Chapter 109: The Han Family
After Gu Qinghuan’s explanation, Jiang Chuchu finally understood what had just happened to her.
“The Ms. Han that Jiang Jie mentioned,” Jiang Chuchu sifted through her memory, “might be someone I know.”
Gu Qinghuan, holding a roasted lamb chop, listened while chewing.
“My mom has an elder sister, Zhu Manyu. Her husband—my uncle—is Han Lang. Uncle Han has a younger sister named Han Yun, who should be the Ms. Han you met,” Jiang Chuchu explained.
Gu Qinghuan chewed thoughtfully, updating her mental diagram of the family connections.
A woman in uniform walked over, whispered a few words into Jiang Chuchu’s ear, and then quickly left.
Jiang Chuchu turned her attention to Gu Qinghuan: “I had someone check the reservation records. The Han family’s company hosted foreign clients at Yun Jin Lou today.”
Whether it was for a business deal or something else, Jiang Chuchu didn’t know.
Gu Qinghuan put down the bare bones of her lamb chop, wiped her hands and mouth, and said, “Since Ms. Han’s lips were swollen, she probably couldn’t attend, right?”
If Han Yun hadn’t quickly wiped it off, her lips might have swelled even more. Beyond affecting her appearance, it might have hurt so much she couldn’t even speak.
“Most likely. If her own condition is poor and she forces herself, it would only make people doubt the management ability of the company leadership, and in turn, doubt their ability to complete the cooperation successfully,” Jiang Chuchu nodded.
Gu Qinghuan picked up a burrito: “So… could this be corporate sabotage? Messing up the Han family’s business directly?”
“I think it’s more likely a high-society feud,” Jiang Chuchu mused. “From what you described, after Ms. Han realized there was a problem with her lipstick, she wanted to remove it, but didn’t dare use even a makeup wipe…”
“If someone tampered with a personal item, and even matched the color almost perfectly, only someone close to her could do that,” Gu Qinghuan speculated. “And how did they know she would touch up her makeup?”
“Maybe it was someone present, who even did preparations—like telling her to drink water or reminding her to touch up—so they could ensure she used the lipstick…”
Jiang Chuchu looked around to make sure no one was listening, then lowered her voice: “Although your guess is reasonable, we can’t get involved in matters like this. How it’s handled next is up to Ms. Han.”
Gu Qinghuan had stumbled into the situation completely by chance. Yun Jin Lou belonged to the Jiang family, and as long as she kept the information contained, the Han family would manage the rest, and the person behind it wouldn’t know that Gu Qinghuan had anything to do with the plan’s failure.
To be safe, Jiang Chuchu decided to inform Jiang Youwei once she returned home.
Gu Qinghuan nodded, acknowledging that it was best not to get involved in this kind of illegal, high-society conflict.
Besides, her main mission tonight was eating!
Her first plate was already cleared; it was time to fill her first plate again!
Not just Gu Qinghuan, all the classmates in Class 3 were enjoying themselves. Yu Xin had brought a box of desserts for Yu Yuan—eight kinds in total, looking exquisite and delicious.
Watching the waiter pack them up, Gu Qinghuan remarked, “These could be sold as souvenirs, like ‘Yun Jin Lou specialty treats.’ I wonder if they’d be popular.”
Jiang Chuchu followed her train of thought: “If they’re given as non-sale items to guests, and the guests give them to others, it could also serve as a marketing strategy…”
Qin Yue hiccuped. He felt Jiang Chuchu was being influenced by Gu Qinghuan, slowly moving in a commercial direction.
After dinner, Jiang Chuchu arranged a car to take Gu Qinghuan home. She didn’t accompany her.
Regarding what had happened with Ms. Han, she needed to report it to Jiang Youwei.
After making sure every classmate was on their return rides, Jiang Chuchu sent a message in the group chat: [Report back when you get home.]
Everyone hurriedly replied “Received,” afraid that if they delayed, Jiang Chuchu would call them.
