Chapter 148: Not bad at all, you make a perfect match.

Before Jiang Li even had to search, Xu An'an descended the stairs with a graceful, unhurried ease. Xu Wanwan, trailing behind her, was instantly eclipsed, much like a humble leaf serving only to highlight the vibrant, exquisite beauty of a flower.

Almost every gaze in the room converged upon Xu An'an. She wore a small black formal dress; the elegantly curved strapless bodice accentuated a waist so slender it seemed as though it could be spanned by a single hand. The skirt was adorned with rose patterns embroidered in gold thread, which caught the light and shimmered like scattered stars, making her skin appear as smooth as cream and as delicate as fine jade. She was breathtakingly beautiful.

Like a fairy descending to the mortal realm, her every movement held the crowd captive. Watching this ethereal woman—his own fiancée—Jiang Yu felt a surge of pride. He instinctively moved to step forward, only to have his path blocked by a tall, imposing figure.

Jiang Li looked back coldly. "Lack of self-control."

His voice was neither loud nor soft, yet perfectly audible to the Jiang family. Old Master Jiang frowned, casting a disapproving look at Jiang Yu. "What are you so agitated about? Is she going to fly away? Tonight is the Xu family's event; you would do well not to cause a scene."

Rebuked by his grandfather in front of Ning Xiyue, Jiang Yu felt humiliated, but he deflected his resentment onto Xu An'an. If she had come to his side the moment she appeared, none of this would have happened! Yet, the thought of Xu An'an mentioning the annulment of their engagement filled him with sudden panic. Could she really be serious?

"Old Master Jiang, Great Matriarch," Xu Fengnian greeted them, accompanied by Shen Ying, Xu An'an, and Xu Wanwan. "An'an, the Great Matriarch has been asking about you. Hurry up and pay your respects."

Xu An'an stepped forward obediently. "Great Matriarch."

Unlike their previous meeting, the Great Matriarch took Xu An'an’s hand, scrutinizing her from head to toe before spreading open her palm. Having studied palmistry under a master, she murmured, "Hmm, excellent, truly excellent. A blessed child indeed. Once you marry into the Jiang family, you will surely bring us boundless prosperity."

Xu An'an felt uncomfortable and tried to pull her hand away, but the old lady held on firmly, and she couldn't bring herself to force it.

Suddenly, another figure stepped forward. "Grandmother, why not look at mine instead?"

Jiang Li’s appearance provided an immediate reprieve for Xu An'an. He extended his hand, causing the Great Matriarch to release Xu An'an and turn her attention to his palm. Her smile grew even brighter, the wrinkles on her face bunching up like a chrysanthemum. "Splendid, simply splendid. You are a perfect match."

Because Xu An'an was still technically engaged to Jiang Yu, the Great Matriarch couldn't speak plainly; she would have to discuss the matter of swapping the engagement with her son later. If not for the complications involved, she would have announced the union between Xu An'an and Jiang Li right then and there.

"Great Matriarch." Unwilling to be ignored, Xu Wanwan maneuvered craftily to nudge Xu An'an aside, successfully planting herself next to Jiang Li. She assumed the Great Matriarch’s comment about a "perfect match" referred to the two of them.

To her surprise, Jiang Li retreated without a trace, moving precisely to stand beside Xu An'an. Seeing this, Ning Xiyue seethed with hidden resentment. She nudged Jiang Yu, signaling him to go over to Xu An'an, but Jiang Yu remained rooted to the spot. He was terrified of Jiang Li, avoiding him like a mouse fleeing a cat.

With no other choice, Ning Xiyue stepped forward herself. "Second Master."

"The banquet should be starting soon, shouldn't it? Let’s take our seats." Jiang Li suddenly pulled out a chair, effectively blocking Ning Xiyue and causing her to stumble.

Xu Fengnian nodded hastily. "Yes, yes, the banquet begins now."

Unable to make her mark, Xu Wanwan had no choice but to follow along, though she was reluctant; she still had important matters to attend to. Xu An'an intended to follow Xu Fengnian as well, as many guests from the Xu side were present, but the Great Matriarch insisted she stay, seating her right next to Jiang Li.

The crowd was baffled, but no one dared to question the Great Matriarch’s decision. Feeling as though his wife-to-be had been snatched away, Jiang Yu felt deeply aggrieved, but he could only look toward his mother for help. By now, Mother Jiang had sensed the shifting winds and felt as though the sky were collapsing; a dark premonition settled in her heart.

Xu An'an glanced quietly at Jiang Li before sitting down with composed grace. "Thank you, Great Matriarch."

The more the Great Matriarch looked at her, the more she saw a face destined for great fortune. She wished Jiang Li would take Xu An'an to register their marriage this very moment so she could finally rest easy.

On stage, Xu Fengnian’s voice rang out. As the host of the evening, he had to say a few words. However, his speech was entirely focused on the Xu corporation, dropping hint after hint that he hoped Jiang Li and Old Master Jiang would invest in his new projects.

"Next, I would like to show everyone a video regarding the development of the Xu corporation over the years."

This desperate, beggar-like behavior was truly humiliating.

Xu An'an withdrew her gaze, only to find herself locking eyes with Jiang Yu. Suddenly, a large hand rested on her thigh under the table. She froze in terror, not daring to look down. Unsurprisingly, the owner of that hand was Jiang Li.

Earlier, when they had been alone, Jiang Li had been the one to stop, leading Xu An'an to believe he was a man of restraint. Yet, here he was, engaging in such brazen behavior! She used her handbag to shield the area, attempting to discourage him with a soft cough, but Jiang Li did not stop; instead, he grew even bolder.

He was a madman!

"An'an, are you feeling unwell?" Jiang Yu asked from across the table with a look of concern.

Many people turned to look at her. Xu An'an felt the awkwardness deep in her bones, but she summoned the acting skills of a top-tier actress. "It’s nothing, I’m just a little thirsty."

Jiang Li withdrew his hand and cast a cold glance at Jiang Yu. He picked up a napkin and wiped his fingers with slow, deliberate precision.

"Xiaoyu, bringing Miss Ning here tonight—aren't you afraid of what people might say?"

Ning Xiyue was currently sitting at the Jiang family’s table, having been forcefully placed there by Jiang Yu. Confronted by Jiang Li’s question, Jiang Yu felt his spine stiffen. He didn't think it was a big deal, but Jiang Li’s pointed remark magnified the issue, drawing a look of extreme dissatisfaction from Old Master Jiang.

Jiang Yu panicked and explained, "Uncle, please don't misunderstand. Yue'er and I are just innocent friends; I treat her like a younger sister. Besides, I am still engaged to An'an; how could I possibly be involved with another woman?"

Jiang Yu thought this would be brushed aside as it had been in the past, but he had kicked a wall of iron. The Great Matriarch’s expression turned icy.

"Is that so? You only treat her like a younger sister?"

The Great Matriarch instructed Mother Jiang, who was holding her bag, to take out the photos she had prepared in advance. Mother Jiang opened her bag, took one look, and went completely blank. She remained motionless.

But it didn't matter, for the giant screen on the stage flickered to life, displaying even more spectacular and scandalous images. They were intimate photos of Jiang Yu and Ning Xiyue. While the level of exposure was technically within normal bounds—they were both clothed—the images made it immediately clear to anyone watching that their relationship was anything but "innocent."