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Qiao Chen pulled down her hat to cover her head, not daring to meet her sister's gaze.
“Qiao Chen, what can I say to you? All you think about is fighting. Have you ever considered that we…”
“Knock, knock, knock—” Just as Qiao Nuo was about to give Qiao Chen a serious lecture, there was a knock on the door of their small apartment.
Qiao Nuo paused her words and went to open the door. Standing outside was a man in his fifties, dressed in a suit, looking anything but ordinary.
“Is this Miss Qiao?” he asked.
Qiao Nuo nodded, knowing she didn’t recognize this man.
Inside, Qiao Chen heard the voice and immediately came out, eyeing the visitor warily.
“Hello, I am Yi He, the butler of the Jin Family. The master has asked me to invite you to our home; he has something to discuss with you.”
Upon hearing the name Jin Family, Qiao Nuo instantly became alert. She needed to ensure that Qiao Chen didn’t catch on to anything!
“Please wait a moment; I’ll be right there,” Qiao Nuo said with an apologetic expression before closing the door.
In her haste to speak with Yi He, she hadn’t noticed the look of relief on Qiao Chen’s face.
“Qiao Chen, reflect on your actions while I'm out. When I return, you will explain why you got into another fight!”
Qiao Chen watched as his sister seemed eager to leave. He followed closely behind her. “Sister, which Jin Family are they? Why are they looking for you? Why do you look so pale?”
Qiao Nuo initially did not want Qiao Chen to be involved in this matter, but he persistently asked questions that she could not ignore.
In the end, she had to adopt her sister's authoritative tone, saying, "You stay put! Wait for me to come back!" Once she said that, Qiao Chen truly dared not speak again and could only watch as his sister's voice faded away.
Afterward, Qiao Chen looked out the window and saw his sister getting into a black Lincoln. He wondered which member of the Jin Family had business with her.
However, he felt a sense of relief that the scoundrel hadn’t come knocking on their door!
*
"Mr. Yi, what does Mr. Jin want with me?" After their last meeting, Qiao Nuo's impression of Jin Zhongshu had changed; he was not as cold as the rumors suggested. Still, she couldn’t fathom what Jin Zhongshu’s intentions were this time.
Yi He was driving and, after pondering Qiao Nuo's question for a moment, replied, "Just call me Yi He, Miss Qiao."
Qiao Nuo thought to herself, "That has nothing to do with what I just asked!"
Realizing that she wouldn’t get any information out of Yi He, Qiao Nuo could only sit quietly in the back seat, contemplating whether she should inquire about Jin Chengyan.
But just thinking about how he had treated her made her feel uneasy! She didn’t even want to inform him; it would be best if he were kept in check by Jin Zhongshu and unable to do as he pleased!
Lost in these thoughts, they arrived at the Jin Family Mansion.
The new Jin Family residence was quite different from the old Jin Mansion. It was more modern and situated away from the hustle and bustle of the city center, in a suburban area with a better environment and more spacious grounds.
However, before Qiao Nuo could fully appreciate the Jin Family Mansion, she was led into the main villa by Yi He. As soon as she stepped into the living room, she felt an oppressive atmosphere surrounding her.
Suddenly, Qiao Nuo thought that even though she and Jin Chengyan had nearly fallen out, she should at least inform him. After all, coming to the Jin Family Mansion was no trivial matter.
But it was too late.
Standing in the living room, she saw the entire Jin Family, young and old, gathered there, and in the middle of the room knelt Jin Chengyan!
Qiao Nuo was utterly confused by this scene.
Jin Chengyan, kneeling on the floor, seemed to sense someone had arrived. He turned his head and saw Qiao Nuo.
This was their first meeting since that morning, but it was unexpected to occur under such circumstances!
Qiao Nuo looked at Jin Chengyan with questioning eyes, wanting to know what was happening. However, there was no answer in his gaze.
He turned back to face Jin Zhongshu, who sat above him. Straightening his back, he said to his father, “This has nothing to do with Qiao Nuo; you don’t need to summon her here.”
Jin Zhongshu was already furious and red-faced. How could this rebellious son still speak so defiantly? Jin Zhongshu felt an urge to lash out at Jin Chengyan with the whip that lay on the table!
“It seems you really have grown wings and are doing things without informing the family. But Jin Chengyan, let me tell you this: as long as I am alive, the Jin Family’s fortune is not yours; you still cannot call the shots!” Jin Zhongshu rarely lost his temper, but over the years, his two greatest outbursts were both because of Jin Chengyan.
The others present were powerless to intervene; even the lady of the house, Yu Xin, could only stand by and watch.
"I have indeed never made my own decisions; it's all thanks to your good education!" Jin Chengyan replied stubbornly.
"Smack—" Jin Zhongshu threw the cup of hot tea from the table at Jin Chengyan, the tea splashing onto his suit, steaming as it soaked in. Yet, he remained silent, stubbornly enduring it.
"Jin Chengyan—" Qiao Nuo called out his name, only to realize that her concern was overwhelming.
However, as the words left her mouth, she felt how inappropriate they were. The Jin family members sat in silence; even his relatives were not speaking, so what right did she, an outsider, have to speak up for Jin Chengyan?
