Upon hearing Zhou Jing's sharp and cutting words, Xia Shuqin's long-suppressed anger was instantly ignited, erupting like a volcano that had been dormant for a thousand years and had accumulated endless energy.

In an instant, her eyes widened, her usually bright and lively eyes now burning with a raging fire of anger, as if she could turn Zhou Jing in front of her into ashes.

With a loud "smack," she slammed her chopsticks heavily on the table. The force was so great that the bowls and chopsticks on the table shook violently, making a series of chaotic noises.

Immediately afterwards, she stood up with a "whoosh," her movements swift and decisive, causing the chair to scrape wildly against the ground, producing an unusually piercing and teeth-grinding sound.

Her chest heaved violently as she gasped for breath. Her outstretched hand trembled uncontrollably with anger, her index finger pointing straight at Zhou Jing's nose. She shouted hoarsely, "What did you say! The moment you stepped into this house today, you had such a sour face, as if someone owed you eight million."

From the moment you walked in until now, you haven't even called me "Big Brother" once. Do you even consider us family anymore? Do you even acknowledge this family? All these years of kinship, are they worthless to you?

Xia Shuqin became more and more agitated as she spoke, tears welling up in her eyes. Every word was filled with her deep anger and grievances, and the trembling in her voice spoke of how much she cherished this family and how heartbroken she was by Zhou Jing's attitude.

"Shuqin, sit down! Stop making a scene!" Xia Jianguo was extremely anxious upon seeing this, and fine beads of sweat instantly appeared on his forehead. He hurriedly stood up, his steps frantic, and rushed to Xia Shuqin's side. He grabbed her arms tightly with both hands like vises, trying his best to press her back into her seat.

His eyes were full of helplessness and anxiety, his brows were tightly furrowed into a deep frown. He leaned close to Xia Shuqin's ear and said in a hurried and low voice, "Shuqin, now we can all see that what she said just now was clearly a test."

Looking at the expressions on Dad's and Shuyu's faces just now, they must have sensed something was wrong. Now is not the time for us to argue and bicker. The most important thing is to quickly clarify the matter at hand and figure out what she's up to. If we lose our composure first, we'll fall into her trap!

"Hmph, me making a fuss? She's the one spouting nonsense and twisting the truth!" Xia Shuqin's face turned bright red with anger, like a ripe, purplish-red tomato, with veins bulging on her forehead, each one clearly visible, as if telling of her extreme rage.

Her finger still trembled as she pointed at Zhou Jing, and her body trembled violently with anger, like a weak, helpless willow swaying precariously in a storm.

At this moment, she was filled with resentment at Zhou Jing's words and actions, and she couldn't listen to Xia Jianguo's advice at all.

Zhou Jing, however, acted as if nothing had happened, completely ignoring Xia Shuqin's storm-like rage, a mocking smile playing on her lips.

That smile was icy and chilling, as if it could freeze the surrounding air instantly, sending a chill down one's spine.

She spoke slowly and deliberately, "Didn't you all beg and plead with me to come back? Now you're putting on an unwelcoming act. Who are you trying to impress? Did you all conspire to put on a show for me? This act is really clumsy."

As she spoke, she shrugged slightly, her face full of disdain, her eyes brimming with contempt and mockery towards the family.

"You..." Xia Shuqin was about to retort, but before she could finish speaking, Xia Xiong raised his hand to stop her. Xia Xiong's face was as gloomy as the clouds before a storm, his expression serious and solemn. He slowly raised his calloused hand, which had weathered the vicissitudes of time.

His hands trembled slightly, yet carried an invisible strength. His voice was deep and firm as he said, "Stop arguing! Today is a family meal, not a fight. Our family hasn't gathered like this in a long time; do we really want it to end in chaos and unpleasantness?"

His words carried an undeniable authority, like a heavy hammer blow striking the hearts of everyone present, leaving each person shaken.

After this commotion, the atmosphere at the dinner table became increasingly heavy, as if an invisible boulder weighing a ton of weight was pressing down on everyone's chests, making it hard to breathe.

Everyone ate in silence, mechanically, the clinking of bowls and chopsticks against plates sounding weak and listless.

Occasionally someone would speak, but the conversation sounded stiff and awkward, each word seeming to be squeezed out from between their teeth.

It seemed as if everyone was deliberately measuring their actions carefully, afraid of accidentally triggering an even more intense argument.

During the meal, Zhou Jing seemed to be deliberately provoking, like a cunning fox, occasionally making sarcastic remarks.

She might make a sarcastic comment about the food, saying, "This food is really bland. Are you afraid I'll eat too much?"

Or they might make sarcastic remarks about their family members' clothing and behavior, such as, "Oh, you're dressed so formally today, are you going to some important event? Why weren't I invited?"

Every word was like a sharp knife, piercing the hearts of family members.

Xia Shuqin, however, was equally defiant, like an enraged lioness, always retorting without hesitation with sharp and pointed words: "Eat it or not, nobody's forcing you to eat it!"

"Mind your own business and stop interfering!" Every exchange was like igniting a raging fire in the oppressive atmosphere, making the surrounding air seem to burn and filled with the strong smell of gunpowder.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!