C7 I will Do It!!

Indeed! Men can be so childish!

Chen Haoran reclined in the grand armchair at his home, exuding an air of ease and composure. The room was also occupied by several elderly men with white hair. These were individuals who had stepped down from active roles in the Chen family due to their advancing years. While not all were blood relatives of the Chen family, their long service had earned them a voice in its affairs.

Their attention was focused on awaiting Chen Xing.

That morning, Chen Haoran had been pleasantly surprised to find that Chen Xing, who had been cooped up at home for three days, had finally taken the initiative to go out and attend school! Seizing the opportunity, he quickly summoned the influential elders of the Chen family to discuss the selection of the next family head.

Chen Xing, widely acknowledged by the older generation as the heir apparent to the Chen family, was required to be present.

Yet, the very person who needed to be there had gone off to school.

The entire room was waiting on him.

"Is Chen Xing some kind of war hero? The Chen family's current predicament is his doing, and now he has the audacity to make us wait for him!" grumbled a younger family member who had been eagerly anticipating the outcome.

"Exactly! To be out gallivanting at a time like this, he's a disgrace to the Chen family!"

"I bet he's off chasing after some girl for a good time!"

"With a beautiful maid like Taotao at home and still stirring up trouble elsewhere, he's nothing but a degenerate!"

After the younger relatives had their say, Chen Haoran finally spoke up, "Enough."

"Regardless, Chen Xing was chosen by the previous generation. Who knows, he might lead the Chen family to new heights."

Despite his words, a smirk played at the corners of his mouth. This was precisely the reaction he had hoped for!

These remarks, once uttered, would surely influence the elders' decisions.

To think he would still attend school at such a critical time!

This was a delightful turn of events!

As the day waned, Chen Xing returned home from school.

"Chen Xing!" Chen Haoran's brow furrowed as he addressed him sternly.

"Since our manager passed away, the Chen family has been without a leader. Can you really afford to be away at a time like this?"

With his words, all eyes in the room turned to Chen Xing, subjecting him to an invisible weight of expectation.

Chen Xing maintained a composed demeanor, a subtle glint of power flashing in his eyes as he quietly released a hint of the Naga's might. In a heartbeat, the room's attention shifted, and eyes that had once been fixed on him now looked away of their own accord.

Who in the world could stand against the Nagas directly?

Then, with a faint smile, Chen Xing lightened the mood. The others in the room breathed a sigh of relief, though a sense of bewilderment lingered in their hearts.

"After all, these issues can't be resolved by simply staying at home."

Chen Xing took a seat directly across from Chen Haoran, his smile unwavering. "Since there's no current head, I have a proposal that will address our immediate problem." He gestured to himself. "I'll take on the role of head."

"You! By what right?!"

Chen Haoran was taken aback, his breath catching. He hadn't anticipated Chen Xing's audacity. Before he could launch into his prepared tirade and self-promotion, Chen Xing had boldly claimed the position of family head, throwing Chen Haoran's meticulous plans into disarray and leaving him feeling utterly thwarted.

"I have every right as the only legitimate male heir of our family. Moreover, our uncles have been grooming me to assume leadership of the Chen family."

Chen Xing spoke earnestly, stating a fact well known within the family. He was the most legitimate contender compared to the scattered male descendants of his uncles.

Even his third uncle couldn't dispute that claim.

"But let's not forget! It was you who led our Chen family to this predicament!" Chen Haoran's face flushed with anger as he jabbed a finger onto the table.

"What? Aside from me, could it be that the third uncle also has designs on the headship?" Chen Xing's tone softened, his gaze teasing as he looked at Chen Haoran.

It wasn't just Chen Xing; the other senior members of the Chen family also turned their attention to Chen Haoran, causing his expression to harden. He had intended to trap Chen Xing, yet he had inadvertently revealed his own hand. The timing was all wrong!

In the current state of the Chen family, Chen Haoran, Chen Xing, and Chen Lingran were the most likely candidates for the headship. While the other elders had seniority, they were not blood relatives and thus ineligible to lead the Chen family. The three of them were on relatively equal footing. In essence, the Chen family was in dire need of a leader, and Chen Haoran had been carefully orchestrating events to his advantage.

However, now that his intentions had been laid bare, he and Chen Xing were back on equal footing. To put it bluntly, neither of them were up to any good!

Chen Haoran clenched his jaw. It was time to reveal his hand! Since things had escalated to this point, he saw no reason to keep secrets any longer.

"Actually, I do have a strategy that could address the Chen family's current predicament."

He gestured with his hand, "Someone, please invite Master Yang in!"

"Master Yang? Which Master Yang?" The elders of the Chen family exchanged puzzled glances. They had been seated here for nearly a day, unaware that a Master Yang had arrived at their home.

Amid their bewilderment, a man emerged from the backyard entrance. Clad in vibrant attire and holding a folding fan, he approached with a light-hearted chuckle.

