Chapter 478 — The Kang Family Proposes Marriage (Part One)
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
The Xiao family's old master had departed this world, leaving Xiao Ji and Xiao Ben sons of a fallen house. Though the Xiao family remained a family of the lowest rank, the two brothers were still astonished and delighted beyond measure that Miracle Doctor Kang had come in person.
"Miracle Doctor Kang, you could simply have sent Brother Guifeng — why come yourself as well? You do our Xiao family too much honor!" Xiao Ji was exceedingly stirred by Miracle Doctor Kang's visit. So long as the marriage alliance with the Kang family succeeded, the Xiao family could obtain a bank loan and the backing of business partners; then their situation would turn around a great deal.
"It happens to fall on the day of the Yu family's auction, so I came along with them," Miracle Doctor Kang said with a smile.
"The Yu family's auction..." Xiao Ji was slightly startled. "Isn't the auction held every year in August?"
"It's been moved up this year. You didn't know?" Miracle Doctor Kang was taken aback as well. The Xiao family might be a family of the lowest rank, but they should still be among those invited to the auction — why did he look as though he had never heard of it?
He had known of it even from out of town, and the Xiao family, locals, did not?
"We knew... Ha, Elder Brother, the invitation is right here with me. With the old master's funeral to see to, I set the matter aside for the time being and forgot to mention it," Xiao Ben said with a smile, a shadow flitting across his face before he spoke.
Xiao Ben had told a lie, and nothing more. In fact, the Xiao family had indeed received no invitation, and it was what enraged him most! The moment the old master died, no invitation came — what on earth did the Yu family mean by it?
"I see, so it was with you. I thought they had left us out." Xiao Ji nodded with a smile. "So it really has been moved up! I wonder, Elder Kang, whether there is anything at this auction you are determined to have?"
"Well, the auction catalogue only comes out on the day itself, so I'm afraid I have no way of knowing!" Miracle Doctor Kang shook his head with a smile.
At that Xiao Ben felt a fresh pang of gloom. There had been a time when the Xiao family was in its glory, when days before the auction they would receive most of the catalogue. How grand he and his brother had been then, circling with a pen the lots that would surely be theirs...
But now they could not even be bothered to send an invitation! Poor as the Xiao family was, it was still a family of the lowest rank — how could they be looked down on like this?
"That goes without saying!" Seeing his elder brother about to open his mouth and boast of past glories, Xiao Ben spoke first to stop him. "By then I doubt we'll bid on anything at all. Whether we even attend is uncertain — there's far too much to do at home!"
Xiao Ben thus made his excuse in advance for not being present.
"By the way, Guifeng, where are our gifts?" Miracle Doctor Kang glanced at Kang Guifeng and asked.
"Here!" Kang Guifeng beckoned to Kang Zhaolong at the door, and Kang Zhaolong hurried over.
"Uncle Xiao, Second Uncle Xiao, this is a box of the top-grade wound medicine; a small gift, hardly worthy of respect!" Kang Zhaolong presented the gift box politely and spoke with reverence.
When Xiao Ji and Xiao Ben heard that what the box held was top-grade wound medicine, their eyes lit up at once. In auctions of past years, such a box had fetched a sky-high price of ten million; sold, it would relieve the Xiao family's present urgency.