Chapter 351 - Bodyguard Mistress
"How stunning!"
"Iris Long looks even more beautiful in person than on TV."
"Look at that dress! Oh, that hidden slit is just ingenious! I need to ask her later who designed it."
Iris walked in together with Long Hui and Jiang Ying Yue. The ease and confidence of her movements looked graceful and elegant. With her extraordinary beauty and statement dress, it was no wonder that she caught everyone's attention as soon as she arrived.
As the heir of the Long family, Long Hui was used to being the centre of attention in events like this. However, this was the first time that he experienced literally everyone looking at him with so much interest. Well, technically, it was his sister they were looking at, but he could still feel their eyes on him just because he was together with his sister.
Jiang Ying Yue's already straight back became even straighter and her expression reverted to her neutral, emotionless bodyguard expression. She could feel the curious and judging eyes of the people around her. It was an extremely uncomfortable feeling. She wanted to go home to his son, but steeled herself to stay for Long Hui.
'Calm down. Xiulan is here,' she told herself.
The three passed through the whispering crowd, headed to Long Tengfei so that they could greet him a happy birthday.
"Who's that woman beside Young Master Long Hui?"
"Wow. Look at that body. You don't see muscled women like that often."
"So unfeminine! She looks even more masculine than most men. Who would want a woman like that?"
"Hmm. She looks familiar. I think I've seen her before... Oh! I know! She's Iris Long's bodyguard! You can see photos of her with Iris on the internet taken by fans and paparazzi. So is she here to accompany Iris as a bodyguard?"
"Wait a minute. Did you forget Iris Long's speech during the music awards? She mentioned that her bodyguard is the mother of her godson. And we now know that her godson is also her nephew, Young Master Long Hui's illegitimate son. So that woman must be his mistress!"
"What? Is that true? He brought his mistress to a formal event like this? How audacious!"
"If I were a member of the Long family, I would feel extremely ashamed that our heir brought his mistress who's a mere bodyguard and even presents her to everyone as if he plans on making her into the next madam. Now we know the reason why Long Hui and Wu Qianxi broke up. A third party destroyed such a perfect pairing."
Jiang Ying Yue's steps faltered when she caught some of the things they were saying about her. She almost bolted out of the place. Long Hui clasped their hands together. He squeezed her hand, trying to reassure her. The murmurings became louder when they saw the two holding hands in front of everyone.
With her great ears, Iris heard almost all of their words. Her eyes turned cold. However, she had developed enough affection for Long Tengfei to not ruin his birthday party by creating a scene. So she flipped her hair and gave everyone a bright smile. Her smile bedazzled all of the people, effectively diverting their attention from Jiang Ying Yue back to her.
Finally, they reached Long Tengfei and the others.
"Happy Birthday, Father," Iris and Long Hui greeted him.
Long Tengfei nodded, pleased that all of his children were present for his birthday. He was especially delighted that his youngest daughter still came, even though she already informed him that she wouldn't be attending. Despite his joyful feelings, his expression remained cold and strict.
Then Long Hui pulled Jiang Ying Yue closer to him. "Father, let me introduce Jiang Ying Yue. She is the mother of your grandson, my son Long Jun. Ying Yue, this is my father, Long Tengfei."
Jiang Ying Yue bowed her head in respect. "It's an honour to meet you, Sir Long. Please accept my birthday wishes. Happy birthday, sir!"
"Hmm." Long Tengfei nodded. "I believe we've met before."
"Y-yes, sir," she replied in an awkward manner.
Indeed, they had met before. She was Long Hui's former bodyguard. She would follow him around as part of her duty, so it was inevitable that she encountered Long Tengfei who was Long Hui's father.
"Well, do enjoy yourself tonight," Long Tengfei told her.
"Thank you, sir."
Long Tengfei turned to Iris. "So your fiancé didn't come."
"He's at home taking care of the kids—I mean the cats...and Little Jun, too," she replied.
His mouth twitched, trying to imagine Jin Liwei babysitting two cats and a toddler but couldn't. The President-CEO of Jin Corporation, the number 1 company in the country, acting like a househusband? It was too unbelievable that his brain couldn't imagine it.
He was once again impressed by his youngest daughter's capability. Only she could make a formidable man like Jin Liwei listen to her and stay at home like a good housewife—COUGH COUGH—husband.
"Even though my fiancé couldn't attend tonight, he sends his birthday greetings to you, Father," Iris added.
"Tell him my thanks and send my regards to him," he replied.
"Yes, Father. I'll tell him."
He nodded. Then he told the three, "Go greet the elders quickly and then return here. I want you beside me to greet the rest of the guests."
The three obeyed. Jiang Ying Yue paled. Beads of cold sweat formed on her temples.
"Are you alright?" Long Hui asked her in a whisper.
"Are you stupid? Of course she's not alright. Look at her. Does she look okay to you?" Iris told him in a matter of fact tone.
"I...I'm alright. I'll be alright," Jiang Ying Yue told them.
"Sorry, Ying Yue. Please bear with it for tonight. Just ignore them. Focus on us, our son, our family. Okay?"
Jiang Ying Yue forced a faint smile and then nodded at him.
The three headed to the elders and greeted them. Long Jufang and Long Meng looked disapprovingly at them, especially at Jiang Ying Yue.
"Since your father appears to have accepted your bodyguard mistress as his guest tonight, I will not contradict his decision," Long Jufang told Long Hui. "However, I hope you realize that your actions are very disgraceful and shameful. Bringing this woman and parading her in front of our important guests? As the heir of our Long family, you are turning all of us into a joke!"
Jiang Ying Yue paled even more. She avoided looking directly at the elders. Her neutral expression cracked. She even looked like she was going to faint.
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Chapter 352 - Stirring Inside
Negative feelings simmered within Iris. However, she didn't notice that they weren't completely hers. She only knew that she felt indignant for her friend, Jiang Ying Yue. Unbeknownst to her, something began stirring inside her. It was affecting her own emotions in an inconspicuous and subtle manner. It made her loathe the elders and the other members of the Long family, despite not meeting them personally after waking up as Iris Long.
Huge drops of sweat began dripping from Jiang Ying Yue's face. Her skin felt cold to the touch. It was not noticeable but her hands were trembling.
"Elders, please excuse us. Father says we need to return quickly to his side and join him in greeting the rest of the guests," Iris interrupted in a cold, emotionless voice. Then she grabbed Jiang Ying Yue's hand and pulled her away, not waiting for the elders' permission to let them go.
Long Hui was only momentarily surprised by her brusque action before running after them.
"How disrespectful! I was feeling optimistic that Xiulan has finally changed for the better, but look at her! Still the same rude, willful and spoiled brat!" Long Jufang complained.
He hadn't finished scolding Long Hui yet. He also planned on warning his bodyguard mistress away and on lecturing Iris afterwards. He was very displeased that Iris dragged them away before he could finish everything he had to say.
"Young Master Hui started defying us around the time he grew closer to Young Miss Xiulan," Long Meng commented. "I think that Young Miss Xiulan is the bad influence to Young Master Hui. She has corrupted him with her bad behaviour. What's even more disgraceful is she's reportedly friends with that bodyguard! It's no wonder that Young Master Hui has become so rebellious because he has been hanging out with bad company."
The elders continued to grumble about Iris, Long Hui and his "bodyguard mistress", Jiang Ying Yue.
Iris and the couple joined Long Tengfei and the others in greeting the visitors.
Long Tengfei knew by their expressions that the elders must've said something unpleasant to them. He inwardly sighed, feeling a slight headache. He loved his children and wanted to protect them, but as the head of the family, he also had a duty to take into account the opinions of the elders and the other branch families. It was difficult balancing his duty as the family head and his personal feelings as a father. But he must do it.
In between greeting and chatting with the guests, Meimei stuck with Iris and Jiang Ying Yue. Her constant chatter gradually eased Jiang Ying Yue's nerves until she was able to calm down. Meimei also included Long Jinjing and Chen Fei in the conversations. The guys, Long Hui and Long Jian, were involuntarily excluded from the girl's group.
Chen Fei acted polite throughout the conversations, but she ignored Iris. She was still hostile towards Iris and unable to forget her grudge.
As for Iris, her bad mood didn't go away after leaving the elders. In fact, the negative feelings simmering inside her gradually grew stronger. The more Chen Fei blatantly ignored her, the more Iris wanted to slap her face.
