Chapter 178 - 174: Good-for-nothing x Pure-hearted Little Overlord 13

Chapter 178: Chapter 174: Good-for-nothing x Pure-hearted Little Overlord 13

Ji Xiaosong was completely caught off guard by the Jiang Family’s sudden announcement of her engagement to Jiang Yao.

She had never heard Jiang Yao talk about his family before.

After the fashion show ended, Jiang Yao picked up Ji Xiaosong.

"Why announce the engagement so suddenly?"

Ji Xiaosong lay in Jiang Yao’s arms. The couple didn’t get to see each other very often.

Ever since she won the last competition, the work schedule Jiang Yao arranged for her had become increasingly packed.

"Our Jiang Family has had only one son for ten generations, and my mother didn’t have me until she was forty-eight. So when they found out I had a girlfriend, they didn’t hesitate for a second and told me to marry you right away."

These words shocked Ji Xiaosong so much she sat bolt upright. ’Giving birth? Now *that’s* something I’m familiar with!’

As it happened, she also wanted to have children with Jiang Yao.

"Then when are we going to meet your parents? It’s perfect, because I love children too. If we’re lucky, we can have several more in the future."

"Okay."

*

As the Maybach passed through five carved bronze gates and drove into the Jiang Mansion, Ji Xiaosong finally understood the true weight of the term "prominent family."

The entire garden-style estate spread out along the mountainside. A screen wall of Han Baiyu was embossed with "Myriad Ravines and Pine-Covered Peaks" by a Ming Dynasty Jiang family ancestor, and the main building’s pillars were actually made of solid Myanmar teak wrapped in gold foil.

"Xiaosong, you’ve arrived!"

Mrs. Jiang, dressed in a Xiangyun silk qipao, came out to greet her, a peony hairpin carved from golden-thread nanmu wood tucked into her chignon.

Ji Xiaosong quickly responded with a smile, "Hello, Auntie. I’m sorry for intruding on my first visit."

Mrs. Jiang said with a smile, "This bracelet was made from the leftover materials when your grandfather designed jewelry for the queen of Country Y."

As she spoke, she slid a solid green jade bracelet from her own wrist and placed it on Ji Xiaosong’s. The icy, glass-like luster made her features shine with brilliance.

Ji Xiaosong looked at the bracelet, her eyes filled with surprise and emotion. She said softly, "Auntie, this is too precious. I..."

Mrs. Jiang patted her hand. "Silly child, it’s yours from now on."

Father Jiang took a Sandalwood Box from a huanghuali curio cabinet. "This is the deed to Number Twenty-Seven in A City. Back when your grandmother was learning to be a tailor from the Song Family’s third miss..."

Before he could finish, Jiang Yao laughingly interrupted, "Dad, if you keep going, you’ll start talking about Great-Grandfather starting a textile mill with Mr. Zhang."

Ji Xiaosong laughed along, smoothing things over. "Uncle, those sound like fascinating stories. I’d love to hear you tell them properly when we have the chance."

The butler presented teacups with a sacrificial blue glaze, which Ji Xiaosong recognized as a Ming Xuande official kiln set from the Sotheby’s spring auction.

She couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration, "The last time I saw these teacups was on the auction livestream. I never thought I’d see them in person so soon."

"Things like this are just little trinkets for daily use. If you like them, Xiaosong, we have many more at home. After you get married, you can go and pick out some more."

Mrs. Jiang held her hand and patted it gently. "Xiaosong is a singer and often wears high heels, so Yao’er is having people replace the entire bottom of the hot spring pool in the back garden with Nephrite Jade pebbles."

Only then did she notice that the heated floors of the entire living room were paved with giant clam nacre, warm and gentle as spring under her bare feet.

The butler immediately replied, "Yes, Madam."

"This is the morning gown ordered for you."

Two embroideresses unfolded a dark green, heavy satin qipao. The collar was adorned with twin lotus blossoms made of South Sea Pearls.

Jiang Yao leaned in and whispered with a laugh, "Mother measured you based on all your performance videotapes."

Ji Xiaosong was shocked to find the waistline was a perfect fit. Even her favorite teardrop pearl earrings had been replicated in a Pigeon Blood Ruby version.

She looked at Mrs. Jiang and smiled. "Thank you, Uncle and Auntie."

Having been in a high position herself, she could tell at a glance that the Jiang Family was true old money, not something a nouveau riche family could fake.

As twilight fell, eight attendants entered, pushing gilded serving carts.

Father Jiang pointed to the Yun-ham and pigeon egg soup in a blue-and-white sea-pattern bowl. "The chef is a descendant of the imperial cook who was part of your grandmother’s dowry. We love this soup too. Xiaosong, give it a try."

Ji Xiaosong took the soup, tasted a spoonful, and exclaimed in admiration, "This is absolutely delicious. The flavor is so fresh and exquisite, it reminds me of my childhood."

Mrs. Jiang added a dish to Ji Xiaosong’s bowl with a fond smile. "Quick, try this ’lion’s head’ meatball with crab roe. Yao’er said you love the cuisine from that region."

Ji Xiaosong nodded with a smile. "Thank you, Auntie. I’ve heard this dish is very famous and have always wanted to try it."

