I Am Already A Queen

Chapter 142: Chapter 142: High-Profile Guest Is Coming

”Humph! Let them be.” Feng Lan scoffed coldly.

Hearing this, Jiang Yanna hid a secret smile. It was abundantly clear that her mother truly despised Qiao Meixia.

Just then, the grand double doors of the banquet hall swung open once again.

Everyone in the room turned to see who had arrived. Moments later, they watched as a man seated in a sleek, high-tech electric wheelchair rolled smoothly into the hall.

A wave of quiet gasps rippled through the crowd.

No one had expected someone of his stature to show up at a banquet like this.

Jiang Lukang immediately rushed over in person to welcome the high-profile guest.

”Welcome, Young Master Yin!” Jiang Lukang beamed, bowing his head respectfully.

He did not dare show even a hint of disrespect toward the man in the wheelchair, fully aware of the colossal power and influence of the family backing him.

”Mmm. My grandfather received the invitation and asked me to attend in his place.” Yin Jiuqi replied, offering a faint, polite smile.

A good number of the young socialite ladies in the room instantly swooned over his strikingly handsome smile, though they secretly harboured the same bitter thought. He was way out of reach, and besides, he was a cripple. That was the silent label they slapped on him. ℯℯ𝘭.

”Ah, I see. I completely understand that Patriarch Yin must be tied down with pressing affairs.” Jiang Lukang said smoothly.

”I heard this banquet was arranged to introduce your daughter. Where is she?” Yin Jiuqi inquired calmly.

Jiang Lukang quickly scanned the hall and spotted Qiao Meixia in the distance.

”Go and fetch Meixia right now. Tell her to come over and greet Young Master Yin.” Jiang Lukang instructed Feng Lan in a low, urgent voice.

Feng Lan had no choice but to head across the hall to retrieve Qiao Meixia.

”Meixia, come with me.” Feng Lan demanded the second she arrived at Qiao Meixia’s side.

Qiao Meixia, who had quietly slipped away to indulge in more desserts, looked up from her plate.

”What for?” Qiao Meixia asked flatly.

”An extremely distinguished guest has arrived. You need to come over immediately and pay your respects.” Feng Lan insisted.

Qiao Meixia raised an eyebrow. She wondered who this so-called distinguished guest could possibly be, feeling a slight spark of curiosity about his identity. She stood up, carefully placed her dessert plate on a nearby side table, and followed Feng Lan without putting up an argument.

Feng Lan was thoroughly taken aback to see Qiao Meixia being so compliant for once. Not wanting to ruin the moment, she did not ask questions and simply led her daughter back toward the entrance.

”Where is he?” Qiao Meixia asked as they walked.

Feng Lan snapped out of her thoughts. ”Just keep following me.”

The two of them approached Jiang Lukang, and Qiao Meixia finally caught sight of the distinguished guest. She recognised him instantly. She distinctly remembered seeing this very man back at the Suyu Shop when she had gone to pick up her school uniform.

When Qiao Meixia reached Jiang Lukang’s side, he instinctively reached out to place an affectionate hand on her shoulder to present her to Yin Jiuqi. However, the moment his hand neared her, Qiao Meixia deftly sidestepped, completely dodging his touch.

Yin Jiuqi’s eyes twitched slightly with subtle amusement as he observed the obvious friction between the father and daughter.

Jiang Lukang let out a heavy cough to clear his throat and mask his utter embarrassment.

”Young Master Yin, allow me to introduce my daughter, Qiao Meixia.” Jiang Lukang announced, forcing a pleasant tone.

”Ah...” Yin Jiuqi acknowledged smoothly.

”Meixia, hurry up and greet Young Master Yin properly.” Jiang Lukang urged in a tight voice.

Qiao Meixia did not utter a word of greeting. Instead, she stood there staring intently at Yin Jiuqi. To be precise, her gaze was fixed squarely on Yin Jiuqi’s legs.

Seeing that Qiao Meixia remained dead silent instead of offering a polite greeting, Jiang Lukang felt a surge of explosive fury boiling up inside his chest. This ungrateful daughter of his was practically asking for trouble.

”Qiao Meixia, control your manners and stop being so rude!” Jiang Lukang snapped in a hushed, harsh tone.

