C11 I Am Your Son

As the old adage goes, first impressions are incredibly important.

Nalan Yanran's heart skipped a beat the moment she laid eyes on Xiao Yan; she had never encountered such a strikingly handsome young man before. It was only later that she realized he was her betrothed, Xiao Yan. Yet, she harbored no regrets—what good was handsomeness without talent?

But when Nalan Yanran witnessed Xiao Yan's cold indifference toward her, coupled with his harsh threats, she didn't find it amusing. On the contrary, she found his demeanor irresistibly charismatic...

The smooth dissolution of their engagement also sparked an unexpected twinge of regret in Nalan Yanran. But she quickly shook off the feeling and, with a sense of pride, declared, "I too hope I'll come to regret this. I'll be waiting for you," before departing with the Golden Core Stage elder and the rest.

After they had left, Xiao Yan approached Xiao Zhan with resolve and assured him, "Father, rest assured, I will cleanse myself of today's disgrace!"

Xiao Zhan nodded, signaling his faith in his son, before retreating to his quarters alone. Pretending the broken engagement didn't bother him would be nothing short of a lie.

Watching his father's retreating figure, Xiao Yan was filled with a bitter taste of discontent. Chiang Xie approached him, remarking, "What's on your mind? Regardless, you must give a stellar performance in three days. Your destiny hinges on it."

"I will," Xiao Yan affirmed, his fist clenched in determination.

...

On the streets, a long-haired girl cradling an assortment of delectable treats captured the gaze of passersby.

She flirted with every attractive man and woman she saw, embodying the spirit of a carefree playboy.

Those familiar with her said this beauty, who had appeared out of nowhere, was fond of watching plays and listening to music, having visited every theater in Wutan City.

In a particularly amusing incident, a theater owner asked her opinion of their play, to which she candidly replied, "Who knows? I'm only here because they're good-looking."

It turned out she wasn't there for the drama, but for the eye candy, leaving the owner with a wry smile.

Huang Yueer saw nothing odd about this; after all, the love of beauty is universal.

If Chiang Xie were here, he'd surely remark that this girl would be just your typical sister on Earth, one who spends her entire day binge-watching Korean dramas. Nothing out of the ordinary there.

Huang Yueer's interest waned after wandering around for quite some time. Having spent a fair amount of time in Wutan City, she was ready to head back to the Imperial City. But then, she overheard a conversation nearby.

"Did you hear? The Xiao family's play, Moonbound Chang'e, is premiering at their place today."

"Of course, who in Wutan City hasn't received a flyer from the Xiao family lately?"

"True, and this isn't just any play. Not only is Xiao Yan, the son of the Xiao family patriarch, involved, but Xiao Xuner, the family's top beauty, is also a lead character!"

"Right, and I've heard that even the City Lord of Wutan City has been invited by the Xiao family."

While Huang Yueer initially didn't react much to the news of the Xiao family's drama, the mention of Xiao Xuner starring in it piqued her interest. She excitedly changed her plans and made her way to the Xiao family's residence.

The Xiao family's estate was abuzz from early morning, teeming with the elite of Wutan City. The most prestigious seats were occupied by Xiao Zhan and the other elders, hosting none other than the City Lords!

They had all accepted the Xiao family's invitation, and while they weren't particularly keen on the play itself, they understood the importance of maintaining appearances for one of Wutan City's prominent families.

So, they all showed up as a formality, with none truly invested in the performance. At their level of influence, could a mere play compare to the prospects of gaining power and wealth? Without the Xiao family's invitation, the turnout would have been significantly less impressive.

Among the attendees were also some rival families of the Xiao family, not there to offer support, but rather to revel in any potential missteps.

"Look at that, the Xiao family's putting on a whole new act?"

"I've heard that Xiao Zhan's son is also performing, and he's in a leading role!"

"Pfft, Xiao Zhan is quite the comedian, letting his own kid take up acting in a play."

