Chapter 140: Apologise

Chapter 140: Chapter 140: Apologise

Jiang Yanna, standing off to the side, clenched her fingers tightly into her palms. Things were veering completely off script. She had fully expected Qiao Meixia to explode in anger or shrink away in humiliation after having her grand gown ruined. If Qiao Meixia had thrown a bitter tantrum, everyone present would have naturally written her off as an uncultured, unreasonable girl from the countryside.

Yet Qiao Meixia was infuriatingly unfazed. She did not seem to care about the astronomical price tag of the luxury dress at all.

’Why isn’t she throwing a fit?’ Jiang Yanna glared secretly at the stain, her frustration mounting.

She had engineered this scene hoping Qiao Meixia would make a complete fool of herself in front of the entire high-society crowd. Instead, Jiang Fenfang and Jiang Boqin were now standing firmly on Qiao Meixia’s side, shielding her from further embarrassment.

Jin Zexi picked up on the shifting dynamic and hastily stepped forward to bolster Jiang Yanna.

"Yanna already explained that it was a total accident! Why are you two interrogating her like she is a criminal?" Jin Zexi snapped indignantly.

Jiang Boqin turned his head toward Jin Zexi, his relaxed demeanour instantly vanishing as his expression turned icy.

"Because this scene played out right in front of our eyes. Naturally, I want to clarify what actually transpired." Jiang Boqin stated coldly.

"Are you implying that Yanna is lying?" Jin Zexi narrowed her eyes defensively.

"I did not say that." Jiang Boqin replied smoothly.

"Then why are you grilling her like this?" Jin Zexi demanded again.

"We are not questioning her. We are questioning the person who actually threw the drink." Jiang Fenfang interjected sharply.

Jin Zexi was instantly left speechless, her mouth opening and closing without a comeback.

Wu Xiner, who had been observing quietly from the periphery, stole a brief look at Jiang Yanna. She could already tell that the situation was turning sour. Jiang Yanna had likely calculated this whole scheme down to the detail, but her grand error was failing to predict Qiao Meixia’s bizarre, untouchable apathy.

Wu Xiner let out a quiet, imperceptible sigh. ’What a mess this is turning out to be.’

She knew Jiang Yanna inside and out, which meant she knew with absolute certainty that this spill was no accident. However, Wu Xiner had zero intention of getting dragged into the crossfire, so she kept her lips strictly sealed and remained an innocent spectator.

"Enough."

Qiao Meixia’s quiet, steady voice cut through the air, causing everyone to freeze instantly.

She gently set her small dessert fork down onto the edge of the plate. She had only managed to eat two of the three pastries she had picked out, leaving one behind. She had genuinely wanted to finish enjoying her sweet treat, but it was impossible to focus on the flavours while a group of people held a shouting match right over her shoulder.

Qiao Meixia finally turned her full attention toward the girl who had spilt the drink.

"You claim it was an accident." Qiao Meixia said, her voice entirely void of emotion.

"Yes!" The girl nodded frantically.

"Then it was an accident." Qiao Meixia stated flatly.

Everyone present turned to stare at Qiao Meixia in sheer disbelief.

"Sister Meixia!" Jiang Fenfang protested immediately.

"What?" Qiao Meixia turned her gaze toward Jiang Fenfang.

"You can’t just let her off the hook that easily after she ruined your gown!" Jiang Fenfang argued, bewildered by her passivity.

Qiao Meixia glanced down at the dark stain on her dress once more.

"I don’t care." Qiao Meixia stated simply.

"But—" Jiang Fenfang opened her mouth to argue further.

However, the words caught in her throat the moment she met Qiao Meixia’s cool, unbothered eyes..

"There is no need to create unnecessary trouble." Qiao Meixia said, picking her fork back up and continuing to eat her final pastry as though the entire crowd around her did not exist.

"You really are way too easygoing for your own good." Jiang Boqin observed, staring at her for a moment before letting out a helpless sigh.

"I am not easygoing." Qiao Meixia countered between bites.

"Then what would you call it?" Jiang Boqin asked, intrigued.

"Lazy." Qiao Meixia replied without hesitation.

Jiang Boqin froze, thoroughly stunned.

Jiang Fenfang, on the other hand, burst into a fit of laughter.

"You are letting them off because you are too lazy to stand here and argue?" Jiang Fenfang asked through her giggles.

