My Ares Son-in-Law

The crowd at the exit surged instantly, and travelers emerged one after another.

Zhou Hao, no longer able to argue with Xiao Chen, quickly straightened his suit, smoothed his hair, put on a fawning smile, and craned his neck, staring intently at the exit, afraid of missing Jiang Xuanxuan's figure.

Xiao Chen also turned his head, his gaze falling on the surging crowd, his expression indifferent.

Soon, a figure stood out from the crowd, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

She was a young woman in her mid-twenties, wearing a beige long trench coat, her long hair flowing over her shoulders and swaying slightly in the wind.

Her features were so exquisite that she resembled a meticulously sculpted porcelain doll. Her skin was fair, her eyes were cool and aloof, and she walked with an elegant and composed demeanor. She possessed an aura of detachment that made everyone around her pale in comparison, as if all the light in the entire hall was focused on her.

Jiang Xuanxuan.

Zhou Hao's eyes lit up instantly, filled with amazement and greed. He quickly stepped forward, raising his voice slightly, with deliberate obsequiousness: "Miss Jiang! Miss Jiang! Over here! I'm here!"

Jiang Xuanxuan's gaze swept over, and when she saw Zhou Hao's fawning face, her brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of barely perceptible disgust flashed in her eyes. Without pausing, she continued walking forward calmly.

Zhou Hao, oblivious to her displeasure, continued to approach her enthusiastically, his tone ingratiating:

"Miss Jiang, I am Zhou Hao, from the Zhou family of the West. I heard you were coming to the provincial capital to take up your post, so I came to the airport to pick you up. The car is already waiting outside, and I've also booked a private room at Eighth Master's Private Kitchen to welcome you!"

Jiang Xuanxuan stopped and glanced at him indifferently without saying a word. Then her gaze passed over him and landed on Xiao Chen, who was leaning against a pillar not far away.

The moment she saw Xiao Chen, her cool and aloof expression softened, her eyes brightened slightly, and a faint smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.

"Xiao Chen?" she asked, her voice clear and melodious, like a mountain spring, carrying a hint of surprise.

Xiao Chen nodded, stepped over, and said in a calm but polite tone, "Ms. Jiang, you must be tired from your journey."

Jiang Xuanxuan smiled and nodded, walking straight past Zhou Hao who was blocking her way, and quickly walked to Xiao Chen's side, her tone natural:

"Thank you for making the special trip. Sister Keying told me to come and pick me up, but I thought she was joking."

Zhou Hao's smile froze instantly, like a mask, awkwardly hanging on his face. He was completely stunned... What was going on? Jiang Xuanxuan actually knew Xiao Chen? And she was being so polite to him?
"Miss Jiang?" He realized what was happening and quickly chased after her, his voice full of confusion and resentment, "You...you know him?"

Jiang Xuanxuan turned around, smiled politely, but her tone carried an undeniable distance:
"Young Master Zhou, I'm sorry, I already have an appointment. Sister Keying has already made arrangements for me, and Xiao Chen will pick me up. The welcome banquet has also been booked."

As she spoke, she pointed to Xiao Chen beside her, her approval evident in her eyes.

Zhou Hao's face instantly turned ashen, alternating between pale and green, looking extremely ugly.

He looked at Jiang Xuanxuan, then at Xiao Chen, and for a moment he didn't know what to say... He just couldn't understand why a top socialite like Jiang Xuanxuan would look at an unemployed bum like Xiao Chen differently.
Zhou Xiaoyu, standing nearby, was also stunned. She muttered under her breath, "How could this be... He's an unemployed bum, why would Miss Jiang value him so much? He must be faking it, deceiving Miss Jiang!" Jiang Xuanxuan frowned again, a hint of displeasure flashing in her eyes, and her gaze towards Zhou Xiaoyu turned cold. Zhou Xiaoyu froze under that gaze and dared not speak again.

Lin Chenghai stood aside, observing silently, his gaze towards Xiao Chen growing increasingly suspicious and wary... This young man was definitely not simple.

Xiao Chen ignored Zhou Hao and his sister's lapse in composure, naturally took the suitcase from Jiang Xuanxuan's hand, and said in a calm tone: "Let's go, the car is outside, don't keep Keying waiting."

Jiang Xuanxuan nodded and obediently followed beside him. The two walked side by side toward the exit, their demeanor natural, as if Zhou Hao and the others beside them were just air.

Zhou Hao stood there, trembling with rage, his face a mixture of embarrassment and anger. As he watched the two figures leave, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes.

Unwilling to give up so easily, he suddenly chased after them, blocking Xiao Chen and Jiang Xuanxuan's path, forcing a smile, his tone somewhat ingratiating:

“Miss Jiang, since you already have an appointment with Keying, I won’t force you to come with me. However, would you do me the honor of attending the welcome banquet tonight?”

He paused, deliberately raising his chin, a smug expression on his face, his tone laced with strong provocation, his gaze fixed directly on Xiao Chen:
"I booked the most luxurious private room at Eighth Master's Private Kitchen. The minimum spend is 100,000 yuan, and it's filled with the finest ingredients from the provincial capital. Ordinary people simply can't get a reservation there. Let's host a welcome dinner for Miss Jiang together. How prestigious would that be?"

As he said this, a mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips, his tone contemptuous:

"Xiao Chen, where did you book this welcome dinner? It wasn't some roadside stall or a small restaurant, was it? I advise you not to embarrass yourself. Why don't you let Miss Jiang come with us and let her taste the top delicacies of the provincial capital?"

Lin Chenghai stood to the side, a playful smile playing on his lips. He wanted to see how this mysterious young man would handle Zhou Hao's provocation...

Eighth Master's Private Kitchen is not a place for just anyone to enter, let alone book a top-tier private room. If Xiao Chen had actually booked a street food stall, he would have completely lost face today.

Jiang Xuanxuan frowned, about to refuse, but Xiao Chen raised his eyes first, glanced at Zhou Hao indifferently, and said in a calm tone, but with an invisible sharpness: "Eighth Master's Private Kitchen?"

Jiang Xuanxuan frowned even more, a clear displeasure flashing in her eyes... Zhou Hao and his sister's aggressiveness, and Lin Chenghai's contemptuous mockery, all made her somewhat disgusted.

She was about to speak up for Xiao Chen and expose Zhou Hao's deliberate boasting when she suddenly heard Xiao Chen's calm voice, neither loud nor soft, yet clearly drowning out the surrounding noise.

"I booked a private room at Eighth Master's Private Kitchen."

Zhou Hao froze for a moment, as if he had heard the funniest joke, then burst into laughter, laughing so hard he was doubled over, tears welling up in his eyes. He pointed at Xiao Chen, his tone undisguisedly sarcastic:
"You? Eighth Master's Private Kitchen? Xiao Chen, you don't even think before you brag, do you?"
"Eighth Master's Private Kitchen's regular private rooms start at a minimum charge of 88,000 yuan. You're unemployed, without even a stable job, how are you going to book one? With the little money Zhou Keying is supporting you?"

Zhou Xiaoyu immediately chimed in, standing on tiptoe, her tone sharp and sarcastic:

"Exactly! He's definitely bragging! A poor, good-for-nothing like him would probably never even step foot inside Eighth Master's Private Kitchen in his entire life, yet he dares to say he booked a private room? It's absolutely laughable!" (End of Chapter)