Chapter 5: The Family Banquet

The banquet began. It had been organized by the Xu family to appease Jiang Yu, and to showcase the closeness between the two families to their business partners. In truth, the real host of the evening was Jiang Yu. His attitude toward her would reflect on the Xu family’s reputation and determine how much longer Xu An’an could continue living in this household.

But Xu An’an was never the type to be tamed into blind submission to any man. Even a clay figure has a bit of spirit; how much more so someone like her, who was never one to be molded at another’s whim. True, the Xu family had pushed for this union, but it was Jiang Yu’s pursuit that had stirred a sliver of genuine feeling in her heart.

Yet, the night he succeeded in proposing, he’d betrayed her—a violation of her deepest taboo, leaving her feeling nothing but disgust. As for her fleeting entanglement with Jiang Li, it was nothing more than a mutually beneficial act of revenge and refuge. Xu An’an had no illusions of anything more.

The banquet commenced.

Jiang Yu arrived even earlier than she’d expected, his expression betraying not a hint of displeasure toward her—a fact that left Shen Ying thoroughly satisfied. But Xu An’an knew this was only the calm before the storm. Knowing Jiang Yu’s brash temperament, he would not let go of her blocking him so easily.

Sure enough, during the intermission, a message appeared on Xu An’an’s phone.

“If you want to keep your place in the Xu family, come to the Jiang family’s lounge.”

Jiang Yu’s voice came through, accompanied by the boisterous jeers of those around him—clearly, their intentions were anything but pure.

“Brother Jiang, we want to meet our sister-in-law too!”

Xu An’an let out a mocking laugh, clicking her heels as she stepped into the banquet hall.

Her entrance drew every gaze in the room. Someone whistled, “No wonder Brother Yu treasures his fiancée so much—she’s got quite the figure.”

Beside him, Jiang Yu’s cruel teasing rang out, “She’s just a disobedient tramp. If you like her, she’s yours.”

The crowd’s faces shifted, some with amusement, others with discomfort.

Xu An’an’s expression turned cold as she followed the voices, finally noticing, through the dim light of the lounge, the silhouette of a woman in Jiang Yu’s arms.

Those gathered around Jiang Li were his usual hangers-on. With his lead, a few of the more reckless ones began making crude jokes at Xu An’an’s expense: “What’s this now? Miss Xu, didn’t satisfy Young Master Jiang?”

Even their address for her shifted from ‘sister-in-law’ to ‘miss.’

“Come on, pour a drink for Young Master Jiang and help him cool off.”

Words that seemed to mediate, but in fact reduced Xu An’an to the level of a hostess.

In the end, it was a provocation.

Xu An’an knew that getting past Jiang Yu tonight would not be easy.

“What’s wrong? Scared? Not coming over? Or do you want me to pour all this down your throat myself?”

“Come here. Drink it all, and I’ll forgive you tonight.” Jiang Yu’s tone darkened, the room falling silent.

Tension crackled in the air.

In the spacious room, not a single person dared speak for Xu An’an. After all, this banquet was a trap set to placate Jiang Yu’s anger.

She saw it clearly—it was a veritable feast of doom.

Adjusting her gown, she approached with unhurried poise.

Jiang Yu narrowed his eyes, feeling a flicker of desire. She’d grown even more beautiful in the few days since he’d last seen her.

“Jiang Yu, you’d better keep your word,” Xu An’an said, her lips curled, a sultry charm glinting in her gaze.

At that, Jiang Yu felt a pang of frustration. He tugged at his tie, slammed his fist onto the table, making the water in the glasses spill over. “Enough talk—drink!”

“Young Master Jiang, please calm down,” the woman beside him tried to soothe him, but he brushed her hand away.

Xu An’an gave the woman a grateful look, then strode up to Jiang Yu.

She raised her glass, looking down at him from above. “It’s just wine, isn’t it?” She downed a glass in one go.

The wine was rich and expensive, but potent, and Xu An’an drank it as if it were water.

