I picked up skill fragments in the demon world

Chapter 586: Feigning Compliance (Bonus chapter for Alliance Leader ‘Bamboo Leaf Seed Crisp’)

Cousin?

Zhang Chen heard Zhang Gaqi's words, his gaze turning strange: "It can't be that coincidental, right?"

Zhang Gaqi's voice was full of gentleness, and Zhang Chen could tell that he was indeed sincere and wanted to take care of him.

"Could it be that he wants to replace me in the marriage with that person?" Zhang Chen asked.

"Now that you have come to Jinling, the marriage will naturally be canceled. I will mediate the dispute between the two of you later and ask him to voluntarily withdraw from this muddy water," Zhang Gaqi said.

Zhang Chen glanced at Zhang Gaqi upon hearing this, feeling that Zhang Gaqi was being a bit presumptuous. Zhang Gaoqiu was still discussing with Shen Qiu how to frame him, so how could he give up so easily?

Just as he was about to refuse Zhang Gaqi, he saw Zhang Gaqi's eyes looking out the window: "Speaking of the devil, he's already here."

Zhang Chen turned his head to look out the window upon hearing this, and sure enough, he saw a familiar figure appearing on the street, the very man who had discussed how to frame him in front of the Shen family ancestral hall.

Zhang Gaoqiu came all the way to the private room, his voice carrying from afar before he even arrived: "Fourth Uncle, when did you arrive? Why didn't you tell me earlier? I could have prepared a welcome in advance."

As the words fell, Zhang Gaoqiu pushed open the door of the private room, saw Zhang Chen sitting opposite Zhang Gaqi, and his movements couldn't help but pause.

"Come in quickly, I have something to discuss with you," Zhang Gaqi beckoned Zhang Gaoqiu to take a seat.

Zhang Gaoqiu stared at Zhang Chen with a gloomy look in his eyes, a faint sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

There were only a handful of people in Jinling who could appear in this private room and sit openly opposite Zhang Gaqi.

Coupled with the fact that Zhang Chen had appeared in the Shen family, he already had a guess and an idea in his mind, a thought rising in his head: "This is a bit troublesome. I wonder if he heard what I said to Shen Qiu back then…"

What does it feel like to be caught red-handed when you're badmouthing someone behind their back and the person in question hears it?

Zhang Gaoqiu took a seat, and Zhang Gaqi said to him: "Let me introduce you to a close relative by blood. You two share the same grandfather and are relatives as close as can be…"

Before Zhang Gaqi could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Zhang Gaoqiu: "Fourth Uncle, no need to say more, allow me to guess his identity. Could this be the son of my eldest uncle, Zhang Kecheng?"

"You are quite clever," Zhang Gaqi said.

Zhang Gaoqiu's eyes revealed a hint of coldness upon hearing this, which he then concealed without a trace. Then, with a smile on his face, he looked at Zhang Chen and said with a warm, spring-like smile: "Back when I was four years old, eldest uncle was still in Kyoto. At that time, eldest uncle was very fond of me. I didn't expect that in the blink of an eye, time would pass, and things would change."

Zhang Chen glanced at Zhang Gaoqiu. Judging by Zhang Gaoqiu's age, it was not impossible that he had met Zhang Kecheng. Zhang Chen even seemed to vaguely remember seeing Zhang Gaoqiu when he was a child.

"Your eldest uncle was very fond of you when he was in Kyoto and treated you very well. Now that your eldest uncle has passed away, leaving only your younger brother and his widowed mother in the world, you must take care of them more in the future," Zhang Gaqi said.

"Fourth Uncle, please rest assured, he is my eldest uncle's son, no different from my own younger brother. I will definitely treat him like my own younger brother in the future," Zhang Gaoqiu said.

"Since you consider him your own younger brother, what about the marriage? Shen Ling was betrothed when Zhang Chen's mother was still alive. As the elder brother, you can't do something that violates the rules of etiquette, right?" Zhang Gaqi directly challenged him.

Zhang Gaoqiu's expression changed upon hearing this, and then he said with a wry smile: "What Fourth Uncle said is true. The reason why I intervened earlier was because I heard that there was a demon rebellion in the Northern Lands, and I thought that my younger brother had died in that disaster. That's why I thought about keeping the good stuff within the family and taking back what belonged to our Zhang family from the Shen family. Now that my younger brother has returned alive, I certainly can't do something so heartless."

Zhang Gaoqiu spoke with righteousness and his voice was full of integrity, causing Zhang Gaqi to nod continuously, and then looked at Zhang Chen: "Boy, did you hear that clearly? Now all your worries are gone. I told you that this Zhang Gaoqiu is reasonable and will never be someone who disregards human relations."

Zhang Chen, who was on the side, glanced at Zhang Gaoqiu, a strange look in his eyes. If he hadn't personally heard Zhang Gaoqiu and Shen Qiu plotting how to plot against him, he would have really believed the other party's nonsense.

He also realized at this time that Zhang Gaoqiu was difficult to deal with. This little thief was too bad, simply a hypocrite.

If Zhang Gaoqiu had refused with a tough attitude, a haughty attitude that I would never yield, Zhang Chen would have found him easier to deal with. But as it was now, the other party actually had a smiling, agreeable, and righteous expression, which made him feel that things were troublesome.

He could guess Zhang Gaoqiu's thoughts. After all, this kind of thing of cutting off someone else's love was a disgraceful thing in this ancient society with strict etiquette. Once it spread back to the Zhang family's main family, his reputation would probably stink, and he would be pointed at by the entire clan. It would even have an immeasurable impact on his future career and development.