Finally reassured, Jiang Chuchu went home. Upon entering, she saw Jiang Youwei playing with the mop. She quickly distracted him with a frozen chicken neck.
Jiang Youwei looked regretfully at the mop as the chicken neck made a “crackling” sound, then said seriously to Jiang Chuchu: “Did you have fun tonight?”
“Yes, it was fun,” Jiang Chuchu replied. “But something happened.”
Jiang Youwei’s expression shifted slightly: “Tell me about it.”
Jiang Chuchu recounted Gu Qinghuan’s encounter with Han Yun and also mentioned her speculations.
“The Han family…” Jiang Youwei’s expression became complicated.
Previously, he didn’t go into details about elder family matters to avoid burdening the children.
But now, since the incident involved the Han family and the child was older, it was better to explain clearly.
He led Jiang Chuchu into the study, closed the door, and they both sat down. Jiang Youwei continued: “You know that your aunt Zhu Manyu provoked your mother, which caused your premature birth, right?”
Jiang Chuchu nodded; her grandmother had told her as a child.
“When your grandmother’s ideal marriage candidate was actually Zhu Manyu, but something happened in the Jiang family, and Zhu Manyu set her sights on Han Lang, the marriage candidate was switched to your mother,” Jiang Youwei explained.
The Jiang-Zhu family alliance was arranged by Jiang Youwei’s grandfather. But in his father’s generation, both Jiang and Zhu families had sons, so it was only in Jiang Youwei’s generation that the alliance came to fruition.
Initially, he didn’t care who the marriage was with, but being forced to take another person for this reason left him a little unhappy.
Of course, this frustration was directed at the Zhu family. Seeing Zhu Qinglan being forced by the Zhu family to eat so-called “diet meals,” he felt sorry for her.
So after marriage, during the honeymoon, he took her to eat many delicious foods.
Unexpectedly, the more they spent time together, the more compatible they became—marriage first, love after.
“About half a year after I married your mother, Zhu Manyu also married Han Lang. But later, the Han family became increasingly weak and fragmented.”
“At that time, our family rose again, growing stronger, and Zhu Manyu came to your mother causing trouble, demanding money, land, and projects from the Jiang family.”
“She provoked your mother, claiming that your mother had taken away her rightful fortune, and even tried to hit her.”
“Although the housekeeper and servants stopped her, your mother was still provoked, leading to your premature birth.”
Jiang Chuchu silently clenched her fists: “Wasn’t it her own choice back then?”
“Yes,” Jiang Youwei sighed. “But after that incident, your grandmother saw her true nature and cut ties. Our family also banned her from entering.”
“Does this relate to the Han family?” Jiang Chuchu asked, puzzled.
“Yes. Zhu Manyu didn’t get what she wanted from our family and couldn’t stand the declining Han family, so she divorced Han Lang and went abroad to enjoy life,” Jiang Youwei said.
“Han Lang, though not very capable, was decent at maintaining what he had. His sister, Han Yun, was suited for expansion. The siblings gradually rebuilt the Han family business, though it was smaller than before.”
“A few years ago, Zhu Manyu heard about this, returned to the country, reconnected with Han Lang, and incited him to drive Han Yun out, so she could monopolize the Han family.”
“Ah?” Jiang Chuchu was dumbfounded. “Han Lang… I mean, my uncle was really persuaded just like that?”
Jiang Youwei glanced at her: “Who do you think leaked this information?”
Jiang Chuchu thought hard for a moment, even more shocked: “He released it himself?”
Jiang Youwei didn’t confirm.
There are few men who can be so easily brainwashed by “love,” especially when Zhu Manyu had abandoned him first.
Even if Han Lang reconciled with her, it was just a sense of superiority—“now it’s my turn.”
Han Lang was the one who truly wanted to drive Han Yun away, using Zhu Manyu’s hand.
The fault lay with greedy Zhu Manyu; she caused him to fall out with his own sister.
He was merely a man blinded by love.
