You're my wife, don't doubt it!

"Shen Jie, is everything you've said true?" Xiao Yao asked, moved.

He felt that every word Shen Jie said resonated with him, making him feel refreshed and happy, but his intuition told him that Shen Jie was just trying to make him happy.

"Of course it's true," Shen Jie said confidently.

Xiao Yao still wasn't entirely convinced, but at least... since she was still willing to coax him, that was enough.

“I love you,” Xiao Yao said, his voice trembling with emotion. “To protect you, I’m willing to stand against the whole world.”

“Me too,” Shen Jie said softly.

"What did you say?" Xiao Yao asked.

"I'm already fighting against the whole world for you," Shen Jie said with a smile.

Xiao Yao hooked Shen Jie's chin with his finger, lifted her face, and lowered her head.

……

Even with his eyes closed, Xiao Yao felt as if he and Shen Jie were shrouded in a shadow.

He opened his eyes, released Shen Jie's chin, raised his head, and was startled.

Right next to them stood two bald men who were impossible to ignore.

Both bald men were very tall. Xiao Yao couldn't tell exactly how tall they were, but because he was sitting down and being looked down upon by them, they seemed particularly intimidating.

Despite the sweltering heat, these two men were dressed in pure black suits and leather shoes, wearing black sunglasses, and with two identical crosses hanging around their necks—no, Iesu had one hanging on his chest; this one is called a "bitter image."

“Mr. Xiao Yao?” one of the bald men asked.

"Who are you looking for?" Xiao Yao asked nervously, uttering a rather illogical question.

“Mr. Xiao Yao,” another bald man said, “the boss sent us to pick you up for dinner.”

"Who is your boss?" Even though he already knew the answer in his mind, Xiao Yao still asked.

The two bald men exchanged a glance, and one of them replied, "Old Master Yu, Mr. Yu Texuan."

Those who know the situation would think you're having a dinner party, but those who don't would think you're kidnapping someone. If the black luxury car behind these two bald men were a minivan, it would look even more like a kidnapping.

No, even a luxury car can still feel like a kidnapping.

Wait, how did they find me? I clearly came here to avoid being seen...

Was I being followed? That shouldn't be the case. When I left the Saint Love Hotel, I kept checking to see if I was being followed.

Could it be that they were following Shen Jie?!

At this moment, Shen Jie was already sitting about half a person's width away from him, but when the two bald men interrupted their expression of love, Xiao Yao was holding Shen Jie's shoulder with one hand, her chin with the other, and one of her legs between his legs...

Even the wisest can make a mistake, and Xiao Yao seriously considered the possibility of silencing the two burly men.

"You're going to have dinner with Yu Luying's grandfather?" Shen Jie turned her head in surprise and asked, "Why didn't you tell me?"

“I was going to tell you,” Xiao Yao explained, “but we got so caught up in the conversation that I forgot.”

Shen Jie pushed herself up from where she was sitting, her jade-like feet in white stockings lightly touching the ground before she lifted them up and hopped over on the leg with the shoe on, hooking the other shoe with her toes.

At the same time, Xiao Yao also stood up with the help of the two bald men—or rather, he was supported.

"I didn't intend to hide it from you, really," Xiao Yao said, looking at Shen Jie who was half-squatting on the ground putting on her shoes.

"I know, I believe you, I'm not angry, go ahead." Shen Jie put on her shoes, stood up, and said gently, stomping her foot lightly on the ground.

"Where is Yu Luying?" Xiao Yao's gaze fell on the opaque black glass of the luxury car.

"The young lady has arrived," a bald man said.

Upon hearing the words "Young Miss," Shen Jie couldn't help but glance at the bald man, and then at Xiao Yao.

"Could you please give my... friend a ride back to the hotel?" Since he'd already been caught, Xiao Yao was feeling a bit reckless and shamelessly made the request.

"Of course." The bald man opened the back door and gestured for Xiao Yao and Shen Jie to enter.

“No need,” Shen Jie refused curtly. “I want to relax here…”

The two bald men looked at Xiao Yao again, but Xiao Yao took a step closer and asked in a low voice, "Are you alright?"

“I’m really fine,” Shen Jie looked up and forced a kind smile. “Go ahead, tell me when you’re done.”

As she spoke, she gently patted Xiao Yao's face.

"Then, I'll go," Xiao Yao said cautiously.

“Go!” Shen Jie said.

The girl watched the luxury van drive away, her smile gradually freezing and disappearing from her face before she squatted down on the spot.

She had just lowered her head and buried it in her skirt when she suddenly remembered that she was wearing a short skirt today, which could easily expose her, so she stood up again.

Chapter 309 The Inquisition?

2023-08-27

*This chapter is also known as "The Feast at Hongmen?"

Xiao Yao had been so engrossed in chatting with Shen Jie at the dock that he hadn't noticed his cousin Xiao Er had quietly stood up—which was understandable, given that they hadn't been this close in a long time. Now, sitting in the car, he realized that Xiao Er's hair was a little damp, and he couldn't help but feel embarrassed for him.

Of course, he doesn't have time to think about these things right now.

Bach's melody echoed in the car—it sounded like "Air on the G String," which Xiao Yao had heard Yu Luying play. A driver in black (thankfully, he had hair) sat in the driver's seat. The car drove smoothly; none of the three men in black spoke, and the two bald men sat flanking him, making Xiao Yao even more convinced that he had been kidnapped.

