Chapter 422

On the expressway from the Provincial Capital to Jiangcheng, a black Maybach was speeding along at a steady pace.

Nie Wenchang had just hung up the phone with his daughter Nie Qianxue, and a hint of displeasure still lingered on his face.

The beautiful woman sitting beside him noticed this, quickly poured a cup of honey water from the nearby thermos, and carefully handed it to him.

"Wenchang, take a sip of water to soothe your throat. Did you settle things with Qianxue that girl?"

This beautiful woman was Nie Wenchang's second wife, Xue Wenshu.

She wore a proper cheongsam, appearing gentle and virtuous, but her eyes hid a subtle calculation.

Nie Wenchang took the honey water, sipped a mouthful, his brows still furrowed, his tone carrying a hint of complaint.

"We had agreed, but Qianxue is unhappy about our sudden visit; her tone shows resistance."

He set down the cup, turned his head to look at Xue Wenshu, and his tone grew heavier.

"You say, Qianxue had promised to bring that boyfriend home in two days for us to see—why must you pull this sudden ambush? If we rush over like this, it will make the child uncomfortable."

In his view, his daughter was never close to them, and doing this now will only deepen the rift between father and daughter.

Xue Wenshu's smile remained unchanged as she softly explained.

"I'm not just worried that Qianxue might have some psychological burden. You know, this marriage alliance with the Xia family is something the eldest branch cares about most."

"The Nie family now relies entirely on the eldest branch to hold things together; they've always wanted Qianxue to marry Xia Jie to solidify the Nie-Xia ties. If Qianxue really just brought back some random boy and said she wanted to call off the engagement, do you think those people in the eldest branch would really accept that?"

She paused, a flash of what seemed like worry crossing her eyes.

"I'm afraid they'll deliberately make things difficult for Qianxue and her boyfriend then—what an ugly scene that would be. By coming to Jiangcheng ahead of time, we can get a sense of things; if the boy is reliable, we can also speak up for Qianxue to ease the pressure on the young couple."

Her words were flawless, seeming both to be for Qianxue's benefit and to consider the whole Nie family.

Upon hearing this, Nie Wenchang's expression shifted slightly, his brows furrowing tighter.

He naturally knew the eldest branch's mindset—those people cared only for family interests, not at all for Qianxue's happiness.

If Qianxue really brought a boyfriend back to the Nie family, the eldest branch would surely obstruct her in every way, and she would inevitably suffer injustice.

Thinking it over, he felt Xue Wenshu's words also made sense.

Nie Wenchang's complexion eased a little, and his tone softened.

"What you say also makes sense; I hadn't considered everything."

It's Xue Wenshu, you're thoughtful and consider everything thoroughly.

Xue Wenshu's smile grew sweeter, and she lightly patted the back of Nie Wenchang's hand.

We're doing this for Qian Xue's sake and for the Nie family's. Don't overthink it—rest a bit, and I'll call you when we reach Jiangcheng.

Hmm.

Nie Wenchang nodded, closed his eyes, leaned back in the armchair, intending to rest and nourish his spirit.

He didn't notice; the moment he closed his eyes, Xue Wenshu's gentle smile vanished instantly, turning her face grim.

She furtively raised her eyes and exchanged a covert glance with the driver.

Then Xue Wenshu turned her head, looking at the scenery flashing past outside the car window, her eyes full of coldness.

Dating?

Looking for a boyfriend?

She simply doesn't believe Nie Qianxue has any boyfriend!

This girl clearly doesn't want to marry Xia Jie; she's lying on purpose to get out of this arranged marriage!

Hmph, pure fantasy!

She knows better than anyone the Nie family's current situation; whether they can overcome this crisis hinges entirely on this marriage with the Xia family.

So she absolutely won't allow Nie Qianxue, this girl, to ruin things!

This time, by accompanying Nie Wenchang to Jiangcheng, she intends to personally expose Nie Qianxue's lies, letting Nie Wenchang see how his beloved daughter deceived him, and see whether he'll still protect this girl.

Once Nie Qianxue has no excuse, won't she have to obediently return to the Provincial Capital and marry Xia Jie?

Thinking of this, Xue Wenshu's lips curled into a cold arc.

The Maybach continued to speed along the expressway, racing toward Jiangcheng.

Meanwhile, outside Nie Qianxue's villa in Jiangcheng.

