The chaotic and noisy banquet fell silent once again.
Apart from Jiang Yu, everyone else showed varying degrees of surprise. Before this, no one had expected Qin Yan to come, let alone appear in such a protective stance toward Jiang Yu.
Even Song Yun and Jiang Dachuan, who had been watching their daughter battle demons and monsters, were stunned.
“Did our son-in-law get a brain transplant, too?” Song Yun whispered to Jiang Dachuan. “Just a few days ago at the hospital, he looked like he wanted nothing to do with Xiao Yu for the rest of his life…”
Jiang Han, on the other hand, was so angry that her eyes seemed ready to shoot flames.
Qin Yan had clearly never cared about Jiang Yu before. According to Qin Huaiyu, the two of them didn’t even meet in private. They were no different from strangers.
So why would Qin Yan show up at the Jiang family’s banquet now, acting as if he wanted to protect Jiang Yu?
Jiang Yu didn’t care what others thought. Just as Qin Yan and Jiang Yang were facing off, she leaned out from behind Qin Yan, took a photo of the two with her phone, and couldn’t help but laugh. “Jiang Yang, do you think standing up will intimidate others with your presence? Take a look at yourself. You’re like a little figurine. Who are you trying to scare?”
After saying this, she held up her phone and showed Jiang Yang the photo she had just taken.
Jiang Yang, standing at around 175 cm, was usually considered of average height in a crowd. No one had ever mocked him like this before.
But Qin Yan was over 185 cm tall, a full half-head taller than Jiang Yang. With his slender waist, long legs, and excellent proportions, he appeared even more imposing visually. Truly the legendary aura of 2.8 meters!
He looked down slightly at Jiang Yang across from him, exuding an overwhelming sense of pressure. Even though Jiang Yang was trying his best to puff out his chest, lift his head, and stiffen his neck, the comparison between the two… was simply incomparable.
Jiang Han clenched the hand holding his chopsticks tightly.
Fu Shaoqing picked a peanut from the Kung Pao chicken and held it up toward Jiang Yang, perfectly blocking his figure.
She curved her eyes, popped the peanut into her mouth, and crunched it loudly. She opened her mouth but made no sound: “Little shrimp.”
“Alright, it’s just the younger generation fooling around,” the old lady said, unable to bear seeing her only golden grandson suffer like this. She quickly spoke up and called for someone to bring an extra chair for Qin Yan.
Qin Yan, exuding an air of noble elegance, shifted his gaze away from Jiang Yang, took off his suit jacket, and draped it over the back of the chair. Then, as he rolled up his shirt sleeves, he sat down beside Jiang Yu and whispered, “Although I arrived a bit late, it doesn’t count as breaking the agreement, right?”
The contract they signed yesterday clearly stipulated the obligation for mutual assistance.
Jiang Yu raised her can of soda toward him. “Thanks.”
Uncle Jiang Dahe’s eyes darted around as he called out to Jiang Yang, “Your brother-in-law rarely visits. Hurry up and pour him a drink. Let’s have a good drink together today!”
After all, Qin Yan was the current president of the Qin Group. Jiang Yang hadn’t intended to confront Qin Yan in the first place, so when his father gave him an out, he immediately took it. He poured a glass of wine and handed it to Qin Yan. “Brother-in-law, I’m a straightforward person. I spoke without thinking in the heat of the moment. I apologize to you.”
Qin Yan, accustomed to socializing in business settings, took the wine glass with practiced ease. “Why apologize to me? You didn’t insult my height.”
Actually, what he meant was: I’m looking down on you because of my height, and you’re apologizing to me? What a joke.
Jiang Yang: “…” Now I really think you two are a perfect match. You’re both experts at ruining the moment!
“Hahaha, my nephew-in-law is so witty!” Even the seasoned Jiang Dahe felt a bit awkward, but the Jiang family dinner couldn’t look too embarrassing in front of outsiders. He had no choice but to grit his teeth and continue smoothing things over for Jiang Yang. “We’re all family. Between you youngsters, let’s just drink to this and put it behind us!”
“Right, my dad is absolutely right!” Jiang Yang once again seized the opportunity to save face, raising his glass to Qin Yan and Jiang Yu. “Let’s finish this drink, and we’ll consider the matter closed. Brother-in-law, if you don’t drink, you’re not giving me face!”
With that, he raised his glass, waiting for Qin Yan and Jiang Yu to clink glasses with him. But before Qin Yan could even touch his glass, Jiang Yu took it away and replaced it with a soft drink. “He has to drive later, so he won’t be drinking. Don’t worry, we won’t hold a grudge over something as trivial as you pointing your finger at me and yelling. We certainly won’t remember it for the next ten or twenty years.”
Jiang Yang: “…Can’t you just drive instead?”
Seriously, when did this person’s words become so infuriating?
Jiang Yu replied without missing a beat: “I don’t know how to drive.”
Jiang Yang wore an expression that screamed, Huh??? “Did your car drive itself into the old house’s garage?”
Jiang Yu: “I hired a driver to take me.”
Jiang Yang: “…Then you two can just hire a driver when you leave.”
Jiang Yu: “Qin Yan is the driver I hired.”
Jiang Yang: “??!”
I must be out of my mind to even entertain your nonsense!
Qin Yan tilted his head slightly to look at Jiang Yu.
She had placed the glass of wine aside, her movements seemingly casual.
They say that among ten domineering CEOs, five have stomach problems, four suffer from headaches, and one is just plain crazy. Judging by Qin Yan’s current relatively healthy state, he might not yet qualify as a proper domineering CEO.
