Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Jiang Baichuan had a twin sister named Jiang Yourong, who was married to Rong Yu, a man ten years her senior from the Rong Family in the east of the city.

The Rong Family had a history of only having one son per generation, but in Rong Yu’s generation, they were blessed with a pair of “little golden flowers.” Having two daughters at once made them the darlings of the entire household. Their one-month celebration years ago had been exceptionally grand, with invitations extended to almost every prominent family in Beicheng.

However, this year’s birthday banquet was different. When Xia Wanzhi arrived, she realized that nearly everyone present was a close relative of either the Jiang or Rong families.

“Jiang Baichuan’s sister’s daughters are already three years old?” Yun Li couldn’t suppress her curiosity.

Some people in the crowd noticed Xia Wanzhi’s presence and began looking over one after another. Feeling uncomfortable under their gaze, Xia Wanzhi gave a vague nod and pulled Yun Li toward a quiet corner. “Yeah, love comes fast for some.”

Something suddenly occurred to Yun Li, and she asked, “Then isn’t Jiang Baichuan being pressured to get married?”

Xia Wanzhi gave her a meaningful smile. “He is, and quite intensely too. So, what do you think? Want to dump Liang Jing and give it a shot with him?”

Knowing she was joking, Yun Li arched an eyebrow and played along. “I’d certainly like to.”

Speak of the devil, Jiang Baichuan approached them. Knowing he had his own intentions, Xia Wanzhi tactfully stepped aside to give Yun Li some space.

Jiang Baichuan had once said that Yun Li deserved to have love.

But what he didn’t know was that Yun Li never believed in love to begin with.

Yun Li knew exactly what Jiang Baichuan was after, which was why she had agreed when Xia Wanzhi asked if she was coming today.

Perhaps she wanted to use this opportunity to make things clear to him.

Xia Wanzhi felt it wasn’t her place to interfere in certain matters. With no one to talk to at the moment, she simply wandered over to the dessert section to grab a bite.

“Isn’t this Miss Xia?” Seeing her standing alone, a woman in a red strapless dress walked straight toward her. “What a coincidence.”

Xia Wanzhi swallowed a bite of ice cream cake and looked up, only to find several more people approaching her.

They were coming for her.

“The Xia Family is bankrupt. Who let her in?” a woman in a yellow bodycon skirt snorted disdainfully.

“Keep it down. She just dumped Zhou Yu and immediately hooked up with some other sugar daddy,” a woman in a short blue formal dress added snidely. “Eating that much… careful you don’t choke to death.”

Xia Wanzhi licked her lips, stubbornly finishing the last bite of cake before speaking. “Jealous of me?”

“What did you just say? Why don’t you say it louder so everyone can hear what a lack of upbringing sounds like?”

“Even the neighborhood gossips know to stay away from the person they’re talking about. Why did you run right up to my face? Are you looking for trouble?”

Xia Wanzhi fired back three times in a row, her tone full of contempt.

It was common knowledge that the little princess of the Xia Family had been pampered since childhood and had always maintained a quiet, soft-spoken persona in public. No one expected her to be so fierce when it came to trading insults.

“Done pretending to be a pure little white flower?” the woman in the red dress mocked. “I heard you only got into the Xie Family by playing the victim.”

“Xia Wanzhi, don’t think you’re still that young lady who has everyone standing up for her. Zhou Yu used to be so good to you, but your family went bankrupt, and in the end, the woman sleeping beside him isn’t you,” the woman in the yellow skirt continued her taunts.

Xia Wanzhi gave her an incredulous look, not recalling ever meeting such a person. “You seem awfully happy about him sleeping with other women.”

She countered every remark, refusing to yield an inch.

“Do you think you’ve made it just because you’ve clung to the Xie Family? Life has its ups and downs. Even your parents don’t want you anymore. You don’t even have a backer, so what are you still acting so high and mighty for?”

Xia Wanzhi let out a sharp laugh, incensed.

Was this what they called making things up out of thin air?

She was just attending a banquet and eating a piece of cake by herself-how was that acting “high and mighty”?

