Volume 1, Chapter 7: Once Again the Target of Pranks

"Very well, Mother." Jiang Shuwei did not overthink it. Madam Lu was one of her mother-in-law's socialite friends, and it was perfectly normal for her mother-in-law to delegate the task of delivering a birthday gift when she could not attend herself.

The driver arrived with the invitation and the gift.

"Ma'am, please wait a moment. There is one more thing I forgot to retrieve." The driver hurried to the other side of the car, opened the door, and pulled out a bag. "My lady said this is for you as well."

Jiang Shuwei took a look; it was a beige evening gown, paired with a set of silver high heels and jewelry. Her mother-in-law was always meticulous; this ensemble was undoubtedly worth a fortune.

Jiang Shuwei called her mother-in-law to thank her, and Huang Yujie simply reminded her not to be late.

Seeing Jiang Shuwei change into the beautiful gown, Zhou Haixin stood to the side, sighing in admiration: "Which fairy has descended from the heavens? Do you realize how unfairly beautiful you look? It’s a death trap—if a man sets his eyes on you, he’ll drag you off to get married."

Jiang Shuwei smiled, pressing her lips together. "An elder in the family asked me to deliver a gift for her. I must be off."

"Shuwei, I’ve always thought you weren't from an ordinary family. This dress alone could buy out ten of our studios, yet you cry poverty to me every day and don't even add an egg to your instant noodles." Zhou Haixin put her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes in annoyance.

Jiang Shuwei had always kept her personal affairs private, claiming only that her family was middle-class and that she had elders but no siblings.

"Alright, don't be cross. I'll steal some delicious food and bring it back for you." After comforting her friend, Jiang Shuwei headed out.

The banquet was being held at the He family villa.

The mere thought of facing that group of people from the socialite circle made Jiang Shuwei want to turn around and leave. She had grown up in the He household. While she wasn't technically family, Mother He doted on her, and the patriarch treated her like a granddaughter. Consequently, everyone in the capital's elite circle knew that the He family had a "child bride" named Jiang Shuwei. They had all seen her—she was striking in appearance, quiet by nature, and never one to compete.

Because of Jiang Shuwei's existence, He Jingcheng was often teased. This was precisely why he loathed her; she was a source of shame and mockery for him.

Jiang Shuwei was acutely aware of her awkward position. She remained cautious and diligent, focusing on her studies. She could not elevate her status, but she was a prodigy when it came to academics. Thus, everyone eventually learned that He Jingcheng’s child bride was an academic powerhouse—entering university at thirteen, graduating at sixteen, and pursuing a master's degree by eighteen.

The most famous incident was when someone captured a photo of a tattoo of He Jingcheng’s name on her chest.

Yet, regardless of her academic brilliance, in the eyes of these heirs born with silver spoons in their mouths, she was no different from a small-town striver. If not for her ties to the He family, she would only be fit to scrape a living in one of their companies.

Jiang Shuwei stepped quietly through the gates of the He villa. The courtyard was already bustling. Madam Lu was at the entrance, greeting guests with her daughter, Lu Youyou.

"Why is *she* here?" As soon as Lu Youyou saw Jiang Shuwei, she pouted and rolled her eyes toward the sky.

Madam Lu whispered a warning: "Don't cause a scene today."

Lu Youyou remained sullen. In the eyes of their circle of heiresses, Jiang Shuwei was a stain.

"Miss Jiang, where is Yujie?" Madam Lu asked with a smile.

Jiang Shuwei replied immediately, "Tingting is ill, and my mother-in-law is home taking care of her. Madam Lu, happy birthday. This is the gift my mother-in-law asked me to deliver for her."

The butler beside Madam Lu hurried forward to take the gift. Madam Lu smiled, "How very kind of her. I hope little Tingting is feeling better."

"She is much better, thank you for your concern, Madam," Jiang Shuwei nodded.

