Chapter Nineteen: How About Me?

The visual impact of the Heart of the Ocean was nothing short of overwhelming. Nearly every pair of eyes was drawn to it, so much so that many failed to notice Jiang Zheng’s reaction. The wedding itself was abruptly interrupted by this colossal, unexpected gift.

Everyone rose to their feet, unable to resist edging closer for a glimpse of the genuine article. Had it been anyone else presenting the Heart of the Ocean as a gift, suspicion would have abounded. But this was the master of Jade Pavilion himself, Xia Yuan, offering it in person—no one would ever doubt the authenticity of the Heart of the Ocean.

It was the real treasure. Worth a billion. A promise made and kept, handed over just like that.

The women present were even more spellbound, gazing openly in envy. Beside them, Penny, who had always considered herself superior, now looked positively livid. Only moments before, she had dismissed Jiang Zheng as a plain country girl, unworthy of Zhao Jiacheng. Yet now, an enigmatic figure had presented Jiang Zheng with the Heart of the Ocean.

A priceless treasure for a beautiful maiden—radiant, dazzling, eclipsing all others. If Penny had previously thought herself Jiang Zheng’s equal, now she was embarrassed to even stand nearby, diminished in comparison.

“Zheng’er, the auspicious hour is nearly upon us. Let’s go up and drink the nuptial wine,” Zhao Jiacheng said, finally sensing that something was amiss, reaching for Jiang Zheng’s hand. Anxiety gnawed at him, fearful that she might change her mind at any moment.

“No…” Jiang Zheng, uncharacteristically, shook him off.

“What’s gotten into you, girl? Just because a few people gave you gifts, you think you’re above yourself now?” Zhang Man snapped, hands on her hips. “Don’t forget, you’re still marrying into the Zhao family. When Jiacheng tells you to do something, you do it! Get up there and finish the ceremony!”

“Shouldn’t you, as her parents, discipline her?” she demanded of Jiang Zheng’s family.

“That’s not for you to say!” Jiang Haishan barked, enraged. He had hoped to avoid contention with the Zhao family, believing his daughter’s future happiness outweighed all else. But now, he sensed a change in fortune.

Jiang Zheng broke free from Zhao Jiacheng, gathered her wedding dress, and hurried on tiptoe across the room.

“Zheng’er, where are you going?” Zhao Jiacheng called out in panic.

“I have to find him! I have to find him!” Jiang Zheng was already sobbing uncontrollably, forcing out the words through her tears. “Without him, my wedding isn’t complete!”

She finally reached her parents, breathless and trembling.

“Dad, Mom…” she pleaded.

Jiang Haishan gave a forgiving smile, opening his palm to reveal a phone with its screen aglow. At some point, he had answered a call. Jiang Zheng seized the phone eagerly, tears streaming down her face. After a long pause, she managed to speak.

“Brother, I’m sorry…”

There was a moment of silence on the other end before the reply came.

“Why are you crying? Did someone bully you?”

The voice was gentle yet laced with anger, comforting her as he always had. Those words broke the last dam holding back Jiang Zheng’s emotions. She buried her head in her mother Qiu Shuixia’s arms and wept bitterly.

“I’m sorry! You’ve always loved me most, cared for me most, cherished me most. I was petty, I misunderstood your intentions, treated you like the villain. Brother, I’m so sorry!”

“It’s all right,” came the soft laugh from the other end.

“I want you to come to my wedding. Will you?” she asked through her tears.

The hall was silent. Many held their breath, swept up in the moment, some inwardly urging Jiang Zheng on in desperation—“Say yes already!”

At last, Qin Mu’s smile relaxed.

“All right. I’ll come right away.”

At the end of the call, a deep, commanding voice could be heard:

“Wumu, drive.”

“At your command!”

Hearing the reply, Jiang Zheng broke into a joyful smile in her mother’s embrace.

“Silly girl, so happy now,” Qiu Shuixia said, delighted her daughter’s heart was unburdened. Jiang Haishan, too, was overjoyed at the sight.

Blood is thicker than water for siblings. It was only stubborn pride that kept them apart, neither willing to make the first move. Now that Jiang Zheng had apologized, how could her brother not come?

