novelOut Of 5 People, 3 Slipped Away Through Their Cellphones
| ← Ch.408 | Ch.410 → |
"What is this, what is going on?" Liu Xiangwen was wearing a dress, while she was hugging Chang Jianan her bare forearms and shoulders stuck to his wet shirt, and had felt the cold very soon, and goosebumps formed on her forearms.
Liu Xiangwen asked worriedly, "why is it so cold?"
When she saw the ice cubes all over the floor, she understood.
Chang Zhixing hurriedly took off his jacket, and without caring about the fact that there were lots of people around who were looking, removed Chang Jianan's shirt and covered him with the jacket.
Liu Xiangwen's heart ached at seeing her son shivering from the cold.
"Mommy, daddy, he bullied me!" Chang Jianian said, bursting into tears. They didn't know who Qi Youxuan was, and even if they did, they hadn't yet realized how serious things were.
"What's going on?" in the confusion of the crowd, Liu Xiangwen had not yet been able to see that the members of the Qi Family did not have pleasant looks on their faces, kneeling down to ask her child, while wiping away his tears.
Chang Jianan just kept crying, "He bullied me! He bullied me, why is he here! He even splashed ice on me!"
Chang Jianan was crying in a particularly pitiful manner, and in the end even Grandmother Chang came with Chang Jingqiu rushed over, and upon seeing her grandson's pitiful state, she nearly burst out cursing in anger.
"What's going on?" this time it was Qi Chenglin who asked, looking down at Qi Youxuan, but his face was not stern, he knew his son, and knew that his son was not the kind to cause trouble without reason.
Qi Youxuan huffed at Chang Jianan dismissively, before recounting what had happened in full.
While Ruan Danchen was at the washroom, Qi Youxuan was surrounded by people, and Grandfather and Grandmother Qi were not around. Therefore Qi Youxuan ran off to the buffet's dessert table to grab something to eat.
Unfortunately, he bumped into Chang Jianan who was also there to get something to eat.
The Chang Family was hosting the banquet tonight, making Chang Jianan think that this was his territory, and so he was rather relaxed, and just a little bit prideful.
Therefore when he saw Qi Youxuan, it was as though two enemies had met in an alley, reopening old wounds.
Chang Jianan was not aware of who Qi Youxuan was, and only thought of the history between the two of them, and rushed up to flip the plate of cakes in Qi Youxuan's hand.
The plate fell onto the floor and shattered with a crash.
In the bustle of the banquet, this sound was not particularly audible. Only the service staff of Dynasty saw it, but just assumed that it was the carelessness of the child who dropped the plate, and rushed over to clean up.
However, just as the service staff arrived, and had not yet been able to start cleaning up, Chang Jianan savagely shoved Qi Youxuan, charging towards him with the intention of pushing Qi Youxuan to the floor so he would be cut by the shards of the plate.
Qi Youxuan wobbled slightly, his body tilting to the back, his arms oscillating back and forth constantly to maintain his balance.
At that time he was terrified, knowing the consequences of falling over, it would be no big deal if his buttocks were pierced and bled, fortunately just before he fell, his little hand held onto a table, and with great difficulty he stabilized himself, and didn't injure himself falling down.
However Chang Jianan was still not letting it go, and strained his tonsils shouting, "How are you here? This is my grandmother's birthday banquet, it's my family's territory, you're not welcome here, get out! Get out! Get out! You're not allowed to eat my family's food! This was all bought with my family's money, you're not allowed to eat it! You miserable thing, the audacity to come and eat my family's things!"
Chang Jianan kept shoving Qi Youxuan as he shouted, this time not to push him down, but with the intention to chase him out.
"What are you doing, I'm here with my daddy and mommy, we were invited." Qi Youxuan evaded him, explaining.
However Chang Jianan was not listening, and Qi Youxuan was getting tired of being pushed, the little boy was not to be lightly bullied, and being pushed by Chang Jianan made him angry.
Qi Youxuan turned to look, and saw a few slices of ice cream cakes, to maintain the temperature, there were layers of ice cubes on the plate.
The little boy grabbed the plate, and along with the pieces of cake, and threw them at Chang Jianan.
Apart from the slices of ice cream cakes, the entire pile of ice cubes splashed over Chang Jianan's body with a clatter.
Chang Jianan screamed from the shock of the cold, and jumped around without pause, he felt ice around his neck, and he shivered from the cold.
