Ch 50: After My Mother Returned to the Rich Family

Ruan Zhengfei’s familiarity with Ye Zhi was genuinely astonishing to the guests present.

Ye Zhi, now fifty-six, had suffered a severe illness twelve years ago. After recovering, he decisively handed over his business empire to his twin brother and quietly left South City. It wasn’t until two years ago that he reemerged in the jadeite industry, quickly reclaiming his position as an unshakable mogul. Known for his aloof personality and dislike of social interactions, few had the privilege of meeting him.

Though the Liang family had some ties to the Ye family, their invitation had only been extended to Ye Zhi’s brother. No one expected Ye Zhi himself to make an appearance.

Within the Ye family, it had always been Ye Zhi who held the true authority.

Slapping away Ye Zhi’s outstretched hand, Ruan Zhengfei wore an expression of disdain. “Settle the bill? How about you pay for all the meals you’ve mooched off at my house first.”

“Go collect your rent. You could scrape together dozens, even hundreds of five-hundreds. Don’t be so stingy,” Ye Zhi retorted, glancing around. “Where’s Old Master Ruan?”

Shaking his head, Ruan Zhengfei began leading Ye Zhi in the direction of Old Master Liang, explaining as they walked, “He’s not here. I can’t even reach him these days, so don’t get your hopes up.”

Ye Zhi chuckled. “Not much of a disappointment.”

Although there was some regret in not being able to repay the benefactor he had long sought, his primary purpose for attending tonight was to support the Ruan family of three. After all, they had been friends for over a decade.

After exchanging greetings with Old Master Liang and Liang Zongqi, Ye Zhi’s gaze softened as he looked at the poised and graceful Ruan Cha. His expression grew warm and affectionate. “It’s been a while, and little Cha Cha has grown taller. A few days ago, I came across a tricolored jade stone and had it sent to be made into a bracelet. Once it’s ready, I’ll bring it over for you to play with.”

“Thank you, Uncle Ye,” Ruan Cha replied with a sweet smile, raising her wrist to display the pale green jade bracelet she had received from Ye Zhi earlier. “It’ll match this one perfectly.”

Seeing her delight, Ye Zhi grinned. “Exactly. A family should have matching pieces to stay complete and harmonious.”

As Old Master Liang and Liang Zongqi exchanged glances, their faces were filled with astonishment. The closeness between Ye Zhi and the Ruan family, especially with Ruan Zhengfei and his wife, was unexpectedly strong—far beyond what they had imagined.

Meanwhile, the other guests turned their attention to the jade bracelet on Ruan Cha’s wrist. Gradually, it dawned on them what Ye Zhi’s “tricolored jade stone” might be referring to.

Wasn’t the Ye family’s jewelry shop recently in the news for unearthing an exceptionally large “Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity” jadeite?

Ye Zhi had just said something about keeping the family coordinated?

As their gazes returned to the bracelet on Ruan Cha’s wrist, they began to suspect it might be an old-mine glass-type jadeite.

At that moment, a few guests couldn’t help but cast glances at Liang Qianling. For someone as lofty as her, with standards rivaling the sun, it was clear that anyone whom Ye Zhi personally gifted jadeite to must have an extraordinary relationship with him. This revealed the depth of his bond with the Ruan family.

To have a connection with Ye Zhi, how could anyone claim they lacked connections?

Liang Qianling seethed as she stared at Ye Zhi and Ruan Zhengfei. Her mind raced, but no words came to her. The faintly judging gazes around her felt like blades slicing her skin, leaving her suffocating under the pressure.

As the center of attention, Ruan Cha didn’t find jadeite particularly rare. After all, Uncle Ye’s house had an entire shelf of jadeite ornaments.

When she was little, Ruan Cha had a favorite teddy bear. One day, it lost one of its black eyes. Without hesitation, Ye Zhi replaced it with a jade bead, fitting it into the bear’s empty socket.

