On the other side.
Back at the Guan family, Bai Shuqin and Guan Ruirui entered the house and saw Guan Baocheng coming downstairs, talking on the phone, his face full of anxiety.
"Assistant Tan, we agreed on everything, the terms were almost settled, why did Jiang Hai Group suddenly say they're no longer cooperating?"
Bai Shuqin and Guan Ruirui felt a jolt in their hearts when they heard this, exchanging a look of mutual unease.
Guan Ruirui wanted to go up to speak to Guan Baocheng but was stopped by him raising his hand and giving a stern gesture.
Turning around, he controlled his emotions and spoke to the phone, even sounding a bit ingratiating, "Is it that the conditions proposed by Guan's family are too high? These things can be negotiated. We're willing to let go of part of the profits, I really want to cooperate with Jiang Hai Group."
Whatever was said on the other end made Guan Baocheng's facial muscles twitch. Soon, he seemed to collapse and sat down on the bench near the entrance.
Bai Shuqin and Guan Ruirui hurried over, "Baocheng, what happened?"
Guan Baocheng held his head, looking frustrated. "What happened? How should I know? Jiang Hai Group suddenly called and canceled the cooperation, everything was fine just a moment ago!"
He suddenly looked at Bai Shuqin, "Didn't you and Ruirui go to visit Jiang Family's Third Madam? Did something happen there?"
When Bai Shuqin heard this question, her heart skipped a beat. Clearly, Jiang Hai Group hadn't mentioned anything about the Jiang family. She opened her mouth to explain, but was suddenly pulled back by Guan Ruirui.
"It's nothing, Dad, we didn't even meet Third Madam," Guan Ruirui quickly said.
Bai Shuqin subconsciously looked at her, only to see her gently squeezing her arm, signaling her not to say anything.
Guan Baocheng, not suspecting anything further, began to pull at his thinning hair, mumbling to himself in frustration.
"Then what's going on? Jiang Hai Group, such a great partner... If we could cooperate with them, our family would rise up! I can't just let this go."
He stood up quickly, heading towards the door, not caring about Bai Shuqin and Guan Ruirui behind him.
Bai Shuqin looked at him leave and then turned to Guan Ruirui. "Ruirui, why did you pull me just now? Jiang Hai Group canceled the cooperation, maybe it's because of that little brat..."
"Mom!" Guan Ruirui stopped her, not giving up. "I thought about it on the way back, and that Mr. Jiang never clearly said Guan Xu Xu was his daughter. Maybe we misunderstood?"
Guan Ruirui didn't want to believe that Guan Xu Xu, after leaving the Guan family, had become the daughter of such a top-tier family like the Jiang family. She couldn't accept the idea that Guan Xu Xu had a higher status than her.
"How could we have misunderstood? If Guan Xu Xu isn't Mr. Jiang's daughter, why would he suddenly cancel the cooperation? And why would the butler say such things?"
Bai Shuqin felt that the chances were high that Guan Xu Xu was indeed Jiang Family's long-lost daughter, otherwise, it was too much of a coincidence.
If that's the case, she had to explain it to her husband. The Jiang family had a huge business, and since they raised their daughter, it wouldn't be too much to expect a reward of gold and silver. How could they cancel the cooperation? That would be a betrayal.
"I still don't believe it. Mom, think about it, if Guan Xu Xu really is the daughter Jiang Family lost years ago, how could they not send someone to pick her up? The person who contacted Dad also said they live in a remote area with bad signals. The Jiang family, such a powerful family, has no reason to deceive us."
Guan Ruirui desperately tried to convince Bai Shuqin, and also to convince herself.
"Mr. Jiang got angry today, maybe it's just because we made a scene at the Jiang family. As for the cooperation being canceled, it must be a coincidence. Business matters are not so trivial, it definitely has nothing to do with what happened at the Jiang family today."
Bai Shuqin was swayed by her argument, "Is that so?"
"Definitely." Guan Ruirui said confidently, then took out her phone.
"I just saw the group chatting about the Jiang family's young lady. They said that in two days, Jiang Family will host a banquet to officially introduce their young lady. If we can get an invitation to the banquet, we'll know for sure."
Upon hearing this, Bai Shuqin hesitated for a moment.
After all, Jiang Hai Group had just canceled their cooperation, and getting an invitation wasn't going to be easy.
Guan Ruirui saw her hesitation and quickly added,
"If Guan Xu Xu isn't Jiang Family's lost daughter, we can take this chance to explain the misunderstanding to Mr. Jiang. Dad might even be able to get the project back. In that kind of setting, Mr. Jiang can't easily refuse."
She paused and gritted her teeth, suggesting another possibility.
"But if Guan Xu Xu really is Jiang Family's young lady, then our family raised her. She can't just recognize her biological parents and forget about us, right?"
Guan Ruirui's words instantly lit a spark in Bai Shuqin's mind.
Her eyes brightened.
That's right, how did she not think of this earlier?
Regardless of whether Guan Xu Xu is Jiang Family's daughter or not, this situation benefits them either way!
"Ruirui's right. If that little brat, Guan Xu Xu, really is Jiang Family's daughter, then at the banquet, Jiang Family won't be able to throw us out in front of so many people. No matter what, whether it's the cooperation or something else, Jiang Family will have to give us something to show their gratitude, after all, we raised their child."
The more Bai Shuqin thought about it, the more convinced she became. She clapped her hands, "I'll find a way to get the invitation. I'll take your dad, and you go buy two beautiful dresses. You need to look stunning for the banquet in two days."
At Jiang Family's banquet, only the most prestigious young masters and young ladies would be attending. Ruirui would make her debut in this circle and would surely stun everyone.
Guan Ruirui felt a little shy but snuggled up to Bai Shuqin, her thoughts matching her mother's.
...
Guan Xu Xu had no idea what the Guan family was scheming. After dinner, under the guidance of her second aunt, Yao Lin, she finally saw her new room.
It was a suite on the third floor by the corner. The room was very large, divided into an inner and outer area, filled with a dreamy, princess-like child's style. The outer area had piles of toys and gifts, even a baby carriage and other items.
"This was originally prepared as your nursery. Over the years, my older brother has had someone keep it, but I think the decoration was too childish, so I arranged another room for you first. I planned to repaint and redecorate this one later, but I didn't expect it to upset you. Please don't blame me," Yao Lin said, as she affectionately put her arm around Guan Xu Xu.
Guan Xu Xu calmly pulled her arm away.
"It's fine."
Seeing her cold attitude, Yao Lin's smile stiffened. After giving a few more instructions, she turned and left. As she closed the door, her previously affectionate smile disappeared, replaced with a dark glint in her eyes.