Chapter 787: The Banquet Where Everyone Got Promoted to Uncle

Micah shifted slightly in his seat, glancing around the table as the noise of the banquet continued to swell and fade in waves around him. Laughter echoed from nearby tables, glasses clinked in constant rhythm, and the scent of rich food and alcohol lingered heavily in the air. For a brief moment, he found himself feeling oddly out of place sitting there alone, even though he knew perfectly well that Clyde was only away fulfilling his responsibilities.

Still, appearances mattered. And if there was one thing Micah understood well, it was how quickly people would start talking the moment something looked even slightly off.

He reached out and patted the empty seat beside him, looking toward Patric and the others with a half-serious, half-playful expression.

"Come on, just sit here with me," Micah said, gesturing again as if urging them forward. "I can’t be sitting here by myself like some abandoned decoration. People are definitely going to start gossiping if they see that."

Patric let out a small laugh at that, clearly amused, but he did not immediately sit down. Instead, he glanced around as though checking for someone.

"Where is Mr Clyde?" Patric asked curiously.

Micah leaned back slightly in his chair, letting out a faint sigh as he reached for a glass of water.

"He’s still going around getting dragged into toasts," Micah replied, his tone carrying a hint of resignation. "Not just for himself, but for me as well. He’s not letting me drink anymore tonight."

He lifted the glass and took a small sip before adding, almost defensively, "You know my stomach isn’t exactly great. If I drink too much, I will regret it later."

Yao Tianming, who had just taken a seat nearby, immediately brightened at that, his expression softening with admiration.

"Oh, that is really considerate," he said sincerely. "He’s really looking out for you."

Micah glanced at him, then let out a soft scoff, though there was no real annoyance behind it.

"Well, he can be annoyingly responsible when he wants to be," Micah muttered, though the faint upward curve of his lips betrayed his actual mood.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he turned fully toward Yao Tianming, his eyes lighting up with curiosity.

"So, how is life treating you lately, Xiao Ming?" Micah asked, resting his elbow casually on the table. "How is the whole acting career going? Still completely against taking over the family business?" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Yao Tianming immediately made a face, his expression scrunching up in exaggerated disapproval.

"Absolutely not," he said without hesitation. "There is no way I am doing that. My older brother can handle all of that responsibility. He actually enjoys it, which already makes him strange enough."

Micah let out a laugh at that.

"I told them very clearly," Yao Tianming continued, waving his hand as though dismissing the idea entirely, "there is no way I can sit in an office all day, listening to endless reports and meetings. That sounds like torture. I would lose my mind within a week."

Micah nodded in complete agreement. "I get it," he said. "I really do. That is exactly why I decided to go down my own path as well. Why not enjoy something you actually like while still benefiting from the family resources on the side?"

Yao Tianming’s eyes lit up instantly, clearly finding someone who understood him.

"Exactly!" he said, leaning forward slightly. "That is what I have been trying to explain to them this whole time. It is not like I am running away from responsibility. I just want to do something that actually feels meaningful to me."

The two of them quickly fell into an easy conversation, exchanging complaints and experiences about the expectations placed upon them as heirs to powerful families. Their words flowed naturally, filled with shared understanding and occasional laughter, as though they had found a rare moment of camaraderie in the middle of a formal event.

Meanwhile, Ilyas sat quietly to the side. At first, he tried to focus on the conversation, but his attention kept drifting. His eyes wandered across the hall again and again, scanning the crowd almost unconsciously.

He was looking for someone. Darcy. Each time he failed to spot him, a faint unease settled deeper into his chest.

"I am being ridiculous," Ilyas thought bitterly.

He shifted slightly in his seat, his fingers tightening against the edge of the table. He was the one who had been avoiding Darcy first. He was the one who had pulled away first.

And yet, now that Darcy was no longer paying attention to him, now that his gaze had shifted elsewhere... it bothered him far more than it should have.

The image of Darcy looking at Yao Tianming replayed in his mind. That focused, intense look. It made his chest feel tight.

Why was he even thinking about this? He muttered inwardly. But the feeling refused to go away. Instead, it grew heavier with each passing moment. Eventually, it became too much.

"I need some air," Ilyas said quietly, standing up before anyone could question him.

Without waiting for a response, he excused himself and walked away from the table, his steps quick but controlled.

Micah had been in the middle of speaking when his voice trailed off slightly, and his gaze shifted instinctively, landing on Ilyas’s retreating figure as he walked away without another word.

The abruptness of it made Micah pause. His brows drew together faintly, concern flickering across his face as he watched Ilyas’s back disappear further into the crowd.

"...What was that about?" he muttered under his breath.

For a second, he stayed silent, his expression thoughtful. Then he turned his head toward Patric and Yao Tianming, clearly puzzled.

"Why does he look so down?" Micah asked, lowering his voice slightly. "Did someone mess with him? Or say something they shouldn’t have?"

