Chapter 139: The Banquet at Hongmen

Early the next morning, Han Xue and I were preparing to leave when Fatty said he had some business in the city and decided to come along. In truth, I knew he was only following me to bolster my courage. Once we reached the city, Fatty complained that my clothes were far too shabby. As the saying goes, clothes make the man, so he took me to a shopping mall and bought me an entirely new outfit. While I was trying on clothes, he went off and bought gifts for Han Xue’s parents. Judging by the brands, they looked extremely expensive.

I did not have much money left in my account, and as I watched Fatty buy one thing after another, I was calculating whether I could afford it all. Then the fellow pulled a thick wad of cash from his backpack and went to pay. When I tried to stop him, he actually grew angry.

“Your old man isn’t short of money!”

The purchases came to several tens of thousands. That made me even more curious about how much money he had in that backpack. How could he spend so freely without ever seeming to run out?

After buying the clothes, we found a barbershop and got our hair cut. When we stepped outside, I felt refreshed from head to toe. Fatty clicked his tongue.

“Well, well. I never would have guessed it, kid. Once you tidy yourself up, you almost look human.”

Han Xue linked her arm through mine like a shy little woman. She had been smiling ever since we set out that morning, and for once I did not bicker with Fatty. We hailed a taxi and headed to her home.

Only after getting out did I realize that her family lived in a villa district in the new part of the city. The courage I had painstakingly built up vanished in an instant.

So my future father-in-law lived in a villa?

“Lost your nerve again?” Fatty laughed. “Don’t be scared. Your old man will teach you a trick. Repeat to yourself that you’re part of the underworld. Then recite your family connections twice. Say it a few more times, and you won’t be afraid.”

Following his advice, I silently repeated: I’m part of the underworld. I’m the son of the Soldier King and the grandson of the City God. My grandmother is the Empress Dowager of Tianjin.

After repeating it several times, it actually worked. Even my footsteps seemed to carry a swagger.

Fatty waved his hand. “I’ll wait here. You two go on ahead. If anything happens, just call me.”

That was when Fatty truly revealed that he had never had any business in Luoyang at all. He had come solely to accompany me. I was deeply touched.

“Come with us to dinner, Fatty,” Han Xue said.

“Do I look like I want to be a two-hundred-and-fifty-watt lightbulb?” Fatty replied. “Yezi here is already timid enough. If he brings someone along to meet his future in-laws, they’ll think he can’t even face them without a chaperone. The thing a man needs most is a sense of responsibility. Wouldn’t that be even more humiliating? Go on. I’ll wander around here for a while.”

He waved us off and turned away.

“Fatty really is a good person,” Han Xue said, watching his retreating figure.

I nodded, took her hand, and strode forward. With a friend like Fatty supporting me, and such a wonderful wife at my side, I would cross even a mountain of blades or a sea of fire.

At the entrance of a house, Han Xue walked up and took out her key. I drew a deep breath and stepped inside.

The moment I crossed the threshold, my mind went completely blank. I even felt like turning around and leaving.

A round table stood in the living room, and it was already surrounded by people. The instant we entered, more than a dozen pairs of eyes turned toward us.

If those gazes had been swords, I would already have been pierced by a thousand arrows.

Of course, I could not run away. I hurriedly repeated to myself: I’m part of the underworld. I’m the son of the Soldier King.

Just then, Han Xue tugged at me. We changed into slippers and walked over.

No one said anything. At the table, I recognized Han Xue’s mother at once. Han Xue had inherited her mother’s looks, and her mother had taken such good care of herself that the two of them looked more like sisters.

After we sat down, Han Xue greeted everyone one by one. That was when I learned that all her aunts and extended relatives had come.

Han Xue smiled as she greeted them, and naturally I followed suit. But whenever I finished speaking, they merely gave me a cool glance and a slight nod. Their lack of warmth left me extremely awkward.

After the greetings, Han Xue’s eldest aunt looked at me.

“I’ve heard about you from Xue’er’s mother. Yezi, is it? Even your name is peculiar. It’s the same as that famous Hong Kong thief king mentioned in the news. There are no girls in our entire extended family, only boys. Xue’er is the sole apple of everyone’s eye. After she graduated from university, her mother originally wanted to send her abroad to study. But the girl was too softhearted. When she saw reports about children in the mountain regions struggling to attend school, she decided to go there as a volunteer teacher. That was how she ended up in your village. By the way, I heard that after graduating from university, you also returned to your village and became a village official?”

