C12 The People from the Ling Family Arrived

Early the next morning, Ling Chen had just gotten out of bed when the door to his room creaked open. A maid strolled in, yawning, "Ling Chen, you're awake at last? I've been waiting ages for you!"

"Where's my dad?" Ling Chen inquired, his tone even.

"He's in the main hall," the maid drawled. "All the direct members of the Ling family are there. Your good-for-nothing father is there too. Apparently, a VIP has arrived. You better get moving."

"A VIP?" Ling Chen's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Who might that be?"

"How should I know?" the maid replied with a huff. "I've delivered the message. It's your call whether to go or not."

With that, she turned on her heel and left, her demeanor suggesting she hardly regarded Ling Chen as part of the Ling family at all. Ling Chen, uninterested in petty squabbles, made his way quickly to the Ling family's main hall.

His father was generally not well-regarded within the Ling family, and it was rare for them to be summoned for anything. Yet today, they had been unexpectedly invited. This was no ordinary event.

Mulling over the possibilities, Ling Chen reached the main hall of the Ling family. He straightened his attire and stepped through the entrance.

Inside the main hall, several figures sat in quiet repose.

Among them was a man in his sixties, with silver-streaked hair and a face etched with lines of authority. He was dressed in a brown robe. This was Ling Xiao, the head of the Ling family, and Ling Chen's grandfather.

Flanking the old man were the elders and senior members of the Ling family. Nearly every key figure was in attendance. Such a solemn assembly was a rare sight within the Ling family, which only heightened Ling Chen's curiosity about the identity of the esteemed guest mentioned by the Fourth Elder.

"Chen, you've arrived," a voice cut through the quiet. Ling Shan was the first to speak, gesturing to Ling Chen. "Chen, come over and take a seat."

Ling Chen nodded and made his way toward his father.

As he was about to step forward...

A mocking voice suddenly rang out.

"Sit?"

"Hehe, Ling Shan, your son certainly puts on quite a show. All of us are waiting on him, and he doesn't even offer an apology. He really must think little of us, doesn't he?" A middle-aged man to the right let out a scornful laugh.

"Exactly." No sooner had he finished than a young man behind him chimed in, "Uncle, no offense, but your cousin's haughtiness really needs to be checked. If he carries on like this outside, he'll tarnish the Ling family's reputation."

Ling Chen's brow furrowed at these words.

He glanced at the two men.

"The Fifth Elder... and his son, Ling Hui?"

Memories began to trickle into Ling Chen's mind. He recalled how, after his father's cultivation had suffered due to a mishap, the Fifth Elder had become a persistent thorn in his side. Ling Hui, the elder's son, was notorious for his misdeeds, often leading the younger members of the Ling family to torment him, and it was Ling Hui who had cruelly branded him "trash."

"It seems fate loves to bring enemies together," Ling Chen mused with a touch of resignation.

Before he could respond, Ling Shan interjected, "What would the Fifth Elder suggest, then?"

"Chen was unaware of the guest's arrival. Had he known, he certainly wouldn't have been late, given his usual composure."

"Besides, today's event should have been communicated to all members of the Ling family. Yet, the person responsible neglected to inform Chen! The oversight is theirs, not Chen's. Why direct your blame at him?"

Ling Shan's tone was firm, silencing the entire hall.

The Fifth Elder, caught off guard and unable to retort, seethed with a darkening scowl.

Indeed, he had been tasked with notifying Ling Chen about today's affair and had purposefully omitted to do so. Now, confronted by Ling Shan's question, he found himself at a loss for words.

"Enough."

In the midst of the tension, the patriarch, who had remained silent until now, gestured dismissively and spoke, "Let's have no more of this commotion. What kind of impression are we making? Ling Chen, please, take your seat."

Ling Chen couldn't help but smirk inwardly at the turn of events.

When he was humiliated earlier, the old man remained silent. But now, when the Fifth Elder faced difficulty, he suddenly found his voice?

What a "selfless" grandfather he is.

However...

Currently, both Ling Shan and I are out of favor with the Ling family, so patience is a necessity.

"Thank you, Grandfather."

With that in mind, Ling Chen bowed with his fists and made his way toward Ling Shan.

But as he scanned the room, he was taken aback to see there was no seat for him; the place was packed.

"This?" Ling Chen paused, a wry smile crossing his face.

Clearly, he had overestimated his standing within the Ling family. To think that on such a significant occasion, someone would go out of their way to "take care" of him by not providing a seat.

Watching Ling Chen stand there like an outcast, the people around him snickered. In the eyes of the Fifth Elder and Ling Hui, a gleam of triumph was unmistakable.

It seemed the crowd relished the sight of Ling Chen's embarrassment.

