On the day of the family banquet.
The Si Household had specially arranged the banquet beside a waterfall wreathed in immortal mist on the eastern side of their clan grounds.
The place was spacious and open on all sides, with green mountains in the distance and flowing water nearby, offering expansive views.
Long tables were laid out, laden with a dazzling array of spirit fruit, fine wine, and all manner of delicacies.
Xie Changsheng, Zhou Yan, Song Chi, and Luo Qingyin had all arrived, and they sat at the table beside Si Chen.
Black Mountain and Red Wind sat farther down from them, while Red Bean crouched on Si Chen's shoulder, looking around curiously.
On the Si Household's side, his father Si Kai, Second Uncle Si Che holding little Si Ming, Third Uncle Granduncle, and the other elders were all at the main table.
Several prominent stewards and deacons of the clan had also taken their seats.
There were plenty of people, yet the atmosphere was not especially lively.
Because... those who should have come had not.
Si Shuo sat beside Third Uncle Granduncle, restless ever since before the banquet began.
His eyes kept flicking toward the entrance, and his palms would not stop sweating.
Halfway through the banquet, he finally could not help lowering his voice to ask the deacon beside him, "Um... did no one really come?"
The deacon replied respectfully, "Third Master, apart from Young Master Xie and his companions, the honored guests on the guest list... indeed, none of them have arrived."
Si Shuo froze for a moment. The tension slowly faded from his face, replaced by an indescribable silence.
He picked up the wine cup before him, tilted his head back, and took a drink.
The wine was strong, burning as it went down his