This slap created a crack and was also the fuse for Shen Jingmo to be sent away.
After Liao Qin finished speaking, Xu Hang understood what was going on. It was nothing more than one person being unable to get over the hurdle in his heart and the other being angry.
“Mr. Xu, Mr. Shen listen to you, please persuade him.”
“What to persuade him for? I think he did nothing wrong.”
Liao Qin sighed, “Ghost Master has a stubborn temper, Mr. Shen…”
Xu Hang chuckled, “He has a stubborn temper, so we have to give in to him. Mr. Shen has a good temper, so he deserves it, why?”
“Uh…” Liao Qin choked.
Anyway, the target is Xiao Yan, not Liao Qin, so Xu Hang didn’t make things difficult for him and said, “Alright, since he wants to send him back, then send him back.”
“You don’t care?” Liao Qin asked tentatively.
Xu Hang shook his head. “Don’t you know what kind of person your master is? Words won’t convince him. He needs to see the consequences for himself—only when he sends that person back to me and sees what happens will he understand whether he was right or not.”
Come to think of it, if he really goes back to persuade him, Ghost Master will definitely kick him out.
At this time, Xu Hang said, “By the way, the day after tomorrow is Duan Yelin’s birthday. I plan to hold a banquet for him in Jinyan Tang. You go back and tell Xiao Yan that it is my invitation.” Liao Qin nodded but added, “Commander Duan’s banquet is quite urgent.”
Isn’t it true? Who would rush to invite guests with only two days left? But Liao Qin didn’t realize—it wasn’t about being in a hurry. The truth was, the decision had only just been made while Xu Hang was speaking.
Even Duan Yelin, who was busy working at Xiaotong Guan, suddenly sneezed—completely unaware of what was going on.
Just after Xu Hang sent Liao Qin away, he also sent a copy of the invitation to the Japanese Consulate with the same content.
Zhang Yinxi, who was dressing up, heard the news and threw away the jasmine powder in her hand: “I’m not going!”
Zhang Xiuming raised an eyebrow with interest. “Oh? The Ghost Master is going, and you’re not going?”
“Really?!” Zhang Yinxi suddenly became excited. She had made several appointments with Xiao Yan, but he never showed up. This time, she finally had a chance to meet him. “I invited him, but he refused. How could he go to that Commander’s crappy birthday banquet?”
“You can just say this in front of me. Duan Yelin is the commander. You can’t be so arrogant. This is Hezhou, not Shanghai.”
Zhang Yinxi didn’t listen at all and was just busy choosing clothes.
The last person to hear about the banquet was Duan Yelin himself. When Xu Hang mentioned it, he stood there with his mouth slightly open, stunned and unable to respond for a long moment.
In the past few years, let alone a birthday celebration, even Xu Hang had trouble remembering this day. Duan Yelin usually spent his time at Xiaotong Guan handling official duties, and a simple bowl of noodles with an egg was more than enough for him.
He still wasn’t quite used to the sudden idea of a banquet. Moreover, Xu Hang actually said that he wanted to hold the banquet in his own Jinyan Tang.
“Shaotang, you don’t have a fever, do you?” Duan Yelin used the back of his hand to touch Xu Hang’s forehead but was knocked away by Xu Hang. “Don’t you always hate people coming to Jinyan Tang?”
Xu Hang asked back, “Are you unhappy?”
Duan Yelin immediately said, “Of course not, I was just too surprised.”
“Someone’s been scheming outside Jinyan Tang lately. Instead of letting them buzz around like flies and give me a headache, I might as well invite them in and see what they’re really up to.”
Duan Yelin knew he was talking about the Zhang family. When he thought of Zhang Xiuming, his face darkened: “Did you invite him?”
“What do you mean I invited him? In name only, it was you, Commander Duan, who invited him.”
“Aren’t you afraid people will be surprised that my birthday banquet—Duan Yelin’s—is being held at your Jinyan Tang?” Duan Yelin asked, recalling how sensitive Xu Hang had always been about such things. But Xu Hang only gave a faint smile, one that made it hard to tell whether he truly didn’t care or was quietly mocking himself.
“Do you think no one has been talking behind your back about you running to Jinyan Tang day and night for all these years? They haven’t pointed it out because they’re afraid of your Duan Yelin’s reputation, and they also want to give me, Physician Xu, a bit of face.”
Anyone with sense wouldn’t dare offend Duan Yelin, but as for Xu Hang, life inevitably has its challenges, so it’s better to upset the physician than anyone else. Duan Yelin ruffled Xu Hang’s hair and said, “Well, since you’re willing to do it, let’s make it lively.”
Any banquet is a large social occasion.
Although Xu Hang had never hosted any celebratory banquets before, the original layout of Jinyan Tang was already quite nice. He hired a few people to handle the decorations and arranged for a banquet from Changlong Hotel. The guests were just there for the fun, so their expectations weren’t too high.
Perhaps it was because the banquet was hosted by his sweetheart, but Duan Yelin stood tall and drank with great enjoyment whenever someone toasted him.
On the other side, Xiao Yan was drinking very slowly, one cup after another. He looked around the banquet but didn’t see the familiar figures.
Then he became even more depressed.
Xu Hang saw Xiao Yan’s expression from afar, so he whispered to Chan Yi and told her to call Shen Jingmo from the backyard to come out.
At this time, the Zhang brother and sister also entered Jinyan Tang.
Putting down the gift for Duan Yelin, Zhang Xiuming went straight to Xu Hang.
“Mr. Xu,” Zhang Xiuming clinked his glasses with his, “It’s been a long time since we last met.”
“Is it? Didn’t you come to the medical hall to buy medicine yesterday?” Xu Hang interrupted him.
Zhang Xiuming was not at all ashamed to say some greasy words: “Maybe… a day without seeing you feels like a long time.”
Xu Hang didn’t even bother to smile. Zhang Xiuming didn’t mind too much either. He finished the wine in the glass, put down the empty glass, and asked him, “Mr. Xu, do you dislike me? I always feel that you have some hostility towards me.”
“Mr. Zhang is from a noble family. I can only respect you and dare not be hostile to you.”
Zhang Xiuming licked his lips and said in a somewhat seductive tone, “This feels very unfamiliar. Mr. Xu, if you’re willing to set aside your prejudices, you might find that I’m also someone worthy of having a close friendship with.”
This statement was actually quite obscure and polite, but Xu Hang’s answer seemed very stiff.
“I am such an unsympathetic person; everyone in Hezhou knows this. Mr. Zhang, don’t press your warm face against my cold soles. It will only leave you feeling aggrieved and annoy others as well.”
After saying that, Xu Hang turned around and made an excuse to go to the kitchen to see if the snacks were ready. He was reluctant to even glance at Zhang Xiuming.
Zhang Xiuming, who was left standing there, secretly clenched his hands, clenched his teeth, veins popped out on his forehead, and his temples throbbed.
How could there be such a stubborn and ignorant person in the world? He had tried every trick, but nothing worked—if anything, it only made things worse.
When his title as the second young master of the Zhang family was mentioned, many people would bow their heads and be polite to him. How could he, a mere physician, be so arrogant and not take him seriously!
Zhang Xiuming was already on the verge of anger.
With a crack! In a corner of the banquet, there was a sound of breaking cups and bowls, which instantly attracted the attention of all the guests.
Everyone turned to look and saw Zhang Yinxi standing in front of a man who was half-kneeling near the entrance of the garden. The man had his hand pressed to his forehead, blood seeping out.
