Su Household Father and Daughter

Wu Yi slowly followed Su Yan's footsteps onto the deck of the tower ship.

The moment he boarded, Wu Yi caught a strong mingled scent of various spices, seemingly mixed with some other odor as well. He frowned slightly after smelling it.

"Miss Su, may I ask what trade your honored father is in?"

"My father made his fortune transporting spices. It is hardly any great business."

As she spoke, Su Yan glanced back at Wu Yi.

Seeing his slight frown, Su Yan asked with concern, "Young Master Wu, are you unaccustomed to the smell of spices aboard the ship? If so, you may wait on deck while I go inform my father."

"No, absolutely not. Miss Su, Wu is not someone raised in silken comfort. Of course I can get used to the smell—I merely need a little time."

Seeing that Su Yan intended to leave him on the deck, Wu Yi hurriedly refused, afraid he would be too late if he spoke slowly.

Even if he had to endure the smell a while longer, he would bear it.

Watching Wu Yi put on a brave front, Su Yan lowered her head and smiled behind pursed lips.

"Young Master Wu will grow used to it after smelling it more. I was once in the same state as you, but later I became much more accustomed to it."

The instant she finished speaking, Wu Yi said, "Miss Su is absolutely right. Wu already feels much better."

Along the way, many maids and servants bowed to Su Yan and addressed her as Miss.

Wu Yi nodded to himself. She truly was a child of a Lineage.

Before long, they arrived outside the room where Su Yan's father was.

Lamplight flickered within, casting the shadows of two people.

The two seemed to be discussing something, and bursts of laughter occasionally drifted out.

Su Yan gently knocked on the door, and the voices inside abruptly stopped.

"Father, Yan'er requests an audience."

As soon as she spoke, a kind male voice came from within.

"So it is Yan'er. Come in, quickly."

Upon hearing this, Su Yan pushed open the door and entered, while Wu Yi did not follow her inside.

No one had invited him in. How rude would it be to simply barge in on his own?

As the door opened, Wu Yi saw two people sitting opposite each other.

One was around forty, slightly plump, lavishly dressed, broad-shouldered, with a short beard beneath his chin.

A faint smile rested on his face, and his manner was calm and composed. This must be Su Yan's father.

The other looked utterly ordinary, with nothing worth noting about him. Yet there seemed to be a hint of ferocity hidden between his brows and eyes.

Still, Wu Yi felt that this man looked somewhat familiar, though he could not recall where he had seen him before. It was likely only his imagination.

"Greetings, Father."

"Good. Yan'er, come here quickly. This is your Uncle Xiang."

Upon hearing that, Su Yan gave the other middle-aged man a slight bow.

"Greetings, Uncle Xiang."

"Hahaha, good, good niece."

The middle-aged man laughed heartily at Su Yan, then cast an inconspicuous glance outside the door. A strange glint flashed through his eyes.

"It is already late, and it seems Brother Su has a distinguished guest visiting his home. I shall not disturb you further. I will take my leave first."

With that, the middle-aged man rose and headed outside.

"Take care, Brother Xiang."

Su Yan's father rose with him and saw him off for several steps.

When the middle-aged man stepped out and saw Wu Yi standing to one side, he felt a sense of familiarity.

The two met each other's eyes. Their gazes collided briefly, then quickly shifted away, with no further exchange.

"Yan'er, that gentleman outside is your friend, is he not? Hurry and invite him in."

At that moment, words came from within again. Hearing that they concerned him, Wu Yi immediately straightened his attire.

Su Yan came out just in time to see this, and smiled behind pursed lips. "Young Master Wu, please come in."

"Cough, cough."

Wu Yi could only pretend to cough to hide his embarrassment before walking into the room.

"Greetings, Head of the Su Household."

Wu Yi gave the plump middle-aged merchant seated before him a slight bow.

"Since Young Master Wu is a friend of my daughter, why stand on such ceremony? Please, take a seat."

Su Yan's father seemed quite satisfied with Wu Yi's conduct. He nodded and smiled.

