Chapter 34: The Banquet (II)

As soon as Grandma Ji appeared, the entire venue fell silent.

Su Nianmei once again became the centre of attention.

“Me?” Su Nianmei pointed at herself.

“Jiao’er, Jiao’er, you have finally returned,” Grandma Ji said, breaking free from Ji Yun and quickly stepping forward to embrace Su Nianmei.

At 80 years old, the woman moved with surprising speed.

Su Nianmei had initially intended to push Grandma Ji away, but when she saw the old woman’s eyes, her heart softened. The sight reminded her of her own grandmother.

The young girl gently raised her hands and returned the embrace.

Gao Qiusheng watched the scene with a click of his tongue. His beloved little bun had stiffened at first, unfamiliar with the old woman.

However, in order to comfort her, she still embraced her back, which was truly touching. What a kind and lovely child!

Gu Xiaobao peeked out from behind Su Nianmei and looked at Huo Chengchuan, asking, “What’s wrong with Mom?”

Huo Chengchuan shook his head, indicating that he didn’t know either.

Zhong Qian tugged at Su Nianmei and spoke to the old lady, saying, “Grandma Ji, you’ve misjudged her. This person’s surname is Su, and her name is Nianmei. She is just a wild girl from the countryside, not my Sister Jiao.”

Grandma Ji looked at the person who spoke. She had never liked Zhong Qian’s loud demeanor, and now the girl dared to talk about her precious one in front of her.

She narrowed her eyes slightly.

Raising her hand, she took her cane and pulled Su Nianmei’s hand, leading her into the house while seemingly casually waving it twice.

“PA! PA!”

The cane struck Zhong Qian’s calves.

The old lady then switched to speaking in dialect and said, “So what if she’s from the countryside? Wasn’t our Ji family also from the countryside back in the day? Do country folks eat your city-dwellers rice?”

Xin Qing sighed: “You really are a family, huh?”

The young girl, who loved beauty, wore a knee-length skirt that exposed her fair calves. Before long, two swollen marks appeared on her legs. Despite her anger, Zhong Qian had to endure and keep her composure.

The Ji family always acted according to their whims. They spoiled Grandma Ji, and for the sake of Su Nianmei, she wasn’t willing to confront the old lady. It wasn’t worth the trouble.

Zhong Qian watched as the crowd followed the old lady into the inner room.

Zhong Yi walked last, one hand in his pocket. As he passed by, he deliberately glanced at his younger sister.

Zhong Qian shot him a fierce glare in return.

She looked utterly dishevelled.

Grandma Ji insisted on pulling Su Nianmei to take the main seat in the inner hall. Su Nianmei waved her hands, trying to explain to the old lady that she was not Ji Jiao.

Grandma Ji held onto Su Nianmei’s hand, feeling a pang of sorrow. Her poor child had been away for years, and upon returning, she didn’t even recognize her own mother.

What had the child endured out there?

Grandma Ji immediately picked up her chopsticks and served several pieces of meat to her precious child, gently stroking her hair as she said, “Jiao’er, eat well. You’ve lost so much weight over the years while you were away.”

Xin Qing sat at a table outside, watching Su Nianmei being doted on, and remarked, “I wonder what Sister Su prepared as a gift for Grandma Ji’s eightieth birthday?”

Her voice was loud, emphasizing the words “Su” and “gift.”

Gu Xiaobao, hearing the word “gift,” wiggled his short legs, slid off the bench, and dashed over to Su Nianmei with a bag in hand.

His eyes sparkled with delight as he presented the box to Grandma Ji.

First, he called out to Su Nianmei, “Mom,” before handing the gift to Grandma Ji. “Here Grandma~”

After years of facing great storms without losing her composure, Grandma Ji’s hand trembled at the sound of “Mom.” When she heard the little bun softly call her “Grandma” in a sweet voice, her hand shook even more as she accepted the box.

What a wonderful day it was!

Not only had her daughter, who had been away from home for years, returned, but she also brought along a little grandson.

Truly, the heavens had eyes!

Gu Xiaobao had been enjoying good meals lately, and his nutrition had improved. His once frail body was growing rapidly, though not in height; he was slightly developing sideways instead.

Gu Xichao often told the little guy to lose weight, but Su Nianmei defended him, saying he was still in his growing phase.

Her expression suddenly changed as Grandma Ji cradled her precious grandson in her arms.

This grandson of hers… was a bit heavier than she had imagined.

Just a little… but still a little.

After a long period of inactivity, Grandma Ji found her legs aching under the weight of Gu Xiaobao, yet her face beamed with a smile.

While watching Grandma Ji’s reaction, Gu Xiaobao began to unwrap the gift box.

In Chinese culture, there’s a custom to open gifts only after guests leave, but Grandma Ji paid no mind, allowing her dear grandson to tear open the box.

A stir rippled through the crowd as soon as the box was opened. Everyone was glued to Grandma Ji’s table, eager to see what the girl who had taken the spotlight that day had sent as a gift.

They wished their parents had given them an extra pair of eyes.

Those with sharp eyes caught a glimpse of what lay inside the box—a ginseng root.

Ginseng was tricky; some were worth a fortune, while others were fakes made from radishes. In this situation, most leaned toward the former.

Zhong Qian looked at the ginseng that Su Nianmei had sent and, with a forced smile, remarked, “At first glance, this ginseng looks like a second-rate product. Who dares to bring such a disgrace before the old lady?”

