Watching the lively atmosphere, Jia Ming looked at Jia Rou and Jia Lin, his eyes had a meaningful look in them.

Jia Rou felt a spike of resentment. In Fenglin City, she was respected. She understood the gap between her family and a top clan, but this felt cheap. It stung her pride. For a moment, a deep frown crossed her face, but she hid it, schooling her expression into one of demure politeness. She would obey her brother. She did not have to like it.

Jia Lin just simply smiled at this. She stood. She filled a delicate cup with wine and moved towards Su Jiao. Jia Rou followed as well. She approached Su Wei, her hand trembling slightly.

"Young Master Su Wei," she murmured, "your generosity has been overwhelming. Please, allow me to offer you a toast."

Su Wei kept his gaze fixed on the lake outside. "You should not need to do it. I can't drink wine served by our guests." His voice wasn't mean, but it was slightly cold.

The rejection was absolute. It hung in the air. Jia Rou froze, her face burning with humiliation. She felt a strange mix of emotions. Relief that the act was over. Shame from his sharp, dismissive words.

Jia Lin stopped as well. Her smile froze, and a troubled look appeared on her face. Su Jiao quickly stepped in, “Lady Lin, please take your sit. We cannot accept such courtesy from Brother Liu Fan’s friends—doing so would be disrespectful to him.”

Liu Fan saw it all. He felt a growing unease. He genuinely liked Jia Rou for her quiet intelligence and gentle way. But watching her family push her forward felt wrong. He had wanted to give her a pleasant afternoon, not a political opportunity.

Su Ting quickly intervened as well. "Cousin Wei is usually like this," he said, smiling gently at the mortified girl. "But your gratitude is felt. Please, sit and enjoy the food."

His words were a kindness, a small cushion for her fall. But a line had been drawn. She returned to her seat, her eyes downcast. The easy laughter was gone, replaced by a quiet, formal tension.

Su Jiao frowned as he watched Su Wei’s cold dismissal. What's with him today? Does he have a problem with them? he wondered. This felt unusually sharp. Even for someone as business-like as Su Wei, that came off unusually harsh.

Liu Fan saw the conversation had died. He quickly tried to smooth things over. He asked about the popular things in Fenglin City. The conversation limped along for a while, carried mostly by Su Ting and Liu Fan. Liu Fan would occasionally draw Jia Rou into the discussion. He would ask her opinion on Liyun City. She would answer in quiet, brief sentences. Her earlier shyness was now mixed with a guarded reluctance.

Finally, the meal ended. The last dishes were cleared. The wine had been drunk. The gathering reached its awkward conclusion. Jia Lin and Jia Rou looked eager to leave. Their initial excitement had curdled into a desire to escape the tense atmosphere and salvage what was left of their pride. Jia Ming, however, wore a hesitant expression. His fingers clenched into a fist under the table. He looked as if he were wrestling with a difficult decision.

Finally, steeling himself, he turned to Liu Fan. “Brother Liu,” he began, his expression determined, “would it be possible for me to have a private word with the young masters?”

A troubled look flashed across Liu Fan’s face. He started to shake his head. He wanted to refuse and spare his friends. But before he could speak, Su Wei’s calm voice cut through the air.

“It is fine,” Su Wei said. His gaze was fixed on Jia Ming. He gave a slight nod. “We can have a discussion.”

Jia Ming was visibly surprised. After Su Wei’s cold attitude throughout the meal, he had expected a swift rejection from him. That was why he had asked Liu Fan, hoping to get an approval from Su Jiao or Su Ting. But to be granted a private audience so easily by Su Wei was an unexpected turn.

Wasting no time, Jia Ming turned to his cousins. "Jia Fei, please escort the young ladies outside for a moment.” Jia Lin and Jia Rou stood immediately. They gave quick, grateful bows before departing.

Liu Fan also stood, understanding the situation. "I'll just wait outside," he said, giving Su Wei a questioning look before he, too, exited the room, sliding the door shut behind him.

Now, only the four men remained. Jia Ming immediately stood and bowed deeply to the Su cousins. "My apologies for this sudden request, Young Masters. It was not my intention to be so forward. I was not sure if I would get another opportunity to speak with those of your caliber." His voice was laced with a desperate sincerity.

Su Wei simply nodded. His expression was unreadable. "Speak your purpose for this meeting."

Jia Ming took a deep breath. He began. "My Jia Clan has recently discovered a vein of Emberflame Crystal. It is in the mountains near our family estate."

Su Ting and Su Jiao exchanged a curious glance. Emberflame Crystal was a valuable second-grade spiritual ore. It was not exceptionally rare but was highly prized for its ability to infuse weapons with intense Yang-Fire energy. Alchemists and talisman masters also sought it for use in fire-aspected arrays.

"It was unexpected," Jia Ming explained. His voice was low and urgent. "The land has always been ours. Other families in Fenglin City expanded their holdings to nearby places. We ignored it at first. But after finding this ore, everything is different. We cannot let the other families expand further. We cannot let them find out about it."

He leaned forward slightly. His earnestness was palpable. "We need a reliable customer to sell the ore to. Someone powerful would be better. Young Master Su Wei, if the Su Clan were to purchase this ore from us, your family could send people to oversee the transaction. Or you could simply show your support for the Jia Clan." His gaze was pleading. "That gesture alone would secure the mine. It would warn the other families. They would not dare to attack or steal from us then."

Su Wei listened, his fingers tapping a slow, silent rhythm on the table. The full picture was now clear. The engineered meeting. The flattery. Perhaps even luring Liu Fan had been part of it. This was all a preamble to a business proposal. His thoughts immediately turned to Liu Fan and his friend's genuine affection.

His gaze grew colder.

"Did you approach Liu Fan for this?" he asked. His tone dropped. Each word was sharp as ice.

Jia Ming’s expression worsened instantly. A sheen of sweat appeared on his brow. Fear tightened in his chest. "No!" he answered immediately, shaking his head. "No, Young Master. It was a coincidence, I swear it. I only learned later that Brother Liu Fan worked with the Su family's merchant associations. I did not approach him with such an intention."

Su Wei stared at him. His silence was intimidating. It was absolute. Jia Ming felt his breath stop. His heart started to beat faster. He feared for the worst. He knew, with a sinking feeling, that the person before him could easily kill him on a whim. The air in the room felt heavy, charged with unspoken threat.

“I see," Su Wei finally murmured. His gaze returned to normal, giving Jia Ming permission to breathe again. “Well then, what is your offer?"

Jia Ming calmed his racing heart. His initial gamble had succeeded. He thought for a moment, his mind working quickly. “How about selling the ore to the Su Clan at a twenty percent discounted price?” His words were cautious. He took out a wooden box from his ring and presented it to Su Wei. “You can see its quality. It definitely won't disappoint you.”

Su Wei took the box. He opened it. A fist-sized, orange crystal mineral appeared in his view. It was slightly hot against his palm, giving him the feeling of a fire burning in his hands. He put it back in the box and shook his head. Su Ting and Su Jiao just watched them, quietly enjoying their drinks.

“The quality is satisfying," Su Wei acknowledged. "But we already get ore from other places at discounted prices. We also have to use our clan's name to help you secure the vein. Your offer is not worth thinking about.”

Jia Ming's expression fell. Twenty percent was already a huge concession. He didn't know if his clan elders would agree to more cheaper discount. He was acting on his own initiative, so he couldn't make solid promises. The Jia Clan hadn't even explored the full vein yet; they didn't know the extent of its reserves. If the vein was small and the Su Clan demanded a major share of their output, his family would suffer.