Qi Youxuan looked around once more, and saw a small bucket of ice on the side, it was for guests to cool their drinks, and so he nonchalantly grabbed the bucket, and with one hand opened up Chang Jianan's collar, and poured the contents of the bucket into it. The ice cubes slid down Chang Jianan's skin, making him cry from the cold.
At that Qi Youxian was finally satisfied, and rubbed his palms, which were cold.
After hearing Qi Youxuan's words, Guan Liya looked over, because the incident involved the two Young Masters fighting, the greatest priority was still the Young Master of the Qi Family, the service staff very wisely did not clear away the evidence of the shattered plate, but kept watch there to prevent any guests from getting injured.
Guan Liya saw the broken plate on the ground, if Qi Youxuan did fall from being pushed, being injured on his hands and arms would be fortunate, what if he fell on his head?
Guan Liya was so furious her eyes were red, and hearing Chang Jianan wailing next to her added on to her ire.
Her grandson wasn't crying, what was this Chang Jianan crying about!
It was at this moment that Grandmother Chang and Chang Jingqiu arrived late to the scene, and upon seeing her grandson crying so pitifully, Grandmother Chang did not inquire into what happened, but asked instead, "Nannan[1], what happened, who bullied you?"
"Bullied him? Our Youxuan isn't an undisciplined brat." Guan Liya could not stand Grandmother Chang's overbearing demeanor.
Without asking about what happened, or who was right or wrong, she immediately assumed someone had bullied Chang Jianan.
What was this!
"Your grandson wanted to harm our Youxuan, and our Youxuan let him off lightly by teaching him a lesson like this." Guan Liya was not one to be discreet, on account of her status not even Grandmother Chang would dare to be brazen before her.
"I don't know how the Chang family educates their children, to have such venomous thoughts at such a young age. He knocked down my grandson's plate, and doesn't have any courtesy towards guests as a host, I can still accept it as him being young and immature. Kids will be kids, and it's normal for them to get into scuffles and fights, we as adults can understand that. But for him to try and push my Youxuan onto that broken plate, how venomous can one get?"
"If my Youxuan fell there, if he were to simply be cut that would be fortunate, but if he were to be seriously injured or die, which one of you will give me back my grandson!" Guan Liya said furiously.
Qi Zhongxun stood aside with no intention to intervene, it was better for women to take the lead in matters like this, and he would support her fully.
Qi Youxuan was the treasure of their family, how can he be bullied here!
Grandmother Chang almost lost her temper from Guan Liya's remarks, generally it was she who would subdue others with her fury, and nobody had the right to do the same to her.
With great difficulty, Grandmother Chang replied stiffly, "isn't it fine now?"
"It's fine now, but if it were not fine it would have been too late! Fortunately nothing bad happened, and you should be thankful for that! If my grandson were to suffer any injury because of you, the Qi Family will not let you rest easy!" Guan Liya retorted.
She had already lost a son, so this was a trigger for her, if anything happened to anyone in the family, it would get on her every nerve, no matter who it was, even if they suffered a bit of misfortune or injury was something she could not tolerate.
Grandmother Chang just had to provoke her on this matter.
Chang Zhiyuan and Mo Yuxin rushed forwards, and seeing Grandmother Chang trembling with rage, her fierce visage looking like she was about to respond, Chang Zhiyuan quickly stepped in front of Grandmother Chang, saying, "we apologize, our Nannan was wrong in this matter."
He still had a business relationship with Qilin, and could not allow that to deteriorate over this.
Grandmother Chang was displeased upon hearing that, "why is it Nannan's fault, it's Nannan who has been splashed with ice, shivering in the cold!"
Grandmother Chang looked at Guan Liya, "no matter what, your grandson should apologize!"
Qi Youxuan clenched his jaw, he was just defending himself, to tell him to apologize, the words just would not leave his mouth.
He felt victimized, and a layer of tears clouded his black irises.
Ruan Danchen was still imagining in fear what would have happened if Qi Youxuan was really pushed onto the shards of the plate.
She shivered, and quickly picked up Qi Youxuan to hold in her arms, no matter what was said she would not let Qi Youxuan apologize to Chang Jianan.
She could see from Qi Youxuan's eyes the indignity he felt.
Qi Chenglin saw it too, and his large hand ran over his son's head, comforting him.
"Grandmother, right now Nannan is shivering, shouldn't we get a room for him, and change him into fresh clothes to warm him up? If we leave him cold like this any longer he'll catch a fever." Chang Jingqiu reminded quietly.
The volume wasn't particularly loud, but everybody around heard it clearly.
Everybody now could not help but feel somewhat sorry for Chang Jianan.
