Chapter 184: Chapter 176 Elder Xia
Just now, Qu Yongbo merely mentioned the idea of a marriage alliance to Xia Yusheng and the others, but he didn’t bring up Qu Haobo in front of Elder Xia. Therefore, when the Wang Family arrived, Elder Xia instructed Xia Yusheng to call Xia Xue downstairs to entertain the guests.
At this moment, upon seeing members of the Wang Family arrive, Elder Xia instructed Xia Yusheng to call Xia Xue downstairs. Qu Yongbo then realized that Xia Xue wasn’t just someone his son was pursuing out of interest. Prior to this, Qu Yongbo wasn’t very familiar with Xia Xue, nor did he know that the girl his son was pursuing would bring such a great trouble.
The Wang Family deployed so many people, even the Wang Family Head, Wang Zhantian, came in person. Although the Qu Family is a level or two higher than the Wang Family when looking at all of Huaxia, in Yanjing, the Qu Family holds no advantage whatsoever.
Regarding his own son, Qu Haobo’s situation, Qu Yongbo is not very clear, much less Xia Xue’s situation. Seeing so many people from the Wang Family arrive, and Elder Xia calling Xia Xue to meet the guests, it’s already quite obvious that the Xia Family wants to ally with the Wang Family by marriage. Although Qu Yongbo’s expression didn’t change much, he still took the opportunity while Elder Xia and the others were greeting the Wang Family to quietly ask Qu Haobo: "Haobo, what’s going on?"
Qu Haobo dragged his father over not simply to use him to interfere in matters concerning Fatty Wang and Xia Xue. The main issue was the sentence Xiao Lin uttered in the Emperor Mansion at noon today. To say he wasn’t worried was a lie; otherwise, he wouldn’t have dragged his father over because the strength Xiao Lin displayed genuinely frightened him. If it was just a matter of him being able to fight, Qu Haobo naturally wouldn’t care, but who was beside Xiao Lin? The steward of the Yanjing Municipal Committee, the spokesperson of the Yanjing Hua Family.
Moreover, Qu Haobo is someone who values pride and has always been arrogant, so it’s naturally impossible for him to skip Elder Xia’s birthday party. But for safety’s sake, he leveraged the banner of wanting to marry Xia Xue from the Xia Family to have his father, Qu Yongbo, accompany him. Of course, if the Xia Family truly wished to marry Xia Xue to him, he would be very willing.
"Well... Fatty from the Wang Family also likes Xia Xue, and I like Xia Xue too. I didn’t expect Fatty Wang to also propose to the Xia Family today!" Qu Haobo answered Qu Yongbo with a slight astonishment.
Before coming, Qu Yongbo didn’t feel the Xia Family had any reason to refuse him, considering not only the family background but also his own son being excellent — handsome, serving as the general manager of a large state-owned enterprise’s Yanjing branch, possessing both talent and looks — and the Qu Family’s background couldn’t be compared to the Xia Family’s small wealthy status.
However, things went differently than he expected; it involved one of Yanjing’s four major families, the Wang Family, a local titan in Yanjing. If the Qu Family wants to develop in Yanjing, the unique Hua Family’s territory, they must draw in the Wang Family, the Chen Family, and the Sun Family. Yet the reality is much harder than Qu Yongbo imagined. In the four years since coming to Yanjing, they haven’t made much progress except getting somewhat acquainted with Wang Zhanting from the Wang Family, sometimes even feeling like his job as deputy secretary is merely symbolic.
To outsiders, Qu Yongbo is currently a deputy secretary and is expected to rise next year during the reshuffling to become the first deputy secretary of the Yanjing Municipal Committee and the number one in Yanjing City Government, promising an unlimited future. However, Qu Yongbo knows that if he wants to stay in Yanjing next year during the reshuffling and smoothly ascend, he cannot do without the support from the Wang Family.
"What exactly is going on?" Qu Yongbo can sit in this position not only due to family connections but also because of undeniable personal ability. Otherwise, even with a wealthy background, one wouldn’t achieve such a position, so he naturally wouldn’t believe this explanation from Qu Haobo.
Qu Haobo dared not reveal the truth to Qu Yongbo. If nothing happens, this was one of the rare moments when he showed some defiance in front of his father and directly responded to his father’s questions: "I just like Xia Xue, nothing else!"
Qu Yongbo furrowed his brows. He was quite indulgent towards his youngest son, Qu Haobo, who seldom troubled him with matters. Now, with Qu Haobo wanting to marry a woman, could a father refuse him? But now, facing the Wang Family, potentially an ally and support, even against the Hua Family, doesn’t make Qu Haobo as intimidated because they definitely wouldn’t be in the same pot with the Hua Family, antagonizing them wouldn’t matter.
Yet, the Wang Family is different. Although the Wang Family and Qu Family are not on the same level, the saying "many hands make light work" applies even if the Qu Family is prominent. Without the support of the people beneath, Yanjing isn’t a place they can withstand.
