Chapter 141: First Time Meeting With Jiang Mingzhu and Her Husband

Chapter 141: Chapter 141: First Time Meeting With Jiang Mingzhu and Her Husband

Qiao Meixia caught the whisper instantly and threw a sharp, sideways glance at Jiang Fenfang.

Noticing the look, Jiang Fenfang immediately clapped both hands over her mouth to stifle her laughter.

"You can finish your dessert first." Jiang Suhan conceded with a soft laugh. "Only after you finish can we go change your dress."

"Hmm..." Qiao Meixia hummed in satisfaction.

Jiang Suhan let out a quiet sigh. For reasons he could not quite explain, watching Qiao Meixia serenely eating her pastry while wearing a ruined dress made him feel an odd mix of helplessness and genuine amusement.

However, when he turned his head back toward Jiang Yanna, all the warmth vanished from his eyes, replaced by a stern, serious edge.

"Yanna." Jiang Suhan called out coldly.

"Yes, Eldest Brother?" Jiang Yanna looked up at her older brother nervously.

"If an incident like this ever happens again under your watch, do not simply write it off as an accident without thoroughly investigating what actually occurred." Jiang Suhan warned sternly.

"I... I understand," Jiang Yanna murmured, her fingers tightening into balls at her sides. "I will take my friends away now."

"Hmm." Jiang Suhan acknowledged dismissively.

Without another word, Jiang Yanna and her group turned and walked away from the area, defeated and humiliated.

Jiang Suhan brought Qiao Meixia to a nearby private room, with Jiang Fenfang and Jiang Boqin following closely behind them.

"You should change into this dress." Jiang Suhan said, holding out a gown.

It was the very dress they had bought together when they went shopping previously.

"Hahaha... Brother Suhan, it almost seems like you predicted something like this was going to happen!" Jiang Fenfang chuckled teasingly.

"Accidents happen. I simply came prepared." Jiang Suhan replied with a smooth smile. He then turned back to Qiao Meixia. "Qiaoqiao, go ahead and change into this one."

Qiao Meixia let out a soft sigh. Her brother was truly persistent about getting her out of the ruined gown.

"Fine." Qiao Meixia conceded with a nod.

Jiang Suhan and Jiang Boqin stepped outside to wait in the hallway, leaving Qiao Meixia and Jiang Fenfang alone inside the room. Qiao Meixia immediately unzipped the stained dress she was wearing and tossed it onto a chair without a second thought. She then took the dress Jiang Suhan had bought for her and slipped it on.

"I am done." Qiao Meixia called out to Jiang Fenfang.

Jiang Fenfang turned around to inspect her.

"Hmm... This dress honestly suits you way better than the previous one." Jiang Fenfang nodded in genuine approval, thoroughly satisfied with what she saw.

"Let’s go back out." Qiao Meixia said.

Both girls stepped out into the hallway. Jiang Suhan turned around the moment he heard the door open, and a warm smile instantly spread across his face as he took in the sight of his sister in her new outfit.

"Qiaoqiao, you look absolutely stunning." Jiang Suhan praised with a satisfied smile.

"He is right, Cousin Meixia! That looks amazing on you." Jiang Boqin readily agreed.

The four of them made their way back to the main ballroom together. As they re-entered the hall, the surrounding guests instinctively turned their attention toward Qiao Meixia.

Everyone had already acknowledged that the Jiang Family’s newly found daughter was undeniably beautiful earlier in the evening.

However, now that Qiao Meixia had changed into this elegant qipao dress, she looked even more breathtaking. The refined silhouette tailored her figure perfectly, making her effortlessly stand out among all the other young socialite ladies at the banquet.

Together, they walked toward the area where the rest of the Jiang Family had gathered.

"My dear, what happened to your previous dress?" Old Madam Jiang asked gently, noticing the sudden change of attire.

"It got dirty." Qiao Meixia replied simply.

"I see..." Old Madam Jiang nodded in understanding.

All the primary family members were gathered together, including the second aunt, Jiang Mingzhu, whom Qiao Meixia had not yet met. She bore a striking resemblance to Old Master Jiang, particularly around the eyes and the overall shape of her face.

"This must be my niece, right? It’s so lovely to finally meet you, my dear." Jiang Mingzhu offered Qiao Meixia a warm, gentle smile.

