Yuan Han watched as a Chevrolet stopped at the restaurant entrance.

Before he could wonder who it was, Xia Xiaolan stepped out first.

Yuan Han felt somewhat displeased.

As someone who tended to flatter the powerful and belittle the weak, he could tolerate Zhou Wenbang not giving him face, despite his displeasure. After all, he was counting on Zhou Wenbang for promotion!

But to willingly flatter Xia Xiaolan? Yuan Han wasn’t happy about that… They were both trying to curry favor with the Zhou family, yet Xia Xiaolan was more popular than him – this made Yuan Han extremely uncomfortable. He had wanted to form an alliance with Xia Xiaolan for mutual support, but she completely ignored him.

Zhou Yi had also previously asked Xia Xiaolan for help, but she still refused.

Xia Xiaolan could freely enter and leave the residence of Zhou’s parents, while he and Zhou Yi could only kneel and beg.

Being caught in the act by Xia Xiaolan made Yuan Han feel like he lost face.

However, thinking about how he and Zhou Yi were legally married, while Xia Xiaolan hadn’t officially married into the Zhou family and who knew what variables lay ahead, Yuan Han felt somewhat smug.

Regardless of his methods, he had achieved his goal, while Xia Xiaolan hadn’t!

Mother Yuan whispered to her two daughters, “She is everywhere, showing off all day long.”

People are like this – they don’t dare to compare themselves with those far above their station but fixate on those they consider their equals. Like Mother Yuan, after learning Xia Xiaolan was from the countryside, she wouldn’t listen to anything else, believing that apart from having a higher education than her son, Xia Xiaolan had nothing to be proud of.

What use was higher education for a woman?

Could she possibly do better than a man in the future?

Although Xia Xiaolan was extremely beautiful, Mother Yuan saw her son as equally talented, no worse than Xia Xiaolan – why should the Zhou family treat them differently?

Yuan’s elder sister tugged at her sleeve, “Why bother about her? She’s not going to be your daughter-in-law anyway.”

Bah! The Yuan family wouldn’t want such a vixen for a daughter-in-law. Besides her good looks, what use was she? Without a good family background, everything else was nonsense. The Yuan family had already been burned once before, they wouldn’t fall for it a second time.

Yuan Han was in high spirits today. Being tall and wearing a new suit, he looked quite presentable, and his smugness was impossible to contain.

His eyes swept over Xia Xiaolan, and just as he called out “Sister-in-law,” a man stepped out from the car’s back seat.

Of medium height, wearing glasses, and appearing to be in his forties.

How to put it… Yuan Han’s radar immediately activated.

This man… was no ordinary person.

Tang Hongen had no idea about Yuan Han’s rich inner monologue. He got out first, then opened the car door for Liu Fen. While Yuan Han was still wondering how to address them, Zhou Wenbang and Jiang Hong came out, followed by Zhou Guobin and Guan Huie.

This was Tang Hongen’s first appearance as Xia Xiaolan’s stepfather. Since they had come to attend the Zhou family’s wedding banquet, the hosts naturally had to welcome them.

The Yuan family, who had been whispering among themselves, were now pushed aside.

Both Zhou Wenbang and Zhou Guobin shook hands with Tang Hongen.

Of the two brothers, Zhou Guobin was of the same rank as Tang Hongen, while Zhou Wenbang was slightly lower.

“Comrade Hongen, this is really…” Zhou Wenbang gestured. “Please, come in.”

Zhou Wenbang felt overwhelmed with emotion.

It was good for the Zhou family to gain an “in-law” like Tang Hongen, but it was awkward that their first meeting had to be at this unpleasant wedding banquet. Zhou Wenbang glossed over it with a few vague words.

Tang Hongen watched Yuan Han’s expression change repeatedly, immediately recognizing him as someone with ill intentions. Putting himself in Zhou Wenbang’s position, if Xia Xiaolan were to marry someone like this, he would feel murderous.

