‘He must be in Provincial City for work! He should be working as a lowly laborer somewhere!’
In her eyes, poor people like Tang Hao were the same as trash. If she could, she would rather cut all ties with her poor relatives.
Tang Hao’s brows furrowed when he heard that. Even Second Uncle looked uneasy.
He did not mind if his wife said that in private, but Tang Hao was nonetheless his younger sister’s son. It was not very appropriate to say that in front of his face.
“Guifen!” He said softly.
“Why? Did I say something wrong?” Second Aunt said angrily. “He doesn’t look like a college student! He’s destined to work menial jobs for the rest of his life. I say, Xuebin, let’s not waste any more time here.
“We meet him at the police station. I wonder if he committed a crime or got himself into some trouble!”
As Second Aunt spoke, she tried pulling Second Uncle away from the scene.
Second Uncle hesitated and was pulled for some distance.
He indeed looked down upon Tang Hao, but Tang Hao was nonetheless his relative.
He stopped walking after a while. “Guifen, we don’t get to meet him often. Let’s invite him too!”
Second Aunt nearly exploded in anger when she heard that.
“What? Invite him? You must be joking. You’re only losing face if you invite him! You should know who will be in attendance, right?
“You’ve already invited several poor relatives. Isn’t that enough? Must you invite another one? What happens if we lose face because of them?” Second Aunt shrieked.
Tang Hao’s face darkened instantly.
Second Aunt’s words were tactless, as though she was somehow superior just because she moved to the city!
“Guifen, we’ve already invited several relatives, so what’s wrong with inviting one more? Furthermore, it’s a tradition to invite our relatives to a wedding,” Second Uncle said with some difficulty.
“Hmph!” Second Aunt glared at him. “Whatever. We’ve invited several anyway, and I don’t really care if there’s one more!”
Second Uncle breathed a sigh of relief and turned to look at Tang Hao.
“Lil Hao, your cousin brother’s wedding banquet is in three days. You should come!”
Tang Hao furrowed his brows and prepared to decline the invitation.
Second Aunt did not want him to come anyway, so he was not going to humiliate himself!
“Dazhu will be coming too!” Second Uncle added.
Tang Hao was surprised, and he hesitated upon his original decision.
He thought about it for a bit, then nodded and replied, “Alright!”
“Ha! You sound like you don’t want to come! You don’t need to come then, Everyone will be happier that way!” Second Aunt said mockingly.
“That’s enough, Guifen!” Second Uncle said.
Second Aunt grunted. “I say, Tang Hao, if you’re coming, then you’d better behave. Many of the guests are either rich people or figures of authority.
“Provincial City is very different from the mountain village you’re from. Don’t do anything shameful.”
“Remember, Lil Hao, the wedding banquet is in three days. It’ll start at noon at Grand Paragon Restaurant. You’ll find the banquet hall once you arrive there,” Second Uncle said.
Tang Hao nodded and said, “Got it!”
“Alright, see you then!”
Then, the couple turned around and left immediately.
Tang Hao stood there. He was not very happy. He would rather not attend the banquet if not that Brother Dazhu would be attending.
“Well, whatever! I’ll just treat it as having lunch and take the opportunity to meet up with Bro Dazhu!” Tang Hao muttered.
Brother Dazhu had been living in town ever since he married. He was usually busy at work. It was a good opportunity to catch up with each other.
“In three days?”
Tang Hao had planned to attend a week of classes, then return to Westridge District. With the wedding banquet, he had to stay in Provincial City for a few more days.
“I gotta tell Sis Xiangyi!” He immediately took his phone and dialed Qin Xiangyi’s number.
They chatted intimately for a while, then Tang Hao ended the call, went to claim his car, and returned to his apartment.
No more police officers came looking for trouble in the next few days.
The matter of Gao Wenqiang’s disappearance was discussed in college for the next few days and was eventually forgotten.
Teacher Jiang had been worried, but she soon felt relieved.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye. It was the day of the banquet.
Chapter 238 - Shi Zelei
Tang Hao did not attend classes that day.
In the late morning, he left his apartment and went to the wedding banquet.
He did not put on his formal wear but instead dressed rather casually. Second Uncle and Second Aunt treated him like a poor relative anyway, and he would rather not break the illusion.
As a symbolic gesture, he prepared a red packet of 888 yuan as a gift for the newlyweds.[1]
He did not drive his car. Instead, he took a cab to Grand Paragon Restaurant in the city center.
Grand Paragon Restaurant was one of the top restaurants in Provincial City. Of course, the prices were also very high. The typical family would not be able to afford to hold a wedding banquet there.
Second Uncle ran a furniture business, and he had made a fortune over the past few years. He could afford to pay for the banquet.
Furthermore, Second Uncle did not want to lose face at his only son’s wedding. He had to make it as grand as possible.
Once Tang Hao got off the cab, he saw a tall building in front of him. Its outer appearance was a lot more lavish than Beyond Heaven Restaurant in Westridge District.
He looked around, then waited at the entrance.
