Chapter 194: Chapter 191: Unbridled Niu Kexin
Liu Ruyan smiled and shook her head. "Your Holiness, that kind of food is something you can only hope to stumble upon."
She said no more, but Li Shimu could tell there was more to the story.
But since Liu Hong and his granddaughter were clearly unwilling to elaborate, he couldn’t very well press the issue.
Liu Hong didn’t touch his chopsticks again. He would occasionally pop a small pellet into his mouth, then close his eyes and sway his head, the very picture of enjoyment.
Fortunately, Liu Ruyan wasn’t as picky. Although she was also dissatisfied with the dishes, she ate a fair amount out of courtesy.
This allowed Li Shimu to breathe a small sigh of relief; otherwise, the banquet would have become a complete joke.
Just then, the siblings Mu He and Mu Xue arrived at the banquet hall, bringing Niu Kexin with them.
"Adoptive Sister, the guests the Empire is hosting are exceptionally distinguished. Even His Holiness must treat them with the utmost care. Adoptive Father specifically instructed us to go and pay our respects. We absolutely must not be impolite."
Niu Kexin nodded, looking rather unenthusiastic.
Nothing could pique her interest unless it had to do with Mo Qi.
’Distinguished guests? What do they have to do with me?’
If Mu Kongfu hadn’t sent message after message, she wouldn’t have come at all.
"Niu Kexin, this is the Empire, not some backwater you’re used to. There are rules for everything here. You’d better not embarrass Adoptive Father or put him in a difficult position," Mu Xue warned.
"Xue’er! That’s enough!" Mu He shot Mu Xue a glare.
"Hmph!" Mu Xue turned her head away and muttered, "I was just trying to be nice and remind her, so she doesn’t mess things up."
Niu Kexin’s expression remained unchanged, impassive as ever.
’In her eyes, Mu Xue’s behavior was nothing more than a childish tantrum—a sign of immaturity. There was no point in dignifying it with a response.’
"All right, all right, we’re here. Let’s go pay our respects to Adoptive Father and His Holiness. The guests should be there as well."
The trio walked in from outside the main hall, their sudden entrance drawing everyone’s attention.
Seeing this, Mu Kongfu stood up and beckoned to them.
"Come quickly and pay your respects to Grandmaster Liu. Mu He, Mu Xue, you met him when you were children. Do you remember?"
Mu He and Mu Xue hurried forward, bowing deeply. "Greetings, Grandmaster Liu," they said in turn.
"Though I only had the honor of seeing Grandmaster Liu once, your imposing figure has been etched into my mind ever since," Mu He said with his signature smile.
Mu Xue added, "The memory is still fresh, as if it were only yesterday."
"Enough, enough. I’m just a useless old codger. Why would you need to remember me? Go on about your business," Liu Hong said dismissively with a wave of his hand, not even bothering to open his eyes.
Mu He and Mu Xue straightened up, only to see Niu Kexin standing there like a wooden post. She hadn’t bowed or said a word, her gaze fixed intently on Liu Hong and Liu Ruyan.
"Adoptive Sister, quickly pay your respects to Grandmaster Liu!" Mu He’s expression faltered, and he hastily sent her a voice transmission.
’If she angers Liu Hong, he won’t even have to lift a finger. His Holiness will be the first to punish her severely.’
’At that point, it won’t matter even if Mu Kongfu pleads on her behalf.’
Sure enough, upon seeing Niu Kexin’s blatant disrespect, Li Shimu’s expression instantly darkened.
’It’s over. She’s dragged us down with her!’ Mu Xue’s disdain and resentment for Niu Kexin grew even stronger.
’Niu Kexin came with them, and she’s their adoptive sister. If blame were to be assigned, she and Mu He would be implicated as well.’
Mu Kongfu’s expression froze, and he too was taken aback by Niu Kexin’s behavior.
’This can’t be right,’ he thought. ’In his memory, Niu Kexin was cultured and sensible, her conduct practically perfect. How could she forget even the most basic etiquette today?’