She also felt annoyed at Long Jinjing who acted nice and shy. Long Jinjing was very considerate with her words. Iris could almost see a bright halo floating over Long Jinjing's head. It made her feel surly.
The change in her emotions was so subtle that Iris treated these irrational feelings as her own.
Despite the tense undercurrents between them, they still interacted politely with each other. It gave the guests an impression that all of Long Tengfei's children got along with one another.
After greeting most of the guests, Long Tengfei asked for everyone's attention. They stopped their chatters to listen to him.
"My dear friends, I would like to thank all of you for coming to celebrate my birthday today. My wife and I appreciate your time and your well-wishes. I am very happy today because all of my children came tonight. My firstborn, Long Hui. My second son, Long Jian. My first daughter, Long Jinjing. And my youngest daughter, Long Xiulan. You may know her as Iris Long."
The guests murmured among each other.
"So her real name is Xiulan..."
Some of the Longs' closest family friends already knew her real name, but most of guests attending the party didn't know. This was the first time they heard of Iris' real name.
"I am very proud of all of my children. They are the greatest blessings of my life. My biggest wish for my birthday is to watch all of my children develop their own set of strong wings and fly high towards their respective successful lives."
The four Long siblings smiled at their father's words. Whether they were acting or not, the guests couldn't be sure.
Long Tengfei spoke for a bit more before ending his speech.
Everyone clapped their hands when he finished speaking. Then they raised their glasses in a toast to a long life for him.
The party resumed.
Long Jian excused himself to join Long Xiaopeng's group. He was closest to Long Xiaopeng's branch family. He never experienced any discrimination from them for being illegitimate. This branch family was among the weakest and least influential in the Long clan, but Long Jian planned on elevating their status when he succeeded as head of the family and Long Industries.
Long Tengfei and Yang Jiahui began moving around to entertain the guests and also to personally speak to the important personages who attended. As the heir, Long Hui was instructed to join them.
"Come with me?" Long Hui asked Jiang Ying Yue.
She quickly shook her head. "You go ahead. I'll just stay here with Xiulan and Meimei."
He hesitated for a few moments before nodding. There was even a faint hint of relief in his eyes. Then he followed Long Tengfei and Yang Jiahui in going around.
Iris clicked her tongue, displeased at his actions. "He wanted you come with him tonight, but he's leaving you just like that? I thought he was going to introduce you to everyone? What's he doing now? How irresponsible."
The ill feelings inside her magnified all the shortcomings she noticed among the members of the Long family, including Long Hui. Surrounded by the Longs in this party, these feelings only solidified even more inside her.
However, Iris still failed to notice the qualitative change in her emotions.
She turned to Jiang Ying Yue. "If he continues to lack resolve in fighting for you like this, feel free to find a better man than him. I don't want my godson to follow a spineless father like him as a role model."
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Chapter 353 What\'s - Her
"Wow, Xiulan. You're very savage today," Meimei observed.
Chen Fei snorted. "What do you mean 'today'? She has always been savage. This is her real personality."
"Xiao Fei, please," Long Jinjing begged her friend to stop with a tug on the arm.
Iris only raised an eyebrow at Chen Fei before flipping her hair back and ignoring her. Then she continued to talk to Jiang Ying Yue.
"Well, it's none of my business whatever happens in your relationship with Elder Brother Hui. I'm just saying that a man who can't properly defend and protect you is not worth your love. Just look at my darling. He'll do anything for me. That's why I love him very much."
The strange ill feelings inconspicuously hijacking her emotions retreated when her love for Jin Liwei overflowed inside her. A stupid smile broke out of her face at the thought of her darling.
"Pft!" Meimei laughed seeing her expression. "And I was wondering why you're suddenly being so bitchy about Big Brother Hui. It turns out that you just want to brag about your man to Big Sis Yue. Xiulan, you're so funny sometimes."
"Well, show me a man who's better than my darling," Iris dared Meimei.
"Fine, fine. I get it. Your man is the best. Happy?" Meimei continued to laugh.
Jiang Ying Yue also smiled at the lighthearted exchange. Meimei and Dom were very similar in that they could always find a way to lighten the atmosphere. Although Jiang Ying Yue was smiling, Iris' words managed to strike a chord within her.
She felt disappointed that Long Hui was basically just asking her to endure all of the insults being thrown at her tonight. The dream of a happy family for the sake of her son was the only thing keeping her from bolting out of this place filled with judgmental people.
Although she appreciated that he brought her to the party, introduced her to his father, and held her hand in front of everyone, she wished that he would do something more. With every insult she kept on overhearing from the surrounding people, she felt belittled as a human being.
It reminded her of the vast difference between their statuses. Long Hui was the Crown Prince, while she was only a bodyguard. Her insecurity only grew.
Her depressing thoughts were interrupted by Chen Fei.
"Oh, look who just arrived," Chen Fei said. "It's the Wu family."
They turned their heads to the entrance. A mature couple around Long Tengfei's age walked in with an attractive, willowy young woman.
"That's the interior designer, Wu Qianxi. The Wu family's beloved daughter and their pride and joy." Then Chen Fei glanced at Jiang Ying Yue, adding, "And Big Brother Hui's ex-girlfriend."
Jiang Ying Yue stiffened at Chen Fei's words. Good thing that she was able to maintain a neutral expression, not showing how affected she really was by Wu Qianxi's presence.
She forced herself to look at Wu Qianxi. She had met the woman before when she worked as Long Hui's bodyguard. Long Hui and Wu Qianxi were still together during that time. However, the two rarely saw each other in person. Both were busy with their respective careers. Additionally, Wu Qianxi lived in the U.S., only returning to the country every few months. It was mostly a long-distance relationship.
"She looks weak. Ying Yue's body looks so much better. Look at those arms. They look like twigs," Iris commented.
Something stirred unnoticed inside her again. It started to intertwine with her own emotions until there was almost no distinctions between what was hers and what was not. If Iris would only stop, examine and analyze her current feelings, she would notice that her bad-tempered attitude was so unlike the usual her. It was more like the original Iris Long. Unfortunately, she was at a party right now and didn't have the time for introspection.
Meimei giggled. "Oh, Xiulan. You're so bitchy today. I love it!"
Even Long Jinjing and Chen Fei smiled at Iris' bitchy comment. After a few moments, Chen Fei caught herself smiling and was surprised. She fixed her expression, erasing the smile from her face.
"Ying Yue, don't feel insecure because of that Wu what's-her-name," Iris continued. "If Elder Brother Hui chooses that woman over you, then he's a big idiot. I'm sure you'll find a better man than him who'll appreciate you and love you wholeheartedly. And don't worry about Little Jun. If that big idiot tries to take him away from you, my darling and I will wage a bloody war against him and that Wu what's-her-name."
"Ahahaha! Big idiot...Wu what's-her-name... Ahahahaha!" Meimei doubled over and laughed hard while clutching her stomach.
Long Jinjing also giggled. Chen Fei's mouth was twitching so badly, as she tried hard to stop herself from laughing.
'Dammit! I just find her words funny, that's all. It doesn't mean that I like this b*tch,' Chen Fei told herself while desperately trying hard not to laugh.
"Xiulan, thank you," Jiang Ying Yue said in her sincerest tone.
She was truly grateful. Although she found it weird that Iris was being so unusually bitchy today, she thought that it was just because Iris was being a friend to her. After all, true friends would always side with each other regardless of circumstance.
After giggling, Long Jinjing bit her lip when she realized that they were being mean. "I think we should stop badmouthing Miss Wu. It'll reflect badly on Father if others were to hear us. Besides, the Wus are long-time friends of our Long family..."
"Big Sister Jinjing, I'm a Long but I'm not friends with any of the Wus. Are you?" Iris countered.
"No..." Long Jinjing replied.
Meimei snickered.
"Fine, I'll stop," Iris Long finally said with a shrug. "As long as she doesn't make trouble with Ying Yue, I won't say anything."
"Oh! Look!" Chen Fei exclaimed. "Wu what's-her-name...I mean Wu Qianxi is talking to Big Brother Hui over there."
They all turned to where Chen Fei was looking at. Indeed, they saw the former lovers talking to each other.
"Maybe they're just greeting each other..." Long Jinjing suggested.
