Chapter 214: Locking Horns

Chapter 214: Locking Horns

As the tea gathering came to an end, the guests began to disperse.

Li Niyue felt sorry for Madam Jiang and tried to comfort her, "Auntie, she's just a niece after all. Don't take it so much to heart."

Perhaps mentioning 'niece' reminded her of someone in her own family, so Li Niyue had no fondness for Jiang Qianzhu.

Madam Jiang nodded at her, forcing a smile.

As they stepped out of the teahouse, Jiang Qianzhu and Yang walked out together.

The two were arm in arm, chatting and laughing as if they were mother and daughter or close blood relatives!

Madam Jiang's expression darkened further.

Jiang Qianzhu also noticed Madam Jiang at that moment.

With a crisp, cheerful smile, she said, "Auntie, you've finished your tea too?"

"You should come back with me now," Madam Jiang said.

"But Auntie Yang said she wants to take me shopping. She mentioned a jewelry store that would be perfect for me."

Madam Jiang's face turned cold instantly. "You need to come back with me!"

Sometimes, the tension between women can be so unpredictable.

Before leaving, Li Niyue had advised Madam Jiang not to take it so seriously, that Jiang Qianzhu was just a niece after all. But now, Madam Jiang was determined to have a showdown.

After all, how could she not fight for some dignity?

She and Yang were no longer friends; there was even a subtle rivalry between them now.

Years ago, Madam Jiang had almost arranged a marriage between her own daughter and the Luo family. She didn’t know what kind of person Luo Heng was, but how could Yang not know her own son’s true nature?

Yang had deliberately tried to trap her, almost leading her precious daughter into a disaster!

As for Jiang Qianzhu, Madam Jiang had treated her like a daughter. Now, with no daughter of her own, she had poured her heart into being good to Jiang Qianzhu. Yet, Jiang Qianzhu chose to side with Yang over a cup of tea and a few words. This left Madam Jiang fuming with frustration.

But to just give up on Jiang Qianzhu and let her go? That was a pill she couldn’t swallow.

Now, seeing Yang about to take Jiang Qianzhu away right in front of her, Madam Jiang's competitive streak flared up.

She couldn’t believe how ungrateful Jiang Qianzhu could be!

With a stern expression, Yang smiled and said, "Sister Jiang, what's the rush? Why don't we all go shopping together? We've finished our tea anyway."

"No, it’s getting late. We should head back," Madam Jiang said seriously, looking directly at Jiang Qianzhu. "Qianzhu, come back with me."

"Auntie~" Jiang Qianzhu tried to act coy, but when she met Madam Jiang's cold and serious gaze, the smile quickly faded from her face.

Weighing her options, she let go of Yang's hand. "Auntie Yang, let's go another time."

At that moment, she made the smart choice to stand by her own flesh and blood—her aunt.

As Jiang Qianzhu stood beside her, Madam Jiang’s expression visibly softened.

On the other side, Yang’s smile was a mix of regret, disappointment, and hidden meaning. "Next time, then."

"Yes," Jiang Qianzhu chirped in agreement.

After this response, she was led by Madam Jiang into the carriage.

Meanwhile, Lu Lingyun and Li Niyue exchanged a glance, both with teasing and complicated expressions in their eyes. They each boarded their own carriages.

Inside the Wang family's carriage, as soon as they got on, Madam Jiang’s face immediately darkened.

She sat in stony silence.

Seeing her expression, Jiang Qianzhu began to coax her, "Auntie, why are you so upset?"

Her words only made Madam Jiang angrier.

"Why are you so upset just because Auntie Yang invited me for tea?"

Madam Jiang was furious. "Do you know who that Yang is!"

"I do, isn't she your friend?"

"Hmph, she’s the mother of Luo Heng!" Madam Jiang snorted coldly, her eyes filled with disdain as she looked at Jiang Qianzhu, hoping she would realize how dangerous and foolish she had been.

But to her surprise, Jiang Qianzhu didn’t seem to care at all.

"I know she’s the wife of the Supreme Court’s Deputy Director, and she explained it to me."

"And knowing that, you still went shopping with her?!"

"Auntie Yang explained everything to me. What’s being said outside about her son is all misinterpreted. He didn’t hit anyone; he was drunk and accidentally pushed his wife. She lost her balance and fell hard. They immediately called a doctor, but that unethical doctor spread lies outside!"

"Her family hasn’t said a word about it."

Madam Jiang frowned tightly at this. "Do you know who his wife really is? She’s a cousin from Yang’s family, living outside the capital. In the city, she relies on her aunt, Yang. If something happened, do you think Aunt Yang would protect her niece or her own son? And her family—what could they say? Don’t let her fool you!"

After the Jiang family rejected the Luo family’s marriage proposal, the Luo family’s reputation suffered, and many families kept their distance. Unable to find a bride for Luo Heng in the capital, Yang married her niece into the Luo family.

Luo Heng’s wife had no one in the capital. Even if she was beaten, there was no one to stand up for her.

And yet, the news of her beatings still leaked out from the Luo family’s estate, which showed that Luo Heng hitting her wasn’t a one-time thing.

Madam Jiang, being decades older, wouldn’t believe such nonsense!

"But Auntie, how can you be sure what you heard is true?" Jiang Qianzhu argued confidently. "These rumors are baseless, without real evidence. Who knows what’s true or false? You’ve always told me not to blindly follow what others say!"

Madam Jiang was speechless, choked by Jiang Qianzhu’s reasoning.

She looked away, her face dark with frustration, not wanting to say a word to Jiang Qianzhu.

Seeing her aunt sulking, Jiang Qianzhu put on a winning smile and came over to coax her. "Auntie, I know you’re worried about me being deceived. How could I not see that? You’re the best to me in the whole world."

This worked, and Madam Jiang snorted. "You know, yet you still went with her!"

"What was I supposed to do? The wife of the heir suddenly appeared and took you away. You know she doesn’t like me." Jiang Qianzhu looked as if she was the one wronged. "Yesterday, she publicly said I was uneducated. When you left with her, did you think about my feelings?"

"At least Lingyun saw Yang and helped us out."

"You think the situation has been resolved, but what about me? If I follow you, who knows how she'll humiliate and torment me!"

Madam Jiang: "How could that happen, dear?"

"Aunt, you never truly cared for me." Jiang Qianzhu turned her head away and said, "You should just go and treat that wife of the heir as your own daughter. Qianzhu knows she doesn’t belong."

At this point, Madam Jiang couldn’t bear to stay angry. She treated Qianzhu like a child who had been hurt, trying to soothe her instead.

"Qianzhu, why would you say such a thing? Aunt has always loved you like her own daughter, just as much as Qiluo."