“This kid is only superficially agreeing, I'm afraid he still won't let it go and will secretly trip me up…” Various thoughts flashed through Zhang Chen's mind, but a hypocritical smile appeared on his face as he dissembled: “Big brother is so understanding. Before I came, I was thinking that the Zhang family is a large family with strict rules and complete etiquette. Big brother has been taught and influenced by etiquette, how could he do such an inhuman thing like disregarding ethics, stealing someone else's love, and snatching his own sister-in-law? Even妖兽 know benevolence and righteousness, let alone big brother?”

Speaking of this, Zhang Chen looked at Zhang Gaoqiu with a strange look in his eyes: “Big brother, I was wrong. I apologize to you here. Big brother is a benevolent and righteous gentleman, how could he do something that only beasts would do?”

Hearing Zhang Chen's words, the smile on Zhang Gaoqiu's face froze. He knew in his heart that Zhang Chen was scolding him! His previous discussion with Shen Qiu must not have been hidden from this kid and was overheard by him.

But in front of Zhang Gaqi, what could he do? He could only respond with a hypocritical smile, while secretly hating Zhang Chen to the extreme: “Kid, you dare to scold me indirectly, I will definitely ruin your reputation and make you disappear from Jinling City completely!”

But a kind smile appeared on Zhang Gaoqiu's face: “Little brother is right, I, Zhang Gaoqiu, am a human, how could I do such an inhuman thing?”

“In that case, I can rest assured. Before, I was still worried and afraid that big brother would kill me, ruin my reputation in Jinling City, and trap me in a prison. Now that I have heard big brother's guarantee, I am very relieved.” Zhang Chen said with a smile.

Zhang Gaoqiu's expression changed slightly upon hearing this.

Zhang Gaqi, who didn't know the cause between the two, was relieved to see them getting along harmoniously at this time and said with a face full of gratification: “Good, good, you two are blood relatives. In this vast Jinling City, you are the only two blood relatives. You should help each other and take care of each other.”

“Come, let's have a good drink, uncles and nephews.” Zhang Gaqi said.

What followed was a harmonious drinking session. Zhang Chen looked at Zhang Gaqi and Zhang Gaoqiu in front of him, thoughts swirling in his mind. He wanted to take the opportunity to attach the Blood God Seed to Zhang Gaoqiu, but after looking at Zhang Gaqi opposite him, this guy possessed the power of the Heavenly Ghost and was extremely sensitive to Qi, so he decided not to act rashly.

Moreover, if Zhang Gaoqiu was possessed by the Blood God Seed and the tenth-order god detected something amiss after he returned to the Shen family, then things would be terrible.

Just as various thoughts flashed through Zhang Chen's mind, a feast filled with ulterior motives came to an end, and then both parties dispersed.

Zhang Chen and Zhang Gaoqiu returned to the Shen family together. They saw Zhang Gaoqiu drunkenly holding Zhang Chen's shoulders, acting like a caring older brother: “Little brother, you have suffered too much in that barren land in the north. Don't worry, I will protect you in Jinling City in the future. No one will ever want to make things difficult for you again. Just wait patiently, I will arrange your marriage properly and will never let you suffer.”

He then added: “Don't take my discussion with Shen Qiu that day to heart. I was just feigning compliance with the Shen family to test their attitude and see if the Shen family still acknowledged your marriage and how they wanted to harm you, so that I could anticipate and protect you in advance. You and I are blood relatives, how could I join forces with outsiders to harm you? If the news spread back to the capital, wouldn't my reputation be ruined and I wouldn't be able to live as a person? I would never do such a thing.”

Zhang Chen glanced at Zhang Gaoqiu. At this time, he also showed a drunken appearance, but a cold look appeared in his eyes. He said calmly: “In that case, little brother is very grateful to big brother. Big brother, you don't know, I was alone and helpless in the north, drifting from the north to Jinling, experiencing the warmth and coldness of human relationships. Along the way, I fought with people,抢 食物 with beggars, and lived a precarious and homeless life. Today, I am happy to see big brother in my heart. I finally have relatives again! Big brother, you are my relative! You will be my own brother from now on.”

At this time, Zhang Chen seemed to be really drunk, pulling Zhang Gaoqiu and constantly expressing his affection, his voice full of enthusiasm.

Hearing Zhang Chen's ‘heartfelt’ words and seeing his excited look as if he was about to shed tears, Zhang Gaoqiu sneered secretly in his heart: “So he is a fool! In that case, the next thing will be easier. Fourth uncle has helped me a lot, giving me a chance to get close to this fool, making it easier to deal with him in the future.”

Thinking of this, Zhang Gaoqiu patted Zhang Chen's shoulder lightly: “Good brother, with your brother here in the future, no matter what happens, your brother will stand up for you.”

Hearing this, Zhang Chen's eyes turned red, and he looked at Zhang Gaoqiu with disbelief: “Can big brother stand up for me in everything?”

Without even thinking, Zhang Gaoqiu directly said: “Of course!”

As soon as his words fell, Zhang Chen hurriedly seized the opportunity: “Big brother, the Shen family is bullying me too much, please big brother stand up for me!”

Since Zhang Gaoqiu was pretending to be compliant, Zhang Chen naturally began to use the situation to his advantage. If he could take advantage of it, he would.

PS: Additional update for the alliance leader, Bamboo Leaf Zisu. Third update.