53: Face to face request, girl's true love

Deng Xuan looked hesitant: “This… isn’t it a bit inappropriate?”

“Is the Family Head still treating me as an outsider?”

Seeing Young Master Lin look a bit angry, Deng Xuan panicked and quickly accepted, saying, “My apologies, Young Master, it was my awkwardness. I will accept this kind intention now.”

He immediately took out his Storage Pouch and received five thousand Yuan Stones from the other party’s pouch.

Seeing such a quantity of Yuan Stones, Deng Xuan couldn't help but say nervously, “Young Master, isn’t this too much?”

“It is quite a lot, but since I’ve given it, you should take it.”

“Alright!”

After accepting all the Yuan Stones, Deng Xuan bowed and said, “Thank you, Young Master, for the reward! If there’s anything you need my help with in Luoxiao City in the future, please don’t hesitate to ask. The Deng Family will certainly assist with all its might!”

Lin Yuan smiled: “This is your deserved reward, Family Head, there’s no need to be so polite.”

After speaking, he couldn't help but sigh, “Even a small Sun Family has so many accumulated resources; those even more powerful Families must have unimaginably terrifying financial resources.”

Deng Xuan explained, “Although the Sun Family is small, it has, after all, been passed down for over a hundred years. Calculating based on an income of a thousand Yuan Stones per year, their accumulated wealth isn’t actually much. Most of their income was squandered.”

Lin Yuan nodded and said, “As you say, it’s indeed not much.”

To have only accumulated twenty thousand Yuan Stones in over a hundred years clearly showed how extravagant and wasteful the Sun Family usually was.

The two exchanged a few more pleasantries, and finally, Deng Xuan invited the other party to take a seat, using the excuse of holding a celebration banquet.

…

Deng Residence.

In the spacious Family courtyard, there were more than a dozen dining tables, filled with Family members. Lin Yuan, Ye Linger, and Lin Father and Lin Mother sat at the head table. At the same table were Deng Xuan, the Deng Family siblings, and several core Deng Family members.

“Come, let us all toast Young Master Lin together!”

Deng Xuan raised his wine cup and looked around at everyone.

“Good! Young Master Lin, I toast you!”

“Thank you, Young Master, for dealing with Sun Hu. This old man thanks you here!”

“The Deng Family will forever remember Young Master’s kindness!”

“Young Master is highly righteous, this humble one is deeply impressed!”

Everyone spoke one after another, expressing their profound gratitude.

Lin Yuan returned the toast, saying amiably, “The Sun Family was unrighteous and would have been punished sooner or later. I merely acted first. There’s no need for you all to flatter me further; just enjoy yourselves and drink to your heart’s content.”

“Good! Then, as Young Master says, let us drink!”

Everyone chatted and laughed, enjoying the rare moment of relaxation.

Ye Linger, participating in such a grand banquet for the first time, seemed a bit uncomfortable. She only dared to sit obediently beside her beloved, quietly tasting the food, not daring to speak.

Deng Fuxi observed the young girl’s delicate and charming face, evaluating in her heart, “This young girl is indeed pretty. No wonder Young Master Lin took a liking to her. I wonder what her talent is like?”

With curiosity, she proactively raised her wine cup and said to the young girl, “Young Miss Ye, I hear you are Young Master’s beloved. This humble one dares to toast you.”

Suddenly being toasted, Ye Linger’s expression immediately became flustered, and she timidly returned the toast, “Thank you, Miss Deng, for your kindness. This humble one is deeply honored.”

“Young Miss Ye, you jest. You are Young Master’s beloved; how could I possibly be called a Young Miss in front of you?”

“Miss, you exaggerate. Ye Linger is merely an ordinary commoner. In terms of background, I am far inferior to you, Miss. It is only through my connection with Brother Lin Yuan that I am fortunate enough to have a seat at this table.”

“Young Miss Ye is truly humble. Since you have gained Young Master’s affection, you must have extraordinary qualities. How could you be ordinary?”

These words caused everyone at the table to turn their gaze to Ye Linger, curious about what made her so outstanding and why she could become Lin Yuan’s beloved.

Everyone’s gaze made Ye Linger lower her eyes, blushing as she said, “Miss, you jest. Ye Linger has no extraordinary qualities. The reason why Brother favors me is because Brother and I have known each other since childhood, having a deep affection that continues to this day.”

Known since childhood!

So, they are childhood sweethearts! No wonder!

Everyone suddenly understood, and each couldn't help but show expressions of awe.

To have met a favored son of heaven like Lin Yuan in childhood, this girl truly had blessings cultivated in a past life.

As Deng Fuxi understood, a strong sense of envy rose in her heart.

In terms of beauty, she was no worse than Ye Linger. In terms of cultivation talent, she was even above Ye Linger. Yet, despite this, she had no chance of gaining Lin Yuan’s favor, simply because the other was a childhood sweetheart, and she was merely a passerby they met by chance.

Heavens, why are you so unfair!

Why could this little girl meet Young Master when she was young, but I couldn’t?

Deng Fuxi secretly harbored resentment, biting her red lips, her face somewhat crestfallen.

Deng Rui noticed his sister’s abnormality, immediately understood what she was thinking, and with a hardened heart, stood up and said:

“Young Master, our acquaintance with you a thousand miles away yesterday can be considered fate. You are of noble status and possess extraordinary talent. As someone from an ordinary Family, I shouldn’t make demands in front of you, but Deng Fuxi has been restless and constantly mentioning you to me at home. As her younger brother, I truly can’t bear to see my sister so heartbroken, so I presumptuously beg you, could you consider Deng Fuxi’s affection?”

As these words came out, everyone’s expressions changed!

Deng Rui’s words were practically a direct challenge!

In front of so many people, it was difficult for Lin Yuan to avoid, so he could only give a clear answer.

Deng Fuxi was also startled by her brother’s words and immediately reprimanded him, “Nonsense! What right does a mere commoner like you have to speak presumptuously in front of Young Master? Although I admire and adore Young Master, it’s not to the extent you described. Please don’t speak nonsense in front of Young Master; it only causes displeasure.”

After speaking, she turned to Lin Yuan, stood up, and apologized, “My apologies, Young Master. My younger brother spoke carelessly and offended you. Please forgive him.”

The woman’s words caused everyone to nod secretly.

This way, it gave Lin Yuan an out; even if he rejected the beauty’s feelings, neither side would be embarrassed.

Although Deng Fuxi said this, her beautiful eyes were fixed on the other party, clearly very concerned about the man’s answer.

Facing the siblings’ words and actions, Lin Yuan sighed in his heart and softly said, “I already knew of Miss Deng’s affection yesterday. However, considering that I already have several confidantes by my side, if Miss were added, the love each person could share would become even less. Moreover, with Miss’s beauty, to humble yourself to a fickle person like me would truly be too unfair to you.”

Upon hearing this, Deng Fuxi’s heart was filled with both joy and sorrow!

The sorrow was that the other party had too many romantic entanglements; as a woman, she would naturally mind this.

The joy was that Lin Yuan saying this was equivalent to being willing to accept her, but out of consideration for her feelings, he dared not easily begin this relationship.

Everyone understood the man’s implied meaning, and Deng Rui immediately said happily, “Young Master’s words mean that you can accept Deng Fuxi’s feelings, but it depends on her own choice, right?”