"Looks like you guys need to talk this out deeper. Should we excuse ourselves first?" Shila Su wryly smiled. Though it was a bit disrespectful that the other family was arguing over a matter that they were currently connected, they just let it slide.

After all, they could understand what the other party was trying to say. If they were in such case, would they react the same? Of course, they would. They only have one daughter. And if they couldn't even make her happy at the very least, then they no longer worthy of being called parents.

"Ah, no. We have already resolved it." Yanlu Rou looked apologetic and said, "We're very sorry that we have shown you an ugly side while we're on a meeting."

Almost everyone had stopped eating by now. Perhaps, their appetite was ruined because of what happened.

"Is that true, Mrs. Xu?" Keisa Su asked Xu Rou. She wanted to make sure that it had already been settled so that they could move on to the next topic.

Xu Rou took a deep sigh and smiled brightly once again. She couldn't ruin the meeting any longer and said, "Yes, Lady Keisa. It is now settled."

Fan Rou sighed with this notion by his wife. He knew that she said it out of sheer helplessness in the current situation. Take note, they were still in front of another family and yet they couldn't check their emotions right and suppress it. He promised that he would talk it out with his mother when this meeting was adjourned.

"Then, great." Hearing Xu Rou's response, Keisa smiled and said, "We must go back to the main topic. After all, we need to fend ourselves from the incoming enemy. Let's hear the plan so that we can be of help."

"You have my gratitude for that." Yanlu Rou answered with a gentle clap of her hands, "Very well, this is our plan."

And so, the meeting continued.

---

After two hours, the meeting was finally adjourned and the two Su's said that they'll excuse themselves first to tour the realm. Yanlu Rou wanted to be the guide, however, the Su husband and wife didn't want to impose too much on the ancestor. After all, they were already facing too much problems right now.

Then, only the four of them left inside the dining hall.

Fan Rou, Xu Rou, Lao Rou, and Yanlu Rou.

There was a deathly silence the moment the Su's left the hall.

"You have disappointed me, Xu'er." Then, the cold voice of Yanlu Rou finally broke the ice.

Fan Rou wanted to retort this but Xu Rou stopped him midway.

"I have disappointed you, Mother?" Xu Rou couldn't help but chuckle wryly, "If I disappointed you, what about what you did?"

"What I did?" Yanlu Rou's brows arched up.

"You clearly sell out your kin, Mother." Xu Rou's words were sharp and it hit the nail, "No, not just a kin. But your only grandchild. In all seriousness, you really don't even let our son go. You want everyone in this family on your leash."

"What did you say?" Yanlu Rou's voice turned deeper cold as a glint of light flashed her eyes. The temperature of the room dropped down too at an obvious pace, "I dare you to repeat that again, Xu Rou."

"What, do you think I'm wrong? Then prove me." Xu Rou's calm demeanor could no longer be seen. She was truly enraged and Fan Rou was stumped to see this.

When was the last time that he saw his wife be angry like this?

Xu Rou was always calm and had a graceful temperament all the time. But when it came to Jin Rou, her calmed nerves had the high possibility of being proactive.

"I didn't sell out Jin'er, you fully know that." Yanlu Rou was mad. But she still explained, "It is a win-win situation for Jin'er and to the family. If you can use your brain, Xu Rou, you can deduct this at least."

"You didn't sell out Jin'er yet he doesn't know that his grandmother is trying to betroth him to someone without his permission?" Xu Rou voiced out, "If you have the brain, Mother, you can also deduct this. Stop always thinking about gains and losses. Stop being calculative, just for once!"

"I am being calculative because I am being practical, Xu Rou. Get your emotions checked." Yanlu Rou didn't back down, "Also, stop thinking about the small picture. Think about the whole picture as it is."

Yanlu Rou was trying to say that Xu Rou should stop looking at a single tree. Instead, look at the entire forest.

And for Yanlu Rou, as long as it brings enormous benefits to her family, she didn't mind being hated by her own family. She knew that she was doing this for them, not just for herself. Because if they become stronger, who would benefit from this?

Of course, the whole family itself.

"You are already strong enough to threaten everyone here. Even Keisa and Shila Su wouldn't be a match against you. Yet you still want more power?" Xu Rou was brokenhearted. It looked like she wouldn't change her mother's mind even a bit. Her voice got lower, too. It no longer contained the aggressive tone a while ago.

"That's true. But do you think I can pull the entire family with my strength?" Yanlu Rou asked, "It's impossible to pull all your weights to raise our universal rankings, Xu Rou."

"Universal rankings?" Xu Rou breathed out hard, "Mother, you still don't want to quit competing against other universes? Aren't we already fine as we are now?"

"I never stopped competing." Yanlu Rou shook her head, "I'll only stop when I reach the first ranking, or the strongest celestial family in the whole 5 universes."

Hearing this, Xu Rou couldn't help but close her eyes. It looked like no matter what she said, everything was already set in stone. Including her son's fate.

She just hoped that Jin Rou would turn out to like Syni Su, so that she could breathe in relief.