Supreme Warrior in the City

Chapter 283: Chapter 282 Zhao Family Banquet

After dinner, Zhao Xuefen started to call the relatives. However, the responses she got were all the same, they already had plans and told her not to bother.

Zhao Xuefen’s face was full of disappointment; these relatives still treated her as if she were a snake or scorpion.

After three in the afternoon, Zhao Xuefen’s aunt called, telling them to get ready for a gathering at the Sheraton in the evening. During the call, she specifically mentioned Su Ping and Su Yang, insisting that the father and son also make sure to come.

Su Yang actually didn’t want to get involved in these matters, but seeing Zhao Xuefen’s pitiable look, he eventually agreed. After all, Zhao Xuefen had suffered a lot over the years following Su Ping.

Su Yang was fair in his dealings. It didn’t matter that Zhao Xuefen wasn’t nice to him, after all, she was his stepmother, and he had been no angel in the past, often causing trouble at home.

However, Zhao Xuefen was good to Su Ping, and Su Yang remembered that. Although he generally couldn’t be bothered with Zhao Xuefen, he would still help her out if she needed it.

At six thirty in the evening, Zhao Xuefen, neatly dressed, led Su Ping, Su Yang, and Su Xia to the Sheraton.

Chen Fei was in the provincial capital and couldn’t come back; the project she was working on had reached a critical moment and she couldn’t leave.

Chen Zhien took advantage of the holiday to go out sketching. In fact, he was now rarely seen under the same roof as Su Yang.

The Sheraton in Nanluo City was considered a high-end hotel, where a meal costing a few thousand yuan was quite normal.

Standing at the entrance to the Sheraton, Zhao Xuefen couldn’t help but feel emotional. In the past, she could only listen to others talk about this place; she had never had the means to enter. Now, coming here, she felt no panic at all.

After giving the private room number, the waiter led the four of them upstairs to one of the larger private rooms.

Inside the room, there sat more than twenty people, all dressed up and chatting merrily.

Upon seeing Su Yang and the others enter, the group burst into laughter. Clearly, they must have been talking about Zhao Xuefen a moment before.

Zhao Xuefen’s face turned slightly red as she hurried in and said with a forced smile, ”Uncles, aunts, you’ve come so early!”

”What’s this early nonsense; you’re the ones who are late!” Zhao Xuefen’s eldest aunt said impatiently, ”Can’t you even keep track of time? We’re all here and you still haven’t arrived. When did you start putting on airs?”

”Eldest aunt, wasn’t it said to be at seven? It’s only six thirty now,” Zhao Xuefen protested.

”Then why didn’t you time it so you’d be entering right at seven!” the eldest aunt glared at her and said, ”Xuefen, it’s not me criticizing you, but your lack of success in life is related to your attitude. With such an attitude, I guess you’re not well liked at the factory, are you?”

”Exactly!” Zhao Xuefen’s third uncle immediately added, ”I heard from a friend that you are not working at the machinery factory anymore! What, you think the job I arranged for you wasn’t good enough? Planning to jump ship and find something better?”

The crowd erupted in laughter once again, and Zhao Xuefen’s face flushed red as she quickly said, ”No, third uncle, there was a problem at the machinery factory. And... and now Old Su and I are working at the city hospital, it’s quite nice there too...”

”Oh, you’ve made it to the city hospital, that’s not bad at all!” Third uncle said disdainfully, ”Is it really the city hospital, or are you doing odd jobs outside the city hospital?”

The laughter from the crowd intensified.

”I’m not...” Zhao Xuefen tried to speak up.

But third uncle waved his hand and said, ”If you wanted to go to the city hospital, you should have told me. I’m on good terms with two of the directors there. I’ll have a word with them and they can arrange some light work for you. Cleaning, for example, would be better than doing odd jobs – at least it’s more relaxing!”

”Old Three, you’re still so helpful!” said Zhao Xuefen’s eldest uncle with a laugh, ”Over the years, you really haven’t neglected Xuefen!”

”Ah, there’s no helping it; after all, she’s my niece!” Uncle Three laughed. ”If she doesn’t marry well and we don’t look after her, wouldn’t that be like leaving her to the mercy of the winds? We might be no good ourselves, but as elders, we can’t just neglect our duties!”

”That’s right, Elder Brother’s words are true, Xuefen, you should really thank your Uncle Three!” Big Uncle nodded and said.

”Big Uncle, actually we...” Zhao Xuefen wanted to explain.

”Alright, enough talk, let’s sit down!” Big Aunt waved her hand and cut her off.

Zhao Xuefen’s face wore a look of helplessness as she could only lead the four of them to the side of the table.

”Hey, wait a minute!” Big Aunt suddenly glared and said, ”Xuefen, what are you doing? Is this how you spoil your own child? You don’t even check if there’s enough room at the table. Everyone’s here, what are you thinking?”

”Huh?” Zhao Xuefen was taken aback. ”Aren’t there four seats here?”

”There are seats, but there’s still a need to respect the order of seniority and age,” Big Aunt said. ”Besides, isn’t there a table over there especially for the younger generation?”

Zhao Xuefen looked into the distance and, indeed, there was a small table where all the children sitting around were seven or eight years old; it was rare to see anyone over ten.

”Xia, why don’t you go sit over there?” Zhao Xuefen suggested.

”Okay!” Su Xia obediently nodded her head.

As Zhao Xuefen was about to seat Su Ping and Su Yang, Big Aunt’s expression chilled instantly, ”Xuefen, since when have you spoiled children like this? Didn’t I say, the children sit over there. What do you mean by this?”

”Huh?” Zhao Xuefen was startled, Big Aunt was talking about Su Yang.

But Su Yang wasn’t that young. How would it look for him to sit there?

”Big Aunt, Su Yang is already eighteen,” Zhao Xuefen said in a low voice. ”Moreover, your Beibei is only fifteen and sitting here...”

”My Beibei doesn’t like sitting with children; can’t you just accommodate that!” Big Aunt glared back. ”Xuefen, are you saying I’m doing something wrong?”

”No, it’s not that...” Zhao Xuefen broke out in a sweat. Although she had become wealthy, she still felt an innate dread in front of these relatives.

”How about I go over there and sit down!” Su Yang said casually; he couldn’t be bothered with this table, having barely ever spoken to them before.

”That wouldn’t be appropriate...” Zhao Xuefen muttered softly.

”It’s fine!” Su Yang got up and left.

Zhao Xuefen’s face was full of apologies as she sighed in resignation and sat down at the table with Su Ping.

Sitting at the children’s table, Su Yang was suddenly looked at with curious eyes by a flock of kids.

Su Yang himself didn’t mind at all; he picked up some food from the table and began to eat on his own.

Back at the main table, only then did Big Aunt smile with satisfaction, lifted a glass from the table, and said with a smile, ”Alright, now that everyone’s here. It’s been a long time since we all got together, so let’s all have a drink together!”

Everyone picked up their glasses and, after a drink, Big Aunt said with a smile, ”Now, about tomorrow—Elder Brother’s son is getting married, and that’s a big deal for our family. According to our local customs, we need to put in a good effort for such an event. So, I’ve asked you all to come because I want to discuss the wedding preparations!”