The Jiang family.
Located at Yinjiang No. 1 in the heart of Hai City, this was the most prestigious residential district in the entire city.
Despite being a location where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold, the greenery rate within the villa area reached a staggering eighty percent. In addition to a specially excavated artificial lake, there were also expensive, designer-made landscape rockeries.
The security for the villas consisted of veteran special forces. Viewing a property for purchase required verification of assets and qualifications because this was the gathering place for the top elite families of Hai City.
Guan Xuxu knew of this place.
Guan Baocheng had once dreamed day and night of buying a house here.
To live here meant becoming neighbors with the world's elite, signifying that one had truly joined their ranks.
A fleet of identical helicopters landed on the broad helipad of the villa district. A black Maybach was already waiting nearby. The three of them switched vehicles, and the car drove past the open lawns of the estate, finally coming to a halt before a four-story manor villa.
Jiang Huai led Guan Xuxu out of the car, but Chu Beihe remained seated, motionless.
When a family was reuniting, it was proper etiquette not to intrude, no matter how close the friendship.
Jiang Huai gave a wave of his hand, and the Maybach started up again, driving deeper into the estate.
"The Chu family lives just up ahead. I'll take you for a formal visit later."
After Jiang Huai explained, he led Guan Xuxu inside.
The European-style manor villa possessed a natural air of luxury and grandeur.
They passed through the garden and entered the main doors. Moving past the foyer and into the living room, Guan Xuxu was met by a massive crowd of the Jiang family. On the way there, Jiang Huai had given her a brief introduction.
Just as Guan Xuxu had guessed, the Jiang family was indeed one of Hai City's Four Great Families. There were four branches in total: three sons and one daughter, each with their own families.
The Old Master had stepped down the year before last due to health reasons, leaving the Jianghai Group in the hands of the eldest son, Jiang Yucheng.
The second uncle, Jiang Yumin, had been a popular A-list singer in his youth and later started his own entertainment company. He was now one of the top moguls in the industry.
The third uncle, Jiang Yutong, served as the Vice President of the Jianghai Group and was specifically responsible for several of the group's key industries.
The aunt, Jiang Yuxin, was a high-powered career woman who had single-handedly built an international A-list brand, wielding immense influence in the fashion world.
As for the younger generation, perhaps because the Jiang family's Yang energy was too potent, the four branches consisted almost entirely of grandsons. Aside from the youngest daughter of the second branch,
there was also Lu Xuexi, a daughter from Old Madame Jiang's maiden family who was being raised by the Jiangs. Looking at the crowd before her, it was clear that almost every branch of the family had gathered.
When Guan Xuxu and Jiang Huai entered the room, everyone looked up in unison. The gazes directed at her were either scrutinizing, curious, dismissive, or... vaguely dissatisfied.
"Grandfather."
Jiang Huai maintained a casual posture. Taking a step forward with his long legs, he called out to the elderly man sitting in the center of the sofa while introducing her. "This is Xuxu."
He then gestured toward Guan Xuxu.
"Xuxu, greet Grandfather."
Guan Xuxu looked at the old man sitting upright in the center, who was looking at her with a faint smile.
She was not particularly skilled in physiognomy, but although the elderly man had a smile in his eyes, he had a straight bridge of the nose, a high forehead, broad brows, and deep eye sockets. He belonged to the type of person who possessed very strong self-conviction.
In other words, he was someone accustomed to giving orders.
"Grandfather," Guan Xuxu greeted him obediently.
The old man nodded and said warmly, "Good. It's good that you're back. From now on, you are the eldest young lady of our Jiang family. No one will be allowed to bully you."
Jiang Huai then turned to Jiang Yucheng, who was sitting next to Old Master Jiang. "This is Father."
Guan Xuxu followed his gaze. Compared to the grandfather's amiable expression, Jiang Yucheng gave off a relatively cold and disciplined vibe. This was especially true of the sharp, cold angles of his profile. His features were distinct, and one could faintly see his handsome appearance from his youth.
