Taming The Hidden Bigshot By Kissing Him
Chapter 448: Ugly People Make More Trouble

Chapter 448: Chapter 448: Ugly People Make More Trouble

In the living room.

Young Master Sun sipped his hot tea, gazing at the complex expression on Li Nianqi’s face. She was obviously fidgety, with glances occasionally darting toward the direction of the staircase. Having heard no movement, her impatience grew.

Young Master Sun took another sip of tea, his tone laced with mockery, "You’re not exactly beautiful to start with; frowning only makes you uglier."

"You..."

Li Nianqi hated it most when others commented on her looks.

Her features weren’t particularly pronounced; among ordinary people, she could be considered a modest beauty at best. Not to mention the homes of the powerful and wealthy, with their throngs of beautiful women—she played the role of an inconspicuous leaf at social events.

Sun Weimeng’s words hit her where it hurt most.

Li Nianqi had bottled up a lot of anger; the previous night, she had knelt for two hours in the small ancestral hall and been scolded by her grandmother. This morning, she was rushed over to apologize, carrying with her a mission from her grandmother.

But she had waited so long without a glimpse of Qiao Xi.

Her anger deepened.

"When is she going to come down? Is this how you let guests sit and wait for nothing?" Freed from the constraints of Old Madam Li, Li Nianqi’s temper erupted.

She was the type to bully the meek and fear the strong, seeing Qiao Xi’s beauty and gentleness as weaknesses to exploit.

Coupled with her dissatisfaction, her ire flared.

Young Master Sun slammed his teacup onto the coffee table and said, "What kind of guest are you? Are you here to apologize or to pick a fight? Speak your peace if you’ve got something to say; let it out if you’ve got to fart. I only indulge beauties—I don’t have time to waste on a bland thing like you.

"I really don’t understand where this nonsensical hostility is coming from—are you jealous because everybody loves our Qiao Xi for her beauty?"

Li Nianqi’s cheeks reddened, her sensitive spot prodded.

Young Master Sun pointed at her cheek and said, "Oh, it is indeed! That’s what we call the ugliness of envy."

Li Nianqi stood up, fuming, "It’s clear that you’re enjoying the Li Family’s favor, yet you demand my grandmother to please you at every turn, as if it were your due. Even if the Liu Family did save my grandmother, you’re still the younger generation! We spent all day preparing yesterday’s meal, and not a word of praise from you!"

Li Nianqi was jealous that Qiao Xi could earn her grandmother’s affection—more than she, the blood granddaughter, ever did.

Even the Guan Family of the four great families in the Imperial Capital...

"So what?"

Sun Weimeng retorted, "It’s your grandmother who wants to please Qiao Xi, who insisted on preparing such a feast."

He looked at the foolish Li Nianqi before him and said with derision, "Didn’t your grandmother tell you why she wants to please us? You let the stern traditional old lady let her guard down, didn’t you? After all, she has always been an authoritarian figure to you."

Li Nianqi was baffled. Was there some underlying reason she didn’t know of?

Were these people from Haicheng just lacking in manners?

Seeing her expression, Sun Weimeng knew the old lady hadn’t told her the real situation.

"Well, let me tell you the reason. Because the Li Family’s descendants are disappointing, your grandmother took the Liu Family’s jewelry store in the Imperial Capital. A jewelry store with tens of millions in annual revenue—isn’t that enough to buy us a meal? Or is your family’s food made of gold?"

The Li Family may have struck it rich, but that didn’t necessarily mean they could help Qiao Xi in the Imperial Capital.

It was probably nothing more than introducing the local customs, family rankings, and things to watch out for.

The Liu Family really had been taken for a ride this time, giving away a jewelry store for nothing, only to be blamed.

Li Nianqi’s expression stiffened, her lips twitching without producing a single word.

What?

Her grandmother actually took ownership of the Liu Family’s jewelry store? The Liu Family’s jewelry business was famous in the Imperial Capital too, so why hadn’t she told her about it!

She blushed with shame, rendered speechless.

Qiao Xi walked from the stairway to the living room and saw Young Master Sun scolding Li Nianqi, calling her a white-eyed wolf.

She asked, "What happened?"

Upon seeing Qiao Xi, Li Nianqi felt even more annoyed and ashamed.

Compared to others, she was like the dirt to their clouds.

Whether it was looks or family background, or anything else. After Sun Weimeng’s humiliating words, she couldn’t even lift her head in front of Qiao Xi.

Qiao Xi’s tone was gentle, but with a hint of distance, "Miss Li, what brought you here today?"

Li Nianqi’s eyes darted around, but she forced herself to straighten her back, trying to maintain her dignity, "I was rude last night, and I apologize to you. But I didn’t know about the jewelry store incident beforehand, so it wasn’t my fault."

For Li Nianqi to admit she was wrong was harder than cutting her own flesh.

She bit her lip and reluctantly pulled out a gold-foil red invitation from her bag and stuffed it into Qiao Xi’s hands.

"This is an invitation from the Guan Family sent to my house. Tomorrow night is Mr. Guan’s seventieth birthday, and it was made clear that this invitation is for you."

Li Nianqi just wanted to finish the task given by her grandmother and leave this place that made her feel uncomfortable.

"I don’t have any connections with the Guan Family, so you’ve delivered the invitation to the wrong person."

The delivery of the invitation was odd, it looked like a huge trap set for her to fall into.

Li Nianqi looked at her beautiful face, concealing her complex emotions, and said, "What’s your situation with the Guan Family, I don’t care. But the messenger only mentioned two words, ’Cheng Han’. Whether you go or not is up to you, I’m leaving."

Li Nianqi left in a flurry, her heart as complex as a spilled bottle of mixed flavors.

Qiao Xi pinched the invitation in her hand. The messenger had specifically mentioned "Cheng Han"—could it be they knew she had been searching for Grandpa Cheng’s whereabouts?

Many years ago, Grandpa Cheng had stayed in the Imperial Capital, and she wondered which of those were his old friends.

Was this seventy-year-old Mr. Guan good or bad?

Sun Weimeng, while peeling an orange, said, "Who knows, it might be a banquet with an ulterior motive. You’re the National Doctor’s apprentice, and your reputation precedes you. Huo Xingzhou once said to me that after you arrive in the Imperial Capital, some unknown forces will invite you out, testing your stance. Will you face the challenge head-on, or retreat knowing the difficulty?"

Qiao Xi pursed her lips and looked at him, asking, "Did he tell you what I should choose?"

If it were a neutral force, she could win them over. If it was a force affiliated with the Lu Family, then she would be risking a lot.

How to determine which side the Guan Family was on?

Sun Weimeng remembered the text message he received the night before and laughed mockingly, "He said that with your personality, you’re sure to go."

Qiao Xi smiled. Since it was related to Grandpa Cheng, she had to go.

"So, you’ve decided to go?"

"Yes."

Sun Weimeng threw the orange peel into the trash and snapped his fingers arrogantly, "Then let’s go! He’s already guessed your thoughts. First, let’s order two sets of formal attire—that’s my task! I’ll go find Old Chen to get the car ready."

This top-tier lackey actually had his day of moving up!

Half an hour later.

Old Chen drove the Bentley, which had been rear-ended and fixed overnight, to the most upscale Ruisa Mall in the center of the Imperial Capital.

Young Master Sun got out of the car, leading Qiao Xi straight to the top floor’s luxurious brands.

Unaware, several figures blended in the crowd at the mall watched their backs, picking up their phones to relay the news.

Ill-intentioned people were on the way.

The undercurrent was surging.