Chapter 181: Chapter 174: Qiao Jing is the Center of Attention Again
The sound of knocking echoed.
“Nanqing, why aren’t you out yet? All the guests who should be here have arrived, we’re just waiting for you, the main character, to make your appearance,” Su Manhan called from outside.
Zhan Nanqing looked at herself in the mirror, dressed in an incredibly expensive gown, her neck and hands adorned with jewelry that was worth a fortune.
All these were carefully prepared by Su Manhan for Zhan Nanqing to celebrate her becoming a member of Professor Qiao’s Research Institute.
“How am I going to face Qiao Jing! Awooo—”
“Nanqing, are you ready?” Su Manhan was still knocking on the door and urging.
“I’m ready! I’m ready!” Zhan Nanqing took a deep breath, embracing a do-or-die resolution, stepped out of the room, and joined Su Manhan to head to the banquet hall.
Zhan Nanqing’s gaze swept around, quickly locating Qiao Jing among the sea of people.
Qiao Jing was sitting on the sofa, surrounded by several little boys, each staring at Qiao Jing with wide eyes as if observing the most beautiful flower.
Fortunately, Qiao Jing wasn’t looking her way; otherwise, she wouldn’t have known how to respond to Qiao Jing’s gaze.
Should she hide? Or should she hide?
At that moment, Lou Xinrou, carrying an evening dress, came over.
“Nanqing, you look so beautiful today! You’re shining and radiant! Truly worthy of being today’s star of the show! You’re definitely the center of everyone’s attention.”
The center of everyone’s attention? Are you sure?
Zhan Nanqing’s gaze returned to Qiao Jing, who was being offered sweets by some boys, while others trotted over with servings of mousse pudding for her.
In their homes, each of these little boys was pampered like a little lord, but here, they all became servants to Qiao Jing.
Even their parents’ words fell on deaf ears, as they all clung around Qiao Jing, unwilling to leave.
There were also many wealthy second-generation spoiled brats nearby, attracted by Qiao Jing’s beauty and charisma, constantly sneaking glances her way.
Today, Qiao Jing was wearing the most ordinary of dresses without a single highlight, and yet, she still was the brightest star at the event.
“Nanqing, I’m so envious of you! My grades have always been better than yours, and I’ve invested myself fully into medicine lately, hoping to stand out early and make my parents proud. To make… to make Brother Pei see my effort and excellence. I never imagined you would get ahead of me and become a member of Professor Qiao’s Research Institute. I’m truly dying of envy…”
Hearing Lou Xinrou say this, Zhan Nanqing thought to herself: If you knew Qiao Jing was Professor Qiao, would you still envy me?
Others came forward one after another to shower Zhan Nanqing with all kinds of flattery, which was nothing but clichéd praises she’d heard far too much of.
“Your daughter is truly remarkable, look at our child, if only they could be half as excellent as yours.”
It was always these same remarks.
With these thoughts, Zhan Nanqing’s mind once again turned to Qiao Jing.
She suddenly felt she could understand Qiao Jing a bit more, understand why she chose to keep such a low profile.
Just imagine, if Qiao Jing’s identity was revealed, then wouldn’t she constantly hear these suck-ups and their insincere compliments everywhere she went?
Just listening to this for a short while was unbearable for her; if it were every day…
Zhan Nanqing hugged her arms and shivered, the thought alone was terrifying.
At that moment, out of the corner of her eye, Zhan Nanqing caught a glimpse of Zhan Qipei walking toward Qiao Jing.
Once he reached Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei didn’t say a word and directly sat next to her, draping his arm behind her on the sofa, then swept a possessive gaze over the children.
From this scene, Zhan Nanqing could see the childishness in his behavior.
He was actually jealous of a few kids, her brother was truly matchless!
Su Manhan tugged at Zhan Nanqing, “Nanqing, Auntie Wang told me she wants to introduce you to her son.”
Gan Lanlan walked toward Qiao Jing, ignoring Zhan Qipei’s glares and chatting enthusiastically with Qiao Jing.
Even though Zhan Qipei looked pretty scary, nothing could stop Gan Lanlan’s heart that was set on her idol.
In the crowd, Qian Haisheng and Qian Yuang were watching Qiao Jing and Gan Lanlan closely.
“No wonder the Gan family refused to cooperate with our Qian Family for Qiao Jing. They must have known that Qiao Jing was the legendary Divine Doctor Jing,” Qian Haisheng said with a gloomy face.
Qian Haisheng thought he had guessed right, but it was not the case at all.
“Dad, so we’re just going to let our plan for revenge against the Gan family go?” Qian Yuang asked.
“How could that be?! Your grandfather and Old Master Gan were once close as brothers. They went into business together but had a falling out over disagreements. They parted ways, each betting on who would succeed more. Later on, the Gan family thrived while your grandfather faced failure and bankruptcy one after another. Despite his pride, your grandfather asked Old Master Gan for a loan, hoping for a comeback.
But Old Master Gan haughtily told him that your grandfather’s management was the problem and that even if he started a new company, it would still end in bankruptcy. His contempt was such that your grandfather, humiliated, fell into depression and died.
On his deathbed, your grandfather gripped my hand tightly and told me to make something of myself and to ensure that the Gan family received their just desserts!”
Every time Qian Haisheng thought of his father’s unwillingness and resentment before his death, his fist clenched with a crack, and veins bulged on his arm.
“So, dad, what’s your plan?” Qian Yuang looked at Qian Haisheng’s clenched fist and asked.
Qian Haisheng’s cunning eyes settled on the little Gan Qiqi, “Gan Lanlan is the Gan family’s precious granddaughter, and in several generations, the Gan family hasn’t had a girl, so to deeply hurt the Gan family, we must target Gan Qiqi.”
“So many days have passed, and the Gan family’s protection of Qiqi is probably not as tight as it was before. Tonight, I’ll hire a group of mercenaries to wait at the kindergarten’s gate,” Qian Yuang said.
Qian Haisheng raised his hand, “There’s no need to hire assassins, have you forgotten Qiao Jing’s friend, that fatty Wen Binbin? Isn’t he an assassin? If we get our hands dirty with assassins and Qiao Jing traces it back to us through his connections, then what?”
“Then what should we do? We can’t use our people or hire assassins, so how are we supposed to kidnap Qiqi?”
Qian Haisheng narrowed his malicious eyes, “Mercenaries.”
“Ah! How could I have forgotten that? We can hire a foreign mercenaries’ squad, let them do the job, and then no one will be able to trace it back to them,” Qian Yuang exclaimed.
The next morning, Qiao Jing received a call from Country Yi.
“Sister Jing, we’re planning to visit the Empire today, do you have time to have a meal together?” The caller spoke in extremely fluent Arabic.
Qiao Jing replied in the same language, “Anytime works for me.”
Qiao Jing thought for a moment and asked, “Why have you suddenly decided to come to the Empire? Do you have a mission?”
“Yeah, a big one! But let’s not talk about this for now, it’s time to board the plane. Talk to you later.”
In the afternoon, around four o’clock, Gan Lanlan suddenly started having stomach pains.
“This is bad, I’m not going to make it!” Gan Lanlan, clutching her stomach, looked anxiously toward the entrance of the research institute.
“What’s wrong?” Qiao Jing asked, puzzled.
“I promised to bring Qiqi here today, she said she missed you, hiss—ouch, ouch—my stomach can’t take it.”
“I’ll go to the restroom. I’ll pick her up for you,” Qiao Jing said as she started to take off her lab coat.