Chapter 165: The World is Not What It Used to Be

Chapter 165: People's Hearts Are No Longer As Pure

Tang Jiu was completely baffled. "What are you two talking about? Dad, you have to put a stop to this. Tang Yifei is going way too far now. Look at what he did to Brother Tang Long! No matter what, Tang Long is the oldest brother of our generation, and Fourth Uncle died so young..."

"Tang Jiu, if Tang Long asked for a beating, there's nothing we can do," Xu Yun said calmly. "It's like Zhou Yu beating Huang Gai—one is willing to inflict it, and the other is willing to endure it. Whether Tang Yifei was willing to hit him in this little drama, I'm not entirely sure, but I am certain Tang Long was willing to take it."

"What do you mean?" Tang Jiu was startled. "Willing to take a beating? Is he an idiot?"

Tang Tianzheng let out a long sigh. He truly hadn't expected this matter to be even more complex than he had imagined, and he really had to thank the young man Tang Jiu had brought to him. Tang Tianzheng knew he could no longer fathom the depth of Xu Yun's thoughts; the meticulousness of Xu Yun's reasoning far surpassed his own. He himself had only harbored suspicions about certain things, but Xu Yun was able to guide him through them step by step to uncover the flaws.

"Jiuer, did you smell anything on Tang Long?" Tang Tianzheng didn't want his daughter to remain in the dark, so he decided to drop a hint.

Tang Jiu hadn't paid particular attention to that, but prompted by her father's question, she recalled a faint scent—one that felt familiar yet eluded her name.

"What scent?" Tang Jiu racked her brain, bewildered.

Xu Yun smiled faintly. "Hydrogen peroxide."

Only then did a flash of realization hit Tang Jiu. That was indeed the smell of hydrogen peroxide. Wait... why would Tang Long have the scent of hydrogen peroxide on him?!

The faint trace of hydrogen peroxide on Tang Long was not something found just anywhere; it was a smell exclusive to hospitals. Clearly, Tang Long had been to a hospital. Xu Yun knew there was no rule forbidding anyone from visiting a hospital, but since his eye socket had been beaten to a swollen mess, wouldn't it be standard procedure to get it treated?

Yet, it was obvious that Tang Long hadn't treated his injuries at all. Did he deliberately leave them untreated, or did he simply not have the time, or perhaps he was too afraid to stay in the hospital for long lest someone saw him? All of these were suspicious points.

Xu Yun believed Tang Long was worried about staying in the hospital too long and being discovered by others, which was why he refused to linger there. Furthermore, these injuries had to be shown to Tang Tianzheng and the others, making it even more impossible for him to get them treated.

Still, Tang Jiu couldn't wrap her head around something so profound. She remained puzzled. "What was Brother Tang Long doing at the hospital? I didn't see him getting his injuries treated..."

"Jiuer, people's hearts are no longer as pure as they used to be. Nowadays, not only can we not trust everything we hear, but even seeing something with our own eyes may not reveal the truth," Tang Tianzheng said. "You should learn more from Xu Yun from now on. I didn't say this yesterday, but from now on, you must unconditionally support whatever Xu Yun does. He has his reasons, and even if he explained them to you, you might not understand, so don't ask too many questions."

Tang Jiu rolled her eyes. "Dad, seriously? You used to be quite sharp at judging people, so why do you trust Xu Yun so completely? Aren't you afraid he'll trip up your precious daughter? What if he runs off with me?"

Tang Tianzheng let out a dry laugh. "If he really wanted to run off with you, he wouldn't have bothered bringing you back. Heh heh, I'm afraid you'd be the one throwing yourself at him..."

"Dad! Am I your biological child? Is there any need to deflate your own prestige just to boost someone else's morale?" Tang Jiu complained unhappily. She made it sound like she was being given away for free and Xu Yun still wouldn't want her—she wasn't that terrible, was she? At the very least, if she were put out on the market, thousands of promising young men would be fighting tooth and nail for her.

Xu Yun touched his chin and said with a serious expression, "I actually do need to consider that."

Tang Jiu waved a hand. "Stop right there! Fine, end of discussion on this topic! Just tell me, why on earth do you suspect Tang Long?"

"The reason is very simple. What do you think the relationship between Tang Long and Tang Yifei is like?" Xu Yun asked. "Let me give you my perspective. From the moment I laid eyes on them yesterday, they were thick as thieves. What's your take?"

"Of course their relationship is great, but... but everyone says Brother Tang Long is practically my second brother's lap... never mind, I won't say it, it sounds too ugly," Tang Jiu said. "Anyway, in the past, Brother Tang Long was extremely obedient to the Second Brother, doing pretty much whatever he was told. There's no doubt their relationship was tight."

Xu Yun nodded, indicating that Tang Jiu's analysis was spot on. "Then my conjecture becomes even more solid. Since their bond is so ironclad, don't you think Tang Yifei would share any plans he had with Tang Long? If you were Tang Yifei, would you tell him?"

Tang Jiu thought about it for a moment before replying, "Yes."

"Then what is there to puzzle over?" Xu Yun said. "If this matter was orchestrated by Tang Yifei, Tang Long would inevitably have known about it. Yet, looking at Tang Long's behavior today, he clearly acted as though he was completely in the dark. How is that possible..."

As he spoke, Xu Yun suddenly clamped his mouth shut, then added, "I'll tell you later."

No sooner had his voice trailed off than Aunt Xue walked in. She said to Tang Tianzheng, "I've sent Tang Long off. He seemed to be in a rather poor emotional state. It looks like Tang Yifei's actions dealt a heavy blow to him. The boy's father died early; the Tang family cannot afford to treat him unfairly."

