Chapter 83 (2/3): The Status Su Liumeng Granted Me

“When outside, she salutes me and defends my interests. Isn’t that the best proof?”

“In a big family, familial love has never meant blind obedience. Jiang Yue, I’ll warn you one last time today.”

“Please watch your words and actions.”

Jiang Yue was close to biting herself in anger.

She was the one who could least accept this logic.

In her worldview, a daughter born of her blood must never disobey her words in this life.

Your glory comes from me, so when you succeed, you should elevate me to a higher status, demanding more worship from others.

If you fail to do so, you’re unfilial and deserve scolding.

Jiang Yue’s chest heaved, still trapped in anger.

“Didn’t you notice? That little girl Jiujiu brought back looks very familiar—almost like…”

“Enough.” Su Qinghe interrupted coldly, “Jiang Yue, stop.”

“Whether she is or isn’t, as long as Jiujiu hasn’t told us, it means she doesn’t want us to know.”

“Remember this—that is your duty.”

Su Qinghe knew Jiang Yue’s nature well and that she wouldn’t let go so easily.

Anyway, he had said what needed to be said.

If she didn’t take the hint, he wouldn’t show mercy.

After adjusting his robe, Su Qinghe didn’t glance back at the woman nearly breaking her chair and calmly left the resting room.

Behind him, Jiang Yue nearly bit through her teeth.

“Wretched woman! Where did this slut come from?!”

“Dressed up to seduce, clearly no good—always tempting others.”

“Who knows which wild man she’s been messing around with outside? Got pregnant and came to let my daughter take the fall…”

Her once obedient daughter had become like this because of this little slut teaching her behind the scenes.

Jiang Yue accepted this as fact.

“Beast, beast! What’s the difference between an unfilial person and a beast?”

Unable to control her emotions, Jiang Yue swept the tea cups off the table to the floor.

She took a deep breath, regaining control.

It’s fine.

As long as she can break up this pair, and that little slut doesn’t spread rumors, her once obedient daughter will return.

No matter where you came from…

I will investigate your origins thoroughly and reveal your true colors to Jiujiu.

At this moment, Jiang Yue only thought the girl looked a bit familiar and, after brief suspicion and anger, pushed the thought aside.

She didn’t consider that Si Yixin and Si Xinyan were the same person—too absurd and unbelievable.

In Jiang City, Beiqing, a person cannot just suddenly appear.

She refused to believe that with her connections, she wouldn’t be able to trace someone’s origins.

Pregnant, huh?

Jiang Yue suddenly thought of a perfect plan, a triumphant smile rising on her lips.

“I wonder if my dear daughter can keep this calm when she sees the wild man she got involved with causing a scene at the Su family’s ancestral mansion, accusing her of being a scorned woman in front of everyone.”

Finding a person was easy.

Having located one’s activity area, finding the wild man was even easier.

Jiang Yue clapped her hands and gave orders into the shadows.

The banquet was about to officially begin.

Su Qinghe, rarely so spirited, was the master of the third branch and Su Liumeng’s biological father—also one of the stars of today’s celebration.

Shared honor and disgrace perfectly exemplified in this moment.

In the main hall of the side building.

The great elder was burning incense and worshipping the ancestral portrait before him.

When Su Liumeng brought me to his side, he was holding three incense sticks high, bowing to the portrait.

Only after the third bow did he place the incense in the censer and slowly turn his head to chat briefly with Su Liumeng.

“Since you brought her, let’s offer incense together.”

A trace of joy appeared in Su Liumeng’s eyes.

Seeing me still dazed, she nudged me forward.

The portrait was of the Su family’s founding ancestor.

Being allowed to worship here meant full recognition by the entire Su family.

The great elder’s words carried more weight than anyone’s.

“Junior Si Yixin pays respects to the great elder.”

My voice was clear and respectful as I bowed.

The great elder glanced at my belly, nearly losing his composure, his backbone stiffening.

He kept telling himself silently: This is the Su family’s little phoenix; it’s her right to love whomever she wants. Don’t be angry, don’t be angry.

Little Su Luos once said, young people’s world is hard for us old folks to understand. That’s normal—what nonsense!

His heart burned with jealousy; how could his Su family’s little phoenix, who could have any heavenly prodigy she wanted, fall for such a young married woman?

Finally, the great elder couldn’t hold back and blew on his beard in frustration.

Still, the patriarch maintained a suitable calm, “Hmm, well-mannered, young lady, please rise.”

