Chapter 162: Uninvited Guests
Inside the Osmanthus Room on the second floor, five men and women were already seated.
“We told Cai Bin to wait for Dongdong downstairs, and now Big Brother Jiang is dragged into it too.” A young girl pouted unhappily. She had a beautiful face and wore a luxurious and exquisite purple robe, adorned with floating runes and shimmering spiritual light, making her look like a little fairy.
“Speaking of which, you asked Cai Bin to pick up Dongdong, wasn’t that just watching the show? You knew they never got along since they were little.” The older-looking woman next to the girl frowned. She hadn’t been there before, having just finished her shift and arrived. If she had known, she would have stopped it.
The woman had an heroic appearance, dressed simply and practically, without excessive patterns or jewelry, a complete contrast to the young girl.
“Sister Shao Yan, if not Cai Bin, then who should have gone?” The young girl’s beautiful eyes lifted, looking at a man seated near the door. “Could it be Yang Qing? Dongdong’s status is quite high.”
The implication was clear: Yang Qing’s status was not a match.
But the man named “Yang Qing” was neither annoyed nor embarrassed.
After all, he hadn’t grown up with them; he had only recently become acquainted with Jiang Caibin, allowing him to join their table. So, he chuckled and said, “Yes, and I don’t even know Miss Dongdong.”
Another young man sitting next to him, round-headed and round-faced, with fair and soft skin, stammered, “Sister Yu Ke… don’t…”
“Ruan Shizi, don’t meddle too much.” Yu Ke’s beautiful face showed a beautiful smile, sweetly calling the young man by his nickname, yet her words were cold.
The “Ruan Shizi” young man’s face flushed, and he lowered his head, not daring to speak further.
This sister had a powerful father and brother and was very favored at home. She was also beautiful and had always been treated like a beloved pet.
“See, Brother Jing never says anything about me.” Yu Ke rested her cheek on her hand, tilting her head to look at the handsome young man with a cold and arrogant expression on the other side.
That “Brother Jing” had never fallen for her tricks, only saying coldly, “As you wish.”
Yu Ke was about to say something else when the private room door was knocked.
As the door opened, Wang Dongdong, whom they hadn’t seen in a long time, appeared at the entrance.
Everyone felt a bit happy, and even the icy expression on “Brother Jing’s” face softened slightly.
Then, the unfamiliar girl behind her appeared, and everyone was stunned.
…
As the Jiang brothers also entered the private room, albeit awkwardly, the banquet finally began.
Dishes flowed in one after another, including the roasted duck and lamb offal soup that Liu Sheng had been most looking forward to. There was even roasted suckling pig, and abalone, sea cucumber, shark fin, and fish maw were all present.
It seemed like a truly serious banquet!
Liu Sheng’s eyes lit up, waiting to pick up her chopsticks.
But Wang Dongdong wouldn’t allow it.
“This is my close friend, Liu Sheng, from Hanshan Academy, and also a candidate for this year’s imperial examination.”
Liu Sheng actually wanted to just quietly start eating, but since Wang Dongdong was so formally introducing her to her friends, she didn’t want to disappoint her. She could only obediently put her hands down and listen attentively to the introduction.
“This is Sister Shao Yan, and next to her is Sister Ling Yuke.” Wang Dongdong first introduced the only two other girls present besides themselves to Liu Sheng.
Shao Yan was more enthusiastic, having previously pulled Liu Sheng to sit next to her, and had Wang Dongdong sit on Liu Sheng’s other side, so Liu Sheng wouldn’t feel so awkward.
However, with people on both sides, Ling Xiaoshu had no choice but to squeeze onto the same bench with Liu Sheng, which was truly uncomfortable.
As for Ling Yuke, Liu Sheng had no interest in trying to warm up to her coldness.
“Brother Jing Hao, cold on the outside, warm on the inside.”
The cold-faced cool guy responded with a sound, and it indeed felt like he was warmer than that Ling Yuke.
“This is Ruan Shizi, oh no, Ruan Shizhi.” Wang Dongdong and the others were so used to calling him by his nickname that they almost forgot his real name.
Ruan Shizhi scratched the back of his head, shyly whispering to Liu Sheng, “Hello, Miss Liu.”
“This is…” Wang Dongdong still didn’t recognize Yang Qing.
“I am Cai Bin’s friend, my surname is Yang and my given name is Qing. My father is the Assistant Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.”
Yang Qing introduced himself proactively, smiling sheepishly and revealing a neat row of white teeth.
After he finished speaking, Liu Sheng heard everyone whispering.
