Qin Long nearly burst out laughing.
"Wang Ming must have said that deliberately," Qin Long’s expression turned cold. Wang Ming was truly courting death. He hadn’t taken the initiative to deal with the man, yet Wang Ming was this malicious.
"Don’t worry about whether Wang Ming said it or not," Tang Xuewu said, her pretty face filled with helplessness as she gritted her teeth. "The point is that the entire Tang Family believes it."
"They don’t matter to ," Qin Long said, slowly taking her hand and looking at her seriously. "What I want to know is, what do *you* think?"
"I want your analysis," Tang Xuewu said slowly, touching her chin.
"I suspect Wang Ming is the one causing trouble behind the scenes."
At Qin Long’s analysis, Tang Xuewu’s jaw dropped in shock.
"I really underestimated his shalessness," Qin Long said, his expression turning cold as he clenched his fists. "He’s actually trying to pin the bla on ."
"Do you have any proof, Qin Long?" Tang Xuewu asked, biting her lip in confusion.
If Wang Ming was the person behind this, it would be shocking news. After all, for the Wang Family, a first-rate family in Jiangzhong, dealing with the Tang Family would be effortless.
Qin Long gave a bitter smile, gazing at the distant night sky. "Among the younger generation of the Tang Family, Xuewu, you’re the most outstanding. But they’re all blinded by power, only thinking of clinging to outsiders. Even I, an outsider, can see the plots behind the scenes more clearly than they can. At this rate, they don’t even need an enemy to take them down. The Tang Family’s bankruptcy and liquidation are only a matter of ti."
Qin Long sighed helplessly and shook his head.
"Qin Long..." Tang Xuewu was utterly astounded. She knew Wang Ming had always been interested in her and had assud everything he did was to win her heart. But now, after Qin Long’s analysis, it seed his intentions were far from simple!
"Don’t scare , Qin Long," Tang Xuewu said, her beautiful eyes widening as she stared at him.
"I’m not," Qin Long replied, shaking his head, unwilling to analyze it further. "His intentions are an open secret. It’s not a matter of if, but when."
Tang Xuewu’s expression showed she was considering his words. She was still puzzled, unsure whether to believe Qin Long’s analysis or the Tang Family’s. Between Qin Long and Wang Ming, who was the real mastermind?
「The next day.」
A finely dressed Zhang ilan stopped Tang Xuewu.
"We’re going to visit your grandfather today," Zhang ilan said sternly. "You have to co with ."
"Mom, I have a project proposal to present at the company," Tang Xuewu replied, her brow furrowing. She was reluctant to go, especially with so much happening at work. "If it’s not urgent, I’d rather skip it."
"How dare you!" Zhang ilan snapped, fiddling with her bracelet. "Your grandfather adores you and specifically asked to see you. All the relatives will be there today. It’s rare for everyone to get together."
Tang Xuewu sighed helplessly. "What about you, Qin Long?" she asked, turning to him.
"I’m free. I’ll go with you," Qin Long said with a smile.
"Mm-hmm." Tang Xuewu nodded. She knew Qin Long was coming because he was worried about her, and her heart ward. She didn’t know when it started, but having him by her side always made her feel safe. It was a profound sense of security.
「Xiajiang District, Jiangzhong.」
It was originally a county-level city, later upgraded to a district because of tourism developnt. This area marked the transition from city to countryside, and many of the houses were rural in style.
Qin Long and the others arrived just after eight in the morning.
Seeing the Zhang family’s large courtyard, Zhang ilan’s face lit up. "If Grandpa hadn’t insisted, I wouldn’t have co at all..." she chattered incessantly.
Visiting relatives these days had lost its original warmth; it was now rampant with competition and comparison. Although Zhang ilan had married into the prestigious Tang Family, her branch of the family had been ostracized. It was only because of Qin Long that they had recently regained their inner court privileges and year-end benefits. Before that, their situation had been humiliating, and for years, her siblings had ridiculed her.
"Alright, ilan, we’re here to see your parents," Tang De said, carrying two bottles of Maotai and a large pile of gift bags. "Don’t worry about what other people think. We just have to be ourselves. Besides," he added, "we’re driving an Audi and wearing designer brands. That’s not too shabby."
Zhang ilan shot Tang De a look, but then glanced pridefully at the bracelet on her wrist and the necklace around her neck. "You’re right, De. You finally said sothing useful," she said, acting like the lady of the house as she led them swaggering into the Zhang family courtyard.
The Zhang family was a prominent local household, with a courtyard spanning five hundred square ters. It was bustling with activity inside. Several won in their forties were chatting about dostic affairs, while a dozen or so young people around Qin Long’s age were talking amongst themselves. The family certainly seed to be thriving.
"Well, well, isn’t this ilan? Do co in!" a woman of about the sa age was the first to call out.
Zhang ilan stepped forward with a broad smile and extended her hand. "Look how enthusiastic everyone still is. You must have been waiting for a long ti..."
The woman sneered, showing no courtesy. "Sorry to disappoint you, but my hands are dirty. I can’t shake yours."
Zhang ilan trembled with anger but forced herself to endure it. She rembered when her family was respected, how this sa group of people would affectionately call her ’Sister Lan’!
The Tang Family of Jiangzhong had once been a first-rate family, after all. Even though they had fallen on hard tis, they were still a formidable force. So, these relatives had all tried to curry favor with Zhang ilan, hoping she could help them. Who would have thought she’d marry such a good-for-nothing? She had no dignity or status in the Tang Family, so she couldn’t help her own Zhang family relatives at all. Once they realized she was of no use to them, they lost all respect for her and slowly began to mock her instead. The ridicule grew worse, especially after they learned that her family had not only taken in a fool who was also a cripple, but had also been expelled from the Tang Family’s inner court. Their status was now lower than that of the servants.
"My, my, Xuewu, why did you bring this fool here?" a tall, beautiful woman said coldly as she slowly approached.
"Cousin, if you keep talking like that, I’ll get angry," Tang Xuewu said, her expression turning icy as she bit her red lip.
Tang Xuewu’s cousin, Zhang Xiaoran, smirked. "Well, well. I never thought you had such... unique tastes, Xuewu. To think you’d actually be into his type." Zhang Xiaoran covered her mouth as she laughed, glancing at Zhang ilan. "But surely... Aunt Lan isn’t interested in him too, is she?"
Hearing this, the surrounding crowd burst into laughter. The details of Zhang ilan’s family situation were common knowledge among the Zhangs, and Qin Long in particular was a source of great sha.
"ilan, you were always such a headstrong woman. Tell , why would you let a fool live in your house?" Zhang ilan’s third sister, Zhang iyan, asked, looking at her with a teasing smirk.
The Zhang family had five children: the eldest son, Zhang Daojun; Zhang ilan was the second child; the third was Zhang iyan; the fourth, Zhang iju; and the youngest, Zhang ide.
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