Chapter 192 - 189: Yanyan’s 100-Day Banquet

Chapter 192: Chapter 189: Yanyan’s 100-Day Banquet

Zhou Lian had a reunion with her classmates on Saturday, and on Sunday, she formally became Professor Xiao’s student. The recent gossip at school had mostly died down thanks to the administration’s guidance and suppression. Only a few of the more persistent underclassmen were still secretly trying to arrange "chance encounters." They didn’t have any ill intentions; they just wanted to see for themselves how beautiful the upperclassman said to possess both beauty and wisdom truly was. There was nothing Zhou Lian could do about it.

In truth, that’s just how things were in the world. The sun still rose in the east and set in the west each day, unswayed by anyone’s will. Life was the same. Everyone had their own lives to live. Once the initial excitement passed, it all just became idle chatter. Realizing this, Zhou Lian stopped worrying about these matters. ’Who hasn’t been young and reckless, a total cringey brat at some point!’

The weather was gradually warming, and Little Yanyan’s hundred-day banquet was fast approaching. Since they hadn’t held a one-month celebration, Zhou Lian and Li Xiu discussed holding a grand event. For one, it was to make it up to their son. For another, it was also a way to mark their official settlement in the Capital City and to properly maintain some social connections.

It had been over a year since they had become connected with those old gentlemen from the Imperial Palace. Now was the time to let those families who were in the dark see the situation clearly. After all, if not for themselves, they had to plan for their children. China’s thousands of years of tradition were rooted in this; it was a society built on personal relationships, a legacy passed down from their ancestors. Besides, those old gentlemen had initially acted out of respect for their master’s old friendships. Although there was certainly some self-interest involved, that was only human nature.

Since the couple had already accepted this protection, it was only right that they give something back. For example, for Elder Ping, Li Xiu took Ping’an under his wing. For Old Sir Sun, he gave the Sun Family’s eldest grandson—that is, Secretary Sun’s son, who was in a rebellious and cringey phase—a thorough dressing-down. This directly led to Old Sir Sun packing the boy off to the army...

On the day of the hundred-day banquet, Li Xiu booked an entire hotel for a grand feast. However, because the various big shots were too busy with work, the banquet was scheduled for the evening. Thirty-six tables were set, with two more in reserve. It would be awkward if there were more guests than could be seated.

March 20, 1981, of the China Calendar. The Li family’s young son, Li Xiangrui, was one hundred and one days old. According to custom, a child’s hundred-day banquet isn’t held on the exact day, but either a day early, on the ninety-ninth day, or a day late, on the one hundred and first. Li Xiangrui and his older sister, Li Xianglin, were dressed up beautifully and adorably by their father. It had to be said that Li Xiu was truly clever; it seemed there was nothing he wasn’t good at once he put his mind to it. The temperature in the Capital City in March wasn’t very high. Although people had shed their thick, cotton-padded winter clothes, they still needed a moderately thick jacket.

Li Xianglin had her hair in a bun and wore a powder-blue spring outfit, complete with a small, white, embroidered Chinese-style capelet. The clothes had been specially brought back for her by Wang Dongfang and his companions from their trip down south, a style that hadn’t become popular in the Capital City yet. Having inherited all the best features of her parents, Little Nono was practically a shining little beacon wherever she stood.

At over three months old, Li Xiangrui was fair and chubby, with a little face that was the spitting image of Li Xiu’s—adorable from every angle. He was dressed in a fuzzy little tiger onesie, a design Li Xiu had sketched and modified based on a future style, which Sister Fang had then sewn by hand. And you had to admit, when Yanyan wore it, he looked just like a robust little tiger cub. He was wrapped snugly in a bright red, embroidered, hooded cape.

As for the adults, that was a simpler matter. Li Xiu had already stuffed several of Zhou Lian’s wardrobes full of clothes. Unsurprisingly, Zhou Lian wore a powder-blue, embroidered, slim-fitting Chinese-style dress, with a white trench coat over it. A pair of white, seven-centimeter heels made Zhou Lian, who was already quite tall, appear even more willowy and graceful.

Li Xiu’s attire was simpler: a sky-blue suit of superior fabric, a white satin mandarin-collar shirt, and white round-toed leather shoes. The ensemble instantly transformed him into a bright young man. Gone was his usual calm and imposing aura; he finally radiated the vitality appropriate for his age.

Seeing the impeccably dressed family of four, Ping’an put his fingers to his mouth and let out a sharp whistle. ’Now *that’s* a family,’ he thought. ’The husband is handsome, the wife is gorgeous, the daughter is cute and clever, and the son is a little tiger cub. The four of them standing together are the most beautiful sight.’

The upper echelons of the Capital City’s society finally got to see the legendary figures in person. After all, the only ones who had been able to see the couple, Li Xiu and Zhou Lian, at the National Day gala in the Imperial Palace last year were a few family patriarchs and their direct heirs. This time, for the Li family’s hundred-day banquet for their son, those who received invitations all brought their families along. Their relatives needed to see the couple too, just in case some unpleasant conflict arose in the future out of ignorance—a mess that would be difficult to clean up. After all, during last year’s "great earthquake" in the Capital City’s high society, Li Xiu had single-handedly taken on several families. And he had emerged completely unscathed, which showed just how highly those figures in the Imperial Palace regarded him.

As soon as the sun set, the temperature dropped considerably. Li Xiu couldn’t bear to let Zhou Lian stand at the entrance in the wind, so he coaxed her into a private room to look after the children with Sister Fang. Ping’an watched his friend’s antics and shook his head. ’Li Jincheng is really hopeless,’ he thought. ’It’s almost the end of March; how cold could it possibly be? He’s taken doting on his wife to a whole new level.’ Grumble as he might, he still dutifully stood by his friend’s side, helping him greet guests at the hotel entrance.

The guests who arrived one after another looked as if they’d seen a ghost when they saw Ping’an at the hotel entrance. Then, looking at the tall and elegant Li Xiu standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Ping’an, they were all filled with mixed emotions. They smiled and offered auspicious words of blessing, but inside they were all thinking the same thing. ’What on earth is this Li Xiu’s background? His aura is so powerful that not only does the young master of the Ping Family fail to overshadow him, but even many veterans of the battlefield would only be his equal at best!’

"Jin Chen, what do you suppose those old foxes are thinking? Their smiles are so stiff, you’d think we were forcing them into a life of crime!" Ping’an grumbled in a low voice during a lull after showing in a wave of guests.

He shot Ping’an a speechless look. ’His choice of words... Even someone who’d never read a book would be more refined. How can he be this clueless? He still doesn’t understand what those old guys are thinking. Looks like I’ll have to give him extra lessons. Otherwise, a naive fool like him will be eaten alive the moment he’s let loose.’

"The esteemed young master of the Ping Family is standing by my side at the door to greet guests. What do you *think* those old foxes are going to think?" Li Xiu snarled at Ping’an in a low, exasperated voice. "Is your brain stuffed with straw? Think. Hard."

Ping’an had just been slow on the uptake. After Li Xiu yelled at him, he instantly understood. "Is it really that big a deal?" he said helplessly. "Just because of this, they’re all looking like they’ve seen a ghost? I’m not even in the political system right now. Why does everything have to be so complicated?"

"You might not be in the system, but what about Elder Ping?" Li Xiu said, smiling at Ping’an. "Anyone with eyes can see that the eldest son isn’t going into politics, which means that for the Ping Family’s next generation, there’s only you. The future head of the Ping Family. Do you get it now?" ’This kid is a little slow on the uptake,’ he thought. ’He really needs more training.’