4 4. The jerk from before

"You know each other?" Madam Jingfei said surprised. Her gaze is going from Qiao Zhi then to the young man in front of them.

"Yes" both of them answered at the same time.

"Stop saying the same words I am saying!" Qiao Zhi's timid personality seemed to change instantly in front of the young man. The young man, on the other hand, smirked hearing her words. Madam Jingfei was amused watching the two young people blunter in front of her.

"Don't think highly of yourself. I did not intend to do such a thing." the young man said arrogantly.

"So, what does a jerk like you doing here? Don't tell me you are following me around?"

"Hahaha, don't put those thoughts inside your empty head. I am about to ask the same thing to you? What does a weak, shameless girl like you doing here?"

"Ehem,"

Only at that moment that both the young man and Qiao Zhi remembered that Madam Jingfei is with them.

"I apologize for being rude in front of Madam Jingfei." Qiao Zhi slightly bowed, feeling embarrassed.

"Please forgive me Aunt Jingfei for forgetting your presence." the young man slightly bowed as well.

'Auntie?' Qiao Zhi thought to herself. So this, jerk is a relative of the Minister of War?

"It's okay Junjie. I did not expect that you and Lady Zhi know each other." Madam Jingfei is rather smiling when she said this. It is clear that she did not mind their exchange of conversation earlier.

"Lady Zhi?" Junjie's brows furrowed. He never heard of a Lady Zhi before. Besides, he clearly remembers this young lady from the small village near the Mengmeng mountain. And as far as he remembered, she did not belong to any influential or wealthy family. She even told him before that she lived in the Mengmeng mountain, where he found ridiculous because no human being lived in that mysterious mountain.

Qiao Zhi also looked at Madam Jingfei confused. She was never called a lady before and she clearly doesn't have any qualifications to be called one.

When Madam Jingfei saw the confusion on the faces of the two youths in front of her, she clarified what she said.

"Sorry, I forgot to introduce the two of you properly. Qiao Zhi this is the eldest son of the Liang Family, Liang Junjie. Junjie, this is our new adopted daughter, Qiao Zhi. Oh, it should be Huang Zhi now."

Qiao Zhi looked at the woman on her side. She can clearly see that she is not joking. No one ever told her that she was given away.

"I am sorry Madam Huang but there might be something wrong here," she said nervously.

"Ha?" Madam Jingfei asked blankly. After a while, she realized the reason for the surprised expression of Qiao Zhi. "I am sorry dear, but haven't your master told you about us adopting you?"

Qiao Zhi forgets about acting ladylike. She immediately walked back towards the Main Hall where Master Heng and Master Huang Liqin is. But to her dismay, no one was there anymore. She ran towards the main entrance of the manor but saw Master Liqin walking back alone. He was rather surprised to see her running.

"What's the matter Zhi?" he asked confused.

"Where is my master?" she asked forgetting to show respect to the Minister of War. Huang Liqin did not pay attention to it. He was already told about this earlier.

"He already left,"

"What? but why?" Qiao Zhi was afraid. This is not what her master told her when she left the Mengmeng mountain.

"Don't worry, your master will come back and visit you soon" Huang Liqin tried to reassure the young lady in front of him. It pained him to see her hurt. He is sure that she is thinking that her master betrayed her.

"But when?" tears started to roll down her smooth, snow-white face.

Huang Liqin and Huang Jingfei looked at each other worriedly. They never thought that Master Heng did not tell this young lady about them adopting her.

Inside the Main Hall of the Minister of War household, the Huang couple, Qiao Zhi and Junjie are inside. Junjie remained quiet all this time, observing the event unfolding in his eyes. Qiao Zhi is quietly crying on the other side, while Madam Jingfei is close to her ready to go to her if anything happened to her but she is also afraid to go to close to her. Master Huang Liqin noticed Junjie. He let out a deep sigh and moved towards him.

"Junjie, I apologize if I have to cancel our appointment today. My Huang Family needs to settle this family matter first."

Junjie immediately what Master Huang wanted to imply. He immediately bowed slightly, "I understand Uncle Liqin. I will take my leave first." but before he turns around to leave, he looked at Qiao Zhi briefly. He can easily tell that she is feeling heartbroken right now. His initial hostility towards her slightly change. He never thought that the next time he saw her, he will be witnessing such event.

The moment Junjie left the main hall, Huang Liqin moved closer to Qiao Zhi.

"I know that you are feeling heartbroken right now but you don't need to worry, the Huang family will treat well."

Qiao Zhi looked at him with teary eyes she said, "Why did my master throw me away?"