Chapter 9: Nie Teng

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n“Lingxue, you’re not spending your birthday at home with your parents this year?” Su Yi asked casually on their way to the Immortal Gathering House.

n“I’m sixteen years already. It’s?my?birthday, so it’s up to me to decide how I spend it.” The girl beside him blinked her beautiful eyes, then smiled. “But later tonight, I’ll celebrate with Mom and Dad.”

nShe paused, then continued, “Besides, my grandmother is turning eighty the day after tomorrow. That’s a major birthday; my parents are busy preparing alongside the rest of the family. They have no time to worry about me.”

nSu Yi’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he nodded.

nWen Lingxue’s grandmother was the Wen Family’s matriarch, Liang Wenbi. She occupied a transcendent position within the family; even Family Head Wen Changjing didn’t dare go against her wishes.

nShe was about to turn eighty; the Wen Family naturally dared not be negligent.

n“Hurry up, Brother-in-law. It’s almost noon!” It was clear Wen Lingxue could barely wait.

n“Alright.” Su Yi smiled as he caught up to her. At the end of the day, his little sister-in-law had only just turned sixteen, an age like a poem or painting, brimming with youthful vitality.

nThe Immortal Gathering House.

nGuangling City’s largest-scale, highest-level restaurant, considered the top establishment in town.

nThose who dined here were either rich or of noble birth.

nA common joke went that a single glass of wine at the Immortal Gathering House was comparable to ten years of a poor family’s income!

nThis was no mere exaggeration.

nWhen Su Yi and Wen Lingxue arrived, the attendants warmly guided them to a private room on the third floor. The decor was old-fashioned and the air smelled of incense. ．

nSeven or eight people were seated inside already. Aside from one lone young man, all of them were girls roughly fifteen years of age.

nWhen Wen Lingxue arrived, she immediately received a warm welcome.

n“Lingxue, you look stunning today! This is the gift I prepared for you. I hope you’ll pass the test to cultivate at Blueriver Sword Manor soon!”

n“Hee hee, if our classmates found out today was Pinecloud Sword Manor’s number-one beauty’s birthday, I’m afraid they’d stand in line just to deliver presents!”

n…..The girls gave her the presents they’d prepared, chattering away as they did so. Their demeanor was both proper and zealous.

nSu Yi’s gaze swept across the guests. One glance, and he could determine an awful lot.

nThese classmates of Wen Lingxue’s were all dressed to the nines, everything carefully chosen. It was obvious that they all had exceptional backgrounds and that they came from prominent families.

nSome were lively and generous, some were gentle and reserved, while others were valiant and noble…. In terms of both appearance and bearing, all of them were extraordinary.

nHowever, presumably because Wen Lingxue was simply too well-dressed and too dazzlingly beautiful, when her classmates compared themselves to her, they all felt varying degrees of barely discernible envy.

nThey hid their jealousy well, but they couldn’t escape Su Yi’s keen eyes.

nHe couldn’t help but find it funny.?Girls’ friendships might seem close-knit, but in truth, all of them have a hidden agenda. Fortunately, it’s all innocuous.

n“Nie Teng, what are you doing here?” Wen Lingxue suddenly noticed the only boy among her guests. Her brows scrunched up, and her expression became noticeably colder.

nThe vibrant atmosphere suddenly grew somewhat stifled.

nThe youth in question wore robes decorated with jade. His eyes were bright, his eyebrows dashing, and his bearing noble.

nThe young man smiled, then stepped forward to greet her. “Lingxue, it’s your birthday. Here’s a little something I prepared for you. Please accept it.”

nHe held a box inlaid with gold and jade in both hands. He gingerly opened it, revealing a pale purple jade hairpin for all to see.

nSomeone had expertly carved it into a Luan about to take flight. It was so exquisitely detailed, it looked alive. It was obvious at a glance that this was the work of a master artisan.

n“The ‘Purple Luan Fluttering its Wings’ Hairpin! It’s Master Artisan Mo’s proudest work, and he’s one of the best craftsmen in the prefecture! They say it’s made of a natural Cold Purple Spirit Jade. The materials alone are worth three hundred gold!

n“But after passing through Master Artisan Mo’s divine hands, it’s likely worth thousands!” One of the girls, whose make-up was particularly exquisite, lit up. She’d determined the hairpin’s origins at a glance.

n“This…. Isn’t that a bit?too?precious?”

nThese girls all had illustrious backgrounds, but they couldn’t help but click their tongues. Nie Teng’s lavish spending left them shocked.

nNie Teng was quite satisfied with this result. A faint smile spread across his face, and he asked gently, “Lingxue, do you like it? I prepared it specifically for you.”

nWhen they heard this, the other girls’ expressions shifted; they couldn’t help but envy Wen Lingxue.

nNie Teng.

nHe was the son of the commander of the City Lord’s Old Guard. His talent was outstanding, his bearing handsome and noble.

nHe was just sixteen years old, but he was already the man of the hour at Pinecloud Sword Manor. Who knew how many girls admired him?

nA talented, handsome youth like him had just spent a thousand gold to purchase a jade hairpin as an expression of his admiration. This was an enormous honor for any girl.

nWho didn’t hope for things like this to happen to them?

nYet?Wen?Lingxue’s brow only furrowed even deeper, and her expression turned even frostier. “This gift is too precious for me to accept. You should keep it.”

nNie Teng’s smile froze, replaced by a hint of distress.

nHowever, before he could respond, Wen Lingxue called for everyone to take their seats. She even specifically requested that Su Yi sit beside her.

nFrom beginning to end, she left Nie Teng completely hanging.

nHowever, when they saw Nie Teng’s predicament, some of the girls couldn’t help themselves. They spoke up, one after another, and warmly invited him to sit down.

