Chapter 2716

Qingyun hummed in agreement. "Hong Hai personally guaranteed this to my father back then. My father, considering my happiness, added that specific condition."

"That condition is excellent," Lan Tian smiled from the side. "Without it, you would never have been able to escape this marriage."

Qingyun admitted this was true and hummed again. "Yes. So, what is happening with Hong Xiao now has nothing to do with me. We can just be a group of onlookers eating melons."

Lan Tian did not know what "eating melons" meant, but he understood the word "onlookers."

"Sister, what is an 'onlooker eating melons'?" Qinghe asked curiously. She did not look fierce at all, unlike when she faced Qingxia and Hongxia earlier.

Qingyun smiled and placed a plate of fruits in front of Qinghe. She pointed toward the main hall. "We eat fruit and watch what happens in the hall. We do not need to participate or give opinions. That is what an 'onlooker eating melon' means."

"Oh, I see." Qinghe picked up a piece of fruit and took a big bite. After swallowing, she said, "I will also be a qualified onlooker eating melons."

Qingshan and Lan Tian almost laughed out loud watching her.

In the main hall, Hong Hai looked at Hong Xiao and said, "Hong Xiao, if you cannot let go of Qingxia, then what I can do for the Hong family is to expel you. Naturally, your status as heir will be canceled, and your younger brother, Hong Lei, will take the position. You make your choice."

Hong Xiao was stunned. she liked Qingxia because she was the daughter of the Qing family. Marrying her would add glory to her status and make her position in the Hong family more stable. However, if she lost her heir status because of Qingxia, the loss would outweigh the gain.

In fact, Hong Xiao never imagined that by giving up Qingyun, he had already been judged as treacherous and untrustworthy by the Hong family. In his previous life, the Hong family had reacted this way. Therefore, when Qingyun killed Hong Xiao, they did not intervene much. It was only later, when Qingyun killed in a blind rage and caused the entire Qing family to be bathed in blood, that they acted against her, considering the future of the Hong family.

Generally speaking, the Hong family was actually quite upright.

Hong Xiao did not know that his actions had already cost him his reputation in the Hong family. All he could do was grasp the present moment, but he still wanted to struggle. "Father…"

"Hong Xiao, your engagement to Qingyun was decided by me and your uncle Qingmu. It has nothing to do with the Qing family. You broke the engagement with Qingyun while I was away. As long as Qingyun agreed, I had no objection. But you should never have used the excuse of transferring the engagement to propose to Qingxia. This is my failure as a father. I have been away from the Hong family for these years, allowing you to do whatever you wanted."

There was an indescribable sense of decline in Hong Hai's eyes. Because he was not home, his son had been raised this way by his wife. He felt much regret in his heart.

Hong Hai knew that, relatively speaking, Hong Xiao was already ruined. Even if Hong Xiao did not marry Qingxia this time, he would not become the young master of the Hong family. However, he could not say this here.

Qingxia looked at Hong Xiao. She actually regretted it in her heart, but now it was too late to turn back. Too many people from various families had come to attend the wedding. So, even if Hong Xiao had nothing left, this marriage had to continue.

"Brother Hong Xiao," Qingxia said, looking pitifully at him.

At this moment, Hong Xiao did not know what to say. she looked at Qingxia and wanted to break off the engagement, but seeing her like this, she remembered her devotion to her. However, if she married Qingxia, she would lose the Hong family's resources.

"Brother Hong Xiao, it does not matter if you do not have the Hong family's resources. You still have our Qing family," Qingxia said. She knew what Hong Xiao was thinking. Although she was disappointed in her heart, she had to save this marriage at this moment.

"Qingxia," Hong Xiao felt deeply moved. she then looked at Hong Hai and said, "Father, Qingxia is so good. How can I give her up?"

"Since you cannot let go, then do as I said. I will expel you from the Hong family. From now on, you are no longer a member of the Hong family. In this way, even if you marry Qingxia, you will not implicate our Hong family." Hong Hai was decisive. Since this was his son's choice, he would let him have it, as long as he did not regret it later.

Hong Xiao looked at Hong Hai and tried one last time. "Father, can you show some mercy?"

Hong Hai looked at Hong Xiao. "Hong Xiao, you must be responsible for your own life. Since you have made your choice for your life, you must walk that path yourself. You must bear all the bitterness and hardship on your own."

"Hong Hai is a good father," Zhu Yanyi said to Yan Aohan as she watched.

Yan Aohan hummed. "I would give him sixty points. If he were truly a good father, he should have strictly taught Hong Xiao since childhood."

"Actually, Hong Hai was quite good three years ago. Even though he knew Qingxia, nothing inappropriate happened. However, Hong Hai left for three years, and Hong Xiao was spoiled to death by others during those three years," the Fire Emperor spoke up.

For them, it was too simple to know what had happened in these three years.

Zhu Yanyi sighed. "It is indeed the father's fault for not teaching her child."

Yan Aohan said, "Actually, this is good. Hong Xiao's failure will make Hong Hai vigilant. This will be a very good lesson for other descendants of the Hong family. Of course, this depends on whether Hong Hai can see it clearly himself."

If he could see it clearly, he would take it as a warning.

After hearing this, Zhu Yanyi said, "Actually, I am curious. Since Hong Hai made such an oath back then, why did she not tell Hong Xiao?"

Zhu Yanyi said this casually. Yan Aohan was slightly stunned. "Your question hits the point. If Hong Hai really wanted to teach Hong Xiao, why did she not tell her the importance of this engagement?"

"According to your suspicion, does Hong Xiao have some other bad plans?" the Black Emperor asked.

"Let someone check and we will know," Yan Aohan said. He pointed slightly at the empty air. He did not need to handle this himself; the local Earth God and City God would investigate.

Sure enough, Yan Aohan received the news soon. After receiving the message, Yan Aohan smiled strangely. "As expected of Hong Xiao's father. The son is not human, and the father is hardly human either."

"Hmm?" The others looked at Yan Aohan curiously, urging him to reveal the secret.

"Hong Hai had a childhood sweetheart when she was young. However, Hong Hai married the current Hong Madam for the sake of the Hong family's inheritance. That childhood sweetheart married someone else. Now, that childhood sweetheart's husband has died, and Hong Hai has taken her in as a mistress. Most importantly, this childhood sweetheart is already pregnant."