I Am Already A Queen

Chapter 117: Chapter 117: Advise His Wife To Pay More Attention To Qiao Meixia

”Good.” Jiang Lukang nodded, feeling a wave of relief at the prominent choice. Then, his eyes scanned the empty seats around the table before he asked again, ”And where is Meixia?”

The moment that name left his lips, Feng Lan’s face immediately contorted into a bitter frown.

”How should I know? That girl vanished out the front door early this morning, and even now, well after dark, she still has not bothered to return home.” Feng Lan answered in an intensely annoyed tone.

Jiang Lukang’s brow furrowed even deeper upon hearing his wife’s report.

”You ought to sit down with her and give her some proper guidance.” Jiang Lukang stated sternly. Then he continued talking. ”It reflects terribly on our household for a young girl to be wandering around outside at all hours of the night. If high society gets wind of this, people will start gossiping about how poorly we educate our own children.”

”Do you honestly think I have not considered that already?” Feng Lan gritted her teeth in sheer frustration. ”I have thought about it endlessly! But every time I so much as attempt to speak to her, she just stares back at me with that face, that insufferable, completely emotionless expression!”

”We need her to stay under our roof for at least a couple of years. Otherwise, high society will start whispering about our blatant bias. So, make your peace with her,” Jiang Lukang instructed firmly.

”That is far easier said than done! I truly have zero desire to interact with her.” Feng Lan stated, her tone dripping with annoyance. Then, a sudden, alarming thought crossed her mind. ”Husband... is she truly our biological daughter? Could the DNA testing centre have made a grave error while processing the blood samples?”

”There was no error. She is undeniably our biological child.” Jiang Lukang stated with absolute certainty.

Feng Lan let out a heavy sigh, wanting to press the matter further. However, the sound of approaching footsteps interrupted her as Jiang Chinan and Jiang Yanna finally entered the dining room.

”Mmm, something smells absolutely delicious.” Jiang Chinan remarked cheerfully, pulling out a plush leather chair and sitting down.

”It is your absolute favourite dish, dear.” Feng Lan smiled softly.

Her sour mood instantly brightened the moment her favourite children entered the room.

”Where is Eldest Brother? I thought he had already returned home from his business trip.” Jiang Chinan asked, glancing around the empty places at the table.

”Your Eldest Brother ran off to your grandparents’ ancestral estate to stay overnight.” Feng Lan answered with a mild huff.

”Oh... I see.” Jiang Chinan nodded.

”Then, where is Sister Meixia? Has she not returned home yet?” Jiang Yanna chimed in softly, painting a picture of delicate, sisterly concern.

”How should I know? Humph! There is no need to waste an ounce of worry on her.” Feng Lan snorted coldly at the mere mention of Qiao Meixia’s name.

Jiang Yanna lowered her gaze toward her bowl, the corners of her lips curling upward into a discreet, triumphant smirk. Her mother was becoming increasingly resentful toward Qiao Meixia with every passing day, a dynamic that suited her perfectly, as it would only solidify her own irreplaceable position within the family hierarchy.

...

Early the next morning, Qiao Meixia awoke precisely according to her usual internal clock. She changed into a sleek, dark sports outfit for her routine morning run. As she stepped out into the quiet hallway, the door across from hers opened simultaneously, revealing Jiang Suhan clad in casual lounge wear.

”Good morning, Qiaoqiao.” Jiang Suhan greeted her warmly.

”Hmm... Good morning.” Qiao Meixia nodded quietly.

Jiang Suhan’s eyes lit up slightly at the subtle shift. In the past, she would have offered nothing more than a clipped, indifferent ”Hmm...” But today, he received an actual verbal greeting in return. It was a small step forward, but a meaningful improvement nonetheless.

”Where are you heading so early?” Jiang Suhan asked softly.

”Morning jog.” Qiao Meixia replied.

”Is that so? Hold on a moment. Iwill join you. Let me change into proper running clothes first.” Jiang Suhan offered, turning back toward his room.

Qiao Meixia stood stunned for a brief second. However, she did not walk away, choosing instead to wait silently outside his door. In under five minutes, Jiang Suhan emerged, fully dressed in high-performance activewear.

”All set. Let’s go for that jog together.” Jiang Suhan said with a smile.

”Hmm...” Qiao Meixia gave a small nod.

