Right at this moment, a man standing behind this girl, who was in black and about 27 or 28 years old, comforted her, “Sister, don’t be disappointed. Just tell me which seat you want and I’ll make it yours.”
Hearing this, the girl said excitedly, “Really, Brother w.a.n.g Ziyang? But… I’d better just forget it. Daddy is not far behind us and if he knows, he will surely reproach me.”
The girl did feel pleasantly surprised, but at the thought of her stubborn father she involuntarily felt down.
w.a.n.g Ziyang rarely had such a great chance to show off in front his beloved girl, so he definitely wouldn’t let this opportunity slip away. Therefore, he said with a smile, “Sister, don’t worry. I won’t use violence. But I do have ways to let them offer you their seats willingly, so just pick one.”
Hearing this, the girl in red beamed with pleasure on the spot. Her eyes swept through the second floor and stopped at a seat beside the window.
Seeing this, w.a.n.g Ziyang smiled and said, “Sister, please wait a moment and I will be right back.” After this, he went directly to that seat.
Shiao Chen had already known what was happening from the beginning of their conversation. After all, as a cultivator, he had mighty senses; therefore, even if he didn’t intend to know what they were saying, their conversation had no way to hide from his ears. But it was none of his business and he didn’t want to cause himself more troubles. However, watching w.a.n.g Ziyang walking directly towards him, Shiao Chen couldn’t help but slightly frown his eyebrows. Yet, just for a second, he then relaxed and took a sip of the wine.
“Hey brother, are you willing to give up the seat to us? I will offer you ten ounces of fine sliver as compensation.” Seeing Shiao Chen in a blue gown and without any weapons like a feeble scholar, w.a.n.g Ziyang felt relieved inside. He was so definitive when talking to that girl, but if he came across someone with high cultivation, who would neither listen to reason or bow to force, he would have to use some violence.
“If Master were not here, things would be much easier, like just throwing him out if he doesn’t want to give up his seat.” w.a.n.g Ziyang thought in his mind. He was almost certain that the man would take the deal for ten ounces of fine sliver were enough for him to have several meals here.
“No, I refuse.” Shiao Chen said causally without raising his head or putting down his wine gla.s.s.
“What?” w.a.n.g Ziyang was shocked and wore an unbelievable expression as if he didn’t understand what Shiao Chen meant.
“I say I refuse to give up my seat to you. Clear?” Shiao Chen said casually, then took up his chopsticks and ate some vegetables.
“Brother, you see, all your dishes on the table will at most cost you one ounce of fine sliver. But if you accept my offer, I will not only pay for them, but also give you another ten ounces of fine sliver. Just think logically.” w.a.n.g Ziyang seemed kind of embarra.s.sed. If he couldn’t handle such a feeble scholar, he would be in great disgrace and how could he keep chasing his Sister in future? So, although he still sounded calm, he actually was threating Shiao Chen.
Shiao Chen looked up, stared at w.a.n.g Ziyang calmly and said faintly, “When I finish my meal, I will leave. But before that, even if you give me one thousand ounces of fine silver, I will not give my seat to you. Please leave now.”
Shiao Chen frowned. w.a.n.g Ziyang sounded so arrogant even from the very beginning that made Shiao Chen really dislike him. And now he dared to make threats, Shiao Chen was not in the mood of talking to him, so he bluntly refused him thoroughly.
“You……” Hearing this, w.a.n.g Ziyang was enraged and his sullen face kept changing expressions.
“Well, you are really interesting. You talked big before a girl and now you are refused. Why are you still here? Don’t you feel shameful?” Along with these words was some slight laughs. This voice was soft but still loud enough to be heard by all present on the second floor.
“Who…who is talking behind my back?” w.a.n.g Ziyang’s face reddened instantly and his relative handsome face was now badly twisted. And he stared at the direction of the voice fiercely.
The speaker was a young man of about 17 or 18 years old and in fine clothes. He, with a white folding fan in hand, a jade-like face and a slight evil smile on the corners of his mouth, was really a Childe of this chaotic world. But he was too delicate that if he put on dresses, he surely would be a rare beauty.
“What? Are you planning to rob me of my seat since you’ve failed to make his seat yours? Fact is fact. How could you stop us from talking about it?” With a clap, that young man opened his folding fan, wagging his head like a stubborn scholar.
Hearing this, w.a.n.g Ziyang seemed even more sullen. He turned around, fixed his eyes on Shiao Chen and threatened in a low voice, “Friend, I offer you 50 ounces of fine sliver, I think you can see how sincere we are and hope you could give this seat to us. Otherwise, you know, brigands and robbers appear from time to time in the neighborhood of this town and they may kill one or two people even in broad daylight.”
These words were blunt threats. Almost all people dining on the second floor were wealthy, but now their face changed abruptly.
Shiao Chen raised his head, took a short glance at the man and said two words firmly, “I refuse!”
“Haha, Great! Brother, you are surely a real man, immune to bribery and indomitable before threats. Fantastic! Would you like to come and have a drink with me?” That delicate young man invited, patting his folding fan and laughing loudly, which made him kind of degage.
Shiao Chen looked at this man and strangeness flashed through his eyes. Then he slowly shook his head and relied, “No, thanks brother. I have other things to do today and can’t drink too much. So, pardon me, please.”
The delicate young man was not a bit enraged by the refusal and said with a smile, “All right, that’s ok.”
Seeing these two people talking, laughing and ignoring him totally, w.a.n.g Ziyang was overwhelmed with embarra.s.sment and sharpness kept flashing through his eyes.
“Hem, come back!” Right at this moment, a solemn voice of an elder came from the direction of the stairs. Over 10 people came up the stairs one by one and an old man with fine clothes took the lead, who with rosy checks and snow-white hair, imposed an overwhelming manner. Apparently, he was one standing long on the top.
“Yes, Master.” w.a.n.g Ziyang put away all his anger and arrogance suddenly once he saw the elder. With another fierce look at Shiao Chen and that delicate young man, he walked hurriedly to stand behind the elder.
“Everyone, my disciple is too young and inevitably acts a little impulsively. Please forgive him if there is any irreverence.” The elder saluted all on the second floor with folded hands and then told the obsequious waiter, “Arrange 5 private rooms for us and bring all our food to the rooms.”
“Yes, master, please just wait a moment.”
At the lead of the waiter, the well-dressed old man and his followers went down stairs, but before leaving w.a.n.g Ziyang glanced back maliciously.
Shiao Chen smiled and didn’t take it into heart. Now his cultivation equaled to that of a cultivator at the preliminary stage of Foundation Establishment. So, there was no reason for him to put a merely mortal man in mind.
Cultivators didn’t regard meeting their appet.i.te an important thing, and this incident chilled Shiao Chen’s appet.i.te greatly. So, shortly after, he walked down the stairs and went to the back yard after a waiter.
Behind him, that delicate young man lifted the corners of his mouth slightly and some amazement emerged in his eyes while he looked at Shiao Chen’s back.