The flowers moved with the wind, and in the vast flower park, there were two horses walking together. From afar, the scenery looked like a fantasy, with a beautiful rider riding a brown horse and a handsome rider riding a black horse. Both were poised and elegant in bearing, showcasing their good upbringing.
"So, what kind of interesting project was there in this country that made you personally come here?" The man tilted his head slightly, and his expression filled with curiosity.
Sheng Xia bit her lips and took a deep breath. She tried to show that she was calm enough to have a conversation. "Leon, are you trying to steal my project again?"
The man named Leon Zhao, whose real name was Zhao Jingfeng, smiled. "Why not? I like it when there is a competent rival."
Sheng Xia snorted. Zhao Jingfeng heard it and chuckled.
"One day I'll definitely beat you."
"Sure, when that day comes, I'll buy the champagne." The man's voice sounds majestic but has a little tint of cheerfulness in it.
Sheng Xia took a peek at the man beside her, shocked when she saw the man looked back at her. She turned back, trying to hide her panic.
"Too bad, I am on vacation right now."
Zhao Jingfeng didn't expect to get such an answer.
"Oh, how's your vacation? Country C has a lot of tourist spots. Do you need me to recommend you?"
Sheng Xia shook her head. "No need. I-" She stopped her explanation, a little bit hesitant to tell the truth. But, after a long thought, this wasn't an embarrassing thing after all. "I was found by my biological father."
Although no expression of shock showed on his face, Zhao Jingfeng's eyes glimmered. "Looks like the story of you just got a few new characters. Can't wait to see how they fit in."
Sheng Xia sneered. "Those characters will only become a passerby. Too bad, me and them don't have any compatibility at all."
Hearing Sheng Xia's reply, Zhao Jing Feng frowned, and a glint of dissatisfaction flashed in his eyes.
Ten minutes passed in silence, and the trail ended. Sheng Xia started to head to her stable, but Zhao Jing Feng stopped her. "Stella."
Sheng Xia stopped her horse and chuckled. "You called my sister President Elaine, but me, you only call my name as is."
"I thought you preferred this."
Sheng Xia gritted her teeth. "Where did you get that assumption?"
Zhao Jing Feng smirked. "Every time I defeat you, I call you, and you happily approach me. Isn't that right?"
"Seriously! If arrogance were a stock, you'd be the only billionaire left!"
"And you'd still invest. Admit it!"
"Leon Zhao!" Sheng Xia felt her face a bit burned.
Zhao Jing Feng left after looking at Sheng Xia with an unreadable gaze. His smirk left an earthquake-level of destruction in her heart.
Sheng Xia snorted. What a bad way to cheer me up.
An hour later, when the sun had almost disappeared in the red sky, Sheng Xia had arrived at Cheng's house, and she was a little bit confused about the state of the house. A lot of people ran around the house, some brought briefcases, some brought big suitcases, and two luxury cars were parked in front of the house.
Sheng Xia walked into the house, planned to have a video call with her Mom, but then she saw her biological father coming down from the second floor.
"Sheng Xia! Where were you today?" Father Cheng looked furious. "I heard from An An that you tried to meet with Gu Bo. Do you have no shame? And Wang Qin also told me that he couldn't find you before the working time ended. You- You should know your worth! What? Do you think you can become a lazy rich lady when you came here? Look at An An, even if you cannot become as amazing as her, at least be self-aware!"
Sheng Xia's eyes turned gloomy. She didn't expect to get lectured this badly. Self-worth? Self-aware? Such words so easily came out of his mouth.
"Go to your bedroom, and get prepared. We have to go to a banquet tonight." Father Cheng scoffed and went to his study on the first floor.
Fortunately, Sheng Xia has dinner in the club; otherwise, she would go into a hunger streak tonight.
When Sheng Xia arrived at her bedroom, one of the maids said that Miss An had lent her one of her dresses for Sheng Xia. The look in the maid's eyes showed contempt. Sheng Xia was told that she had fifteen minutes to prepare before their departure. Then the maid left just like that, making Sheng Xia confused.
What? Fifteen minutes? And only by herself? Great!
She saw, on the way to her bedroom, Madam Cheng and Cheng An got a row of people, served them with dresses, lots of jewellery, and even a make-up artist was there for them.
Such an amazing act of impartiality.
Sheng Xia finally put herself into the dress and styled herself as usual, but this time there was a cute ribbon in her bird-nest wig. Sheng Xia's goosebumps almost ran free after she wore the dress.
What's wrong with this dress? Why was it so ugly? She didn't believe An An owned this dress.
After fifteen minutes, Sheng Xia came down the stairs and realized she wasn't the last one. With robotic walk style, she went to the sofa and sat on the other side of her biological father. Not long after, Madam Cheng came down with Cheng An sandwiched between her and Cheng Zen.
Tonight, Cheng An looked like those princesses in the fairytales. Elegance, armored with luxuries and accompanied by a handsome youth. Such a perfect picture.
The family fell into a joyous atmosphere, but they stopped themselves when they saw Sheng Xia.
Cheng Zen looked disgusted. "Sheng Xia! Why do you look like that?"
Cheng An gasped. "Oh, I am so sorry. It seemed the maid gave you the wrong dress! This dress is supposed to be thrown away! Let me get you a new dress!"
"There is no need!" Father Cheng interrupted. "We don't have enough time. Anyway, even if the dress is swapped, will she get better?" There was disdain in Father Cheng's voice.
"Let's go! Tonight is Patriarch Gu's Birthday Celebration. Cheng An needs to be there on time!" Madam Cheng looked happy and impatient.
The family boarded the cars, with Father Cheng and Madam Cheng taking the first car, and the children taking the second car. Not until forty minutes later, the two cars roll into a mansion located in one of the best residential areas in the Capital City. A lot of luxury cars can be seen in the parking lot.
After queuing, their cars finally arrived in front of the entrance. When Sheng Xia looked at the entrance, she could see a man smiling at their car. When the whole family got close to the entrance, the man named Gu Bo approached them and kissed the side of Cheng An's face affectionately.
"You are here."
Cheng An giggled. "Mn."
Father Cheng and Madam Cheng greeted Gu Bo, and Cheng Zen also nodded at his future brother-in-law. The atmosphere turned joyful and harmonious. Everyone laughed, but then Gu Bo stopped laughing. When everyone followed his direction of view, they were shocked. They couldn't believe that the Cheng Family would bring their adopted daughter to the banquet.
Gu Bo nodded toward Sheng Xia, and without giving any other respectful act, he ushered the Cheng Family into the mansion. When the onlookers saw this spectacle, they realized, this adopted daughter was not favored in the Cheng Family.
Then, why did the Cheng Family adopt her?
Sheng Xia, who was left behind, screened the reaction around her. She didn't understand her father's action. Did he not care about his reputation? Or the family reputation? Did he not think that he also became a joke? Is it hard to act respectfully toward her?
Was her biological father's brain okay?
Sheng Xia felt that she started to question her own worth. Was she that distasteful?