Many cars arrived at the restaurant in the meantime. There were many luxury cars like BMWs and Mercedes Benzes, and everyone that stepped out of the cars was dressed in expensive clothing and adorned in gold accessories and jewelry. There was no mistaking that those were rich people.
Only one wedding banquet took place that afternoon, and Tang Hao could guess that most of the people were there for the wedding banquet.
Soon, he saw another cab arrive at the entrance.
Then, the car door opened and a couple stepped out.
The man was tall and well-built. He had a square face and looked rather masculine. The woman was beautiful and elegant. They were none other than Tang Hao’s cousin brother Shi Dazhu and his wife Gao Ying.
Shi Dazhu looked different in formal dress. He carried an aura of positivity.
Meanwhile, Gao Ying was dressed in a red dress. Tang Hao looked closely and noticed that her stomach was bulging slightly.
Tang Hao was shocked. Then, he smiled.
When he was at Dragonrock Village earlier, he heard that First Uncle was going to be a grandfather soon.
The couple came over. When Shi Dazhu saw Tang Hao, he waved excitedly, “Lil Hao!”
Then, they walked a little faster toward Tang Hao.
“Congratulations!” Tang Hao said to the couple.
Shi Dazhu was surprised, then immediately realized what he was talking about. He scratched the back of his head and said bashfully, “Haha! I didn’t expect that I’ll be a father soon!”
Gao Ying gave him a side-eye. The two of them were clearly in love.
“I have to thank you for all this, Lil Hao! If not for you, we won’t be enjoying our lives.”
Shi Dazhu stepped forward, grabbed Tang Hao’s hands, and shook them firmly.
His gratitude was true from his heart.
If not for Tang Hao, Gao Ying’s mother would not have agreed to their marriage. A village boy like him would not be able to marry a girl from the town, much less own a house.
He owed his younger cousin brother all that he had.
&
nbsp; He had always felt guilty because he did not know how to repay him.
Not only did he feel immense gratitude toward his younger cousin brother, but he also admired him a lot.
His younger cousin brother had started his plantation at Dragonrock Village and employed many villagers in his production factory and company. The booming business had brought prosperity to the village and its villagers.
“There’s no need to thank me! It’s so long ago!” Tang Hao said with a smile.
“We will never forget what you did for us. Thank you,” Gao Ying said.
Tang Hao laughed. “Come! Let’s go inside!”
Then, Tang Hao turned around and went into the restaurant.
The wedding banquet was held on the third floor of the restaurant. The hall was decorated lavishly.
Shi Dazhu was awestruck when he saw the place.
“I guess they’re pretty loaded,” he said coldly.
Second Uncle and his family were never popular in Dragonrock Village. Shi Dazhu, too, did not admire them.
Second Uncle had invited First Uncle’s entire family, but First Uncle and First Aunt did not want to come, and so they sent Shi Dazhu as a representative.
The newlyweds were standing at the entrance to the hall, greeting the guests.
The male was about twenty-three or twenty-four years old. He was tall and handsome and wore a black business suit. Meanwhile, the female wore a wedding gown and looked stunning in it.
The male was none other than Shi Zelei, Second Uncle’s only son.
Shi Zelei was said to be a high achiever. He graduated from a prestigious university and was currently working in a big company. His wife was the daughter of that company’s boss.
The couple turned to see the three people who had just arrived.
Shi Zelei examined them closely. He was surprised when he saw Shi Dazhu.
“Bro Dazhu?”
Shi Zelei sounded incredulous.
In his impression, First Uncle’s family was poor. A few years ago, when he returned to Dragonrock Village, his house was incredibly shabby. How could anyone live there?
His cousin brother Shi Dazhu was a loser born in that poor family. Now, he was dressed in expensive clothes and had a beautiful wife.
Of course, he heard that Bro Dazhu was married.
He also heard that Bro Dazhu was working in town. Perhaps he had a fortuitous encounter.
Then, he turned to look at Tang Hao.
“He is…?” He was a little confused.
“Cousin Zelei, He’s Tang Hao!” Shi Dazhu said.
Shi Zelei was shocked when he heard that.
Then, his gaze toward Tang Hao became condescending.
He remembered that his younger cousin brother Tang Hao was even poorer than First Uncle. As far as he remembered, Tang Hao had nothing to his name.
Looking at his clothes, it seemed that his condition did not improve.
“So it’s you, Younger Cousin!” Shi Zelei said coldly.
His wife noticed his expression and understood. Her gaze upon Tang Hao and Shi Dazhu changed as well.
She heard from her husband that he was from a mountain village, and he had invited several relatives from there. Those three people were obviously those relatives.
Shi Dazhu was not happy when he saw Shi Zelei’s expression. He was indignant for Tang Hao.
Meanwhile, Tang Hao was impassive.
He knew his cousin brother Shi Zelei’s attitude, that his cousin brother looked down upon poor people.
“This way, Cousin Brother!” Shi Zelei stepped back and gestured to the three people to enter the hall.
They handed over their gifts, and a waiter came to usher the three people into the hall.
The hall was big and was dotted with round banquet tables. Tang Hao did a quick count and estimated that there were at least thirty or forty of them. The hall could accommodate at least three hundred people. Many people were already in their seats.