Ye Zhi’s casual attitude, as if handling a mere pebble, inadvertently shaped Ruan Cha’s perception of jadeite from a young age.

Liang Zongqi observed Ye Zhi and Ruan Zhengfei chatting so naturally and couldn’t help but ask Wei Jiao, “Jiao Jiao, did you know Ye Zhi before?”

“Yes, we did,” Wei Jiao replied casually, as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. “About ten years ago? Ye Zhi said he promised a friend to stay in our town for three years. In the end, he stayed for ten years, becoming our neighbor. Later, he and Feifei became card-playing buddies.”

She waved her hand dismissively. “Both of them are terrible at cards, even worse than Cha Cha.”

Old Master Liang and Liang Zongqi: “…”

The key point here is, when we visited your home last time, we didn’t see any neighbors at all!

Oh, wait.

Last time, you mentioned you were temporarily living in a rented courtyard and hadn’t moved back home yet.

As Ye Zhi mingled, Ruan Cha’s classmates and their parents—such as Huang Jiajia’s mother, Xu Nan’s mother, and Ji Feiyang’s father—arrived one after another. The guests noticed how these classmates surrounded Ruan Cha, instantly realizing that the Liang family’s newly returned granddaughter was quite popular at school.

True friendships or superficial ties, the seasoned attendees could discern them clearly.

Moreover, not only did her classmates attend, but even the Fu family father and son made an appearance. Considering the past grievances between Wei Jiao and Liang Yue, a few gossip-loving guests turned their attention to the Fu and Ruan families, expecting drama.

However, to their disappointment, there was none. The typically stern and aloof Mr. Fu was unexpectedly warm and enthusiastic toward Ruan Zhengfei—far more so than he had ever been to his former father-in-law.

The crowd: “…”

The relationships were so complex they couldn’t make sense of them.

Liang Qianling stood at the side, feeling suffocated as she watched her family and even the Fu family surround the Ruan family of three. Her frustration mounted, especially seeing the camaraderie between Ruan Zhengfei and Ye Zhi. It felt like being slapped hard across the face, her cheeks burning with humiliation.

Thinking of how the Song family had never managed to secure cooperation with the Ye family, Liang Qianling bit her lip, ignoring the sting of her embarrassment. She clicked her high heels, picked up a glass of champagne, and made her way over.

She cast a sideways glance at Wei Jiao, then turned to address Ye Zhi. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Old Master Liang unexpectedly grabbed her wrist, causing half the champagne to spill.

“Dad! What are you doing?” Liang Qianling exclaimed, glaring at him.

Maintaining his polite demeanor in front of others, Old Master Liang merely signaled her with his eyes to refrain from speaking recklessly. “You came alone? Where are Mengyu and Song Yun?”

Liang Qianling laughed dryly. “You want Song Yun here just so you can lecture him? Is playing the harmonious family act with just me not enough? Must the three of us make a grand appearance together?”

As expected, her husband was right. With Wei Jiao back, neither her father nor her brother seemed to notice her existence. Could Wei Jiao’s dividends in the company possibly match her own? Who would believe that?

“Dad, you’ve really gone all out for Third Sister. I can see that everyone we usually collaborate with or know has been invited. You’ve truly spared no effort,” Liang Qianling remarked, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

When she married Song Yun back then, the reception wasn’t nearly as grand as the one being held tonight to introduce Wei Jiao’s family. Just as Song Yun had said, if not for the Song family’s reputation, she would have long been ostracized in these circles.

Hearing Liang Qianling’s words, the three members of the Ruan family remained composed. After all, she wasn’t entirely wrong. Aside from Ruan Cha’s classmates and Ye Zhi, almost all the guests in the hall were invited by the Liang family.

But then again—

Ruan Zhengfei had been too preoccupied with his newfound determination to remember to send out invitations.

