**Chapter 23: The Xu Family's Tusks**
Xu Mao's eyes swept upward, then scanned Bai Jing from top to bottom.
Seeing that her skin was rich and smooth, as if newly peeled lychee, her waist and limbs like willows swaying in the wind, the impure fire in his dantian stirred. Lewd words from the market rose to the tip of his tongue.
But the middle-aged manager had sharp eyes. He saw through Xu Mao's thoughts at a glance. At that moment, he cupped his hands and said, "Madam Xu, please forgive us. My young master has a straightforward heart. He was merely curious about the white cat."
Xu Mao looked at his manager, saw him squeeze his eyes, and held his tongue.
"A man of breeding has no eyes," Xu Mingxian said, the corner of his mouth curling with sarcasm.
"Little girl, what did you say?"
Seeing a child daring to mock him, Xu Mao suddenly shouted and stood up.
"You can't speak to my six-year-old son that way."
Since the birth of Xu Mingxian and Xu Mingyi, the Xu family's circumstances were no longer as poor as before. Xu Chuan and his wife, as well as the older brothers, doted on the twins even more. Their temperaments were a little more stubborn, and they always spoke their minds.
The middle-aged manager smiled and asked, "Young master, you said earlier that we have no eyes. Why do you say that?"
"My sister is holding a tiger cub. You call it a white cat. Isn't that having no eyes?"
The middle-aged manager was speechless.
Xu Mao laughed sarcastically. "A tiger cub? When have I never seen a tiger? White fur?"
"A white cat as a tiger—truly a child taught by Xu Chuan."
Xu Mingyi was also angry. She pointed at Xu Mao and said, "Little White, bite him."
Little White seemed to understand Xu Mingyi's words. Its red-gold eyes looked at Xu Mao, flashing a fierce light.
It opened its mouth and bared its teeth.
"Snow, who are you telling to bite?"
"Don't let Little White bite just anyone!"
A loud voice came from outside the gate.
Then Xu Chuan, Xu Mingwei, Sun Fugui, and Qian Jinsan entered the yard.
Seven or eight simply dressed men stood beside several carts.
On the carts were baskets of Green Jade Pears.
"Dad, you're back."
Xu Mingxian and Xu Mingyi shouted and ran to Xu Chuan.
Bai Jing's heart relaxed. She also smiled and said, "Husband, you're back. Young Master Xu and the others have been waiting for a while."
Xu Chuan nodded, looked at Xu Mao, and said with a smile, "Brother Xu, long time no see."
"Dad, this man just insulted you."
Xu Mingyi bared her little tiger teeth and tattled to Xu Chuan.
"You, girl." He looked up at her, his face full of feigned anger.
"Young Master Xu, my young master was just joking. Please don't take it to heart."
The middle-aged manager laughed and tried to smooth things over.
"Out of respect for Third Master, I naturally won't hold it against him. But today, our household has many things to do. I won't entertain you."
The middle-aged manager understood.
Xu Mao, however, seemed not to understand. He still sneered loudly, "I wouldn't expect you to dare!"
"Outside are this year's Green Jade Pears. Give us the pears. Your daughter offended me—I'll let that slide. My Xu family isn't stingy. We won't short you a single coin."
"Brother Xu, that's nonsense." Xu Chuan laughed, his hand gently stroking Xu Mingyi's head. "These are my family's pears. Why should I give them to you?"
"My family is opening a fruit shop in the county. These Green Jade Pears are being sent there. They'll be used tomorrow."
The middle-aged manager understood.
He knew they could only go home empty-handed today.
He had advised the Xu family to give up on the Xu family a year ago, but they had only seen the Xu family growing stronger, hiding and biding their time.
"Xu Chuan, you dare refuse me? Do you think it's wise to offend my Xu family?"
"By that logic, if my family doesn't sell you our things, that's an offense. Then can your Xu family sell me your twenty acres of medicinal herbs at thirty percent below market price?"