"Jinjing, we're all women here. Look at Wu Qianxi's expression. Tell me if she really just plans on greeting your brother," Chen Fei told her. "Oh! She just touched his arm. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 seconds! Let's round it to 10! Who touches a taken man for 10 seconds?"
"What the?! Now I'm angry. What are we going to do?" Meimei asked.
"What do YOU want to do?" Iris asked Jiang Ying Yue instead.
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Chapter 354 - Very Close
"I...I think I want to leave..." Jiang Ying Yue's neutral expression cracked, finally showing how upset she was about Long Hui talking to Wu Qianxi. Her hands clenched into tight fists. Her body tensed, making her muscles flex and stand out even more.
"Girl! What are you saying?" Chen Fei couldn't believe Jiang Ying Yue. "You look strong but you're actually so weak! A fly is buzzing around your man in front of your eyes, yet you're not going to do anything? If I were you, I would've grabbed my stilettos and stabbed that ho to death, and then send her to the special hell where itchy women like her who seduce taken men belong."
"Yeah, I agree!" Meimei said.
Surprisingly, Long Jinjing also nodded in agreement.
Iris only looked at Jiang Ying Yue, waiting for her decision.
"I don't...I don't want that woman near Hui. I want her to go away," Jiang Ying Yue finally shared her honest thoughts.
Iris smiled at her answer. She had no idea that her feelings of protectiveness for her friend was being reinforced by the inconspicuous remnant inside her. It was making her bolder and more daring.
"Come on, girls. Let's go and swat that big fly away."
Without waiting for their reply, she flipped her hair back and started walking towards Long Hui and Wu Qianxi's direction. Chen Fei decisively followed her. Of course, Long Jinjing followed her best friend. Meimei followed them but quickly returned to drag Jiang Ying Yue who didn't move from her spot.
A natural path opened up for them. The surrounding people just felt compelled to give way to Iris without being asked. Some of them even greeted her warmly. She gave them a dazzling smile and a few waves. Their eyes were riveted to her smooth leg popping in and out of her dress with every step.
Finally, Iris and the others reached Long Hui and Wu Qianxi. The girls formed a semi-circle around the two, effectively trapping them to the wall.
Long Hui looked confused at first, but when he saw Jiang Ying Yue behind the others, he realized what his current situation must've looked like to others. He immediately distanced himself from Wu Qianxi and stood beside Jiang Ying Yue.
Iris and Chen Fei caught the displeasure in Wu Qianxi's expression before she quickly covered it up with a smile. Their eyes narrowed at the other woman's quick change in expression. Long Jinjing and Meimei didn't catch it. Jiang Ying Yue didn't notice it either because she was focused on Long Hui.
"Elder Brother Hui, I don't believe I've met this 'acquaintance' of yours before. Could you introduce us?" Iris asked in her sweetest voice.
Chen Fei gasped in an exaggerated manner. "Xiulan, don't tell me you don't know who Miss Wu Qianxi is. She's a popular international interior designer!"
"Oh? Interior designer?" Iris tilted her head to the side before turning to Long Hui. "Elder Brother Hui, you're hiring this interior designer? For which place? The Gold Heights unit? Have you consulted with your 'girlfriend' first?" Without waiting for his reply, she directly asked Jiang Ying Yue instead. "Ying Yue, did you know about your boyfriend's plans of redecorating your unit?"
"Uh, no..." Jiang Ying Yue was too surprised at being asked suddenly that she just blurted out her answer without thinking about it first.
Both Iris and Chen Fei released exaggerated gasps of horror. To their side, Meimei was struggling to control herself. She wanted to laugh so badly. As for Long Jinjing, she just stayed quiet but her stance showed that she supported what her best friend and sister were doing.
"Elder Brother Hui, how can you not tell your 'girlfriend' first?" Iris looked at Long Hui as if he just committed an unpardonable crime.
Long Hui cleared his throat, feeling uncomfortable all of a sudden. He moved closer to Jiang Ying Yue. Then he explained to Iris, "You're mistaken, little sister. I'm not planning on redecorating anything. Wu Qianxi and I are just talking as old friends."
Then he began making introductions.
"Nice to meet all of you," Wu Qianxi greeted them with wide smile. "I just returned to the country from the U.S., that's why I'm very excited to reconnect with Hui. We're 'very close'." Then she turned to Jiang Ying Yue. "Hi, there. I remember you. You're Hui's bodyguard, aren't you? Are you on duty right now?"
Iris' eyes turned cold.
Jiang Ying Yue paled but still answered. "N-no. I'm not his bodyguard anymore."
"Ying Yue is my girlfriend and the mother of my son," Long Hui told Wu Qianxi. He also hooked his hand around her waist to prove his point.
Wu Qianxi looked furious for less than a second before putting on a surprised expression. "Oh. So she's the one. I see. I didn't expect that you'll get together with your former bodyguard... Oh! Please do forgive my careless words. They're not meant to be offensive."
"Do you have amnesia or something? Xiulan just referred to Big Sis Yue as Big Brother Hui's girlfriend just a few moments ago and yet you're acting so surprised now," Meimei mumbled under her breath.
Wu Qianxi's expression wavered but she still smiled at Meimei. "Ah, forgive me. I must've missed it earlier. It's quite noisy here especially with a lot of people present in this party. Not to mention that I'm still suffering a bit from jet lag."
"Miss Wu, you just mentioned that you're 'very close' to Big Brother Hui. I thought the two of you already broke up. Do you still maintain communications with each other?" Chen Fei asked.
"Yes."
"No."
Long Hui frowned at Wu Qianxi's answer. "We stopped all communications after we broke up." Then he turned to Jiang Ying Yue. "We really have no communications at all. This is the first time that we've talked to each other since we broke up."
"Hui, what do you mean by that? I always send you greetings on your birthday or during New Year."
"But I never once replied to you. That's not communication," Long Hui said.
This time, Wu Qianxi wasn't able to maintain her friendly expression any longer. Her lips were still smiling, but the look in her eyes hardened.
"Oh, then that means that you're not 'very close' at all," Chen Fei interjected. "Miss Wu, that's very misleading, you know."
"I agree," Iris nodded sagely. "What if Elder Brother Hui's 'girlfriend' here misunderstands? What's more, they already have a child together. Be careful because others might accuse you of being a homewrecker, Miss...uh, Miss..." She turned to Chen Fei and asked in a loud whisper, "What's her name again? I forgot."
"Miss Wu. Her name is Miss Wu Qianxi," Chen Fei whispered to Iris' ear, making sure that it was loud enough for the entire group to hear, including Wu Qianxi herself.
Wu Qianxi turned red from humiliation and fury.
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Chapter 355 - Impromptu Play
"You don't look so good, Miss Wu," Long Jinjing asked in a 'concerned' voice. "Are you okay? Do you feel sick? Wait here, I'll get you something to drink."
She took a glass of red wine from a waiter passing by. She was about to give it to Wu Qianxi when she "tripped". The red wine splashed all over Wu Qianxi, staining her ruby-beaded peach dress.
Wu Qianxi shrieked in horror at her expensive designer dress which was now ruined by several big and ugly stains.
Her shriek caused a few people to look at them. When they saw the state of Wu Qianxi's dress, they instantly felt sorry for her.
"Oh no! I'm so sorry!" Long Jinjing apologized, her expression contrite.
"You—" Wu Qianxi was about to slap Long Jinjing before she realized that people were looking at them. She forcefully controlled herself.
At first, the people thought that there was a fight between Wu Qianxi and Iris' group, but seeing Long Jinjing's apologetic expression, they concluded that it was just an accident. They didn't doubt Long Jinjing's angelic appearance. She didn't look like someone who would maliciously splash a drink onto another person on purpose.
"Long Jinjing, what have you done? You're so careless!" Meimei 'scolded' Long Jinjing.
Then Meimei grabbed a cloth serviette from a nearby serving table. Then she started patting the stain on Wu Qianxi's dress. However, it only worsened the red wine stains on the dress, making them spread even further.
"Stop!" Wu Qianxi slapped Meimei's hands away, but Meimei insisted on being 'helpful' and continued her actions.
"What the? It's only getting worse. Wait, let me wipe harder." Meimei rubbed the serviette even harder. The force of her wiping tore some of the ruby beads off the dress.