I was holding my incense, a little time before lighting it, when the great elder took the opportunity to pull Su Liumeng close and whispered, “No forceful taking, right?”

Then he corrected himself, “If it was forceful, was it thorough? Was she completely…”

“The Su family’s little phoenix killing someone? So what, there’s always a justifiable reason.”

“Hmm, reasonable enough…”

His murky eyes flashed dangerously as he imagined a melodramatic story of unrequited love, a beloved with normal orientation, and a desperate, forceful act.

Seeing this, Su Liumeng smiled wryly.

What nonsense was he thinking about?

“Great elder, there’s no forceful taking. Jiujiu always abides by family rules and never shows her cultivation to ordinary people. The baby she’s carrying is mine…”

Suddenly.

As I walked back, the incense in my hand dropped to the floor, no less shocking than a bolt from the blue.

Wait—

I only got one incense stick, so how does the baby have an extra ‘relative’?

Su Liumeng, what exactly are you saying?

“Mother, bite her, go bite her.”

“Right now!!!”

“Took advantage of me, huh.”

Faced with Su Liumeng’s sudden shocked words, I fell silent.

The great elder looking at the pretty young girl was even more speechless, his gaze saying plainly, “Do you take me for a fool?”

Your baby?

Are you sure you have that ability?

“Great elder, it really is my own blood. In this vast world, there are always some mysteries others can’t understand.”

Su Liumeng calmly spun this lie, having planned it from the start.

Rather than letting others gossip behind her back, she took all the blame herself.

She truly loved deeply.

Faced with the once-distant heavenly prodigy suddenly seeking closeness, the great elder cared more about her attitude than the right or wrong of it all.

Since she had chosen to side with him, he need not question too much—this was the basic political strategy of a patriarch in a great family.

“Your words have some merit. This world is mysterious and obscure. Even the legendary true dragons exist; what can’t happen?”

“Since it’s your child, it will be the next prodigy of the Su family. We can’t neglect that.”

The great elder’s deep voice suddenly grew stronger, audible to almost everyone at the banquet, “Someone, no, several, take good care of this young lady. The child she carries is the future of the Su family. If anything happens, bring your head here to me.”

Highly gifted parents beget highly gifted children.

This was why the core heirs of the several branches were almost always biological children.

Therefore, the great elder took this seriously.

Seeing the old man’s earnest expression, I almost believed his words.

These schemers really excel at speaking nonsense with a straight face, don’t they?

Did the great elder truly believe it?

I standing beside him knew better.

He nearly pulled out his own beard earlier and now solemnly declared it—two completely different personas.

No need to elaborate on the truth.

The great elder openly giving orders at the banquet was tantamount to personally vouching for the child’s origins.

As the great elder of the Su family, his recognition carried absolute weight.

Who else would dare to challenge that?

Probably no one had the courage.

Inside the banquet hall, many others were not allowed to worship the portrait with the great elder.

Some behind looked on enviously at the young lady who had earned the great elder’s approval.

Bearing the Su family’s future “dragon seed” elevated her status immeasurably.

After all, Su Liumeng already held the heir’s position, and at worst would be one of the top three in the center of power—possibly even succeeding the great elder.

The great elder’s sudden signal caused a shockwave many hadn’t reacted to yet, followed by an uproar.

Publicly acknowledging the person Su Liumeng brought meant recognizing Su Liumeng herself.

This alone could stir a storm within the Su family.

No wonder the great elder ruled decisively at the Dragonfall Realm, organizing a celebration banquet for Su Liumeng.

The first person brought to the Su family was given such a high status.

Many could already smell the winds of change.

This was the prelude to a shift in the center of power.

Who to flatter and what to do was no longer a mystery.

“Thank you.”

My smile was genuine, soft as cotton candy, looking innocent and harmless.

The great elder looked at the naïve young girl and blew on his beard again.

It seemed that whenever he saw this little girl, he couldn’t hold back his emotions.

“Old man here only gave what you deserved. No need to pay special attention…”

He finished speaking while trying to control his gaze, staring straight at the portrait.

As if by not looking at me, he wouldn’t see the part that made him collapse inside.

Su Liumeng personally lit three incense sticks for me and handed them back.

She gave me a silent smile, her eyes full of conversation.

[See? I told you not to worry. I’ve already thought everything through.]

I didn’t respond to Su Liumeng’s gaze.

In front of such a venerable elder, it felt improper to act coy.

Holding the three incense sticks, I bowed deeply to the portrait with utmost sincerity.

In theory, a pregnant woman carrying an outsider’s child would never be allowed to worship the ancestors.