I Am Already A Queen

"Qiaoqiao, where are you right now?" Jiang Suhan asked gently.

Before she could answer, a loud, vibrant voice echoed boisterously in the background. "Cousin Meixia, who’s calling? Hurry up and finish so we can continue!"

Recognising his younger cousin Jiang Fenfang’s signature clamour, Jiang Suhan called out again, "Qiaoqiao?"

"I am at Grandfather and Grandmother’s residence." Qiao Meixia clarified neutrally.

"I see." Jiang Suhan nodded, a subtle relief easing his shoulders. "Have a wonderful visit and come back safely."

"I am staying here overnight for two days. Grandma requested it." Qiao Meixia added flatly.

"Is that so?" Jiang Suhan asked, mildly surprised by how quickly she had integrated with their grandparents.

"Hmm..." Qiao Meixia said.

"Very well. I will see you soon." Jiang Suhan said gently.

"Hmm." Without further sentiment, Qiao Meixia disconnected the call.

Jiang Suhan stared at his darkened phone screen for a few silent moments. Knowing that Qiao Meixia would be residing at the ancestral estate for the entire weekend, he realised there was absolutely zero reason for him to remain in this cold, suffocating main house, especially with his mother’s continuous matchmaking schemes looming over him. Furthermore, it had indeed been quite some time since he had paid his respects to his grandparents.

Decision made, Jiang Suhan immediately pulled out a leather weekend duffel and efficiently packed several changes of clothes and personal necessities. He was going to stay at the ancestral manor with Qiao Meixia.

When he went downstairs, Wei Rong and Lin Yuning were still seated in the main living room, chatting animatedly with Feng Lan. Feng Lan’s eyes widened slightly as she spotted Jiang Suhan coming down the steps with a leather travel bag slung over his broad shoulder.

"Suhan, where are you going now? Don’t tell me you are running off on another business trip again? You literally just stepped through the front door." Feng Lan asked, a hint of mild exasperation lacing her tone.

"I am going to visit Grandpa and Grandma at the ancestral estate. I will probably stay there for two nights." Jiang Suhan stated calmly.

Without waiting for a response or granting anyone a chance to object, he swiftly pivoted on his heel and hurried toward the entrance, clearly intending to make his escape from the house as quickly as humanly possible.

Feng Lan stood entirely speechless in the hallway. She knew with absolute certainty that her son was fleeing the premises simply to evade her persistent attempts to force him into another blind date setup. She let out a long, helpless sigh.

"I am truly sorry about this, Wei Rong." Feng Lan apologised with an awkward, sheepish smile.

"Please, it’s quite fine. I completely understand." Wei Rong reassured her with an easy wave of her hand. "My eldest son acted in the exact same elusive manner when I tried to introduce potential wives to him in his younger days. Just give him a bit of time and space. He will eventually come around and realise the good intentions behind what you are trying to do for his future."

Meanwhile, Jiang Suhan, who had already settled into the driver’s seat of his car, did not waste a single moment pondering their conversation. He pressed the ignition button, listened to the engine roar to life, and smoothly backed out of the driveway. He was more than willing to undertake a gruelling three-hour drive to his grandparents’ quiet residence rather than remain trapped in that suffocating main house enduring another awkward, forced blind date arrangement. As luck would have it, by taking the highway and maintaining a steady speed, he pulled up to his grandparents’ estate within two short hours.

The household servants working outside were noticeably surprised to see Young Master Jiang Suhan arriving completely unannounced on a weekend.

At that exact moment, Qiao Meixia, Jiang Boqin, and Jiang Fenfang were strolling leisurely around the vast grounds of the estate. Jiang Boqin and Jiang Fenfang were eagerly acting as self-appointed tour guides, showing Qiao Meixia around every scenic corner of the property.

The ancestral residence was incomparably grand and vastly larger than the primary Jiang Family Residence. It functioned almost like a mini estate comprised of multiple distinct traditional and modern buildings. While the magnificent main mansion served as the core ancestral residence, the surrounding auxiliary buildings housed the full-time servants and their respective families. Those structures were their actual private homes. After finishing their daily duties at the main house, the staff could simply walk back to their own quarters without ever needing to leave the secure perimeter of the Jiang Family Ancestral Residence.

