In an unnoticed corner, deep in the eyes of the Old Master An, there flickered a hint of excitement, and subtly, expectation. His hand, resting on the wheelchair, slightly trembled.
Could it be her?
Through her sunglasses, the woman captured every curious gaze being cast toward her. A faint trace of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips while beneath her sunglasses, she harbored a cold, aloof stare—a chilly distance that repelled people miles away.
"Who on earth is that?"
"Seems like today's banquet won't be peaceful."
Everyone whispered, their line of sight constantly shifting towards the slim figure.
When everyone's attention focused on her, the woman finally moved. Alert observers noted that she was moving towards Old Master An.
Stopping about two metres away from Old Master An, she lowered her gaze towards the man seated on the wheelchair. Her expression was unreadable, leaving one in the dark as to her intentions.
"Who are you? This is no place for you!" A shrill, scornful voice resounded. An Rong stared at the suddenly appearing woman, a hint of contempt and disdain flickering across her face.
"What were the security guards at the door doing? How come they're allowing anyone in?"
"Quiet!" Old Master An turned ashen, vehemently slamming on the armrest of his wheelchair, causing everyone in the An family to fall silent immediately.
"Grandfather..." An Rong looked towards Old Master An, resentment simmering beneath her eyes.
Ignoring An Rong, Old Master An softened his gaze towards the woman standing across from him. He placed one hand on the wheelchair, attempting to stand up despite the difficulty.
"Father!"
"Grandfather!"
"Great Grandfather!"
Every member of the An family was shocked by Old Master An's movement, hurriedly moving to support him.
"You all needn't bother, I can walk myself." Old Master An brushed off their offered hands, his gaze never leaving the woman across him, as if fearing she might disappear the next moment.
Being rejected by Old Master An in front of so many people, the An family members pulled back their hands in embarrassment.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Old Master An limped towards the woman, his bent figure swaying with each step, raising concerns that he might accidentally fall.
At this moment, everyone's gaze towards the newly appeared woman shifted.
Old Master An had seen his share of turbulent times and seldom showed excitement even when faced with the most distinguished guests. Yet, this unknown woman could elicit such a unique reaction from him was indeed startling.
Gazing at the approaching figure through her sunglasses, the woman let a hint of soft smile escape her lips, raised her foot lightly and stepped forward to meet Old Master An.
His faltering gait stabilized as he was held up. Lowering his gaze towards an extra slender hand on his wrist, a flash of emotion crossed Old Master An's eyes.
"It's been quite a while, Old Master An!"
The calm voice echoed softly in Old Master An's ears. His gaze trembled slightly, suggesting an underlying pain. He was suddenly at a loss for words.
Old Master An? She called him Old Master An?
Through the years, that little girl had eventually changed, hadn't she?
"Oh, she's the person we met earlier!" A voice filled with surprise suddenly rang out. Quan Yifei, standing next to Master Quan, watched the woman with gleaming eyes.
No wonder she felt a strange sense of familiarity; she was the girl they ran into at Shijin Haoting.
Yes, the one who appeared at the banquet, was Jian Qing.
Quan Mingxuan also recognized her. However, this occasion was not suitable for discussing such things. So, he hastily stopped an excited Quan Yifei from blurting anything out.
"Second Brother, why are you holding me back?" Quan Yifei turned and looked at Quan Mingxuan, asking him puzzledly.
"Stop fooling around." Quan Mingxuan whispered quietly, signaling her with his eyes about the situation at hand.
Blessedly quick on the uptake, Quan Yifei understood Quan Mingxuan's hidden message and obediently went back to his side.
The innocuous comment from Quan Yifei, however, caused unsettling ripples among the crowd. The look in everyone's eyes changed as they looked at Jian Qing with a new sense of intrigue.
This woman also has ties to the Quan family?
Jian Qing, as though she hadn't heard Quan Yifei's remark, quietly held onto Old Master An and walked back towards the wheelchair.
After helping Old Master An sit down, Jian Qing pulled back her hand and remained quiet.
The An family members exchanged puzzled glances, unable to fathom what Old Master An might be thinking, given his odd behavior.
"Xiaonuo, is it you?" The voice of Old Master An was filled with expectancy; careful yet, in an odd way, very certain.
Xiaonuo?
The An family members were momentarily taken aback, their faces stiffening as a horrific realization crept into their minds.
An Nuo? Could it be her?
Who else apart from her could Old Master An be calling Xiaonuo?
Having been recognized, Jian Qing chose not to deny it hastily. She methodically raised her hand removing her sunglasses. Her skin, fair and delicate as snow, along with her exceptionally beautiful features, gave her an air of other-worldly beauty that caused an involuntary gasp among everyone present.
"You..." An Rong, who had been quite abusive before, was startlingly pale now; her hands hanging by her sides were clenched tight.
Looking at the familiar pair of eyes, aside from the younger members of the An family, everyone froze, their eyes reflected disbelief and revulsion.
No, it couldn't possibly be her.
She had vanished without a trace many years ago, hadn't she?
The bewildering expressions of the An family members were all perceived clearly by Jian Qing. While her face held a subtle smile, it was so perfect that no one could find any fault.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, long time no see!" Her voice, devoid of any emotion, echoed softly, causing a shudder in An family members.
"An Nuo, you..." An Rong, unable to hold it any longer, her voice trailing upward.
Before An Rong could finish her sentence, Jian Qing interrupted, "Apologies, but my surname is Jian, and my given name is Qing."
In this lifetime, she only carried the surname Jian. As for the surname An, she found it repugnant.
Upon hearing this, the pain in the eyes of Old Master An became more apparent.
Jian Qing, severing any ties with the An family, wasn't she?