Chapter 375: Second Madame Wants to Meet Her Son-in-Law

On the morning of New Year’s Day, firecracker sounds popped and cracked, waking the entire city. Many people carried a chicken in their left hand, a duck in their right, and held a chubby baby as they headed back to the countryside.

However, the residents of Hongrong Homes had all moved there together. All their relatives were nearby, making the journey less cumbersome.

Little rich girl got up at six in the morning. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she had just left the bedroom when her parents stuffed a thick red envelope into her hands, clearly filled with festive joy.

Jiang Qin appeared silently behind the couple: “Mom, where’s my red envelope?”

“Here’s yours, don’t spend it all at once.”

Jiang Qin pinched the red envelope—it was nowhere near as thick as little rich girl’s.

Odd how things turn out. The plan was going smoothly. Mom and dad were managed by little rich girl, who listens to me the most. Yet, I still hold the lowest status in the family.

“Boring, all for you.”

Jiang Qin handed his red envelope to little rich girl.

She glanced at him: “Save it as your private stash, I’ll pretend I don’t know.”

“?”

Before Jiang Qin could figure it out, Uncle Gong called, saying he had arrived and was waiting downstairs.

Little rich girl’s relatives were visiting today. They would arrive in Jizhou in half an hour, so Uncle Gong was there to take her home to prepare.

Although Yuan Youqin, Jiang Zhenghong, and Jiang Qin treated Feng Nanshu as family, it wouldn’t be right to have her true relatives meet here.

Thus, Jiang Qin went downstairs with Feng Nanshu and saw her off in the car.

As Feng Nanshu climbed into the car adorned with a little golden figurine, she waved through the window: “I’ll be back tonight.”

“Got it, we’ll wait for you to come home for dinner.”

“Okay.”

Feng Nanshu showed a pleased expression, like a cherished young lady, and elegantly settled back into the car before departing from Hongrong Homes.

The villa’s maid was already clearing the snow and laying a red carpet from the door, maintaining a sense of ceremony for the New Year.

Half an hour later, a black van slowly drove into the garden villa on Guanlan Avenue, the door opened and Qin Jingqiu stepped out, her bright eyes searching for Feng Nanshu.

“Nanshu, happy New Year.”

“Auntie, happy New Year.”

Qin Jingqiu looked at Feng Nanshu with an indulgent expression, feeling extremely joyful: “Auntie knows you don’t want to leave Jizhou, so I came here to spend the New Year with you.”

Feng Nanshu pursed her lips and raised her arm to show off the jade bracelet: “Look, Jiang Qin’s family heirloom.”

“Heirloom?”

“Given to me by Jiang Qin’s mom.”

Seeing her niece’s joyful face, Qin Jingqiu was slightly surprised.

She was not surprised by the heirloom but by realizing that Nanshu seemed much more open and her attitude towards her had noticeably eased compared to before.

Why did she feel this? Because Feng Nanshu’s gesture meant she wanted to share, something one does only with beloved people.

When her niece was taken away by force years ago, the trust she had for her was completely lost. Qin Jingqiu had struggled long to regain that trust.

But this time, Feng Nanshu was distinctly more affectionate towards her.

“Nanshu, do you like your aunt again?”

Feng Nanshu pursed her tender red lips: “Jiang Qin said aunt is a good person, no matter the past, I should remember that my aunt is a good person.”

Qin Jingqiu paused then smiled warmly: “Nanshu, your aunt came here wanting to formally meet Jiang Qin. Is that okay?”

“Aunt, did you also bring an heirloom?”

“You wouldn’t believe it, but I actually have one.”

Half an hour later, Jiang Qin’s home was bustling with relatives, the doorstep nearly trampled to bits.

Especially those relatives from Linchuan with their gifts, their faces bore warm welcoming smiles, dropping the usual air of wealth.

How could they compare? They drive Audis and even their belts cost thirty thousand.

Now the tables have turned; they are the wealthy relatives.

Especially since Jiang Qin got Lin Ling a job. Easy work, high pay above the local average, often dealing with government officials and big bosses.

Just mentioning that they held Jiang Qin as a child now brought six people forward, even someone recalling Jiang Qin’s odd liking for cilantro stems but not the leaves.

Lin Dewai was among many relatives, this time specifically there to thank Jiang Zhenghong’s family with Lin Ling.

“These relatives from Linchuan are so realistic.”

“Last year, Lin Sanping bragged in our living room for three hours about his son working in a top-tier city earning a hundred thousand yearly. This year, he’s as quiet as a mouse.”

“Then there’s Lin Huai Shui, who sarcastically doubted the value of college education back then. Now he’s quiet too.”

“Your Sixth Sister-in-law’s the funniest. During the relocation, she claimed the drainage behind our house as theirs. This year she even asked Jiang Qin to help her son find a job, but I never showed her a welcoming face!”

“Having lived so long, I finally have my moment to shine.”

Yuan Youqin saw off one group of relatives and was barely able to enjoy the moment before the next batch rushed in.

Overwhelmed by the hassle, Jiang Qin sneaked out under the guise of exchanging New Year greetings and called Guo Zihang and Yang Shuan for a casual chat at a street corner.

This corner had a slope. The snow made it slippery, although the city put up a sign cautioning about the slick surface, people couldn’t help but show off their dance moves there.

The three watched, enormously entertained, feeling it was more interesting than the Spring Festival Gala.

Sometimes, though, their laughter was so loud it drew disapproving glances and grimaces, as if to remind them to bless others.

“Laughing like this, we might end up getting beaten up, right?”