His looks were striking, his features as handsome as a gentle spring breeze, and his aura set him apart from the average person.

Yet, it wasn't his appearance that captured everyone's attention—it was the badge pinned to his chest!

The badge of the Traessey Alchemy Union!

The man before them was an alchemist!

"Yang Yongjun, of the Traessey Alchemy Union, at your service," he addressed the Chen family stewards. "May I inquire whether the issue we previously discussed has been resolved?"

No sooner had he spoken than Chen Haoran, acting as if he were Yang's spokesman, respectfully ushered him to his own seat before announcing, "Master Alchemist Yang is the branch president of the Traessey Alchemy Union. He has generously offered his assistance and proposes a partnership. He's willing to purchase all of the Chen family's medicinal herbs at half price, to help alleviate our current difficulties!"

"This..." The family elders hesitated, exchanging wary looks. Fifty percent was quite low. Previously, the Chen family's medicinal herbs were in high demand, sometimes selling out and even commanding higher prices. The lowest discount ever offered was ten percent, and now they were considering fifty percent? It was a tough pill for every member of the Chen family to swallow.

Yet, the Chen family was struggling to stay afloat.

Given that the Chen family's medicinal herbs were sold in bulk, preservation became a significant issue. Many herbs required spiritual earth to maintain their spiritual energy, and the more valuable ones needed to be stored in special jade boxes. Without these measures, the spiritual energy would gradually seep away, leaving nothing but useless, withered twigs and weeds. With the family's manager gone, the business chain had ground to a halt, making it nearly impossible to move inventory. It was, indeed, a substantial problem.

Selling at half price was a tough pill to swallow, but it was better than nothing. The younger members of the Chen family, accustomed to opulence, were feeling the pinch with their goods stuck and cash flow drying up. The prospect of selling anything was enough to lift their spirits—they were ecstatic at the thought of having money to spend again.

After a brief moment of contemplation, one of the juniors called out, "Let's do it! The Chen family is facing a crisis; it's time for decisive action!"

"We haven't been able to sell for days. How much can we actually move now? We're still dealing with the fallout from our conflict with Charstand. We should be grateful anyone is willing to buy at all; otherwise, our stock will just rot away!"

"Master Yang is an alchemist from the Alchemist Association! Even if we don't profit, we gain a friend. What's the harm in that?"

Chen Haoran couldn't help but smile. He had postponed the selection of the new family head just to prepare for this very moment. Who would dare snub the Alchemist Association? In recent days, while Chen Xing was in seclusion, Chen Haoran had been playing the part of the patriarch, schmoozing with many guests and seeking opportunities like this.

"You've got it right. If the Chen family agrees, our Alchemist Association would be honored to count you as friends. It's up to the Chen family now to decide whether to accept our hand of friendship," Yang Yongjun said, his eyes sparkling with sharp intelligence.

At these words, a shiver ran through the spines of the family elders. The younger generation might have sensed an overture, but the elders heard an ultimatum.

To accept the Alchemist Association as a friend—or not. In other words, who would dare to reject such an offer?

Alchemists were held in high esteem, commanding respect even from imperial officials. Each alchemist boasted an extensive network of influence. The prestige and profit they could bring to a nation were beyond measure.

If entire nations treated them with deference, what right did the Chen family, a mere small-town clan, have to refuse friendship with the Alchemist Association? Moreover, the business of medicinal herbs was inherently linked to alchemy!

"A friend should be sincere, ready to face adversity together, not someone who waits to stab you in the back when you're down," Chen Xing interjected, breaking the silence.

He didn't hesitate to deliver a verbal blow!

Several elders facepalmed. This young man was truly fearless, willing to stir up anything.

"Oh?" Yang Yongjun's expression turned dark. "Is the Chen family saying they're rejecting my friendship?"

"If you're looking to make friends, then please do so with sincerity. We offer our friends kinship pricing—a 10% discount year-round, and even a 12% discount during the holidays. How about that? We've shown our sincerity; I'm curious if you, my friend, would agree?"

"Chen Xing!" Chen Haoran slammed his hand on the table. "You're not the head of the family yet; you can't make decisions for the Chen family!"

"No, he can," a voice suddenly interjected. It was Chen Lingran! He surveyed the room with a resolute look and declared, "I, Chen Lingran, support and am willing to endorse Chen Xing as the head of our family!"

The third contender for the position of patriarch had made his stance clear! He had forsaken his own chance at leadership to back another candidate!

It was a significant move that had a profound impact!

The younger members of the family were stunned, while the elders let out a heavy sigh.

Chen Lingran stepping forward was a clear signal. Even though it was uncertain if this was the right time for such a signal, the Chen family elders still took their stand as agreed.

"We, too, support Chen Xing as the next patriarch!"

The Chen family was on the cusp of a major shift.

A matter of life and death!