As they set off along the winding, tree-lined perimeter of the ancestral estate, Jiang Suhan quickly found himself thoroughly astonished by his sister’s staggering physical stamina. Even after thirty minutes of continuous, fast-paced running, Qiao Meixia displayed not a single trace of fatigue. Her breathing remained effortlessly shallow, her stride impossibly light and steady, as if she were merely taking a casual stroll through a park.

He, on the other hand, was already burning through his lungs, his chest heaving as he struggled to keep pace.

Finally, after a full hour of non-stop endurance running, Qiao Meixia smoothly came to a halt. Beside her, Jiang Suhan leaned forward, hands resting heavily on his knees as he panted heavily to catch his breath.

”Qiaoqiao... do you really... not feel exhausted at all?” Jiang Suhan gasped out between heavy breaths.

”I do.” Qiao Meixia nodded flatly.

Jiang Suhan looked up at her, yet try as he might, he could not spot a single drop of sweat or sign of fatigue on his sister’s calm, serene face.

”Well... let’s head back inside the estate.” Jiang Suhan finally managed to say, straightening his posture.

”Hmm...” Qiao Meixia said.

”Qiaoqiao, do you go for an intense jog like this almost every morning?” Jiang Suhan inquired as they walked back toward the main gates.

”Hmm...” Qiao Meixia confirmed with a nod.

”Why?” Jiang Suhan pressed gently.

”For training.” Qiao Meixia answered simply.

”Training? Why on earth do you need such intense physical training?” Jiang Suhan asked, genuine curiosity lacing his tone.

Qiao Meixia fell entirely silent, leaving the question hanging in the air. Jiang Suhan turned to look at her, expecting her usual vacant, expressionless gaze. Instead, he caught a subtle, lingering flicker in her eyes, a shadowed, fleeting shift, as though his innocent inquiry had unearthed dark, unwanted memories buried deep in her past.

”If you prefer not to talk about it, it’s completely fine. You don’t have to explain anything to me.” Jiang Suhan interjected softly, stepping in to relieve the pressure.

”Hmm...” Qiao Meixia responded quietly.

Jiang Suhan knew all too well that her upbringing before returning to the Jiang family had been anything but gentle. He had no intention of forcing her to reopen old wounds. She could share her story in her own time, whenever she felt safe enough to do so.

They finally arrived back at the residence’s main entrance, where Old Master Jiang was stepping out onto the veranda. The old patriarch looked visibly surprised to see the two siblings returning together at such an early hour.

”Where did you two venture off to so early in the morning?” Old Master Jiang asked, his voice full of warmth.

”Oh... we went out for a morning jog together. We just finished.” Jiang Suhan answered smoothly.

”Ah, splendid! Morning exercise is exceptionally good for building vitality.” Old Master Jiang nodded approvingly. ”Well, come inside quickly. The kitchen is just finishing up breakfast.”

”We are going to return to our rooms first to take a quick shower and change. We will head down shortly. Please, feel free to start eating without us if you’d like.” Jiang Suhan suggested before turning to his sister. ”Qiaoqiao, let’s head upstairs.”

”Go on, go on.” Old Master Jiang waved them off with a smile.

Half an hour later, Qiao Meixia stepped out of her room, dressed in clean, comfortable attire. She made her way down to the grand dining room, finding the entire household already gathered around the massive wooden table.

”Good morning, Cousin Meixia!” Jiang Fenfang greeted her boisterously with a lively wave.

”Good morning, everyone.” Qiao Meixia said calmly.

”Come, child... come sit right next to Grandma.” Old Madam Jiang urged gently, patting the vacant seat beside her own.

Without hesitation, Qiao Meixia walked over and took her seat beside the old matriarch.

”Here, try this.” Old Madam Jiang said warmly, personally ladling a piping-hot bowl of rich seafood porridge and setting it before her granddaughter.

Qiao Meixia picked up her spoon and took a small bite. As the rich, savory flavors filled her palate, her dark eyes lifted slightly in quiet appreciation. It was undeniably delicious.

Around the table, the atmosphere was vibrant and warm, filled with animated chatter, lighthearted bickering, and shared laughter as everyone enjoyed their morning meal.

***This novel is a contracted work with w e b n o v e l. c o m. If you do not read this novel on w e b n o v e l. c o m, that means it has been stolen. Thank you, from your shameless author, ZerahNeko***