the rise of the useless son-in-law of a wealthy family

simple clothes

Meanwhile, Su Jian sat calmly in the taxi, wearing a simple dark gray suit that seemed out of place for such a grand event.

“Sir, let me get off here,” said Su Jian as the taxi approached the gates of Jinghua Pavilion. Fortunately, the maid at his house had given him the address where the meeting was being held.

The taxi driver looked at him in confusion. “Are you sure, sir? Everyone is driving luxury cars…”

Su Jian just smiled faintly and handed the driver payment. “It’s fine. Thank you, sir!”

As he got out of the taxi, the atmosphere around the entrance suddenly felt quieter. Some guests who happened to be nearby turned to look, noticing the simple man with a calm expression walking toward the entrance.

“Who is that?”

“Wait… isn’t that Xia Lengyi’s husband?”

“Seriously? He came by taxi?”

The whispers grew louder, and more and more eyes were on Su Jian. However, he walked on calmly, as if not hearing the snide remarks thrown his way. His steps were light but full of determination.

“Wait, sir! Those without business are not allowed to enter,” said a guard.

“I’m Su Jian, the son-in-law of the Xia family. Can’t you recognize me!?” Su Jian asked with a raised voice.

The guard squinted, checking his smartphone and searching for Su Jian’s name.

“Oh, my apologies, sir! I was mistaken, please come in.”

It was evident that the guard tried hard not to sneer at Su Jian, who wore attire far too simple for an event held inside the pavilion.

Inside the pavilion, the grand hall was filled with hundreds of guests. Soft music played, and the guests appeared to be busy chatting while enjoying the expensive drinks provided. The Xia family stood on one side of the hall, surrounded by relatives and important guests.

Suddenly, the atmosphere changed when a man entered through the main door. The guests’ gazes reflexively turned toward him. They recognized him instantly—Su Jian.

“He really came…” whispered one guest, almost in disbelief.

“And look at that! He didn’t even come in a Xia family car!” another remarked, laughing softly.

Xia Lengyi, who heard the commotion, turned around and froze. Su Jian, in his simple gray outfit and calm expression, walked into the hall with a steady gaze ahead. Though he looked ordinary, his presence silenced a portion of the noise in the room.

“You’ve finally arrived,” Lengyi said quietly when Su Jian approached. There was a tone of relief in her voice, although she tried to hide it.

“Sorry, I was a little late,” Su Jian replied casually, as if unaware of the awkward situation surrounding him.

“A little?” Lengyi murmured with a long sigh.

“Lengyi!” shouted Liang Cheng, suddenly approaching with a mocking smile. “Finally, your husband has arrived. I almost thought he didn’t want to show up at an event like this.”

Su Jian turned slowly, his eyes calmly meeting Liang Cheng’s. “I didn’t want to disappoint you, so I came.”

Liang Cheng was taken aback for a moment. He hadn’t expected Su Jian to respond like that—without irritation, but instead with an unexplainable confidence. “Hah, even if you came, it won’t change anything. You still don’t belong here, hey Xia Lengyi! If you don’t want to be even more embarrassed, at least make your husband wear something appropriate!” Liang Cheng said, clearly questioning Xia Lengyi’s suitability as a wife.

Su Jian just smiled faintly. “That’s your opinion. But as far as I know, I was invited here as part of the Xia family. So, I do belong here.”

A few guests overheard, and a soft murmur spread throughout the room. Su Jian’s calm and sharp response had silenced Liang Cheng. Even Xia Lengyi looked at him with some surprise—almost as if this wasn’t the Su Jian she had known.

Throughout the event, Su Jian became the center of attention for many. Not a few ridiculed him, but others began to notice his composure and indifference. Meanwhile, Xia Lengyi stood by his side, slowly realizing that despite Su Jian’s simple and late arrival, her husband had something many lacked—calmness under pressure.

“He came by taxi, but look how he stands,” murmured one guest.

“Somehow... he’s impressive, even though the clothes he chose are poor,” added another.

Even Li Cheng, who had mocked him earlier, chose to distance himself, feeling unable to further embarrass Su Jian. Even Lengyi wondered, wasn’t the outfit he wore not what she had chosen for him?

As the event began to wind down, Xia Lengyi turned to Su Jian. “What happened to you today? And where is your proper outfit?” she asked quietly.

Su Jian simply stared at her and smiled faintly. He wasn’t sure about the outfit his wife had given him, but he still wore it.

“Really? I’m just wearing the outfit you gave me last night,” he explained softly.

“What do you mean, how could that be?”

Su Jian didn’t answer, but his gaze hinted at something deeper—a mystery that Xia Lengyi hadn’t yet understood.

In the midst of the hall, filled with high-status individuals, Su Jian stood calmly. Although his appearance was simple, his presence that day left an impression that couldn’t be ignored.

Su Jian’s late arrival at the annual cultivator gathering had clearly not alleviated the tense atmosphere felt by Xia Lengyi. After a while, the meeting began to proceed according to the agenda. The vast, luxurious main hall of Jinghua Pavilion was now filled with serious conversations from important figures of cultivator families. At the main table, the Xia family occupied a prominent position as one of the influential families.

However, the atmosphere around Xia Lengyi seemed to grow heavier. Since Su Jian’s arrival, whispers full of mockery had continuously buzzed in her ears. Lengyi sat next to her father, Xia Haoran, who looked at Su Jian with sharp eyes full of disappointment.