As soon as she spoke, the atmosphere became tense, and one could almost hear the collective gasps around the room.

Huo Guangchuan squinted at the silly girl, wondering if her parents had neglected to give her a brain when they gave birth to her.

Zhong Yi chuckled as he watched her jump into the fire pit.

Gu Xiaobao turned to Grandma Ji and said, “Grandma, today is your birthday. Xiaobao and Mom wish you blessings as vast as the East Sea and longevity that rivals the South Mountain. This gift may be light, but my mom taught me, ‘A goose feather sent from a thousand miles away carries deep affection.’ You must cherish this gift; it comes from our hearts.”

Zhong Qian, undeterred, continued, “That won’t do, Grandma Ji. Remember, illness comes from what we consume. Just looking at the quality of this ginseng, it’s clearly subpar. What if you eat something like this and end up with some unfortunate consequences?”

The crowd collectively gasped. The Zhong family had a long history with medicinal herbs, so surely the younger generation had learned a thing or two about identifying quality medicine.

People’s sentiments began to waver slightly.

Huo Chengchuan nodded, further convinced that this girl’s parents had been biased, neglecting to give her a brain.

Ji Yun tried to smooth things over, saying, “Sister Su’s gift is safe for you to consume, Grandma.”

Look at that!

On the surface, it sounded reassuring, but the underlying message was that the ginseng wasn’t of good quality, subtly implying that Su Nianmei’s gift was inadequate.

In a corner of the banquet hall sat someone who smirked. His little girl could still be bullied?

“I believe this ginseng is not only genuine but also of the highest quality!”

The crowd inhaled sharply; someone was actually challenging the Zhong family.

But how could someone who was nearly half a hall away ascertain what the ginseng looked like and boldly declare it was top-notch?

The person leisurely walked out from the corner.

Gu Xiaobao’s eyes brightened upon seeing him.

The man winked at Su Nianmei.

The boy continued, “Experts enjoy the spectacle while novices seek the subtleties. Identifying ginseng is a profound art; the highest identification methods do not rely solely on sight. Observing its appearance is one thing, but discerning its quality by scent is the true path.”

“The ginseng had no initial scent as soon as this box was opened.” The young man picked up the ginseng and brought it close to his nose, inhaling deeply. “There’s a subtle fragrance present.”

He then held the box out for those around him to smell.

“Everyone, take a whiff. Can you detect a scent that embodies the essence of all things? The fragrance of plants and trees, subtly drifting in the air.”

Gradually, some people began to recognize the boy’s identity at the banquet.

Wasn’t he the recently acknowledged young master of the Qin family? The Qin family had built their reputation on traditional Chinese medicine, so they should be reliable in distinguishing authenticity.

The crowd’s opinions began to sway further.

“Mr. Gao Qiusheng, what do you think?” Qin Huai asked with a smile.

Suddenly called upon, Gao Qiusheng felt a rush of excitement; it was finally his moment to shine. Today, his two clever little buns were present, and he wasn’t about to side with anyone but them.

He straightened slightly in his seat, frowned in thought for a moment, and then spoke, “According to ancient texts, this method of identifying quality by scent is indeed rare, but it is undoubtedly reliable.”

Zhong Qian thought to herself, “…I can’t believe I’m falling for this!”

Initially, when the young man from the Qin family declared the ginseng to be good, many remained sceptical. But now that even the esteemed Gao Qiusheng was affirming its authenticity, it had to be true.

Who was Gao Qiusheng, after all? He had been invited to be a professor at the capital university before he turned twenty, possessing vast knowledge across various fields, yet he had a peculiar personality. With dreams of nurturing talent, he abandoned the university to immerse himself in basic education in the country—a widely admired choice at the time.

What he said had to be correct!

The way people looked at Su Nianmei changed slightly.

Su Nianmei blinked at her ordinary ginseng, feeling a mix of amusement and exasperation.

As the banquet neared its halfway point, Ji Wenzhong, the second son of the Ji family, finally arrived. In his fifties, he exuded an air of refinement.

Everyone felt a sense of amusement, realizing that a discerning eye had finally arrived at the Ji family, and there would be a good show to watch.

Most of the people present knew well who Ji Jiao was—the beloved little darling of Grandma Ji, whom she held so dearly that she feared she would break her. Unfortunately, Ji Jiao had met her untimely death at the age of eighteen due to a plague. Grandma Ji had never accepted this reality, and over time, it had turned into a mental burden for her.

It was likely that this young girl’s true identity would soon be revealed.

Many were waiting, secretly eager to see the spectacle unfold.

Ji Wenzhong was no ordinary man. Before he even reached the banquet, someone had already informed him of the situation. As soon as he entered, he spotted the girl sitting next to his mother.

She looked so much like her!

Especially the way she smiled with her head lowered; it was as if she was a replica of his sister, Ji Jiao.

If Ji Jiao hadn’t passed away so early, he would have believed that this girl was his sister’s child.

So adorable! So petite! So endearing!

She remained unfazed despite the whispers around her!

This child was clearly a member of the Ji family!

All the words he had prepared were instantly forgotten.

Upon seeing Su Nianmei, he grabbed her arm and exclaimed, “Sister!”

Su Nianmei suddenly had her arm seized by a man in his fifties who was a business tycoon; her heart raced as she blinked in surprise.

Ji Yun thought to herself, ‘…It seems my uncle has some eye problems.

The crowd felt a similar confusion, wondering if they were imagining things—a man in his fifties calling a teenage girl “sister.”