The various Family Heads seated in the first row had naturally noticed the steward running in looking highly fl.u.s.tered and saw the steward whispering something directly into the elderly Patriarch"s ear which caused his expression to immediately change as he stood up from his seat..

"My distinguished guests, this old man needs to excuse myself for awhile." Which upon saying, he followed the steward outside without waiting to see the reaction from everyone.

"Ha ha, let"s continue to watch the matches, my Father must have suddenly recalled that there was something he needed to do." The Guan Family Head said with a laugh, and brus.h.i.+ng it off, diverting all their attention back to the stage. However, he was thinking deeply, his heart bewildered. What could have made his father"s expression change just like that?

Seated together with the Guan Family"s womenfolk was the newly wedded Ke Xin Ya, the new eldest daughter-in-law of the Guan Family, naturally present there to watch the compet.i.tion on the stage. She was beaming as her gaze fixed on her man she married, who reigned over all that challenged him, with none being his match, and her heart soared as she looked on with pride, silently saying to herself: Her foresight had been right, and her choice had not been wrong as well.

However, when she saw the steward rus.h.i.+ng in and the Family Patriarch leaving with him, her previous state of bliss dissipated in a moment and her mood involuntarily darkened, while her hands pulled subconsciously at her clothes as her face became slightly pale.

Because, as the steward had been leaving together with the Family Patriarch, she had caught him having cast a quick glance at her which made her heart tightened, the image of Guan Xi Lin suddenly coming into her mind.

[Did he.. did he really come? He really dares to come?!]

Guan Xi Lin and Feng Jiu had entered the main house and were making their way over to the arena when they were halted by a low and elderly sounding voice.

"Xi Lin? Is it really you?"

The old Guan Family Patriarch came walking in with large strides leaning on his cane, and when he saw the tall towering figure, he was slightly taken aback, his eyes widened in a complicated gaze mixed with doubt, however, there wasn"t a trace of surprise in them.

When Guan Xi Lin noticed that, his heart turned cold as he looked at him frostily and he called out curtly: "Grandfather."

"You…"

The old man wanted to ask, "Why did you come back?" But he held back in time and instead, said: "It"s good that you are back, go have a good rest in the main house first! Later, I"ll have a good chat with you in the study."

"The Ke Family should have already told you that I am well and alive!"

He looked at the elderly Family Patriarch straight in the eye. "Grandfather, aren"t you curious at all? Why would my cousin claim that I"ve died? Shouldn"t you be telling me how my fiancee turned out to end up as my cousin"s wife?"

As an elder, being questioned in such a manner by a junior, the old man"s face sank and he furrowed his brows as he looked unhappily at Guan Xi Lin to berate him in a deep voice.

"What kind of words are you spouting? Is this how you talk to your Grandfather the moment you come back? Did you not hear me tell you to come find me in my study later? It"s just been a few months and look what you"ve become! Have you forgotten all your manners?"

"It seems like to see me well and alive doesn"t bring any joy to Grandfather."

When he heard this, the elderly Guan Family Patriarch found himself at a loss for words, and his face contorted with awkwardness.

Guan Xi Lin cast him an indifferent glance and took a wide step forward, ignoring the old man.

"Stay right there!"

The elderly Family Patriarch s.h.i.+fted his feet to block Guan Xi Lin and snapped with displeasure: "Where are you going?!"

"Isn"t today the Family Clan"s compet.i.tion today? Don"t I have a part in it?"

"Today"s compet.i.tion is for the position of the clan"s Young Head. You are simply not Xi Ruan"s match, so it won"t matter even if you do not partic.i.p.ate!"

The Family Patriarch continued to say in a low voice, as looking into the face of the young man in front of him: "Since you"ve come back, just go get some rest, and not go out there and embarra.s.s yourself!"

Hearing that, Guan Xi Lin just smiled.