"If you can, then fine. If not, then it's just business."
"Ridiculous!" Xu Mao laughed very loudly.
The middle-aged manager didn't want the relationship between the two families to grow more strained. He hurriedly said to Xu Chuan, "Since the Xu family has plans for those Green Jade Pears, we won't impose further."
With that, he pulled Xu Mao away.
Xu Mao still looked unwilling.
"Why did you pull me away? This isn't settled. I want to teach him a lesson."
"With the men we brought?" The middle-aged manager asked. "Even if we could teach him a lesson, if he refuses to sell, can we still rob him? Aren't you afraid he'll file a complaint with the county, saying we pressured him and robbed him of his Green Jade Pears?"
"Then our Xu family won't just suffer a great loss—we'll also lose our good reputation for miles around."
"Go back and tell the Third Master. Let him, the Second Master, and the head of the family decide."
"Hmph!"
Speaking of the middle-aged manager, Xu Mao could only return home in frustration.
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**The Xu family estate.**
"Is that what he said?"
Third Master Xu sat in the main hall, listened to the middle-aged manager's report, and stroked his beard. "So it's come to this. Well, let it be. You needn't hope for anything more."
"I underestimated him. I thought he was just a timid farmer."
"But as long as I keep running my other businesses, I'll still thrive."
After a pause, he said again, "By the way, Wang Guan, you said that the Xu family is opening a fruit shop in the county?"
"Yes."
"Go and inquire. Tomorrow, when they open for business, send a congratulatory gift."
"In Dongxi Village, we still need to keep up appearances."
"Yes, Third Master." The middle-aged manager acknowledged and immediately withdrew.
"As for you, stay home these days. Don't go out and cause trouble. Hmph, we still need to see what becomes of this vein of ours."
"Yes, Father."
Xu Mao was still very angry in his heart.
The Xu Chuan of the past, before him like an ant, like a stumbling block—and now, in just a few years, he dared to treat him like this!
The anger in his throat burned hotter than swallowing charcoal!
*"I can't deal with you—but you have a good son."*
*"Qian'er is studying martial arts with his second uncle at the Black Wind Martial Hall. He's the one in my Xu family with the greatest hope of becoming a first-rate warrior."*
*"Isn't your shop opening tomorrow? Let's see how it goes when a disturbance happens."*
Xu Mao didn't listen to his father at all. He turned and headed straight for Qingjiang County.
After the middle-aged manager learned that Xu Mao had left the Xu estate, he immediately reported it to Third Master Xu.
Third Master Xu was furious. "Let him go to the county and blow off steam. As long as he doesn't provoke that family."
"The two wells should not interfere with each other's rivers."
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**The Xu family home.**
"Shitou, you, Sun Fugui, and Qian Jinsan—take the Green Jade Pears to Aiyuan. Go now."
"Alright, Dad." Xu Mingwei nodded.
Xu Mingxian looked at Xu Chuan and asked curiously, "Dad, why didn't you teach that Xu Mao a lesson just now?"
"Yes, Snow hates him. So does Little White."
"Oww—" the little white tiger, patted on the head, also chimed in.
"He's like a worm in the Xu family. If we keep him, he'll gnaw at them from the inside. If we swat him now, won't he stop causing trouble?"
Xu Chuan sat with a three-point smile on his chest. "And, Dad is keeping him for a purpose. Tomorrow, I'll take you to the county to watch the show. If things work out, we might be able to flush out this evil."
Xu Chuan patted the two children's heads and said, "It's not noon yet. Go practice your boxing."
"Dad, didn't we practice this morning?" Xu Mingxian grumbled unhappily.
Xu Chuan looked at him without a word.
The two could only look at each other and head to the yard.
The little white tiger fled from Xu Mingyi's grasp.
It lay down in the hallway, yawned, and leisurely basked in the sun.
After half a month, it had grown accustomed to its new life. It also listened very well to Xu Mingyi's words.
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