She also smiled and nodded at Yan Jinyu and Huo Siyu, who were sitting beside Xi Fengling. âEldest Miss Yan, Miss Huo.â
The three of them glanced at her, but no one answered.
However, Min Sisi did not seem to be embarrassed at all. She continued, âSister Xi, I didnât manage to greet you properly that day. Now that we met at the Min Familyâs banquet, Iâll toast you to make an official acquaintance.â
Since she had already said so, Xi Fengling couldnât ignore her.
Xi Fengling was crossing her legs and leaning lazily on the sofa. Although she accepted Min Sisiâs toast, she wasnât very serious. She maintained her posture and simply raised her glass casually.
Both of them took a sip of red wine.
After that, Min Sisi looked at Yan Jinyu and Huo Siyu. âA toast to the two of you too.â
âThank you,â Huo Siyu said with a smile and clinked glasses with Yan Jinyu.
From the looks of it, it was not like Min Sisi was toasting them, but more like they were drinking among themselves.
Min Sisi endured it!
âSister Xi, can we talk in private?â
Xi Fengling swirled the wine glass and smiled charmingly, âBeauty Yu and Rainy arenât outsiders. Miss Min, you can say whatever you want here.â
Min Sisi hesitated. âButâ¦â
She glanced at the two of them carefully and bit her lip as if she was in a difficult position. In the end, she lowered her voice and said, âSister Xi, remind Second Brother to be careful at todayâs banquet. My father and Big Brotherâ¦â
âSister Xi should know whatâs going on in our family now. I think I heard my father and Big Brother talking over there just now⦠Anyway, remind Second Brother to be careful. No matter what, Second Brother is my brother. I donât want anything to happen to him.â
âIâve sent the message. I wish you all a happy time at the banquet. Of course, you have to be careful too. Iâll go over there to entertain my friends first.â
She left after saying that, looking flustered as if she was afraid of being discovered.
The three of them looked at each other.
âWhatâs she up to now? Is she trying to show her goodwill to us?â Huo Siyu spoke first.
Xi Fengling finished the red wine in her glass in one go. âIsnât it just a show of goodwill?â
âI forgot to tell you that before we arrived at the Min Family, she had already talked to Min Rufeng. This is their conversation.â As she spoke, Xi Fengling took out her phone to play the recording.
There were only three of them here. With their vigilance, they were not afraid of being overheard.
After hearing this recording, Huo Siyu sighed. Even Yan Jinyu raised her eyebrows slightly.
Xi Fengling continued, âShe looked for Min Rufeng, but she didnât tell him then that Min Guili and Min Nan might attack Min Rufeng at the banquet. I think itâs not that Min Sisi didnât know about it before, but she wanted to use this news to gain my favor.â
They were all smart people, so Yan Jinyu and Huo Siyu naturally could tell Min Sisiâs intentions.
âThen should we make some preparations?â Huo Siyu asked. It seemed like she was asking the two of them, but it was actually more like asking Yan Jinyu to make a decision.
After Huo Siyu asked this, even Xi Fengling looked at Yan Jinyu and waited for her to speak.
âThereâs no need for that,â Yan Jinyu said.
âIâm not afraid that theyâll make a move, Iâm only afraid that they wonât. Itâs best if they donât make a move themselves so that the people behind them will appear and can be dealt with together.â
âHowever, Ghost Slaughterâs people probably wonât choose to cooperate with Min Guili to attack us in such a crowded place. If they really do that, not only will they not be able to kill us, but they will also expose themselves. The gains wonât make up for the losses. Theyâre not that stupid.â
âJust because they donât cooperate doesnât mean that they wonât take advantage of the chaos. Thereâs no need to make any preparations. However, you still have to be vigilant. Donât let anyone take advantage of the situation.â
The two of them nodded.
âThese are all secondary. The most important thing today is to watch the show. Look, the show is about to begin.â
As soon as Yan Jinyu finished speaking, someone walked towards them.
It was more than one person.
The Luo siblings and Qin Jianjia.
âWhat are you talking about? What about a good show?â Qin Jianjia asked with a smile.
Yan Jinyu smiled faintly, âItâs nothing. Sister-in-law, come over and sit too.â After saying that, she glanced at Luo Yikun and looked at Luo Qiu. She nodded slightly as a form of greeting.
With a glance, Huo Siyu stood up and let Qin Jianjia sit in her original seat. She then moved over and let Qin Jianjia sit between her and Yan Jinyu.
Yan Jinyu was sitting in the middle when the three of them sat on the sofa together.
They were not afraid that someone would attack them, but they had to protect the person they wanted to protect.
Qin Jianjia didnât have any martial arts skills, so it was safer for her to stay by their side.
With one look, Huo Siyu understood Yan Jinyuâs meaning.
