Chapter 63 - Distant Relatives

The Yu family’s ancestral home was especially lively today. Since the family head had spoken, the Yu family members, who were usually scattered all over America, gathered together to participate in this family meeting.

The women chatted and laughed in the tearoom, the men gathered in twos or threes to talk, and some of the younger generation who weren’t familiar with each other yet got to know each other in the living room.

Yu Tang’s cousin from his seventh uncle, Yu Qi, was also among them, and he sat with his cousin from eighth aunt’s family. Seventh uncle and eighth aunt had the same father, so their families naturally were closer.

“Today’s banquet was prepared especially for you.” The younger cousin flattered Yu Qi. “To be accepted into such a great university, the family head must be very proud.”

Yu Qi smiled composedly. He definitely didn’t think that this was prepared especially for him. He was outstanding, and the family head had expressed that he valued Yu Qi on more than one occasion, but Yu Tang, who had gotten into Halun University, was just as outstanding. Compared with Yu Tang, the family head’s own grandson, Yu Qi was ultimately a level lower.

As time passed, the number of people in the living room increased. Some of the smarter younger generations were already in the study on the second floor, speaking with the family head and third grandfather.

The talented youth Yu Qi didn’t want to see the fawning faces of those people, so he stayed in the living room with his cousin.

“I hear that the butler recently got a PhD.” In truth, this younger cousin didn’t have much in common with Yu Qi. As they spoke, he brought up the Yu family’s butler. As someone who had gotten a PhD in ‘professional stewardship’, he had to be mentioned.

The butler wore a tailored suit, white gloves, and an exquisite bowtie. His hair was combed back neatly, and he stood at the door with a smile, looking like a Victorian aristocratic gentleman.

“Butler Cao, I haven’t seen you in two months, and you seem to have become even more handsome.” Second aunt entered with her daughter, Yu Zhu, and greeted the butler with a smile.

“Hello, Uncle Cao.” Yu Zhu followed along and nodded her head in greeting.

The smile on Butler Cao stayed the same. He inclined his body slightly, and warmly informed them of the whereabouts of the others in the house. After that, a maid stepped forward to guide the two ladies.

Every single person who entered the door would greet Mr. Butler when they saw him. This drew Yu Qi’s attention.

He also had a butler back home in China, but in his opinion, a butler was just the manager who supervised the servants. However, this butler of the Yu family seemed different; his status in the family wasn’t inferior to that of the family members.

“In this house, it’s best if you don’t offend Butler Cao.” His cousin was of mixed race, with fair skin and some freckles. As he spoke on this point, the freckles on his face trembled.

Butler Cao had been in the Yu family for over ten years, and had the family head’s deep trust. For one thing, this person had excellent capability, and was able to do the work of three men. No matter how many servants or labourers there were in the house, he handled them all meticulously. Moreover, this fellow knew how to conduct himself well, and was particularly good with words. He could coax anyone into a broad smile.

This sort of person with exceedingly high EQ was usually much more formidable than those with high IQ.

Butler Cao seemed to be mild and polite, but no one could be said to be close to him; getting any information from him was basically impossible.

It was almost time, but Yu Tang still hadn’t arrived. Yu Qi’s cousin looked at his watch and said with schadenfreude, “I reckon Yu Tang’s going to be late.”

The family head hated latecomers the most. Because of this, he once had Butler Cao shut Yu Zhu out.

As he spoke, Yu Tang strolled in with Dugu An. At the door, Mr. Butler, who had never moved once, unconsciously took a half-step forward when he saw Yu Tang. His lips curved far more visibly.

“Your M… Welcome home, young master Tang.” Butler Cao spoke in perfect Mandarin, and stepped forward to hold out his arm to support Yu Tang.

Yu Tang gave the butler a quick look, and that outstretched hand immediately turned to receive the large box that was in Dugu An’s hands and pass it to the maid on the side.

“Grandfather and third grandfather are in the study. Some of the young masters are also there.” Butler Cao led Yu Tang in as he quietly explained the current situation. “Grandfather is writing calligraphy; you can go up and take a look.”

Speaking up to this point, the butler had already accompanied Yu Tang to the foot of the stairs. He promptly halted and bowed slightly. Because Yu Tang was late, the maids were busy elsewhere, so there wasn’t anything wrong with the butler personally leading him in.

