Chapter 103 Xie Family’s Crab Feast

Zhang Yuanqing put his arm around Little Green Tea's shoulder and ruffled her meticulously styled hair with his other hand.

He rarely initiated intimate contact with Xie Lingxi. Partly because he needed to consider his upright girlfriend, Guan Ya's feelings, and partly because this girl was a sly fox who enjoyed internal strife and he didn't want to give her the opportunity.

But in reality, Zhang Yuanqing wasn't repulsed by her. He even quite liked her.

Youthful exuberance, delicate beauty, and a devoted, wealthy young lady – who wouldn't like that?

Although she was a bit of a green tea, she didn't have princess syndrome, and her emotional intelligence was high. You provided emotional value, and being with her was always happy and joyful, always feeling cherished.

If this girl hadn't met him and gotten tangled up with him, this crooked tree, she probably would have been pursued by countless handsome and talented young men.

But as Little Green Tea said, having seen a man as unparalleled in talent and looks as Brother Yuan Shi, how could she possibly be interested in those buzzing bees and flitting butterflies?

Xie Lingxi nestled against her peerless brother, her thoughts drifting back to the Xie family. Ever since her father said that the Old Ancestor wanted to betroth her to Brother Yuanshi, she had been looking forward to the crab feast.

No one could refuse a demigod's "bestowal," whether in terms of interests or martial strength.

Accepting the bestowal meant being regarded as a junior and family member by the demigod, and the causal relationship would be much deeper than that between Brother Yuanshi and the five alliance leaders of the Five Elements Alliance.

Brother Yuanshi was born a commoner. He needed a powerful background to back him up, and Xie Lingxi was willing to be a good helpmate, supporting and assisting him with all her might.

In her opinion, she had a core advantage that Guan Ya couldn't match – the core of power. Moreover, Sister Guan Ya wasn't a direct descendant of the Fu family.

But she was the only daughter of the Fu family, Xie Su, and although she didn't wield power due to her age, she was actually one of the candidates for the future family head.

The male gender held a very high position in the Musicians family. In the Xie family's history, there had been eight male family heads and two female ones.

If Brother Yuanshi married her, he would gain access to more than half of the family's resources.

Of course, Brother Yuanshi was naturally rebellious and unyielding. He might not accept the Old Ancestor's bestowal. But Xie Lingxi wanted to use this opportunity to see Brother Yuanshi's attitude towards her.

If Brother Yuanshi had feelings for her, Xie Lingxi would be overjoyed. Even if he didn't agree to the Old Ancestor's "bestowal" this time, she would definitely seduce him when she advanced to the Saint stage in the future.

As for Sister Guan Ya's attitude, Little Green Tea didn't care much, because Guan Ya couldn't stop Brother Yuanshi from having other women.

After Lingjing Xingzhe reached a certain level, their upgrade speed and difficulty would increase exponentially.

At this time, their development direction would shift from upgrading to procreating offspring, giving birth to more and more Lingjing Xingzhe, forming a clan force linked by blood ties, which was also a Lingjing aristocratic family.

Breeding clans and dispersing power was the nature of all orderly occupations.

Conversely, evil occupations, which were opposed to order, tended towards destruction and freedom. The reason why the three major evil organizations existed was mainly to resist order.

Of course, breeding clans wasn't the exclusive privilege of male rulers and demigods. High-ranking women did the same. For example, the Old Ancestor of the Zhu family in Yue City was a woman.

That female demigod was known to have three thousand handsome male concubines. Over the years, she had given birth to more than forty children. These forty-odd children multiplied and created a family with a population of thousands in a hundred years.

In addition, this phenomenon of breeding bloodlines was especially common among powerhouses who rose from humble beginnings, like Brother Yuanshi, who had the hope of impacting the demigod stage.

Those demigods from large and powerful forces didn't have this kind of trouble because they already had the support of their clans, and instead emphasized eugenics.

The marshal of the White Tiger Army didn't even need a man.

In short, Brother Yuanshi would definitely have a second, third, and fourth wife in the future. Sister Guan Ya, as a direct descendant of a Lingjing aristocratic family, must also understand this principle.

Therefore, Xie Lingxi believed that as long as she continued to stay by Brother Yuanshi's side, as his level increased, her wish would eventually come true.

Crab City wasn't far from Songhai, about a one-hour drive.

When the business car arrived at the Xie family, it was already 7:30 in the evening. The crab feast wasn't held in the lakeside high-end villa area, but in a Chinese-style garden with hundreds of years of history and rich historical culture.

The Xie family garden was the retreat of the Xie family's Old Ancestor and also where the direct descendants of the Xie family lived.