When it was time to leave, the trunk of the car was piled high with gift boxes, but the most eye-catching item was a yellowed booklet.

Jiang Yao opened the family genealogy book. The latest page, written in small, gold-flecked calligraphy, read: "In the Winter of the year Gengzi, Jiang Yao, the 31st-generation direct heir of the Jiang Family, is betrothed to Ji Xiaosong of the Ji family. The bride price includes: Water City Garden, the Ming Dynasty Gu Embroidery Hundred Sons and Thousand Grandsons Painting, a 3% stake in the Mogok Mine in Country M..."

Tucked at the very end was a black card gleaming with a silver luster.

"Mother said this is for you to buy baby supplies."

Jiang Yao gently nibbled her earlobe and chuckled. Moonlight streamed past the wisteria corridor that stretched for miles outside the car window, startling a whole garden of sleeping, century-old Golden Canaries.

Ji Xiaosong’s cheeks flushed. She gave Jiang Yao a light tap, pouting playfully. "Stop teasing."

Then she looked at Jiang Yao seriously, her eyes full of happiness. "I can tell your parents really value me."

"Of course. In all these years, you’re the only girlfriend I’ve ever brought home."

"So, I’m your first love?"

"Yes."

Ji Xiaosong’s smile grew even happier.

The engagement party was a month later. The Ji family also got the news, and everywhere they went, people asked if they had been invited.

Every time Ji Fu was asked, his expression grew darker.

He hadn’t received one!

As Ji Xiaosong’s biological father, he had not received an invitation from his own daughter.

Ever since that wretched girl left the Ji family, they had never had the chance to meet again.

The only reason Ji Yao had managed to corner Ji Xiaosong and mock her last time was because she had spent a long time lurking in a fan group to get the information.

Otherwise, someone with no connection to a celebrity would have no way of finding out their whereabouts.

*

In the Yunyin Clubhouse in the suburb of the capital, Ji Fu hid behind a zitan wood screen, clutching a Ru-ware sky-blue glazed teacup so tightly that the veins on his hand bulged.

Across from him, President Wang, a real estate developer, mentioned the Jiang Family again. Ji Fu watched as an assistant poured a valuable Romanée-Conti into a crystal decanter, the red liquid reflecting President Wang’s probing gaze.

While turning the Tianhuang Stone Ring on his thumb, President Wang asked, "I hear your Miss Ji’s engagement banquet is being held on the top floor of the Jun Yue? Our new property development is in need of a high-end clubhouse. If we could bring in the Jiang Family’s shipping company’s yacht club, our collaboration might go much more smoothly."

A wave of discomfort washed over Ji Fu, but he forced himself not to show it, his eyes sweeping over the Zhang Daqian splashed-ink lotus painting hanging on the private room’s wall.

Just then, a waiter served soft-hearted abalone. The edge of the gilded plate it was on bore the logo of the Jiang Family’s jewelry brand, which he had just seen in an auction catalog last week.

Ji Fu loosened his tie to give himself some breathing room. His cufflink brushed against a red lacquer box from the Qianlong Period. He said, "My in-laws did mention expanding the yacht club, but you know how young people are about their privacy..."

Before he could finish, President Wang suddenly pushed the contract in front of him. "I heard the Jiang Family just bought a new diamond mine in South Africa..."

The chilled lobster sashimi on the glass turntable was steaming with white mist. Ji Fu looked at President Wang’s new Vacheron Constantin watch and remembered the financial news report from yesterday about the Jiang Family acquiring a watch factory in Switzerland.

He gestured for his secretary to pour him a drink. The Agate Wine Glass clinked crisply against a plate with a Yuan Blue and White Lotus Pattern. He said, "That business in South Africa... we’ll have to wait until after my daughter’s wedding to discuss it..."

From outside the window came an aria from the Kunqu opera "The Peony Pavilion." The clubhouse manager personally brought over a century-old vintage from Jiang’s Winery.

President Wang suddenly leaned in and asked in a low voice, "I heard the party favor for the engagement banquet is a custom-made jade peace button from the Jiang Family’s jewelry workshop? Chairman Ji, for an event like this, you have to invite an old friend like me."

Ji Fu was so angry he nearly ground his back teeth to dust, but when he saw the clause in the contract where the other party was willing to concede three percentage points, he restrained himself.

Ji Fu dipped some caviar, sketched a yacht on a napkin, and said, "Xiaosong specifically instructed that friends from the media should be invited to the engagement party. When the time comes, I’ll see about getting you an invitation as well."

Upon hearing this, President Wang’s eyes lit up, and he immediately called his lawyer to amend the contract.

At that moment, the crystal chandelier suddenly seemed to grow brighter, illuminating the Jiang Family’s custom logo on the lining of Ji Fu’s suit—a logo he had secretly had counterfeited.

As the waiter cleared the cold dishes, a gilt-edged invitation lay on the mahogany tray.

President Wang suddenly smiled and said, "I heard that Old Sir Jiang won the bid for Gu Jingzhou’s ’Squirrel and Grapes’ teapot at Poly Auction last night?"

Ji Fu was raising his glass for a drink. When he heard this, his hand trembled, and the purplish-red wine in his glass rippled, just like the storm raging in his heart.