"What are you doing?! Stop it! My dress!! Do you have any idea how much I paid for this?!!!"
Wu Qianxi had now completely lost her composure. Her expression turned ugly, and she pushed Meimei roughly away.
"Ah!" Meimei 'fell' hard to the floor, making sure to roll twice before stopping. "Ouch! It hurts!"
"Meimei!" Iris ran to her.
Both Iris and Chen Fei helped Meimei from the floor.
"Miss Wu, I know that you're upset about your dress but you didn't have to push her so hard," Iris told Wu Qianxi in an accusing tone. "Meimei was just trying to help you. Please don't take your anger out on her."
By this time, the commotion attracted the attention of more people. They murmured to each other, throwing disapproving looks at Wu Qianxi's behaviour. They thought that her barbaric retaliation was low-class and didn't reflect her respectable status. The ones who felt sorry for her before because of her ruined dress now sided with Meimei and the rest of Iris' group.
Wu Qianxi became self-conscious and quickly fixed her furious expression into an understanding one. Inside, however, she was boiling in anger. She didn't even push the bitch that hard.
"Miss Yang Mei, I'm terribly sorry for pushing you. I didn't mean it. It was done out of reflex," Wu Qianxi apologized to Meimei before turning to Long Hui. "I really didn't mean it, Hui. I was just too shocked and my body moved on its own. Please believe me." Then she moved to touch his arm again.
Jiang Ying Yue tugged on Long Hui's sleeve, silently warning him. To his credit, he stepped away before Wu Qianxi could touch him.
Fury flashed in Wu Qianxi's eyes. She glared at Jiang Ying Yue for a second before changing her expression once again into a more pleasant one.
"This is all my fault. If I wasn't so clumsy and didn't trip on my own feet, I wouldn't have spilled the wine and ruined Miss Wu's beautiful dress." Long Jinjing's expression became even more pitiful.
Iris left Meimei to Chen Fei and went to Long Jinjing's side instead. "What are you saying, Big Sister Jinjing? It's not your fault. It was an accident." Then she turned to Wu Qianxi. "Miss Wu, do you blame my sister?"
The murmurings of the crowd grew louder, making Wu Qianxi even more self-conscious. Of course Wu Qianxi blamed Long Jinjing and everyone in Iris' group. She knew that they were doing all of these on purpose to humiliate her, but she couldn't just publicly blame them without ruining her own image to the people.
"You misunderstand, Miss Long Xiulan. Of course I don't blame Miss Long Jinjing," Wu Qianxi quickly said. She turned to Long Hui again and pleaded with him. "Hui, please believe me. All of this is just a big misunderstanding."
Long Hui had no idea that Iris and the others were just acting out an impromptu play to torment Wu Qianxi and cast her in a bad light to the people attending the party. At first, he sided with his sisters, especially after Wu Qianxi pushed Meimei to the floor. However, he was starting to feel sorry for Wu Qianxi. She had already apologized many times, yet his sisters seemed to continue pushing the blame on her.
"Let's not turn this into something bigger. It was just an accident. Apologies have already been given. How about we act like adults and move on? Alright?" he suggested.
"Thank you, Hui. Yes, I agree. Let's be adults and move on," Wu Qianxi was the first one to reply. Her smile looked a little smug, thinking that Long Hui was taking her side.
Of course, Jiang Ying Yue also thought the same way. Her eyes darkened with great disappointment. She released her hold on Long Hui's sleeve and stepped away from him.
Iris, Chen Fei and Meimei also felt dismayed inside. They wanted bang his and Wu Qianxi's heads together.
Then Iris saw that Long Tengfei and Yang Jiahui were making their way to them. It seemed that the commotion finally reached their ears. She quickly whispered to Long Jinjing, "Big sister, do us a favour and cry. Go."
"W-what?" Long Jinjing confused.
Iris felt annoyed at her slow reaction. She whispered to Chen Fei instead. "Our father is coming. Make my sister cry. Hurry."
Chen Fei immediately understood Iris' purpose. She positioned herself close beside Long Jinjing and covertly pinched her best friend hard on the side of her waist.
"Ah!" Long Jinjing cried out in pain.
Chen Fei held the pinch and even brutally twisted it.
Poor Long Jinjing had no choice but to cry. Huge tears fell down from her pitiful eyes. She threw a heartbroken look at Chen Fei, Iris and Meimei. She bit her lips and whimpered. She looked so much like a crying angel that it pinched the hearts of the people around them. They felt sorry for her.
"Oh no, Big Sister. Please don't cry. I know that Miss Wu was very harsh earlier but she already apologized," Iris 'consoled' Long Jinjing in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "Yes, she yelled at you for accidentally spilling that wine on her dress and even pushed Meimei hard to the floor for trying to help her, but she already said sorry. Are you worried that she's still angry at you?" Iris turned to Wu Qianxi. "Miss Wu, I'm begging you. Please don't be mad at my sister anymore."
"Yes, Miss Wu. Let's be mature here and not hold grudges," Chen Fei added. "Look, Jinjing is crying so hard. Don't you feel sorry for her?"
"Miss Wu, let it go. It's just a dress. I know a good dry cleaner. They can take off any stains. It's unbecoming for a lady to hold grudges for such a trivial thing," a madam from another affluent family spoke out.
After her, others also stared speaking out. They all defended Long Jinjing.
Wu Qianxi felt mortified. She wanted to scratch the faces off of everyone from Iris' group. But the one person among them that she hated the most was Jiang Ying Yue, even though the bodyguard didn't participate in humiliating her. She knew from her intuition that Iris and the others were only tormenting her because of Jiang Ying Yue. After all, it had already been reported that Iris and Jiang Ying Yue were friends.
The useless spoiled brat. The bodyguard who stole her man. The illegitimate daughter of a mistress. The orphaned niece of Long Tengfei's third wife. And the illegitimate daughter's best friend.
Wu Qianxi looked down on everyone in this group. They were all inferior in her eyes. It was infuriating to act courteous to them when they were obviously making trouble for her. If only they weren't surrounded by a lot of important people, she would've already shown these low-class bitches not to mess with her.
"What's going on here?" Long Tengfei's deep voice asked. When he saw his first daughter in tears, his eyes turned cold.
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Chapter 356 - Important Announcemen
Meimei seized the chance to explain the situation first before Wu Qianxi could say anything. Her version of the events exaggerated the "maltreatment" she and Long Jinjing experienced in the hands of Wu Qianxi. It cast Wu Qianxi in a bad light, especially now that almost everyone in the party were paying attention to them.
"Look at my knees and elbows, they're bruised," Meimei said, showing Long Tengfei and Yang Jiahui her perfectly fine elbows and knees.
Well, there were some slight reddening on the skin but that was it. Nobody was really paying close attention as to whether she really bruised or not. The people cared more about her aggrieved expression as she recounted the story.
In addition, tears were still flowing down Long Jinjing's pitiful eyes. It made the people think that Meimei's story was very credible. Besides, there were a few people who witnessed her tumbling down on the floor earlier.
"But it's okay. I'll be fine. These are just bruises after all. They'll heal," Meimei continued to say. "But I feel sorry for your daughter Long Jinjing, Uncle Tengfei. She apologized so many times for spilling the wine but Miss Wu is still very upset about her dress. Miss Wu seems to love the dress very much. She also said that it's very expensive."
"Don't worry, Big Sister Jinjing. No matter how expensive Miss Wu's dress is, we'll help you pay for its repair or maybe even buy her another dress of equal value. But if it's really that expensive and we can't afford it, maybe we can ask Father for a loan and then we'll just pay him back in installments," Iris added.
Chen Fei sighed loudly. "I guess I need to postpone my plan of using my first paycheck when we start working after we graduate to move to a nice apartment. But it's okay. I can't just leave my best friend alone to pay off an expensive dress."
"N-no. I'll pay for it myself...It's my fault. I was the one who ruined Miss Wu's dress..." More tears flowed down Long Jinjing's eyes. Her hand was rubbing the side of her waist, as if she was comforting herself. Her pained expression drew the sympathy of the growing crowd.