Qiao Nuo stepped back, standing quietly on the periphery. Everything here should have nothing to do with her.
She also didn't understand why Jin Zhongshu had called her over.
At that moment, Jin Zhongshu finally noticed Qiao Nuo. To be honest, he didn't dislike the girl, but he certainly couldn't say he liked her either. She was far from being worthy of his son, Jin Chengyan.
However, compared to that Xizi, Qiao Nuo was already much better.
"Qiao Nuo, come here." Jin Zhongshu's tone softened significantly when addressing her.
The entire Jin family did not understand why Jin Zhongshu had summoned someone named Qiao Nuo or what relationship she had with Jin Chengyan. They all quietly sat in their seats, watching how the head of the family would reprimand this arrogant heir!
"Qiao Nuo, you need to leave immediately!" Jin Chengyan turned around. He didn't stand up, showing some respect for his father, yet he was commanding Qiao Nuo to leave at once.
"Jin Chengyan, this is not your place to give orders!" Jin Zhongshu reprimanded him again.
Qiao Nuo stood in place, gazing at Jin Chengyan's bloodshot eyes, then at Jin Zhongshu, whose expression was kind yet impossible to refuse.
What should she do?
“Uncle Jin, I think this is a matter for your family. It might be best if I leave for now,” Qiao Nuo said, avoiding Jin Chengyan's piercing gaze. This man truly had an imposing presence, even when kneeling; he radiated an air of authority!
Where did he get such a demeanor?
Was it innate?
The people in the living room were taken aback by Qiao Nuo's use of “Uncle Jin.”
The head of the Jin Family was not known for acknowledging a niece in public; anyone who could call Jin Zhongshu “Uncle Jin” must have considerable standing.
It seemed that Qiao Nuo was not someone to be underestimated!
Jin Zhongshu rested his hand on the armrest of the mahogany chair and remained silent for two seconds before slowly saying, “Do you think it's appropriate to still call me ‘Uncle Jin’ now?”
Qiao Nuo was startled. The last time they met, Jin Zhongshu had said she could call him “Uncle Jin” since calling him “Mr. Jin” made him feel old.
So today, Qiao Nuo had naturally addressed him that way, not expecting the elder to take offense.
She felt extremely awkward.
It seemed that no one realized the implications of Jin Zhongshu's words, but Jin Chengyan, kneeling on the ground, suddenly looked at his father.
It appeared that there were some things he could not hide from his father.
In fact, Jin Chengyan had many things he did not want to keep from his father; this was something he would have to tell him sooner or later.
However, he never expected that it would be under such circumstances—after he had become involved with Qiao Nuo, after he had intended to terminate their contract, and when he was planning to let go of Qiao Nuo.
Jin Zhongshu had discovered it!
"Shouldn't you be calling me 'Dad' instead?"
As soon as Jin Zhongshu's words left his mouth, the entire living room fell silent. Qiao Nuo was also stunned, unable to utter a word, only able to glance towards Jin Chengyan.
Jin Chengyan, standing three or four meters away, looked at Qiao Nuo but suddenly closed his eyes. Qiao Nuo could not understand what Jin Chengyan was thinking in that moment when he shut his eyes.
"What? A Yan, you’ve actually married this girl? When did this happen? Why didn’t you tell me and Dad?" The mistress of the house suddenly stood up from her chair, looking at Jin Chengyan in disbelief!
Jin Chengyan opened his eyes and cast a brief glance at Qiao Nuo before turning away. "Mom, marriage is my own business. She is the one I live with, so I didn’t feel the need to tell you."
Yu Xin was taken aback by Jin Chengyan's words, unable to catch her breath as she sat back down in her chair, disappointment and sadness flooding her heart.
Seeing his wife sitting down in distress because of Jin Chengyan's actions only deepened Jin Zhongshu's dissatisfaction.
“You secretly got married outside and still have the nerve to argue? Have you considered how the girl feels? Without a wedding, what reason does she have to marry you? Do you think no one cares about your little affairs? You’ve put a girl in such a difficult position, and you still dare to say you’re a man from the Jin Family?”
Qiao Nuo felt warmth in her heart as she listened to Jin Zhongshu's words. He was scolding Jin Chengyan for not giving her a wedding, for not providing her with a legitimate identity.
But in reality, this couldn’t be blamed on Jin Chengyan, because their marriage was merely a contract. Jin Chengyan had no obligation to give her a grand wedding.
“This is my own business,” Jin Chengyan replied softly.
Qiao Nuo felt it was pointless for Jin Chengyan to bear such unfounded accusations. She said, “Uncle Jin, I don’t mind any of this; it has nothing to do with Jin Chengyan. Marriage is fundamentally a matter between two people…”
“Wait… you two are married?” A faint voice emerged from the living room, and everyone fell silent at that moment. Little did they know that Qiao Nuo’s arrival was not the end; unexpectedly, Jin Zhongshu had invited the parties involved today!
Jin Chengyan and Qiao Nuo turned simultaneously towards the sound and saw Ruan Shengyu dressed in white.
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