What happened to her mother made Xiao Churan realise a truth: “Dad, Mum, and I are all just ordinary people. In our ordinary family of three, no miracles will happen, nor will we be blessed with sudden wealth or endless good luck.
So, if you think about all the incredible or unbelievably lucky things that have happened to our family of three in recent years, they were almost certainly orchestrated by Ye Chen behind the scenes.
Dad used to be unable to hold his head up in the Xiao family, but later he became the executive vice president of the Calligraphy and Painting Association. That must have been Ye Chen pulling strings behind the scenes.
But the most embarrassing thing is that Ye Chen secured such a position for Dad, only for Dad to cause a scandal and lose it.
After losing it, it was Ye Chen who stepped in again to help him regain a leadership position.
So, in a way, while Dad isn’t as arrogant or troublemaking as Mum, he’s still caused Ye Chen plenty of trouble.
For a moment, Xiao Churan felt deeply melancholic, sitting in her seat, sighing to herself.
Seeing her low spirits, Ye Chen quickly asked with concern, “Darling, what’s wrong?”
Xiao Churan looked up at Ye Chen, forcing a smile, and lied, “Nothing, I’m probably just tired from waking up early.”
Ye Chen sensed the reason for Xiao Churan’s mood and said softly, “You know how Mum and Dad are, so don’t take it to heart.”
Ye Chen thought it must be the drama caused by his in-laws that morning affecting Xiao Churan’s mood, but what he didn’t realise was that he’d only guessed two-thirds of it. Three people were affecting her mood: her parents and himself.
The middle-aged man surnamed Li quieted down, and the first-class lounge became much calmer.
Ma Lan still wore a smug smile, defining her earlier victory as a complete triumph. The exhilarating feeling of showing off filled her with immense satisfaction.
Xiao Changkun also felt a sense of vengeance, occasionally throwing provocative glances at the now timid and evasive middle-aged man.
The man didn’t dare meet their eyes, simply turning his face away, showing only the back of his head.
Neither Ye Chen nor Xiao Churan had an appetite for breakfast, but Ma Lan and Xiao Changkun were ravenous, grabbing plenty of food and drinks, eating while taking photos and posting to their social media, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
After sitting in the lounge for a few dozen minutes, a staff member approached respectfully, inviting the four of them to head to the boarding gate.
The plane had only eight first-class seats, four per row. Ye Chen’s family occupied the first row, while the second row was taken by the middle-aged man surnamed Li and his young wife.
The couple deliberately lagged behind Ye Chen’s family by half a step. Only after Ye Chen’s group boarded did they slowly make their way on, sitting quietly in their seats and remaining silent throughout.
To maintain the image they’d projected in front of the couple, Ma Lan and Xiao Churan refrained from taking photos or chatting excessively, deliberately acting as if they were accustomed to flying first class. This secretly relieved Ye Chen, grateful that the two groups had clashed before boarding, as it kept everyone quieter on the flight.