The rival families of the Xiao clan jeered, and Xiao Zhan, seething with anger, wanted to retort but restrained himself due to the City Lord's presence.

All he could do was hope that Xiao Yan's performance would silence them.

Despite Chiang Xie's extreme secrecy, Xiao Zhan didn't know what Xiao Yan was planning, but he instinctively trusted that Xiao Yan wouldn't disappoint him.

Soon after, Chiang Xie, clad in a black suit and tie, stepped onto the grand stage, immediately catching the audience's attention.

Chiang Xie was pleased with the impact; his investment of a gold coin in the tailor-made suit was worth it, almost making him feel as though he had returned to Earth.

He took a deep breath and announced, "Thank you all for coming! I am your host, Chiang Xie."

Sparse applause followed from the crowd, who were eager to see the end of the show so they could leave the Xiao family's domain and attend to their own affairs.

Unfazed by the tepid response, Chiang Xie scanned the crowd and continued with a smile, "Now, let's move on to purchasing tickets. If you wish to buy one, please present a spirit stone and stand to my left to receive your ticket. Those who don't want to purchase may leave. And for those thinking of watching without buying, are you trying to dine and dash?"

Chiang Xie's patience had worn thin; with so many spectators and none voluntarily paying, he had no desire to mince words.

His statement sent shockwaves of anger through the crowd. They were outraged at the idea of paying for such a time-wasting play, especially with a spirit stone worth a hundred gold coins! Was he trying to rob them?

And the audacity of a mere Foundation Stage youth telling them to leave?

Xiao Zhan felt a headache brewing. Why did Chiang Xie always stir up trouble?

Meanwhile, the First Elder and Xiao Ning couldn't help but feel a sense of schadenfreude. The more Chiang Xie pushed the envelope, the more they reveled in it.

"You're asking for trouble!" a man from one of the Xiao family's rival clans bellowed, his hand glowing with a ball of white light, ready to give Chiang Xie a lesson he wouldn't forget.

Xiao Zhan immediately rose to his feet and offered an apology to everyone present, "Chiang Xie may not be the most articulate, but... let me be clear, I, Xiao Zhan, will not tolerate any disturbances within the Xiao family's domain!"

Upon hearing Xiao Zhan's words, the man hesitated briefly before withdrawing his hand and quietly taking his seat without further comment.

It was then that the City Lord, who had remained silent until now, suddenly addressed Chiang Xie, "This performance doesn't seem to be worth even a single spirit stone, does it?"

Chiang Xie's brow creased slightly. The price he had set was quite reasonable, and only he knew the extent of his efforts. But with the City Lord himself weighing in, Chiang Xie knew he had to offer an explanation.

Before he could speak, a striking figure approached him from the left and presented him with a spirit stone.

"It's actually quite a bargain. Here's a spirit stone for you, now hand over the ticket," Huang Yueer said coolly as she stood on the stage, extending the spirit stone to Chiang Xie.

The crowd erupted into a frenzy at her audacity. She had the nerve to contradict the City Lord, who had just declared the play worthless, by implying it was indeed worth the price. If that wasn't a blatant challenge, what was?

Chiang Xie was momentarily taken aback, but after taking in Huang Yueer's beauty, he enthusiastically handed her a ticket.

As the crowd braced for the City Lord's wrath, they were instead left agape by his unexpected reaction.

The City Lord's demeanor shifted upon seeing Huang Yueer, and without a second thought, he made his way to the stage and handed Chiang Xie a bag of spirit stones.

"Exactly! It's a steal! Only an idiot would call it expensive..." he proclaimed. Mid-sentence, he realized he was inadvertently insulting himself, yet he brazenly stuck to his words.

The City Lord had outdone himself! Not only did he figuratively slap his own face, but he also inadvertently insulted himself, leaving everyone utterly dumbfounded.

Witnessing the spectacle, Chiang Xie couldn't resist asking Huang Yueer, "Is he your son?"

"…"