"But don’t worry." Gu Qiang said, holding Shi Lei’s hand, "The niece-in-law I’ve set my eyes on is definitely your family’s Kexi. After all, I watched Kexi grow up, and you’re my good friend. What does the Jiang Family even count for?"
Hearing Gu Qiang say this, Shi Lei’s expression softened a bit.
"I just don’t want my Kexi to suffer any grievances."
"Oh, you can rest assured on that, of course, I’m on the side of ’family’."
The two exchanged glances and smiled at each other.
Shi Lei once again took Gu Qiang’s arm.
"Let’s go, have dinner, and take this opportunity to see what this Jiang Li is really like."
The two were the last to enter the dining room.
As they sat down, their eyes inadvertently swept over to Jiang Li.
Seeing her sitting between the old man and Gu Yu, their expressions involuntarily changed slightly.
Jiang Li also keenly sensed the subtle atmosphere, lightly cleared her throat, and without changing her expression, said to Zhao Lang, "The dark aura between those two’s brows has deepened, they must be plotting something harmful."
Zhao Lang wasn’t surprised, just chuckled, "You don’t even need to look to know, my aunt never has any good intentions."
"But today, she shouldn’t be able to stir up much."
Zhao Lang made a mysterious gesture to be silent, "Because there’s a good show to watch."
Jiang Li suddenly understood.
So she wasn’t the only one working today.
She thought Zhao Lang really invited her just to bring along the Rong Family.
In that case, she didn’t need to rush and could slowly watch the play unfold.
With this thought, Jiang Li’s gaze shifted to the table in front of her, wanting to fill her stomach first.
She was quite looking forward to the Gu Family banquet.
Today’s setup seemed quite grand.
The appetizers hadn’t even arrived, yet the table was already filled with various tableware, both Chinese and Western.
All the Western-style knives and forks were pure silver, with ornate designs on the handles, exceptionally exquisite.
The tips of the Chinese chopsticks were even made of white jade, perfectly collectible quality.
If it were her, she certainly wouldn’t have brought them out for outsiders.
Especially not for people like the Rong Family.
What if they spoiled her treasures?
Soon, the appetizers were served.
As Jiang Li expected, they were mostly a fusion of Chinese and Western, even covering the eight major cuisines.
Each dish was presented with exquisite artistry, and the knife work was exceptionally skilled.
There was no change in Jiang Li’s expression, but Zhao Lang could clearly see her eyes brighten for a moment when the dishes were served.
So, without a word, he subtly moved all the dishes Jiang Li liked over to her.
Seeing the old woman and the old man start eating, Jiang Li also picked up her chopsticks and started to enjoy the meal.
She was amazed from the first dish.
It looked like a dessert, even shaped like a peach blossom, but as soon as she took a bite, the fragrance filled her entire mouth.
It seemed to be made from foie gras, very fresh, her taste buds instantly awakened.
She tasted two or three successive dishes, each more stunning than the last.
Jiang Li was immediately delighted with the meal.
This trip was absolutely worth it.
Zhao Lang noticed how much she enjoyed the food and quietly shifted the remaining dishes in front of her.
The old man and woman kept chatting and didn’t notice anything amiss.
But Rong Kexi wasn’t the same.
The Chinese-style dress didn’t show her figure, and to create an effect, she hadn’t eaten much for three days.
She was waiting for this meal.
After just a few bites, the dishes in front of her were moved away.
Another dish she was just starting to savor was taken as she was about to have a second bite.
She glared up, sweeping her gaze around, and immediately spotted Jiang Li happily eating.
This annoyed her even more.
Her clothes had been taken by Jiang Li, the man was pulled away by her, and now even the food ended up in her mouth.
Rong Kexi was about to react when, unexpectedly, Gu Qiang spoke up first.
She smiled as she looked at Jiang Li.
"Miss Jiang, you’re enjoying the food, aren’t you?"
Jiang Li didn’t respond, continuing to sip her sweet soup.
Seeing this, Rong Kexi sneered, "You better eat more, after all, once you leave here, you’ll probably never eat this again in your life."
Jiang Li then leisurely raised her eyes and, pretending not to understand, asked, "Why wouldn’t I be able to eat it?"
Rong Kexi didn’t expect her to ask back, and blurted out, "It’s not like you can just come to the Gu Family on a whim, of course, you can’t eat it."
Shi Lei’s face immediately changed upon hearing this.
She instinctively looked at Gu Shengrong, and sure enough, his expression wasn’t good.
Gu Shengrong put down his chopsticks with a snort, "Why can’t Miss Li come to my house to eat? Our home isn’t a prison."
Rong Kexi’s face paled, and she quickly explained, "N-no, I didn’t mean that..."
Shi Lei also pulled her daughter to explain, "Kexi has been spoiled by us, she’s always been careless with her words, Uncle Gu, please don’t mind, I’ll discipline her properly when we get back."
Gu Qiang now understood.
The old man was completely defending Jiang Li.
Jiang Li’s status was completely inferior to the Rong Family, and the old man wasn’t a particularly kind person, why was he being so unusual today?
Could it be because of Chixia Village?
While thinking, Gu Qiang picked up the dish in front of her and placed it in front of Jiang Li, seemingly to ease the atmosphere, "Ah, we’re all family here, just eat whatever you like, come whenever you want."
"Jiang Li, you seem to , let me get this for you, eat more."
Jiang Li casually glanced at Gu Qiang’s face.
Brow bones protruding, Yintang full, high cheekbones.
A person with a blessed look and a prosperous future.
But it’s a pity, not a person of good character, opportunistic, and likes to use power, also morally questionable.
But from the way Jin Siyue acts, one could guess what his parents are like.
Thinking of Jin Siyue, Jiang Li suddenly guessed what Zhao Lang might do today.
Her eyes moved slightly, then she smiled and took the dish Gu Qiang offered.
"Alright, thank you, Aunt."
Gu Qiang heard Jiang Li boldly call her ’Aunt’ and a trace of disdain flashed in her eyes.
Clearly from a humble background, yet with a bit of kindness, she’s eager to flatter and build connections.
Let’s see how she handles the embarrassment later!
Gu Qiang then became even more attentive to her, constantly asking about the taste of the dishes.
Rong Kexi, listening on the side, grew increasingly displeased, losing her appetite completely by the end.
Rong Ya furrowed her brow, thinking Gu Qiang’s behavior was odd.
She didn’t know Jiang Li, but from her observations thus far, Jiang Li seemed pretty okay.
At least she had a good vibe.
So she lightly coughed and pushed the plum wine in front of Jiang Li.
"Miss Jiang, try this, it’s quite good."