"Oh! Brother Suhan, what an unexpected surprise!" Jiang Boqin called out, greeting Jiang Suhan cheerfully just as he stepped out of his sleek sedan.

"Brother Suhan, it feels like it is been a long time!" Jiang Fenfang greeted him with an energetic wave as well.

Jiang Suhan felt the tension in his shoulders melt away, and a warm, genuine smile graced his face as he looked at his younger cousins.

"Hmm... I came over to pay my respects and visit Grandpa and Grandma." Jiang Suhan stated softly.

"Oh, that’s great! Grandpa and Grandma will be over the moon to see you." Jiang Boqin said with a bright grin.

Jiang Suhan shifted his gaze, his eyes softening instantly as they landed on the quiet girl beside them. "Qiaoqiao, how are you holding up? Are you feeling okay?"

"Of course Cousin Meixia is okay! She was in such a good mood that she even ate two whole bowls of rice during lunch this afternoon!" Jiang Fenfang interjected proudly before Qiao Meixia could even open her mouth.

Standing nearby, Qiao Meixia subtly rolled her dark eyes at Jiang Fenfang’s dramatic declaration. Truth be told, it was Old Madam Jiang who had persistently piled meat and vegetables into her bowl without stopping, leaving her with no polite way to turn down the warmhearted old lady’s enthusiastic gestures. As a direct result, she had ended up forced to consume two full bowls of rice.

Jiang Suhan caught the faint, subtle shift in her expression and silently noted something wonderful. Qiao Meixia seemed noticeably livelier and much more relaxed while staying here at their grandparents’ house. She also genuinely appeared to share a comfortable, easygoing rapport with these two cousins. She was completely different here compared to the guarded, icy distance she maintained around Jiang Yanna and Jiang Chinan back at the main house. The contrast was stark, night and day.

Jiang Suhan gave a light, inward shake of his head. He reminded himself that he should not constantly dwell on comparing her present behaviour with the bleak memories of the past timeline. The current reality before him was exceptionally bright and peaceful, and that was the only thing that truly mattered right now.

"I am going inside to pay my respects to Grandpa and Grandma first." Jiang Suhan said gently.

"Hmm... see you in a bit, Brother Suhan!" Jiang Fenfang chirped.

Jiang Suhan stepped into the cool, silent main hall and immediately asked a passing butler about Old Master Jiang’s current location. The servant politely informed him that the patriarch was currently relaxing inside the private tea room.

Jiang Suhan made his way down the familiar wooden corridors toward the tea room. Having spent countless summer afternoons here during his childhood, he did not need any guidance to navigate the grand hallways. Arriving before the classic sliding door of the tea room, he raised his hand and knocked softly against the wooden frame.

"Come in."

Hearing his grandfather’s deep, steady voice echo from within, Jiang Suhan gently slid the wooden door to the side and stepped across the threshold.

"Grandpa." Jiang Suhan greeted respectfully.

"Oh? It is certainly a rare sight to see you dropping by out of nowhere." Old Master Jiang remarked, looking up with genuine surprise at the sudden appearance of his eldest grandson.

This particular grandson was perpetually buried in corporate responsibilities and corporate affairs, rarely finding the spare time to travel all the way to the ancestral estate for a casual visit.

"I sincerely apologise for not coming over to visit you and Grandma more frequently." Jiang Suhan said apologetically as he walked over and took a relaxed seat across from Old Master Jiang at the low tea table.

Old Master Jiang observed his eldest grandson in thoughtful silence. There was something undeniably different about the young man sitting before him today. It felt as though his grandson had matured by leaps and bounds, carrying a profound, quiet weight that had not been there the last time they spoke.

"Did something significant happen recently? You seem quite different from your usual self." Old Master Jiang inquired shrewdly, his sharp eyes searching his grandson’s face.

***This novel is a contracted work with w e b n o v e l. c o m. If you do not read this novel on w e b n o v e l. c o m, that means it has been stolen. Thank you, from your shameless author, ZerahNeko***