Standing Next To You-Chapter 371: Heir of the Fei family

The banquet continued to be lively.

In a certain gazebo in the garden, most of the prominent figures from the guests and key members of the Fei family gathered.

The Head Master of the Fei family sat at the center of the table, engaged in deep conversation with the other elders and heads of other families.

Meanwhile, at the most crowded table across from them, sat Fei Yin Lang, the father of the protagonist of the event.

These lesser masters did not have the authority to sit with the Head Master of the Fei family and the other official family heads. After greeting Head Master Fei, they gathered around Fei Yin Lang.

"Fei Yin Lang, you must be proud to have such an amazing son. Not only did he graduate at the top of his class, but he also demonstrated excellent leadership skills while training abroad. Producing such a fine heir can only come from a great family like the Fei’s."

"I heard that it’s not only your eldest son who is outstanding. Your second son is also amassing great influence abroad. Pray tell, is it true he managed to secure an invitation from the James family?"

The guests surrounding Fei Yin Lang looked at him with curiosity.

Fei Yin Lang laughed. "Rumors must spread quickly. My son hasn’t even announced it to the whole family yet, and you already know."

The people around him exchanged bewildered glances.

They had mentioned it to confirm, not truly believing it. It was the James family, after all. Even they had a hard time getting an invitation. But Fei Yin Lang’s youngest son managed to get one? How?!

"T-that’s really amazing, Fei Yin Lang. It seems you are blessed with such outstanding sons."

"No wonder there is no complicated competition in your family, because you are here."

"Right. With such perfect sons, there’s no need for fierce competition since the outcome is already clear."

Fei Yin Lang drank his wine with a smile. He loved gatherings like this. The people outside the family knew clearly who was going to lead the entire family. In their eyes, he was already the winner, and his son was undoubtedly the heir.

Fei Yin Lang glanced at the table where the Head Master of the Fei family sat.

It was obvious to everyone that his son deserved to be the heir, so why hadn’t that old man officially named his son the heir yet?! What was he waiting for?!

His eldest son was already at an age where he could manage a business independently. Today was meant to be the day Fei Hua Jiang was officially titled as the heir, not just a celebration for a mere welcome party.

He truly couldn’t understand what was running through the old man’s head.

"Speaking of which, I heard the competition in the Lin family is quite fierce. The two branches have a fierce rivalry abroad, which has cost them a huge loss."

"Tsk. Such competition only causes losses, not advantages like in the Fei family. Instead of helping each other, they are backstabbing each other as if they aren’t blood-related."

Fei Yin Lang put down his glass. "The Fei family has different values than the Lin family. Although they have risen in the past years thanks to their current Head Master, I believe in the hands of his sons, that family will decline."

The guests exchanged meaningful glances.

Although there was no bad blood or direct competition between the Fei and Lin families, every time the two families were discussed together, people couldn’t help but compare them. This caused the two families, who had no direct relation with each other, to look unfavorably upon each other.

"You are right. Unlike the Fei family, the Lin family is indeed complicated. There’s no scandal of an illegitimate child being accepted into your family and complicating the competition. The only struggle your family has is almost naming the heir to the sick child from those years ago—"

An elbow stopped the speaker from continuing. When he looked up, he saw the warning eyes of the others.

Fei Yin Lang glanced at the expression of the people around him. He had drunk quite a lot, but his senses were still sharp. He noticed the atmosphere suddenly growing tense. He chuckled.

"It’s alright. That was in the past. Every family faces hurdles sometimes, right? Anyway, my son has come so far. He has the approval of the entire family, and soon he will prove himself in the field. My father just wants to test him one last time."

The others humored him and laughed along. "That’s right. Fei Hua Jiang is indeed excellent. But he is still young and has a lot of potential yet to be unleashed."

"I agree. Head Master Fei must be a perfectionist. No one is more outstanding than Fei Hua Jiang in his generation. But he still wants him to be even more perfect."

The others laughed and chimed in, recovering the lively atmosphere.

Fei Yin Lang gulped the wine in his glass, finishing it in one go. His heart was growing heavy again.

Because his father wasn’t naming his eldest son the heir, the others were having silly thoughts and bringing up the child that once shocked high society in the past. How ridiculous. As if that sickly child could become the heir.

But... why was his father still postponing the matter? He couldn’t be thinking of giving that sick child a chance, could he?

This thought, which came up once in a while, was drowned by another glass of wine. He only felt better when the people around him assured him that no one was better than his eldest son.

Compared to this table filled with jest and laughter, the table where the elders sat was quite somber.

They were no longer young men who drank wine and sparred with words as they pleased. They treasured their words like gold and got straight to the point.

"Fei Yangguang, I wonder what you are thinking. Shouldn’t today be the day when Fei Hua Jiang is announced as your heir?" His longtime friend, Head Master Tang, glanced at him. "Your eldest son is drinking a lot today. He must be upset that you are delaying this matter."