Chapter 113: Engagement

Ye Zhentian wore a proper smile on his face and hurried forward to greet them.

"Brother Ye, I am truly sorry for arriving late." Zhou Feng's voice carried a hint of polite apology.

He turned sideways to make way for Lu Qi behind him.

"It was mainly because Qi'er delayed some time specifically to pick out a birthday gift for Niece Ye Xi."

As Zhou Feng spoke, he took a lavishly packaged gift box from Liu Yuru's hands and handed it over personally.

The gift box was opened, revealing a shimmering, glowing light-purple magic robe inside.

"This magic robe was tailor-made for Niece Ye Xi by Qi'er, who specially invited the Forging Master Ou Yezi." Zhou Feng wore a complacent smile on his face. "I hope Ye Xi likes it."

"Oh?"

Ye Zhentian took the gift box, a flash of surprise flitting across his eyes.

"Nephew Lu Qi has truly gone to a lot of trouble."

He looked over the magic robe and nodded in praise.

"I've heard that the equipment crafted by this Great Master Ou Yezi is extremely popular on the market right now, and many people can't buy it even if they want to."

As Ye Zhentian spoke, he turned his gaze toward Lu Qi, wanting to offer a few words of praise.

However, he discovered that Lu Qi was not listening to them at all.

Those slightly dull eyes were unblinkingly staring at the mountain of food piled up on the main table, and drool was almost about to flow out.

Liu Yuru's expression changed slightly, and she hurriedly stepped forward to block Ye Zhentian's line of sight.

"Please forgive us, Brother Ye. Qi'er has been somewhat unwell these past few days and is in poor spirits. The doctor instructed that he should not speak much."

A trace of doubt flashed through Ye Zhentian's eyes, and he waved his hand.

"It's fine, it's fine."

He led the three of them toward the most distinguished main table.

Although separated by a distance, those few lines of dialogue drifted word for word into Zhou Huai's ears.

Heh.

Lu Qi specially looked for Ou Yezi to craft equipment?

How come I, Ou Yezi myself, know nothing about this matter?

It seems that in the future, a new rule must be established for all auction houses under the Forging Guild.

The Zhou Family and dogs are not allowed to enter.

As soon as the three of them sat down at the main table, Ye Zhentian turned around again to welcome other guests.

Lu Qi could no longer hold back; he pointed at the golden-roasted suckling pig on the table and asked in a low voice.

"Mom, this thing looks so delicious, can I eat it?"

Liu Yuru's already irritated mood was instantly ignited.

She lowered her voice and squeezed a few words out from between her teeth.

"Eat, eat, eat! All you know is eating!"

She glared at Lu Qi with icy eyes.

"Tonight, you will sit here obediently for me!"

"You are not allowed to say a single word, and you are not allowed to touch a single bite of anything!"

"If you behave well, I'll let you eat your fill when we get back!"

Lu Qi was frightened by her fierce gaze, and instantly lowered his head with a wronged expression.

Tears were spinning in his eye sockets.

He didn't dare to speak anymore, but his hands mischievously reached toward the plate, quickly pinched a piece of meat, shoved it rapidly into his mouth, and began chewing with bulging cheeks.

Watching him like this, Liu Yuru's chest heaved with anger, and in the end she could only shake her head helplessly.

Zhou Huai took in this entire scene, nearly laughing out loud.

It seems Li Gang was right.

This Lu Qi's Soul has been damaged, and his brain is indeed not quite normal.

Just at this moment, Liu Yuru's gaze at the main table also swept over to Zhou Huai in the corner.

She was stunned at first, then knitted her brows tightly, her already somewhat unsightly expression becoming even gloomier.

She patted Zhou Feng's arm beside her and whispered a sentence into his ear.

Zhou Feng looked along her line of sight, and a look of astonishment also surfaced on his face.

He hesitated for a moment, but ultimately stood up and walked through the crowd with a complex expression, arriving in front of Zhou Huai.

"Zhou Huai… why are you here?"

Zhou Huai lifted his eyelids, looked at this so-called father before him, and retorted.

"What? Could it be that for me to come here, I still need Master Zhou's approval?"

Zhou Feng's expression instantly turned ugly.

He frowned, his tone hard.

"Today is Ye Xi's birthday banquet, I don't want to quarrel with you here."

"Right now, immediately have your people take you and leave."