"Long Jinjing, what are you saying? I also ruined Miss Wu's dress. I tried to help wipe the stain off her dress but I ended up making it worse. I even 'accidentally' tore off some of the precious ruby beads. Ah! I'm just a poor university student and an orphan who's living with my married aunt. How will I be able to afford those ruby beads?" Meimei 'despaired'. Then she turned to Long Tengfei and Yang Jiahui. "I'm sorry, Uncle and Auntie. I'll have to ask for a loan from you. I really can't afford the dress."
"Oh, my dear Xiao Mei. Don't worry about any loans. What are you saying? We're family. There's no need for loans." Yang Jiahui left Long Tengfei's side to embrace her niece. She looked heartbroken because she loved her dead brother's daughter like her own. Then she faced Wu Qianxi. "Miss Wu, please forgive my niece and my husband's daughter. I'm sure that they didn't mean to ruin your dress. I'll personally pay for the dress. Don't worry about it. I also have some dresses in this place that you can change into. Just please have the kindness within your heart to forgive these girls."
Wu Qianxi felt absolutely mortified. It was taking all of her control to stop herself from erupting in fury at how Iris' group painted the entire situation to make her into a great villain. She thought about trying to explain herself. But seeing the crowd already siding with Iris' group, she knew that she would just damage her image even more if she denied the allegations. So she could only grit her teeth and endure the current humiliating situation. She forced a humble expression on her face and replied to Yang Jiahui.
"Madam, please stop worrying. I'm not upset about my dress anymore. There's no need to pay me back or anything like that. It's just a dress, after all."
Then she apologized once again to Long Jinjing and Meimei, even though all she wanted was to slap their faces and pull all their hair out. She hated that she had to apologize to these bitches so many times. They were really doing all of these on purpose to humiliate her.
She also apologized to Long Tengfei for causing a scene during his birthday. She felt nervous and more sincere in her apology to him because she could see that he was displeased. If possible, she didn't want her future father-in-law to dislike her for any reason.
It was even more important because Long Tengfei was the current head of the family. He had the power to influence his son on who to marry and even revoke Long Hui's status as his successor. Buttering up Long Tengfei was a priority for Wu Qianxi and her family. They wanted her to be the next Madam Long, so it was imperative that Long Hui continued to be the heir.
Finally, she apologized to the guests. Many of them were important personages whose influence could boost or damage one's status in high society. She needed to repair her image to them as soon as possible. The thought made Wu Qianxi hate Jiang Ying Yue and Iris' group even more for tarnishing her image tonight.
"My beloved daughter, why are you apologizing to everyone? What's going on?" Wu Qianxi's mother cried out as she ran to her one and only daughter. Then she gasped. "Your dress! It's ruined! Oh no! Who dared ruin a masterpiece? You paid a fortune for that dress just to wear it for tonight!"
Both of Wu Qianxi's parents finally arrived at the scene. They were in another part of the house chatting with the Long elders and other important guests when someone informed them that their daughter got into trouble.
"Qianqian, tell mother. Don't be afraid. Who's bullying you?" Madam Wu embraced her daughter protectively, and then glared at Jiang Ying Yue. "Is it you? You gold digger who stole my daughter's boyfriend?"
Emboldened by the daring actions of Iris' group, Jiang Ying Yue finally defended herself for the first time ever. She stepped forward and spoke in a loud and clear voice.
"Madam, I'm not a gold digger and I never stole someone else's boyfriend. Long Hui and your daughter already broke up when Long Hui and I started our relationship. Please don't mislead others with false facts. I am innocent."
"You! How dare a mere bodyguard like you answer me back?!" Madam Wu moved to slap Jiang Ying Yue in her anger but Long Hui blocked her.
Long Hui stepped forward and placed himself in front of Jiang Ying Yue, protecting her from any other physical attacks.
"Madam, Ying Yue is right. Wu Qianxi and I already broke up long before Ying Yue and I got together. She didn't steal me from anyone." Long Hui explained before turning to Long Tengfei. "Father, I hope that you'll allow me to make an important announcement tonight."
"You may," Long Tengfei simply replied with a nod.
"Thank you, Father." Long Hui swept his eyes across the guests, particularly at the Wu family and the elders who were just arriving at the scene. "I would like to clarify one thing to everyone tonight. The only woman I'm going to marry is the mother of my son. She is the beautiful woman beside me and her name is Jiang Ying Yue."
Then he moved to face Jiang Ying Yue before falling on one knee.
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Chapter 357 - Circus
Long Hui fished out a small box from his breast pocket and opened it, revealing a simple solitaire diamond ring. He looked up at Jiang Ying Yue.
"Ying Yue, I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you and our son. Let's build a happy family together. Will you marry me?"
Jiang Ying Yue looked utterly shocked just like everyone else. She froze, her mind going blank.
Everyone gasped at Long Hui's sudden proposal.
Even Iris didn't expect that he would propose to Jiang Ying Yue tonight. She looked at Meimei, Chen Fei and Long Jinjing. All of them had similar expressions as her. They didn't know exactly what to feel. They felt both joy and discontent for Jiang Ying Yue.
Many of the guests whipped out their phones to record the sensational moment. They weren't particularly excited for the couple themselves. They were more excited at the prospect of a family scandal that was sure to engulf the Long family, knowing that the woman involved was Long Hui's former bodyguard.
These people moved in the same circles in high society. They already knew what kind of attitude the Long elders had towards people they deemed as inferior to their status. The Long family almost broke apart when Long Tengfei divorced his first wife to marry Wei Lan, a struggling model with questionable background. The situation only stabilized when Long Tengfei married his current wife, Yang Jiahui, who was proving to be a reliable madam of the Long family despite her not so impressive family background.
If Long Hui were to really marry this bodyguard, the Long family would most likely enter another turbulent period. There might even be some drastic insurgence among the dissatisfied branch families.
Unlike Long Tengfei who was already the family head when he married Wei Lan before, Long Hui was still just an heir at the moment. One wrong move from him and he might not even succeed his father as head of the family at all.
All of these ran through the minds of everyone witnessing the surprise proposal. They couldn't resist glancing at the Wu family, specifically at Wu Qianxi, who was believed to be Long Hui's future wife once upon a time.
Wu Qianxi looked pale, horrified and heartbroken as she watched her ex-boyfriend proposing to another woman. Her mother, Madam Wu, clutched her chest in a similar horrified expression, while disbelief filled her father' face.
Back to the proposal.
Long Hui started to sweat when Jiang Ying Yue failed to respond. His expectant expression started to transform into anxiety. He lifted the open box containing the diamond ring higher.
"Ying Yue? Please marry me."
Jiang Ying Yue finally regained her senses. Her heart was beating so fast and so loudly that it was all she could hear. It was like the galloping of horses threatening to jump out from inside her chest.
"H-hui..."
She wanted to ask him what the hell he was doing, proposing in such a (for her) hostile environment like this. She felt extremely uncomfortable and pressured. Did he think this was romantic? Not to mention that she was still feeling unhappy about his earlier actions (or lack thereof) regarding the insults being thrown at her by the elders and the other guests and most especially Wu Qianxi's flirting with him.
'Let me think about it first. Let's not rush our relationship,' was what she wanted to tell him. However, with all the people watching them right now, doing so would embarrass him. She still loved and cared for Long Hui not to subject him to such public humiliation.
"Ying Yue?" Long Hui asked again. He was now almost soaked in his own sweat.
"I..." Jiang Ying Yue felt very torn. She didn't want to make a decision so quickly. However, seeing his pleading expression, her heart softened for him. Trembling a little, she forced a smile and answered, "Y-yes, I'll marry you."
Cheers erupted among the crowd. They congratulated Long Hui for a successful proposal.
Long Hui looked delighted. He quickly slipped the ring on Jiang Ying Yue's finger. It fit perfectly. Then he jumped up, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her on the lips in front of everyone.
Iris, Meimei, Chen Fei and Long Jinjing clapped their hands. However, they weren't as enthusiastic as the people around them. They looked at each other, not really knowing whether to be happy or dismayed for Jiang Ying Yue.
"She doesn't look happy to me," Long Jinjing observed. Her voice was very soft. Only Iris and the others heard her.
Chen Fei sighed. "I don't know what your brother is thinking. This isn't really an appropriate time to propose. Now I feel bad for Jiang Ying Yue. I think she may have felt forced to accept Big Brother Hui's proposal because of the crowd."
