Seeing that Jiang Ruolan had ignored him, Jiang Guanyu looked at her with slight dissatisfaction before shifting his gaze to Xian Zihao.
"Zihao, this is our family matter. Bingqing is a little headstrong, so she can't distinguish between what she should say and what she shouldn't do but Ruolan–'
"Uncle." Xian Zihao did not show any expression. His voice was also light, but his hand holding onto Jiang Ruolan's shoulder tightened. He didn't want to let her go. "No matter what status Ruolan had in your Jiang Family, she's my wife here."
Jiang Ruolan took a deep breath and raised her head to look at Xian Zihao's handsome face with a calm expression. Her ice-cold heart seemed to have been melted by something warm, and her hand in Xian Zihao's palm was no longer stiff.
"Zihao, this marriage is too hasty." Zhan Lian suddenly said while sighing. In her eyes, there was a hint of frustration and dissatisfaction with the marriage.
Zhan Lian was Zhan An's sister, Xian Zihao's aunt. When she said this, it made Jiang Bingqing snort even more righteously, "What do you want to wonder. Jiang Ruolan had managed to climb into Big Brother Zihao's bed and use public opinion to create a topic that would force him to marry her! This kind of woman was too cheap! How could our Jiang Family give birth to a slut like you!"
"Jiang Bingqing!"
Without waiting for Xian Zihao to open her mouth, Jiang Guanyu suddenly scolded her in a low voice, "Zihao is right. This is not the place for you to throw a tantrum. You told me that Zihao will be here today, that's why I'll bring you two to meet him. Why didn't you tell me Ruolan had returned? Do you know how ugly you make our family look right now?!"
Jiang Guanyu glared at Jiang Bingqing as he said this. Jiang Bingqing's expression turned cold, and in the blink of an eye, she leaned towards Zhan Lian in a grievance. "Mom… I'm trying to fight for Cui Liuxian. You know how much she loves Big Brother Zihao."
"Isn't this Jiang Family?" Suddenly, just as the smoke from the battle reached its peak, a voice interrupted.
Cui Liuxian approached them with a smile. She took a look at the looks on everyone's faces and the situation before her as she raised her eyebrows and smiled, "What happened? Why did everyone's expression turn so ugly? Did I miss something?"
Xian Zihao glanced at Shi Zheng calmly. Jiang Ruolan didn't have much of an expression on her face. They all knew that this woman was aware of the situation. It was obvious that she was here on purpose. She wanted to add insult to injury.
However, neither of them responded. Xian Zihao was standing beside Jiang Ruolan, protecting her with a gentle yet powerful air. He lowered his head to look at her face, a hint of care and concern shown in his eyes.
Jiang Ruolan's gaze met him. The moment their eyes met, she sincerely raised said, "I'm fine."
The two of them looked at each other with a faint smile. It was as if they no longer needed to argue in this situation. It was as if they had already won.
Shi Zheng, who was standing by the side watching everything with a sneered face. She came here to add fuel to the flame but who would think things didn't go as she planned.
However, Shi Zheng was not as stupid as Jiang Bingqing. Looking at the situation, she only said hello to Jiang Guanyu before walking away.
Jiang Guanyu looked at Jiang Ruolan coldly. "Since the marriage has already been decided, I can't say anything more. However, Ruolan is my daughter after all. Zihao, you should at least let me talk to her."
"Say what?" Finally, Jiang Ruolan opened her mouth before Jiang Guanyu could finish his sentence. She looked at the man in front of her with disdain. "Chairman Jiang, I don't think there's anything between us that needs to be said."
After seven years, she was no longer Jiang Ruolan who stood submissively in front of these people. She had personally built the barrier for seven years. The coldness and indifference in her eyes surprised Jiang Guanyu and Zhan Lian.
"If you want to ask where 'your son' is …" Jiang Ruolan deliberately bit down on the words' your son' with great emphasis. Her gaze was filled with mockery as she looked at the man with a face that seemed to be filled with righteousness. "Then I'm afraid you're asking the wrong person."
"What kind of attitude is this?!" Jiang Guanyu reprimanded her. He was obviously dissatisfied with her cold tone, "It's fine if you ran away from home for seven years. Now that you're standing in front of your own father, are you going to use this attitude to talk to me?"
"Do you know what had happened to me seven years ago? Are you trying to say that you care about me? You are truly hypocrite."Jiang Ruolan sneered. "Forget it. We've all been through many years of education, and we've only gotten this much. Why do we have to reveal our true colors in front of others?"
Xian Zihao was the only one who could feel how tense Jiang Ruolan's body was. It was as if her blood was flowing against her, and her body was getting colder and colder.
Contrary to Jiang Ruolan's stiff body, Xian Zihao gently pressed her into his embrace. His faint, thin lips moved slightly as he spoke in a calm and natural tone, "Uncle, when you criticize her, you should think of whose mistake that had caused all of this."
With that, Xian Zihao grabbed Jiang Ruolan's hand and walked away under Jiang Guanyu's ashen face.
Jiang Ruolan turned back to look at Jiang Guanyu with a cold expression and a slight frown.
Jiang Ruolan knew Xian Zihao was defending her. She could see that he was already at his limit and did not want to face these people here. She saw the look in his eyes and knew that he was encouraging her to leave.
Since the beginning, she had always faced all kinds of hardships by herself. But now, there was this special person by her side.
Xian Zihao's eyes gave her a trace of courage and affirmation, ignoring the movements that had been stirred up a long time ago. His eyes were filled with the gentleness that continued to give her a belief that shone in Jiang Ruolan's dim world.
Xian Zihao was defending Jiang Ruolan's dignity. The untouched aura in him brought her a little patience and encouragement. He stood there motionless, smiling at her.
Jiang Ruolan took a deep breath and let out a sweet smile that made Jiang Bingqing clench her teeth in hatred.
She took the initiative to link her hands with Xian Zihao and let him lead her out of the bustling crowd
