Jiang Lai nodded.

Then he turned around and waved to the group with Jiang Li.

"Uncle Huang invited me to visit his home, see you in a few days."

After speaking, Mr. Huang openly took Jiang Lai away.

Dozens of bodyguards followed behind as they exited together.

The oppressive feeling finally disappeared, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief, regaining their senses before looking at the siblings standing in the middle.

"In the end, the person next to Jiang Li isn’t even Miss Jiang!"

"Some people were fawning over her like fools, but she’s just an illegitimate child who’s not presentable."

"What do these illegitimate children mean? Are they planning to cultivate someone similar to Jiang Lai and then quietly replace Jiang Lai?"

"Jiang Xunshan is really something, bringing yet another illegitimate child back, turning the Jiang Family into a complete mess with these illegitimate children!"

"Illegitimate children aren’t scary; what’s scary is that this group only thinks about rising in status. If they succeed, our circle will be in chaos!"

Some who had agreed on a collaboration with Jiang Li directly canceled all cooperation afterward, not even bothering to say goodbye before leaving.

The grand banquet ended with only a few members of the Jiang Family left, the exquisite dishes now seemed like a joke, and the meticulously rehearsed performance turned into sheer awkwardness.

The siblings sat together; Jiang Xun and Jiang Zhuan weren’t showing much expression.

But Jiang Li’s face looked unpleasant.

He stood with his back to everyone, staring at the entrance, shrouded in a low-pressure aura.

Meanwhile, Jiang Huan stood helplessly behind him, head down, pulling at her clothes, looking at her two brothers nearby with eyes full of pleading.

Jiang Qi sighed.

"Little sister, you shouldn’t have spoken out just now."

This banquet was originally secretly organized by Jiang Li, intending to use this opportunity to fully introduce Jiang Huan to the public.

Inviting Jiang Lai was also meant to make her recognize a reality.

If she doesn’t cooperate properly, there’s someone ready to take her place.

In Jiang Li’s eyes, Jiang Lai is just meat on the chopping board, ready to be carved up when the time is right.

Everything was planned.

No one expected Mr. Huang to show up here.

He thought a few words of reprimand from Mr. Huang could be tolerated and the matter would pass.

But he didn’t expect Jiang Huan to be so unaware of the situation and recklessly jump out to contradict Mr. Huang!

"Brother... are you mad at me?"

Jiang Huan gently tugged at Jiang Li’s sleeve.

Unexpectedly, the usually gentle and patient brother directly shook off her hand.

Jiang Huan was startled and blankly stared at Jiang Li’s cold eyes.

"Brother..."

"How many times have I told you? Listen to my arrangements, do you not understand or are you unwilling to listen?"

Jiang Huan shook her head repeatedly.

"I wasn’t, I just couldn’t stand others bullying you, I just wanted to protect you."

"Why can’t you learn a bit from Jiang Lai? What does bullying mean? What does protection mean?

Before you have any ability, even if someone slaps you across the face, you have to smile and take it!

Besides, to be scolded by Mr. Huang is something many people would love; what good does it do for you to rashly come out and say something?"

"Alright, don’t blame her, Huanhuan also meant well, she doesn’t understand these social conventions."

Jiang Qi spoke softly for Jiang Huan.

Jiang Zhuan led Jiang Huan aside.

"Big brother is in a bad mood, don’t take what he said to heart."

Jiang Huan silently shed tears.

She still didn’t know what she had done wrong.

Obviously, it was the old man’s fault, why did her brother have to scold her instead?

Of course, she dared not say these words out loud.

In the family, everything depends on the big brother, if he’s angry, it means she must have made a mistake.

Even the always tolerant and doting Jiang Che didn’t speak up for her this time, but instead, he walked over to Jiang Li and spoke softly.

"Now what? Mr. Huang took Jiang Lai away, what if Jiang Lai runs away?"

"She won’t escape."

Unless she doesn’t want to come back to inherit everything here.

As long as she wants it, she has to come back.

"I think Mr. Huang came specifically to back Jiang Lai this time, he wants to interfere in our Jiang Family’s matters."

"Whatever he wants to do, as long as it doesn’t concern us, we shouldn’t bother.

But if he wants to meddle, then let him witness the capabilities of us illegitimate children."

Hearing the words ’illegitimate children’.

Jiang Che subconsciously frowned, his inner rejection made him unwilling to hear those words.

Jiang Li, on the other hand, never showed much sensitivity, or he had already gotten used to it.

A successful person absolutely cannot be offended by just those three words, even if Mr. Huang insulted him with them, his heart was unmoved.

Insults aside, as long as he’s the one who succeeds in the end, these grudges can be repaid all at once later.

What made him lose control of his emotions today was Jiang Huan’s unexpected mischievousness.

It rendered everything he endured in vain.

And it gave him Mr. Huang as a formidable new enemy.

Most importantly, it gave Mr. Huang an excuse to take Jiang Lai away.

So many negative emotions were pressing on his heart that he could no longer treat Jiang Huan as he did before.

He had to admit one thing.

Compared to Jiang Lai, Jiang Huan was truly not just a little bit foolish.

Such a chess piece was akin to chicken ribs; tasteless to eat, yet it’s a pity to discard.

The Jiang Family drama was thrown behind by Jiang Lai.

She was now sitting in Mr. Huang’s car, in a long luxury vehicle, next to a square dining table, where a clean-cut, refined man poured Jiang Lai a glass of wine, then poured Mr. Huang a cup of tea.

"Yu Bai, you should sit down too."

Jiang Lai glanced at the man.

His skin was fair, his features deep, a very exquisite and pleasing face, with a mole between his eyebrows like ink dropped on white paper, very attractive.

Jiang Lai thought he looked somewhat familiar, but couldn’t immediately recall where she had seen him before.

Shi Yubai turned around and met Jiang Lai’s gaze.

Neither of them avoided, looking at each other openly.

"Does Miss Jiang know me?"

"I don’t know, you look familiar."

"Oh, it’s the first time someone said I look familiar."

Indeed, Shi Yubai’s appearance was striking, devoid of any common facial features, whether it was his eyes, nose, or mouth, everything exuded a sense of finely sculpted distinction.

Jiang Lai shook her head.

"Slept too long, my brain isn’t very clear, don’t mind it."

Mr. Huang chuckled.

"I haven’t seen you in years; your Uncle Huang has aged, almost didn’t recognize you.

It’s a good thing Yu Bai has good eyes, he spotted you sitting in the corner at a glance."

Shi Yubai lowered his eyes to pour him more tea.

"Miss Jiang has an outstanding appearance, easy to recognize."

"Oh right, I forgot to introduce you two. This is my godson, Shi Yubai, if you have any difficulties in the future, feel free to find him.

Yu Bai, you already know Jiang Lai, so I won’t introduce more, you two chat and get to know each other."