Chapter 16: Chapter 16

It soon became clear to Qin Lan who the girl was!

She resembled the woman in a picture that Ye Shengxun secretly kept. The woman in the picture was Qiao Yi, Ye Qiao’s biological mother.

What she heard from her daughter earlier might have been dismissed, but seeing was believing. It was no wonder that Ye Zhenzhen was so surprised. Ye Qiao was thoroughly remolded and looked nothing like the awkward, introverted girl that they used to know.

Nevertheless, Qin Lan kept her graceful composure amid the astonishment. “There you are, Qiao Qiao! You’ve changed so much! Look how beautiful you are!”

“Madam Qin, it’s all about the clothes. I’m actually grateful for all the clothes that you’ve bought for me,” Ye Qiao answered smilingly while staring back at Qin Lan with an expression that spelled sincerity.

Having experienced a complete spiritual change, she was no longer the same susceptible and timid girl who did not even dare to look Qin Lan in the eyes.

Her calm and open response almost gave Qin Lan a heart attack.

As her stepmother, she was the one who supplied all the clothes for Ye Qiao. She had picked the latest trending clothes in season. She knew that Ye Qiao would not wear those clothes, but she still sent them anyway. The show must go on for people to see how caring she was, even for her stepdaughter.

Qin Lan was only interested in being regarded as the wife of a governor, but Ye Qiao’s unwelcomed presence changed it all. Now, she had to endure the role of a stepmother as well.

Never had she thought that Ye Qiao would one day get rid of her outdated style and start wearing pretty clothes!

What surprised her the most was how refined Ye Qiao looked; she was more beautiful than her own daughter, Ye Zhenzhen.

Her appearance was not the only observable change. Her confidence, too, was brimming. She was no longer standing in a lazy, slouching way.

Qin Lan’s sleeveless Cheongsam brought out the graceful side of her. Her curled hair, too, was a nice touch to her slender figure. “Silly girl, please don’t be overly polite with me, we’re no strangers! I’m just glad that you’ve finally taken a liking to the clothes that I bought for you,” she smiled politely and said.

There was a hidden meaning between her lines, though. She was trying to make Ye Qiao sound like an ungrateful wretch who did not know how to appreciate her efforts.

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“I was too young and too dumb to dress well. I hope you don’t mind,” Ye Qiao still answered cordially despite her sarcasm.

She would not make the same mistake from her past. She used to loathe Qin Lan, so she refused to acknowledge her, not knowing that her impertinence was exactly what Qin Lan anticipated and wanted.

People only saw Ye Qiao’s incivility and instantly regarded Qin Lan as a caring stepmother.

This time, she needed to be smarter.

The girl had finally become emotionally mature.

Qin Lan already knew that Ye Qiao would not be easy to deal with. After another exchange of pleasantries, she invited Ye Qiao to sit down as if there had not been any estrangement at all.

Ye Qiao knew her very well. Qin Lan would only show her solicitous hospitality in Ye Shengxun’s presence.

After a brief moment of silence, Ye Shengxun finally looked at the three ladies and said, “Zhenzhen, Qiao Qiao is your sister. From now on, you must treat her with respect. We are a family, so we’re bound together for good or ill, for better or worse. You really don’t have to compete against each other.”

Ye Zhenzhen had never been disapproved of by her father before, so tears began to appear in her eyes.

“Father, I… I…”

“Ye Zhenzhen’s still young. She only said that because she was shocked by her sister’s sudden change. She did not mean a word that she said, so don’t take it too seriously. I’m sure that Qiao Qiao doesn’t mind, right?” Qin Lan quickly responded to ease the situation, though she was annoyed by Ye Shengxun’s support for Ye Qiao.

He never showed any favor to Ye Qiao before. That was a first.

“Madam Qin, I understand how Zhenzhen feels. However, her age should not be an excuse for her to slander remark to characterize her sister as a sly and seductive fox. Don’t you think it’s an act of indecency, coming from a girl who’s born and raised in the noble Ye family?”

“I’m her sister. Surely, I don’t mind, but what if she brings this outside of our family? Others may not let it go as easily as I do,” Ye Qiao was smart enough not to agree with Qin Lan. It was time for the girl to get disciplined.

In Ye Qiao’s past life, Ye Zhenzhen had an affair with a married man and later became his wife, but her marriage ended up crashing to its doom because of her arrogance.

Ye Qiao knew her sister had to be disciplined to prevent her tragic ending from repeating itself.