But in half a year, he’ll get there. In the later plot she’d seen, Qin Yan became a master of time management, shuttling between various business banquets and drinking sessions for the sake of projects. Eventually, he succeeded in drinking himself into stomach problems, frequently suffering excruciating pain and joining the ranks of outstanding domineering CEOs.
Jiang Yu didn’t want such a weak ally. She glanced at Qin Yan out of the corner of her eye and tapped the table twice with her fingers. Once she had his attention, she said thoughtfully, “Drink less. If you ruin your stomach, you’ll be an easy target for caregivers to bully when you’re old.”
Qin Yan: “…”
Well, well, well. I thought you were defending me against an outsider, but it turns out you’re just attacking everyone indiscriminately.
The family dinner ended close to ten o’clock. It was quite a distance from here to Shengjing Huayuan, so as soon as they left the table, Jiang Yu grabbed Qin Yan and prepared to leave.
Uncle and Aunt chased them outside. After all, Zhao Huiru had specifically called to complain about Jiang Yu, asking them to teach her a lesson. Though they didn’t know the exact details, they still had to make sure Jiang Yu understood their stance.
When Jiang Yu turned and saw Jiang Dahe and the others, she immediately opened the car door and shoved Qin Yan into the driver’s seat.
Seeing her about to slip away, Aunt was about to call out to stop her when Song Yun’s voice came from behind: “Sister-in-law, didn’t you say you were going to do the dishes and clean up? Hurry up, or you’ll be too late!”
Aunt: “…”
When did I ever say I was going to do it?! That was clearly your daughter who said it!
—
Jiang Yu lazily settled into the passenger seat, fastened her seatbelt, and habitually opened her phone to check the app.
After completing all the beginner tasks that day, the task panel had refreshed.
The refreshed tasks were divided into weekly tasks and special tasks.
Weekly tasks were fixed check-in tasks to be completed within each week, and their content was quite simple. For example, this week’s tasks were:
「1. Physical contact with Qin Yan (1/5)」
「2. Share a meal with Qin Yan (1/3)」
「3. Watch a movie with Qin Yan (0/1)」
As long as she diligently completed these weekly tasks on time, she could maintain her luck value at a moderate level. There are no blessings from the God of Luck, but no misfortune either. It was a bit like living off a basic safety net, just scraping by.
Special tasks were triggered irregularly and issued by Xiao’er at any time. It was said that they were completely different in style from the weekly tasks. Completing them would yield special rewards.
There was no movement on the special tasks yet, but the weekly tasks had already made a tiny bit of progress. Sharing a meal and the physical contact from just now when she stuffed Qin Yan into the car.
Jiang Yu felt quite pleased with herself, leaning lazily against the seatback. “Let’s go, President Qin.”
“You certainly don’t hold back,” Qin Yan started the car and glanced at her. “So, this family banquet of yours, is it a specially tailored troublemaking session for you?”
“As expected of President Qin, you’ve successfully seen through the surface to the essence.” Jiang Yu rolled down the window a bit, squinting as the wind blew in her face. “This morning, your sister wanted to get physical with me. I was so angry that I carried away the box of seafood they were planning to eat for lunch. Your mother complained to my uncle about me, so now the family is going to teach me a lesson.”
Qin Yan frowned, paused for a few seconds, and suddenly thought of something, letting out a laugh. “Well done.”
The Wang family wanted to collaborate with the Qin Group, but they approached Zhao Huiru. According to Secretary Fang, the CEO of the Wang family brought gifts to Zhao Huiru today, trying to curry favor and secure a partnership.
Unfortunately, he and Zhao Huiru weren’t on the same side. The Wang family had truly aimed their flattery in the wrong direction.
“It seems your mother and my uncle’s family are quite close.” When it came to disciplining her, they didn’t go to her own parents but instead took the long way to her uncle. Clearly, there was something fishy going on.
Today’s family banquet was probably also orchestrated by her uncle’s family, egging on the old lady.
She hadn’t told Qin Yan about the betting agreement between the Jiang and Qin families.
After all, she couldn’t yet confirm whether he was truly trustworthy.
Jiang Yu turned her face toward the car window.
She was thinking that perhaps the time she coincidentally overheard her uncle and father discussing the marriage alliance in the study wasn’t a coincidence at all.
Was her uncle pushing so hard for the marriage alliance and the betting agreement because he wanted to quietly sell off the group for personal gain?
She pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling a bit drowsy.
By the time she woke up again, the car had already reached the vicinity of Shengjing Huayuan.
The system, which had been silent for a while, suddenly popped up: 【Ding—Special task triggered】
【Today’s meeting with the producer and the family banquet are both plot points that don’t exist in the original novel. The System Management Bureau is already rushing to draft them. However, since the entire day has been too smooth, the General Bureau has determined that some twists need to be added, thus triggering a special situational multiple-choice question—】
On the drive back to Shengjing Huayuan from the Jiang family’s old house, Qin Yan and Jiang Yu might encounter the following strange occurrences: A. Encountering thugs and engaging in a life-or-death struggle. B. The car getting stuck in a ghost wall all night. C. The car being struck by a mysterious force mid-journey and flying into outer space.
【Time limit: one minute. Please choose one of the above three options, Host.】
Jiang Yu: ???
What kind of new game is this? Among these three options, which one guarantees survival, may I ask??
System: 【Only one minute left! Countdown: 59… 58…】
Jiang Yu: I choose! I choose!
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Maria Lian On CFRFGC Chapter 104