Iris agreed with their observations. Remembering the perfect proposal her darling gave her, she felt that Long Hui was a big idiot. He basically dumped all the pressure on Jiang Ying Yue. Jin Liwei would never do this to her.
The inconspicuous remnant inside her grew stronger and powered up Iris' negative feelings about Long Hui. But she still failed to notice it. These more intense emotions started melding with her own calmer and rational emotions until it was difficult to differentiate between the two. Iris treated all of these as her own feelings. She thought that these negative emotions were because she felt indignant and protective of her friend, Jiang Ying Yue.
"Thank you, everyone, for bearing witness to such a happy occasion of my life," Long Hui said in a loud and joyful voice. His arms was wrapped around Jiang Ying Yue who looked awkward being in the spotlight. "And thank you, Father, for allowing me to do this even though this is your birthday."
Long Tengfei only nodded.
The celebratory atmosphere was interrupted when Wu Qianxi suddenly burst into tears. She looked distraught. She was in a sorry state, only emphasized by her ruined dress. She sobbed in her mother's arms.
"Oh, my beloved daughter! So pitiful!" Madam Wu cried, as she tried to comfort her daughter in her embrace. "You've suffered so much tonight!"
Her husband, Sir Wu, glared at Long Hui and Jiang Ying Yue. He looked absolutely furious.
"Long Hui, I can't believe that you'll do this to my daughter! You not only humiliated my daughter but also my entire Wu family in front of all of these people! Do you think that we, the Wus, are so easily trampled on just because you're a Long?!" he shouted and pointed an accusing finger at Long Hui. Then he shot his angry glare at Long Tengfei next. "Tengfei! Your son is too much! I demand justice for my daughter! She has suffered so much!"
The rumourmongers among the crowd were almost in ecstasy at the development of the events. This was the kind of drama that they were waiting for! They started munching on imaginary popcorn, as they watched the drama unfold right in front of them.
Long Tengfei's eyes turned cold. He frowned, displeased that the Wu family was creating so much trouble during his birthday and his son's proposal. He didn't appreciate that the Wus were making this occasion about them when it was clearly supposed to be about his Long family.
Long Jufang interrupted and spoke directly to the furious Sir Wu. "Calm yourself. We'll certainly have a thorough conversation with Long Hui about his terrible lapse in judgment tonight. We apologize for the distress our young master has caused Miss Wu Qianxi and your family. I, Long Jufang, promise that we will solve this predicament of a sham proposal."
"Sham proposal? Granduncle, I am very serious in marrying Ying Yue!" Long Hui declared in a loud voice.
Long Jufang was angered that Long Hui talked back to him. But seeing Long Hui's stubbornness, the elder glowered at Jiang Ying Yue instead. "You low-born woman! You're not satisfied with just giving birth to Long Hui's firstborn child, you even want to be his wife?! Well, I'll tell you this right now! Even if you marry Long Hui, we'll never accept you into our family! You're nothing but a gold digging slut!"
Jiang Ying Yue flinched at the insults. Her eyes filled with tears but she refused to cry in front of all of these people.
A faint smirk lifted up Wu Qianxi's lips, but she quickly returned to crying in her mother's arms.
"Granduncle, please stop. Ying Yue will become my wife whether you like it or not!"
Long Jufang opened his mouth but he was interrupted before he could even speak.
"Enough!" Surprisingly, it was Yang Jiahui who erupted in anger. She couldn't hold it in any longer. She swept her unusually blazing eyes at Long Hui, the Long elders and the Wu family. "If you intend on ruining my husband's birthday, then you have succeeded! How dare you make a circus out of my husband's important birthday party?! I am aghast at your thoughtlessness! You are disrespecting my husband! This is Long Tengfei's day, not yours!"
Everyone went silent.
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Chapter 358 - Big Idio
Yang Jiahui's outburst effectively shut everyone up. It was the first time that most of these people saw her lose her temper. Sheepish expressions appeared on their faces. They knew that they were part of the "circus" act she accused them of, whether as an active member of the altercation or even just as a passive bystander.
Long Tengfei's eyes softened at his wife. He held her hand and gently squeezed it to soothe her anger. Then his eyes turned cold again when he looked at everyone else. He spoke in a loud and clear voice filled with authority.
"Dear friends, I apologize for letting you witness such an embarrassing family spectacle tonight. Regardless of what happened, I hope that you continue to enjoy yourselves at my birthday party. And also please excuse us as I gather the parties involved for a private talk. We will return later to celebrate the rest of the night with you."
The guests murmured "go ahead", "please don't worry about us", and other such gracious words. They also couldn't wait for Long Tengfei and the others to leave, so that they could freely discuss among themselves what just happened.
Still holding his wife's hand, Long Tengfei ordered a "private family meeting" and motioned for the parties involved to follow him. The Wu family was also invited to join because of their involvement in the situation.
The elders were the first ones to follow him. Next was the Wu family. Long Hui followed next but met with some resistance from Jiang Ying Yue.
"Ying Yue, please. You must come with me. Father says that this is a family meeting. You're now my fiancée. Meaning, you're part of the family. Besides, our relationship will most definitely be the main topic of the meeting. Both of us need to be there," Long Hui told her.
"Hui... Sorry but I-I don't think I can do this," Jiang Ying Yue whispered to him in a desperate tone. "The elders don't consider me as part of your family. You just heard your granduncle, didn't you? He said that he'll never accept me into the family. There are only so much insults that I can take before I break down. I-I want to go home to our son now."
Long Hui took her hand and held it firmly. "Ying Yue, I'm sorry. I know that you're hurting, but I really hope that you'll come with me to the meeting. I'll fight for you and for our son. I'm serious. I'll marry you whether the elders like it or not. I know it's hard but can you please endure it for now? Ying Yue, let's fight together. This is for us, for our son, for our family."
When he said it like this, Jiang Ying Yue couldn't make herself disagree with him. She sighed and then took a few deep breaths to steel herself against the insults that would surely be thrown her way again. She felt like a sacrificial lamb about to walk into a nest of vipers.
"You're a big idiot, Elder Brother Hui," Iris' low voice interrupted their whispered conversation. "You say 'fight together' but you're not even giving Ying Yue a weapon to defend herself. You just want her to completely depend on your shitty protection. She's being attacked left and right but you want her to 'endure'. Some man you are."
"Little sister, stay out of this. It's none of your business," Long Hui told her through gritted teeth.
Anger flared within Iris, powered by the inconspicuous remnant. Fortunately, her calm and rational emotions counterbalanced the remnant's volatility. Iris hadn't realized it yet, but at the moment, a permanent evolution was happening deep inside her. Once the process was complete, she would never be the same again.
"None of my business?" she hissed at Long Hui. "Ying Yue is my friend. You think I'm just going to stand here quietly when I see her hurting? Your carelessness is causing her great pain. Just be honest and say that you want the best of both worlds. You want to be the heir but you also want to marry her and make your son legitimate, even if it means dragging them into the hostile domain of the Long family."
"What's wrong with wanting the best of both worlds? I'm not doing this just for myself. My son will have more opportunities in life as a legitimate child of the Long family," Long Hui countered.
"I agree with your reasons, especially since it's for the sake of Little Jun. But your methods suck, Elder Brother. Too crude and simplistic. You're going to allow Ying Yue and Little Jun to endure the discrimination from the elders and the other branch families, and just hope that the relatives will accept the mother and son in the future? How naïve! That's just plain torture to my friend and my godson. That's why you're a big idiot."
Long Hui opened his mouth to disagree with her, but then it hit him. His eyes widened at the realization. It was as if his vision widened its scope, making him see the situation more clearly. He looked at Jiang Ying Yue and the deep pain in her eyes.
"Y-you're right..." he finally said.
"Hmph. Of course, I'm right."
He took a deep breath and blew it out, as if expelling the idiocy from his system. "What should I do then?"
Iris looked at him like he was the most stupid person in the world. "If you really want Ying Yue and Little Jun to be your legal family but still stay as the heir of the Longs at the same time, then you must transform the Long family from the inside out to make it a more suitable place for your wife and son."
His eyes widened in alarm at the gravity of her words. Paranoid, he looked around them to make sure that nobody was listening to their conversation. Fortunately, they were speaking in whispers.
Only Meimei, Long Jinjing and Chen Fei could hear them. However, the three were also as shocked as him when they heard what Iris said.
