Chapter 904 - The Feng Family’s Wish to Acknowledge Fictive Kinship
“I had a call with Nan Nan. Without the need for me to persuade her, Nan Nan expressed directly that she will avoid the people from the Feng family.”
Feng Meng’s behavior today had made the Feng family lose their footing
Nan Nan was such a sensitive and cautious person. Given the Feng family’s performance, if the Feng family wished to acknowledge a fictive kinship with Nan Nan, she had to be possessed before she would be willing to agree.
Shi Peng laughed. “That’s true. Nan Nan is eccentric and clever. She is obviously very young but she has a lot on her mind. Clearly, she does not belong to our social circle but she is very sensitive about what is happening. Your Zhai family will have fewer worries moving forward.”
The Feng family was a family that one should keep out of reach. Qiao Nan had already avoided them without the need for others to advise her to do so. Qiao Nan seemed to be born to pursue good fortune and avoid disasters. She was always spot on in her foresight.
He then thought of his own silly daughter. Shi Peng believed that she would eventually improve in this aspect if he let her mix around more with Qiao Nan.
Besides Shi Peng, the Feng family also found out that Zhai Sheng would be going to the capital. That was because Zhai Sheng’s striking name had appeared on the list.
Despite being a soldier, Zhai Sheng was not willing to come previously. If his name appeared on the list, it meant Zhai Sheng would certainly appear in person when the time came.
Old Master Feng called his elder son, who was a politician, over. His elder son was called Feng Liang. “What do you think about this matter?”
At one glance of the item on the table, Feng Liang knew what this was pertaining to. After all, he had received the news long ago. “Dad, what are your thoughts?”
“It’s hard to say.” Old Master Shi’s tone was apprehensive. “This son of Zhai Yaohui is under a lot of limelight despite being so young. He understands this point very well. Hence, he never attends this kind of event.”
To say that Zhai Sheng was very low profile was very true. Zhai Sheng rarely made an appearance in the capital.
If he had not been clearly aware of Zhai Sheng’s valiant achievements, he nearly believed that Zhai Yaohui, this tiger dad, had given birth to a son that was as meek as a dog.
The problem was that such a low profile individual was as fierce as an ancient beast in the army. His power and influence were unstoppable.
Many years ago, although his son-in-law had nurtured and guided Zhai Sheng, everyone could see for themselves Zhai Sheng’s brilliant contributions. No one could deny that.
It could be said that Zhai Sheng’s own performance alone in the past would earn him a similarly bright future. Nevertheless, with Shi Peng’s support coupled with Zhai Sheng’s ability, all things were in Zhai Sheng’s favor. As such, he went through promotions at the speed of a rocket.
In our great and proud China, who had not reached the age of over forty years old when they assumed the role of a regiment commander? Where could you find anyone like Zhai Sheng who was under thirty years of age?
Given the performance of Zhai Sheng, the word ‘low profile’ did not seem that suitable to describe him either.
In the face of Zhai Sheng, a junior of his grandchildren’s generation, Old Master Feng was having a headache too. He had always felt that this child was very unpredictable and not easy to manage.
“However, he is coming this year.” Feng Liang sat down. “So, Dad, you’re suspecting that he is coming because of that female college student?” The look of disdain in Feng Liang’s eyes told Old Master Feng that he was in disbelief.
Zhai Sheng was someone destined for big things. Unless there was a need to, he would not break his previous practice and come to the capital.
Since Zhai Sheng was coming, it must be because of work-related reasons. How could he be here for the sake of just a woman? Was this a drama whereby King You from Western Zhou Dynasty tricked the marquis with beacon fires just to make his concubine
smile?
Feng Liang was not this kind of person. Hence, he felt that Zhai Sheng was certainly not.
It was just that the matter of the female college student gave Zhai Sheng one more excuse. Her existence had become a cover-up for Zhai Sheng to come to the capital to attend to work-related matters.
Instead of wasting his time and effort on that female college student, he would rather keep a watch on the actions of the Zhai family. He could then assess what was happening. In that way, he would be able to plan his next steps.
Old Master Feng gave Feng Liang a stare. “Have you forgotten what I have told you? I said before that your greatest weakness is that you’re too full of yourself. The situation of the Feng family in the capital now seems as though we are strong and impregnable. However, change is always constant here. Many people have been struck with sudden calamities. I have asked you to be more cautious when you do things. Think thrice before you act. Did you not take my words seriously?! Don’t refer to her as the female college student. If others, especially your grandson, hear of this address and get into trouble, the whole Feng family will be implicated!”
“Dad, you’re being too paranoid.” Was it that serious?
“You seem to have forgotten that that female college student is Zhai Sheng’s fiancée. She is also the daughter-in-law acknowledged by Zhai Yaohui.” There was a great difference between these two things.
If Qiao Nan had only been approved by Zhai Sheng, then Qiao Nan was someone that did not matter much.
The problem was that Qiao Nan was not only the wife selected by Zhai Sheng himself. She had also received Zhai Yaohui and Miao Jing’s affirmation.
As such, Qiao Nan’s identity as the daughter-in-law of the Zhai family was stable and secure. No one could make that waver.
With the status of Chief Zhai’s daughter-in-law alone, countless people would be pleased to fawn on Qiao Nan.
Although the Feng family did not go to such an extent, there was no need for them to be so bold and arrogant and offend others deliberately.
“Dad, you’re worried that the Zhai family will deal with us if we have any conflict with that female college student?” Feng Liang had a look of ‘Dad, are you kidding me?’ written all over his face when he stared at his father. “The Zhai family is very smart. Isn’t she just a woman? They have not even collected the marriage certificate. The Zhai family won’t spoil the ship for a halfpenny worth of tart. You have overestimated that female college student.”
“So, are you going to use the Feng family’s future to gamble and find out the extent to which the Zhai family cares about that female college student?” Old Master Feng’s face turned cold, becoming unruly.
He did not care about how much the Zhai family liked and approved of that female college student. The only thing that he was concerned about was how much benefit the Feng family could derive from this matter. He did not want the family to be implicated such that the Zhai family would target them. If that were to occur, the two families might become enemies.
If the Zhai family were to become an enemy of the Feng family, then it would not be too long before the Feng family lost their hold.
Old Master Feng was aware that the Zhai family was successful based on their own merit and capability. It had been like that since the times of Old Master Zhai. Until Zhai Sheng, all three consecutive generations were alike.
On the other hand, the Feng family belonged to the kind that would defend one’s ground. They safeguarded the businesses passed down from their ancestors. It was easier to sustain a business than starting one. Hence, it had not been easy for the Feng family.
Of course, Old Master Feng hoped that his grandchildren could bring the family to greater heights so that they could become a truly powerful and affluent family in the capital.
However, before they could do so, Old Master Feng wanted his own children and grandchildren to be more abiding so that they would not ruin the family businesses that the ancestors had built over the years.
Up to this day, the Feng family had been safeguarding the businesses well. It was certainly foolish to be at odds with the Zhai family, especially if they had to involve a female college student who was not even related to the Feng family in any way.
How much the Zhai family cared about Qiao Nan—what did it have to do with the Feng family?
Was there a need to place the whole Feng family at stake to confirm his guess?