"What's going on?" Ling Shan, noticing Ling Chen's stationary figure, glanced around and quickly became incensed. "Fifth Elder, what is the meaning of this?"

"Cough, my apologies. With age, I seem to have forgotten to prepare a seat for Mr. Ling! So sorry about that!" The Fifth Elder clapped a hand to his forehead and chuckled, though the scorn in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Ah Gui, fetch a chair for Mr. Ling!" the Fifth Elder ordered cheerfully.

The servant known as Ah Gui played along, "Fifth Elder, all of our Ling family's chairs are in use. There are none left."

At this, the crowd's expressions turned mocking.

No chairs? Impossible. How could the vast Ling family estate be short on chairs? The Fifth Elder was obviously intent on making Ling Chen uncomfortable.

Ling Chen glanced at the old man, hoping his grandfather would defend him...

But to his dismay, the man was utterly unmoved, as if blind to the entire affair.

This sent a chill through Ling Chen's heart.

"What? No chairs?" the Fifth Elder exclaimed in feigned surprise. "How could that be? The Ling family's holdings are extensive; how could we be missing a chair? Find one at once! Mr. Ling must be seated today, no matter what!"

The Fifth Elder expressed strong disapproval.

With a sense of resignation, the servant reported, "Fifth Elder, we truly have no chairs left. If you absolutely must sit, this is all we have..."

As he spoke, he produced an item from behind him.

Upon seeing this item, the entire hall fell into an immediate hush.

A spark of intensity flashed in the old man's eyes.

Ling Shan was visibly irritated.

A wave of mocking glances swiftly turned towards Ling Chen.

Was this thing really just a lowly stool?

Excellent! Ling Chen thought to himself with an inward sneer. The Fifth Elder certainly plays his cards well, doesn't he? Everyone else is seated on elevated rosewood chairs, and he offers me a lowly stool?

With a resounding "Bang!" Ling Shan slammed his hand on the table, "This is too much!"

The Fifth Elder responded with feigned innocence, "I'm at a loss here. It seems the Ling family truly has run out of chairs. But a stool can still serve as a seat. Ling Chen, please be understanding."

The Fifth Elder said, his smile unwavering.

Witnessing the scene, the crowd was alight with mockery, particularly Ling Hui, whose face was painted with smug satisfaction, seemingly eager to see how Ling Chen would handle the situation.

"With such graciousness from the Fifth Elder, it would be quite rude of me not to accept," Ling Chen said with a chuckle, then proceeded to walk towards the stool under everyone's watchful gaze.

"Huh?"

"Is he actually going to sit?"

As Ling Chen moved to sit, the crowd was taken aback.

They had expected an outburst from Ling Chen, but his composure remained unshaken. He approached the situation with remarkable calm.

His broad-mindedness earned silent nods of approval from some in attendance.

"Chen, don't sit down!" Ling Shan urged, his voice filled with indignation. "Come here and sit with me. We mustn't tolerate this insult!"

Ling Shan was about to relinquish his seat to Ling Chen.

But before he could rise, Ling Chen gently pressed his father back down.

"Father, it's not an insult if I'm the one being humiliated, but it is if you are," Ling Chen whispered.

At his words, Ling Shan's frame shuddered slightly.

He had begun to stand, but now paused, suspended in the moment.

After a brief hesitation, he slowly reseated himself.

"That's more like it," Ling Chen said with a laugh, giving his father's shoulder a reassuring pat.

He turned around, a smile gracing his face, and amidst the watchful eyes of the crowd, Ling Chen took a seat on the low stool.

"Fifth Elder, I must say, your stool is quite comfortable. Thanks for that!"

"Hmph," the Fifth Elder snorted, his voice tinged with malice. "Is that so? Well then, feel free to sit a little longer!"

He had hoped to see Ling Chen in distress, but instead, Ling Chen remained unflappable, his composure only serving to infuriate the Fifth Elder further. It was like punching a pillow—utterly ineffective.

Ling Shan, witnessing Ling Chen's demeanor, was overcome with heartache. He could sense the rage boiling within Ling Chen, yet his son still managed to force a smile... What depth of indignity must he have endured to have become so prematurely seasoned?

"If it hadn't been for that past incident, perhaps their lives, father and son, would have been quite different," the patriarch mused from his seat, a sigh escaping him as he felt a twinge of compassion. But in the warrior's world, where strength was paramount, such feelings were quickly subdued.

Even though he sensed a transformation in the young man, it still wasn't enough to confront the scorn of his detractors.

"If you truly have any self-respect," the old man thought to himself, "then clench your teeth and stand firm. Wait for the day when your strength is sufficient to uphold your dignity, and then, with your own hands, deliver a resounding slap to the faces of those who have mocked you."

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