Iris flipped her hair and raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, if you can't do it, just say so. It just means that you're not strong and resolute enough in fighting for Ying Yue and Little Jun. To be honest, I don't give a whit about what happens to you, Elder Brother. Whether you succeed Father's position or not, I don't care. However, I'm not going to allow you to drag my friend and godson into that hellhole of the Long family and subject them to a lifetime of pain and suffering. Do that, Elder Brother, and you'll make me and my darling your mortal enemies."
Long Hui subconsciously shivered at her threat. But at the same time, it also ignited his resolve. He clenched his hands and gritted his teeth. "Fine. I'll figure something out."
"Whatever." She shrugged. "I don't really care about what happens to the Long family. The only Longs who I care about are myself, Little Jun and Father. Even if you fail in dealing with the Longs, Little Jun and Ying Yue will be safe with me and my darling. They don't need the Long family to live happy lives."
"You..." He sighed. "You're so savage. But I understand."
"Good. Now that you've realized what a big idiot you are, Elder Brother Hui, let's head to the family meeting now," she suddenly announced, surprising all of them. "I don't care about the elders, but I don't want Father and Aunt Jiahui to wait for too long, especially since it's Father's birthday today."
"What? After all the things you said, you still want to go to the meeting?" Chen Fei asked in disbelief.
Iris gave her a side-eye. "Of course. It's obvious that the elders favour that Wu what's-her-name. If we don't attend the meeting right now, she and her family of weasels would dig their claws deeper into the Long family. Although I don't care much about the Long family, I don't want those Wus acting like they belong with the Longs. If the elders and the other self-important relatives are weeds, then the Wus are pests. They must be eliminated before they do irreparable damage. That's why we must go."
"Oh, that makes sense. You go ahead, then. We'll stay here and wait for you," Meimei said.
"What do you mean? You're not staying here. All of us are going. Father said that this is a 'family meeting'. We're family. Let's go," Iris said and started walking, expecting them to follow her.
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Chapter 359 - Family Meeting
However, nobody followed Iris. They didn't move. They felt uncertain as to whether it was appropriate for them to go to the meeting or not.
Iris returned, displeased at their indecisiveness.
"Meimei, you're Aunt Jiahui's niece. Aunt Jiahui is Father's wife. You're family. Big Sister Jinjing, you're a Long. You're family. Chen Fei, you're not a Long so you're not family, and I don't really care about you, but you should still go with us because the more people there are, the better," Iris said.
"Bitch," Chen Fei muttered under her breath. However, she didn't protest against Iris' suggestion.
"And Ying Yue, you should also go with us. You're a friend of a Long, me. You're a mother of a Long, Little Jun. And now you're also a fiancée of a Long, that big idiot beside you."
Long Hui pursed his lips at Iris' words about him.
As for Jiang Ying Yue, fear and extreme anxiety filled her expression.
"Don't worry, Ying Yue. Even if that big idiot beside you can't properly protect you, I can and I will," Iris told her in a much gentler tone.
"Yeah! Big Sis Yue, don't worry. I'll stand by you as well. Even if the elders try to kick me out of the meeting, I'll just hug Xiulan's thigh so I can stay. Besides, my Auntie is Madam Long! That should count for something," Meimei said.
Long Jinjing looked at Jiang Ying Yue and her expression softened. "Me too... I'll go, as well. I might not be able to do much, but I'll stand by you."
Chen Fei released a heavy sigh. "If Jinjing is going, then I'm going as well. The elders are also hostile against her. I just can't leave my best friend alone in that kind of environment. Jinjing and Jiang Ying Yue are in a similar situation. I have said this to Jinjing a million times already but I'm going to say it again now. Your Long family sucks big time."
"Tell me something I don't know," Iris said under her breath. Then she looked at Jiang Ying Yue, awaiting her decision.
Jiang Ying Yue looked at the young women and she instantly felt a lot better. Her fearful and anxious expression eased. She gave them a faint smile. "Thank you. I still really don't want to go to the meeting, but I'll do it. I'm not alone anymore."
The women all smiled at each other, feeling the connection between them growing stronger.
Long Hui felt completely left out. But seeing Jiang Ying Yue with a lighter expression, he couldn't help but smile as well. He was glad that she had found a support system with these friends of hers.
His sister was right. He was a big idiot for expecting his lady to endure the pain and hardships of facing the discrimination of the Long family. She didn't deserve it. He wanted a happy family, but it wouldn't happen if the wife was suffering.
He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. When she turned her attention to him, he whispered to her, "I'm sorry for my idiocy. I promise I'll do better from now on."
"Hmph. As you should," Iris told him in a grumpy manner.
"Little sister, can you just please give me this moment with my fiancée?" he asked helplessly.
"You can have your moment later. We don't have time. Let's go to the meeting."
This time, everyone followed Iris when she walked out of the party and headed to the library where the family meeting was being held. When they arrived, they could immediately feel the tense atmosphere inside.
"Even if you're the heir, making your elders wait for you for so long is unacceptable! Who do you think you are, the family head? You haven't succeeded your father yet, boy!" Long Jufang scolded Long Hui as soon as they entered the library.
"What is that woman doing here? This is a 'family meeting'. She doesn't belong here," Long Meng added, referring to Jiang Ying Yue.
Jiang Ying Yue cowered, but Iris slapped her back hard. It sent a jolt of energy and courage into her. Her back straightened and her eyes became determined.
"Xiulan and the rest of you, this meeting has nothing to do with you. Leave. It's none of your business," Long Jufang said, dismissing them with a wave of his hand.
"Granduncle Jufang, Father said that this is a 'family meeting'. Even Grandaunt Meng just said it too. By saying that this meeting has nothing to do with me, are you insinuating that I, Long Xiulan, daughter of Long Tengfei is not 'family'. I, who is a legitimate daughter of the main family, is less of a family than those of you from the branch families? Not to mention that the Wus are also here. Are you saying that they are 'family' and I, someone who has Long blood flowing inside my veins, am not? Pray tell me, Granduncle Jufang. Where is the logic in that?"
"You disrespectful child! How dare you talk back to me like that?!" Long Jufang popped up from his seat and pointed a furious, shaky finger at Iris.
Iris touched her chest in exaggerated surprise. "Granduncle Jufang, you misunderstand. I wasn't being disrespectful. I was just stating the facts." Then she turned to Long Tengfei. "Father, did I say anything that isn't true? Am I not your daughter? Am I not a member of the main family?"
"You are my child and a member of the main family. There's no doubt about that," Long Tengfei simply said.
She nodded. Then she sighed, shaking her head. "But Father, it seems that the elders don't consider me as 'family'. Both Elder Brother Hui and I are being scolded and belittled so badly by the elders and the other members of the branch families. I wonder why they are treating us members of the main family like this. Father, maybe...never mind. It's such a frightening thought."
Long Tengfei frowned. "Speak. What is it?"
Iris hesitated, looking at the elders cautiously. She even acted a little fearful of them. Behind her, the mouths of Meimei and Chen Fei were twitching as they struggled not to laugh at Iris' deviousness. They already knew where she was going with this act of hers.
"Alright, Father. I'll speak. But please don't take my words too seriously. These are just my personal thoughts based on my observations of how the elders and the other relatives are treating me and my siblings." Iris bit her lips, acting as if it was very difficult for her to speak her next words.
"They have always criticized me, Big Brother Jian and Big Sister Jinjing. They always told the three of us that we're not good enough and that we're the biggest shame of the Long family. They adored Elder Brother Hui the most, but now that Elder Brother wants to marry the mother of his son, they have begun treating him as badly as they treat the three of us. Now all four of us, your children, are being insulted left and right by our own relatives.
"I can't help but wonder why they're suppressing us children of the main family so much. Then I thought...what if the branch families are planning to oust us, the current main family, and take over the Long clan instead?"
"What a pack of lies!" Long Jufang exclaimed. His furious face turned completely red, as he shot a vicious glare at Iris.
"This is slander!" Long Meng also protested.
"I..." Iris 'cowered' at the elders' anger before turning to Long Jinjing. "Let's go, Big Sister. We're really not welcome here. It seems that we have no status within the Longs. Being the children of the family head counts for nothing. We're lower than dirt in the eyes of the elders and the branch families."
Then she threw a meaningful look at Chen Fei.