Hearing these words, Zhou Huai found them somewhat amusing.

"Master Zhou, you don't seem to have figured out the situation."

"This birthday banquet is one that Ye Xi invited me to."

"If I'm to be driven away, that's also the Ye Family's business."

"What qualifications do you have?"

Zhou Feng clenched his fists, the anger in his chest surging.

"Just because I am your father!"

Zhou Huai's tone was indifferent, simply and decisively interrupting him.

"You aren't anymore."

"You… you unfilial son!"

Zhou Feng was completely enraged, fiercely taking a step forward and raising his hand.

However, he didn't have time to make his next move.

A mountain-like figure had already blocked in front of Zhou Huai.

"Scram!"

Xiang Yu's voice thundered like an exploding clap of thunder inside the noisy banquet hall.

This roar instantly attracted the attention of all the guests.

Even the music seemed to pause for a fraction of a second.

Countless gazes uniformly cast themselves toward this corner.

"Isn't that Zhou Feng of the Zhou Family? Who is he quarreling with?"

"The one sitting in a wheelchair in front of him seems to be that good-for-nothing son of his who was driven out of the family."

"My god, is this father and son turning against each other, preparing to tear off their masks on the spot?"

"Today was truly worth the trip; to think there's even this kind of gossip to eat."

The discussions sounded like buzzing mosquitoes.

Zhou Feng's face swelled to a liver-ish purple color, hideous to the extreme.

In his eyes, the former Zhou Huai, though stubborn, was very obedient to his words.

Yet the current Zhou Huai completely looked like a different person.

He took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the impulse to act in public.

Pointing at Zhou Huai, his voice was filled with a warning tone.

"You had better behave yourself at tonight's banquet."

"If you dare to run out and cause trouble, don't blame me for disregarding father-son ties!"

Having said that, he let out a cold snort and turned to stride away quickly.

This instead greatly disappointed those guests who were prepared to watch a good show.

Zhou Huai watched Zhou Feng's departing back, remaining silent.

That bad premonition in his heart grew stronger and stronger.

Just at this moment, the lights of the banquet hall dimmed once again.

The music became melodious and sacred.

A soft spotlight shone toward the spiral staircase on the second floor.

A figure slowly appeared within the light.

The entire venue instantly plunged into a dead silence.

Everyone's gazes were firmly attracted by that figure, unable to move away ever again.

Ye Xi had changed into the [Embrace of the Stars] that Zhou Huai had given her.

If one were to say that the previous her was a beautiful and dignified noble Young Miss,

then she at this moment was like a sacred angel walking out of the moonlight and descending upon the mortal world.

The moon-white long dress flowed with sacred brilliance, and the shattered crystals dotted on the skirt hem shimmered with starlight-like radiance.

Every single movement of hers tugged at everyone's heartstrings.

Amidst the melodious music, the young girl lifted her skirt hem, barefoot, and walked down the stairs.

She arrived at the center of the dance floor, dancing lightly and gracefully to the rhythm of the music.

Her dance postures were light and graceful, and every spin and every leap seemed like composing a poem about holiness and beauty.

The skirt hem fluttered, and brilliance flowed.

At that moment, she was the only light in the entire venue.

Even Lu Qi at the main table, who kept stuffing things into his mouth, was dumbfounded watching.

He stopped his actions, pointed at Ye Xi in the center of the dance floor, and said to Liu Yuru indistinctly.

"Mom, that big sister is so pretty."

Liu Yuru looked at Ye Xi in the dance floor, and a trace of amazement also flashed through her eyes.

She smiled and patted Lu Qi's head.

"Then how about letting her be your wife?"

Lu Qi blinked cluelessly.

"What is a wife? Can it be eaten?"

Liu Yuru: …

The dance finished.

In the center of the dance floor, Ye Xi performed an elegant curtsy toward the crowd.

Thunderous applause suddenly rang out.

Continuing for a long time.

Ye Zhentian walked onto the stage with a full face of smiles and picked up the microphone.

"Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend my daughter Ye Xi's eighteenth birthday banquet."

"Taking advantage of this good day, I have another joyous event to announce!"

He paused, the smile on his face growing even richer, and his voice raised a bit higher.

"Actually, besides today being my daughter's birthday banquet,"

"it is even more the engagement day of my daughter and the Zhou Family's worthy nephew Lu Qi!"