Tang Tianzheng nodded with a smile. "Indeed, Aunt Xue, that's what I think too. Tang Long has been wholeheartedly dedicated to the Tang family for all these years. Although he hasn't been in charge of anything hands-on, Tang Zhenfeng and his son truly cannot do without him. He is the Tang family's right-hand man when it comes to investment and financial management."

"Yet you didn't even keep him for lunch," Aunt Xue remarked casually. Her tone carried a clear undertone of reprimand, though since Tang Tianzheng was the head of the household and she, despite her seniority and meritorious service, was still a servant, she dared not openly scold him and could only voice a mild grievance.

"That was my fault," Tang Tianzheng chuckled lightly, then turned to Xu Yun. "What would you like to eat, or what does little Guoguo want? Just tell Aunt Xue."

Xu Yun pondered for a moment, then told Tang Tianzheng, "Well, how about this, Uncle Tang? I don't have much of an appetite today and don't feel like eating at home. When you usually dine out, where do you go? Would you mind taking me out to treat my palate?"

Tang Tianzheng was slightly taken aback, then nodded. "Certainly, of course."

"What's so good about eating out? We have everything we need at home," Tang Jiu muttered to herself. She still preferred home-cooked meals, and Aunt Xue's culinary skills were genuinely top-notch, easily rivaling those of master chefs.

Tang Tianzheng looked at his daughter gently. "Did you forget what your dad just told you a moment ago? This certainly isn't a trait you inherited from me."

Tang Jiu was left speechless. Could it be that Xu Yun going out for a meal also had some absolute necessity behind it? He was far too demanding; she would rather die than marry a man like this. If she really married him, wouldn't she lose all personal freedom for the rest of her life?

"Let's go, Jiuer. Go upstairs and invite Qiu Yan and Guoguo down," Tang Tianzheng said as he stood up.

Tang Jiu was quick on her feet. She strode directly to the staircase and shouted, "Guoguo, let's go! Big Sister is taking you out for a grand feast!"

Guoguo instantly came rushing down in a burst of excitement. When it came to food, she had boundless enthusiasm. Unlike children who had to be forced to eat every mouthful, Guoguo had exceptionally strong principles regarding meals: she ate when it was time to eat, and she abstained when it wasn't.

In Guoguo's own words, being picky or eating irregularly during childhood would stunt your growth. If her figure wasn't good when she grew up, it would definitely be the fault of not eating properly right now. She refused to let people laugh at her in the future for being as flat as a board or an airport runway, so she always took eating very seriously—especially fruits like papaya, which were her absolute favorite.

Aunt Xue never ate out, so neither Tang Tianzheng nor Tang Jiu bothered to invite her. With everyone leaving, it spared Aunt Xue the trouble of cooking anyway. She was happy for the peace and quiet and gladly let them go.

Because of Tang Tianzheng's recent health issues, he hadn't traveled far in a while, so the chauffeur had been assigned to other tasks. Xu Yun temporarily stepped in as the driver, and the group comfortably boarded a Ford E350 and set off.

They quickly arrived at an imposing five-star hotel. Evidently, the staff here were familiar with the Tang family vehicle; the moment the car came to a stop, someone hurried over to open the door, greeting Mr. Tang with utmost respect and addressing Tang Jiu as Young Miss Jiu.

Guoguo couldn't help but praise her. "Young Miss Jiu looks so grand and imposing."

Tang Jiu glared at her. "Guoguo, if you dare make fun of your Little Sister Jiu again, watch out—I'll leave you here as collateral after the meal to wash dishes and pay off the bill."

"I'm a child laborer," Guoguo said unfazed. "None of them would dare take me in."

Led by the service staff, Xu Yun and the others entered the luxury private dining room reserved year-round for the Tang family. The massive dining table wouldn't feel crowded even with fifteen people sitting at it, so with just five of them, it looked remarkably spacious.

Yet, wealthy people seemed to adore this grand scale. Each person had a dedicated attendant standing behind their chair, providing a level of service worthy of a president.

"Well, I won't bother ordering. Just have the chef prepare a selection of dishes," Tang Tianzheng told the waiter, then pointed at Xu Yun. "This is a very important guest of mine, so the food must be exquisite."

"Understood, Mr. Tang!"

Xu Yun quickly interjected, "No, no, no, let's not make it too complicated. There are only five of us, and nowadays everyone advocates for diligence and thrift. Just make enough to eat. Extravagance and waste are wicked deeds committed by corrupt officials; ordinary folks like us prefer simplicity."

Seeing how low-profile Xu Yun was, the waiter's favorable impression of him soared. "Yes, sir, you are entirely right!"

"Ha ha ha, very well, very well, then we'll do as Xu Yun says!" Tang Tianzheng waved a hand. "Go ahead."

Xu Yun smiled. He hadn't come here just to eat; since he had a reason for wanting to dine out, who knew what kind of clues might surface by the end of the meal?

Tang Jiu was utterly speechless at Xu Yun. Since they were eating out, why bother preaching about simplicity? They would have been much more comfortable eating at home.

Soon enough, the hotel staff served a standard five-person spread consisting of twenty exquisitely crafted dishes, with portions delicately portioned out so each person could take a single bite of each. It was enough to show how highly the hotel regarded the Tang family, executing Tang Tianzheng's offhand remarks with utmost seriousness.

Moments later, the waiter brought out a separate bowl of rock sugar bird's nest exclusively for Tang Tianzheng. "Mr. Tang, this is yours."

Xu Yun thought to himself: This trip certainly wasn't made in vain.