"Go inside and get something to eat. It’s all people you know, so don't be formal. Youyou, take Shuwei inside and find a seat." Madam Lu looked sternly at her daughter. She only treated Jiang Shuwei with courtesy out of respect for Huang Yujie and the elder Mr. He. If she weren't there representing her mother-in-law, Madam Lu would not have been so welcoming. The elder Mr. He was highly respected; he had built the He Group from the ground up, reaching the pinnacle of the business world, and no one dared to slight him.

Lu Youyou walked over, asking with a smirk, "Jiang Shuwei, where is Brother Jingcheng? Aren't you two supposed to arrive as a couple?"

Jiang Shuwei answered nonchalantly, "I am only here to deliver a gift on behalf of my mother-in-law. I shall leave after a short while."

Lu Youyou led her inside, snickering to herself at how Jiang Shuwei couldn't even come up with a decent excuse and was still being stubborn. As soon as Jiang Shuwei appeared, the young socialites and elites inside all turned to look at her, as if a monkey had arrived and they were waiting for her to make a fool of herself.

Jiang Shuwei felt a physical sense of discomfort and a desire to escape.

Lu Yanzhi, Lu Youyou’s older brother and He Jingcheng’s close friend and business partner, sat on the sofa with his legs crossed in a languid posture. His expression as he looked at Jiang Shuwei was indifferent, tinged with a hint of mockery.

"Shuwei, would you like a drink?" a clear male voice asked from behind her.

Jiang Shuwei turned to see Xia Chengzhe, another of He Jingcheng’s close friends, raising an eyebrow at her.

Jiang Shuwei politely accepted the glass and said thank you. Just as she was about to drink, she caught a faint scent of osmanthus. Her gaze turned cold, and she looked at Xia Chengzhe. He hadn't expected her to detect the osmanthus, and he was currently exchanging glances with those around him.

"What is it, Shuwei? Suspecting me of poisoning the drink?" Xia Chengzhe said, taking a sip himself.

Jiang Shuwei replied coldly, "My apologies, I am allergic to osmanthus. Haven't you grown tired of this same prank yet?"

The people present immediately wore expressions of boredom. Everyone remembered when Jiang Shuwei was sixteen; this group of elites had discovered that whenever she consumed anything with osmanthus, her face would break out in a rash that looked like crawling insects. The teenage girl had run away in tears.

Jiang Shuwei realized that no matter the time, she could never fit into this circle. In their eyes, she was merely a bug to be teased and discarded at will. Of course, she had never intended to force her way into a circle where she didn't belong. But even as she lingered on the fringes, these people wouldn't leave her alone.

Thinking of this, she picked up the glass and splashed the contents directly onto Xia Chengzhe’s crotch.

"Oh dear, my apologies, my hand slipped," Jiang Shuwei said with an innocent expression. "Young Master Xia, since you aren't getting the laugh you wanted, why don't you take a turn? Everyone is waiting, and it would be a shame to spoil their mood."

Jiang Shuwei curled her lips into a smile, clapped her hands, and prepared to leave.

As she turned, she saw He Jingcheng and Su Mian arriving together at the entrance. Su Mian was wearing a custom-made evening gown and a sparkling sapphire necklace. With her fair arm linked through He Jingcheng’s, they looked intimate.

Both of them had witnessed the scene of Jiang Shuwei splashing the drink.

He Jingcheng’s expression turned cold. He walked over and reprimanded her: "Why do you always insist on seeking attention wherever you go?"

Jiang Shuwei was stunned. Her husband still loved to blame her without distinguishing right from wrong.

"That was osmanthus wine. He was the one who tried to play a trick on me first," Jiang Shuwei explained indifferently.

"Even so, he is my friend," He Jingcheng said, his face darkening.

Jiang Shuwei bit her lip: "And I am his elder."

With that, Jiang Shuwei strode away, refusing to pay any mind to the strange looks cast her way.