Ruan Zhengfei: “…”

Ye Zhi listened with a grim expression, faintly guessing some of Old Master Ruan’s plans back then. Yet, at the same time, he felt a sense of relief. He was glad he had come. If the Ruan family ever encountered trouble, at least he could step in to help.

Then again, could Old Master Ruan have foreseen the connection between Wei Jiao and the Liang family? That seemed unlikely. With his character, had he known, Wei Jiao would have been brought to recognize her Liang family roots years ago.

Of course, Ye Zhi also thought that with Ruan Zhengfei and Wei Jiao’s original personalities, there might not have been any need for him to step in.

Old Master Liang studied Liang Qianling carefully, finding nothing overtly wrong with her demeanor. Yet, he could barely suppress the anger boiling within him. Maintaining a calm tone, he said, “Stop being jealous of your Third Sister. She spent over forty years out in the world, while you’ve lived a life of luxury for just as long. Can’t you act like an older sister for once?”

Liang Qianling protested, “Dad—”

“That’s enough. Go upstairs with your brother. He has something to discuss with you,” Old Master Liang cut her off and handed her over to Liang Zongqi, gesturing toward the staircase.

The banquet was about to begin in ten minutes, and he couldn’t afford to leave Wei Jiao and her family unattended to accompany the second daughter upstairs. Besides, having them both leave might raise suspicions.

Turning back to Wei Jiao and her family, Old Master Liang said, “Jiao Jiao, Zhengfei, let me introduce you to a few more people. Cha Cha, do you want to stay with your Uncle Ye or join your grandpa?”

Old Master Liang indeed intended to use the banquet to expand the Ruan family’s connections. By personally escorting them, he could demonstrate to the guests that the Liang family valued Wei Jiao and her family, dispelling any notions of neglect.

Hearing this, Ruan Cha glanced at Ye Zhi and her classmates before replying, “Grandpa, I’ll stay with Uncle Ye and Fu Chen. You can go ahead and mingle.”

Ruan Cha’s casual use of “Uncle Ye” to include everyone present drew a faint smile from Fu Chen. Under the lights, the sharpness of his features softened, and a hint of spring-like warmth shimmered in his eyes.

It was just…

Joyful and content, yet with a faint trace of dissatisfaction rising from within.

Liang Qianling watched as Old Master Liang placed so much importance on Wei Jiao’s family, and her resentment and jealousy toward Wei Jiao erupted all at once, burning away her rationality. She abruptly shook off Liang Zongqi’s grip on her wrist and spoke angrily, “Dad, you’re just—”

Before she could finish, a soft commotion suddenly arose in the surrounding crowd.

“Yang Ruoguo, the esteemed old gentleman, is here too?”

“Not just Yang, but Lady Crystal is also here. I tried booking a custom gown with her recently, but she was too busy to spare the time.”

“I saw He Wuwei just now. And the people following him… is that the owner of Seven Star?”

It was said that the owner of Seven Star was an extraordinary figure—elegant, beautiful, and incredibly young, yet she had built the brand into one with a sterling reputation. Normally elusive and mysterious, who would have thought they’d see her in person at tonight’s banquet?

“And not only them. Did you notice someone from the Lu family is here too? I thought the Lu family and Liang family have been at odds since that project dispute a few years ago.”

The domestic luxury hotel market had been carved up by the Liang and Lu families, controlling 80% of the industry. A few years ago, a disagreement over a piece of land caused a rift, and ever since, the two families had been rivals at every bidding competition.

“Moreover, it’s Old Master Lu himself who showed up.”

The gossiping guests exchanged looks, recalling an old story known to everyone in their circle: Old Master Lu and Old Master Liang had both fallen for the same person back in their university days.

Unfortunately, neither of them succeeded. That remarkable lady, a winner in life, had a preference for independence, never marrying or even dating. She devoted her time to charity work in remote mountain areas and had remained single to this day.

Just as the guests were done reminiscing, they swept their eyes across the room and were stunned to see three or five more highly influential figures from the neighboring city of Lin entering the hall. For a moment, everyone was left in a daze.