Patric shook his head almost immediately, his expression turning more serious.

"I thought the same thing at first," he admitted. "So I asked around earlier. No one noticed anything unusual. No arguments, no awkward interactions, nothing out of place." He paused briefly before adding, "He has been like this for a while now... ever since that stalker incident."

Micah’s eyes narrowed slightly as he processed that.

Beside them, Yao Tianming nodded in agreement, his expression thoughtful but gentle.

"Yeah," he said. "At the filming site, everyone treats him really well. Honestly, people are almost too careful around him." He hesitated for a moment, then leaned a little closer to Micah, lowering his voice into a whisper. "But... I kind of feel like it might not be about work at all."

Micah tilted his head, curiosity sharpening instantly. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Yao Tianming glanced around briefly, as if making sure no one else was listening, before murmuring, "I think... it has something to do with your brother."

Micah froze for half a second. Then his eyes lit up.

He knew it. A slow, knowing smile spread across his face, the corners of his lips curling upward in a way that made it very clear he had just connected several dots at once.

So something really did happen between those two. Interesting. Very interesting.

Without another word, Micah pushed himself up from his seat so suddenly that it startled Yao Tianming slightly.

"Chief Assistant Harper," Micah said briskly, already halfway turning away, "could you keep Xiao Ming company for a few minutes? I’ll be right back."

Patric blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift, but nodded quickly anyway. "Of course," he said.

Micah flashed them a bright, almost mischievous smile before slipping away into the crowd, his steps quick and purposeful.

It did not take him long to find Darcy.

He was standing near a group of people, his posture straight, his expression controlled, but there was still something off about him. Something darker lingering beneath the surface.

Clyde’s friends had gathered around him, clearly amused by something.

Lin Heye was in the middle of patting Darcy’s shoulder, laughing openly.

"Come on, don’t look so serious," Lin Heye said with a grin. "Clyde is basically like a brother to us. And now that Micah is marrying him..." He gestured casually. "That makes us your brother-in-law too."

Darcy’s lips twitched slightly, though it was unclear whether it was amusement or irritation.

Dylon nodded. "Yeah. Come on, call me brother Dylon."

Mason chuckled, clearly entertained by the situation.

"Hey, take it easy with that glare," Mason added teasingly. "Your brother already agreed to be Clyde’s wife. You’re part of the bride’s family now whether you like it or not."

Darcy turned his head slowly, fixing them with a calm but pointed look. "According to generational hierarchy," he said evenly, "I should be addressing you as ’uncles.’"

The group fell silent. Darcy continued without missing a beat.

"You are, what, twelve years older than me?" he added. "That puts you only a few years younger than my Aunt Felicity." His gaze sharpened slightly. "So no, I can’t agree to call you brother or ’brother-in-law.’ That would be highly inappropriate... Uncle."

The word landed like a hammer. For a split second, no one spoke. Their expressions shifted from green to red in seconds.

Micah, who had just arrived in time to hear that, let out a short laugh, clearly delighted. "My little brother is absolutely right," he said as he stepped forward, slipping easily into the conversation.

He moved to stand beside Darcy, casually draping an arm over his shoulder.

"I’ve been giving Clyde some face by calling you guys ’brothers,’" Micah continued with a shrug. "I didn’t want to remind him about the age difference."

He tilted his head slightly, smiling in a way that looked entirely harmless, but absolutely was not. "But honestly," he added, "who could deny that I’m still young and tender?"

The three men visibly stiffened.

Micah’s smile widened just a little. "So try not to bully my brother, alright?" he said lightly. "Otherwise, I might accidentally start calling my husband ’Old Clyde’ in front of him."

The reaction was immediate.

Mason, Dylon, and Lin Heye all shuddered at the exact same time, their expressions turning pale as if they had just heard something deeply disturbing.

Nope. Absolutely not.

Don’t even joke about that.

Are you trying to get us killed?

The three men inwardly shook their heads in fright.

Lin Heye cleared his throat quickly, forcing a strained smile onto his face. "Sister-in-law, please don’t be upset," he said hurriedly. "We were just joking around. And Clyde isn’t that old, alright? He’s actually a few years younger than us."

He laughed awkwardly. "Didn’t he tell you? He skipped grades when he was younger."

Micah blinked, then visibly relaxed. "Oh, thank goodness," he said, faking sincerity. "I was starting to worry."

Lin Heye laughed along, but inside, he was already regretting everything.

This kid just called us old to our faces. And threatened us with Clyde. Terrifying. Definitely not someone to mess with. Ever.

Mason, sensing danger, immediately stepped in and grabbed both Dylon and Lin Heye by the arms. "Alright, that’s enough socialising for us," he said quickly. "Georgina is waiting."

Before either of them could protest, he dragged them away at surprising speed.

It looked less like leaving, and more like escaping.