Once Wu Yi had seated himself, Su Yan's father asked again, "May I ask where in Cloudwater City Young Master Wu resides, and how you came to know my daughter?"

"This junior lives in the eastern part of Cloudwater City. Miss Su and I met at the docks and struck up an instant friendship, regretting only that we had met so late. Thus, I came to pay Head Su a visit."

Upon hearing this, Su Yan's father was visibly taken aback. The smile on his face quietly collapsed.

So he has come to steal my precious cabbage?

Seeing the change in her father's expression, Su Yan stepped forward at the right moment and whispered something into his ear.

After hearing her, the clouds on Su Yan's father's face were swept away at once, and he beamed. "Hahaha, I never imagined Yan'er and Young Master Wu had such an encounter. It truly makes one envious."

"Just now, I heard that worthy nephew lives in the eastern part of Cloudwater City. Su has traveled there on business for many days, and I have heard that eastern Cloudwater City is its most prosperous district."

"Yet Su seems not to have heard of any Wu Lineage in Cloudwater City. May I ask where worthy nephew's Lineage comes from?"

Watching Su Yan's father speak to him with a smiling face, Wu Yi could not help cursing inwardly. What an old fox.

Yet he maintained a fitting smile and said, "Uncle Su, you may not know this, but my father is an upright and low-profile man.

He requires the younger members of our Lineage to conduct ourselves with humility and discretion as well. Thus, our Wu Household appears rather obscure in Cloudwater City.

But in truth, our Wu Household has dealings with both the Zhang and Wang households. My father is also an old friend of the heads of the Zhang and Wang households."

The Zhang and Wang households were precisely the two great aristocratic families of Cloudwater City. When traveling outside, one's identity was something one gave oneself; Wu Yi was merely borrowing the tiger's hide of the Zhang and Wang households.

However, there was one thing Wu Yi had not lied about. When his father had still been in Cloudwater City, the heads of the Zhang and Wang households had often come to visit him. Calling his father an old friend of their household heads was not an exaggeration.

At these words, Su Yan's father's eyes visibly lit up.

"Worthy nephew, do not blame Su for my earlier rude questioning. Matters concerning my daughter cannot be handled carelessly."

Without waiting for Wu Yi's reply, Su Yan's father continued, "My daughter has reached the age of marriage, yet she has never met a suitable man. Su searched throughout Blackwater City for talented young men, but none could enter my daughter's eyes.

As it happened, Su came here on business and brought my daughter along to visit the outstanding young talents of Cloudwater City."

Before he had even finished, Su Yan's father sighed with emotion. "Fortunately, Heaven has favored my daughter. She happened to meet worthy nephew. I see that worthy nephew is also an exceptional young man. May I ask whether my daughter is worthy of entering worthy nephew's eyes?"

"Father, what are you saying~"

Su Yan stood to the side, her face flushed as she lightly shoved her father, drawing hearty laughter from him.

Hearing this, Wu Yi cursed inwardly. He truly is an old fox. If I had not borrowed the tiger's hide of the Zhang and Wang households, he would probably have swept me out the door at once.

"Uncle, you flatter me. Miss Su possesses both talent and virtue, and this junior naturally admires her greatly. If I am fortunate enough to form such a good match, this junior will certainly never fail her."

Wu Yi put away his smile. His tone was earnest, and his eyes shone as though his true feelings had spilled forth.

Seeing Wu Yi like this, Su Yan's father said "Good" three times in a row.

He then turned and asked Su Yan for her opinion.

At some point, Su Yan had lowered her blushing face. She nodded softly and gently.

Seeing this, Su Yan's father grew even more delighted. He seized Wu Yi's hand and asked him to bring his father tomorrow so they could discuss the marriage together.

He then dismissed them both on the grounds that he was feeling unwell.

Wu Yi and Su Yan walked along the deck.

"Miss Su..."

Before Wu Yi could finish, a voice interrupted him.

Listening carefully, the voice sounded somewhat familiar.