Chapter 58 The Banquet Begins

He had never experienced such a moment of utter helplessness.

Yet, he knew deep down that he could not simply fall apart.

Mustering his courage, he stood up, bowed deeply to Ran’s father and mother, and said, "Uncle, Aunt, I am truly sorry. My dad is most likely not coming today. This is entirely due to my lack of foresight, and I will definitely give you a satisfactory explanation later."

Just as He Yuzhu’s voice trailed off, the others around him chimed in to speak on his behalf.

He Yushui could no longer contain her sorrow. Choking back tears, she said, "That father of ours might as well not exist. He has never once treated us like his own children."

Her eyes were slightly red-rimmed, clearly filled with disappointment and resentment toward the father who had been absent for years and remained indifferent to the family. Though her voice was soft, it struck everyone’s heart like a heavy hammer, making the atmosphere of the engagement banquet even more oppressive.

Seeing this, Deaf Granny quickly stepped in to smooth things over. She looked at Mr. Ran with a smile, her tone carrying a touch of kindness and broad-mindedness, "Mr. Ran, look, it really is getting quite late. We came here today to celebrate the happy occasion of He Yuzhu and the Ran family’s daughter, not to wait around for someone who doesn’t care about us at all, leaving everyone here to go hungry. Am I right, or am I right?"

"The old lady makes a very valid point. There’s truly no need for us to dwell on Zhuzi’s unreliable father," the First Elder nodded in agreement, a hint of helplessness in his voice.

"Exactly right! The three of us are the chief administrators of the courtyard, and we’ve watched Zhuzi grow up step by step with our own eyes. With the few of us here, we can definitely hold down the fort for his engagement banquet," the Second Elder’s voice boomed as always, carrying an undeniable firmness.

"Yes, yes, yes, let’s hurry up and start the meal. The chefs in the back kitchen have been busy for a while now, and everyone’s stomach is rumbling with hunger," the Third Elder chimed in with a smile, attempting to ease the tense atmosphere.

Ran Qiuye experienced a turmoil of emotions. She did not want to see the engagement banquet remain deadlocked like this, so she summoned her courage and looked at her parents with a gaze bordering on pleading, softly persuading them, "Dad, Mom, let’s just start the banquet. Please don't let outsiders laugh at our family over such a minor issue."

Her parents’ faces had already been gloomy, and hearing Ran Qiuye’s words was like pouring oil on fire.

Mr. Ran slammed his hand heavily onto the table and shouted angrily, "Make others laugh at us? Hmph! Let me tell you, Xiao Ran, if the groom's parents fail to show up at an engagement banquet, that is the real joke!"

Startled by her father’s sudden roar, Ran Qiuye was struck dumb with fright. Her eyes quickly turned red, and tears welled up, making her feel as wronged as if the entire world had collapsed around her.

After reprimanding his daughter, Mr. Ran shifted his target to He Yuzhu, his tone tinged with disappointment and blame.

"Xiao He, you are an educated person who understands reason. How could you commit such an unwise act?" Mr. Ran’s words carried a mixture of reproach and incomprehension.

"I’ll put it bluntly right here and now: if I don’t see your father today, this engagement banquet need not be mentioned ever again." Mr. Ran’s tone was firm, leaving no room for negotiation. He had drawn his bottom line in plain sight, making everyone else present too afraid to attempt any further mediation.

The guests at the other tables had also been drawn by the commotion, and the previously lively chatter abruptly ceased. Although they no longer dared to complain about being hungry, the urge to gossip in their hearts could simply not be suppressed.

"I’ve lived for quite a few years, but today’s engagement banquet has truly opened my eyes. If word of this gets out, it’ll be a miracle if the neighbors don't laugh their teeth off!"

"You can't quite put it that way either. I feel the Ran family bears some responsibility too; they clearly agreed to an engagement, yet they left the groom's parents looking so humiliated. Isn't that deliberately making things awkward for people?"

"The Ran family values propriety and has strict standards, so that’s normal. But then again, He Yuzhu’s old man is truly too unreliable, which is why everyone ended up in such an awkward spot."

"Sigh, come to think of it, He Yuzhu is truly pitiful. His mother passed away early, leaving him and his younger sister to depend on each other, and now he’s being put through the wringer by his own biological father. It really makes one's heart ache."

The guests' whispered murmurs grew louder and louder, escalating from quiet snatches of talk to uninhibited chatter as their voices gradually rose.

The people sitting at He Yuzhu’s table caught most of these comments, and every single one of their faces was plastered with embarrassment and distress.

A bizarre atmosphere hung thick in the air, a suffocating blend of awkwardness and unease that was difficult to bear.

After a long while, Mr. Ran finally spoke up again to break the silence.

"Let’s discuss the engagement some other time," Mr. Ran said, standing up immediately afterward, with Mrs. Ran following closely behind.

Ignoring the attempts of He Yuzhu and the others to make them stay, the elderly couple resolutely pushed open the restaurant doors and left this suffocating place.

Ran Qiuye looked at He Yuzhu, her eyes filled with helplessness and reluctance, but in the end, she still followed her parents away.

Seeing this, He Yuzhu felt as though all his strength had been drained away. He slumped limply into his chair, consumed by gloom.

"How did such a wonderful day turn out like this?" He Yuzhu complained bitterly to himself, feeling that the road to marriage and settling down was truly fraught with hardships and trials.

Just as he was drowning in self-pity, the Third Elder sidled up to him, his face wreathed in smiles and his eyes gleaming with a craving for food.

"Zhuzi, look, our banquet has already been arranged. Given the current situation, should we still go ahead and eat?" The Third Elder’s inquiry carried a trace of politeness, yet failed to conceal his wholehearted anticipation for the meal. His eyes sparkled brightly, showing he clearly placed great importance on this feast.

Though his heart was in turmoil, He Yuzhu managed to squeeze out a forced smile and said, "Let's eat. Everyone's waiting, don't let a table full of good dishes get cold."

Upon hearing this, the Third Elder did not react with the overjoyed expression He Yuzhu had imagined.

Instead, he frowned, looking somewhat hesitant, and then cautiously probed, "But then again, since today's meal isn't technically your formal engagement banquet with Teacher Ran after all, does that mean... we don't need to give gifts according to the usual engagement rules?"

He Yuzhu’s feelings were rather complex, the corners of his mouth twitching involuntarily as he muttered inwardly: *This Third Elder really is shrewd to the bone.*

He cleared his throat, a trace of exhaustion in his voice, yet he boldly shouted out to everyone, "Brothers and sisters, let's cast our worries aside and have a hearty meal today! I've covered all the expenses entirely, and what's more, none of you need to bring any gifts!"

As soon as these words were spoken, it was like a bolt of lightning bringing joyous news, and the crowd instantly erupted in excitement.