Jiang Feng and Nie Qianxue stood side by side at the entrance.

Nie Qianxue's face was slightly pale, her hands nervously gripping the hem of her clothes, her gaze occasionally darting toward the intersection.

Don't be nervous.

Jiang Feng sensed her unease, turned his head and glanced at her.

It's just a meeting; go with the flow, don't put too much pressure on yourself.

Hearing this, Nie Qianxue took a deep breath, nodded, and tried to calm herself.

I know, but I'm still a bit worried. My dad's fine; it's mainly my stepmother Xue Wenshu—she's… difficult to deal with.

Just thinking of Xue Wenshu makes Nie Qianxue's brows furrow.

This stepmother appears gentle and virtuous on the surface, but is deeply scheming, and she's always taken a dislike to her, constantly looking for ways to make things difficult for her.

This time, tagging along suddenly, who knows what trouble she'll stir up.

Jiang Feng gave a light smile.

It's fine, I'm here. No matter what she plans, it won't affect us.

His tone was casual, yet it exuded strong confidence, instantly easing Nie Qianxue's unease considerably.

Yeah, Jiang Feng can even control the Jiangnan Wang with an iron grip—would he fear Xue Wenshu?

Just then, Nie Ying, standing nearby, suddenly brightened, pointed toward the intersection, and shouted loudly.

Miss! Mr. Jiang! The master's car is here!

Jiang Feng and Nie Qianxue followed her gaze and indeed saw a black Maybach driving toward the villa, soon pulling up smoothly at the entrance.

The car door opened, and Nie Wenchang stepped out first.

He wore a gray Zhongshan suit, his hair flecked with white, his face bearing a touch of the vicissitudes of time, yet his eyes were sharp.

Immediately after, Xue Wenshu also stepped out of the car, still maintaining her gentle and virtuous appearance, with a perfectly appropriate smile on her face.

"Dad!"

Nie Qianxue hurried forward to meet him, her tone hinting at a complex emotion.

Seeing his daughter, Nie Wenchang's stern expression instantly softened considerably, his eyes full of affection.

"Qian Xue, how have you been doing in Jiangcheng lately? You've lost quite a bit of weight."

He carefully examined Nie Qianxue, seeing his daughter's slightly gaunt face, and felt even more guilty.

Over the years, he has indeed owed this daughter too much.

"I'm doing fine, Dad, you don't need to worry."

Nie Qianxue forced a smile, not wanting to worry her father.

Xue Wenshu also stepped forward, tugged at Nie Qianxue's hand, and spoke in an affectionate tone.

"Qian Xue, long time no see, you're getting prettier and prettier. It's not easy to make it on your own in Jiangcheng, so from now on, if anything comes up, you must definitely tell the family, don't bear it alone."

Her words were sincere and heartfelt; if one didn't know her character, they would surely be moved by this caring demeanor.

But Nie Qianxue knew in her heart that Xue Wenshu's words were merely superficial; who knows what she was really thinking.

She withdrew her hand without showing any emotion.

"Thank you for your concern, Auntie."

It was only then that Nie Wenchang noticed Jiang Feng standing beside Nie Qianxue, and his eyes lit up instantly.

The young man before them was tall and straight, dressed in simple casual attire, yet his bearing was hard to conceal.

His features were handsome, his eyes calm and deep, giving an impression of steadiness and magnanimity, with none of the frivolity of youth.

Just this first impression gave Nie Wenchang a hint of favor in his heart.

He quickly stepped forward and asked with a smile.

"Qian Xue, this must be your boyfriend, right?"

Nie Qianxue's heart tightened; she quickly nodded, forcing out a hint of a natural smile, and began to introduce him.

"Dad, Auntie, this is Jiang Feng, I..."

"Jiang Feng?"

She hadn't finished speaking when Xue Wenshu laughed and cut her off.

Xue Wenshu sized up Jiang Feng from head to toe, her eyes carrying a hint of scrutiny.

"Mr. Jiang is a pretty nice-sounding name. That said, I know a bit about Jiangcheng, but I've never heard of any other Jiang family there."

She paused, her gaze landing on Jiang Feng, her smile still gentle, but the question carried an obvious probing tone.

"I don't know what Mr. Jiang's family does for a living? What line of work are his parents in?"

As soon as she said that, the atmosphere instantly became somewhat delicate.