?"

"Is it true that she serves as the big boss's secretary?"

"She has no background, no ability; why would the Xu Group's boss employ her?"

"She got her current job only by crawling into bed, right?"

"Now she's attached to a rich man, living the high life, yet her own parents dumped her into our home for us to take care of her. What's wrong with me saying a few words to her?"

"She can walk and stand on her own, yet she can't even support her own parents. I feel ashamed for her!"

"We've been supporting the elder sister's family for so long, only to raise a pack of ingratitude wolves. Usually the elder sister orders my mother around in private, but now she makes my mother lose face in front of outsiders—utterly shameless!"

Su Weixin showed no concealment of his contempt and mockery toward Yan Jinsong's family, ignoring Su Mingli's objections; clearly his displeasure had lasted more than a day or two.

Their quarrel attracted the attention of the surrounding guests.

Everyone cast disdainful looks at Yan Jinsong's family, shaking their heads.

No one expected Yan Jinsong's family to be like this.

It seemed that being driven out of the Yan Family long ago was not unjustified.

Yan Qingxue clenched her lips, and fury erupted in her eyes.

She didn't care about Su Weixin's malicious slander; she only wanted to protect her mother, yet at this stage it was so difficult for her.

Seeing Su Xiuya and Yan Qingxue remain silent, Su Weixin grew even more smug and said:

"Anyway, I can't bring my own parents to others while I'm out here living carefree."

"Son, if I and your father faced this situation, what would you do?" Zhang Yuzhen asked, as if she feared the world would stay calm.

"Of course I'd save up money, then rent a house in the city and bring you over, but the size of the house is just where our family settles; how can we shamelessly act like blood‑sucking parasites, sucking relatives' blood?" Su Weixin boasted without shame.

At that moment, he had completely forgotten the house he now lived in, which was the one Yan Jinsong had originally given to their family.

"If every child were like you, that would be great."

Zhang Yuzhen was pleased with Su Weixin's answer: "It's a pity some people can't discipline their children; they give birth to a loss‑making fool who is lazy, only clings to men, a stupid waste."

Su Xiuya, seeing Zhang Yuzhen subtly mock Yan Qingxue again, flushed red with anger.

She wanted to retort loudly, telling everyone that Yan Qingxue works hard and that her current job was earned by her own ability!

Yan Qingxue is not a lazy freeloader at all; on the contrary, she was dragged down by her and Yan Jinsong, which is why she can't find work.

If it weren't for Yan CEO leaking rumors behind the scenes, this top‑university graduate wouldn't have been unable to find suitable work for years, forced to take odd jobs.

"Sister, Mingli and I have already done our utmost for your family. You and your brother‑in‑law have lived with us so long, what have we said?"

Zhang Yuzhen kept complaining: "Now the economy is sluggish; our Mingli is already struggling to support his family, yet we make him bear extra burdens. I don't pity your younger brother; I pity my husband!"

"Did Yan Jinsong's company go bankrupt, and then he kept relying on his brother‑in‑law's family?"

"That's just too shameless!"

The guests who understood the whole story sighed one after another.

"It's literally a vampire…"

"Living in someone else's house for so many years, yet acting brazenly, such thick‑skinned. If it were me, I could never pull off such a thing."

"Look at Su Xiuya's pathetic, disgusting act of playing the victim; the uninformed think it's the brother's family that wronged her!"

"Yan Jinsong leaked company secrets, Su Xiuya then leached off her husband and daughter at the brother's house, Yan Qingxue willingly fell into depravity and was kept by the big boss; this family is utterly disgusting!"

Yan Hongyu heard the guests murmuring nearby, feeling quite pleased inside, but outwardly he wore a guilty expression and said to the aggressive Zhang Yuzhen and the very uneasy Su Mingli:

"Little uncle, aunt, my big uncle and aunt have stayed at your home for so long; it's indeed improper. I apologize on their behalf, hoping you'll be lenient, since we're all family."

"After all, today is my grandfather's Birthday Banquet; if a fight broke out, the old man would be unhappy."

After Yan Hongyu spoke, Zhang Yuzhen restrained herself a bit, but still kept complaining.

"Hongyu, we didn't mean to make everyone unhappy; it's just that these past days I and your uncle have had a hard time."

"You see, even though we're relatives and help each other in trouble, we can't just be blood‑sucking vampires with no bottom line, constantly living off others—what's that about?"

"People who can stand on their own feet shouldn't have to live in others' homes for years; we're not a charity."

Yan Hongyu's eyes scanned Yan Jinsong and the others calmly; just as he was about to speak, a commotion came from the doorway.

Everyone instinctively looked toward the entrance, where a white‑clad youth casually holding a villa key strolled in…