"careful!"

Huo Beixiao's strong arms instantly wrapped around her.

She leaned back, he leaned forward slightly, their breaths mingled, and their eyes met.

An awkward atmosphere spread, and the surrounding air seemed to freeze.

A moment later, Jiang Qiaoqiao came to her senses, quickly sat up straight, and broke free from Huo Beixiao's hand. "Um... I'm sorry, I was a little groggy from sleep."

A suspicious blush rose to Huo Beixiao's ears, and he quickly straightened up and took a half step back. "I'm sorry, I scared you."

"I bought you breakfast, have some first." Huo Beixiao placed soy milk, fried dough sticks, and spring rolls on the table.

"Thank you, would you like to eat with me?"

Jiang Qiaoqiao's tone was full of politeness.

Huo Beixiao frowned slightly, wondering why she seemed more polite and distant towards him.

He suddenly remembered the light in her eyes when she saw him on the day he went to the Jiang family to pick up his bride.

That night, when she said they could try to be a real couple, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes shone so brightly.

But it hasn't happened since the day Jiang Yiran's supermarket opened.

He suddenly felt a pang of unease and turned around, saying, "I've already eaten. I'll go help Mom and my brother now."

Jiang Qiaoqiao felt that Huo Beixiao's back looked inexplicably lonely today, but she quickly put the thought out of her mind.

What is Huo Beixiao feeling down about?

After Jiang Qiaoqiao finished breakfast and went out, Xia Yuntao had already arrived.

As soon as the auspicious time arrived, firecrackers crackled and popped. Dressed in Tang suits, the refined-looking Xia Yuntao and Yang Jianguo stood at opposite ends of the signboard and tore off the red cloth covering it.

The three large characters “Yang Benya” came into view.

"Hehe, this shop name is interesting, Yang the Stupid Duck, what do you sell?"

"You can tell from the name that they sell ducks!"

...

At this moment, Zhou Yang enthusiastically called out from the doorway: "Come in and take a look! Come in and have a look! New store opening! Braised duck, roast duck, spicy braised duck neck, spicy duck heart, all kinds of duck products, perfect for eating with rice and satisfying your cravings!"

"Oh, another duck product vendor!"

"Didn't a new one just open near the train station? Look at this one and see what's the difference between it and that one."

...

Curiosity drove everyone into the store.

Once someone enters the store, even more people will join in to join the fun.

Lin Xiaohui and Yang Jianguo finally felt relieved and quickly stood behind the counter to get busy.

But when everyone went into the store, they saw...

He immediately said with some disdain, "This looks almost the same as the one at the train station, so why is it so much more expensive?"

"His price is 50 cents more per pound than others, and he doesn't even give it away for free."

"Forget it, forget it. This duck stuff has a strong fishy smell, and it's not really good to eat anyway. Even the salty stuff at the train station couldn't completely mask the fishy smell. What's so good about it? Let's go, let's go..."

...

"Hey, everyone, don't go!"

Lin Xiaohui and Yang Jianguo had already prepared to weigh the ducks and duck products for everyone.

But everyone only glanced at them and then left. The two of them visibly panicked and tried to call them back.

But during such lively times, everyone has a herd mentality. As soon as someone complains or leaves, everyone follows suit, ignoring them.

Lin Xiaohui was so anxious she almost cried.

"Hey, sister, why have all the guests left?"

Just as the guests left, Jiang Yiran's gloating voice came from the doorway.

As she spoke, she glanced at the price tags in the glass display case.

"Wow, sister, your place is so expensive? Tsk tsk, no wonder everyone left."

"This location isn't like my train station, where people taking long-distance trains need to bring food on board—it's a necessity. The people here are mostly stingy housewives, and you're charging such high prices? Aren't you asking for trouble?"

Jiang Yiran chuckled, speaking with great pleasure.

Jiang Qiaoqiao's icy gaze fell on her. "My business isn't as good as yours. I didn't know your business was so good. With so much money, have you thought about giving back some to your parents?"

Jiang Yiran rolled her eyes at Jiang Qiaoqiao. "Jiang Qiaoqiao, stop pretending to be a good person. Why should I pay them back? They raised me, so they deserve to give me a good life. Everything they've given me is what they're entitled to."

"Let me tell you, I'm a member of the Qin family now. No matter how much money I earn, it belongs to the Qin family. Don't think that just because you provoke me with a few words, I'll take the money back to the Jiang family. I'm not that stupid!"

Jiang Qiaoqiao glanced at the person standing behind Jiang Yiran and smiled, "Did you know that your second brother even postponed his wedding to pay off that 2,500 yuan high-interest loan for you?"

"So what if he knows? He did it to help the Jiang family pay off their debts, not to help me." Jiang Yiran looked fierce. "I asked him for a few hundred yuan to open a duck products shop, but he wouldn't agree. Once Brother Haiyang becomes successful, he'll be the first person I won't let go of, just like you."

Jiang Yiran felt great today.

I simply let out all the things I'd been keeping inside.

She finally saw through Jiang Yongchang's intentions after he returned.

Jiang Yongchang was also a despicable person who scorned the poor and loved the rich.

All the pampering he showed her before was fake.

Now that she's married to Haiyang, who's still down on his luck, it's clear who these people are.

Jiang Qiaoqiao gave a cold laugh, but her gaze fell on Jiang Yiran's back.

In that instant, Jiang Yiran suddenly realized something.

She turned around and saw an angry Jiang Jiahua, as well as a shocked Peng Cuiying and Jiang Yong'an.

Jiang Jiahua gritted her teeth in anger, "This is the obedient, good daughter you raised!"

Peng Cuiying was truly furious.

She previously thought that Jiang Qiaoqiao, her biological daughter, had been raised in the Yang family for eighteen years, and even if she brought her back, she wouldn't have anything to say to her, her biological mother, and they wouldn't be close to each other.

He always favored Jiang Yiran.

But unexpectedly...

"Smack!"

She rushed forward and slapped Jiang Yiran hard across the face.

"Fine, fine, fine! I've spent the last twenty years raising you, and all I've got is an ungrateful wretch like you!"

"Waaah... Mom, let me explain..." Jiang Yiran panicked.

She hasn't considered completely severing ties with the Jiang family yet!

In the future, she will help Brother Haiyang open Duck Qin into a nationwide chain, which will require financial support. Even if the Jiang family doesn't have much money, every little bit helps.

Furthermore, with the help of his father-in-law's family, Jiang Yongxian rose to a high-ranking official position, and doing business required the protection of officials.

She can't afford to break ties with the Jiang family right now.

"Waaah... Mom, what I said just now wasn't true. It's... it's..." Jiang Yiran suddenly had a flash of inspiration and, crying, pointed at Jiang Qiaoqiao, saying, "It was all my sister's fault for provoking me; I said things in a fit of anger..."