Mu Suye nodded proudly, "I really am very rich, you really can't be my daughter..."

"Stop, stop, stop," Qiao Zhaoxing interrupted, exasperated.

To prevent her from saying anything shocking that might enrage Old Master Tang, Qiao Zhaoxing quickly covered her mouth and dragged her aside. "I remember now, you're the child who was abducted by human traffickers that day, right?"

Mu Suye happily hugged his neck, "I knew you would still remember me."

"Let go, let go..." Qiao Zhaoxing tried his best to comfort Mu Suye.

On the other side, Old Master Tang sat back down in the main seat and snorted coldly at Qiao Xia, "Their matter has been explained, now it's your turn."

"What's wrong with me?" Qiao Xia asked, her face full of confusion.

Grandpa Tang slammed his cane on the ground a few more times. "Shuoyan is Lingling's fiancé. They're already engaged. Instead of avoiding suspicion, you got into a fight with him in the street. You have no manners whatsoever as a lady from a respectable family!"

Qiao Xia sneered, "What does it mean to be a proper young lady? They all come over to greet me, and I just cover my face and find a crack in the ground to crawl into. It's not like they own the street, can't I walk around on it?"

Grandpa Tang's cane clanged as he tapped it. "Don't try to twist my words. I was talking about your fight—cough cough—"

Tang Ling brought over a glass of water at the right moment. "Cousin, please don't make Grandpa angry. Ever since your family had that accident, Grandpa has been worried about you every day, and his health has been deteriorating."

Grandpa Tang glared at Qiao Xia, "Look at Lingling, how sensible she is."

Qiao Xia held up three fingers. "I promise, as long as Shen Shuoyan doesn't provoke me, I will never cause him any trouble. But has Lingling really decided to marry Shen Shuoyan?"

Upon hearing the question, Tang Ling was taken aback, and then subconsciously replied, "Of course, Shen Shuoyan treats me very well, and I will definitely marry him."

Qiao Xia shrugged helplessly. Although she disliked Tang Ling, she was still her cousin, and she didn't want Tang Ling to ruin her life because of a fight with her.

But she insisted on doing so, and Qiao Xia couldn't say anything. At most, they could get a divorce if things didn't work out. This wasn't a feudal society anymore, and there was no need for a chastity arch.

Grandpa Tang nodded, clearly satisfied with Tang Ling's answer, and added, "I think Shuoyan is a good kid. Although he's a bit playful, he's a good kid who knows when to turn back from his wrong path."

"Your standards for good kids are really low," Qiao Xia muttered under her breath.

Grandpa Tang glared at him again, "What are you babbling about now? You don't want to hear me praise Lingling's fiancé? If you can see the error of your ways, I'm willing to praise you properly too."

"Lingling is getting married soon, and you, as her older sister, aren't even thinking about your own marriage? All you do is hang out with a bunch of shady actors all day long..."

"Dad!" Tang Xining interrupted sharply, "Xiaxia runs a legitimate company, how can you compare her to a playboy like Shen Shuoyan?"

Knowing he was in the wrong, Old Master Tang still tried to gain the upper hand with a few words, "You're so protective of your own, you spoil her so much that you can't say a word against her."

Qiao Xia couldn't stand it anymore, so she grabbed Tang Xining and turned to leave.

"Stop! The older you get, the less disciplined you become." Old Master Tang scolded, then coughed and got to the point, "That glass crown at today's auction was originally meant for Lingling's dowry. Why did you have to snatch it from her?"

For the first time, Qiao Xia experienced the helplessness of a widow being the target of false rumors. "Me, compete with her? She wants that crown, who told me that?"

Tang Ling silently shed tears, "Never mind, Grandpa, it's just a wedding, there's no need to be so particular."

"How can that be?" Old Master Tang got even more excited when he heard that, and ordered Qiao Xia, "What don't you want? Why do you have to make your sister sad? I'll decide that you give that crown to Lingling."

"What do you mean?" Qiao Xia stared innocently, "Lingling wants to spend 100 million to buy back the crown?"

Old Master Tang choked. What he meant was that he would pay for Qiao Xia to sell to Lingling at the original price, so as not to hurt the feelings of his relatives.

But after Qiao Xia said that, he also felt a little guilty. Since things had come to this point, all Old Master Tang could do was secretly curse her as a "spendthrift".

Grandpa Tang waved to Qiao Xia, holding his breath.

Qiao Xia cooperated and moved closer. Old Master Tang put on his gold-rimmed glasses and took out a wooden box from under the table. Inside was a bright green emerald bracelet.

Grandpa Tang's eyes were full of nostalgia. "This was your maternal grandmother's dowry. When the family was in turmoil, everything else was sold or thrown away, but a pair of bracelets were left. She didn't even give them to your mother when she got married."

“I originally planned to give it to you when you get married, but since you can’t decide right now, how about Grandpa swaps it with you?”

If this bracelet were sold elsewhere, it would easily fetch at least nine figures. Qiao Xia had no objections and happily exchanged it.

Grandpa Tang breathed a sigh of relief. He felt that talking to this family had almost drained his life force. In order to live a couple more years, he waved his hand and said, "I've prepared rooms for you. Go back to sleep early."

Tang Ling, being sensible, said, "I'll take Auntie there."

Grandpa Tang waved his hand, letting her go. Qiao Xia opened the door next door, interrupting Mu Suye and Qiao Zhaoxing who were still arguing. "It's time to go."

Qiao Zhaoxing led Mu Suye out dejectedly, looking like a defeated rooster.

Qiao Xia looked down from the second floor. "Something's not right. Xiao Mu, who did you come with? All the guests have left. Why hasn't anyone come to pick you up?"

Mu Suye held her head high, walked with ladylike steps, and said calmly, "I came here by myself. My uncle said I would meet my true love here."

"Huh?" Qiao Xia raised an eyebrow. "Who's so annoying that they even lie to a child?"

Mu Suye said angrily, "You're not allowed to talk about my uncle. He's very accurate. I really have found my true love."

"Wow~" Qiao Xia genuinely felt that her father was born to be a molder, but in order to correct the child's distorted perception, she still didn't say it out loud.

What do you think a true love should be like?

Mu Suye thought for a moment and answered seriously, "He has to be gentle, handsome, and good to me."

Qiao Xia affirmed, "My father meets all three of these conditions."

Mu Suye gave her a smug look, as if to say: See, I was right.

Qiao Zhaoxing looked at her in horror: Daughter, we have no grudges in the past and no worries in the present, why do you want my dog's life?

Qiao Xia shook her finger, "But my dad isn't your Mr. Right. He appeared at the wrong time. Tell me, how old are you this year?"

Mu Suye held out a hand. "Five years old."

Qiao Xia clapped her hands. "That's it. If you want to date, you should at least wait until you're 18. Thirteen years later, my dad might be in his grave."