Qiao Meixia offered a subtle nod.

"Honestly, that’s a surprisingly valid reason." Jiang Boqin chuckled, shaking his head in fond amusement.

Jiang Yanna’s internal fury, however, was reaching a boiling point. She had expected Qiao Meixia to be utterly humiliated and cast out of the social scene tonight. Instead, her targets were standing around laughing and bonding as if they were old friends. She could not allow this narrative to slide away from her control.

"Sister Meixia..." Jiang Yanna lowered her voice to a soft, trembling pitch and looked at her with an intensely apologetic expression. "I am so deeply sorry. I really should have stopped my friends from wandering over here in the first place. I truly did not anticipate something like this happening."

With that sudden declaration, the spotlight shifted back onto Jiang Yanna. Qiao Meixia turned her eyes toward her as well.

"Why are you apologising?" Qiao Meixia asked plainly.

Jiang Yanna was caught completely off guard by the blunt question.

"Because..." Jiang Yanna struggled to find her words, her rehearsed line suddenly slipping away.

"You were not the one who spilt it." Qiao Meixia pointed out logically.

"Well, yes... but she is my friend, so I feel responsible." Jiang Yanna stammered, trying to maintain her selfless persona.

"In that case, tell her to clean it or pay for the professional dry cleaning services," Qiao Meixia replied coolly.

"What?" The girl behind Jiang Yanna snapped her head up, her face draining of colour.

"You heard me clearly. Clean it yourself, or cover the dry cleaning bill." Qiao Meixia repeated with zero emotion.

The girl looked visibly uncomfortable and panicked.

"You really ought to accept those terms right now." Jiang Fenfang chimed in with a smirk. "Otherwise, our family can easily press charges against you for intentionally damaging high-value property."

"And trust me, legal damages for a custom couture gown will cost you significantly more than a dry cleaning bill." Jiang Boqin added smoothly, leaning in with an amused grin.

The girl stood frozen, completely at a loss for how to respond.

Jiang Yanna’s face stiffened. She had banked on Qiao Meixia either making a scene or timidly bowing out of conflict. She had never anticipated Qiao Meixia delivering such a practical, ruthless alternative with an entirely straight face.

"I... I think you should just offer to cover the cleaning services." Jiang Yanna whispered to her friend, forced to throw her under the bus to save face.

The girl looked at Jiang Yanna with an expression of complete betrayal and helplessness.

"Fine. I will pay for the cleaning." The girl finally muttered through gritted teeth.

At that exact moment, a deep, familiar voice called out from behind the group.

"What is going on over here?"

Everyone turned around in unison.

Jiang Suhan was striding toward them, his sharp eyes immediately locking onto the vibrant stain ruining Qiao Meixia’s gown. His expression darkened in an instant.

"What happened to your dress?" Jiang Suhan asked, his tone dropping sharply.

"Someone spilt a drink." Qiao Meixia answered neutrally.

"Who did it?" Jiang Suhan demanded.

His intense, cold gaze instantly swept across Jiang Yanna and her circle of friends.

"Eldest Brother, please, it was purely an accident!" Jiang Yanna quickly stepped forward, putting herself between him and her group.

"An accident?" Jiang Suhan’s eyebrow arched with heavy skepticism.

"Yes! My friend really did not mean to do it, but she has already promised to cover all the damages." Jiang Yanna explained frantically.

Jiang Suhan looked over at Qiao Meixia and then at his two cousins. Seeing that the matter had already been settled on their terms, he decided against escalating it further in public.

"Qiaoqiao, you need to go change your dress now." Jiang Suhan stated firmly.

"It’s fine. I don’t really need to." Qiao Meixia replied, feeling no need for that.

"Your dress is visibly ruined, and you still have to walk the floor and greet more guests later tonight." Jiang Suhan insisted gently.

"What? There is even more greeting involved?" Qiao Meixia asked, her brow furrowing slightly in genuine annoyance.

"Sister Meixia clearly feels that finishing her dessert is infinitely more important than greeting high-society guests." Jiang Fenfang whispered under her breath to Jiang Suhan, afraid of being heard by Qiao Meixia.

***This novel is a contracted work with w e b n o v e l. c o m. If you do not read this novel on w e b n o v e l. c o m, that means it has been stolen. Thank you, from your shameless author, ZerahNeko***