“Yes.” I nodded with a smile.

“It’s good for young people to go out into the countryside and experience life. Your family is from that village too, right?” her aunt asked.

The moment I saw Han Xue’s entire family gathered there, I knew this confrontation had been unavoidable. In a situation like this, one person had to play the good cop and another the bad cop. Her eldest aunt was clearly here to play the bad cop. Her questions were soft on the surface but edged with blades.

Still, this was much better than I had expected. She was far gentler than I had imagined.

I nodded. “My grandfather was getting old, and my mother had a hard time managing everything alone. When I happened to get an opportunity to work there, I went back.”

Han Xue’s aunt glanced at me.

“It’s good for a young man to be filial. But have you ever considered leaving? You should understand that Xue’er is the only girl in our family. We certainly won’t let her remain in a place like that forever.”

“Not for now. I’ve had quite a lot to deal with lately.” I smiled awkwardly.

“Mom, why are you being polite with this guy?” A teenage boy sitting beside her suddenly spoke up. “I’ve already looked into his background. Didn’t we agree to tell him outright that he isn’t worthy of my sister? Honestly, why are you wasting time?”

“Kaikai, don’t talk nonsense!” Han Xue glared at him.

“Sis, you’re just too innocent. That’s why you let this guy fool you with sweet words. Look at the pathetic way he dresses. How could he possibly be worthy of you? Hey, you there, why are you staring at me? I’m sixteen, and I drive a Ferrari. What do you have? Wait, I remember now. You have an electric scooter, an Aima, right? You’ve been riding it for nearly three years?”

His face was full of provocation.

My face burned, but I still nodded.

“That’s right.”

“Kaikai, sit down!” Han Xue slammed her hand on the table. Then she stood and looked at her mother. “Mom, I’ve already explained everything to you. What exactly is the meaning of this?”

“Xue’er, he’s only a child and doesn’t know any better. Yezi, you aren’t angry, are you? If you are, Auntie will apologize.”

“Of course not,” I said.

By then, I understood everything. This was clearly a feast at Hongmen.

But I had already thrown caution to the wind. For Han Xue’s sake, I was willing to endure any humiliation they could heap upon me. As long as Han Xue was standing on my side, what did a little suffering matter?

“Kaikai, sit down. Stop talking nonsense. What does a child know?” Han Xue’s mother scolded him.

“Sister, even a child understands this much. How could adults not?” Han Xue’s eldest aunt said. “This young man seems clean-cut enough, and he probably isn’t a bad person. But he truly isn’t suitable for our Xue’er.”

To be honest, aside from the boy’s unpleasant remarks, Han Xue’s family had been quite polite. After her eldest aunt finished speaking, Han Xue’s mother looked at me.

“Yezi, what do you think?”

“I’ll treat her well for the rest of my life,” I said.

I realized that was the only thing I could say.

“There, see?” the boy sneered. “I knew my sister was too simple. She’s been deceived by this guy’s sweet talk. ‘For the rest of my life,’ he says. What are you, some kind of punk or a wannabe gangster? Everyone here has already given you enough face. If you have any dignity left, get out on your own! You’re not even worthy of carrying Brother Pojun’s shoes, yet you dare to date my sister? I’m telling you, I’ve already told Brother Pojun about today. If you leave now, you might still make it out. If you wait too long, you may not be able to leave at all.”

“Enough!” Han Xue’s mother rose and pointed at the boy. Then she turned to Han Xue’s eldest aunt. “Sister, was this what you told Kaikai to do? I asked you all to come and judge this young man’s character. Even if he isn’t suitable, he is still the person Xue’er loves. What are you trying to accomplish?”

Then she looked at me.

“Child, you should leave quickly. Pojun has a bad temper, and he has pursued Xue’er for seven or eight years. If he runs into you, no one will be able to protect you.”

“I’m not leaving,” I said, narrowing my eyes.

Even a clay Buddha had a temper. Did these people really take me for someone made of mud?

“You’ve got guts, kid. You’ll regret this!” the boy pointed at me and shouted.

“You’re wrong,” I said, looking at him. “You’re the one who will regret it.”