Chapter 447: Family Juniors (3.5k)
“Are these people celebrating the Su family? Could it be that our dad told them about our deeds?”
“Maybe?”
Under the lamplight, Su Jiu and Su Xiaoyu exchanged a look, seeing the helplessness in each other’s eyes. It was likely that their father had recounted their exploits.
“Let’s go, let’s go take a look.”
Su Jiu said softly, then turned her gaze to the smiling crowd weaving past them. However, she could clearly tell that they didn’t recognize them.
She felt a bit curious, though. If it was due to their deeds, they should recognize them by now.
Just as they were about to move forward, a middle-aged man in a suit walked past them, shaking his head. With envy, he said to the person next to him, “The Su family’s eldest son’s children have truly become successful. The elder son, Su Ze, has become a teacher at Imperial Capital University, and the younger daughter, Su Mengmeng, if she follows her elder brother north for further experience, will likely be admitted to Imperial Capital University by recommendation this year… Sigh, when will my son be as accomplished.”
“Those two have climbed to the mother’s lineage, that’s an S-class ice bloodline. How could the old Su family’s A-class be so formidable?”
The person beside him shook his head, sighed with a hint of a smile, and replied, “But it’s truly enviable. The old Su family, including Su Ze, is now a dual Battle King family.”
“Battle King Level, that’s a level where one can establish a sect.”
The middle-aged man in the suit shook his head, his eyes filled with admiration. As if sensing Su Jiu’s gaze, he turned to look at her. He glanced at the ring on Su Jiu’s hand, then at Bai Zhi and the other two. He paused and tentatively asked,
“Miss… is there something I can help you with?”
Su Jiu smiled, pointed to the Su family compound, and said softly, “Nothing, we are all Su family members, back for the New Year. Hearing you all talk, we couldn’t help but come closer to listen.”
“Su family members… then we won’t disturb your pleasant conversation any further.”
The middle-aged man in the suit swallowed, nodded quickly, then grabbed his companion’s arm and smiled a slightly awkward but polite smile.
“Let’s go inside. It’s getting late, and Dad wants us to go eat.”
Watching the middle-aged man in the suit leave, Su Jiu took out her phone to look at the message from Su Xingguo. Linking arms with Bai Zhi, she said softly to Su Xiaoyu beside her, and then led the way into the Su mansion.
The middle-aged man in the suit breathed a sigh of relief after Su Jiu and the others left. His companion joked, “Why are you so nervous? You’re the Deputy Law Enforcement Elder of the Linbai Law Enforcement Hall, yet you act like you’ve seen a Big Shot.”
“You don’t understand the value of that storage ring…”
Glancing at his companion, the middle-aged man in the suit shook his head. Standing in the distance, he looked wistfully at the plaque of the Su mansion. Still shaken, he said,
“Ordinary Battle Kings can’t get this thing. Only peak Battle Kings are qualified to wear it. And that young lady who spoke to us is wearing three of them in different forms. Also, I can’t see the cultivation level of two out of the four of them…”
His companion was slightly stunned, then asked self-deprecatingly, “Could they be the Su family elder’s son and daughter?”
Before he could retract the question, the middle-aged man in the suit gave him a speechless look and sighed, “It’s impossible. Putting aside the storage rings they’re wearing—just by their appearance, although they look young, their demeanor is different from students in academies. They are more like warriors.”
He paused and then added, “If they are truly from the Su family, then in the future, no one in Linbai would dare to provoke the Su family.”
…
Pushing through the congratulating crowd, Su Jiu showed her identification to the security guard. Su Jiu and the others slipped into the ancient building. On the stone path leading to the hall, people were carrying dishes, and the noisy chatter spread, deafening their ears.
“It’s really lively here, worthy of a family with a Battle King… I wonder where Grandpa is.”
Glancing around, Su Jiu smiled and then found Su Xingguo sitting on a stone bench. He was wearing a Zhongshan suit and was still working on some documents.
“Behave yourself later, don’t make a fuss.”
“I’m not a child anymore.”
After instructing Bai Zhi, who responded with an eye-roll, Su Jiu walked towards Su Xingguo with her. Taking a couple of steps forward, she patted his shoulder with a smile and said softly,
“Old man, we’re back.”
Hearing Su Jiu’s voice, Su Xingguo was slightly stunned. He then looked up at the four of them, his gaze sweeping over Su Xiaoyu and finally resting on Bai Zhi. With a smile, he asked, “And who is this…”
He had met Liu Lin, but this was his first time meeting Bai Zhi. However, with what Su Jiu had said earlier, he understood that she was his other daughter-in-law.
Su Jiu glanced at Bai Zhi, about to figure out how to explain, when Bai Zhi revealed a gentle smile. She smiled, linked her arm with Su Jiu’s, and said softly, “Uncle, I am Xiao Jiu’s lover. We’ve been together for some time… It’s the New Year, so Xiao Jiu asked me to come meet you and wish you a Happy New Year in advance.”
Having been a young lady from a scholarly family in her first life, Bai Zhi had the proper etiquette and demeanor.
Although he had some expectations, Su Xingguo still felt a bit strange after Bai Zhi spoke and didn’t know what to say next. He could only force a smile and nod.
Remembering something, he took out two red envelopes he had prepared earlier. He stood up slightly and handed one to Bai Zhi, then asked Su Xiaoyu to pass one to Liu Lin. He smiled and said, “Uncle doesn’t have any gifts for you, but these are some tokens of my appreciation. I’ll have to trouble you both to take good care of these two mischievous ones for your uncle in the future.”
“Thank you, Uncle—Uncle, I also have something for you.”
Bai Zhi took the red envelope, smiled crisply, and bowed her head. Then, she took out a black windbreaker combat suit in a square box from her ring and handed it over.