After this, the hotel began serving dishes as scheduled, but no one had any appetite. Even the Heart of the Ocean was forgotten. All eyes turned to the door, waiting for the person the bride so dearly wished to see.

“Tsk, how sickening,” Zhang Man sneered, seeing everyone’s attention fixed on Jiang Zheng, as if the Zhao family no longer existed. “So that’s why your Jiang family is so arrogant—you were hiding such a distinguished relative?”

“That’s my brother!” Jiang Zheng lifted her chin, calm and unyielding.

“Hmph, a country bumpkin is still a country bumpkin, unfit for polite society. You’ve got a little status and can’t wait to show off, desperate for everyone to know, right?” Zhang Man spat. “Ignoring the auspicious hour, interrupting the ceremony so he can make a grand entrance, keeping everyone waiting instead of eating—you Jiang family really know how to put on airs!”

At these words, the Jiang family’s faces darkened, while the Zhao family straightened their backs, determined not to be outdone in their own territory.

But as Zhang Man finished speaking, a car sped up outside the hall. Every neck craned for a look, Zhang Man among them.

A military vehicle?

“So that’s all? Just a soldier?” she scoffed, ready to continue her jeers—until Wu Mu stepped out from the driver’s seat and opened the passenger door.

At that instant, Zhang Man’s body went numb, hands and feet ice-cold, eyes wide as saucers.

A young man stepped out.

His presence stunned the entire room.

On his cap gleamed the resplendent national emblem. He wore a solemn military uniform, a sword at his waist, his figure towering and unassailable, exuding an air of authority that brooked no challenge. Golden wheat sheaves adorned his shoulders, along with three shining stars.

“He’s a general!” someone gasped. The Zhao family was stupefied, oblivious even as wine glasses slipped from their hands.

“Three stars, a sword at his side—he’s a grand general! How is this possible?” Zhang Man’s face turned as pale as death as she stared at the young man before her.

Only now did she notice his features—sharp as a blade, his aura as lofty as the clouds, radiating strength and brilliance. Such is the stature of a true man!

From the back, Jiang Zheng forced back tears and hurried into Qin Mu’s embrace.

“Brother, you’re finally here!”

Qin Mu welcomed her, gently wiping away her tears.

“Sorry I’m late,” he said softly, his words meant only for his sister.

As he comforted her, his gaze suddenly sharpened, arrowing toward Zhao Jiacheng at the head of the room.

Zhao Jiacheng was drenched in cold sweat, gasping for breath. He had assumed the “general” Wu Mu referenced was just an honorific, and that with Qin Mu’s age, he might be, at best, a major. In that case, the Zhao family’s connections would be enough to contend with him.

Who could have imagined that he was truly a three-star general, a guardian of the nation, standing above ten thousand?

Nearby, Zhang Man trembled uncontrollably, panic-stricken. Only moments before, she’d been berating Jiang Zheng to her heart’s content. Now, standing there, she felt like a reckless fool, directly facing Qin Mu.

Truth be told, Zhang Man had always looked down on Jiang Zheng, despising the girl from the start. She came from a family with no prospects, and Zhang Man, by nature, looked down on those she considered beneath her—it was humiliating to share even a room with them.

She had often wielded her seniority to harshly rebuke her future daughter-in-law, determined to remind Jiang Zheng of her place—a servant at best in the Zhao household.

But never, in her wildest dreams, did she imagine this seemingly ordinary Jiang Zheng had such a brilliant, powerful brother.

Now, Zhang Man was truly terrified. She glanced around, desperate for someone to help her. But in the face of Qin Mu, no one in the Zhao family dared even raise their head, let alone speak on her behalf.

Qin Mu settled Jiang Zheng, then strode toward the head table. With each step, his boots rang out clearly on the red carpet, making Zhang Man’s heart hammer in dread.

“I hear someone bullied my sister, mocking her as unworthy of polite society,” Qin Mu said, hands clasped behind his back, his presence overwhelming as he stopped before Zhang Man. “I hear someone ridiculed my adoptive parents for attending this wedding, claiming it disgraced the Zhao family. I hear someone thinks the Jiang family, coming from humble origins, can’t compare with the Zhaos.

“Tell me—what do you think of me?”