Hidden identities of the AI Heiress

Chapter 342: Chapter 342: Accepting Gifts, Forgiving Big Brother
 

At the dinner table.

Su Mian and Lu Rui sat on either side of Qiao Yun, continuously serving her dishes.

With each dish they served, they stared at Qiao Yun earnestly.

“Thank you.”

Qiao Yun politely expressed her gratitude. Their cautious attitude towards her was within her expectations.

It was precisely because of this that she had wanted to stay overnight at the old house, to give them time to adjust, but they unexpectedly followed her.

Previously, Qiao Yun’s polite demeanor made Su Mian perceive her as well-cultured. Now, however, she sensed a formality in her politeness.

Her heart ached suddenly.

The senior couple was utterly perplexed by this family.

Was their attitude towards Qiaoqiao somehow improper?

Qin Huan, observing them, joked, “Little brother and sister-in-law, do you really need to be so cautious? We won’t eat Qiaoqiao.”

The old lady had long been accustomed to Qin Huan’s way of talking and thus didn’t take it seriously.

Previously, Su Mian seldom engaged with her.

But this time, for some unknown reason, Su Mian actually responded.

“Lu and I can’t fully show our filial piety in front of our parents. We’d really like Qiaoqiao to come and keep them company often. I just fear someone harbors ill intentions. I wonder who it was that lost Qiaoqiao in the first place.”

Qin Huan looked at Su Mian in surprise. Was this sharp-tongued Su Mian the same person?

The old lady was also quite astonished. Her daughter-in-law was usually gentle and amiable. When had she become so aggressive?

Lu Shiran sensed something was amiss, “Why does it sound like my sister’s disappearance wasn’t an accident?? What happened that I don’t know about?”

“Eat your food,” Qin Huan told Lu Shiran to shut up.

“Mom, how did my sister go missing?” Lu Shiran honestly didn’t know; nobody in the family had told him.

“She just got lost by accident.”

The old lady also feared that Lu Shiran would find out that Qiao Yun had been lost due to Qin Huan taking her out, potentially souring their relationship.

Su Mian lowered her eyes and clenched her fists to suppress her anger that had built up over the years.

Qiao Yun glanced at Su Mian and pursed her lips, remaining silent, as she didn’t know what to say.

With good-tempered humor, Qin Huan said, “Let’s not dwell on things without evidence. Honestly, even if you’re not tired of it, I am.”

Although the elderly couple liked their daughter-in-law Su Mian, they were bothered that she argued with Qin Huan every time they met.

Couldn’t the family just get along peacefully?

Moreover, Su Mian lacked evidence, so she couldn’t accuse Qin Huan baselessly.

Being biased, the old lady couldn’t help but feel sorry for Qin Huan.

Being wronged like this, how could anyone feel okay?

Disapprovingly, the old lady said to Su Mian, “After all, we are a family. She didn’t do it on purpose back then. You need to let it go and stop blaming others.”

Su Mian gave a bitter smile.

It seemed utterly absurd. She too had once doubted her suspicion of Qin Huan, but what were the facts?

Knowing her in-laws were unaware of the full story, Su Mian did not argue against the old lady’s admonition.

The old lady then spoke to Qin Huan, “Are you going to eat or not? Can’t you speak less frequently? If the younger daughter-in-law is uncomfortable, you don’t have to listen but instead you choose to argue.”

Qin Huan inwardly gritted her teeth.

See, was she wrong? Clearly, it was Su Mian who had been aggressive first.

All she knew was that the family was biased towards Lu Rui’s family.

Lu Rui glanced at Qin Huan and suddenly spoke up, “Dad, why don’t we have Jingzhi get some experience in the group?”

Qin Huan whirled to look at Lu Rui, barely controlling her resentful gaze.

“That sounds good. Getting accustomed to it first can also work; when the time comes, let the eldest arrange it,” the old master agreed joyously.

Lu Rui nodded, “I think it’s best to arrange it by the eldest brother’s side. Jingzhi is not familiar with the affairs of the group. It would be better for the eldest brother to personally guide him.”

“Indeed, he should follow the eldest. If it hadn’t been for your reluctance, I would have recruited Jingzhi to the group long ago,” the old master said with a beaming smile.

He had been muttering about it for so many years, and both Lu Rui and Lu Jingzhi had remained indifferent, but suddenly he wanted to go through group training—the old man was nearly overjoyed to death.

Seeing the old man in such a state, Qin Huan felt as if facing a great enemy, her heart both panicked and blocked.

What did Lu Rui mean?

Did he finally want to get involved in the group, unable to sit still any longer?

Qin Huan anxiously picked at her fingers.

No, this position was for Lu Xian, and she wouldn’t let anyone else snatch it.

It was at this moment that Lu Jingzhi and Lu Zhanxing entered.

“Jingzhi, when do you plan to go to the group?” the old man asked eagerly.

Lu Jingzhi: ??

He was puzzled for a moment, then understood what his father meant and went along with it.

“I’m available anytime, especially since things have been quiet at the company lately, I think in the next couple of days.”

The old man chuckled merrily, “Okay, once your uncle returns, I’ll talk to him. You can then follow your uncle and learn properly so that you won’t be unfamiliar in the future.”

“Okay,” Lu Jingzhi agreed.

Qin Huan felt as if she was about to spurt blood.

They were in such a hurry, couldn’t they have waited?

She knew it, Lu Rui was definitely eyeing the family estate!

She could neither bear nor accept that after paying such a high price, Lu Rui and his folks would end up benefiting.

Why should they!?

Qin Huan narrowed her eyes and smiled, “Dad, during the winter break, why don’t we have Shiran also go to the group for some training?”

The old man hadn’t responded yet when Lu Shiran almost jumped up, “I’m not going! I’d rather die than go! I just want to be a leisurely gentleman, nobody should force me!”

Qin Huan was so angered she was about to explode, yet she couldn’t beat him up.

“What do you know, I’m doing this for your own good. Just listen to me this time.”

“Grandpa, I’m not going!”

Lu Shiran was close to throwing a tantrum on the floor, his resistant demeanor nearly made the old man burst out laughing, “I swear you young ones are going to be the death of me, treating your own group like it’s some kind of disaster?”

“Who doesn’t want to inherit their family’s estate? It’s just you guys, cajoling and not willing to take over the estate, really, you bunch of fools are going to drive me mad!”

Lu Zhanxing: “…”

Lu Jingzhi: “…”

Thanks, I felt that dig.

Qiao Yun: “…”

Thanks, I felt included in that too.

Lu Shiran resisted, “Anyway, I’m not going.”

“Then don’t go.” The old man didn’t want him there causing trouble either.

Qin Huan’s hands trembled with anger.

She felt it was unacceptable, she had to have a serious chat with Lu Shiran later; their family estate couldn’t just be handed over to someone else.

“Sister, this is for you, I was wrong in the past, and I shouldn’t have doubted you all this time.”

Lu Jingzhi nervously handed over the beautifully packed bag, looking at Qiao Yun expectantly.

As long as the sister accepted it, it would mean she was still willing to accept his goodwill, and that he also had a chance to be forgiven.

The family watched Qiao Yun as well.

Su Mian and Lu Rui were a bit nervous; they secretly hoped that Qiao Yun would accept Lu Jingzhi.

Lu Zhanxing was conflicted about his sister forgiving their brother too soon yet also hoping that she would forgive him.

So he kept silent, just waiting to see what Qiao Yun would do.

Unaware of their complicated feelings, Qiao Yun looked at the bag in front of her, her fingers twitched…