“This combat suit is a Half-King Level men’s combat suit. Xiao Bai, when did you get this?”
Looking at Bai Zhi’s actions, Su Jiu was a bit surprised. She didn’t know when this girl had prepared the gift. Seeing the small spider logo in the bottom left corner of the box, she knew it must have been Merlin’s doing.
She didn’t expect the little fool to be so thoughtful.
“This Half-King level item… Old man, I can’t possibly wear something so good.”
Su Xingguo, who had thought it was ordinary clothing, trembled when he heard it was a Half-King Level Alchemical Item and immediately tried to refuse it.
“You talk too much.”
Bai Zhi glared at Su Jiu, let out a soft hmph, and under Su Jiu’s awkward smile, she turned to Su Xingguo and said with a smile, “Uncle, this is just a small token of appreciation from your junior. It was made at a low price with the help of a friend, so please don’t mind it too much.”
Su Jiu also nodded and smiled at Su Xingguo, saying, “This was indeed made by Xiao Bai’s friend. Old man, you should accept it.”
“Then Uncle will accept it shamelessly. If Xiao Jiu bullies you in the future, tell Uncle, and Uncle will stand up for you.”
Hearing this, Su Xingguo showed a helpless expression. He looked at Su Jiu again, and upon seeing her nod, he finally put it into his storage bag. The slight reservation in his heart dissipated.
After all, who doesn’t like well-behaved and filial grandchildren?
Hearing this, Su Jiu was speechless. How could she bully this little flower fairy? Every time, it was this little flower fairy who acted up, mocking her and being physically affectionate.
Hearing Su Xingguo’s words, Bai Zhi secretly glanced at Su Jiu. Perhaps it was a woman’s nature, she flushed, pinched Su Jiu’s lower back, and muttered to herself:
“Bully me? I wish… this dense blockhead is so oblivious.”
Hehehe… Following her thoughts, the strength in her hands increased.
Feeling the sensation on her waist, Su Jiu’s eyes twitched slightly. She turned her head to look and saw a small hand “spinning a top” on the soft flesh of her lower back. Her face immediately darkened, and she was about to reach out to remove it.
This little fool is acting up again…
“Third brother, are these your son and daughter? They’ve really grown up fast, I almost don’t recognize them.”
Suddenly, a slightly deep voice rang out. Everyone looked over and saw a face that resembled Su Xingguo’s, but older. He wore a black tailcoat, stood straight, and had a faint smile of a superior on his face.
Behind him followed a girl with a ponytail and a black combat suit. Her face held an arrogance unburdened by societal experience, and her gaze even swept over Su Jiu and the others with disdain.
“Hello, Uncle.”
Su Jiu didn’t have many memories of this uncle and cousin. She only recalled the comments passersby had made about his son and daughter.
Su Jiu’s uncle was named Su Xinglie, and he was the current Family Head of the Su mansion. Hearing Su Jiu and Su Xiaoyu’s greetings, he nodded lightly, ignored Bai Zhi and Liu Lin, scanned Su Jiu and Su Xiaoyu, and let out a hearty laugh, asking, “You two siblings should be in university by now, right?”
Before Su Jiu could answer, the girl with the ponytail dressed in black and white combat attire beside him slowly stepped forward and looked at Su Jiu and Su Xiaoyu with feigned “concern,” smiling and asking, “Did you get into undergraduate programs? Don’t go to vocational colleges, they’re useless afterwards.”
Knowing this was her cousin who was about to be recommended, Su Jiu and Su Xiaoyu exchanged a look. Neither the brother nor the sister spoke.
They turned their gaze to Su Xingguo, waiting for him to speak. He looked at Su Xinglie, smiled, and said without reservation,
“As for Xiao Jiu, she was admitted to Magical Capital University last year, so she’s academically successful. As for Xiao Yu, she didn’t participate in the Gaokao and entered society early instead.”
Upon hearing Su Xingguo’s words, not only did Su Mengmeng, the single-ponytail girl, slightly stun, but even Su Xinglie paused and sized up Su Jiu, as if re-acquainting himself with the girl who didn’t have good grades. After a long while, he turned to Su Xingguo and smiled, “Not bad. It must have cost you a lot of money to get into Magical Capital University, right? I heard third brother, you’re the mayor of a small county like Huayang. I didn’t expect you to be so rich.”
“It’s nothing… it’s all the children’s own efforts. As a father, I haven’t helped at all—but brother, your two children have become successful, both admitted to Peking University, and one even reached Battle King Level.”
Hearing this, Su Xingguo could only wave his hands dismissively. He knew his elder brother liked to show off and be competitive. Being an honest person, he didn’t bother to argue, and more importantly, Su Jiu and Su Xiaoyu’s identities could not be easily revealed.
“A Ze is already over thirty. If he doesn’t become a Battle King, he’d be wasting his mother’s talent.”
Hearing the former’s words, Su Xinglie smiled, feeling very pleased. Finally, he looked at Su Xiaoyu, who had been playing with her phone with her head down, frowned slightly, and said with a hint of instruction, “Xiao Yu, Uncle knows your talent isn’t great, but if you don’t go to university and don’t study systematically, people will look down on you in the future, and you won’t find a job…”
“Mhm…”
Su Xiaoyu glanced at Su Xingguo and received a look telling her not to talk back. He twitched his lips and nodded. He really wanted to say that he could already fight evenly with weaker Initial Stage Battle Kings and didn’t care about finding a job.
As Su Xinglie continued to lecture, Su Mengmeng beside him first gave Su Xiaoyu a dismissive glance, then turned her attention to Su Jiu. After thinking for a moment, she spoke,
“Sister Su Jiu, since you’re also at Magical Capital University, could you guide me… I’m only a mid-stage Battle General, so I might really be inferior to you college students.”