Red liquor trickled down her fair neck.

After more than a dozen glasses, even Jiang Yu looked uneasy. “Stop drinking!”

He reached to halt her hand, making the wine slosh from her glass.

Xu An’an, unsteady on her feet, collapsed into his arms.

Jiang Yu signaled to the others, and the room emptied until only he and Xu An’an remained.

She lay draped against him, eyes hazy with intoxication. Jiang Yu narrowed his gaze.

“Xu An’an, wake up.”

She didn’t respond.

He leaned in, unfastening the top button of her dress.

On her neck, traces of Jiang Li’s kisses were still visible.

Xu An’an seized Jiang Yu’s hand, sitting up abruptly, the drunkenness gone from her eyes.

Jiang Yu sneered, rolling up his sleeves.

He lifted her chin, forcing her to look at the image on his phone.

“Xu An’an, is the woman in this photo you?”

Xu An’an’s heart skipped, her brow furrowing. She hadn’t expected this slip—Jiang Yu had still managed to get hold of that photo.

Thankfully, her face was not visible in it.

She pushed Jiang Yu away coldly. “I don’t know her.”

Seeing her denial, Jiang Yu’s suspicion deepened. “You’re sure? The man in the picture is my uncle, Jiang Li.”

“Jiang Li?” Xu An’an’s beautiful eyes remained calm. “Didn’t you tell me not to get involved with him? I haven’t even met him—how could the woman in the photo be me?”

“Really?”

Her composure eased much of the doubt from Jiang Yu’s face.

From behind, the woman in the photo with Jiang Li bore an uncanny resemblance to Xu An’an. But Jiang Li and Xu An’an didn’t know each other—how could they have gotten entangled?

Perhaps he was overthinking it. Maybe it was just a coincidence, a woman whose figure happened to be similar to Xu An’an’s.

Jiang Yu’s expression softened. “I know you don’t like Ning Xiyue. I won’t see her anymore.”

He wrapped an arm around Xu An’an, his words both comforting and threatening. “You know what the Xu family is like. Don’t ever do something as foolish as blocking me again.”

Xu An’an pressed her lips together, silent.

Seeing her unresponsive, Jiang Yu was about to speak when—

The lounge door was flung open with a bang.

A tall, distinguished man entered, silhouetted against the light.

Jiang Li’s gaze fell on Xu An’an in Jiang Yu’s arms as soon as he stepped inside.

Xu An’an evaded Jiang Yu’s touch, her face unreadable. To an onlooker, it looked more like the two were flirting.

A faintly acrid tension filled the air.

Jiang Li’s eyes grew cold as he looked away, reminding Jiang Yu, “The banquet is about to resume.”

Jiang Yu glanced up at his uncle, surprised by his appearance.

Given Jiang Li’s status in the family, he would never bother with something so trivial as to personally remind a junior.

Moreover…

Jiang Yu’s eyes shifted to Xu An’an, suspicion flaring in his gaze.

Jiang Li’s sudden arrival seemed almost as if he’d come specifically for Xu An’an.

Jiang Li noted this, his eyes narrowing. In a leisurely tone, he added, “The old man is waiting for your answer.”

At that, Jiang Yu’s expression tightened. His affair with a starlet had caused a public scandal and was a source of great distress for his grandfather.

This evening, with the entire Jiang family present, was meant as a gesture of apology to the Xu family.

That his principled uncle would come to remind him was, in this context, only natural.

The doubts in Jiang Yu’s heart gradually subsided. The hand pressing insistently on Xu An’an’s shoulder finally relaxed.

“Thank you, Uncle. We’ll be right there.”

Jiang Li ignored him and left.

After the banquet, Xu An’an went to the lounge’s anteroom to change her clothes.

As she turned, she saw Jiang Li blocking the doorway, his expression inscrutable.

“Xu An’an, where did you learn to turn your back on someone without a second thought? Was it from Jiang Yu?”