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"What are you trying to do?" Quan Shaoqing raised an eyebrow, his gaze falling dismissively on Jing Haoran’s smartly dressed figure. "Being ugly, no matter how nice the clothes, you still can’t look handsome."

"Pfft!" Jing Haoran felt like spitting blood.

In front of so many people, Quan Shaoqing actually called him ugly!

How could he swallow such an insult?

He held back for a good while, almost crying with frustration, and approached Song Xu, "Mother Song, please control your son."

While arranging delicious foods on the rectangular dining table, Song Xu looked at Quan Shaoqing and Gu Xiaoxi with a sweet smile, her voice filled with indulgence, "In my eyes, my son is the most handsome. If you want justice, you should go to your mom."

After hearing this, Jing Haoran’s little heart shattered. This truly was a mother’s love!

A stab without blood!

So, he turned to Qiu Ci. He felt that his own mother should also stand up for her son.

Yet, Qiu Ci, watching the scene unfold with a speechless expression, quickly glared at Jing Haoran and reprimanded, "What are you joining in the commotion for? Go play, little kid."

"Am I a little kid? I am only one year younger than Gu Xiaoxi, okay!" Jing Haoran argued.

Jing Rui, sitting on the sofa, put down her phone, looked at Jing Haoran and consoled him, "Dear nephew, look at how childish you are. Come here, your auntie will dance with you. At the same time, let’s compare with Shaoqing to see whether they dance better or we do."

"Yay!" Jing Haoran immediately clapped and cheered; this aunt was truly his one true love.

The music began, and it was the first time Gu Xiaoxi danced with Quan Shaoqing.

They started with a slow waltz, but Jing Haoran, not content, switched to a cha-cha.

Although Gu Xiaoxi had learned to dance for a while, she wasn’t up to this high-demand, fast-paced dance.

On the other hand, Jing Rui danced incredibly well.

She was naturally beautiful, with a curvy figure and full of charm, dancing with explosive power.

Moreover, there wasn’t a single trace of the years on her.

Even though Jing Haoran was younger, his cha-cha steps were very skilled.

Whereas Gu Xiaoxi and Quan Shaoqing fell behind.

Quan Shaoqing, who spent years in the military, rarely attended any important receptions.

His dance foundation was from his school days.

By now, it had grown rusty, and with Gu Xiaoxi also not knowing the dance, after the music changed, the two simply stopped and watched Jing Haoran and Jing Rui dance instead.

Jing Haoran, having been losing all day, finally turned the tables with this dance, feeling elated.

In the evening, everyone gathered together to sing and dance, and the party went on harmoniously.

Finally, when everyone was tired and sat at the dining table ready to eat.

Jing Mingcheng came down from the study to join everyone for dinner.

Compared to the children’s playfulness, Jing Mingcheng had been in the study all along, obviously not resting even when he was free.

Now having a rare moment of leisure, he began to play a drinking game with everyone.

Despite his distinguished status, the fact he could let down his pride to play drinking games with everyone was already extraordinary.

This was probably out of respect for Quan Gui’s face.

At the dining table, when everyone was drinking merrily.

Jing Mingcheng looked at Gu Xiaoxi with a radiant smile, his sharp, kind eyes full of tenderness, "Come, Xiao Xi, from now on you’re friends with everyone here. As an elder, I’m also fond of you, let’s have a drink together."

Gu Xiaoxi hurriedly picked up her cup, how could she let him toast her.

She quickly smiled and responded, "Then I toast to Uncle Jing, wishing you good health and everything going your way."

Jing Mingcheng chuckled with a cup in his hand and teased looking at Quan Shaoqing, "This girl is clever and quick to respond. Most importantly, she has such a sweet tongue."

Gu Xiaoxi blushed at his laughter.

Jing Mingcheng promptly clinked his glass with Gu Xiaoxi’s, saying, "Xiao Xi, the Jings and the Quans are old family friends. Think of this place as your own home, don’t be a stranger."

"Yes!" Gu Xiaoxi nodded.

It was clear that Jing Mingcheng also cherished the relationship between the two families.

Especially since he often invited them for meals together.

This was the rare affection between neighbors.

"Shaoqing! After Jing Yuan gets married, your children and Jing Yuan’s children also have to become good friends.

Of course, if they are a boy and a girl, it would be even better if they could get married.

That way, we can continue the friendship between the Jing and Quan families," Qiu Ci also said with a beaming smile.

However, they didn’t know that even with such a wish, it couldn’t be fulfilled anymore...

In the evening, everyone had a great time, and drank a bit too much.

