Chapter 281: Chapter 279: Crying to Heaven in Vain, and to Earth without Answer

Perhaps a few years ago, when Xuan Yu brought me back to the Chu Family, this was the plan she had in mind too!

To nurture me well in advance, so that when the time comes, I could replace Jiayi and be planted within the Royal Family!

So that’s what it was!

Jiayi clenched her fists tightly, her body trembling.

But no matter how angry or annoyed she became, what use was it?

She already stood on the soil of S Country, where neither heaven nor earth would respond to her calls.

Moreover, Xuan Yu held her greatest vulnerability in her hands!

That was her mother, with whom she had lived a life of mutual dependence!

Actually, it would be easy for her to refuse the marriage; the Royal Family would definitely not tolerate an unclean woman entering their household.

All she had to do was reveal herself, saying she had been with another man in China for a year, and the Ya Family would certainly not choose her.

But—

She couldn’t do that!

Once she angered Xuan Yu, she didn’t know what would happen to her mother.

Her mother now was like an animal to be slaughtered at will; with just a wave of Xuan Yu’s hand, even if it was just an order to the doctor to remove the respirator, her mother would die!

She could only temporarily comply with Xuan Yu.

In the end, Jiayi’s tightly clenched fist slowly unclenched, and she sat on the bed listlessly.

——

The evening before the banquet arrived quickly.

After nightfall, Xiaxia came upstairs to call for Jiayi, "Third Miss, the Master and Madam have asked you to come downstairs to see the dress for tomorrow’s banquet."

As Jiayi left the bedroom, she heard laughter coming from the living room on the first floor at the stairway’s turn.

The family sat on the living room sofa.

Chu Xinyu and Chu Xinyue had already changed into the little dresses they would wear the next day, spinning around coquettishly to show Dad and Mom.

The two were like a pair of beautiful twin flowers, dazzling and brilliant against the backdrop of their dresses.

"Daddy, Mommy, do we look good?"

The injuries on Chu Xinyu’s face had mostly healed, and with some powder applied the next day, there would be even less of a problem. Plus, thinking about how she wouldn’t have to marry that invalid, her mood was even better.

Set against a red evening gown, she was stunningly beautiful, beyond compare.

"Beautiful, beautiful, my darling Xinyu, you look good in anything!" came the deep, bell-like voice of a middle-aged man.

"Yanhan, you’re only praising Xinyu, but look at our Xinyue, she’s also very pretty," Xuan Yu said with a smile.

"Mommy..." Chu Xinyue murmured shyly, her usually pale face like a peach blossom against the pink of her little dress.

The family laughed merrily together, creating an atmosphere of great cheerfulness.

By Chu Xinyu’s side, there was a familiar figure.

It was Nie Yixiao.

The young man stretched out his long arms casually, resting them on the back of the sofa behind Chu Xinyu, his eyes cradling a modest smile, as relaxed as if he were in his own home. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

It was evident that because of his relationship with Chu Xinyue, Nie Yixiao had grown quite close to the Chu family, and their relations were not bad.

...

Seeing the Third Miss standing at the top of the stairs without moving, Xiaxia spoke softly, "Third Miss, try on your dress too, look how lively it is down here."

Jiayi’s eyelashes fluttered slightly.

This was the Chu family’s liveliness.

It had nothing to do with her.

She was just a lonely girl, who had grown up with her mother in a remote town of a small country.

She was born without a biological father, only her mother by her side. Later on, even the little love that remained, her childhood sweetheart and first love, was lost.

However, she took a deep breath, controlled the surge of emotions, and walked downstairs.

The crowd in the living room stopped their cheerful laughter as soon as they saw Jiayi coming down.

Chu Xinyu snorted and took a seat.

Chu Yanhan hadn’t seen his daughter for a year and was feeling a bit excited today, as it was their first meeting. He stood up, reached out his hand, and tried to pull her to sit on the sofa next to him, "Jiayi, are you all right..."

This man was her biological father.

Jiayi frowned and, almost reflexively, pulled her hand back from Chu Yanhan’s grasp—

Chu Yanhan was somewhat embarrassed.

"What’s that supposed to mean, giving face and not wanting it," Chu Xinyu muttered under her breath.

Chu Yanhan felt uncomfortable inside, "Jiayi, don’t you recognize your Daddy anymore?"

Jiayi shook her head honestly.

Perhaps, she never really knew this so-called biological father.

When had Chu Yanhan ever cared for her anyway?

Xuan Yu brought her back to China to be Chu Xinyu’s substitute bride, and she didn’t believe for a second that Chu Yanhan didn’t know about it.

Knowing and still not doing anything, letting her be the substitute bride, he clearly didn’t care about her at all in his heart.

Also, the matter of her mummy being controlled and arranged by Xuan Yu to recuperate elsewhere, Chu Yanhan certainly knew about that too, yet he still allowed Xuan Yu to threaten her.

The real family in this man’s heart, perhaps only consisted of Xuan Yu and her two daughters.

After a long pause, Chu Yanhan tried to smooth things over for himself, "It doesn’t matter, Jiayi has been injured and can’t remember many things. She just came home, so it’s normal to be unaccustomed. After living here for a while, she should recover. Come, Jiayi, come sit next to Daddy."

This time Jiayi obediently took a seat, but she stayed far away from Chu Yanhan, her posture putting a distance between them as if to keep others a thousand miles away.

Like a stubborn little cat.

Once again left hanging by his daughter, all Chu Yanhan could do was clear his throat lightly, "Xuan Yu, where are the clothes you’ve prepared for Jiayi?"

Xuan Yu ordered a maid to bring over a handbag, "Yanhan, how could I forget. Our Chu Family’s third daughter must of course dress up beautifully when meeting others."

Jiayi took the handbag and pulled out the little dress that Xuan Yu had prepared for her.

It was a goose-yellow dress, quite standard. It wouldn’t be embarrassing to wear in public, but it was understated and lacked any distinctive features.

It certainly wasn’t chosen with as much care or suited to her as the gowns chosen for Chu Xinyu and Chu Xinyue.

It fitted her status just right.

Xuan Yu wouldn’t let her dress too poorly, after all, she was to be recommended to the Ya Family.

But allowing this girl to outshine her two precious daughters? No way.

Her, Xuan Yu’s daughters, were the most beautiful twin flowers of Nanga City, no matter the occasion.

Of course, Jiayi didn’t care what the dress looked like; she glanced at it briefly, stuffed it back into the bag, and stood up, "Well, I’m going up."

"Jiayi, aren’t you going to try it on? Like your sisters, put it on and show it to Daddy and Mommy," Chu Yanhan blurted out.

Was she supposed to dress up like Chu Xinyu and Chu Xinyue, put on a new dress, and twirl around in front of Chu Yanhan and Xuan Yu like a little angel?

Sorry, but she was not Chu Yanhan and Xuan Yu’s little angel, nor was she in any mood to play that part.

Jiayi couldn’t keep the cold indifference out of her voice, "No need to try it."

Saying that, she turned to walk upstairs.

"What kind of attitude is that. She is a bastard child, and we’re inviting her to a Royal Family banquet, buying her new clothes, and she is still impatient..."

Chu Xinyu lets out a mosquito-like snigger.

Xuan Yu secretly glared at Chu Xinyu, thankfully Chu Yanhan didn’t hear. Chu Yanhan still had a bit of pity and guilt towards that ’dead girl,’ and if he had heard the words "bastard child," he would have definitely been angry.

Just then, at the entrance of the Chu Family mansion, a maid hurriedly came in to report that someone had arrived at the Chu residence.