Chapter 372 Aruna
Master Su had a strong temper. Those who he hated most were women who fabricated rumors and spread them. When getting older, he even more hoped to have a harmonious family.
Unmarried, Su Ningxiang became pregnant and then broke the pledge of marriage. This was really disgraceful to the family, but she was also forgivable. Yet, he was easily persuaded back then, accepted the calumny of his sons when he was not calm, and agreed to build a marriage bond with the Zhao Family.
In his heart, he loved Girl Xiang most because her character was so much like his. She was a woman who had a strong temper, was persistent, dared to love and hate, had cardinal principles and a view about the overall situation, knew what was wrong or right, and was never a shameless woman.
No matter how others gossiped, he had no way to stop them, but that his family members viciously made up stories to ruin her good image had violated the limit of his tolerance, making him furious.
“Don’t dare!”
Su Wanyu and Su Xiuyun replied vaguely in tears.
“Don’t dare? Hehe, this means you are not convinced? Then, let me make you convinced.”
Master Su sneered and waved to Jiang Rui, who understood him, turned around, entered the room, and returned with the “moonlight lion”.
When everyone saw the “moonlight lion”, they widened their eyes in shock. Su Zhengdong swallowed his saliva, trembled, and asked, “Is this the artwork ‘moonlight lion’ of the Master of the Divine Burin?”
“Right, this is the ‘moonlight lion’ that you think is worth 3 billion, but Ningxiang has brought it. What else do you guys want to say?”
Master Su was distressed, and the corners of his mouth twitched. “Girl Xiang, your grandpa can only help you like this. Sending this to Old Bai as a birthday gift should be my compensation for you.”
Su Ningxiang felt the warmth in her heart. “Anyway, the Su Family is not so cold-blooded. Grandpa, you are still partial to me.”
She clearly knew why Master Su did this: He thought that she had not got the artwork of the Master of the Divine Burin and was providing cover for her.
Everyone suddenly realized that the visit to Ninghai to look for the Master of the Divine Burin Su Ningxiang had spoken of was to buy the “moonlight lion” from the auction winner.
But when they thought of the terrifying price of the “moonlight lion”, they became dissatisfied, and their look at Su Ningxiang turned more and more unfriendly.
“Father, the auction price of the ‘moonlight lion’ is 2.3 billion, and now it has been driven up to a sky-high price. This is too lavish for Ningxiang to have bought it as a birthday gift, isn’t it? The money she spent is also the money of our Su Family.”
Su Zhengdong said sullenly.
“Right, the auction price is 2.3 billion. If she bought it from another person, she must have spent more money. Datang Group is the Su Family’s, not hers.”
“It is only a gift to the Master of the Bai Family. Do we need to spend so much money? But she treats the money of the Su Family as nothing, and her strategy of using our profits to benefit herself is excellent.”
“Humph, but she is the helmsman of Datang Group. We can only get some annual dividends, but she has power and can spend its money at will.”
“The Master is too partial. He not only pa.s.sed the family owner’s position to our Second Uncle, but also asked Su Ningxiang to manage Datang Group. The father and his daughter control the money of our Su Family, so we have nothing else to do.”
“Shh, lower your voice. If the Master hears us, he may use the domestic discipline again.”
“Humph, I have not violated the domestic discipline. Can’t we talk about the unfairness?”
…
Everyone in the Su Family whispered. Although they did not dare to talk so recklessly like just now, all their words were with resentment. By doing so, they showed their dissatisfaction.
“Grandpa, this ‘moonlight lion’ is my gift for you, but I did not spend a penny of our group on it, and I only bought it with the money I earned by investing the private money I have acc.u.mulated these years in the stock market.”
Su Ningxiang took a step forward and said frankly, “Old Bai’s gift is this one. This is the one the Master of the Divine Burin carved himself. Grandpa, please appreciate it.”
After that, she took out an item wrapped in a piece of red silk from her suitcase, handed it to Master Su, untied the red silk, and revealed the Old Man of Longevity inside.