Chen Fei immediately understood. She surreptitiously pinched Long Jinjing's waist hard and cruelly twisted it.
Poor Long Jinjing cried out once again in pain. Tears of pain flowed down her pitiful eyes. She whimpered at first, but then began sobbing hard when Chen Fei gave her another brutal pinch.
Iris gave Long Jinjing a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "Please don't cry anymore, Big Sister. You're going to make me cry too. Let's go. Don't worry. Even if we're no one in the eyes of the branch families, Father loves us very much."
"I-it hurts..." Long Jinjing continued to cry while rubbing her abused waist.
"I know, Big Sister. It hurts me, too. But what can we do? The elders from the branch families are more important than us, the children of the family head."
Seeing his daughters' pitiful conditions, Long Tengfei banged his hands hard on the arms of his seat. His expression looked frightening, cold and furious at the same time. He shot a glare so cold at the elders and the other relatives present that it could freeze even hell.
"Besides me and my wife, there is no one else above my own children! Not even the elders and surely not anyone from the branch families! Anyone who dares claim that they have higher status than the main family, I will disown and banish from the Long clan!"
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Chapter 360 - Homewrecker
Long Tengfei's authoritative threat alarmed the elders and the relatives who were present at the meeting. They immediately started denying Iris' allegations, saying that what they were doing were only instilling discipline in the family's younger generation.
Even though the elders wanted to chastise and punish Iris for putting them and the branch families in a tight spot, they controlled themselves (for now). Pacifying Long Tengfei was their immediate top priority.
Ultimately, Long Tengfei held the power and the purse strings of the entire Long clan. Losing his support would mean that their respective branch families might plunge into financial crisis. Not to mention that they would lose their status in high society. In short, it would be an utter disaster to the branch families if Long Tengfei decided to cut them off.
Before Iris' allegations, he still respected the elders' seniority and tended to use more diplomatic means to maintain peace in the clan. Now, however, he suddenly raised his guard up against the branch families. He was from the main family. It was only natural that he would protect the main family's position and prevent the branch families from trying to take over the clan's leadership.
All of these were triggered by Iris' words. The elders and the relatives were already cursing her inside their minds a hundred thousand times. This was all her fault! The damn brat! What if Long Tengfei suddenly began running the clan with an iron fist? Now they had to be more careful or he might really disown and banish them from the clan.
Long Tengfei continued, "Remember this: My children are not nobodies! They are the children of the head of the entire Long clan! Anyone who dares to bully them, I will treat as a direct insult to my own person! Dare to insult me, Long Tengfei? Come at me! But you must be prepared to face the consequences."
His declaration was like great thunder and lightning that struck a deep sense of foreboding and even fear within the hearts of the elders and the relatives. Long Jufang opened his mouth to protest but closed it again when he saw that Long Tengfei was truly angered this time.
"My children and the others will stay and participate in this family meeting. My son's fiancée will also stay. This is my order as the family head. Anyone who defies me shall be kicked out of this room and from the Long clan forever."
Everyone became silent, not daring to complain.
Long Tengfei swept his cold eyes at everyone. Then he nodded, satisfied, when the elders and the relatives all lowered their eyes to avoid his gaze.
As the family head, he always tried to treat everyone in the clan fairly. He avoided showing blatant bias to his own children. But it seemed that his fairness was being repeatedly abused by the elders and the branch families. He would no longer allow that happen!
Long Tengfei nodded in approval when Iris and the others decided to sit beside him and his wife. It showed everyone their status as the members of the main family.
"Wait, we're not complete yet. Big Brother Jian isn't here," Iris suddenly said.
"He was here before but the elders told him to leave," Yang Jiahui replied.
Long Tengfei ordered someone to call his second son back.
When Long Jian arrived, he was surprised and confused, especially after seeing that his sisters and some extra people (Meimei and Chen Fei) were also present. He began to sit on the farthest chair in a corner.
"Brother, don't sit there. Sit here with us," Long Hui called him over. The 'main family' sits over here, not there."
Long Jian had no idea about the hidden meaning in Long Hui's words. He immediately moved and sat beside Chen Fei. He glanced at Long Hui and Jiang Ying Yue with great anticipation. He was looking forward to watching them get scolded by the elders. He came earlier to the meeting just to watch this moment, but unfortunately Long Jufang shooed him away. He had no choice but to leave. But now that he was called back, he was determined to enjoy Long Hui's suffering.
Finally, the meeting began.
The elders were very quiet this time. It greatly confused Long Jian.
It was the Wu family who began speaking first. They were relieved that Long Tengfei finally finished disciplining his family members. They felt extremely impatient for having to wait until he was done.
"My daughter has suffered such great humiliation and heartbreak tonight," Sir Wu said, indignant. Then he glared at Long Hui and Jiang Ying Yue. "Proposing to your mistress in front of everyone traumatized my daughter. How can you choose such a low-bred woman over my Qianqian?"
"Sir, Wu Qianxi and I already broke up long ago. It's not a matter of choosing one over the other. When your daughter and I broke up, my feelings for her also disappeared. The person that I love now and will continue to love in the future is this woman beside me, the mother of my son, Jiang Ying Yue," Long Hui said. He clasped his hand with Jiang Ying Yue's.
"Hui, I still love you very much," Wu Qianxi tearfully told him. "I know that we broke up because we drifted apart from not seeing or spending enough time together. But now I'm back in the country for good. I intend to stay here. We don't have to endure a long-distance relationship anymore. Hui, come back to me, please."
She continued, "You don't have to stay with that...that woman just because you have a child together. I know that she's just your rebound from our relationship. Don't worry that you fathered an illegitimate child with another woman. I've already forgiven you for that mistake. Even if it's hard, I-I'll accept your illegitimate son."
"Look at how compassionate my daughter is!" Madam Wu cried. "Accepting that bastard child of yours, your mistress should thank my Qianqian for her kindness!"
Jiang Ying Yue defended herself and her son. "Madam, I am not a mistress. I have never been one. My relationship with Hui might be unacceptable for people of status like you, but generally speaking, there is nothing wrong with our relationship. Yes, we have a son despite being unmarried, but that doesn't make me a mistress. And you have no right to call my child a bastard."
She growled the last sentence. Even though her voice slightly trembled, she now felt braver in defending herself. She wasn't alone anymore. She had friends who were standing by her. And it seemed that Long Hui was also going to make a change to make it better for her and for their son.
Faint smiles could be seen on Iris and the others' faces. They were glad that Jiang Ying Yue was standing up for herself. However, their smiles didn't last long because Madam Wu started shouting.
"Don't talk back to me, you gold digging slut! You're the reason why my daughter can't get together with Long Hui. You destroyed their chance to be together again!"
Before anyone else could respond to the madam's accusation, Iris spoke aloud and pretended to be confused.
"Is it just me or what the Wus are saying doesn't make any sense? They insist on calling Ying Yue a mistress when she's not. Do these people even know the definition of the word 'mistress'? Now they're even accusing Ying Yue of destroying Miss Wu's chance to be with Elder Brother Hui." She looked at her companions. "Tell me. Do these make any sense to you?"
Chen Fei, Long Jinjing and Meimei all shook their heads.
"Please excuse me for butting in, but I feel like this needs to be said," Meimei spoke next. "The way I see it, Miss Wu is the one acting like a homewrecker. Think about it. Big Brother Hui and Big Sis Yue have a son together and are living together. They are a family. But here comes Miss Wu wanting to break them apart. Isn't that something only homewreckers do?"
"Exactly," Chen Fei nodded wisely. "Yet they're twisting the situation around to make it look like Miss Wu is the victim when she's clearly not. They're pushing all the blame on Jiang Ying Yue. She's the real victim here!"
"Yes," Long Jinjing agreed with a nod. "I feel so sorry for Jiang Ying Yue."
"Shut up, all of you! What right do you have to interfere in this matter?! Be silent! You're outsiders!" Madam Wu shouted at them.
"Madam Wu, they're not outsiders," Yang Jiahui interjected, her voice cold. "Xiulan and Jinjing are Hui's sisters. My niece is part of our family and Chen Fei is their friend. And just so everyone is clear about my opinion in this matter, I also agree with what they're saying. Miss Wu is acting like a homewrecker."
"You dare say that about my daughter, Yang Jiahui?!" Madam Wu shrieked.
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