“Who says she doesn’t have a backer?” A deep voice came from behind her, its piercing quality causing the expressions of the three women to change instantly.
“Is this hotel’s security staffed by junk collectors or something? How else would they let this kind of trash in?” A cold glint flashed across Xie Qiyan’s lenses. One hand in his pocket, he looked down at them from above.

The perfume was so strong he didn’t stand too close.

“President Xie.”

“President Xie…”

The trio in red, yellow, and blue bowed their heads, trembling. “We-we’re not… We’re the dates of Second Young Master Xie and Third Young Master Xie…”

The birthday banquet hosted by the Rong Family was filled with prominent guests. Second Young Master Xie and Third Young Master Xie would never miss a chance to network. At events like this, men habitually brought women along as a status accessory, so naturally a few filthy, rat-like opportunists slipped in as well.

Since someone else had stepped in, Xia Wanzhi didn’t feel like wasting words. She casually picked up a small cake and took a bite of the grape on top, the one that burst with juice.

Sweet.

“So the Second and Third Young Masters can bring trash in?”

“And what are they, exactly? Sounds like you think if you mess up, they’ll pay for it.”

Xie Qiyan gave a cold snort. “She only agreed to come have fun because Jiang Baichuan begged her to. If you piss her off, who’s going to coax her?”

Fireworks went off in Xia Wanzhi’s heart.

Having someone speak for her on legs was unbelievably satisfying.

“Don’t lose heart. Life’s full of ups and downs… and then more downs. While he hasn’t lost his temper yet, you should leave now. Otherwise, the ones escorting you out later will be the Messengers of Death.” Xia Wanzhi smiled innocently. The cake was good, so she took another.

The trio didn’t dare act up again. When they tried to leave, they met Xie Qiyan’s commanding stare and hurriedly apologized to Xia Wanzhi again and again.

Once they were gone, Xia Wanzhi smiled faintly. “I really admire that mouth of yours when it isn’t firing at me.”

“You like my mouth?” Xie Qiyan glanced over.

Xia Wanzhi stared at him, stunned.

What kind of insane reading comprehension was that?

“Like you? Like hell.” Xia Wanzhi rubbed her arms.

Xie Qiyan said, “That’s pretty unexpected.”

Xia Wanzhi: “???”

“You’ll like me even after a hundred years, when I turn into a ghost. That’s devotion.” Xie Qiyan lifted his chin slightly and took a sip of champagne.

Xia Wanzhi went a little rigid.

Did Xie Qiyan take the wrong medicine today?

“Don’t think that just because we’re on better terms now, you can use that mouth of yours against me whenever you want,” Xia Wanzhi warned, shooting him a look and staying on guard.

Xie Qiyan raised an eyebrow.

They were on better terms.

Not only the dynamic of Brother Xie and Little Sister Xia-they also had a partnership.

The kind of partnership where one hotpot meal could wipe old grudges clean.

The kind where you could share a can of fruit beer.

Before long, the round-table luncheon began, and Xia Wanzhi was seated at the same table as Xie Qiyan.

“Is Miss Xia President Xie’s date?” The one asking was Jiang Yourong. Xia Wanzhi had seen her a few times-lively and cute, with an easygoing personality.

Xia Wanzhi answered honestly. “No.”

Xia Wanzhi couldn’t withstand that gossip-hungry look. She’d heard Jiang Baichuan’s younger sister loved chasing celebrities and had been deep in fandom circles for years-her eye for these things was frighteningly sharp.

“Not? Then is it this beautiful lady beside you?” Jiang Yourong smiled slyly.

“N-no, not me! She is-she’s the one with Xie Qiyan!” Yun Li choked and immediately tried to set the record straight.

Jiang Yourong looked at Jiang Baichuan-his eyes were practically about to jump onto someone else’s face-and nodded with meaningful amusement. “Got it. Then you must be Jiang Baichuan’s.”

“Cough-” Yun Li went pale, about to explain, but Jiang Yourong had already stood up to greet other guests.

“Eat slowly. Have more, everyone.”

Yun Li: “…”

She turned helplessly to Xia Wanzhi, meeting her eyes, utterly embarrassed.

Are people in rich families all like this?

Where was the legendary scheming and backstabbing?

Jiang Baichuan wore a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, and in a good mood, he drank two glasses of champagne.