All of them were in an uproar. Although they wanted to take power from Su Ningxiang, they also knew that it was also possible for her to earn 2.3 billion yuan by using her private money with her business talent. After all, the group’s accounts were there, and she would not lie about it.
What shocked them was that Su Ningxiang found the Master of the Divine Burin in Ninghai, and he also worked for her on her request. This made them excited immediately, and they began to think about their selfish calculations.
Everyone knew that every piece of work the Master of the Divine Burin made could sell a sky-high price. If they could contact the Master of the Divine Burin through Su Ningxiang and ask him to randomly carve several jade pieces, they would earn more than 1 or 2 billion yuan. This was much faster to make money than working hard to do business.
Even the “pig-head” Su Wanyu and her sister also showed greed in their eyes, thinking if they needed to change their strategy by temporarily getting on well with Su Ningxiang and trying to contact the Master of the Divine Burin first.
“Good, good, the Imperial Green Gla.s.s Type itself is quite valuable. With the uncanny workmanship of the Master of the Divine Burin, it becomes an outstanding artwork, which just proves the carver’s reputation. Not only does the Old Man of Longevity look vivid and have form and spirit, but the pedestal under his feet is purely green as if he stands on a spring meadow, making the viewer feel so joyful that he may think spring is coming. Yet, the most brilliant are his eyes, which feature the feel of water of the Gla.s.s Type but look alive. This is brilliant.”
Master Su praised the Old Man of Longevity enthusiastically as he observed it, came up with a strong reluctance to give it up, and strongly wanted to keep it for future admiration.
But he knew that the birthday gift of Old Bai was quite important this time. No matter how much he did not want to give it up, he had to sacrifice for the future development of the Su Family.
With great willpower, he reluctantly looked away and then at Su Ningxiang gently. “Girl Xiang, this jade item is not inferior to the ‘moonlight lion’. You spent lots of money, right?”
“Apart from the Gla.s.s Type jade itself, the Master of the Divine Burin did not charge me a penny!”
Su Ningxiang smiled and felt proud. “He is my son. Does his mother need to pay him if she wants jade items?”
“Ah! Really? How did you do it?”
Master Su looked at her in surprise and asked inconceivably.
“What, without spending a penny? How could it be?”
“Can this be a fake one? Every piece of work of the Master of the Divine Burin can be auctioned at a sky-high price. How could you not spend a penny?”
“How possible? If the Master of the Divine Burin were so good-natured, we would all go and ask him to carve, and we would make a fortune.”
“What Su Xiuyun said is right? Has the Master of the Divine Burin liked…”
“Shh, you want to go to h.e.l.l? If you are heard by the Master, you will also be punished with the domestic discipline.”
…
Before Su Ningxiang answered, other members of the Su Family began to talk fiercely, but they could not understand why the Master of the Divine Burin had carved the jade item for Su Ningxiang for free.
“Quiet!”
Master Su raised his eyebrows and yelled in a dignified but not angry manner.
The entire little yard turned quiet instantly. They still remembered the Master’s merciless enforcement of their domestic discipline just now, so no one dared to offend him now.
Everyone looked at Su Ningxiang eagerly, waiting for her to give a reasonable explanation.
Su Ningxiang chuckled but did not look at those who were waiting for her answer. Instead, she said softly to the Master, “Master of the Divine Burin is a rarely seen genius. He doesn’t value money, but he is a good friend of my old friend, so it’s natural for him to be friendly with my old friend.”
“Your old friend? What old friend can have such great honor?”
Su Zhengdong was the first one who could not wait to ask.
“This is an item worth 2 billion at least, but he gave it to you for free so randomly. The honor seems too great for your old friend, right?”
Su Zhengxi sneered because he did not believe what Su Ningxiang said at all but thought that she used this excuse as her defense because she was unwilling to reveal the ident.i.ty of the Master of the Divine Burin, for fear that others would share profits with her.
