Chapter 9: Nie Teng

Lingxue, youre not spending your birthday at home with your parents this year? Su Yi asked casually on their way to the Immortal Gathering House.

Im sixteen years already. Its?my?birthday, so its up to me to decide how I spend it. The girl beside him blinked her beautiful eyes, then smiled. But later tonight, Ill celebrate with Mom and Dad.

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

Su Yis eyes narrowed slightly, and he nodded.

Wen Lingxues grandmother was the Wen Familys matriarch, Liang Wenbi. She occupied a transcendent position within the family; even Family Head Wen Changjing didnt dare go against her wishes.

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

Hurry up, Brother-in-law. Its almost noon! It was clear Wen Lingxue could barely wait.

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.

The Immortal Gathering House.

Guangling Citys largest-scale, highest-level restaurant, considered the top establishment in town.

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

A common joke went that a single glass of wine at the Immortal Gathering House was comparable to ten years of a poor familys income!

This was no mere exaggeration.

When 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.

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

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

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

Hee hee, if our classmates found out today was Pinecloud Sword Manors number-one beautys birthday, Im afraid theyd stand in line just to deliver presents!

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

Su Yis gaze swept across the guests. One glance, and he could determine an awful lot.

These classmates of Wen Lingxues 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.

Some 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.

However, 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.

They hid their jealousy well, but they couldnt escape Su Yis keen eyes.

He couldnt help but find it funny.?Girls friendships might seem close-knit, but in truth, all of them have a hidden agenda. Fortunately, its all innocuous.

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.

The vibrant atmosphere suddenly grew somewhat stifled.

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

The young man smiled, then stepped forward to greet her. Lingxue, its your birthday. Heres a little something I prepared for you. Please accept it.

He 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.

Someone 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.

The Purple Luan Fluttering its Wings Hairpin! Its Master Artisan Mos proudest work, and hes one of the best craftsmen in the prefecture! They say its made of a natural Cold Purple Spirit Jade. The materials alone are worth three hundred gold!

But after passing through Master Artisan Mos divine hands, its likely worth thousands! One of the girls, whose make-up was particularly exquisite, lit up. Shed determined the hairpins origins at a glance.

This. Isnt that a bit?too?precious?

These girls all had illustrious backgrounds, but they couldnt help but click their tongues. Nie Tengs lavish spending left them shocked.

Nie 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.

When they heard this, the other girls expressions shifted; they couldnt help but envy Wen Lingxue.

Nie Teng.

He was the son of the commander of the City Lords Old Guard. His talent was outstanding, his bearing handsome and noble.

He 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?

A 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.

Who didnt hope for things like this to happen to them?

Yet?Wen?Lingxues brow only furrowed even deeper, and her expression turned even frostier. This gift is too precious for me to accept. You should keep it.

Nie Tengs smile froze, replaced by a hint of distress.

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

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

However, when they saw Nie Tengs predicament, some of the girls couldnt help themselves. They spoke up, one after another, and warmly invited him to sit down.

Nie Teng quickly got his emotions under control and sat down with a smile, as if hed already completely forgotten about his earlier awkwardness.

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

To tell the truth, it wasnt just Nie Teng. The girls were all baffled too.?Why did Wen Lingxue invite Su Yi of all people?

Out 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.

If 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?

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

Brother-in-law, they might ignore you, but I wont. Whatever you do, dont get upset. While the others werent paying attention, Wen Lingxue whispered in Su Yis ear.

Her 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.

Su Yi didnt quite know what to say.

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

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

Wen Lingxue tilted her head in confusion. I didnt order that much food!

Nie 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.

His gaze swept across the other girls, and he put on a lofty air. Everyone, please eat and drink to your hearts content. Enjoying yourself is the best way to congratulate Lingxue.

The girls laughed delightedly. Although their backgrounds were exceptional, they couldnt just dine at a money-pit like the Immortal Gathering House all willy-nilly.

Wen Lingxue, however, was not impressed. She said coldly, How much did this cost? Ill reimburse you later on.

Nie Teng laughed. Lingxue, dont be so distant. Its 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.

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

Wen Lingxue hesitated, but in the end, she decided not to say anything more. Nww hapters will be fully updated at (n)ov()l/bin(.)com

She did, however, whisper in Su Yis ear, This guy is always like this. At Pinecloud Sword Manor, he loves nothing more than showing off. Theres nothing more irritating than vain guys like him!

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

Su Yi laughed. Vanity was a common affliction among youths, and it wasnt such a terrible vice.

Suddenly, Nie Teng glanced over.

He hadnt heard what Wen Lingxue said to Su Yi. He could, however, see her pink lips in the intimate act of whispering into Su Yis ears!

His 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.

Nie Teng forced down his envy and feigned relaxed, casual curiosity. Su Yi, youre Lingxues brother-in-law, and this is her birthday party. I wonder what present you got for her?

A faint, almost indiscernible hint of a smile tugged at Su Yis lips.

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

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

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

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

He was humiliating himself and he didnt even know it!

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

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

I almost forgot about Lingxues birthday, which is why I didnt have time to prepare a present. However, Ill make it up to her later today, after we return home. As Su Yi spoke, he looked at Wen Lingxue.

That was because his words were aimed at her; he didnt care a whit what the others thought of him.

Wen 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, thats right. Hes just been busy lately, so he inadvertently overlooked it, thats all.

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

So, you didnt bring a present. Nie Teng had finally found an opportunity to vent his bellyful of jealousy, and he couldnt resist poking fun. Lingxues been?so good to a mere live-in brother-in-law like you for nothing. Look at you! I wouldnt have guessed youd forget even her birthday!

The girls in attendance couldnt help but shake their heads.?You cant rely on a wall built in the mud. This Su Yi sure is inept!

But now that I think about it, hes the Wen?Familys?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?

Whatever it is, its sure to pale in comparison to Senior Apprentice Brother Nie Tengs Jade Purple Luan Hairpin!

I really dont get why?Wen?Lingxue cares so much about a live-in brother-in-law like him.

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

Nie 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.

Bang!

Someone shoved open the private dining rooms tightly-shut door.

Chapter end