Xiao Family's discussion hall.
When Gu Changqing, Xiao Xun'er, and the Grand Elder arrived, many people were already seated inside the hall.
At the top were Xiao Zhan and two elderly men with calm expressions. They were the Xiao family's Second Elder and Third Elder, whose authority was almost on par with Xiao Zhan's as the patriarch.
Seeing Gu Changqing and the others arrive, the trio all nodded gently in acknowledgment.
"Xun'er, Changqing, you both sit over there."
The Grand Elder gestured toward the seats reserved for the younger generation of the Xiao family.
The head and the adjacent seats had been specially reserved for Gu Changqing and Xiao Xun'er.
Even those younger members who had arrived earlier refrained from sitting in those exclusive spots, wisely choosing seats further back.
Gu Changqing and Xiao Xun'er nodded and took their seats.
Aside from the many members of the Xiao family, three strangers were also present in the hall.
The trio sat to the right of Xiao Zhan and the elders.
Among the three was an elderly man dressed in a pale white robe. The man wore a beaming smile, his small eyes occasionally flashing with brilliance. When his gaze fell on Gu Changqing and Xiao Xun'er, he let out a soft, surprised murmur.
He hadn't expected a small family like the Xiao family to produce two such extraordinary young individuals.
Beside the elderly man sat a pair of young men and women, both dressed in the same pale white robes.
The man, around twenty years old, had a handsome face and a tall, upright figure, exuding a certain charm.
However, what drew the most attention was the five golden stars embroidered on his chest, representing his rank: a five-star Dou Zhe!
Such power at such a young age attracted the attention of many younger members of the Xiao family.
But when they noticed the calm demeanor of Gu Changqing and Xiao Xun'er, their reactions changed.
One was only a year or two younger than the young man but was already a one-star Dou Zhe, while the other, at just fourteen or fifteen, was a genuine five-star Dou Zhe.
Neither of them was any less impressive than the young man!
Instantly, the allure of the handsome youth waned slightly.
At that moment, the young man's attention was focused on the beautiful girl sitting next to him.
The girl was around the same age as Xiao Xun'er, maybe a bit older, but what surprised people even more was her appearance—it was comparable to Xiao Xun'er's!
However, while Xiao Xun'er's aura was like a pure and untouchable lotus, the girl beside the young man had an air of a noble peony.
The girl wore a pair of delicate jade earrings that jingled faintly whenever they moved.
But what surprised people the most was that this beautiful girl's chest also bore three golden stars, indicating she was a three-star Dou Zhe!
At fourteen or fifteen, being a three-star Dou Zhe was quite impressive and almost on par with Xiao Xun'er's talent.
At that moment, the girl was gazing at Gu Changqing with a touch of admiration, as if she hadn't expected such a refined young man to appear in a place like the Xiao family.
"Hmph!"
The young man noticed the girl's gaze. Following it to Gu Changqing, he let out a displeased snort.
His gaze flickered with a warning as he shot a glance at Gu Changqing, as though telling him that the beautiful girl beside him was not someone Gu Changqing could hope to covet.
Swoosh!
As a protective "brother," Xiao Xun'er's senses were sharp. Noticing the hostility directed toward Gu Changqing, her cold gaze instantly locked onto the handsome young man.
Despite his noble background and significant strength, the handsome youth felt a sudden chill under Xiao Xun'er's gaze, as if a terrifying beast was watching him.
"Heh."
Gu Changqing chuckled softly, his handsome face causing the beautiful girl on the opposite side to be momentarily dazzled.
Step!
Step!
At that moment, Xiao Yan, the main focus of the day, arrived belatedly.
Quickly surveying the room, Xiao Yan hurried forward to greet Xiao Zhan and the elders.
"Father, Elders!"
Xiao Yan bowed respectfully to Xiao Zhan, seated in the center.
"Ah, Yan'er, you're here. Take a seat."
Xiao Zhan's expression softened, nodding as he waved for Xiao Yan to sit down.
Xiao Yan smiled and turned to find a seat.
However, the next second, his face stiffened awkwardly.
Snickers from several Xiao family disciples echoed in the room.
There was no seat for Xiao Yan.
Even some of the younger members didn't offer their seats to the third young master of the Xiao family.
For a moment, Xiao Yan could only stand there with a sullen face, awkwardly frozen in place.
"Elder, you…"
Xiao Zhan noticed Xiao Yan's predicament, and his expression darkened as he angrily addressed the Second Elder beside him.
"Ahem, apologies! I seem to have forgotten about the Third Young Master. I'll have someone prepare a seat right away."
The Second Elder chuckled apologetically and immediately ordered one of the Xiao family disciples to vacate their seat.
Xiao Yan finally had a seat, but it was far back, at the edge of the hall.
The atmosphere in the room grew even more awkward.
Bang!
"Elder…"
Xiao Zhan was about to explode with anger, but Xiao Yan's soft laughter stopped him.
"Heh, Father, don't be angry. The Second Elder must have simply gotten forgetful in his old age, which is why he overlooked preparing a seat for me."
"I don't mind where I sit, but the Second Elder is one of the pillars of our family. If he's getting senile, it might cause a lot of trouble for our Xiao family."
"Second Elder, if you really are getting senile, I'd suggest you retire and enjoy your remaining years."
After saying that, Xiao Yan calmly walked toward his seat at the back of the hall.
His words left many in the hall stunned.
Especially the Second Elder, whose face turned dark as he realized he couldn't refute Xiao Yan's veiled insult.
The brat had called him senile right to his face!
"Heh, Yan'er's right. If the Second Elder is losing his faculties, I can arrange for someone else to take over the family's important matters."
Xiao Zhan chuckled, looking at the Second Elder with a smile.
"Hmph, sharp-tongued brat. I'm not senile yet, so don't worry about it!"
The Second Elder huffed, his face darkening further as he dismissed Xiao Zhan's remark, unwilling to engage further.
"Enough! We have honored guests today. This bickering is unseemly!"
The Grand Elder's stern voice cut through the tension, putting an end to the squabble between Xiao Zhan, Xiao Yan, and the Second Elder.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Xiao Zhan and the others stopped fussing over the seating arrangements and turned to warmly greet the elderly stranger on the right.
However, the old man seemed to be holding something back, opening his mouth several times but ultimately swallowing his words.
Each time, the beautiful girl beside him would cast him a displeased glance.