Chapter 157 - Xiu Family

Xiu Su Yi… is already within the country?

It took a full five seconds for Xiu Mei to connect all the dots together.

The last news her grandparents have on him was when he went abroad.

They put an order for them to be immediately informed once he returns to the country.

But her Grandpa Yu found him within the country?

...didn"t that mean he sneaked back to China unscrupulous means?

"Are you saying he…?"

"According to our investigation, it seems that he sneaked back to the country by getting on a s.h.i.+p then he transferred to a boat to enter the country." Then Grandfather Xiu handed Lu Chen an envelope, probably containing the investigation report that they have about Xiu Su Yi.

"Once you read the report, I advise you to be careful of your next steps later on. I"m already doing what I can on our side, and that would be the same for the Old Man Yu as well. He"s not only targeting you or your father but also the other family members as well." He reminded them as he heavily emphasized the danger that they were all in.

Sensing this, Xiu Mei noticed something odd.

"Why is he targeting us? Did he have some kind of disagreement with our family that"s why he left to America?" She couldn"t stop herself from prying. To think that a member of her family would deliberately harm them, it was sure not something like a simple quarrel at all.

Her grandparents fell silent. Noticing their reaction, just like she thought, the reason wasn"t something simple at all.

But before Xiu Mei could pry even further about the reason, she heard someone"s rushed footsteps closing on in them.

"Is that my adorable nephew?! Kyaaah!" A familiar voice entered in her ears. And as if a gust of wind pa.s.sed by, her cousin would have nearly crashed on Lu Qiang if it wasn"t for her Grandfather pulling him closer towards himself making her cousin kiss the wooden floor instead.

"Xiu Qi." A stern voice resounded from behind her again. Xiu Mei automatically looked behind her and saw the figures of her Third Uncle and his wife, Second Aunt and her son, and her cousin from her Fourth Aunt and Uncle.

Xiu Mei briefly glanced at her cousin"s sprawled figure on the floor before standing up from her seat. Lu Chen also stood up from his seat and stood beside her.

"You"ve gotten fatter, Mei"er." Her Second Aunt first uttered to her as soon as she approached her figure and kissed her cheek. Xiu Mei pouted knowing that her second aunt didn"t mean anything bad when she said that.

"So are you saying I"m ugly, Aunt Qing?"

"No, I"m just saying you look better than before. It seems that your husband is taking good care of you pretty well?" Her second aunt turned to Lu Chen"s direction, sizing him up.

Lu Chen subconsciously straightened her back while he was being scrutinized by Xiu Mei"s second aunt. He could also feel the heavy glares from the people behind her who was also sizing him up.

He gulped nervously as he took the liberty of introducing himself to the others.

"h.e.l.lo, it"s an honor to meet all of you. My name is Lu Chen." He introduced himself. Xiu Mei quickly added something.

"He"s my husband, so no bullying okay?" Then she threw a pleading look at her Uncle, Aunts, and cousins who were glaring at him.

Even though they are all taught with manners and etiquette, everytime they gather like this, all the masks they wear when they are in public completely disappears. In contrast with their controlled behavior, the Xiu family are the type to frankly say their opinions. So Xiu Mei is already used to her family"s style of speech and she doesn"t get offended by it.

And even though Lu Chen won"t be affected by it that much, she still wanted her relatives to hold themselves back even for just a little bit when interacting with him.

Her stern third uncle grew grim.

"So is this what I"m going to feel like once Xiu Xiu gets married?" Then he briefly glanced at the teenager sprawled on the floor.

Seeing her poor figure, he quickly changed his mind.

"No, I think the person who"ll marry our daughter would be a Buddha instead. Look how active our daughter is, can someone even tolerate her just like how we tolerate her?" At this point, it was like he was just talking to himself.

Third Aunt slapped him on his back before scolding Xiu Xiu. "Xiu Xiu, do you want to be grounded?"

The woman sprawling on the ground finally moved after hearing her mother"s warning. As soon as Xiu Xiu stood up properly, she saw her grandparents" stern gaze and her mother"s glare. Then like a puppy being bullied, she acted pitiful in front of them.

Lu Qiang noticed that the woman close to him was being scolded, so in an attempt to change the atmospher, he stood up from his seat and stood beside his mother. Then he beamed his childlike smile at the other a.d.u.l.ts and introduced himself.

Immediately, all the a.d.u.l.ts" attention turned to him. Xiu Mei"s two aunts couldn"t hold themselves from pinching his soft cheeks while her Uncle smiled warmly at the child. Her two male cousins, An Nuo and Mu Ji Huang stroked Lu Qiang"s head for a few seconds before stepping back again.

Then the pitiful female cousin, Xiu Xiu, helped herself by pinching Lu Qiang"s cheeks as well.

Seeing that their attention were all on Lu Qiang, Xiu Mei was glad but somehow… it seems she felt that Lu Chen was being ignored?

She nudged Lu Chen on the side and eyeing him. She was urging him to bring out the presents that he brought. Right now, he needs to score some brownie points from these guys who are completely forgetting her presence right now.

Lu Qiang"s adorable skill was too high for her relatives to held back from ah. They"re all very vulnerable with children.

Understanding her wife"s message, he immediately had someone bring the other paperbags he left inside to be brought here. Then he personally distributed it to Xiu Mei"s uncle and aunts, and to her cousins.

"Oh my G.o.d, brother-in-law is too dazzling. Isn"t this the limited edition bag this year from Burberry?" Xiu Xiu didn"t hide her astonishment when she opened the paper bag. It was the bag that she had been begged her mother to buy for her but they won"t allow her to.

So seeing that bag in front of her right now, she looked at Lu Chen with a stupefied expression. Instead of a human, it was as if she was seeing him as the G.o.d of wealth instead.

"..."

"..."

Xiu Mei was also surprised with what Xiu Xiu said. She couldn"t help but look with disbelief at Lu Chen and raise her brow.

Did he really buy something that expensive just to please her family?

...Now she was suddenly worried. She didn"t even want to know what"s inside the other paper bags he had given and the ones left inside ah.

"Qing"er, bring the child with you inside first. Luen, stay here." Grandfather Xiu ordered. After the younger ones greeted the elders briefly, they followed the two women inside the mansion.

Luen sat beside Lu Chen so Lu Chen grabbed the teapot and poured him a tea. Seeing this action, Luen faintly smiled at him and accepted his good will.

"Father, do you need me for something?"

"Luen, you explain to them why Xiu Su Yi left the family." Grandmother Xiu uttered as she sipped on her tea. Hearing her words, Luen"s teacup almost slipped from his hold from the shock.

He looked at his mother in confusion and then to his father. It seems like they were both keen on unearthing that story again after so many years.

Luen glanced at the direction of his niece and her husband. They were also confused yet they looked very much attentive to listen to what he was going to say.

Seeing that his parents were ordering him to reveal the story to them, something must have happened. Luen turned to his father and spoke.

"Then we"ll use your study room temporarily." He replied. His father nodded giving him permission.

Luen stood up and ordered the two young ones to follow him to the study. After ordering their steward to keep anyone away from the room for a short while, he locked the room and made them sit on the farthest seat from the door.

Seeing her Uncle this cautious, Xiu Mei grew nervous. What was it? What was the reason and what story is it that they"re both making her grandfather and uncle this secretive?

"So you"re trying to know more about Uncle Su Yi, uh no. I can"t call him our Uncle anymore. Since he"s not part of the Xiu family ever since he left abroad."