The fine lines etched by time onto his face did not make him look old; instead, they exuded the charm of a mature man.
He was a completely different type of man compared to Guan Baocheng.
Guan Xuxu opened her mouth and called out in a low voice, "Father."
The corner of Jiang Yucheng's thin lips tightened slightly at the word "Father." When he looked at Guan Xuxu, his face betrayed little emotion. Only after a long while did he respond with a deep, "Mm."
Jiang Huai then took her to meet the other elders of the Jiang family.
Guan Xuxu silently scanned the room. Aside from her grandmother, who was still in a nursing home, and another cousin, almost everyone was present.
However, her mother was not among them.
According to Jiang Huai, when she was snatched away all those years ago, her mother had pursued the kidnapper alone. She had accidentally fallen into the sea during the chase, and her remains had never been recovered.
Perhaps seeing her silence, the woman who had just been introduced as her Second Aunt stepped forward. She intimately hooked her arm through Guan Xuxu's, her eyes filled with heartache and maternal love.
"Xuxu, you must be tired after just getting back. Your Second Aunt has already had a room prepared for you. Go take a look and see if you like it. If there's anything you're not fond of, tell me anytime."
Old Master Jiang was old-fashioned when it came to family matters. He believed that as long as the parents were alive, the family should not split their households. Aside from the fourth daughter who had married out,
the other three branches lived together in this manor villa. The woman was named Yao Lin. She was about forty years old, but both her figure and skin were extremely well-maintained. At a glance, she looked every bit the noble socialite.
However, her current look of heartache combined with her vain and paranoid facial features felt incredibly jarring in Guan Xuxu's eyes.
Guan Xuxu quietly withdrew her arm. Just as she was about to offer a polite thank you, a youth suddenly jumped out from the side. He looked to be about thirteen or fourteen years old.
"Second Aunt, you should prepare a different room for her," he blurted out. "That one was originally Sister Xuexi's doll room. If you give it to her, Sister Xuexi won't have anywhere to put her dolls."
The youth was the youngest son of the third branch, Jiang Su. Among all the Jiangs, he was the most reckless.
Sure enough, as soon as those words left his mouth, several people in the hall wore complicated expressions.
The third uncle, Jiang Yutong, immediately pulled a long face. "What nonsense are you talking?! This is none of your business."
"Why are you yelling at me? I'm not wrong." Jiang Su stiffened his neck. "There are so many rooms in the house that aren't being used, yet she wants to seize Sister Xuexi's doll room the moment she arrives. By what right?!"
A young girl sitting among the younger generation stood up at some point. Her beautiful, delicate face was filled with self-reproach.
"Xiao Su, stop talking."
This was the Lu Xuexi the youth had mentioned.
Lu Xuexi was the niece of Old Madame Jiang's maiden family. Because Guan Xuxu had been lost years ago, Old Madame Jiang had specially adopted Lu Xuexi to comfort her eldest son and to balance out the Jiang family's overabundance of male heirs. She had been raised in the Jiang family since she was three, growing up alongside the various cousins.
She turned to Guan Xuxu and said softly, "Sister Xuxu, please don't blame him. Xiao Su has no ill intent; he just can't stand to see me suffer. If that room is given to you, it's yours. I'll be fine regardless."
Her manner was generous and appropriate, yet every word emphasized that she was the one being wronged.
It was a familiar formula, exactly like Guan Ruirui.
Guan Xuxu reflected in silence.
Was her constitution so special that she always attracted this specific type of manipulative "green tea" spirit?
The girl turned her head, feigning a scolding tone. "Xiao Su, apologize quickly. Xuxu is your sister."
"Tch." The youth looked dismissive. He let out a quiet snort of contempt. "What kind of sister is she to me?"
Clang.
Someone slammed a cup heavily onto the marble tabletop. The living room fell into a sudden, chilling silence.
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