Chapter 403: Who’s The Real Head Of The Family

Tan Baiqu could hardly believe her own eyes. She thought she knew Tan Qingying well.

The little princess of the Tan family, who had grown up in Liuhe Base City, had been known for her aloof and proud demeanor ever since returning to the family. She had never shown kindness to anyone.

Neither the elders of her family nor the young and handsome heirs of noble families had ever seen her smile. Yet she had just thrown herself into the arms of a strange young man, disregarding everything else.

No, that wasn’t right. They were not strangers to each other. They were, indeed, lovers. Tan Baiqu felt a sense of relief in her heart, mixed with a faint pang of disappointment.

"You finally came," Tan Qingying murmured as she leaned against Li Xiaofei’s chest, listening to the familiar and comforting sound of his heartbeat. "I knew you would come."

"Love knows no distance. No mountain or sea is too far to cross." Li Xiaofei gently stroked the young lady’s hair. "The things I’ve promised, I will always do."

At that moment, hurried footsteps echoed from the distance. Clearly, the noise of Tan Qingying exiting her seclusion had drawn the attention of many people.

"Annoying," Tan Qingying muttered, looking at the figures rushing toward them in the distance.

Li Xiaofei glanced at her and said, "Let’s find somewhere less crowded."

He activated his Sword Harnessing Technique.

Whoosh!

The crimson rusted sword soared into the air, carrying Tan Qingying with it. In a flash of sword light, they disappeared into the distant sky.

"Where's the head of the family?"

"Little Ying has left her seclusion?"

"What’s going on?"

"Who took the head of the family?"

Members of the Tan family, many of the older generation, rushed over anxiously. When they didn’t see Tan Qingying, their worry intensified. At present, Tan Qingying was the last hope for the Tan family’s rise. Nothing could go wrong.

"Quick, speak up! Baiqu, what are you doing here? Where’s the head of the family?" An elderly man with white hair demanded sharply.

"Fourth Grandfather, Little Ying... she’s left seclusion," Tan Baiqu hesitated, unsure how to explain.

She knew full well that the older members of the family would never approve of Tan Qingying, the family’s jewel, marrying a boy from a small city, even if that boy had the cultivation of the Five Spirits Realm .

𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"I know she’s out of seclusion! Where is she? Where has she gone?" Fourth Grandfather asked urgently.

Tan Baiqu clenched her teeth. "I... I don’t know. Maybe she’s had some breakthrough in her cultivation and is going to adapt to her new abilities."

"And who is that young man you brought with you?" Another bald elder scolded. "This is outrageous! You brought an outsider into the ancestral hall, a sacred place! This is becoming more and more disrespectful!"

"Yes, Sixth Uncle, you’re right." Tan Baiqu immediately admitted her mistake.

She didn’t want to anger these stubborn, short-sighted family elders, nor did she wish to engage in any arguments with them. These old fools, resting on their past laurels and flaunting their seniority, were nothing more than troublemakers. They had no vision and were as easily riled as old dogs protecting their food.

"So who exactly is that young man?" The second grandmother, her hair neatly combed and leaning on a cane, pressed, "Baiqu, you’re a good child, tell the truth."

Tan Baiqu had no choice but to explain, "He’s Little Ying’s friend from Liuhe Base City."

The moment she spoke those words, it was like she had poked a hornet’s nest. The family elders immediately became agitated.

"Are you saying that as soon as Little Ying left seclusion, she ran off with a male friend?"

"A country bumpkin from a small town, and he dares to be friends with the proud daughter of my Tan family?"

"Quick, immediately send someone to bring them back!"

"This is absurd, utterly ridiculous."

"She leaves her seclusion and doesn’t come to greet us, the esteemed elders. Instead, she runs off with some wild boy from who knows where?"

The elders were both shocked and furious.

What would the Ouyang family think if this got out?

"Let’s go, find the acting head of the family."

"Yes, at a time like this, it’s Shengwei who can hold things together."

"We should also reconsider the late patriarch’s final words. Little Ying is meant to marry, and perhaps taking the position of head of the family isn’t suitable for her."

A group of them quickly turned around and rushed off to find the acting head of the family, Tan Shengwei.

Tan Baiqu watched the scene with cold eyes. She felt a deep sense of helplessness. When exactly had the once-proud older generation of the Tan family deteriorated into a group of foolish, useless old men living off their past glories?

The young ones with real talent and capability were being restricted and manipulated by these old fogies as they bled both physically and emotionally.

For a fleeting moment, Tan Baiqu couldn’t help but think...

What if Tan Qingying and Li Xiaofei just flew off, leaving on their swords and never coming back? Wouldn’t that be a better choice?

But an hour later, Tan Qingying returned. The young couple, hand in hand, landed outside the ancestral hall. The young lady was radiant. She glowed like a rose refreshed by the rain, her entire being shining with a dazzling beauty that even Tan Baiqu couldn’t help but notice.

"Little Ying." Tan Baiqu hurried forward and whispered, "The acting head and the elders have been alerted. The family is in chaos right now. Everyone is waiting for you in the conference room."

Tan Qingying nodded. "It’s time to see them."

She then turned to Li Xiaofei and said, "Come with me."

"Alright." Li Xiaofei agreed without hesitation.

Tan Baiqu was startled. At a time like this, she knew they had to be careful not to provoke the elders.

She quickly advised, "Little Ying, maybe it’s not suitable for your friend to join the family meeting. You know how unfriendly the elders are to outsiders."

"Friend?" Tan Qingying smiled brightly and said, "Who said he's just a friend? Li Xiaofei is my fiancé."

"What?" Tan Baiqu's body trembled in shock as she realized something.

She grew even more anxious and hurriedly urged, "You... you mean you're going to publicly announce this to the family? No, you can't! They’ll never agree to it—they'll tear you both apart!"

Tan Qingying casually replied, "It doesn't matter. I'll make them understand who the real head of the family is."

She held Li Xiaofei's hand and walked toward the family council hall. Tan Baiqu tried to stop them but could do nothing. She had no choice but to follow them quickly. Along the way, many of the younger members of the Tan family, along with those of lower status, stared in disbelief when they saw Tan Qingying and Li Xiaofei holding hands.

Finally, they arrived at the entrance of the council hall. The heavy brass door, studded with rivets, looked like a giant mouth waiting to devour those who dared approach. Tan Qingying confidently pushed open the door.

Inside the hall, dozens of family elders, along with thirty or so managers and senior family members, were seated, arguing and debating loudly about something.

The cacophony of voices hit Li Xiaofei’s ears, making him feel as though he had stepped into a bustling marketplace from five hundred years ago.

At the head of the hall, there were nine people sitting in the highest seats. Eight of the oldest family members flanked the middle-aged man with thick black hair and a dignified presence in the middle. This was the current acting head of the family, Tan Shengwei.

As the door swung open, the clamor suddenly stopped, and every pair of eyes turned to the young couple walking in hand in hand. All gazes were fixed on them.

In the next moment, a wave of gasps, shock, and questions hit them like a tidal wave. The entire council hall seemed to explode in an instant.

Tan Qingying, the family’s celestial beauty, was boldly holding hands with a strange young man? How could this be allowed?