Chapter 338: The Su Family Banquet

The smile on Su Nian’s face froze.

The joy and anticipation of returning home were shattered the moment the words left Aunt Wang’s mouth.

A victory banquet?

In her name?

They even planned to publicly announce her engagement to the Third Prince?

She could clearly imagine the scene.

Her so-called uncle would be standing on a high platform, his face flushed with pride, boasting about her as the “pride of the family” in the most affectionate tone.

Then, he would push her two honest parents in front of everyone, forcing them to nod in agreement.

He was using her reputation to cling to the Royal Family.

He was using her parents to force her into submission.

‘Fine. Good!’

Su Nian’s hands hanging at her sides tightened, her knuckles turning white as she clenched them into fists.

The soft fabric of her ivory-white dress was wrinkled and deformed under her grip.

A silent flame of fury ignited from the deepest depths of her heart.

At the same time.

An even deeper, more massive chill spread from her side.

All expression vanished from Chu Tian’s face.

On that peerlessly handsome countenance, there was now only a bottomless, deathly calm—the kind of silence that preceded a devastating storm.

He did not speak, and he did not even lift his eyelids.

Yet, Su Nian could feel the surrounding air being sucked dry, becoming thick and heavy, making it difficult to breathe.

The woman he had tamed and controlled step by step…

His woman!

The beautiful young woman beside him was someone he had invested countless efforts into, taming and controlling her bit by bit until she was his!

The possessiveness in Chu Tian’s heart was completely ignited.

If not for the fact that the so-called energy-gathering magic circle still needed to be retrieved from the Su family’s main residence, he would have already wiped the entire Su family off the map.

“Let’s go. We’re going to the banquet.”

His voice was not loud and was as flat as a stagnant pond, yet it carried an absolute will that seemed capable of crushing anything in its path.

“Let’s go meet them.”

“Mhm.” Su Nian looked up abruptly and nodded forcefully.

In her azure eyes, fire and ice intertwined, leaving no trace of the tenderness she had felt upon returning home.

‘That’s exactly what I was thinking!’

The streets of Hidden Dragon Town were still exactly as Su Nian remembered.

The bluestone road had been worn smooth and shiny by the years, and the small puddles formed by the rain a few days ago reflected the grayish-blue sky.

On both sides of the street, the wooden signs of the shops swayed slightly in the wind.

The aroma of freshly baked wheat cakes wafted through the air, mixed with the rhythmic clanging coming from a distant blacksmith shop.

Every corner and every brick had once been the warmest backdrop of her childhood memories.

Today, the town was several times more crowded than usual.

Many townspeople, and even some well-dressed outsiders, were flocking in the same direction, their faces filled with a simple excitement and curiosity reserved for grand occasions.

Their conversations and discussions drifted into Su Nian’s ears in fragments.

“Did you hear? The Su family is throwing a massive feast today to celebrate their niece’s achievements in Academy City!”

“I heard even the Royal Family is sending gifts, saying they want to form a marriage alliance with the Su family!”

“Heavens, the Su family is really going to hit the big time!”

Listening to these voices, Su Nian remained expressionless as she stepped forward.

Chu Tian followed by her side, maintaining a distance of half a step between them.

He looked at the girl’s tense profile and the suppressed anger in her eyes.

A faint, almost imperceptible arc actually curved at the corner of his mouth.

Seeing Su Nian look so displeased…

It seemed she was also dissatisfied with this matter.

This made Chu Tian very satisfied.

Soon, at the end of the path, an imposing residence appeared in their view.

The Su family’s vast manor stood before them.

The vermilion gates were wide open without restraint.

The front was crowded with carriages and horses, and guests arrived in a continuous stream, their faces wearing similar, flattering smiles.

The manor was decorated with lanterns and streamers, and the discordant sound of silk and bamboo instruments crashed out, mixing with the smell of alcohol and human voices to create a scene of superficial prosperity.

Su Nian’s appearance caused the commotion at the door to fall silent.

Everyone’s gaze instinctively focused on her.

Her ivory-white dress made her look like an untainted white lotus among the townspeople who wore coarse clothes and smelled of sweat.

The aura around her acted like a natural barrier, isolating her from the surrounding dust and filth.

Countless gazes were projected toward her, mixed with awe and admiration.

“Look… look, that’s… that’s Su Nian!”

A man lowered his voice, but he couldn’t hide the excitement in his tone.

“She’s even more beautiful in person than in the magic images!”

“I heard she’s incredibly powerful now. She’s a genius Mentor at the Magic Academy and even made great contributions during the last monster tide. Even the King has to show her respect now!”

“Who’s the man next to her? He’s too handsome, like he walked out of a painting. Is he her guard?”

The discussions surged like a tide from all directions.

“Oh, Niannian is back!”

A middle-aged man who looked like a butler was the first to react.

His face was instantly covered in a fawning smile, which pressed against the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, making him look greasy and fake.

He lifted his robes and jogged over to meet them.

“The Head of the family and the ladies have been talking about you! Quick, please come in!”