The car couldn't enter the garden. Zhang Yuanqing and Xie Lingxi got out of the car and saw a charming middle-aged woman standing at the entrance of the antique old house, wearing a lotus-colored cheongsam, with a curvaceous figure.

She wore light makeup, with a faint smile on her face, and had a gentle and intellectual temperament. She was the kind of mature beauty that could instantly kill mother-loving young men.

"Brother Yuanshi, this is my fourth cousin." Xie Lingxi introduced crisply.

Fourth cousin? Hmm, she should be one of Dad's cousins, Zhang Yuanqing, who had contacted relatives on his father's side, thought uncertainly.

"Hello, Fourth Cousin." He took the initiative to extend his hand.

Hearing Zhang Yuanqing's address, a dimpled smile immediately appeared on Xie Lingxi's face, secretly rejoicing.

"Xie Qin!" The cheongsam woman stretched out her well-maintained hand, shaking it while looking him up and down, the smile on the corner of her mouth gradually deepening, "I've heard so much about you. You really are a talented man."

She retracted her hand, made a "please" gesture, and smiled: "The banquet has already begun. Everyone is waiting to get to know you."

She used the honorific "you," which was the proper treatment and respect for a high-ranking Lingjing Xingzhe.

Zhang Yuanqing nodded slightly, took Xie Lingxi, and followed Xie Qin over the stone threshold, entering the quaint garden. Green willows, a pond with lotus leaves, a path paved with bluestone and pebbles, a lake pavilion with upturned eaves, and houses with latticed doors and windows formed a graceful Jiangnan garden.

Deeper into the garden, after walking slowly for five minutes, Xie Qin led the two into a building near the pond. This building was similar to a pavilion, with thick white marble pillars supporting the building on the water. There were no walls on all sides, and eight red-lacquered pillars supported the upturned eaves.

The lighting was lanterns hanging from the beams. The pavilion was spacious, with twenty-two tables, crowded with Xie family elders and young men and women. There were basically no children.

The Xie family's crab feast was only open to middle-level Lingjing Xingzhe. The Xie family members frequently looked towards the entrance, as if waiting for something. Seeing Xie Qin leading the two in, a joyful whisper came from the young people's table: "Yuanshi Tianzun is here!"

In an instant, clusters of eyes were cast over. The elders' eyes carried scrutiny, the young people's eyes carried admiration, kindness, and hostility, while women of childbearing age looked at Yuanshi Tianzun with covetousness.

It's worth mentioning that Musicians after the Saint stage have an instinctive desire for love and childbearing. When they encounter a powerful opposite sex, they will have the instinct to conceive offspring.

Therefore, Musicians, regardless of gender, have the potential to be playboys, but this instinct isn't an uncontrollable price. Most orthodox Musicians are still considered restrained, unlike the Eros profession, most of whom are experienced veterans.

Annie belonged to a minority in the Eros profession, like Tianxia Guihuo in the Fire Master profession.

Sensing the covetous gazes of her cousins and aunts, Xie Lingxi quickly hugged Brother Yuanshi's arm and said in a sweet voice, "Brother, let's go to that table!"

Zhang Yuanqing followed her gaze and was first attracted by a beautiful woman in a white cheongsam. She had a plump and shapely figure, with a retro-style sky-high bun, and a delicate, foxy face with painted eyebrows and eyes. The black eyeliner outlined her bright and divine eyes.

She had the charm of a mature woman and the嬌憨 of a pure girl. Zhang Yuanqing took a closer look and found that she had some similarities with Xie Lingxi.

This was the green tea mother in Xie Lingxi's mouth? This appearance, this temperament, this figure, she simply crushed her ironing board daughter. No wonder Little Green Tea had such resentment. How could she not? She had probably never won against her mother, Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself.

Then he looked at the middle-aged and elderly people at the same table.

Seven Rulers, tsk tsk, the Xie family had a deep foundation. I remember that the Xie family had a peak Ruler, how come I didn't see him.

Zhang Yuanqing retracted his gaze, took Xie Lingxi, and, led by Xie Qin, walked towards the main table.

"Uncles, this is Yuanshi Tianzun." The Xie family's Rulers nodded implicitly, revealing kind smiles.

Zhang Yuanqing nodded in response, taking Little Green Tea to take a seat.

Xie Qin didn't introduce the Lingjing IDs of the seven Rulers. Calling the Rulers by their names was a very offensive act, and so was asking.

Before attending the crab feast, Xie Lingxi had transmitted the basic information of the clan's Rulers to him, so Zhang Yuanqing knew that the Xie family had a peak Ruler.

The waiter brought six large crabs, a pot of Xie family's homemade yellow wine, and disassembly tools to Zhang Yuanqing.

Xie Lingxi diligently peeled the crabs for her brother.