"Ahem, Grandmaster Liu, allow me to introduce my newly adopted daughter, Niu Kexin. Xin’er, come and pay your respects at once!" Mu Kongfu hastily interjected, trying to salvage the situation.
Niu Kexin acted as if she hadn’t heard a thing. A smile bloomed on her face as she walked straight toward Liu Hong and Liu Ruyan.
BZZT!
Mu He’s and Mu Xue’s minds went completely blank with shock.
’What is she doing?!’
’The head table isn’t a place someone like you can just approach!’
’Even though we’re all Adoptive Father’s children and have a high status—so high that even Li Shimu is normally polite to us...’
’This is different!’
’This is Liu Hong we’re talking about!’
’The honored guest that even Li Shimu has to treat with the utmost caution!’
’Compared to him, we’re nothing!’
"Insolence!" an old man at the table roared. He was Li Shimu’s grand-uncle, Li Linbin, one of the most senior patriarchs of the Royal Family.
"Mu Kongfu, is this the ’good daughter’ you’ve raised?"
Mu Kongfu frantically shot glances at Niu Kexin while sending her voice transmissions, but all he received in return was a reassuring look.
’Reassuring my ass!’
’What in the world are you trying to do?!’
Meanwhile, a sharp light flashed in Liu Ruyan’s eyes. Tossing her chopsticks aside, she shot up and darted swiftly toward Niu Kexin.
Everyone assumed Liu Ruyan had been enraged by Niu Kexin’s disrespect and was about to teach her a lesson.
’Let’s see how you get out of this one,’ Mu Xue thought with a cold snort.
Mu He was frantic, but in that moment, he had the desire to intervene but not the courage.
"Young lady, please stay your hand!" Mu Kongfu yelled, but in the next instant, everyone froze.
"Wow! I haven’t seen you in just a few days, and you’ve gotten so beautiful, Sister Kexin!"
Liu Ruyan threw herself into Niu Kexin’s arms, hopping up and down with delight.
"Ruyan missed you so much! Mmm? Wow, Sister Kexin, how come it feels like these have gotten a lot bigger?" Liu Ruyan pulled her face away from Niu Kexin’s chest and asked with a puzzled expression.
Niu Kexin’s pretty face flushed red. She tutted softly. "Missed me? I think you were missing Little Brother Mo!"
"Hee hee," Liu Ruyan giggled. "I missed both of you!"
As she spoke, her gaze fell once more on Niu Kexin’s ample chest. She glanced down at her own, which, while starting to develop, were still a far cry from Niu Kexin’s.
"Sister Kexin, do you think Brother Mo likes them... bigger?" Liu Ruyan asked with a naive expression.
Niu Kexin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "You silly girl! How would I know? Go ask him yourself when you see him."
Liu Ruyan blushed and whispered, "But I’d be too embarrassed..."
Niu Kexin was speechless.
’So you’re too embarrassed, but I’m supposed to be fine with it?’
’And another thing, is it really okay for us to be discussing this right here, right now?’
With the exception of Liu Hong, everyone else was petrified on the spot.
This was especially true for Mu Xue. ’This isn’t how it was supposed to go at all!’
’Why does Niu Kexin know Liu Ruyan? And by the looks of it, they’re not just acquaintances—they’re incredibly close!’
The heart that had been lodged in Mu Kongfu’s throat finally settled back into his chest. He gave Niu Kexin a long, deep look, realizing that he was finding it harder and harder to see through this adoptive daughter of his.
If he knew which three items Niu Kexin had taken from his treasury, he would probably be even more mortified.
"Senior, we meet again," Niu Kexin said with a smile as she approached Liu Hong.
Back at the Void Sect, Liu Hong had been a regular at the Uncle Niu’s Kitchen God restaurant. As long as Mo Qi was present, he would visit every single day.
Over time, they had become quite familiar with each other. Liu Hong despised excessive formalities, which was precisely why Niu Kexin hadn’t bowed to him.
