NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 64: Noble Sons of Aristocratic Families
Chapter 64: Noble Sons of Aristocratic Families
At the same time, outside the gates of Wuxuan City, the head of the Ruan family, Ruan Zhenlong, stood waiting. He was accompanied by his wife, children, numerous elders of the family, and a large retinue of servants and maids.
The sun was scorching, causing the ground to crack from the heat. Despite this, Ruan Zhenlong stood solemnly, showing no sign of impatience. When he noticed some of the servants and maids looking lethargic, he sternly shouted, "Straighten up! The third young master of the Chen family from Ziwei will be arriving shortly. If anyone dares to slack off, I won't hesitate to twist their heads off and use them as chamber pots!"
His words caused the servants and maids to immediately straighten their backs, not daring to breathe heavily. Ruan Zhenlong nodded slightly in satisfaction, though his gaze occasionally flicked towards the city gates, his impatience and anxiety barely concealed.
Not long after, a young man of about twenty, with a striking resemblance to Ruan Zhenlong and a handsome face, came running over.
"Have you found her, Tian'er?" Ruan Zhenlong quickly stepped forward and asked.
The young man, Ruan Nantian, the eldest son of the Ruan family, shook his head and replied, "According to the family members, little sister left early in the morning with that Lin Feng and hasn't returned yet."
"Lin Feng!" Ruan Zhenlong's face darkened with anger. "That boy is just a mere servant. Does he really think he can act recklessly in our family just because of his talent?"
A similar darkness clouded Ruan Nantian's eyes as he said, "I've long said that Lin Feng is a troublemaker. His intentions were never pure when he joined our family."
After a pause, Ruan Nantian sighed, "Father, now is not the time to discuss this. No matter how willful little sister is, she knows the importance of the Chen family to us. She won't do anything rash. She'll return on her own soon. We should focus on handling this matter first."
Hearing this, Ruan Zhenlong nodded, his expression easing slightly. He was about to speak again when suddenly, a thunderous rumble echoed from the skies above.
"They're here!" Ruan Zhenlong's spirits lifted as he quickly looked up. In the clouds, a massive flying ship, spanning over a hundred meters long, slowly sailed through the air.
The entire ship was forged from pitch-black dragon blood stone and engraved with complex runes. At the bow stood a lifelike, menacing dragon head, and a large flag fluttered in the wind, emblazoned with the golden character "Chen" in bold strokes.
Everyone looked up at the massive flying ship, feeling an immense pressure bearing down on them, even causing their hearts to skip a beat.
"So this is a family of the Immortal Realm? I've heard that just one of these flying ships costs a million spirit stones!" one servant exclaimed.
"That's nothing! The Chen family may have declined, but it's said that at their peak, they had nine supreme true dragons pulling their carriage, with three celestial phoenixes trailing behind, and seventy-two golden-armored heavenly beings serving as their attendants. Now that was a truly majestic and illustrious family!" another servant added.
"Exactly. In those days, the Chen family was full of prodigies and great powers, truly immortal and indomitable!"
"Shh, speak less. Even if the Chen family has fallen, they are still a mighty force that our Ruan family can only dream of aligning with!" another servant whispered.
As the servants murmured among themselves, the flying ship slowly descended and stopped before them. Two figures then disembarked.
Leading the way was a young man who appeared to be of a similar age to Ruan Nantian. He was tall, with a graceful and handsome demeanor, dressed in spotless white robes that seemed untouched by any dust. His features were sharp, with a noble aura that made him look like a noble son straight out of a painting.
The other figure was an elderly man in luxurious attire, who followed closely behind the young master, half a step behind him.
"My, what a handsome young master!" one of the maids gasped.
"Is this the third young master of the Chen family? I heard he was very young, but I didn't expect him to be so outstanding," another servant remarked.
"I think he just looked at me, my heart is pounding!" a maid whispered excitedly.
Amidst the hushed voices, Ruan Zhenlong quickly put on a smile and led Ruan Nantian and the others forward.
"I am Ruan Zhenlong of the Ruan family. Greetings to the third young master!" Ruan Zhenlong called out, bowing deeply from a distance.
Following his lead, all the Ruan family members present, numbering in the dozens, bowed in unison.
"We greet the third young master!" they chorused, their voices layering over each other in a resounding wave.
Chen Zhixing, the third young master, did not immediately respond. He waited until everyone had remained in their bowing position for a while, long enough for unease and sweat to begin forming on their brows. Then, he calmly said, "You may rise."
The elderly man behind Chen Zhixing, known as Elder You, nodded approvingly. This visit to the Ruan family was not just about Chen Zhixing but also represented the entire Ziwei Chen family. If he had started by being overly friendly, it would have been inappropriate. However, Chen Zhixing's approach—maintaining the right balance of distance and approachability—was well executed.
"Third young master, I am Ruan Zhenlong. This is my wife, and this is my son, Ruan Nantian. Please greet the third young master," Ruan Zhenlong said, introducing his family with a smile of relief.
Ruan's wife, a curvaceous and charming woman, stepped forward with a smile and curtsied. "I am honored to meet the third young master. I hope to learn much from you in the future."
Ruan Nantian, standing straight and with a friendly expression, also greeted him, despite being a whole cycle of years older. "I am Ruan Nantian, at your service, third young master."
"There's no need for such formalities, Ruan family head and madam. The Ruan family and my Chen family have been friends for generations. I should be calling you uncle and aunt," Chen Zhixing said with a smile. Then, turning to Ruan Nantian, he added, "And you, Ruan brother, let's not stand on ceremony. We are of the same generation, so we should address each other as equals."
Upon hearing this, the three members of the Ruan family exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with emotion. They had braced themselves for the possibility that Chen Zhixing might look down on them. After all, the Ruan family was far beneath the Chen family, and they had not been in contact for years. Who knew how the Chen family would regard them now?
"We never expected the third young master to hold us in such high regard. We are willing to lay down our lives for the Chen family!" Ruan Zhenlong said, bowing deeply.
Elder You nodded slightly. An upper-class person must maintain a certain distance from those beneath them while not being too cold and aloof. Combining kindness and authority, Chen Zhixing had handled the situation flawlessly.
"If you first show a stern face, then a friendly one, even a simple, mild word of praise can be enough to fill the other party with joy," Elder You thought. If the order had been reversed, the outcome would have been far less effective. Human interaction is like a ruler, and human nature always seeks to push boundaries. Therefore, one must leave room for these small advances.
"It’s remarkable how at such a young age, the third young master is already so adept at handling these social matters," Elder You thought, growing more satisfied with Chen Zhixing by the minute.
"Third young master, you and this elder must be weary from your journey. My father has already prepared a banquet at the manor. Shall we return there to rest?" Ruan Nantian asked enthusiastically.
Chen Zhixing nodded, his gaze sweeping over the gathered crowd. Suddenly, he asked, "Family head Ruan, I've heard that your Ruan family has an extraordinary young lady named Ruan Nanzhu. Where is she?"
At these words, the expressions of Ruan Zhenlong, Ruan Nantian, and the others stiffened.