nNie Teng quickly got his emotions under control and sat down with a smile, as if he’d already completely forgotten about his earlier awkwardness.

nHowever, whenever his gaze landed on Su Yi, he felt an inexplicable discomfort.

nTo tell the truth, it wasn’t just Nie Teng. The girls were all baffled too.?Why did Wen Lingxue invite Su Yi of all people?

nOut of respect for her, they tacitly agreed not to say anything. Still, none of them took the initiative to greet Su Yi, much less to exchange pleasantries.

nIf not for Wen Lingxue, they would never have consented to sit at the same table as him. Who wanted to get acquainted with the live-in son-in-law everyone laughed at?

nThus, even though Su Yi was seated right there, it was as if he were invisible. They were ignoring him completely.

n“Brother-in-law, they might ignore you, but I won’t. Whatever you do, don’t get upset.” While the others weren’t paying attention, Wen Lingxue whispered in Su Yi’s ear.

nHer breath was like the touch of an orchid, and her eyes were bright and lustrous. Her little face was fraught with concern as she tried to comfort him.

nSu Yi didn’t quite know what to say.

nHe had the mental fortitude of two lives. Why would he care about something like this?

nBefore long, a group of beautiful maidservants walked into the room carrying a sumptuous array of dishes. All of them were rarely seen delicacies.

nWen Lingxue tilted her head in confusion. “I didn’t order that much food!”

nNie Teng seemed to perk up, and he said heartily, “Lingxue, today is your birthday. How could we let you spend money on us? Our day at the Immortal Gathering House is entirely on me.”

nHis gaze swept across the other girls, and he put on a lofty air. “Everyone, please eat and drink to your heart’s content. Enjoying yourself is the best way to congratulate Lingxue.”

nThe girls laughed delightedly. Although their backgrounds were exceptional, they couldn’t just dine at a money-pit like the Immortal Gathering House all willy-nilly.

nWen Lingxue, however, was not impressed. She said coldly, “How much did this cost? I’ll reimburse you later on.”

nNie Teng laughed. “Lingxue, don’t be so distant. It’s just one meal. If you really pay me back, when I next return to Pinecloud Sword Manor, the other guys will curse me to death.”

nQuite a few of the girls laughed and chimed in their agreement, urging Wen Lingxue not to worry about it.

nWen Lingxue hesitated, but in the end, she decided not to say anything more.

nShe did, however, whisper in Su Yi’s ear, “This guy is always like this. At Pinecloud Sword Manor, he loves nothing more than showing off. There’s nothing more irritating than vain guys like him!

n“Also, I never even invited him to the Immortal Gathering House; he showed up of his own accord. His skin sure is thick!”

nSu Yi laughed. Vanity was a common affliction among youths, and it wasn’t such a terrible vice.

nSuddenly, Nie Teng glanced over.

nHe hadn’t heard what Wen Lingxue said to Su Yi. He could, however, see her pink lips in the intimate act of whispering into Su Yi’s ears!

nHis smile froze, and he could no longer suppress the flames of his jealousy. He even felt the urge to get up, wallop Su Yi, and send him packing.

nNie Teng forced down his envy and feigned relaxed, casual curiosity. “Su Yi, you’re Lingxue’s brother-in-law, and this is her birthday party. I wonder what present you got for her?”

nA faint, almost indiscernible hint of a smile tugged at Su Yi’s lips.

nWhat kind of person was he? He could tell at a glance that this kid resented him and was trying to cause trouble!

nAs expected, the others all looked over, all of them with different expressions. They could roughly guess that Nie Teng was interested in comparing gifts.

nOr perhaps, he was just seizing this opportunity to embarrass Su Yi.

nNow that they thought about it, what right did a live-in son-in-law have to sit at the same table as them?

nHe was humiliating himself and he didn’t even know it!

nThis Nie Teng is really detestable!?Wen Lingxue was starting to get angry. She’d long since realized that Su Yi had forgotten about her birthday. How could he possibly have prepared a present?

nYet Nie Teng just?had?to bring it up!

n“I almost forgot about Lingxue’s birthday, which is why I didn’t have time to prepare a present. However, I’ll make it up to her later today, after we return home.” As Su Yi spoke, he looked at Wen Lingxue.

nThat was because his words were aimed at her; he didn’t care a whit what the others thought of him.

nWen Lingxue was briefly dazed. She pursed her pink lips, but inwardly, there were no words to describe her delight.?Brother-in-law, he…. He cares about my birthday after all! Mm, that’s right. He’s just been busy lately, so he inadvertently overlooked it, that’s all.

nAs she thought this, her eyes lit up, and a smile gradually spread across her face.

n“So, you didn’t bring a present….” Nie Teng had finally found an opportunity to vent his bellyful of jealousy, and he couldn’t resist poking fun. “Lingxue’s been?so good to a mere live-in brother-in-law like you for nothing. Look at you! I wouldn’t have guessed you’d forget even her birthday!”

nThe girls in attendance couldn’t help but shake their heads.?You can’t rely on a wall built in the mud. This Su Yi sure is inept!

nBut now that I think about it, he’s the Wen?Family’s?live-in son-in-law, a man who lives by mooching off a woman. What kind of gift?could?a guy like that even give?

nWhatever it is, it’s sure to pale in comparison to Senior Apprentice Brother Nie Teng’s ‘Jade Purple Luan Hairpin’!

nI really don’t get why?Wen?Lingxue cares so much about a live-in brother-in-law like him….

nMany of the girls found it hard to understand, and in their hearts, they felt renewed disdain for Su Yi.

nNie Teng saw all of this, and he finally relaxed. But just as he was considering whether or not to strike while the iron was hot and give Su Yi a few more good kicks….

nBang!

nSomeone shoved open the private dining room’s tightly-shut door.

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Chapter end