Su Nian nodded expressionlessly and stepped into the manor.

She didn’t even give the butler a single glance.

However, her thoughts were churning.

After her father left the main house due to his injuries, their family had become an awkward existence within the Su clan—a group of forgotten, irrelevant people.

She still remembered how her so-called older cousins always looked at her with a sense of charitable superiority, as if the fact that she could breathe the same air as them was a blessing.

Every family gathering during festivals had been a silent ordeal for her.

Even this butler, who was currently bowing and scraping before her, used to look down his nose at her family.

Now, these people couldn’t wait to use her as a golden signboard to hang high upon the Su family’s decaying door.

How laughable and how ironic.

In the courtyard, a massive banquet area had already been set up, with hundreds of tables fully occupied.

A middle-aged man with a ruddy face was currently drinking with several town celebrities.

He was Su Nian’s uncle, the current Head of the Su family, Su Changhai.

Upon seeing Su Nian enter, Su Changhai’s eyes suddenly lit up.

That light was like a hungry wolf spotting its prey.

He put down his wine cup, laughed loudly, and stood up with open arms, acting as if he were welcoming a hero returning in triumph.

“Our Su family’s pride has returned!”

His voice was booming, deliberately raised so that everyone in the noisy venue could hear him.

“Quick, Niannian, come to your uncle!”

His posture was so affectionate it was as if Su Nian were his most beloved niece.

Beneath that fake enthusiasm, however, was an indisputable summons—an order given to a junior.

He didn’t even look at Chu Tian beside Su Nian, treating him as an insignificant background character.

Su Nian’s footsteps stopped where she was, and she did not take another step forward.

The smile on Su Changhai’s face stiffened for a moment, but it quickly returned to normal.

He walked down from the main seat and hurried forward.

“Come, Niannian, let me introduce you. This is the Town Chief, and this is President Li of the Mercenary Guild…”

He introduced them enthusiastically, his words exceptionally warm.

He acted as if Su Nian’s relationship with the Su family had always been “close” and “intimate.”

It was as if her achievements today were entirely due to the Su family’s nurturing.

Su Nian’s gaze, however, passed over those greasy faces and searched through the crowd.

Soon, at a table in the corner, she saw her parents.

Her father, Su Zhentian, was frowning as he looked in her direction.

He sat there with a cup of wine by his hand, but he hadn’t touched it.

Her mother, Liu Yue, kept signaling Su Nian with her eyes.

Those eyes, which always held a smile, were now filled with worry and helplessness.

Su Nian’s heart was wrenched fiercely.

She effortlessly dodged Su Changhai’s hands that tried to touch her, ignored his stunned expression, and walked straight toward her parents.

A flash of cold darkness crossed Su Changhai’s eyes, but he recovered quickly.

He watched Su Nian’s back, a hint of calculation flickering in the depths of his gaze.

He cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Alright, everyone!”

His voice rang out through the venue once again.

“Today, I have invited you all here for two reasons. First, to celebrate my niece Su Nian’s brilliant achievements in Academy City! This is the glory of our entire Hidden Dragon Town and our Su family!”

Thunderous applause and flattering comments immediately erupted from the audience.

Su Changhai pressed his hands down in satisfaction, enjoying the feeling of being the center of attention.

Then, his tone shifted as he finally revealed his true purpose.

“Second, it is to discuss a great joyous event that concerns the future of my Su family and even the entire Hidden Dragon Town!”

He paused, his face showing a near-fanatical excitement, causing his voice to become sharp.

“I’m sure you’ve heard that His Highness, the Third Prince, has been enamored with our Niannian for a long time and has even publicly expressed his love!”

“This is a heaven-sent blessing! It’s a sign that our Su family ancestors have blessed us! As long as Niannian marries into the Redmaple Royal Family, why should our Su family or Hidden Dragon Town worry about our future prosperity?”

“Everyone will have a wonderful future!”

A larger commotion broke out among the crowd.

His voice was full of seduction, as if he could already see that glittering future.

He turned his head and stared fixedly at Su Nian, who had already reached her parents’ side.

In a tone that brooked no argument, he said: “Niannian, this is not just your honor; it is your responsibility as a member of the Su family, and it concerns the future of the entire Hidden Dragon Town! I have already discussed this with your parents, and they have both agreed. You should just prepare in peace and accept the Prince’s favor!”

The entire venue fell into an uproar.

The invited townspeople were even more jubilant, as if they could already see a beautiful future of reduced taxes and flourishing trade.

If a woman from their town received the Prince’s favor, the entire town would surely experience better development.

Su Nian’s gaze narrowed.

This old fox was even using the future of Hidden Dragon Town to pressure her.

It was as if if she refused, she would be sabotaging the future of all her fellow townspeople.

Just as Su Nian was about to speak up and retort…

Right at that moment.

A clear, resonant voice rang out beside her, beating her to the punch.

The voice was not loud, but it possessed a strange penetrating power that instantly overwhelmed all the clamor.