He sympathized with Zhou Wenbang, yet felt somewhat proud: Xiaolan wouldn’t be as foolish as Zhou Yi, she would never put him in such an awkward position.

Inexplicably, Xia Xiaolan received a “loving gaze” from Tang Hongen, leaving her completely puzzled.

Tang Hongen walked inside with the Zhou brothers.

Guan Huie stayed behind, while Jiang Hong mustered her energy for social interaction:

“Look at us, we didn’t even know about you and Mayor Tang… Our congratulations are late, please don’t mind.”

Liu Fen shook her head, “We both wanted to keep it low-key, didn’t notify anyone, it’s our matter.”

Jiang Hong thought this was a truly joyous occasion.

When Guan Huie told them about Liu Fen marrying Tang Hongen, in the past, Jiang Hong would have surely thought Guan Huie was showing off. However, after Zhou Yi’s incident, Jiang Hong developed a more peaceful attitude toward her sister-in-law and a stronger sense of belonging to the Zhou family.

This wasn’t just about the second brother’s family; what kind of in-laws they had affected how outsiders viewed them as a whole, and the influence was collective.

She and Wenbang were unfortunate to have raised a daughter with poor judgment, only fit to be in-laws with the likes of the Yuan family.

But why shouldn’t Zhou Cheng be clear-headed and find someone good?

The Zhou family had already accepted Xia Xiaolan, and now with her mother making such a good marriage, it was truly icing on the cake.

They had kindly come to attend the wedding banquet, showing faces to her and Zhou Wenbang. Jiang Hong brightened up and smiled: “It’s quite cold outside, the men have all gone in, let’s hurry inside too. All the relatives are here, it’s a good chance to meet everyone.”

Except for Zhou’s parents who refused to attend, many Zhou family relatives had come.

Zhou Cheng’s two aunts’ families were there, along with relatives from Jiang Hong’s maiden family, and some Zhou family relatives who lived in Beijing.

As Jiang Hong and Zhou Wenbang welcomed people inside, the Yuan family stood dumbfounded.

Mother Yuan was shocked, “Who was that person?”

Yuan Han’s expression darkened: “Seems to be some mayor.”

Yuan Han should have been happy that a mayor was attending his and Zhou Yi’s wedding banquet.

But the mayor had come with Xia Xiaolan and the other woman who resembled Xia Xiaolan must be her mother.

Then what about the mayor?

Hearing Jiang Hong’s congratulations, Yuan Han vaguely guessed the truth from their conversation – a truth he was unwilling to accept. What made it even more humiliating was that he had been standing there the whole time, yet Zhou Wenbang and Jiang Hong hadn’t introduced him to anyone, treating him like invisible air.

Jiang Hong hadn’t smiled all day, except to Xia Xiaolan’s group of three.

Yuan Han’s face turned purple with anger – the Zhou family was too much.

Yet he couldn’t lose his temper; he had to endure for the sake of his bright future!

“Looks like no more guests are coming, let’s go in.”

Yuan Han entered the restaurant first. Mother Yuan was still in a daze, and the Yuan sisters were feeling bitter. They had all contributed money for Yuan Han’s wedding, and now they cursed the “status-conscious” Zhou family.

Yuan’s elder sister said hatefully, “Little brother is being treated too unfairly as the Zhou family’s son-in-law!”

The second Yuan sister pondered, “Only after experiencing the bitterest of hardships can one rise to the top. The future is still long… Little brother will probably need to be even more respectful and careful now. Originally, there was someone to compare with in the Zhou family, who knew they would also have such connections.”

Such good fortune.

The second Yuan sister was referring to both Xia Xiaolan and Liu Fen.

At that moment, her expression toward her mother became slightly complex.

Look at other people’s mothers, immediately finding a mayor.

Her mother didn’t need to be that impressive, but if she had found even an ordinary official back home, the three siblings wouldn’t have had to struggle so much.

This awkward wedding banquet, anticipated by the Yuan family but rejected by the Zhou family, was only just beginning.