“I always forget what his father does…”
“So, he’s an Assistant Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices…”
“Eighth-grade upper, alright…”
Jiang Caibin nodded noncommittally, acknowledging the relationship.
This showed the difference between Jiang Caibin and Wang Dongdong. Wang Dongdong formally introduced Liu Sheng to everyone, but Jiang Caibin allowed Yang Qing to awkwardly introduce himself.
Perhaps this also reflected the difference in their perceived status.
“This is Big Brother Jiang Cai Zhi, and his cousin Jiang Caibin, whom you’ve already met.” Wang Dongdong finally returned to the Jiang brothers, her expression faint, clearly still holding a grudge.
“Except for this Young Master Yang, these are all my childhood friends. I hadn’t seen them since I went to the Weaving Institute, so it’s been about two years.”
Liu Sheng smiled and bowed to each of them, acknowledging their introduction.
However, while her face showed a gentle smile, her heart was filled with lament.
“Ugh, I hate these kinds of banquets…”
“But Dongdong likes them, so never mind, I’ll accompany her.”
Everyone offered a lukewarm welcome, and Liu Sheng noticed that the most enthusiastic people who tried to take care of her were Shao Yan and Ruan Shizhi, which gave her a clear understanding of the situation.
As Jiang Cai Zhi picked up a piece of crispy, golden-brown roasted suckling pig skin, the small banquet officially began.
Liu Sheng had just served herself a bowl of lamb offal soup and had taken her first sip, not yet savoring the taste, when she heard Jiang Caibin drawl out a question.
“May I ask… what does Miss Liu’s family do?”
Wang Dongdong’s expression darkened.
Everyone’s heart skipped a beat.
Was Jiang Caibin looking for trouble?
Judging by her demeanor and attire, she clearly wasn’t from the same circle.
She was even less so than Yang Qing; at least his family held official positions, even if their backing wasn’t as strong as these people’s.
Liu Sheng finally understood Wang Dongdong’s remark about “being a bit annoying.”
But there was nothing to hide, so she spoke clearly, “My mother is an Artifact Refiner, and my father runs a restaurant.”
“Oh… May I ask where they do Artifact Refining and run a restaurant?”
Jiang Caibin’s voice was lazy, coiling like a venomous snake.
“In Little Green Garden.” Liu Sheng’s expression was indifferent.
“There’s such a place?” Ling Yuke frowned her beautiful eyebrows, unable to help but mumble.
Jiang Caibin also curved his lips into a smile.
Liu Sheng said lightly, “It’s a small town in the northern Changxing Mountains.”
Everyone was even more enlightened, realizing she was a girl from a small town.
“Then it’s quite impressive that Miss Liu could get into Hanshan Academy.” Jiang Cai Zhi said gently, appearing to be helping Liu Sheng out of an awkward situation.
Liu Sheng knew this was true; how many people from Little Green Garden could get into the Ten Great Academies?
But she just disliked that condescending tone.
“It’s alright, I got in as the top scorer in the Prefectural Examination.” Liu Sheng said indifferently.
The first examination everyone faces after starting school is the Prefectural Examination, held uniformly by each prefecture, covering all counties under its jurisdiction. Hundreds of thousands of students participate each year, and anyone who has experienced the Prefectural Examination knows that it is indeed not easy to score first.
Those present also knew this, so no one spoke for a long time.
Although it was a remote prefecture with fewer talented individuals and less intense competition, they also admitted that they weren’t confident they could score first, let alone that among them, besides Jiang Cai Zhi, Shao Yan, Ling Yuke, and Jing Hao, the others were the worst of the worst students.
“My Sheng Sheng is amazing!” Wang Dongdong took the opportunity to praise her.
She was also subtly displeased with certain friends who looked down on her.
After being separated for over two years, with the distance and the filter of time, she had initially held some hope, but she hadn’t expected the annoying ones to become even more annoying.
“In our Weaving Institute, she’s the best writer…”
“Oh… So you two met at that Li County Weaving Institute of yours.” Jiang Caibin seemed to have found something to use against her, a sinister smile spreading across his fair face.
“Li County Weaving Institute, what about it?” Wang Dongdong said discontentedly.
“I don’t understand why you had to go all the way to that remote place for a job. Don’t ask me, ask the others; everyone thinks it’s unnecessary.”
“Besides, isn’t that the Weaving Institute that caused the entire county to be wiped out?”
The pace seems a bit slow lately, but it’s not filler, just some groundwork that needs to be laid properly~ Thank you, darlings, for keeping up with the updates!