Qiao Meixia stood silently, her eyes narrowing as she looked at the house that she was going to live in from now on. It was a grand structure, yet it felt hollow. Well, she inwardly hoped it would at least last long enough for her to stay peacefully without further upheaval.
A servant stepped forward promptly and greeted the middle-aged man standing beside her. This man was apparently her biological father, the very one who had travelled all the way to fetch her from the remote Zhao Village.
"Master, welcome back. This must be your biological daughter, right, Master?" The servant shifted his clinical gaze toward the young girl standing beside the man, but there was not a single trace of emotion or warmth in his eyes.
The girl was dressed entirely in obsidian-black clothes and wore a matching black mask that covered most of her face, leaving only her sharp eyes visible. The way she stood gave off a chilling aura that seemed to silently scream, 'Don't mess with me.' She did not even spare a fleeting glance at the servant who had greeted the man beside her, treating him as if he were part of the furniture.
"Yeah, she is my biological daughter, Meixia. Meixia, this is Butler Jun." Jiang Lukang said, his voice dripping with a cold and indifferent tone that lacked any fatherly affection.
Butler Jun noticed the specific, icy tone his master used and immediately understood the underlying dynamics of the situation. He nodded slightly, his expression remaining a mask of professional neutrality. It seemed that this young girl would certainly not be favoured by his master. Well, that was not his personal concern, nor was it something he felt he should ever interfere with.
Qiao Meixia stepped inside the house with a steady, measured pace. As soon as she entered the spacious living room, she saw that a mother and daughter were sitting together intimately on the velvet sofa, chatting and laughing as if they were incredibly close.
Feng Lan and Jiang Yanna turned toward the door the moment they noticed someone entering the room. Their judgmental gazes fell heavily upon the girl who had just walked inside.
Feng Lan looked genuinely surprised when she saw her biological daughter for the very first time. Even with the mask, she could tell that the girl had inherited their family's refined, good looks. However, the girl appeared extremely cold and distant, like a block of unmelting ice. What displeased Feng Lan even more was that the girl did not immediately offer a respectful greeting to her as her mother.
"Meixia, this is your mother, Feng Lan. Beside her is your sister, Jiang Yanna. Remember, even though you are my biological daughter, Yanna has lived here much longer than you. Therefore, you must respect her as your elder sister at all times." Jiang Lukang explained, his words sounding more like a set of rules than an introduction.
Qiao Meixia looked over at them, her eyes remaining unreadable, and simply nodded once without saying a single word.
Feng Lan frowned slightly as she continued to scrutinise Qiao Meixia. 'She still has not greeted Yanna or me properly, she thought. Humph!!!' The bitter dissatisfaction in her heart became even stronger with every passing second of the girl's silence.
Seeing the darkening expression on Feng Lan's face, Jiang Yanna smiled faintly, a glint of triumph in her eyes. She could easily tell that her mother already harboured a dislike for her long-lost biological daughter. It seemed she did not even need to lift a finger or do anything to create trouble for the newcomer.
"Since you have finally returned to the Jiang Family, you need to behave like a proper member of the Jiang Family. I will send the legal documents to you later this evening for the official change of your surname." Jiang Lukang said firmly, leaving no room for debate.
***This novel is a work with w e b n o v e l. c o m. If it is not read this novel on w e b n o v e l. c o m, then it has been stolen. Thank you, from your shameless author, ZerahNeko***