Especially Jing Rui, who ended up getting drunk with Gu Xiaoxi.

It took Quan Shaoqing a lot of effort to separate the two and carry Gu Xiaoxi back to her room.

Gu Xiaoxi clung to Quan Shaoqing’s arm, her eyes bleary, and happily called out, "Aunt Jing, come on, let’s have another drink. I’m grateful for your support, I’ve decided to follow you from now on."

Quan Shaoqing looked helplessly at the woman, who was utterly intoxicated, pressed her down onto the bed, and covered her with a blanket.

But before the blanket could settle, she kicked it off and crawled out from under it.

Her face was flushed red, resembling a ripe and tempting large apple, enticing one to commit a sin.

Watching the restless Gu Xiaoxi, Quan Shaoqing couldn’t help himself and pounced on her, pinning her down and demanding, "Look at me, who am I?"

Gu Xiaoxi’s eyes were filled with the wavering images of a dozen people, and she couldn’t make out anyone, but by the sound of it, it wasn’t Jing Rui.

At that moment, her brain was in disarray, and she felt groggy.

"Who are you? Where’s Shaoqing? Where’s Aunt Jing? I want another drink!" Gu Xiaoxi pouted her tender lips, flailing her little hands.

Quan Shaoqing felt an itch in his chest as if scratched by a cat. At this moment, she had already ignited his lust.

"You little brat, you don’t even recognize me. Let me teach you a good lesson. See if you dare to get so drunk that you can’t recognize your own husband..." Quan Shaoqing snorted coldly, delivered a smack to Gu Xiaoxi’s bottom, then rolled with her on the bed, biting her lips.

Gu Xiaoxi’s mind was a mess, and her hands had no strength...

The next morning, Quan Shaoqing was nowhere to be seen.

When Gu Xiaoxi woke up, it was already noon.

She held her woozy head, looked at the disheveled bedding, and finally remembered getting drunk last night.

For some reason, she felt a special affinity with Jing Rui.

The foods she liked were also Jing Rui’s favorites.

They both liked straightforward people, so in a moment of joy, she wanted to get drunk with her. It was a feeling like ’when drinking with a kindred spirit, a thousand cups are too few.’

Sunlight filtered through the curtains into the room, and Gu Xiaoxi sat on the bed, vigorously ruffling her long hair.

Suddenly, she saw the torn clothes on the floor...

She covered her face, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

Quan Shaoqing had taken advantage of her drunken state to bully her again.

Just as she was about to pick up the shirt, there came a knock on the door.

"Xiao Xi, Jing Rui has invited you to take a trip to City A. Do you want to go?" It was Song Xu’s voice.

"Mom, I’m already up. Please tell her to wait a moment," Gu Xiaoxi hurriedly threw the torn clothes into the trash and guiltily ran into the bathroom.

Once she was properly groomed, she hastily grabbed her bag and left the room.

In the living room, Jing Rui was already sitting there waiting for her.

"Aunt Jing, how long have you been waiting? Why didn’t you call me earlier?"

Jing Rui put down the newspaper, her face beaming with a smile, "Not long, I just arrived. I wanted to invite you out for some fun, and also to discuss something."

"Oh! Well, I’m ready," Gu Xiaoxi said, preparing to leave with Jing Rui.

Song Xu called from the kitchen, "The meal is ready. Eat at home before you go out."

"No, we’re going out, I’ll treat her to a big meal," Jing Rui said with a laugh.

Gu Xiaoxi was excited, looking forward to the big meal Jing Rui mentioned.

Jing Rui drove, taking her away from the downtown villa area toward the suburbs.

Gu Xiaoxi was puzzled, "What’s so good to eat in the suburbs?"

"You’ll know when we get there," Jing Rui said with a mysterious smile.

Afterward, on the road, Jing Rui started discussing the opportunity for Gu Xiaoxi to go to the International Alliance.

"Xiao Xi, I can only recommend you. You still have to pass the selection, of course. Whether you become a team leader or a foot soldier, you’ll have to rely on your own efforts," Jing Rui said.

Gu Xiaoxi smiled nonchalantly, "I didn’t realize even with an inside track there’s no easy way. The International Alliance really does have strict management."

"Naturally," Jing Rui said, laughing. Otherwise, there would be so many people desperate to get in.

Gu Xiaoxi had been to the International Alliance before and had a preliminary understanding of it.

It was an incredibly bustling area, with buildings that led the world in terms of architectural trends.

The tallest skyscrapers, the most technological time-era buildings, the most advanced weapons, the most luxurious living conditions, and, of course, the most demanding training facilities.

As long as one could stand their ground there, the future was wide open.