Tang Wumou finished speaking to Qiao Yu, then stood up and looked around at the Tang family members.

"I hit it off with my little friend Qiao, and from now on, he will be my Tang Wumou's friend, regardless of age. Seeing him is like seeing me!"

"From now on, anyone who dares to be disrespectful to my little friend Qiao will be provoking me, Tang Wumou! Do you understand?"

"Understood," the Tang family members nodded and responded loudly.

The Tang family members looked at each other, all having the same thought in their minds.

An illegitimate child!

This must be an illegitimate child!

They had never seen the old man treat a junior so well before. Even the old man's own grandsons didn't get this treatment!

Even Tang Lan's face showed a look of doubt.

The development of the situation had completely exceeded her expectations...

With the previous young man's example, no one dared to cause Qiao Yu any more trouble during the rest of the banquet.

Until the end of the banquet, Tang Wumou didn't make any other moves, as if he really just hit it off with Qiao Yu and wanted to become friends regardless of age.

After everyone had their fill of food and drink, Tang Wumou coughed lightly twice, and the Tang family members immediately turned their attention to him.

"Alright, all of you can leave now. I want to have a private chat with my little friend Qiao."

Upon hearing this, everyone filed out of the hall.

Soon, only Qiao Yu, Tang Wumou, the middle-aged man behind Tang Wumou, and Tang Dingshan's family of three were left in the hall.

Qiao Yu's eyes narrowed slightly. He knew it wasn't that simple. Was Tang Wumou, the old fox, finally going to show his true colors?

Unexpectedly, Tang Wumou waved his hand again.

"You few should also leave. No one else should be here except me and my little friend Qiao."

"But Father, what if he has ulterior motives..." The middle-aged man sized up Qiao Yu with a wary gaze.

"Yes, Father, let us stay!" Tang Dingshan also tried to dissuade him.

"Do I have to say it a third time? Get out!" Tang Wumou's aura was imposing, and he exuded authority without being angry.

"Yes, Father!" The few of them could only retreat in dejection.

For a moment, only Tang Wumou and Qiao Yu were left facing each other.

"Sigh."

Tang Wumou sighed faintly, and Qiao Yu's nerves immediately tensed up!

"Little friend Qiao, don't be nervous. I don't have any malicious intentions."

Not only did Qiao Yu not relax his vigilance, but he also slowly took half a step back.

Which bad guy has "I'm a bad guy" written on his face?

"Although I'm old, I'm not senile. If I'm not mistaken, you were probably kidnapped by Lan'er, right?"

Tang Wumou shook his head with a smile.

"Sigh, Lan'er has been spoiled by us in the Tang family since she was a child. It's normal for her to be a little headstrong, but her nature isn't bad."

Qiao Yu: "..."

He really wanted to drag Tang Wumou to the altar in Soul Cleansing Lake to see Tang Lan, who could sacrifice three lives without changing her expression. You call that not bad?

If Wu Chengfu, Cao Shao, and that unknown old man heard Tang Wumou's words, they would be so angry that they would come back to life.

"The reason I asked you to stay behind is to ask you to help my Tang family with a favor." Tang Wumou looked at Qiao Yu with a piercing gaze.

"No, I'm busy." Qiao Yu answered without hesitation.

"Little friend, don't rush to refuse," Tang Wumou said slowly, not annoyed.

"To think that I, Tang Wumou, have spent my entire life fighting on the battlefield, killing countless enemies, and can be considered a hero! Unexpectedly, the younger generation of the Tang family is declining. Apart from Lan'er, none of the younger generation is capable, which is regrettable."

"Get to the point." Qiao Yu directly interrupted Tang Wumou's attempt to cast a flashback spell.

Tang Wumou: "..."

"Then I'll make a long story short. Kyoto holds a family conference every year to determine the new four major families. Only members of the younger generation under the age of 25 can participate, and I want you to attend on behalf of my Tang family!"

"No way." Qiao Yu shook his head like a rattle. "Besides, what business do I, a Qiao, have meddling in your Tang family's affairs?"

"No! You are my Tang family's son-in-law, so naturally you are qualified to participate. This favor won't be for nothing, of course. I can make an exception and allow you to enter my Tang family's ancestral land, where the secret to our Tang family's rise lies!"

Tang Wumou's eyes narrowed slightly, looking confident.

"Whoever wants to go can go, I'm not going anyway." Qiao Yu's attitude was as firm as ever, and he turned to leave.

"Wait."

Qiao Yu turned his head, and his whole body instantly froze.

Plop!

Accompanied by a crisp sound, Tang Wumou, this old man who was about to die, actually knelt down in front of Qiao Yu!

If this were seen by others, it would cause a terrifying uproar!

"Little friend Qiao, I really have no other choice. Once the family conference fails, the Tang family will inevitably fall out of the position of the four major families in Kyoto! At least in my lifetime, I can't watch the Tang family decline in my hands!"

Qiao Yu's expression was somewhat complicated: "But how are you so sure that I can help the Tang family?"

Seeing that Qiao Yu was showing signs of relenting, Tang Wumou was overjoyed and quickly said.

"I also have a few friends at Kyoto University. I know a little about you, and I believe you can do it! Little friend Qiao Yu, I beg you!"

Tang Wumou lowered his gray head.

This proud old man may have never lowered his head to anyone in his life, but now in his old age, he had to lower his head and beg a young man who was about the same age as his grandson for the sake of his family.

No wonder people always say, "Beauties sigh at the lateness of their years, and heroes are not allowed to see white hair." It is truly lamentable.

"You... get up first."

Qiao Yu reached out and helped Tang Wumou up, his mood becoming even more complicated.

Could it be that he was judging the heart of a gentleman with his own petty mind and wrongly blamed Tang Wumou?

"I'll say this first, I can participate in that family conference, but I'll only do my best and will never risk my life for the Tang family."

"If something goes wrong, don't come looking for me."

Tang Wumou was overjoyed and quickly bowed to Qiao Yu.

"Alright, alright! Then on behalf of the Tang family, I thank you, little friend Qiao Yu!"

"I'll talk to Lan'er about it, and you can rest assured and live in the Tang family!"

Qiao Yu didn't notice the strange look that flashed across Tang Wumou's face as he lowered his head.

By the time Qiao Yu walked out of the hall, the moon had already risen above the trees.

He had only taken a few steps when he was stopped by Tang Lan.

Tang Lan's pretty face was filled with anger as she stared at Qiao Yu coldly.

"What exactly did you do? Why is Grandpa treating you so favorably? What did Grandpa say to you in private just now?"

As soon as Tang Lan saw Qiao Yu, a series of questions were thrown at him like cannonballs.

Qiao Yu raised an eyebrow.

"He said that he's severing his relationship with you. From now on, I'm your grandpa. If you don't believe me, go ask him."