Chapter 3 It’s All Your Fault

Xiao Shun sat next to Yao Cen and whispered, “Sorry, Honey. I encountered something urgent and was late.”

Before Yao Cen answered, Liu Yunxiang glanced at Xiao Shun and snapped coldly, “Something urgent? What important thing can happen to you, rubbish? You must have missed the bus. Xiao Shun Williams, it’s the birthday banquet of our family master. Don’t tell me you come here without anything.”

“Mom...” Xiao Shun was about to explain for the last time for Yao Cen’s sake.

“Stop calling me Mom! You are such a drag to my daughter. If it weren’t for you, my daughter would have married into an influential family. I don’t have to sit in a corner.”

The more Liu Yunxiang thought about it, the angrier she became. Pointing at Xiao Shun, she roared angrily, “You’d better behave yourself. Do as you’re told. If you disgrace me again, I’m gonna kill you.”

Besides that, she raised her hand and was about to slap Xiao Shun.

Xiao Shun’s eyes glimmered in anger, rage surging in his chest.

In the past, he had to obey his master’s request. Three years had passed, and he wouldn’t continue to tolerate the humiliation anymore.

He grabbed her wrist to stop her from hitting him. Liu Yunxiang blushed in anger.

“You do have the guts! How dare you stop me!”

Xiao Shun gazed at her icily. Yao Cen mediated, “Mom, there are many guests in the hall today.”

“Humph! You’ll be taught a lesson after going home,” Liu Yunxiang cursed, glaring at Xiao Shun.

Yao Cen darted at Xiao Shun and said helplessly, “Mom is still angry. You’d better stop talking.”

Her cold but exhausted voice repressed Xiao Shun’s anger.

Yao Cen didn’t lead a better life than he did in the past few years.

There were four most influential families in Hamana, Zheng, Song, Ouyang, and Sikong. Below them were other less powerful families, such as Yao and Sun.

Although the Yao family wasn’t among the top three influential families in Hamana, Yao Cen was well-known in town. Many company owners, like Sikong Xing, the oldest son of the Sikong family, used to pursue her.

In the end, Yao Changhe forced her to marry Xiao Shun, an unknown man who was good for nothing.

Therefore, Yao Cen had been mocked and humiliated over the past three years.

“Oops, Liu Yunxiang. Has your pathetic son-in-law arrived? Did he bring a gift?”

Xiao Shun had just sat down when Li Chunlian, the wife of Yao Jianguo’s oldest brother, swung over with a mocking smile.

Li Chunlian was dressed up with heavy makeup. She often laughed at Yao Cen and her parents.

“Whether he came with a gift, it’s none of your business. It’s Uncle Zhenshu’s birthday today. I don’t have the mood to fight with you,” Liu Yunxiang glanced at Li Chunlian and warned her. Inwardly, she wished to slap Xiao Shun.

“Why are you so mad? Be careful with your health. You let your daughter marry such a pile of rubbish. What else can you blame?” Li Chunlian retorted harshly and glanced at Liu Yunxiang in mockery.

“Enough! It’s Dad’s seventy-year-old birthday banquet. You’d better behave yourself,” a man in his fifties reminded Li Chunlian.

He was Yao De, Yao Jianguo’s oldest brother. The long, sharp eyebrows made him emanate a fierce, aggressive aura.

Once he spoke, Li Chunlian buttoned her lip in fear and glared at Xiao Shun in disdain.

Yao De darted at Xiao Shun scornfully and added, “He’s late. Why do you pay so much attention to such a loser?”

Xiao Shun kept expressionless and didn’t want to join their conversation.

Sitting in the host’s seat, Yao Zhenshu announced loudly, “My distinguished guests, thank you all for attending my birthday banquet today. It’s my pleasure to see you all. Cheers!”

As he spoke, he stood up, raising the goblet in his hand.

All the guests followed suit and sent their blessings to him.

So did Sun Guoli. He said while smiling at Yao Zhenshu, “Mr. Yao, we’ll become in-laws soon. Let’s cooperate and make our families great.”

Hearing his words, Xiao Shun frowned slightly.

Liu Yunxiang asked him to do as he would be told just now. He wondered if there would be any further arrangement.

He glanced at Yao Cen, but she dodged his gaze unnaturally.

A handsome, tall, and sturdy young man was sitting at the same table.

He was Yao Han, Yao Zhenshu’s grandson and Yao Cen’s cousin. He was also the most outstanding heir of the Yao family, respected and spoiled by all family members.

Yao Han picked up an exquisitely carved jade box and stood up. “Grandpa, I prepared a gift for you.”

His charming smile and self-confidence made him look more attractive.

Seeing him stand up, Yao Zhenshu’s expression eased into a loving smile. “Really? I’m curious about your gift, Han. What is it?”

While opening the lid, Yao Han answered, “It’s a hundred-year-old wild ginseng, Grandpa.”

All the guests focused on him immediately. Ouyang Zheng snapped open his squinted eyes.

A hundred-year-old ginseng was indeed valuable, but Yao Han sounded as if it were a cabbage.

In the sparkling, green jade box lay a piece of clean ginseng with completely fibrous roots, like a tiny old man. It was similar in size to a man’s arm. As soon as the lid was open, its fragrance spread in the air.

“It’s really a hundred-year-old ginseng.”

“It’s too rare in the market. How wonderful!”

“No wonder Yao Han is the future heir of the Yao family. He’s competent.”

Others’ flatteries made Yao Han’s smile broader.

Yao Han had the self-confidence that his gift was the most precious. An old man always wished to live long and healthy, didn’t he?

Ouyang Zheng glanced at the ginseng a few times and nodded. “Ginseng is helpful in recovering the organs, maintaining peace of mind, and keeping calm. If one takes it long, he will become young and healthy. This is a hundred-year-old ginseng, indeed. Yao Zhenshu, you are lucky to have such a considerate, loving grandson.”

With an all-teeth-showing smile, Yao Zhenshu replied, “Haha... Thank you, Mr. Ouyang. Actually, your children and grandchildren are more outstanding than mine. Yao Han is probably the only excellent boy in my family. He’s clever.”

Yao Cen looked at Yao Zhenshu and battled a smile. “Grandpa, I also prepared a gift for you.”

“Or, what is it?” Yao Zhenshu asked with interest and a loving smile.

It was weird. Yao Zhenshu was always unkind to Yao Cen because of Xiao Shun and ignored her. However, his attitude had been changed utterly today.

Yao Cen pulled out a palm-sized box made of sandalwood and passed it to Yao Zhenshu with both hands.

“This is a treasure I found in Riverside Antique Market, made by the Li family, a well-known snuff bottle manufacturer. This snuff bottle was made from crystal jadeite with lotus patterns.”

As she explained, Yao Zhenshu opened the lid of the sandalwood box.

A delicate, pal-sized snuff bottle was revealed. It was transparently shiny under the light, reminding people of green ice. On either side was a bunch of vanillas, and in the middle was a lotus blossom. The bottle was fascinating.

“Good. Good. Thank you, Yao Cen,” Yao Zhenshu said while smiling.

He played with the snuffle bottle, unwilling to put it down.

Meanwhile, other guests started to present their gifts, including treasures and jewelry. For example, the Niu family, a real estate tycoon, gave Yao Zhenshu an ivory carving from Sepera. The Hou family, an entertainment tycoon, sent Yao Zhenshu an ancient medieval lacquerware from Europe.

Biting her red lip gently, Yao Cen looked at Xiao Shun and asked, “What have you bought?”