Yang Feng did not bother to waste his time or energy to respond. Instead, he picked up the fork and began to eat the salad.
Yang Yulong was not that nice. "And who are you?"
The young man was baffled by the ignorance of his uncle's family. "Your fifth cousin—"
"And what gives you the permission to speak out of turn?" Yang Yulong lazily drawled out, a conniving smile on his face. His friendly appearance was a complete contrast to his eyes that were stormy and thunderous.
"The same applies to you." The fifth cousin retorted, ignoring his father's warning stare and his mother's pinch.
"Such a shame, really." Yang Yulong grinned, "You were given the blessing of being invited to this celebration and even a seat at this table, though it's furthest from grandfather. Instead of grasping this opportunity, you decided to waste it."
The fifth cousin was flabbergasted to hear such blunt insults, his face becoming slightly red.
Yang Ruqin scoffed to herself. What was this troublemaker even doing here? And to be stupid enough to speak up about her brother like that, his IQ must be lower than Feng-ge's EQ.
Yang Feng was never one to tolerate disrespect. "Get out."
It took two simple words for his men to step forward, forcibly yanking the man out of his seat, and covering his mouth before an enormous scene was caused. The entire table watched as he struggled, kicking and fighting back, but with one signal from Yang Feng, he was knocked out cold.
A heavy silence fell over the table, everyone dreading his next move. Despite being family and related by blood, everyone was too fearful of their position to even dare to speak up.
"Fifth uncle, you've raised quite a remarkable son." Yang Yulong said, harshly stabbing into a cherry tomato, the red juices splattering a bit. His grin became a smirk when he saw him flinch slightly.
"Wasting the Yang resources on scum like that, I have to commend you." Yang Yulong shrugged, the underlying message was clear.
Yang Mujian remained quiet the entire time even when his fifth son pleaded with his eyes for help.
Yang Feng continued eating as if he did not just order for his relative to be knocked out and tossed into a cell somewhere in the Underworld. He ate without a care, but his eyes would occasionally drift to Zhao Lifei, even when his aunt and uncles were attempting to speak to him.
She was not eating.
She did not lift her fork to her mouth. The utensil was in her hand, but she was playing with her food, her mouth moving as she spoke to someone. He would've been fine with conversations, but he saw she did not eat the entire time she was there.
The main course was brought out and even then, she did not eat. She did cut the meat, but that was it. She occasionally took sips of water in between. The more she drank and neglected her plate, the more irked he became.
Yang Feng began to stand up, but Yang Mujian coldly asked, "Where are you going?"
Yang Feng caught the eye of Zhao Moyao who silently shook his head. "Nowhere." Yang Feng muttered, sitting back down when he saw Zhao Moyao whisper to Zhao Lifei and finally, she picked up the fork and placed the food into her mouth. He watched intently as she chewed, swallowed, and repeated the process again. Seeing this, his shoulders were finally able to relax.
Yang Mujian already knew what the young man's objective was from the start. But seeing as he willingly complied and sat down, he decided not to dwell on the issue any longer.
"I expect to see you in my private study tomorrow morning."
"That depends on my schedule."
"Then change it. Nothing in this world is as important as me." Yang Mujian's words were light, but his tone was not. He meant business.
Yang Feng already knew what his grandfather was going to ask of him. He honestly couldn't care less about the meetings he had in the morning. He only cared about waking up to Zhao Lifei's smile. His grandfather usually woke up at the crack of dawn, which is the same time he expects his grandson to be in his private study.
Yang Feng scowled, he would not be able to see her awake in the morning.
– – – – –
As the desserts were being served, Zhao Lifei excused herself to the bathroom. She only got up when the waiters were bustling around. She did not want Yang Feng to see her sneak off. For some reason, even though she was sitting beside her grandfather, she did not feel comfortable enough to stomach any food. She knew if she smelled one more dish, she might throw up out of nervousness.
Zhao Lifei walked outside to the small garden and relaxed when the cold breeze coursed around her, calming her tingling senses. She could still hear the chatter of the banquet back here because the windows on the balcony were slightly open. The lively talks mingled with the occasional chirps of crickets, created a surprisingly harmonious piece.
She sat down on the cold marble bench, leaning back to stare at the night sky. It was sad and lonely, not a single star present. She watched as an airplane passed overhead, the flickering red, blue, and yellow lights disappearing into the horizon.
"Come out. I know you're there." She quietly said.
Sure enough, an older man, a similar age to her father, emerged from the darkness.
Zhao Lifei turned her head the slightest bit, on high alert. "Good evening, Mr. Su."
Su Boyuan raised his bushy brows. "I don't believe we've ever met before."
"No, but I suppose you know me as well as I know you."
He was intrigued by her words. 'So it seems this young lady had dug into my personal records, just as I have looked at hers…'
"I believe you know why I'm here." He spoke up, watching as she sat up straighter and turned around to face him.
"No, I do not." Zhao Lifei naturally kept one hand on the purse where her pepper spray was hidden. She gave off a very relaxed posture when in reality, she was already seeking out the fastest escape route.
"You shouldn't pretend to be ignorant." He took a step forward, a warm and friendly smile on his aging face.
Zhao Lifei shared an equal smile, not reaching her eyes. "Or perhaps, I'm simply that ignorant." She shrugged.
Su Boyuan laughed at her words, his face turning cold in an instant. "Now, now, let's not play games here."
Zhao Lifei batted her lashes, "What do you mean?" She was feeling particularly bored tonight and decided to entertain this man for the slightest bit. It was obvious he did not like her, given the way he stood to the sidelines, arms tucked behind him. She wondered if he had something hidden there.
"You can rest assured, young lady, there's nothing in my hands." He showed them to her, calloused and old, the skin hard from using so many training sticks.
Zhao Lifei still did not place her guard down. He might not have a weapon in his hand, but who's to say, he did not have one hidden somewhere in his clothing? Or perhaps, even as they spoke now, he was ordering people to come here? She was alone and presumably vulnerable. Most would think it would be easy to take advantage of her here, where one could hear her screams, but not be able to react in time.
