The entire banquet hall, which had just seen Song Laoshi, appearing serious and venerable, suddenly transform into an elderly mischievous man with shining eyes, couldn’t help but widen their eyes a bit.
Who was Song Laoshi? He was a war hero from the resistance against the Japanese invasion, a founding hero of the Huaxia nation. Even though he had retired, he still held a significant position in the upper echelons. Such a prominent figure naturally had a large temperament, and he was known for being especially eccentric. Among the few living old folks in the central leadership, Song Laoshi was the most difficult to deal with, without a doubt.
Not to mention trying to please him; even the family members of the Song family, apart from his equally peculiar and strong-willed eldest grandson, Song Mochen, didn’t receive much recognition from him.
Take the Song family juniors who had just spent considerable effort presenting gifts and offering good wishes for his birthday – from beginning to end, Song Laoshi didn’t show any favorable expression. He sat solemnly as if today were not his birthday celebration but a day of judging criminals, maintaining an iron-faced appearance.
Yet now, an unfamiliar and abrupt teenager disrupted Song Laoshi’s usual demeanor, immediately causing him to soften his expression, turning into an amiable and affectionate elder. People couldn’t help but wonder who this young person was to make the usually unmanageable Song Laoshi break character so effortlessly.
Everyone was astonished.
Yan Guoan, Yang Cailian, and Yan Junfeng, who had come along, had witnessed Song Laoshi’s attitude during their hospital visits and were relatively composed. However, Yan Ershu, who had come with them, couldn’t stop his fingers from trembling, showing an inexplicable excitement. It was unclear what he was thinking.
Su Jingxuan ignored the reactions of the people around him. After running to the front of the crowd, he opened the wooden box in his hands and presented a congratulatory gift to the old man.
“Happy birthday, Song Laoshi! I arrived late, so, of course, I prepared a gift for you. Do you like this birthday present?”
As he opened the wooden box, it revealed a pair of finely carved chess pieces made of golden-threaded nanmu wood. This was meticulously crafted according to Song Laoshi’s preferences, and Su Jingxuan had spent some effort on it.
Golden-threaded nanmu wood was precious, but it might not be considered a rare item for the Song family. However, the intricately carved chess set, handmade with skill, was enough to impress the old man.
Su Jingxuan didn’t claim to be proficient in everything, but after living for so long, his soul had learned many skills. The accumulation of time had allowed an ordinary person without innate talents to become a master in various fields.
An old man like Song Laoshi typically enjoyed these traditional crafts. His keen eyes and discerning ability meant he could easily distinguish the quality and craftsmanship of an item with just a few glances.
Upon seeing the box he handed over, the old man instantly perked up. He pulled him directly in front and then picked up a chess piece to examine, showing a pleased expression.
“Good lad, you really understand the old man. Tsk tsk, the carvings are excellent. Not a waste of such good wood. It’s no worse than the things the old man collects. Looks like it’s newly made. Kid, where did you find such a skilled master? Tell me quickly; I happen to have a piece of wood and can’t find a good carver.”
Old Mr. Song was very satisfied with this birthday gift.
The gifts sent by the younger generation earlier included precious carvings, calligraphy, and other items, but given the wealth of the Song family, their collection was extensive, and few items caught his eye.
Some of the gifts were merely gestures, and their taste was limited. It was challenging to impress him, especially with items whose prices were inflated outside, looking valuable but actually not worth much, unable to move him at all.
There were even some clever juniors who sent what they considered impressive foreign high-tech gadgets.
Such things were rarely appreciated by the elderly, especially by someone like Old Mr. Song, who had peculiar tastes and a deep love for traditional Chinese culture. Trying to impress him with foreign gadgets almost made him lose his temper. His face remained dark for a long time.
Now, what Su Jingxuan brought was not necessarily a priceless treasure, but it suited his taste. The craftsmanship was not inferior to his collection, and, most importantly, it was newly made. This indicated the presence of an exceptionally skilled master, a rarity in modern society.
“Quickly tell me, which master’s new work is this? You must have some skill to persuade them to specially make this chess set for an old man like me.”
Old Mr. Song liked the chess set more and more as he looked at it. Masters with exquisite craftsmanship often had peculiar temperaments, making it difficult to commission custom-made items. He loved this chess set, and the kid knew him well.
Hearing his words, Su Jingxuan squinted his eyes, pointed directly at his own face without any modesty, and smiled brightly, “Me.”
“You?” Old Mr. Song widened his eyes in disbelief. How could such a young kid produce something of this quality? He was a genius beyond description.
“Yes, absolutely authentic,” the youth said confidently with a bright and self-assured smile, displaying his white teeth.
People naturally categorized him as someone with exceptional composure and either boasting without blinking an eye or possessing absolute competence.
The guests naturally placed him in the former category.
However, Old Mr. Song, having spent two months in the hospital with him, knew his character well. Even if he was surprised, he knew the kid wouldn’t lie or try to please him in this situation.
So, the chess set was indeed made by the kid. Old Mr. Song’s serious expression turned into a hearty laugh, indicating his immense joy and happiness.
