I Am Already A Queen

Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Eldest Brother Returns

Opening the refrigerator, Qiao Meixia grabbed a bottle of cold water and took several large gulps. Only then did she glance at the clock on the wall. It was already rapidly approaching five o’clock in the evening.

Qiao Meixia blinked. She had not realised time had passed so quickly. No wonder her stomach was growling. Her gaze drifted toward the unopened boxes still stacked around the living room. She still had plenty of things to organise, but that could wait for another day. For now, she should return to the Jiang Residence.

....

In a luxurious private study thousands of kilometres away, a man sat comfortably on a leather sofa while gently stroking the sleek black cat resting on his lap. The black cat purred contentedly under his touch. The room was peaceful and quiet. Then, a sharp knock sounded on the heavy door. Both the man and the cat looked toward it.

"Come in." The man said calmly.

The door opened. Another man entered and immediately bowed respectfully. It was obvious from his stiff posture that he was a subordinate. Meanwhile, the cat merely closed its eyes again and continued enjoying its master’s undivided attention.

"Speak." The man ordered.

"Lord Nine, we received a response from the Red Mansion." The subordinate lowered his head respectfully.

"What did they say?" Lord Nine asked.

"They are requesting full payment before they deliver the item." The subordinate relayed the message, his voice wavering slightly.

"Full payment?" Lord Nine raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." The subordinate nodded.

The subordinate could feel cold sweat forming on his back. The people from the legendary Red Mansion were truly bold. They wanted the entire payment before even handing over the goods. What if they were lying? What if they simply claimed to possess the information, collected the massive sum of money, and then completely disappeared afterwards? Wouldn’t they be completely deceived?

However, Lord Nine remained entirely calm.

"Then, go and release the full payment." The man stated smoothly.

The subordinate froze in surprise. "But, Lord Nine, what if we get tricked?" The subordinate expressed his genuine concern.

"I don’t believe Red Mansion would do something so foolish." Lord Nine continued stroking the cat. "Their global reputation is worth far more than fifty million."

The subordinate thought about it and slowly nodded.

The subordinate thought about it and slowly nodded. "I understand. I will get someone to release the full payment immediately."

After receiving his orders, he bowed once more before quietly leaving the room.

The door clicked shut. Lord Nine continued petting the black cat in silence. The cat purred happily under his palm.

...

Qiao Meixia arrived back at the Jiang Residence. As soon as she stepped into the spacious living room, she noticed that every member of the Jiang family, except Jiang Lukang, was gathered there. Her gaze landed on an unfamiliar young man sitting among them. The man was handsome, refined, and carried himself with a mature, elegant air that set him apart from the others. For a brief moment, the two of them stared directly at each other. Then, Qiao Meixia casually looked away, entirely unbothered.

"You are back. Come over here." Feng Lan immediately spotted her entrance and called out.

Qiao Meixia walked toward them and sat down in her usual seat at the far corner of the sofa.

"Yes?" Qiao Meixia asked directly. "Is there something you want to talk about?"

Feng Lan clenched her fists tightly, suppressing the sudden irritation rising within her. She forced herself to calm down.

"Meixia, this is your eldest brother, Jiang Suhan. He just returned from an extended business trip." Feng Lan pointed toward the unfamiliar man.

Qiao Meixia turned her eyes to Jiang Suhan and gave him a simple, casual nod as a greeting. She remembered that Jiang Family members mentioned his name several times.

Jiang Suhan smiled warmly at her.

"Qiaoqiao, it’s nice to meet you." Jiang Suhan greeted Qiao Meixia, his tone carrying a genuine sincerity that was entirely foreign to this household.

Qiao Meixia was slightly taken aback when she heard the exact way he addressed her.

’Qiaoqiao’.

It had been a very long time since anyone had called her by that specific childhood nickname. The last time she had heard it spoken with such familiarity was long before she transmigrated into this world. For several quiet seconds, she stood frozen, staring silently at Jiang Suhan as she observed his gentle, welcoming expression.

When Jiang Suhan noticed her lingering, intense gaze, he simply smiled at her again, his eyes filled with an unmistakable warmth.

"Qiaoqiao, is there something you want to say to me?" Jiang Suhan asked softly.

Qiao Meixia shook her head, breaking eye contact to regain her usual composure. Then, she stood up from her seat.

"I am going back to my room. I want to take a shower and change my clothes." Qiao Meixia stated flatly.

To everyone’s absolute surprise, Jiang Suhan immediately stood up from the plush sofa as well, preparing to follow her.

"Eldest Brother, where exactly are you going?" Jiang Yanna quickly asked, her voice tinged with a sudden, sharp hint of anxiety.

"Oh, I just want to go see how Qiaoqiao’s room looks." Jiang Suhan answered casually while adjusting his sleek suit jacket.

"Why on earth do you want to see her room?" Feng Lan frowned, her heart sinking slightly as a wave of unease washed over her.

"I just want to have a look." Jiang Suhan shrugged, his tone remaining light and conversational. "If she is missing anything important, I can buy it for her right away."

The exact moment those words left his mouth, Feng Lan and Jiang Yanna exchanged uneasy, frantic glances. If Jiang Suhan actually saw the pathetic room Qiao Meixia had been assigned, wouldn’t he become incredibly angry?

***This novel is a contracted work with w e b n o v e l. c o m. If you do not read this novel on w e b n o v e l. c o m, that means it has been stolen. Thank you, from your shameless author, ZerahNeko***