This young woman is Nalan Yanran, one of the leading ladies of today's drama, the prized disciple of Yun Yun, the head of the Yunlan Sect, and Xiao Yan's fiancée.
"Hanging your strength on your clothes? What kind of brain-dead person would come up with such a stupid idea?"
"Don't you know what it means to be low-key? Luckily, I don't have enough outward display of strength right now, so there's no need for me to do that. Otherwise, I would be so ashamed that I would die!"
Xiao Ning mentally ranted, the conspicuous gold stars hanging on the chests of the three people were completely shattering his worldview.
The Chinese people have always emphasized the doctrine of the mean in their cultural heritage.
What is the Doctrine of the Mean?
Unexpected, unremarkable, and not superior to others, etc.
People in the world of martial arts like to flaunt their strength, as if afraid others won't know how powerful they are, much like how people in modern society print their wealth on their faces.
Xiao Ning found this bizarre approach difficult to understand.
Just then, a handsome young man dressed in black robes, led by the family steward, entered the council hall.
After the boy entered, he first looked around. When he saw the three strangers, he was stunned, just like Xiao Ning.
"Father, three elders!"
Then, things returned to normal, and the boy respectfully bowed to the people sitting in the first seat.
Seeing the young man enter, Xiao Ning perked up, thinking to himself, "The main character has arrived; the grand show is about to begin!"
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Chapter 2: Visiting the Door to Annul the Engagement (5000 words)
"Father, three elders!"
After entering the hall, Xiao Yan quickly stepped forward and respectfully bowed to Xiao Zhan and the other three people sitting at the head of the table.
"Hehe, Yan'er, you're here. Please sit down."
Upon seeing Xiao Yan's arrival, Xiao Zhan stopped his laughter and conversation with the guest, nodded to him, and waved.
With a smile and a nod, Xiao Yan pretended not to notice the impatience and slight disdain emanating from the three elders beside him. He turned around and scanned the hall, only to be surprised to find that there was no seat for him.
"Sigh, it seems my status in the family is really getting lower and lower. They used to be so nice, but now they're embarrassing me in front of the guests. Those three old bastards!"
Xiao Yan gave a self-deprecating smile and shook his head inwardly.
Looking at Xiao Yan, who stood motionless, the young people of the surrounding clan couldn't help but sneer, clearly enjoying seeing him make a fool of himself.
Even Xiao Ning, who was watching the show with amusement, had a slight smile on his lips. As for stepping in to help Xiao Yan out of the predicament, he was overthinking it; that didn't fit his low-key plan.
At this moment, Xiao Zhan, sitting at the head of the table, noticed Xiao Yan's embarrassment. A flash of anger crossed his face, and he frowned at the old man beside him, saying, "Second Elder, you..."
"Ahem, I'm so sorry, I completely forgot about the Third Young Master of the Xiao family. Hehe, I'll have someone prepare it right away!"
The old man in the yellow robe, who was being stared at by Xiao Zhan, smiled faintly, but he emphasized the words "Third Young Master" very much, as if he were mocking him.
He patted his forehead in self-reproach, but the mockery in his eyes was hardly concealed.
"Brother Xiao Yan, please sit here!"
A soft laugh from a young girl suddenly rang out in the hall.
The three elders were slightly taken aback. Their gazes shifted to Xiao Xun'er, who was sitting quietly in the corner. They moved their lips, but none of them dared to speak again.
In a corner of the hall, Xiao Xun'er smiled and closed the thick book in her hands. Her demeanor was elegant and composed. She winked cutely at Xiao Yan.
Looking at Xiao Xun'er's smiling face, Xiao Yan hesitated for a moment, touched his nose and nodded. Then, amidst the envious gazes of the many young men, he walked over and sat down next to her.
The two sat together, heads bowed, whispering to each other.
Seeing this, all the boys in the hall stared wide-eyed, as if they were about to breathe fire. They were screaming in their hearts: Burn these two adulterers to death!
Among the three unfamiliar guests, the girl named Nalan Yanran puffed up her cheeks in anger upon seeing this scene.
No matter what, she was the nominal fiancée of this third young master of the Xiao family. Yet, right in front of her, he was being intimate and entangled with another woman.
He never even considered me, his fiancée.
Fortunately, she came to the Xiao family to annul the engagement; otherwise, she would probably still be in the dark.
Thinking of this, Nalan Yanran gave the old man beside her a wink. Ge Ye immediately understood. He coughed lightly, breaking the silence in the hall and drawing everyone's attention to him.
Ge Ye stood up, cupped his hands in greeting to Xiao Zhan, and smiled, "Clan Chief Xiao, we have come to visit you with a request!"
"Hehe, Mr. Ge Ye, please speak freely. If it is within our power, the Xiao family should not refuse."
Xiao Zhan dared not be negligent towards this envoy from the Yunlan Sect, and quickly stood up to respond politely.
However, since he didn't know what the other party wanted, Xiao Zhan didn't dare to speak too definitively.
"Hehe, Clan Chief Xiao, do you know her?"
Ge Ye smiled slightly and pointed to the girl beside him, asking with a smile.
"Uh... please forgive my poor eyesight, this young lady..."
Xiao Zhan was taken aback upon hearing this. He looked the girl over carefully and shook his head with a slightly embarrassed expression.
When Nalan Yanran was taken in as a disciple by Yun Yun, she was only ten years old. She cultivated in the Yunlan Sect for five years. As the saying goes, a girl changes a lot as she grows up. After not seeing each other for many years, Xiao Zhan naturally did not know that the girl in front of him was his nominal daughter-in-law.