“I have something to talk to you both,” An Qinyan said as they were at the dinner table. It had been more than two months since Lu Xuan had come to live with her.
He would usually spend the weekend with Lu family and on Friday evening he would leave for their house. However, today was a rare chance when he didn’t immediately leave as his grandmother had gone abroad to meet her sick old friend.
Both An Xiulan and Lu Xuan looked up. Today, they hadn’t fought with each other and wondered what their mom wanted to talk about. They agreed that they fought more often but these days it was getting less as she was too busy with her classes, tuition classes and then she had to attend the classes of the auntie that her mom hired to help her prepare for the pageant.
Since An Xiulan was insistent, An Qinyan decided to support her daughter’s dreams. It didn’t matter if she could not fulfill them as long as she tried her best, as a mom she was happy.
“Our business partner Mr Qin is organising an annual party and he particularly stressed to bring you both with me. I didn’t give him a reply yet as I wanted to know about your wishes,” An Qinyan said. She had never taken her children with her to any office parties. Usually, businessmen brought their children with them to help them make connections or make acquaintances with the children of fellow businessmen.
Lu Xuan wanted to reject it but An Xiulan beat him to it.
“Mom, what will we do there? I don’t even know what the party is for. I don’t want to embarrass you by coming with you with my ignorance and lack of knowledge,” An Xiulan said in a low voice. Although she had grown up a lot since her time in this world, her fear of attending banquets and prestigious functions as the one her mom talked about was still there.
“You both have nothing to be worried about. It’s not a test for you,” An Qinyan chuckled. “All you have to do is show up and enjoy the food. You don’t have to bother yourself with business talks.”
“Really?” Lu Xuan was suspicious. He never attended any business party with his father because his father was sure that he would make trouble and his old man was not wrong..
However, the same didn’t go for his mother. Since he was pretending to be nice to his mother in order to steal her from his sister, he had to behave.
An Qinyan nodded her head.
An Xiulan was still not comfortable with the idea. Initially, Lu Xuan wanted to reject but when he saw anxiety on her face, he agreed just to cause her further discomfort. It was juvenile of him to agree only to hurt An Xiulan.
However, An Qinyan was very happy to hear their reply. She was so excited that she called her assistant to bring a stylist home to select outfits for her children.
The party was tomorrow and she had to get everything ready today. Fortunately, it was the weekend and they didn’t have to worry about school.
“Lanlan, you say you want to contest for Miss China Teen. You will have to face crowds sooner or later. Why don’t you take the banquet as a test?” An Qinyan suggested as she patted her head.
“A test?” An Xiulan asked.
An Qinyan nodded her head. “You have been preparing for more than a month. Miss Qiu taught you how to walk and talk and handle the jury. I saw you have been practising well in your room. However, don’t you think it’s time to put your skills to practice? Only a girl who has wisdom, knowledge of worldliness can be a better Miss China. It’s not a contest of who is better looking or who is tall or who can walk more elegantly. It’s more than that.”
An Xiulan was nervous after hearing her mom’s words but soon she mustered up the courage and nodded her head. She could do it.
The day of the banquet.
A black car stopped at the red carpet and moments later, a woman dressed in a black brocade cheongsam appeared. Her short hair was made in waves. As the reporters recognised the lady, they shouted for her to give them a pose.
This beautiful and extraordinary woman was no one else but An Qinyan, the self made billionaire and owner of Orchard groups.
As they had expected her to walk ahead, she stopped beside the car and a few seconds later, a boy in black tuxedo suit appeared. He buttoned his coat as he stood close to his mother. His phoenix eyes glanced at the reporters who were screaming in excitement.
A reporter suddenly got out of the rope line to take the shots clearly but before he could bump into her Lu Xuan stood between the two and lightly elbowed the reporter who was later taken out by the security.
“Help your sister out of the car,” An Qinyan said as she was smiling at the reporters and reluctantly he took a step back and leaned over, extending his hand to help her out of the car.
Lu Xuan helped his twin out of the car and followed his mother inside without letting paparazzi capture a single shot of his sister. She was silly and naive and if someone recognised her to be a billionaire’s daughter, she was probably going to be duped.
“Ah Xuan, don’t leave your sister out of your sight. You have to follow her,” An Qinyan whispered as they were going into the banquet hall.
“Why? She is not a baby,” Lu Xuan made a bad face.
“She is a baby and aren’t you the man of the house?” An Qinyan innocently blinked her eyes as she scammed her grown up son.
Reluctantly, Lu Xuan accepted his new title.
“As a man of the house, it is your responsibility to protect the women folk,” An Qinyan very skilfully duped him.
“Mom, I can protect myself,” An Xiulan blinked her eyes and the glittery eyeshadow on her face became apparent.
“Shut up,” Lu Xuan muttered as he saw her dazzling face. What was she thinking before wearing this princess dress? She was wearing a pale blue gown and didn’t look any less beautiful than a Chinese Cinderella.
He had a headache coming as he felt the bees and flies that this dazzling outfit of hers was going to attract. And who allowed her to wear those four inch heels? She looked almost as tall as him when she was only a tiny baby!
Yes, a tiny baby!
As they entered the venue hall, Lu Xuan swore that all the teenage boys were staring at his sister with those googly eyes and those men in their thirties or forties at his mother. It was so difficult being the man of the house. But he had to perform his duties perfectly.
If he didn’t have a reputation to maintain, he would have beaten all of them.
“Let’s wish Mr Qin first,” An Qinyan said with a smile as her children followed her. As they reached a elderly man whose head and beard was covered in white, she spoke first, “Wishing Mr Qin a happy birthday.”
The old man laughed happily. “You grace this old man with your presence.”
“This is a small present for you,” An Qinyan passed the birthday gift and the old man knew that it was anything but small. Gesturing to Lu Xuan to wish the old man, she took a step aside.
“Mr Qin, happy birthday. May you live to be hundred years,” Lu Xuan quoted the wish that his grandmother received on her birthday. Since he was close to his grandmother he was more skillful in honouring elders.
The old man Qin was naturally satisfied with the way the young man wished him.
“I hope Mr Qin has an abundance of happiness and health on his birthday,” An Xiulan said with a smile as her eyes curved to form a crescent. The smile on her face was so bright that Mr Qin and the people standing by her couldn’t look away.
“Miss Qin has two outstanding children,” Someone commented.
“What can I say? I’m blessed,” An Qinyan didn’t play humble when it came to her children. She patted behind their backs. She was always proud of her children.
“Where is that monkey nephew of mine?” Mr Qin asked as he didn’t see An Qinyan shadow today.
“Grand uncle, did you miss me?” Gu Yanxi asked after making a grand entry while Gu Shangyan in a black tuxedo suit was following his uncle.
“Hmmph, who misses a monkey like you!” Mr Qin rolled his eyes. His eyes then fell on Gu Shangyan who smiled a bit as he saw the elder and wished him.
“What a good boy!” Mr Qin smiled. “Xiao Yan, let me introduce you to someone. This is…”He forgot that he didn’t ask the kids’ name.
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