Taking advantage of the gap between her daughter's crab peeling, Xie's mother picked up a glass of yellow wine, her voice soft and pleasant: "Yuanshi, Auntie wants to thank you for taking care of Lingxi. This girl has a bad temper and a bad personality. She's useless and stupid. You should scold her when you need to. Come, Auntie will toast you."

Zhang Yuanqing hurriedly raised his glass and said, "Auntie, what are you talking about? Lingxi is obedient, smart, and understanding. She has helped me a lot."

Xie's mother said with relief, "That's good. Lingxi just passed her eighteenth birthday. How about Auntie marrying you to her?"

Zhang Yuanqing looked at that exquisite face, and for a moment he didn't know how to respond. Looking at her innocent and eager eyes, how could you have the heart to refuse?

He felt like he had been checkmated.

At this time, a middle-aged uncle with a good appearance came with a young girl, holding a wine glass, and happened to interrupt Xie's mother's rhythm.

The middle-aged uncle, who called himself Xie Cai, wanted to introduce his daughter Xie Lingdie to Yuanshi Tianzun. He smiled half-truthfully: "The family head's wife is indeed discerning. If such an excellent young man as Yuanshi Tianzun can become the son-in-law of the Xie family, it will definitely be a good story. Mr. Yuanshi, my daughter has always regarded you as an idol. Knowing that you were going to attend the crab feast, she was so happy that she didn't sleep all night."

After speaking, the girl named Xie Lingdie raised her glass with both hands and said shyly and gently, "Yuanshi Tianzun, I'll toast you."

Zhang Yuanqing was about to raise his glass when he heard Xie's mother say softly, "Yuanshi, you should drink a few more glasses with Lingdie. She has always admired the strong. Her boyfriend is a senior executive in the Crab Branch. Her admiration for you can't be fake."

She already has a boyfriend, Zhang Yuanqing thought. Xie Lingdie's smile froze, and she left, gritting her teeth secretly, after Zhang Yuanqing finished drinking.

Next, many young girls of marriageable age came to toast, but they were all humiliated by Xie's mother's soft knife.

The girls in Xie's mother's mouth were all very good, but there were always some places that made people feel pity (misgivings).

I finally know who Xie Lingxi learned her tea art from. Unknowingly, I have a deep understanding of the Xie family's girls. Amazing, Zhang Yuanqing thought. If Little Green Tea gets her mother's mantle in a few years, the backyard will be lively in the future.

But it doesn't matter. The best way to deal with green tea is to invite a crazy person.

Halfway through the Xie family banquet, Xie Qin came in a hurry, heading straight for the main table, whispering in Zhang Yuanqing's ear: "Mr. Yuanshi, the Old Ancestor invites you to eat crabs."

Finally, she's here, Zhang Yuanqing's spirits lifted. Under the gaze of the Xie family, he rose to his feet in Xie Lingxi's expectant gaze and left the table with Xie Qin.

Leaving the pavilion, the two passed through one garden after another, becoming more and more secluded, gradually moving away from the crowd. More than ten minutes later, Xie Qin stopped in front of an ancient courtyard, looked at the tightly closed courtyard door, and said: "Old Ancestor, Yuanshi Tianzun is here."

An old voice came from the courtyard: "Let him in."

Xie Qin looked at Zhang Yuanqing and said in a low voice: "You can just go in." After saying that, she turned and left.

Zhang Yuanqing gently pushed open the mottled courtyard door. The moonlight was like gauze, and the courtyard was dappled with tree shadows, with three red lanterns hanging.

On the only stone table in the courtyard, sat a six- or seven-year-old child, with his hair tied up with a jade hairpin and wearing a loose robe, holding a crab leg in his little hand, crunching and munching on it.

Half of his face was covered in grease.

The child's mind was entirely on the food. Seeing Zhang Yuanqing come in, he ignored him, completely an ignorant and innocent child.

Zhang Yuanqing moved his gaze, looking at the brightly lit ancient building. The bright light shone through the lattice door. He shouted towards the ancient building: "Senior Xie, can I come in?"

There was no response from inside the building. Zhang Yuanqing shouted three times in a row, but no one answered him.

He immediately turned his gaze to the silly child, still not daring to believe it, and tentatively said, "Is Senior Xie inside?"

The child then looked up at him, his little mouth uttering an old voice: "Right in front of you."

It really is this kid? Zhang Yuanqing was shocked: "Junior is foolish, I didn't recognize Mount Tai. Senior Xie's rejuvenation is unparalleled in the world, junior is shocked in my heart, and thousands of words can't express my admiration." He bowed his head: "Only in this way can I express my respect for you."

Looking at Yuanshi Tianzun, who was suddenly kneeling on the ground, the child was stunned, and a smile quickly bloomed on his face: "You kid are very interesting, sit down and eat crabs with me."