His prior motives were no longer the focus, the end of it was that Chang Jianan was the one who came out worse off, so nobody thought about the cause of the two boys' scuffle, and the venom in Chang Jianan's intentions.
Qi Zhongxun looked at Chang Jingqiu coldly, this young lady had a plan, and a simple sentence could completely change the focus of the crowd.
But this plan was used at the wrong place, even if Qi Chenglin had no girlfriend, based on her character, the Qi Family could not possibly accept her.
Qi Zhongxun lowered his head, and asked Qi Youxuan gently, "why did you fight with Chang Jianan? Did the both of you know each other before? If not he wouldn't run up and knock your plate over for no reason."
The crowd realized that was true, there must be a reason for the fight, it may well be that it was the Young Master of the Qi Family that started it at the very beginning.
However, Qi Zhongxun had faith in his grandson, that he definitely would not be the kind to make trouble unprovoked, and that was why he asked.
Qi Youxuan lifted his face from Ruan Danchen's abdomen, turning to look at Qi Zhongxun, his black irises still clouded over by tears, his nose red, looking really pitiful.
Qi Youxuan then retold the incident of queue cutting at the indoor amusement park as it happened.
The crowd looked at Grandmother Chang and Chang Jingqiu in a different light, in the end it was still the grandson of the Chang Family that had started it!
Cutting queue and then lying, lying and then still being unreasonable, the upbringing of the Chang family was problematic. On such an important day, with all the various families present, the grandson of the Chang Family did not know his place.
Those who were originally a little sympathetic towards Chang Jianan were also shaking their heads, feeling that if this child was not educated properly soon, it would be too late.
Grandmother Chang's face changed and changed again, who knew that at this time that trivial matter would be brought up again.
"Such a small matter and he recalls it so clearly, he's so petty!" Grandmother Chang said, "furthermore the mere words of a child shouldn't be believed."
"My grandson never lies." Guan Liya smiled proudly, looking condescendingly at Grandmother Chang.
Grandmother Chang was shaking in rage, Guan Liya was insulting her grandson through her!
"Furthermore, no matter how immature a child is, how could he kick up a ruckus on his grandmother's birthday banquet, and want to wound my grandson. Grandmother Chang, you're getting on in years, if there were to be such bad luck as blood being spilt during a birthday banquet, that wouldn't be good." Guan Liya said coldly.
That reply left Grandmother Chang flabbergasted, and she was unable to think of a reply.
"Today I think I can say I know the Chang Family, and I didn't think they would be so unreasonable." Guan Liya laughed in fake politeness, "a little boy can lie and blame others, it's no wonder Ms. Chang can be so thick faced as to go to Qilin, knowing full well that our Qi Chenglin is getting married, and still pester him to take her as a mistress."
When Guan Liya said that, the entire crowd gasped.
The implications of Guan Liya's words were extreme!
Who would have thought the Chang Family was such an immoral one!
Ms Chang, the daughter of Chang Zhiyuan, was underaged, she was not even old enough to be a mistress, so was Guan Liya referring to Chang Jingqiu?
The eyes of the crowd fell on Chang Jingqiu, looking at her gentle and elegant appearance, you really could not judge a book by it's cover!
"Mrs Qi, you... how could you smear my name like that!" Chang Jingqiu said in a panic, looking as though she might burst into tears, her face flushed red.
Grandmother Chang was also besides herself with anger, Guan Liya's words had ensured that Chang Jingqiu's name was ruined among the circles, in the future none of the capable young men would want her, which family would accept a woman who had once been a mistress?
Guan Liya's words, were far too venomous!
Grandmother Chang could already see that some among the crowd were looking at Chang Jingqiu with disdain, some were already shaking their heads, showing their loss of interest in her, and many among them were those whom Grandmother Chang viewed as good candidates!
"Today my grandson was nearly wounded, and if things went badly his life would be threatened, I don't have any desire to stay here. Just based on your attitude just now, Grandmother Chang, I also cannot bring myself to make any felicitations. The Qi Family says farewell." Guan Liya said, and grabbed Qi Zhongxun's arm.
Qi Zhongxun did not make any attempt to hide his intentions, and turned to leave with his wife.
Qi Chenglin took Qi Youxuan into his arms, and holding Ruan Danchen's hand, left without saying another word.
Ruan Danchen looked back, and gave Gao Xiaoyang an apologetic look, she originally wanted to introduce Gao Xiaoyang to the Eight Great Families, but who knew this would happen?
Gao Xiaoyang mouthed back "it's fine" soundlessly to Ruan Danchen, and gestured to her to just go.