âSister Jianjia, sit here.â
âYou donât have to specially give me a seat. It doesnât matter where I sit.â
Yan Jinyu looked at her and smiled, âSister-in-law, take a seat.â
Qin Jianjia paused and looked at her steadily. Then, she chuckled, âAlright, thank you, Rainy.â
Qin Jianjia didnât know about the others, but she had seen Yan Jinyu make a move with her own eyes. She knew that they wouldnât have insisted on a sitting position for no reason.
Since that was the case, she would just do as they said.
She would not ask or say anything. After all, they would not harm her.
âYou guys donât stand there either. Sit.â When Qin Jianjia came over, she had a simple exchange with the Luo siblings. Now, they could be considered as acquaintances.
They were from North City. Because Yin Jiujin had lived in North City for many years and Yan Jinyu was from North City, Qin Jianjia unconsciously had a better impression of the people from North City.
âI wonât disturb you, right? Most importantly, Second Brother and I donât know anyone in the capital. Iâm still a little unused to such an occasion. I wanted to find a place to sit and rest, but I saw Eldest Miss Yan here, so I instinctively came over,â Luo Qiu said embarrassedly.
Her words implied that Yan Jinyu was considered their acquaintance here.
âYou wonât be disturbing us. Sit,â Yan Jinyu said.
Luo Qiu was Yan Jinyunâs partner. The Yan Family and the Luo Family were at a critical stage of their cooperation, so it would be troublesome if something happened to Luo Qiu.
As for Luo Yikun, it was good to keep him under her nose to prevent him from thwarting their plans later.
The two of them sat down.
âOh right, Sister Jianjia, I forgot to introduce you. This is Sister Fengling, the boss of Mei Feng Bar, Xi Fengling. Sheâs Brother Fengâs girlfriend and also a good friend of Beauty Yu and me,â Huo Siyu introduced.
Qin Jianjia was the model of a well-bred young lady, but she wasnât as superficial as those people. She wouldnât look down on someone like Xi Fengling, who didnât have a family behind her and who often hung out in bars.
Furthermore, it was obvious at a glance how close Xi Fengling was to Yan Jinyu and Huo Siyu.
She smiled politely and raised her glass. âNice to meet you, Boss Xi.â
Xi Fengling also raised her glass. Although her posture was still as charming and lazy as when she was facing Min Sisi, it was less casual and more serious. âEldest Young Madam Yin, nice to meet you.â
âBy the way, Yuâer was saying that she wanted to watch a show. What show is it?â
Yan Jinyu didnât hide it, but she didnât say much either.
She only looked at the banquet hall over there. âItâs nothing. I just saw that Mrs. Min and Mrs. Qin seemed to be at odds with each other as if they would fight in the next second. I was so bored so I treated it as a show.â
On the other side, Meng An and Bai Shuangshuang stood opposite each other. Qin Bailu stood beside Bai Shuangshuang, and Min Sisi stood beside Meng An.
There were also many people surrounding them.
Most of them were watching a show.
They werenât far away, so they could vaguely hear their conversation.
âItâs been a while since we last met. Mrs. Qin is even more beautiful.â Meng An seemed to be praising her, but everyone could tell that her tone was filled with mockery.
It was no secret that Meng An and Bai Shuangshuang did not get along.
As for why these two people were not on good terms, it was said that the two of them had conflicts since they were young and had not eased up after so many years.
âThank you for your praise. Iâm not considered beautiful, but I do look younger than some women my age.â
âItâs not that you look young, itâs just that Mrs. Qin knows how to dress. Look at how young you look in this red gown. Youâre not like us, who are middle-aged and can only wear gray clothes that match our age. Weâre afraid that others will laugh at my daughter for having a middle-aged and indecent mother.â
âLook at what Mrs. Min is saying. Those who donât know might think that youâre scolding me for being old and indecent. Humans will always grow old. Whatâs important is that oneâs heart shouldnât age. Sigh, Iâm not afraid of Mrs. Min laughing at me. I actually feel that Iâm still young.â
âAs for dressing⦠Actually, no one specified that we have to wear gray at our age. Those who are familiar with me know that my clothes are always different when I attend different events. Iâve tried all kinds of clothes. Today, I thought that since itâs Second Master Minâs birthday party, I had to wear something festive no matter what, so I chose this red gown.â
âI didnât expect Mrs. Min to praise me asâ beautifulâ. Iâm a little embarrassed.â
Vixen!
Who is praising you!
She was actually shamelessly praising herself!
âMrs. Qin, donât be embarrassed. Donât men like people like you? Otherwise, you wouldnât have married into the Qin Family from an ordinary family and been adored by Mr. Qin for so many years, right? Itâs no wonder that the previous Mrs. Qin wasnât liked by Mr. Qin like you. Who asked her to always have the dignified attitude of a daughter of a wealthy family?â
âActually, to put it bluntly, most men like a âlivelyâ woman. Itâs just a pity that a woman who comes from a big family and has good upbringing canât behave like Mrs. Qin. We donât know how to make men like us, so we can only envy Mrs. Qin.â
âYouâ!â She actually indirectly scolded her for being lowly and unpresentable!
