Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Don’t let him hate _1 Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Don’t let him hate _1 “Sorry.” Jian Qing apologized and moved past him into the banquet hall without waiting for a reply.
Quan Jingwu did not stop her, watching her retreating figure with eyes that lingered for a long while.
He had wanted to leave the banquet early, but had seen her taking a phone call and without thinking, walked over to her. Unexpectedly, she had collided with him before he could speak.
The faint fragrance she carried wasn’t like the perfume of others; rather, it was a soft, natural scent that he found intriguing, not at all displeasing.
The two of them, otherwise not on the same path, had collided by chance or perhaps destiny. The outcome was yet to be determined, but what was sure was that the wheel of fate had already started to turn.
Their minor incident on the terrace had gone unnoticed by others, but there were those who had observed it, particularly those who harbored interest in Quan Jingwu.
Holding her wine glass, Chu Ruohan found herself disinterested in the conversation around her. With a glance towards the terrace, her grip tightened around her wine glass, a sense of panic and unease lurking in her heart, as if something valuable was being taken from her.
The man she yearned for did not appreciate others being too close, especially women. Yet now, he seemed unperturbed as another woman had collided with him.
As if she had just recalled something, Chu Ruohan turned towards Quan Yifei and in a soft voice asked, “Yifei, do you know Jian Qing?”
“Not really, we’ve just run into each other once.” Quan Yifei replied carelessly.
She was certainly keen to know Jian Qing more, but the latter seemed too distant and aloof.
Hearing this, the ladies gathered with interest, hoping to learn more about Jian Qing from Quan Yifei.
“Yifei, is Jian Qing really the great-granddaughter of the An Family?”
“Yes, and she doesn’t seem too affectionate. Also, it seems the An family doesn’t really like her!”
As they all spoke, Quan Yifei sported a headache. Looking at these gossip-loving debutantes, Quan Yifei felt slightly annoyed.
What had Jian Qing done to make them rejoice over her misfortunes? It was indeed annoying.
Despite her impatience, her good upbringing kept Quan Yifei restrained. She smiled and responded, “Sorry, I really don’t know much about that. But I personally like Jian Qing a lot.”
Upon hearing this, the ladies exchange glances. Some of them looked at Quan Yifei in surprise. When had Quan Yifei become so friendly? She was defending Jian Qing, an outsider? They themselves had been flatteringly kind to her, but she didn’t seem to be as close to them.
Having heard Quan Yifei’s words, Chu Ruohan felt a sudden sinking in her heart. Jian Qing!
Even though Jian Qing had made a surprising entrance, the atmosphere of the banquet remained elevated until it ended after eight o’clock.
After seeing their guests leave, only the An Family and Jian Qing were left in the banquet hall. Unlike the An Family members with their stern faces, Jian Qing was completely at ease, relaxing on the sofa as if she owned the place.
“Xiaonuo, since you are back, you should stay here.” The Elder An gave Jian Qing a steady look. His age-etched face revealed a hint of fatigue after the long banquet.
Before Jian Qing could answer, the members of the An family, especially An Rong, were already losing their composure.
“Grandfather, how could she possibly stay in the main mansion?”
Even they didn’t have the right to live in the main mansion, not even her daughter. Why should this illegitimate child have special treatment? No way would the An family fortune be shared with her. An Rong was adamant about that.
An Man, who had been silent until now, also spoke, “Grandfather, it’s really not appropriate.”
Jian Qing sat in silence on the sofa, her finger lightly touching her chin as she observed the infighting within the An family.
Elder An roared, “Since when did the An family estate become your property? Don’t forget who the head of this family is.”
At his words, An Zhonghui and the others were filled with mixed feelings. It had been a long time since they saw the Elder An lose his temper. He was doing it now, for a person who had been away for seventeen years.
Zhou Qi glanced at An Zhonghui secretly. She was feeling uneasy. An Zhonghui knew what his wife was thinking but given how his father was clearly favoring Jian Qing, he chose to remain silent fearing potential repercussions.
“Father, you…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Elder An’s voice turned icy, “What? You want to defy me too? Or are you saying that I’m no longer fit to be the head of the An family, hmm?”
“This…” An Zhonghui choked on his words. He glanced at Jian Qing, who was sitting calmly on the sofa, before finally choosing to remain silent.
“The offspring of a whore is no better than their mother. They can never change their base nature.” An Rong couldn’t control the bitterness in her voice as she cursed.
No sooner had her words fallen than Jian Qing moved.
“What… what are you going to do?” An Rong tried to maintain a calm facade as Jian Qing approached, but her feet betrayed her fear as she started to back away.
Jian Qing’s eyes narrowed slightly, a cold glint flashing in her gaze, “Hmph!”
With a soft chuckle, Jian Qing’s hand which had been by her side moved. The speed at which it moved stunned the onlookers.
“Slap-”
The crisp sound of a slap echoe-din the banquet hall. An Rong’s well-maintained cheek instantly turned red and swollen.
Elder An blinked in surprise but ultimately said nothing. Meanwhile, An Chong gazed at Jian Qing’s profile, his mind awash with thoughts.
The stinging pain on her face brought An Rong back to her senses. She clasped her swollen cheek, trembling with fury, “You … how dare you hit me!”
The audacity of this bastard, daughter of a whore!