Suddenly, the boy had a thought: He said he was sent by Yu Texuan, so he really was sent by Yu Texuan? What if he really was a bad guy impersonating someone to kidnap him?

Thinking about this, I couldn't help but gasp. But what value did I have that I could be held hostage?

The distance of just over a kilometer, even including the drive into the underground parking lot, didn't give Xiao Yao much time to overthink. Seeing the car pull into the Sheng'ai Hotel, Xiao Yao felt much relieved; all that remained was figuring out how to deal with the adults—well, the elders—of the Yu family.

After the car came to a stop, the bald man in black helped him out of the car and took the elevator directly from the underground parking lot to the 27th floor.

Stepping into this room, Xiao Yao felt as if he had traveled through a corridor of time. The large, antique-style private room, reminiscent of the Republic of China era, was bathed in a warm, dim light that cast a tranquil glow on the old-fashioned tapestries adorning the walls. Exquisite carvings adorned the high ceiling, seemingly telling tales of bygone eras. A row of old wooden windows let in soft sunlight through half-drawn curtains, creating a gentle golden halo.

In the center of the room, a huge round dining table dominates the space. Made of fine mahogany, its surface is smooth as a mirror, reflecting everything around it.

The table was covered with various exquisite porcelain plates and silver dishes, displaying a dozen or twenty dishes. There was stewed old hen, braised lion's head meatballs, Longjing shrimp, sweet and sour pork, stir-fried chicken with soy sauce, drunken chicken with Shaoxing wine... Of course, there were also bundles of hairy crabs, a plate of Australian lobsters, a serving of soft-shelled turtle, a roast suckling pig with a small apple in its mouth, and some seafood that Xiao Yao couldn't quite name, some of which he had seen before and some he hadn't.

These foods were delicious in both appearance and aroma, not only emitting a mouthwatering fragrance, but also piled up on the table so high that it was almost overflowing, almost as if they were showing off something.

Xiao Yao frowned slightly, recalling the Devil's Feast he had seen while playing Baldur's Gate, which was roughly the same as this.

He saw Yu Texuan and Yu Baolu, but not Yu Luying.

Xiao Yao glanced at the bald man who said "Miss has arrived" with a puzzled look, then at the white-bearded old man sitting at the innermost part of the round table, and finally chose not to ask.

"Grandpa Yu, Uncle Yu," Xiao Yao greeted his host politely.

At the far end of the table sat two elegantly dressed elderly gentlemen. One was a lean, sprightly old man in a Zhongshan suit, with a white goatee and a kind expression. He held a teacup in his hand, smiling as he savored the rich aroma. The other gentleman, dressed in a Western suit, had a buzz cut and a full beard, and a somewhat fierce face that seemed to say, "Keep away."

This man was burly and thick-waisted, with a buzz cut and a grayish-white beard, which reminded Xiao Yao of Shen Hongsheng when they first met.

"Young friend Xiao Yao, I have been waiting for you for a long time." Yu Texuan stroked his goatee and said with a smile, "Sit down, please sit down."

The two bald men had already pulled out a chair near the door. Xiao Yao nodded to them and sat down. Then, the two bald men stood like two iron towers behind the old man, one on the left and one on the right.

"Would you like something to drink? Help yourself." Yu Texuan held out a hand to Xiao Yao.

Xiao Yao looked at the Moutai, Shaoxing wine, red wine with foreign writing he couldn't understand, Remy Martin, orange juice with pulp, and Sprite on the table. After thinking for a moment, he poured himself a glass of 82 Sprite.

The boy stood up, offered a toast to the two elders, drank the Sprite in his glass in one gulp, and then sat down.

"Please!" Yu Texuan said, and together with Yu Baolu, they picked up their chopsticks.

Xiao Yao remained seated without moving.

Seeing that Yu Texuan and Yu Baolu had no intention of doing the pre-meal prayer, he drew a vertical line and a horizontal line on his chest and began to mutter incantations.

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Yu Texuan's eyes: "Young friend Xiao Yao, would you be willing to lead the prayer for us?"

Xiao Yao did not answer him immediately, but waited for five seconds, said "Amen" and then made the sign of the cross before looking up to answer.

Yu Texuan's admiration deepened: "Young friend, you have quite the spirit of Francis of Assisi."

Xiao Yao didn't know the story of the Five Wounds Saint Francis, so he could only say, "Grandpa Yu, Uncle Yu, you two are elders, how can you let a junior take it?"

Yu Texuan chuckled and said, "Look! The last will become the first, and the first will become the last."

Xiao Yao nodded and said, "Luke 13:30."

Yu Texuan could no longer hide the surprise on his face: "Young friend, you are not simple, not simple at all!"

Yu Baolu frowned slightly.

Xiao Yao did not immediately begin the prayer, but instead glanced at the two bodyguards in black and asked, "Excuse my intrusion, but are these two uncles who brought me here also church members?"

The four people opposite him looked at each other in pairs, and then Yu Texuan nodded.

“Since we are all brothers, and all are equal before God, why not invite them to sit down and share the food the Lord has given us? There is so much food, even the three of us can…”

Yu Baolu's expression changed, as if he was about to lose his temper, but Yu Texuan stopped him.

Xiao Yao was also secretly worried that he might have used too much force, but fortunately Yu Texuan simply nodded slightly and said, "What you say is very true, young friend."

As he spoke, he looked up and winked at the two bald men.

The two bald men exchanged a glance, then hesitantly walked to the other side of the table and sat down.