Chapter 1710: Chapter 1710
The second family still needed to be clearly stated. Li Yifei thought it was about time, and keeping it hanging wouldn’t do any good. So, he carefully laid out the dry tofu, added a bit of onion and cucumber strips, spread the sauce evenly, rolled it up, and handed it to the person sitting next to him, who had been smiling silently throughout.
Li Yifei said, "Grandpa, have some of this for a change. Seeing everyone enjoying the food makes me feel good too, but it’s important to balance meat and vegetables. If anyone ends up feeling unwell, as the junior, I’ll get blamed, and then Yunzhu won’t let me see the child."
Old Master Ye listened carefully, finally changed his expression, opened his eyes, laughed heartily, and took the tofu roll Li Yifei made, happily saying, "Grandpa actually wanted to eat it, but my teeth aren’t too good. I’m worried I won’t be able to bite into the cucumber."
When Old Master Ye spoke, the other family chiefs all breathed a sigh of relief. The Chu family, Zheng family, and Wang family were all essentially not keen on the Li family and Ye family taking the top two positions, as that would make them overwhelmingly dominant. Hearing Old Master Ye’s tone, they understood that he wasn’t interested in competing for second place, and Li Yifei wasn’t insistent on giving the second position to the Ye family directly.
This was very nice, at least outwardly it seemed decent.
Elder Master Hu smiled faintly and said, "Old Ye, don’t be modest. I heard just a few days ago that your teeth are good enough to crack walnuts. How come you can’t handle a cucumber?"
Old Master Ye shook his head with a smile and said, "Nonsense, most of my teeth aren’t even my own anymore. Cracking walnuts? I’m more likely to bite into a banana."
The old men burst into laughter, then Wang Chunlai of the Wang family said, "Well then, the second place is yours, Old Hu. Over the years, there are few I’ve admired besides Clan Leader Li, and you’re one of them. Your foresight is spot-on."
As the news about the second place spread, most of those waiting for it breathed a sigh of relief, though some felt regret. Ye Yunzhu and Xu Yingying weren’t surprised at all, having anticipated this. They hadn’t communicated with Li Yifei beforehand, but it was understood without words.
The two were socializing, mingling with the wives and ladies of the family chiefs. Of course, they were known not just for their beauty but also their top social standing. Yunzhu’s mother and aunt were beside them, showing no embarrassment, only receiving envy and countless compliments from those around them.
Their conversations revolved around lighthearted topics such as poetry, popular fashion, and scenic spots, subjects that were always easy to engage in within this circle.
The second family had been decided, but what about the third? Realizing Li Yifei wasn’t quite so dominant, the other chiefs relaxed. The Li family wasn’t in the same league as them anymore—the difference between billions and hundreds of billions might look small but was, in fact, significant.
The remaining Zheng, Chu, and Wang Families, almost on par with the Ye family earlier; now, backed by the Li family, the Ye family deserved the third spot. In this feast, the Li family took sixty to seventy percent, and the Ye family took ten percent, making them quite well-off. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝✦𝘧𝙞𝙧𝙚✦𝕟𝕖𝕥
And these three families had seen little change, taking a small share. They dared not be overt, like a mouse carefully stretching out a paw to steal a piece of cheese, quickly retreating, unlike the Ye family, who walked straight in through the front door, having discussed it with the Li family ahead of time—"Is this piece for me? Great, I’ll take it. Thanks, son-in-law." The piece was taken.
The third family naturally went to the Ye family, though there was some dispute, not much. The Chu and Zheng family chiefs opened their mouths but swallowed their words, turning them into appetite, eating a fair amount, and keeping their heads down without excessive discussion.
Wang Chunlai was quite enthusiastic. The Wang family was ranked eighth before, the last, and during the Eight Great Clans gatherings, they called him Wang the Eighth, sounding like a turtle. The old man endured all those years, and now, no matter the ranking, they wouldn’t fall below sixth, so he wasn’t concerned about what’s left.
In conversation and laughter, the top three had been settled, not entirely unexpectedly. People hearing the top three began to sigh. If the Li and Ye families’ alliance lasted, this setup might remain unchanged for decades.
In the Provincial Governor’s house, the once top leader listened to the secretary’s report and learned about the Li family banquet’s information. Knowing that the Li, Hu, and Ye families took the top three spots, he only smiled slightly, hung up the phone, rubbed his brow, and talked to himself, "No problem. That kid Li Yifei knows what should and shouldn’t be done."
Only he heard this remark, so he wasn’t worried about it spreading. Otherwise, as the province’s top figure, if this verdict spread, it would be excellent news for the Li family.
At the same time, the number two official in the province heard about this, and his words were almost the same. As figures keenly aware of the top-level currents, they knew more and judged more accurately.
The crowd present had eaten and drunk their fill, and the chat had grown lively. Old Zhang and Old Song were shoulder to shoulder, exchanging a grilled wing for a roasted vegetable, and arranging to meet up for a gathering. Over there, several noblewomen were already calling each other sisters, planning to go on a shopping trip or travel together someday.
Such experiences were among the reasons they attended—though family rankings were important to them, that wasn’t the most essential.
With the top three settled, the subsequent spots were now more contentious. At this moment, Old Master Ye returned to his half-drowsy state, appearing neither awake nor asleep, while Li Yifei focused on drinking, and the Hu family chief seemed very interested in vegetables, eating several pieces of cucumber and some grilled vegetables with great relish.
They had confirmed their rankings and didn’t concern themselves with the remaining positions. The rest were left to compete; after all, in the end, the Li family and Ye family could decide it with a single word.
They saw through it, yet had no option. The lively table quieted down suddenly, each eating their own food. Those who were full just sipped their drinks, and those who had their fill sat back, pretending to enjoy the scenery.
Elder Wang, holding back, finally spat out a piece of cartilage he had been gnawing on for ages, opened his mouth, and said as he scanned the family chiefs, "The Wang family’s development has stagnated a bit in recent years; it’s our own problem, so this time... uh, what’s happening?"
From a distance, a commotion arose as a group of people gathered, arguing non-stop. Elder Wang stopped halfway through his speech, and the others at the table also looked over, while Li Yifei stood up, gazing over intently.