“Why would we get beaten up? Laughter isn’t illegal. Even in court, I wouldn’t be scared,” Jiang Qin declared confidently.

Just then, a black van suddenly sped through the snow and stopped steadily by the roadside. Three burly men got out and fixed their gaze on the one in the middle.

“Are you Jiang Qin? Come with us.”

“Uh? Hey… hey, let’s talk this over; I’ve had training!”

Jiang Qin protested as they grabbed his arm: “Dude, easy! Since when is laughing a crime?”

Seeing this, Guo Zihang and Yang Shuan instantly stopped smiling, voice tinged with fear: “We… we weren’t laughing, it was all my uncle’s doing.”

The men exchanged looks: “Forget it, bring them all.”

“Hey? No, uncle, I was wrong, I won’t do it anymore, please let me go, I have to go home for dinner!”

“…”

After a bumpy ride, Jiang Qin, Guo Zihang, and Yang Shuan were brought to the garden villa on Guanlan Avenue.

As they got out of the car, they exchanged glances, a trace of confusion in their eyes.

Uncle Gong quickly came out to greet them: “Young Master Jiang, the second madame has arrived, she wants to meet you.”

Jiang Qin suddenly understood: “No wonder, but to meet me like this? ‘Please enter the car, Prince’ would have sufficed, why involve a kidnapping? It’s far too frightening, I thought I had broken some royal laws.”

“Second Madame has a sense of humor, likes little jokes.”

“Where is she?”

“In the living room. The second madame is very genial and truly fond of the young miss, so you needn’t be nervous.”

Assured, Jiang Qin walked in to see Feng Nanshu sitting on the couch, opposite her was Qin Jingqiu.

Just like when they met in Shanghai, President Qin’s demeanor was as elegant as ever, only her smile was warmer.

“President Jiang, long time no see.”

“President Qin, what are you doing here?” Jiang Qin looked utterly amazed.

Qin Jingqiu slightly lifted the corners of her mouth: “Actually, I am Nanshu’s aunt.”

“…”

Jiang Qin took a deep breath, shocked for a while before speaking: “I thought there was something familiar about you, so you’re Feng Nanshu’s aunt, huh? I… I had no idea, you really kept it well hidden, auntie.”

Qin Jingqiu was quite pleased with Jiang Qin’s reaction; this was exactly the kind of shock she wanted to evoke.

“Sometimes I think fate is truly destined by heaven. Remember you mentioned how familiar my aura felt, saying I gave you a sense of elderliness? Now you know why.”

“I don’t know how to respond, I’m quite startled. I would believe it if you said you were Nanshu’s mother; you two have such a mother-daughter vibe.”

Qin Jingqiu covered her mouth and laughed softly, her heart blooming, and she pulled a box out of her bag: “Jiang Qin, happy New Year.”

Jiang Qin took it, opened the lid, and saw a gold watch inside engraved with Patek Philippe, just an ordinary Patek Philippe.

Finished, completely finished, will Old Cao bully me to death after school starts?

“This is too valuable, I can’t accept it.”

“Think of it as an heirloom. Nanshu took your family’s bracelet, I’m giving you a watch. Plus, when you do business, you need a few big items to match your status.”

Jiang Qin hesitated before accepting, then turned to Feng Nanshu: “Little rich girl, go upstairs and play, I have something to ask your aunt.”

Feng Nanshu obediently nodded: “Call me when you go home.”

“Got it.”

Jiang Qin watched her go upstairs then turned to Qin Jingqiu: “Auntie, I know little rich girl has been without a mother since childhood, but why has her father never appeared? Uncle Gong said he’s just a driver and shouldn’t speculate on family matters, so I’ve been curious for a long time.”

Qin Jingqiu pursed her lips: “Feng’s business is mostly abroad, and with the subprime crisis, they suffered huge losses overseas. Elder brother has been there stabilizing the situation, with no time to return. Plus, he had a son, making it even less convenient for him to come back.”

“And her stepmother?”

“I didn’t interact much with that woman, only know she was introduced to elder brother by grandfather. Brother and sister-in-law always had a great relationship, so he didn’t have much feeling for that woman but couldn’t deny grandfather.”

Jiang Qin narrowed his eyes: “Then that woman took Nanshu away from you?”

Qin Jingqiu nodded: “Later, I stayed abroad for a few years. I often heard from elder brother about Nanshu winning various competitions, she excelled at everything, so we all felt that woman might be a good mother.”

Jiang Qin fell silent: “And then?”

Qin Jingqiu bit her lip: “When I returned, Nanshu was already a young lady, but she was expressionless and couldn’t socialize, as if she was wrapped in a thick shell…”

“Was it her stepmother’s doing?”

“At that time, I thought so too, but that woman said Nanshu participated in too many competitions which led to depression, thus elder brother agreed to send her to Jizhou to recuperate.”

Jiang Qin summarized the situation: “Using Nanshu’s achievements to package herself as a good mother, making Nanshu’s dad develop a good impression of her, then finding a reason to send her back to Jizhou, during which she had a son. What a scheme.”

Qin Jingqiu pursed her lips slightly: “I also wanted to know how that woman treated Nanshu, but by then Nanshu no longer trusted me.”

“It’s certainly intriguing. I heard she wouldn’t even allow Spring Festival couplets, impressive.”

“Anyway, Jiang Qin, your aunt wants to thank you. It looks like Nanshu is now able to open up her heart.”

Jiang Qin wanted to say it’s the power of friendship, but he swallowed his words, offering only a smile in return.

Today was New Year’s Day, and it’s best not to speak of inauspicious matters.