”You should exercise more.” Qiao Meixia stated casually.

The out-of-nowhere remark rendered the surrounding crowd instantly speechless.

What on earth did Qiao Meixia mean by that?

How could someone expect Young Master Yin to exercise in his physical condition?

Even Yin Jiuqi looked up at Qiao Meixia, a flicker of genuine surprise crossing his features.

”I have already said what I needed to say to him. I will take my leave now.” Qiao Meixia announced bluntly.

Without bothering to wait for Jiang Lukang’s reaction, Qiao Meixia turned on her heel and strolled right back toward the table where she had left her dessert plate.

Jiang Lukang immediately turned back to Yin Jiuqi, his face pale with panic.

”Young Master Yin, please, I beg you to forgive my daughter’s unforgivable rudeness!” Jiang Lukang stammered out, bowing repeatedly in apology on Qiao Meixia’s behalf.

”It is quite alright. I do not believe Miss Qiao meant any harm or offence by her comment.” Yin Jiuqi said smoothly, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

Jiang Lukang froze, utterly stunned. He had fully anticipated that Yin Jiuqi would be deeply offended after receiving such a blunt, insensitive remark from his daughter.

Yet, Yin Jiuqi did not appear the least bit angry. Instead, his gaze lingered on the path Qiao Meixia had just taken as she walked away. For reasons he could not quite explain, he found himself intensely curious about her.

Meanwhile, Qiao Meixia had already reunited with her plate of sweets. She picked up her fork and went right back to enjoying her dessert, completely unfazed, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened at all.

”I already did as my grandfather asked. I will leave now. Congratulations on getting your daughter back.” Yin Jiuqi said coolly.

Just like Qiao Meixia before him, Yin Jiuqi did not bother waiting for Jiang Lukang to respond. He immediately operated the controls on his electric wheelchair, turned smoothly around, and headed straight for the exit.

Jiang Lukang’s brows furrowed deeply as he watched Yin Jiuqi leave in such a dismissive manner, but he did not dare raise a word of protest to stop him.

Jiang Yanna was also staring intently at Yin Jiuqi’s retreating figure. Truth be told, if Yin Jiuqi were not crippled, she would have leapt at the chance to marry a man of his stature. Unfortunately, his luck had run out, and he had suffered a devastating accident that permanently stripped him of his ability to walk.

She silently congratulated herself that she would no longer be forced to fulfil any potential arrangement with him. Someone else would inevitably be pushed forward to take her place as a sacrificial substitute.

Her thoughts drifted back to the way Yin Jiuqi had looked at Qiao Meixia just moments ago. A wicked idea took root in her mind. How wonderful would it be if he actually fell for that country bumpkin? The Yin Family would surely pull all their strings to secure the marriage for him, and once Qiao Meixia was locked into a union with a bitter cripple, she would be condemned to a lifetime of utter misery.

The grand event finally drew to a close. As the last of the high-society guests filed out of the ballroom, only the core members of the Jiang Family remained behind.

Old Master Jiang fixed his third son with a pair of razor-sharp eyes. Under his father’s suffocating gaze, Jiang Lukang stood like a guilty child bracing himself for a harsh reprimand.

”Third son, do you have any idea what I want to say to you right now?” Old Master Jiang demanded, his voice dangerously quiet.

”I... I don’t know.” Jiang Lukang replied, deciding it was best to feign ignorance.

”So! Is this ridiculous fairy tale the grand explanation you came up with to deceive the public?” Old Master Jiang suddenly boomed, his authority echoing through the empty hall.

Jiang Mingzhu, having arrived late, was thoroughly confused by her father’s outburst. She leaned closer to her mother to whisper a low inquiry.

”Mom, what on earth is going on here?” Jiang Mingzhu whispered to her mother.

”That idiot Lukang, instead of coming clean about the baby mix-up at the hospital, concocted a whole tragic cover story.” Old Madam Jiang stated bluntly, not making the slightest effort to lower her volume. ”He announced to the entire room that Meixia and Yanna are fraternal twins, claiming Meixia was sickly from birth and had to be hidden away in the countryside to recuperate before returning to us.”

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