In just a couple of sentences and a seemingly inconspicuous finely carved chess set, Su Jingxuan managed to win Old Mr. Song’s favor.
The guests regretted not thinking of this approach earlier. Old Mr. Song’s fondness for such items was well-known to all.
The Song family members, however, felt a sour taste in their hearts. They had put in a lot of effort, but none of them could bring a smile to the old man’s face. Some even received harsh criticisms for being spoiled, forgetting their roots, and admiring foreign things. Now, the old man was showing such affability to an outsider, and the Song family couldn’t help but feel envious.
But what shocked everyone even more was Song Mochen’s attitude.
After presenting the birthday gift to Old Mr. Song, Su Jingxuan couldn’t wait and ran to Song Mochen, grabbing his hand. With a nearly greedy gaze, he looked at the other’s face, expressing joy and yearning, “Big Brother Song.”
If his self-control weren’t strong enough, he would have wanted to rush over and tightly embrace his lover, breathing in the familiar scent of his body.
Surprisingly, Song Mochen didn’t push him away. Instead, he reached out and pulled his shoulder, bringing him in front. He touched the soft hair and a smile appeared on his usually cold and hard face.
Seeing the unreserved joy and longing in the eyes of the person in his arms made him very pleased.
Old Mr. Song’s special treatment of his grandson had become a habit, but the Song family members who were envious and jealous couldn’t help but rub their eyes.
Was this the same Song Mochen they knew, emitting an aura of ‘stay away from strangers,’ ruthless methods, and coldness that was almost unbearable?
In a short period, the emotions in the banquet hall were like turbulent waves.
Old Mr. Song’s approval was undoubtedly important, but Song Mochen’s attitude was the decisive factor. Although he had not formally become the head of the Song family, all the power of the entire Song family was in his hands.
At this moment, the Song family listened to Song Mochen. His words and attitude were more influential than Old Mr. Song’s.
“Wishing Mr. Song a happy birthday, longevity, and good health. Mr. Song.”
Uncle Yan was a smart person who knew how to seize an opportunity. He immediately took the chance to push Uncle Yan Guo’an forward to show their faces, greeting both Old Mr. Song and Song Mochen.
He really didn’t expect his big brother’s tag-along to be so powerful. Not only did he please Old Mr. Song, but he also managed to get close to Song Mochen. They didn’t need these two to have a particularly good attitude; as long as they could exchange a few words, today’s banquet would not have been in vain.
Old Mr. Song did not know Uncle Yan, and no matter how well he hid it, his expression could not escape Old Mr. Song’s discerning eyes. Having seen people for half a lifetime, he was very clear about it.
On the other hand, Uncle Yan Guo’an and Yang Cailian had been seen in the hospital. The impression was good, and they directly ignored Uncle Yan, smiling and nodding towards Yan Guo’an and his wife.
The honor given to the couple made them pleasantly surprised and nervous. The Song family was a colossal figure they couldn’t afford to offend.
So, after the greetings, Yang Cailian quickly pulled Su Jingxuan back, saying, “Xiaochen, come over quickly. Mr. Song is busy today.”
Although Old Mr. Song and Song Mochen had a special attitude towards their son, as the host of the banquet, Song Mochen had been accompanying his son. She was afraid that her son might offend someone unintentionally.
Su Jingxuan could hear, and it seemed like he wanted to turn around, but his movements were extremely slow. Seizing the opportunity, he quickly blinked at Song Mochen, with an expression of reluctance and a clear desire to stay.
Seeing his expression, a hint of a smile flashed in Song Mochen’s deep eyes.
Once again, he reached out and pulled Su Jingxuan’s shoulder, speaking with an unignorable tone and attitude.
“I have something to discuss with Xiaochen. Uncle Yan and Aunt Yan, please excuse yourselves.”
After saying this, Song Mochen looked at Old Mr. Song, nodded, and then directly left with Su Jingxuan.
Uncle Yan Guo’an and his wife didn’t even have a chance to object or try to keep them. The Song family members didn’t dare express any dissatisfaction with Song Mochen’s departure. Old Mr. Song, well aware of his grandson’s decisive personality, couldn’t be bothered with any protests.
Yan Junfeng stared at the departing figures of Song Mochen and Su Jingxuan, feeling his heart sink slowly.
Once everyone reacted and continued with the socializing at the banquet, many people gathered around Yan Guo’an and his wife. Yan Junfeng quietly withdrew and followed in the direction Song Mochen had left.
Uncle Yan, who felt neglected, glanced at his elder brother with a gloomy expression. Seeing Yan Junfeng leaving, his eyes flickered, and he discreetly followed suit.
On the other hand, Su Jingxuan had temporarily set aside his mission.
Once away from the crowd and in the rest area, he unreservedly straddled Song Mochen’s lap, embracing him intimately. He rested his head against his lover’s shoulder, breathing in deeply the familiar scent of his partner.
Outside the room.
Yan Junfeng, through the loosely closed door, saw this scene. Considering the contents of the text message he received earlier and the behavior at the youth banquet, his chest felt as if struck by thunder. His fingers clenched against the wall for support.
Uncle Yan, who had quietly followed, saw the situation through the door crack and widened his eyes. His heart raced intensely.