Seeing Min Sisi standing beside Meng An, Bai Shuangshuang took a deep breath and suppressed her anger.
âMrs. Min, you must be joking. My background naturally canât be compared to Mrs. Minâs. Iâve made a fool of myself in front of Mrs. Min. However, background isnât something that a person can choose. What I can do is not to blame myself for not being born into a good family, but to think about how to live a good life.â
âI donât have high expectations. I simply wish for my family to be harmonious and my daughter can make a name for herself.â
Even if she was smug now, Meng An would cry one day!
If Meng An knew that the daughter she doted on and meticulously raised was actually her sworn enemyâs daughter, her expression would be extremely interesting!
Daughter?!
Why did she have to stare at her Sisi when she mentioned the word âdaughterâ?!
Meng An simply did not want to endure it for another moment. She really wanted to tell the truth immediately and slap Bai Shuangshuangâs face ruthlessly!
âYour daughter can make a name for herself?â Meng An looked at Qin Bailu, who was beside Bai Shuangshuang, âMrs. Qinâs daughter is very outstanding. Iâve been staying in the Min Family these few days and heard a lot of her deeds. I think itâs only a matter of time before she makes a name for herself.â
It was obvious mockery!
Everybody knew that Second Miss Qin had just offended Master Nine and almost lost her life when she was invited to Mount West Villa. If it wasnât for Eldest Young Madam Yin pleading for her, they probably wouldnât be seeing Qin Bailu now.
Mrs. Min even said such words. If it wasnât mockery, what was it?
This was what many people present were thinking.
Sensing that the way everyone was sizing them up was gradually changing, Bai Shuangshuang became angry and glared at Qin Bailu.
Qin Bailu was neither afraid nor angry. Instead, she smiled at her. âMom, why are you glaring at me? Do you think Iâve embarrassed you?â
âYou think Iâm embarrassing you and yet you brought me to the Min Familyâs banquet. Arenât you looking for trouble yourself? Why do you have to do this?â
âH-how can you talk to me like this? Is this how I teach you the rules?!â
Bai Shuangshuang looked at her, her eyes filled with disbelief. She did not expect Qin Bailu to speak like this at all, and the uneasiness that she had suppressed in her heart emerged again.
âThatâs indeed not what Mom taught me. Wasnât asking me to pretend to be obedient in front of others and push others out as a shield what Mom has taught me the most all these years? Mom asked me to befriend Qiu Jian. You said that Qiu Jian is stupid enough to be used.â
âMom also said that you could become the wife of the head of the Qin Family with your background. Not only did you receive Daddyâs love for you constantly, but you also coaxed Daddy to completely ignore Big Brother and Sister. You said that Iâm the legitimate daughter of the Qin Family and have an advantage over you back then. Youâve planned well and I can get whatever I want.â
âThatâs right. I did scheme against Yan Jinyu, but didnât you advise me to do that, Mom? Why did Mom blame everything on me after something happened?â
âAre you really used to using others as your shield? Youâre even so heartless to your own daughter.â
The onlookers whispered and pointed.
The image that she had maintained for many years crumbled. Bai Shuangshuangâs expression changed drastically, and she pointed at Qin Bailu, âY-youâre not my daughter! Youâre not my daughter at all!â
âOh? If Iâm not your daughter, who is?â
While the guests enjoyed the scandal and Meng An watched the show, Min Sisi, who had long expected it, was unmoved.
Only Bai Shuangshuang was the most flustered.
She realized that she had said something wrong. ââ¦I donât have a daughter! I donât have a daughter like you who openly slanders her biological mother! All these years, Iâve really taught you for nothing!â
Qin Bailu chuckled.
âMom, why are you doing this at a time like this? Since I dare to say this, it means that Iâve decided to completely fall out with you today. I was raised by you. You should know very well that I must have a trump card for daring to speak like this.â
Bai Shuangshuang was so shocked that she took a few steps back, looking very panicked.
âMom, why are you panicking? Since you dare to be so heartless to me, you should have known that this day would come. Speaking of which, if you didnât insist on bringing me here today and wanted to take the opportunity to completely destroy me, I wouldnât have been so ruthless.â
She removed the shawl from her shoulders and took out a stack of things from the hidden pocket in her shawl. She waved it in her hand. âMom, guess what this is?â
Bai Shuangshuang went pale. Her legs went soft and she almost fell to the ground.
Seeing this, Qin Bailu laughed crazily. âHahahaha⦠Mom, I have never expected that I could force you to this extent one day.â
âWeâre mother and daughter. I used to respect you so much and listen to everything you say. Why are you so ruthless to me? You have never treated me sincerely at all ever since I was young. You only schemed against me! Itâs fine even if you schemed against me for so many years, but why didnât you leave me a way out? Will you only be happy after you kill me?â
Qin Bailu was crying and smiling. She looked as if she had gone crazy.
âAre you so ruthless to me because Iâm not your biological daughter?â