Chapter 176: 15 Million
Jiang Chuchu: [So you have a cat now too?]
Yu Xin: [The name is Xiao Si?]
Gu Qinghuan: [That’s right—I’ve escaped my life as a catless savage!]
Jiang Chuchu couldn’t help laughing at that.
Actually, she had long felt that sooner or later, Gu Qinghuan would bring that calico cat home. Maybe Gu Qinghuan had always treated it as a stray, but after raising it for so long, a sense of responsibility was bound to grow.
And with Gu Qinghuan’s personality, once she felt responsible—even if she kept it in the office throughout high school—after graduation, she definitely wouldn’t be able to resist taking it home.
They chatted a bit more. Seeing that the gathering was about to begin, Jiang Chuchu put away her phone and headed inside.
During the school term it wasn’t so bad, but once winter break began, all kinds of social gatherings popped up endlessly.
No matter how unwilling she was, Jiang Chuchu still had to attend some—for the sake of her network, to stay familiar with the circle.
At the very least, if another family suddenly revealed a “real vs fake daughter” scandal like the Yu family, she couldn’t afford to be the last to know.
Today’s gathering was the highest-profile one in recent times, hosted by the very family they had been discussing—the Wei family.
So Jiang Chuchu had also come with the intention of seeing this Wei Xiao for herself.
Jiang Yuxuan spotted her coming in from the terrace and waved. “Chuchu, over here.”
He was also on winter break. During summer, he usually stayed in his university city working on his startup, but winter meant coming home for the holidays.
Unlike Jiang Chuchu, he quite enjoyed these gatherings—mainly because he wanted to find potential partners or investors for his project.
Jiang Youwei wasn’t optimistic about the current startup environment, but since Jiang Yuxuan wanted to try, he was willing to provide some seed funding—just not too much.
Jiang Yuxuan didn’t dare spend recklessly, so securing investment would ease things.
Jiang Chuchu walked over and saw Qin Min and Qin Yue at the table, immediately relaxing.
Qin Yue grinned. “Just ordered juice—it’ll be here soon.”
She sat beside Jiang Yuxuan. “What made you come today?”
Normally, Qin Yue would rather die than attend these gatherings.
Qin Yue obviously knew what she meant, but with his brother right there, he couldn’t explain honestly. “I was bored at home. My mom doesn’t let me run around before New Year.”
Today was mainly for the younger generation. Qin Yanxia didn’t attend, but since she wasn’t sure about the Wei family’s stance, she had Qin Min bring Qin Yue along so they could look out for each other.
The drinks arrived. Jiang Chuchu took a sip and continued scanning the room.
Qin Yue followed her gaze. “What are you looking for?”
“Wei Xiao,” she replied casually.
Jiang Yuxuan immediately grew alert. “Why are you looking for him?”
He knew the Wei family’s background. Even if he didn’t yet know Wei Xiao’s character, he had zero faith in Wei Yan’s genes.
All trash should stay far away from his sister!
Jiang Chuchu rolled her eyes. “To size up someone I might have to take down in the future.”
Qin Yue glanced at her sideways. Recently, Jiang Chuchu was giving off stronger and stronger “CEO” vibes.
He leaned closer. “Do you have a grudge with Wei Xiao? I’ve never even seen him as a kid.”
He and Jiang Chuchu had grown up together—any event she attended, she usually brought him along. So if she had met someone, chances were he had too.
But Wei Xiao? No memory at all.
Jiang Chuchu thought for a moment. “No grudge—for now. Just dislike.”
Jiang Yuxuan relaxed instantly. “Since the Wei family is hosting, Wei Yan will definitely bring him out to speak later. You’ll see him then.”
The four chatted idly—mostly Jiang Yuxuan and Qin Min talking, while Jiang Chuchu and Qin Yue half-listened.
After a while, Jiang Chuchu spotted familiar faces—Yu Xin and Yu Yuan had arrived.
Cui Wanning walked ahead of them, smiling pleasantly. Jiang Chuchu secretly rolled her eyes.
Yu Xin also saw Jiang Chuchu and Qin Yue. After greeting Cui Wanning, she quickly came over. “Chuchu! Qin Yue!”
She noticed the two older men and politely bowed slightly. “Hello.”
“Yu Xin?” Jiang Yuxuan spoke first. He knew Jiang Chuchu’s two closest friends were Yu Xin and Gu Qinghuan.
Gu Qinghuan wasn’t part of this circle, so this must be the “real daughter.”
Before Yu Xin could answer, Jiang Chuchu introduced, “This is my brother, Jiang Yuxuan.”
Yu Xin responded, “Hello, I’m Yu Xin.”
“No need to be so formal,” Jiang Yuxuan said quickly.
“And this is my brother, Qin Min,” Qin Yue added casually. “You can just call him Brother Qin.”
Qin Min didn’t mind the introduction and simply nodded. “Hello.”
“Hello, Brother Jiang. Hello, Brother Qin,” Yu Xin addressed them politely.
Though it sounded a bit formal, she wasn’t comfortable using more intimate forms of address.
Both men accepted it.
Jiang Yuxuan patted Jiang Chuchu’s back. “Take your friend to chat somewhere else?”
Close friends would naturally have private things to say—no need for them “elders” to be there.
Jiang Chuchu stood up immediately—and pulled Qin Yue along. “You too.”
Qin Yue followed, confused, still holding their drinks.
They moved to a quieter window corner.
“Keep watch—don’t let anyone eavesdrop,” Jiang Chuchu told him.
Qin Yue: So I’m a bodyguard now?
He obediently stood nearby, scanning the surroundings.
Only then did Jiang Chuchu speak. “Your mom brought Yu Yuan today to meet people?”
“The invitation allowed two additional guests. Originally, she only wanted to bring Yu Yuan. I said you’d be here and I wanted to come, so she brought me too,” Yu Xin replied frankly.
When Jiang Chuchu received the invitation, she had contacted Yu Xin. Since Xu Zhishu favored Yu Yuan, the Wei family would definitely invite the Yu family.
Yu Xin confirmed it with the housekeeper and asked Cui Wanning to bring her along.
Even if Cui Wanning might dislike it, Yu Xin didn’t care—she just wanted to see what Wei Xiao was like.
Just then, a small commotion arose near the entrance. Both girls instinctively looked over.
Yu Xin felt the boy entering looked familiar.
Jiang Chuchu recognized him instantly: Xia He? When did he grow this tall?!
Xia He wore a black turtleneck, straight-leg trousers, and leather shoes—all black—paired with a dark brown wool coat, clearly custom-made.
Hands in his pockets, he scanned the room, locked onto Jiang Chuchu, and walked straight over. Those who recognized him didn’t even dare approach.
People with connections had heard about the Xia family’s situation.
Rumor had it Xia He was fiercely competing with his uncle Xia Nanzhi. Half a month ago, he had even angered Xia Nanzhi to the point of collapsing in his office and being rushed to the hospital.
Jiang Chuchu stared at him blankly and asked the first thing that came to mind:
“When did you get this tall?”
Yu Xin finally recognized him too, shocked—he had grown more than ten centimeters!
“I wouldn’t mind telling you the method,” Xia He said calmly, “but for you, it’s probably not worth spending 15 million euros just to grow taller.”
Qin Yue quickly checked the exchange rate—
Nearly 120 million RMB.
He almost lost his mind.
