"I felt it," Zhu Mingzhang thought to himself. "Such a rude little brother."
"You!" Zhu Jinzhe nearly exploded on the spot if not for their parents being present.
Thud! Zhu Yuanjie, leaning on his cane, smacked Zhu Jinzhe on the head. "What are you yelling about? This is your older brother!"
"Why'd you hit me, Dad? That hurt!"
"Still got a mouth on you! I knew you were up to no good," Zhu Yuanjie scolded, glaring at Zhu Jinzhe, who lowered his gaze and zipped his lips.
After recognizing Zhu Yuanjie as his father, Zhu Mingzhang's attention was drawn to the gentle beauty standing beside him.
"Xiao Ming, who's this young lady next to you?" Zhu Yuanjie asked, his gaze falling on Su Ruiqi.
Feeling shy under his scrutiny, Su Ruiqi nervously clutched Zhu Mingzhang's sleeve and shrank back.
"Brother, your dad looks really kind," Su Ruiqi whispered softly.
Zhu Jinzhe scowled internally. Shameless. Just came back and already brought a girlfriend along.
He had noticed Su Ruiqi earlier too, but to him, she was nothing special. Having traveled abroad and seen countless stunning women, he had high standards.
Zhu Mingzhang gently nudged Su Ruiqi forward. "Dad, this is Su Ruiqi, my sister from the orphanage. Before meeting you, she had been living with me."
"Haha, wonderful! Having a younger sister is a blessing!" Zhu Yuanjie laughed warmly. "Xiao Qi, how old are you this year?"
"Uncle, I just turned 18," Su Ruiqi replied shyly.
"Good, good! Come on in!"
Zhu Mingzhang's attention shifted to the elegant woman next to Zhu Yuanjie. "Dad, who is this?"
"Oh, I almost forgot to introduce her. This is your eldest sister, Zhu Xiaoqing."
"Eldest Sister, I've been all alone for so many years, and now I finally get to meet you all!" Zhu Mingzhang exclaimed emotionally, squeezing out a few tears before throwing himself into Zhu Xiaoqing's arms. Wow, Eldest Sister is stunning! If genetics play a role, then Second Sister and Third Sister must be... He stopped his thoughts short, remembering they were family.
Taken aback by Zhu Mingzhang's enthusiasm, Zhu Xiaoqing hesitated before giving him a gentle hug.
Zhu Jinzhe seethed quietly. How dare this illegitimate child touch my sister!
Zhu Yuanjie remained present, so Zhu Jinzhe dared not voice his anger.
"Alright, that's enough. You're not a child anymore. It's good that you're back," Zhu Xiaoqing said, lightly pushing Zhu Mingzhang away. He stepped back obediently.
"Father, where are my Second Sister and Third Sister?" Zhu Mingzhang asked.
"They'll be here soon," Zhu Yuanjie replied. Just as he finished speaking, a black Koenigsegg roared into the driveway and stopped in front of them.
Zhu Mingzhang didn't recognize the car, but its sleek design and graceful curves screamed luxury. It had to be one of the world's top-tier supercars.
The door swung open, and a woman dressed in glossy, tight-fitting leather stepped out, removing her sunglasses to reveal striking purple eyes beneath thick lashes and faintly shimmering eyeshadow. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, making her look youthful yet fierce.
"Little Brother?" Her voice was crisp and captivating.
"Second Sister, hello!" Zhu Mingzhang deduced based on her greeting.
"You're quite handsome," Zhu Xiaoling teased, giving him a once-over before handing her car keys to a valet who came forward to park the car.
"Welcome back, Xiaoling," Zhu Yuanjie greeted her warmly. Turning to his butler, Zhang Bo, he said, "Call Xiaoying and ask if she's boarded the plane yet."
Zhu Mingzhang's Third Sister, Zhu Xiaoying, was studying at a university in Tianjing, far from their home in Nanfeng City. Zhu Yuanjie had sent a private helicopter to pick her up.
"Come on, Xiao Ming. Your Third Sister should be here soon. Let's head inside first," Zhu Yuanjie said, ushering everyone in.
Meanwhile, at a university in Tianjing, a classroom was filled with bittersweet farewells.
"Kids, I'm going to miss you all. Take care of yourselves out there, and don't forget to visit me when you have time," the advisor said before leaving the podium.
The room fell silent, tinged with nostalgia. Four years of university had flown by. Though most classmates barely knew each other by name, their shared experiences created a sense of familiarity.
"Xiaoying, I envy you so much. For us, graduation means unemployment, but you're already set for life!" a group of girls teased the lively and beautiful Zhu Xiaoying, who was surrounded by laughter.
Zhu Xiaoying smiled modestly. "Nothing to envy. I'll probably lose my freedom once I graduate. Who knows what my dad will have planned for me?"
"That's so humble of you!"
"Exactly! You're the queen of humblebrags, Xiaoying!"
"Xiaoying, since your dad is so rich, can you help me find a job?"
"Me too, me too!"
One request quickly turned into a chorus.
Zhu Xiaoying, however, wasn't fond of these shallow classmates. The only person she truly valued was her best friend, Xia Ping. Throughout university, Xia Ping had never approached her with ulterior motives, only genuine friendship.
Rising from her seat, Zhu Xiaoying's silence left the crowd disappointed. Meanwhile, Xia Ping was busy packing her things, her back turned to Zhu Xiaoying.
Smiling, Zhu Xiaoying walked over and said, "Pingping, we're about to part ways. Aren't you going to chat with me for a bit?"
"I wasn't ignoring you! Just busy packing," Xia Ping replied, glancing up briefly.
"I don't know if I'll find a good job out there," Xia Ping sighed.
"You're so smart, Pingping. Of course, you'll find something great!" Zhu Xiaoying reassured her.
Just then, Zhu Xiaoying's phone rang. For the third time in minutes.
Reluctantly, she answered.
"Third Miss, you need to come back now. The Master is angry!" Zhang Bo's voice came through the line. "The helicopter is ready for you."
"Fine, fine. I get it. All this fuss over some estranged brother," she muttered, hanging up. Turning to Xia Ping, she said, "Pingping, something urgent came up at home. I'll visit you when I'm free!"
"Okay, I'll miss you!" Xia Ping said with a smile.
Zhu Xiaoying hesitated for a moment before heading out.
As soon as she left, some girls began grumbling.
"That Zhu Xiaoying is so annoying. Her family is rich, and she won't even help us out!"
"Yeah, disgusting rich people!"
"She acts like she's better than everyone else."
Hearing enough, Xia Ping spun around angrily. "Stop it! If you've got something to say, say it to her face!"
"Why are you defending her? She didn't even help you find a job," one girl sneered.
"Get lost! If anyone says another word, I won't hold back!" Xia Ping hurled a book in their direction, scattering the group.