"I’ll try, but you’d better not hold out any hope!" At this moment, Qu Yongbo had already decided that Haobo’s affection for Xia Xue might not necessarily be a bad move to draw the Qu Family closer to the Wang Family. If handled properly, the cooperative relationship between the Qu Family and the Wang Family in Yanjing might experience significant breakthroughs.
Qu Haobo did not express anything further, yet he understood from his father’s words — hope wasn’t great, in fact, there was no hope at all. Nevertheless, Qu Haobo wasn’t disheartened. Originally, Xia Xue had no good impression of him. After that night’s incident, though Xia Xue didn’t hate him to the core, compared to Fatty Wang, in Xia Xue’s heart, he probably couldn’t compare to Fatty Wang.
Meanwhile, Elder Xia personally rose to meet Wang Zhantian and his wife, Wang Zhanting, and Wang Shumin, escorting them to places of honor in the hall opposite Qu Haobo. The brothers Wang Zhantian and Wang Zhanting naturally knew Qu Yongbo, and upon seeing him present, hesitated slightly but quickly smiled and greeted him one after another.
"Secretary Qu is quite early, arrived before us!" Wang Zhanting casually remarked.
"All for the children’s marriage!" Qu Yongbo smiled lightly.
These words made Qu Haobo pause for a moment; wasn’t his father saying just now that there was no hope? Why now speak of this matter upon first words? Of course, this news was quite thrilling for Qu Haobo; if his father were willing to genuinely step in, this matter wasn’t without a turn.
"Oh, which granddaughter of Elder Xia does Young Master Qu fancy? Coincidentally, our Shumin is also set to marry Xia Xue. It looks like Elder Xia is having triple blessings today!" Wang Zhantian chuckled.
The pursuit of Xia Xue by both Fatty Wang and Qu Haobo naturally wouldn’t reach these adults’ ears. Even if occasionally overheard, it would just be in passing, without much thought.
"I’m not quite informed about the young people’s affairs. However, this morning, Haobo told me he must attend Elder Xia’s birthday banquet and incidentally introduced a bride to take home. I noticed Haobo seemed pretty familiar with one of your greeters from the Xia Family earlier, but the child loves surprises and still refuses to tell me!" Qu Yongbo smiled.
Upon hearing Qu Yongbo also came here to propose, Fatty Wang’s expression, initially unfriendly, became more so. His prior pursuit of Xia Xue alongside Qu Haobo was circulated in Yanjing’s young masters’ circles, but such juvenile matters seldom reach the adults’ ears, especially when competing out of jealousy. Unexpectedly, Qu Haobo truly brought Qu Yongbo over to propose at the Xia Family.
Of course, with the adults’ discussion, based on Fatty Wang’s current status, it wasn’t his turn to speak; at most, he would sit and listen.
Yet as Fatty Wang heard Qu Yongbo’s words, he became even more astonished. Could it be that Qu Haobo is interested in someone other than Xia Xue, another woman from the Xia Family?
Qu Yongbo’s words reached Qu Haobo’s ears, causing slight twitching at the corner of his mouth. He didn’t expect his father to meddle in matchmaking for him. What on earth was happening?
Probably, those aware were just the three brothers who went out to greet the guests earlier. At this moment, Xia Yusheng had gone upstairs to find someone. Listening to Qu Yongbo’s tone just now, it was clearly intending to form an alliance with Xia Yusheng’s family, while Xia Yusheng had only one daughter, but now, avoiding talk of Xia Xue, instead shifting focus to the third brother’s daughter, Xia Siwei. The Xia Family’s three brothers weren’t ordinary individuals, quickly understanding; previously, Qu Yongbo probably didn’t know the Wang Family was also proposing to Xia Xue, but upon knowing, he immediately changed stance; it’s possible he’s aiming for Wangs’ goodwill.
Regardless of Qu Yongbo’s intentions, if Qu Haobo could marry the third brother’s daughter, the Xia Family and Qu Family would also be tied by marriage. For the Xia Family, the benefits are considerable; associating with two major wealthy families in one day truly makes it triple blessings.
Elder Xia, upon hearing this, was naturally delighted. To connect with both the Wang Family and Qu Family simultaneously was a great blessing for the Xia Family. Though the Qu Family hasn’t much influence in Yanjing, at least Qu Yongbo remains the third-ranking figure in Yanjing, saying there’s no power relative to their level of family. For an ordinary lineage like the Xia Family, gaining favor with Qu Yongbo is indeed great news.
"Whichever girl from our Xia Family Haobo fancies, feel free to mention; I’ll take care of it for you!" Elder Xia, in high spirits, looked at Qu Haobo with a smile, his face glowing, being able to form connections with both the Qu Family and Wang Family on the same day, painting a bright future for the Xia Family.
Qu Haobo was somewhat unwilling, yet he couldn’t help but maintain a smile. Qu Yongbo also smiled as he looked at Qu Haobo and asked, "Haobo, can you now tell your father which girl you fancy? Elder Xia has spoken, what are you worried about?"
Everyone watched Qu Haobo eagerly, with cheerful faces, except Fatty Wang, whose look towards Qu Haobo was filled with infinite sympathy, deepening his understanding of Qu Yongbo.