While the guests speculated about how the Liang family managed to invite so many prominent figures from outside Nan City and what their intentions might be, Ruan Zhengfei’s casual remark shattered their assumptions.

Seeing that some of the friends and elders he’d invited had actually arrived, Ruan Zhengfei beamed with delight and turned to Old Master Liang, saying, “Dad, the friends I invited are here. Let me introduce them to you?”

As he spoke, Ruan Zhengfei felt a wave of relief. Thankfully, he had sent out his invitations late, limiting the attendees to elders and friends in Nan and Lin. Otherwise, if everyone came, introducing them all would have been an exhausting ordeal.

Nothing beats lounging in a chair, after all.

The guests: ???

What did you just say? Who did you invite? Say that again!

Old Master Liang snapped out of his astonishment and looked around, his gaze lingering on the grinning Old Master Lu, who seemed far too pleased to be in Ruan Zhengfei’s company. Then he turned to the other figures present—illustrious names in business, music, cuisine, fashion, and more. For the first time in his decades-long life, Old Master Liang began to question his judgment.

The third branch of the family was far more extraordinary than anyone had imagined.

Liang Qianling stood frozen in place, utterly stunned. She stared in disbelief as Ruan Zhengfei casually and familiarly introduced those unattainable figures—people even the Song family couldn’t connect with—to Old Master Liang. Then, recalling Ye Zhi from earlier, her vision went dark, and she swayed unsteadily.

Though the gazes around her appeared perfectly neutral, Liang Qianling felt they brimmed with mocking undertones—mocking her for once claiming Ruan Zhengfei had no connections whatsoever and had to rely on the Liang family.

By the time Liang Zongqi forcibly dragged her upstairs, Liang Qianling was in a daze, unable to meet anyone’s eyes, terrified she might glimpse ridicule within them.

She felt like nothing more than a ridiculous clown.

Meanwhile, Ji Feiyang, mid-bite into a piece of cake, almost choked upon hearing Ruan Zhengfei’s words. He glanced over, and seeing how at ease Ruan Zhengfei appeared with those notable figures, turned in shock to Ruan Cha. “Ruan Cha, all… all of them are your family’s friends???”

If it had been the Liang family hosting and introducing these guests, no one would have batted an eye. But now, with Ruan Zhengfei—known to everyone as “from a small town” and “unemployed”—casually mingling with these VIPs, the crowd collectively paused.

What exactly does the Liang family’s son-in-law do???

Ruan Cha, handing a glass of juice to Xu Nan, tilted her head thoughtfully at Ji Feiyang’s question. After a moment, she nodded. “I guess you could call them my dad’s friends.”

In truth, the elder uncles, aunties, and older siblings who had shown up were all former tenants from the small town. Over time, they’d simply gotten to know her family better.

Ji Feiyang, his curiosity in overdrive, couldn’t resist asking, his gaze flitting toward the calm-looking Fu Chen for courage. “How did Uncle meet all of them?”

Setting aside the older generation, even the middle-aged ones were towering figures in their respective fields. Take Crystal, for instance—she had conquered the Paris fashion scene more than a decade ago before disappearing from the public eye. Five years ago, she reemerged with her new brand, C&C. Today, custom dresses from C&C often fetched prices in the seven- to eight-figure range.

Ji Feiyang only knew about Crystal thanks to his mother, a devoted fan of C&C. He could already foresee her deep regret for letting his father attend the banquet in her stead, all because she had been too lazy to come herself.

Ruan Cha scratched her head, mimicking her father’s mannerisms with a serious expression. “Some of them my dad met while collecting rent, and some came over for free meals.”

The surrounding crowd of eavesdropping gossipers, pretending not to listen: “…???”

Rent collecting and free meals?

Could you at least make your story somewhat believable?

We get it—you’re trying hard to keep your methods secret. Truly, hats off to your dedication!