She was a reporter, and she had a job to do today, she couldn't just leave because she wanted to, so she could only just stay here.
Qi Chengzhi and Song Yu made no delays, and nodding their regards to Yan Beicheng and others, and left, Qi Chengyue also made a hasty exit along with Cheng Dongge.
Yan Beicheng's phone suddenly rang, and he picked it up for a moment, before replying, "aiyo, something came up at the company, I must go now, I'm so sorry."
Han Zhuoli looked at his watch, "my grandmother wants me home early tonight."
Gui Zhiqian saw Han Zhuoli and Yan Beicheng had already turned and left, and cursed them for not having any comradeship, and not giving him a reason why.
He suddenly took out his phone, and pretended to pick up a call, and didn't hesitate in throwing his eldest sister under the bus, " What? Big Sis and Brother In Law are fighting again? Okay okay okay, I'll go home and break it up, wait for me!"
He then left.
Chu Zhaoyang was not one who spoke much, and he couldn't be bothered to even produce a reason, he only spoke two words to Chang Zhiyuan, "good bye."
Wei Ziqi at this point also pretended to pick up a call, "huh, Muche's crying? Okay, I'll bring Weiran home now."
"..." the crowd watched as these people all left with flimsy lies, and out of 5 of them 3 of them slipped away using their phones, Han Zhuoli even used his grandmother, since when was he so obedient?
Chu Zhaoyang was even better, without bothering to make up an excuse, he just said "goodbye" and left.
Therefore the remaining guests, were all not that important.
In a moment, an air of awkwardness settled on the venue.
An originally boisterous birthday banquet, with representatives from all Eight Great Families, but now in the blink of an eye everyone was gone. The entire banquet hall felt like it had emptied in an instant.
Everybody was at a loss of what to do in the awkwardness, and no one spoke, making the entire venue seem dead cold.
Chang Zhiyuan was besides himself in rage, he wasn't angry at the Eight Great Families leaving just like that, he was angry at his own mother, for not being able to control her temper, and not realizing who she was talking to, daring to be so unreasonable.
If they were in the right, it would still be fine, but they were clearly in the wrong, if they would just apologize this would be settled, but they just had to make this matter worse.
Chang Zhiyuan let out a depressed sigh, and turned to Liu Xiangwen, "Bring Nannan to the room to change, don't let him sit around here."
Liu Xiangwen quickly picked up the still crying Chang Jianan, who seemed to be completely unaware of the circumstances, and carried him away.
Grandmother Chang could not have thought that her birthday banquet would have gone this way, and her chest hurt in her rage.
Chang Zhiyuan turned to Chang Jingqiu, "bring mom to rest first, when the banquet starts, bring her back."
Chang Jingqiu felt as though she had suffered an irrecoverable disaster tonight, and it was all brought about by Chang Jianan. If it was not for his fight with Qi Youxuan, things would not have gotten this bad.
But the Qi Family was influential, and they could not touch them, so she could only lead Grandmother Chang away with a pained face.
Grandmother Chang massaged her chest as she walked, "I'm going to die from anger! I'm going to die from anger!"
When Grandmother Chang had gotten a fair distance away, only did Chang Zhiyuan humble himself and apologize to the other guests, "everyone, my apologies, our family has made a fool of ourselves tonight. This incident tonight was the fault of the Chang Family, our hospitality is lacking, we ask for your forgiveness. As for the Qi Family, I will personally apologize to them, let's not spoil the mood over such a trivial matter."
The guests finally dispersed slowly, and conversation resumed, but this time, the topic of the conversation was all focused on gossiping about what just happened.
Gao Xiaoyang did not look for Xia Zishan and Cheng Libo, Chang Jingqiu had just been embarrassed for no good reason, and would not be back soon.
Gao Xiayang thus sat alone in a corner, and took out her phone to write a draft. This trip tonight wasn't a waste, when she went back to hand in her draft to the editor-in-chief, she even had the title thought out: The Eight Great Families Retire From The Birthday Banquet of The Matriarch of The Chang Family, Will The Markets in B City See A Shift?
With an explosive topic such as this, the editor in chief was sure to be happy, but what was unknown was whether he would hesitate on account of Chang Jingqiu.
As the Qi Family exited Dynasty, Qi Chenglin turned to see Yan Beicheng and the others had followed them out.
Yan Beicheng then explained, "all of you aren't around, there'd be no reason for us to stick around, and there's no need to stay there and give face to Grandmother Chang."
[1] This is a nickname for Chang Jianan, a repetition of the final syllable of his name.
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