"Hello." Qiao Meixia greeted her politely.

"You really do look remarkably like Mom when she was young." Jiang Mingzhu remarked softly.

She then glanced over toward Jiang Lukang, who was busy conversing with a guest a short distance away.

"What exactly does Lukang plan to do with that imposter?" Jiang Mingzhu asked under her breath.

Having arrived late to the banquet, Jiang Mingzhu was still unaware that Jiang Lukang had already publicly introduced Qiao Meixia to the guests as his frail, long-lost twin daughter.

"We will discuss that later." Old Madam Jiang whispered discreetly into Jiang Mingzhu’s ear.

Jiang Mingzhu raised an eyebrow in curiosity, but wisely refrained from pressing the matter further for now.

"You should introduce your husband to the family as well." Old Master Jiang chimed in, steering the conversation forward.

"Oh... That’s right!" Jiang Mingzhu nodded with a smile.

She reached over and gently pulled her husband closer by the hand.

"Meixia, this is your uncle, Chen Haoran." Jiang Mingzhu introduced.

Chen Haoran offered a warm, steady smile as he looked at Qiao Meixia.

"Hi, Meixia." Chen Haoran acknowledged with a polite nod.

"You also have a cousin, Chen Tianze, but he could not make it tonight because of his busy work schedule. Once he returns, I will be sure to arrange a time for you two to meet." Jiang Mingzhu added kindly.

Qiao Meixia gave a calm nod. "Okay."

She kept her gaze on Chen Haoran for a moment longer.

Qiao Meixia’s sharp eyes picked up on several subtle details about her aunt’s husband. From his rigid posture, measured movements, and the disciplined way he carried himself, it was evident to her that Chen Haoran was a soldier.

There was an unmistakable air of strict military discipline in his composure that set him distinctly apart from the other high-society businessmen attending the banquet. Even though he was impeccably dressed in standard formal wear for the occasion, Qiao Meixia could still easily sense his background as a trained military man. She did not voice her observations out loud, choosing instead to simply continue observing him in quiet contemplation.

Qiao Meixia remained by the side of the Jiang Family members. Jiang Yanna did not dare to cause any more trouble. There was one person among the Jiang Family whom she feared above all others, and that was Jiang Mingzhu.

Ever since she was little, Jiang Mingzhu had never seemed to particularly like her. Her mother, Feng Lan, was constantly arguing with Jiang Mingzhu over her, especially regarding the way Jiang Lukang and Feng Lan spoiled her to excess.

Seeing Jiang Mingzhu talking so warmly to Qiao Meixia made a surge of resentment rise up inside her. She had never known Jiang Mingzhu was capable of smiling like that while speaking to anyone. Was it simply because Qiao Meixia was not her biological niece?

"Yanna... Yanna..."

Jiang Yanna snapped back to reality when she heard a voice calling her name. She turned around and realised it was her mother.

"Mom..." Jiang Yanna instantly put on her sweetest, most innocent smile.

"Why do you look so dazed?" Feng Lan asked, eyeing her.

"Oh, it is nothing! Mom... look, it seems Auntie Mingzhu is here too. She is standing over there." Jiang Yanna said, subtly pointing.

Feng Lan turned around and saw Jiang Mingzhu conversing animatedly with Qiao Meixia. Qiao Meixia even seemed to be responding to her quite naturally. Even though Qiao Meixia was not smiling, Feng Lan could clearly tell that her daughter was treating Jiang Mingzhu far better than she treated her own mother.

Feng Lan frowned deeply. She suddenly felt a sharp sting of jealousy seeing her own daughter treat another woman so pleasantly. Then, she caught herself, startled by her own reaction. She wondered why on earth she was feeling this way. She should not care in the slightest how that girl treated anyone else. Yet, the anger simmered inside her nonetheless.

How was it that the girl knew how to speak normally to others, but could not extend the same courtesy to her own mother?

Feng Lan failed to realise that it was not Qiao Meixia who treated her terribly. It was Feng Lan herself who flew into a rage every single time she set eyes on Qiao Meixia.

"Mom?" Jiang Yanna called out softly.

"Huh? Ah... yes, what is it, my dear?" Feng Lan turned back to Jiang Yanna, forcing her attention away.

"Mom, it really looks like Auntie Mingzhu likes Sister Meixia a lot." Jiang Yanna remarked casually.

***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***