“I also want to know such an old friend. We are a family. Little Sister, don’t hide the person’s information.”
“Right, Ningxiang, we are a family. Tell us who your old friend is. Maybe we also know the person.”
“Ningxiang, I can provide the Gla.s.s Type. Ask your old friend to find the Master of the Divine Burin to carve one for me!”
“Right, right, I can double the Gla.s.s Type. Ask the Master of the Divine Burin to carve one for me.”
…
The members of the Su Family, who had been addressing her by her name and treating her insolently, suddenly became friendly. Some called her “sister”, and others called her “Ningxiang”, but they all had the same idea: They wanted to know who her old friend was.
Su Ningxiang gave a slight sneer at the corners of her mouth and said lightly, “In fact, all of you know this old friend.”
“Oh, who?”
The members of the Su Family had a glint in their eyes and asked eagerly.
Master Su had a thoughtful look in his turbid old eyes and kept silent wisely.
“Her previous name is Aruna, but now people call her ‘Meditation Master’.”
Su Ningxiang said slowly and calmly.
Apart from Master Su who seemed to have long predicted the result and looked normal, all others changed their expressions, and the four seniors who had been expressionless were even awed.
The entire courtyard fell into dead silence as if the name Aruna was a taboo, which made everyone hold their breath and lose their courage to breathe hard as if a spell had been cast on them.
Looking at the scared complexions of these people, Master Su had a meaningful glint in his eyes. “Girl Xiang is warning these people.”
Outsiders might not know what the name Aruna meant, but the members of the Su Family knew that. She was one of the most prominent figures of the world who had reached the Real Martial Arts Realm.
Su Ningxiang spoke of her mother Aruna at this time, and what she meant was worth rethinking.
Although the Zhao family made Su Ningxiang have to give up her son in the past years, Aruna, her mother, did not do anything, so that the Su Family subconsciously ignored the fact that the figure who had reached the highest level of martial arts and whom the nation had to treat with care was behind Su Ningxiang, but they did their best to ridicule, slander, and suppress Su Ningxiang.
But when the long-forgotten name reappeared in their ears, the long-standing memory began to recover gradually. By now, they were horrified to find that Su Ningxiang was not a vulnerable one who could be bullied by others but could not resist. On the contrary, her backer was so strong that everyone was afraid of.
On this trip to Ninghai, Aruna not only introduced the Master of the Divine Burin to Ningxiang herself, but also asked him to carve for her for free. What did this mean? When others thought about it carefully, they felt so afraid about the profound meaning of it, which frightened all those who had evil ideas.
Although some of the Su family members present had memories but were young at that time, they would never forget how terrifying Aruna who had always been submissive and virtuous went furious.
Under her angry attack, the large suburban villa of the Su Family turned into powder. The memory of the terrifying power of devastation was still fresh to them. Thinking of it now, they were still a little frightened, and their legs still trembled.
If she had not been compa.s.sionate and unwilling to kill more lives, facing the att.i.tude of the Su family towards her at that time, she would have killed every one of the Su Family in a few minutes. Even though the four bodyguards of the Master fought together, they would be defeated by her.
Now, the terrifying woman and Su Ningxiang met and accepted each other again. Thus, they were scared and felt regret. Thinking of their previous bad att.i.tude towards Su Ningxiang, they broke out in a cold sweat, which wetted their clothes.
“Alas! It was Zhengnan’s fault in those years. He treated her poorly.”
Master Su regretfully closed his eyes and felt powerless. If that had not happened at that time and Aruna were still the daughter-in-law of the Su Family, the Su family would not need to be so careful and rely on others like this today, and he would feel at ease when he died.
If his family wanted to keep a Great Family’s position, apart from the method that his family members could become Generals or members of the Standing Committee of the Central Bureau, the family must have a member who had reached the highest level of martial arts.
Blessed by Heaven, the Su Family once had a member who had reached the Real Martial Arts Realm, but his Second Son Su Zhengnan stupidly forced her away himself. What a fate!