C8 Lower Your Head

"Wow! Mr. Wen, you're actually here! I noticed your car parked out front and figured you must've come in for some noodles."

Su Tanhua did his best to humble himself, despite feeling quite reluctant.

"Heh, your timing couldn't be better. Follow me; there's someone waiting for you in the back."

Seeing his boss trailing cautiously behind Su Wen into the backyard, the fat man tied to the tree nearly bulged his eyes out in shock.

"Boss, how did you get here? I didn't even give you the address."

Su Tanhua was taken aback, while Su Wen simply watched him with a smile, sending chills down Su Tanhua's spine.

"Ahem, Mr. Wen, what's all this about?"

"Oh, nothing too serious. Just that your lackey claimed you were after my woman."

Su Wen's casual remark nearly made Suer, seated on a small stool, lose her balance.

"Boss, this, this kid couldn't possibly be..."

"Watch your mouth! This is my cousin, Su Wen!"

Su Tanhua gave Su Wen an embarrassed smile.

"Boss, he's the one who wanted to 'break your three legs'..."

"..."

The courtyard wasn't crowded, but aside from Su Wen, everyone wore a look of disbelief. Su Wen just chuckled.

"Little Flower, I've heard you've made quite a name for yourself in Shengjing City these past few years. I'm starting to think I should join your ranks."

"No, Mr. Wen, please, you're killing me here... As long as you're in Shengjing, I'll always be the junior."

Su Tanhua was exceedingly cautious, well aware that a wrong answer could earn him a beating. If his hefty subordinate could be tied to a tree, what chance would his own slender frame have?

"Look, this bunch is your crew, right?"

"Yes, yes, yes, Mr. Wen, please hold off on the beating. Hear me out, I truly didn't know beforehand. I, I, I was wrong, I admit it. I'm willing to kneel down for you, isn't that enough?"

"What else?"

"Else? Oh, right! I understand... I've been overpowered by you, and I've accepted your..."

Su Tanhua was truly terrified, collapsing to his knees and belting out 'Conquer' without a second thought. It was a scene reminiscent of his childhood beatings after a provocation. Su Wen looked on with a helpless expression, feeling it beneath him to strike such a spineless individual.

Su Wen, however, was indifferent. The young man had knelt before him countless times throughout his life; it was routine for them both. Yet, this display left everyone around them dumbfounded. The fat man's mouth hung open, and even Baldy Chen seemed dazed.

"This kid isn't just full of hot air. He's genuinely a big shot, even more so than Su Tanhua."

Meanwhile, Suer grew restless. She was a girl of few words, preferring to keep her thoughts to herself and maintaining a distance from others. When Su had first laid eyes on her, he was so smitten that he tried over a hundred jokes to make her laugh, to no avail.

Little did he know, she had been falling asleep with a smile on her face every night since then.

"Alright, Little Flower, you've shown you have some memory. I'll spare you today, but don't forget this lesson."

"Yes, yes, Mr. Wen! I understand! I wouldn't dare to even think about your woman, even if I were thrice as brave."

"Heh, that goes for any woman. You've nearly tarnished the Su family's name. If I catch wind of you causing trouble again, our next conversation won't be as amiable."

"Yes, yes..."

"Now, take your cronies and get out. And later, give the noodle shop floor another scrub."

"Mr. Wen, I—I can't lift them..."

"Hmm?"

"I can, I can. Don't worry, Mr. Wen. I'll make sure the floor shines so brightly it reflects light!"

Su Tanhua was on the verge of tears, but none came. With Su Wen's return, his days of ease were over.

As Fatty and his gang of thugs fled in a panic, word of a brash young master from the Su family spread rapidly throughout Shengjing City. According to the thugs, even Su Tanhua, who used to strut around the city, was nothing but a 'little brother' in the presence of this person...

The banquet was set up time and again, with lavish dishes prepared one after another. The discarded mountain delicacies alone had piled up into a small mound in the kitchen. At last, the Su family had successfully brought Su Wen back home.

Su Mingshan managed to force a smile that looked more like a grimace.

"Wen, you're back."

Su Wen gave him a glance, refrained from calling him uncle, and with a snort, ignored the spread of dishes. He turned and headed towards the east courtyard that belonged to his branch of the family, leaving the rest of the Su family members behind.

"Damn his arrogance! One day, he'll be on his knees begging for mercy!"

"Shut up!"

Su Mingshan, as the current elder of the Su family, was visibly embarrassed by Su Wen's blatant disregard. But after a moment's reflection, he swallowed his pride. After all, he was the one who had driven Su Wen and his sister out of the house. Now, he was as unpopular as a rat crossing the street.

...

"Young Master."

The Old Steward, who was loyal to Su Xia, felt a sense of satisfaction seeing Su Mingshan put in his place by Su Wen.

"Yes?"

"Young Master, what are your plans now? The young lady has said that you can do as you please with the Su family affairs. Now that you've returned, the title of Young Master Su rightfully belongs to you."

"Set that aside for now. I have no time to waste on these petty matters. What do you know about Luo Qiaoqiao?"

The Old Steward hesitated.

"Perhaps you should wait for the young lady to return before making any decisions?"

"Speak."

Su Wen's marriage had been arranged at birth. At the time, the Su family wasn't considered a powerhouse, but they were still formidable and had close ties with the Luo family, a family renowned for their medical expertise. Su Daichuan and Luo Buoping of the Luo family were close as brothers. As it happened, both families welcomed children around the same time, and the heads of the families decided to unite their houses through marriage.

"The Luo family has been on the decline in recent years. Now, with the eldest miss leading the Su family to new heights, they've been left far behind. The Luo girl has some renown, managing to keep the ancestral Medicine Hall afloat, but her temperament..."

"Heh, whether the Luo family is in decline is of no concern to me. If it weren't for my father, they would have vanished from Shengjing long ago. Yet, when our family faced troubles, they didn't dare make a peep. I haven't forgotten that debt."

"So, Young Master Su is suggesting..."

"We call off the engagement."

"But... this was arranged by the patriarch. Now, though both sets of parents have passed, isn't this a bit too hasty?"

Su Wen's smile held a hint of scorn.

"I've heard that over the years, Luo Qiaoqiao has been cozying up to Su Xia, exploiting her status as my betrothed to gain favors."

The Old Steward nodded reluctantly, a clear sign of acquiescence. Su Wen had already made his decision.

Luo Qiaoqiao, whose name suggested demureness, was anything but. She was a tempestuous force, assertive and never engaging in a losing deal. Such cunning rarely endeared her to others.

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