Chapter 1019 — Poor Memory: Kang Guifeng's Attitude Stuns Xiao Ji and Xiao Ben

By rights, they and Kang Guifeng could count as kin by marriage. Even if the wedding had yet to take place, Kang Guifeng should not have shown such a cold attitude, should he? It was as if he did not know the two brothers at all.

"Brother Kang, what do you mean by this? The Xiao family and the Kang family are houses joined by marriage after all. Is there anything improper in calling on each other from time to time?" Xiao Ben said, feigning puzzlement.

"Joined by marriage? When did our two families become in-laws?" Kang Guifeng looked rather taken aback. "I do not think so? Xiao Ben, are you misremembering?"

"This..." Xiao Ben was stunned by Kang Guifeng's words. He had never expected Kang Guifeng to say such a thing. Was this not a blatant denial? At this, Xiao Ben's face turned ugly. "Brother Kang, has not your son Kang Zhaolong already been betrothed to my niece Wang Xinyan?"

"Betrothed? Look at my memory... is that true?" Kang Guifeng wore a look of utter bewilderment and slapped his forehead. "I really cannot recall it. Remind me, on what day was the engagement ceremony held, and at which hotel? What people attended the engagement feast?"

"Huh?" Xiao Ji and Xiao Ben froze!

The engagement had clearly been nothing but a verbal promise. What engagement ceremony or engagement feast had there ever been? Those had yet to be held, so what hotel or witnesses could there be?

Only at this moment did Xiao Ji and Xiao Ben understand. Kang Guifeng was doing this on purpose. He wanted to break off the engagement!

Their Xiao family had fallen, and seeing this, Kang Guifeng likely no longer wished to marry into the Xiao family, so the moment he came out he played the fool!

"Brother Kang, was this not our verbal agreement?" Xiao Ben said, forcing down the fury in his heart.

He knew he must not lose his temper now. Once he flared up, there would be even less chance. That would play right into the Kang family's hands, giving them a pretext in his outburst to cut ties with his own family, and then he would have nowhere to plead his case.

"A verbal agreement?" Kang Guifeng frowned in confusion. "I have no impression of it at all!"

"You..." Xiao Ben choked with rage, and Xiao Ji too stood on the edge of exploding, about to start cursing.

"Ah, forgive me, look at my memory. I have been so forgetful lately, I remember nothing of what happened before! During this time, quite a few swindlers have come to my door claiming I once promised a marriage alliance with their family, yet none could produce any proof..." Kang Guifeng shook his head with embarrassment. "How about this, Xiao Ben, your Xiao family counts as a noble house, and I trust you are surely no swindlers, but empty words prove nothing. Produce some evidence to prove that Zhaolong truly was betrothed to your Xiao family, and I will surely approve with both hands. After all, the Xiao family is a noble house, and an alliance with you would bring glory to our Kang family!"

"Damn..." Xiao Ji was about to curse, but one glare from Xiao Ben stared him back down.

"Ha ha, if that is the case, what need is there for proof? Why not let us decide here and now and renew the alliance? Our Xiao family thinks very highly of your Kang family!" Xiao Ben was a clever man, and he pressed on close upon Kang Guifeng's own words.

"This..." Kang Guifeng froze, never expecting Xiao Ben to seize upon his slip of the tongue, and he could not help secretly cursing his own carelessness!

Xiao Ji now looked at his younger brother with utter admiration. Brilliant, truly brilliant! It was lucky he had not cursed aloud, or the matter would surely have been ruined beyond repair!

"Ha ha, Xiao Ben, you are quite right, but I still cannot agree!" Kang Guifeng shook his head and refused once more.

"Why is that? What, Brother Kang, were your earlier words mere flattery?" Xiao Ben pressed his advantage and asked.

"Not at all, it is only that our Zhaolong is indeed already betrothed to another family, though for the moment I cannot recall to whom, so until everyone finds proof, at least for some time I cannot casually betroth Zhaolong again! What if someone really does have proof and says my Kang family broke faith?" Kang Guifeng said. "So, Brother Xiao Ben, you had best go back and look for proof! Ah, this memory of mine, a man grows old and his head stops working!"

With that, Kang Guifeng turned and walked toward the villa, waving to the Xiao brothers as he went. "I still have matters to attend to, so I will not see you out!"

Xiao Ben's face was dark to the extreme. The situation was now perfectly clear. The Kang family had broken faith! They had cast their Xiao family aside!

Yet one could hardly blame the Kang family for being snobbish, for there was no help for it. After all, the Xiao family was down and out now, and it was only natural for the Kang family to want to break off the engagement! Which great family seeking a marriage alliance would look for a strong arm for itself rather than a burden!

"Hoo..." Xiao Ben sighed deeply and said, "Elder Brother, let us go back. There is no hope!"

"Damn it! You are blind as dogs! Wait till the day our Xiao family rises again, and even if your Kang family begs on your knees, I will not spare you a glance!" Xiao Ji burst out cursing. "Divine Doctor Kang, you old turtle, you go back on your word, you damned old thing who deserves no good death! Screw your ancestors!"

But the Kang family's great gate stayed tightly shut, and no one bothered with them. Clearly Kang Guifeng had no intention of coming out again after going back inside.

"Let us go!" Xiao Ben turned helplessly and walked toward the car.

"Kang family, you just wait, the day will come when you regret this!" Xiao Ji finished cursing and vented his pent-up anger, then followed Xiao Ben into the car and left the Kang villa.

From inside the gate of the Kang villa, Kang Guifeng watched the two Xiao brothers leave with a cold sneer and mocked them with scorn. "The Xiao family? You have already become rats everyone chases in the street, yet you still hope to rise again? Go dream your idle daydreams!"

After Xiao Ji and Xiao Ben got into the car, Xiao Ji kept cursing without pause, every foul word and dialect insult pouring from his mouth, describing the Kang family in the most vicious terms possible, cursing through eighteen generations of their ancestors!

"Enough, Elder Brother, curse no more. Our Xiao family is fated to this!" Xiao Ben sighed and said, "Now we had best think of the Xiao family's future!"

"True!" Xiao Ji nodded. Crude though he was, he knew anger was useless now. Even if he cursed the Kang family over and over, it would do nothing for the Xiao family's present plight.

"Have you found the records of Uncle Pi's birth and origins?" Xiao Ben asked.

"I have already told Xiao Wangba and Xiao Wangdao to search our family logs... but it was so long ago, and with no clear aim, who knows when they will find anything." Xiao Ji said.

"If only Uncle Pi could wake up and speak..." Xiao Ben said after hearing this.

"It is all because of that bitch Gou Huli!" Xiao Ji fumed at the thought of his own wife.

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