The others didn’t notice anything, but Yu Qi and his younger cousin, who had been observing the butler, looked at each other in astonishment. The butler’s attitude towards Yu Tang was too unusual, and could be simply described as eagerly attentive. Sure enough, the family head was biased towards Yu Tang.

The current head of the Yu Family, Yu Taixian, was Yu Tang’s paternal grandfather. The purpose of this banquet was mainly to introduce his own grandson.

In a silk Tang suit, Yu laoyezi stood before a sandalwood table as he wrote freestyle on fine writing paper. Members of his grandchildren’s generation surrounded him. Regardless of whether they could understand it, they feigned appreciative expressions.

The Yu family head was usually a very serious elderly who said what he meant in the family, and most of his grandchildren were afraid of him. However, they couldn’t not fawn over him, which consequently led to this scene of insipid praises.

“Grandpa writes really magnificently.”

“This character is too beautiful.”

“Practically the same as in the book.”

When Yu Tang walked in, the study’s heavy wooden door automatically closed with a relatively loud clunk that drew everyone’s attention. One by one, they turned their heads to look at him. His cousins’ gazes were more or less hostile, and two of them seemed to have particularly penetrating expressions.

“Tangtang, you’re just in time.” Lifting his head and seeing his own grandson, Yu Taixuan immediately revealed a smile. “Come and take a look at this character for grandpa.”

Yu Tang had cheated Song Xiao into coming to Luo City. They had agreed to watch a ball game, but in the end, Yu Tang went to participate in a family gathering and ditched Song Xiao at the hotel so that he was by himself. Yu Tang also repeatedly told him not to go watch the ball game alone.

The tickets had clearly already been bought, but Song Xiao couldn’t go watch. He felt unhappy, as this was just too wasteful. Seeing that it was still bright outside, he thought of going to watch half the game. This way, the money wouldn’t have been spent in vain. Just as he put on his shoes, someone suddenly rang the doorbell. It was room service. A young man wearing a chef’s hat pushed in a silver dining cart. “Hello sir, Mr. Tang scheduled dinner for you in advance. Please enjoy.”

The extravagant dinner was placed on the table plate by plate. This meal evidently cost much more than a ticket. Song Xiao’s lips curled, and he sighed. He put down his ticket and sat at the dining table.

His Majesty the emperor had already come up with this scheme earlier on. Knowing that Song Xiao would want to secretly run off to watch the game, Yu Tang ordered a dinner that was worth several times more than a match ticket. As the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, who calculated the accounts day in and day out, Song Xiao immediately made his choice.

The game would be over by the time he finished eating his fill.

Bored to death, Song Xiao leaned against the headboard of the bed and watched TV, which was showing a local advertisement. Luo City was a tourist center which had fun natural landscapes as well as world-renowned amusement parks. Of course, the most famous one was “Movie City”.

The advertisement that was showing was about Movie City. This Movie City was based on Hollywood, and was open to tourists during particular seasons. Whatever setting one could think of could be found here – inside, tourists could experience the majestic scenes of Star Wars or the thrill of the apocalypse. There was even a building for specifically experiencing what it was like to make a movie, which could make people become addicted to acting.

Song Xiao’s eyes brightened. After Yu Tang was done, he could drag him there to play.

At that moment, Yu Tang was holding a brush and showing off his calligraphy in his grandfather’s study.

Because of a few comments he made, laoyezi was very excited, but the rest of the younger generation felt dissatisfied.

“He grew up in China; of course he can say a little more than we can.”

Yu laoyezi didn’t say anything, and merely stuffed a brush into Yu Tang’s hands. “Come, you write a character.”

Yu Tang didn’t decline either as he received the brush with both hands and asked his grandfather what character he wanted.

“Calligraphy is like one’s conduct: What you write is what you wish to be.” Yu laoyezi smiled and gave him a theme on the spot.

Yu Tang smiled, pulled up the sleeves of his shirt, dipped the brush in ink, and raised it. In his mind, however, he was thinking of Song Xiao at the hotel – who knew if he had obediently eaten or not. Yu Tang raised his hand to begin writing. Free and unconstrained, a vigorous and powerful “竹” appeared vividly on the paper.

Little Theater

Grandpa: Did you write the character 竹 because you want to become a bamboo-like nobleman?

Fish Tang: I want to dosomeone called Junzhu.

Xiaoxiao: What does it have to do with me?

Cao Gonggong: This “do” isn’t that “do”.