A month later, when she stepped into Lang Yue Residences again, Xu Wan felt like a lifetime had passed.
When the old uniformed maid saw Xu Wan, she still respectfully called her “Mistress Xu” while the others looked at her pitifully or in contempt.
She was no longer the Qiao family’s Miss Xu.
Xu Wan walked into the main house with mixed feelings.
Eldest Master Qiao and Second Master Qiao weren’t there yet, but their families had already gathered together to chat and banter.
The moment she saw Xu Wan, Qiao Nan could not help but laugh condescendingly. “Hey, Xu Wan, didn’t you promise to move out of our house last month? Why did you rush back today? Oh, it’s for the inheritance from my grandpa, right? Tsk tsk, look at how you usually pretend to be virtuous. It turns out that you’re just greedy for money…”
Ever since Xu Wan was staying with the Qiao family, Qiao Nan had always been at loggerheads with her. Whenever they met, Qiao Nan would mock and ridicule Xu Wan. Therefore, when Xu Wan heard Qiao Nan’s words, she was not angry. She just stood silently in the middle of the hall.
“Hey, my sister is talking to you. Are you deaf? You don’t even know how to reply. You seriously don’t know your limits. Next time, don’t you dare say that you came from our Qiao family. How embarrassing!” Qiao Shi scolded in disgust when she saw Xu Wan’s indifferent expression.
Xu Wan raised her eyes slightly and stared at Qiao Shi fixedly. She said calmly, “Miss Qiao, although I’ve moved out of the Qiao family, Uncle Qiao once told me that, as long as I’m willing, I can stay in the Qiao family forever. No one can chase me out. My parents and Grandpa Qiao are of the same generation, so I’m of the same generation as Eldest Master Qiao and Second Master Qiao. Therefore, the two of you are one generation younger than me. Qiao Nan was rude to me just now. I’m already being lenient by not chiding her, yet you still say that I’m rude? Who exactly is being rude?”
In the past, when Xu Wan still stayed at the Qiao family’s residence, she had never argued with Qiao Shi and Qiao Nan. After all, she was staying at the Qiao family’s residence and had received Old Master Qiao’s favor. She did not want Old Master Qiao to be worried about her matters. Hence, she usually tolerated them as much as she could.
Despite Xu Wan having left the Qiao family by then, these two people were still so bossy and rude. Xu Wan finally lost her temper and argued with them.
Qiao Shi looked at Xu Wan in disbelief. Was this still the timid Xu Wan from before who didn’t even dare to let out a fart? How did she suddenly become so full of herself? How dare she argue with her!
“Xu Wan, do you honestly think that Third Uncle will marry you? Do you honestly think of yourself as a Young Madam? How dare you talk to my sister like that?”
When Qiao Nan saw that the once soft Xu Wan suddenly dared to resist, she felt an inexplicable sense of humiliation as if she had been provoked. She walked forward and shoved Xu Wan hard.
Qiao Nan was the younger daughter of Second Master Qiao. She was used to being arrogant and willful. Every time her temper flared up, there was nothing she didn’t dare to say. Even Old Master Qiao could not control her.
Hence, Qiao Nan did not hold back at all with this shove. Xu Wan was not being careful and staggered a few steps back, hitting hard on the door frame!
Xu Wan subconsciously shielded her abdomen with her hands—her babies were inside!
Xu Wan felt a sharp pain in her back, but she ignored it. She was desperately shielding her abdomen with her hands.
Qiao Nan was pleased that she had succeeded in one move. “Since you dared to talk back, why don’t you look at yourself first?”
“Where’s Third Brother? Is he not here yet?” Eldest Master Qiao walked in with a swift gait and asked after glancing around.
“Third Uncle is accompanying his girlfriend! His girlfriend, Bai Zhen, is Sister’s classmate. Uncle, you’ve seen her before!”
Qiao Nan walked to Qiao Cheng’s side. She glanced at the pale Xu Wan smugly. “Sister Bai Zhen is so pretty. She’s so much more elegant and ladylike than a particular someone! No wonder Third Uncle doesn’t like that someone. He already has Sister Bai Zhen in his heart.”
Xu Wan was stunned upon hearing Qiao Nan’s words.
Qiao Chen had a girlfriend?
So fast…
Was the reason he hated her so much because he already liked someone else?
Her already numb heart somehow felt a little sour.
Xu Wan took a deep breath and suppressed her emotions.
What did it have to do with her? She didn’t care who that man was with.
“Third Brother is here.”
Second Master Qiao announced as he saw Qiao Chen walking over. He then noticed the woman beside Qiao Chen and couldn’t help but frown. “Dad just passed away. You should be more low key. It hasn’t even been a hundred days since Dad left us, and you’ve already been looking for a woman. How would others think if this gets out to them?”
Eldest Master Qiao’s tone was also somewhat reproachful as he echoed, “Little Wan is still here, you should bear in mind the impact of your actions.”
Qiao Chen laughed coldly. He said scornfully, “Big brother and second brother are especially concerned with my marriage. Those who don’t know would have thought that we brothers are so close.”
Qiao Chen’s words made Second Master Qiao’s expression change instantly.
“Third Brother, what did you mean by that? Dad just left us, and now you don’t even care about this family anymore? We are your brothers. What’s wrong with reproaching you? If you don’t want to listen to us, then get out of the Qiao family!” Eldest Master Qiao shouted with a dark expression on his face.