The three people looked around and found their seats. They sat down and waited for the banquet to start.
[1] The number ‘8’ is auspicious in Chinese culture. It is common to give cash in multiples of 8 at a wedding banquet.
Chapter 239 - So What If We’re Village Folk
The mood in the wedding hall was festive.
Guests were still streaming in. They were all dressed up lavishly to flaunt their riches. It was a big contrast with Tang Hao.
As more and more guests arrived, the hall became more packed. Tang Hao’s table was in the middle of the hall, which was already full.
Tang Hao and Shi Dazhu chatted as they sat there waiting.
Their aunt, Wang Guifen, came around.
She wore a wide smile on his face as she walked around greeting the incoming guests.
“Oh, Boss Liu, you’re here! Long time no see! How’s business?”
“Isn’t this Boss Hu? Oh, he’s your grandson? He’s so cute! He’ll be a handsome young man after he grows up. Many girls will like him!”
The guests also returned the greetings with smiles.
“Your family is blessed! You have an outstanding son, and he’s marrying a beautiful and diligent wife! I’m so envious!”
The guests’ greetings were flattering. However, they were also sincere.
Shi Xuebin was a wealthy businessman, and his son Shi Zelei was a high achiever who married a daughter with a billionaire father.
Everyone would be envious to have such a daughter-in-law!
Wang Guifen smiled more happily than ever. She was incredibly proud of her son’s achievement.
When her eyes swept across Tang Hao’s table, the smile froze on her face.
Then, her face darkened and she looked unhappy.
She quickly walked over and said loudly, “Oh, aren’t you Dazhu? Long time no see!”
She discreetly examined Shi Dazhu and was surprised. ‘He seems to be quite well off!’
However, the condescension in her eyes remained.
Even though Shi Dazhu might not be as poor as she had expected, he was nonetheless someone from a mountain village and a poor relative.
Then, her eyes glanced at Gao Ying.
Gao Ying was beautiful, but she was no match for her newly-acquired daughter-in-law. Her daughter-in-law was from a wealthy family, a true elite of society.
‘Shi Dazhu’s wife must also be from the mountains! She’s no match for my daughter-in-law!’
Then, her eyes landed on Tang Hao.
“This kid actually came!” She mumbled to herself and her eyes flashed with condescension.
In her eyes, poor relatives brought her nothing but shame.
Shi Dazhu’s face flashed with anger when he saw his aunt’s attitude.
“Oh, Dazhu! How about you three get up and move to another table? This table… isn’t meant for you,” she said cryptically.
She pointed a finger at a corner of the hall.
The corner was still relatively unoccupied, while the middle of the hall, where they were currently sitting, was already full.
Tang Hao furrowed his brows.
“This table isn’t meant for you” implied that the seats in the middle of the hall were not for poor relatives.
Even Gao Ying looked a little uneasy.
No one would be happy being discriminated against at an auspicious event.
Meanwhile, Shi Dazhu’s face was getting darker than ever.
The people on the same table were confused about what was going on.
“What do you mean, Second Aunt? There are enough seats for all of us here. Why do we have to change seats?” Shi Dazhu said, trying to curb his anger.
“Didn’t I say that the seats here aren’t meant for you?” Wang Guifen shrieked, “Can’t you understand human language? Get up at this instant and sit over there!”
Shi Dazhu smirked. He could not hold back his anger anymore.
He could not stand being bullied!
He was already unhappy when his au
nt looked down upon him on other days. Asking him to move somewhere else in a public event, in front of everyone’s eyes, was none other than utter humiliation!
“Pardon me, but I’m not moving!” Shi Dazhu said coldly.
“You…” Wang Guifen was getting angry.
“You disrespectful kid! I’ve given you face by inviting you here, and now you’re walking all over me!” Wang Guifen chided, “I should have known not to invite your kind of people here!”
Many people looked toward the commotion.
“Excuse us! These people are from a mountain village and they don’t know proper etiquette!” Wang Guifen turned around and spoke to the people around them.
The people indicated expressions of understanding toward Wang Guifen. Their gaze toward the three people became condescending.
The guests were mostly rich people from the city. They looked down upon village folk.
“Those should be the relatives from Boss Shi’s side!”
“That’s village folk for you. Look at how shabbily dressed they are. They don’t even know proper etiquette and are causing a ruckus at the wedding.”
“Boss Shi is unlucky to have such relatives!”
The people discussed among each other. Some of them were laughing.
Shi Dazhu’s expression became even more unpleasant. His hands were clenched into fists.
Suddenly, he slammed the table and stood up. “So what if we’re village folk? Are we bothering you? Is it right to discriminate upon village folk?”
He glared angrily at the people around him.
The cavernous wedding hall immediately descended into silence. Everyone turned to look at him.
“And you too! Aren’t you from the same mountain village? Do you think that you’re superior now that you’ve moved to the city? How dare you look down upon village folk?” Shi Dazhu lifted a finger and pointed it at Wang Guifen.
Wang Guifen’s face was contorted with anger. Her body was trembling.
The Mightiest Little Peasant c1-799 Page 109
