Jiang Lukang's brow furrowed into a deep, dissatisfied frown when he witnessed her blatant lack of a proper, respectful response. He was becoming increasingly bothered and unsettled by the fact that Qiao Meixia seemed utterly incapable of displaying any noticeable range of expression whatsoever. Her face resembled a cold, impenetrable stone wall, emotionless, distant, and standing in stark, unpleasant contrast to his beloved daughter, Jiang Yanna.
Jiang Yanna always carried a lovely, bright expression on her face and was constantly smiling warmly at those around her, radiating a sense of gentleness and genuine affection. Jiang Lukang sighed inwardly to himself, the weight of his disappointment growing. It was becoming clearer with every passing minute exactly why he loved Jiang Yanna so much more.
Meanwhile, Feng Lan was busy doting affectionately on the children beside her, carefully placing the choicest, most tender cuts of meat into Jiang Yanna's and Jiang Chinan's bowls. The three of them appeared to be performing the role of a perfectly harmonious, loving family right in front of Qiao Meixia's eyes without the slightest hint of awkwardness or shame.
Jiang Yanna, while leaning comfortably into the warmth of her mother's affection, secretly sneaked a calculated, sidelong glance toward the girl sitting quietly across from them.
However, Qiao Meixia did not look at them at all. She remained completely unaffected and unimpressed by their deliberate display of domestic bliss, keeping her head lowered while continuing to consume her meal in a silence that felt strangely heavy, weighted, and intentional.
Jiang Yanna felt a faint, sharp prickle of irritation at the complete lack of reaction from the other girl. This was not the psychological outcome she had hoped for at all. She desperately wanted Qiao Meixia to pay attention to her surroundings and clearly see exactly what she was missing out on.
Her primary goal was to make Qiao Meixia understand that she could never shake Jiang Yanna's deeply established, unassailable position within this household, regardless of the fact that Qiao Meixia was the one who actually possessed the true biological bloodline of the Jiang Family.
"Mom... don't just keep putting food into my bowl." Jiang Yanna said softly, her voice sounding sweet, thoughtful, and impeccably considerate. "You really should do the same for my sister, too. After all, she is your biological daughter, and she has just returned home after such a long, exhausting journey."
Feng Lan's facial expression stiffened almost instantly, the very moment the suggestion left Jiang Yanna's mouth. She turned her head slightly to look toward Qiao Meixia, who remained sitting there like a silent, unmoving statue. This daughter had not even bothered to speak a single polite word to her since arriving at the house. Why, then, should she go out of her way to treat her with any measure of warmth?
"Mom... Sister is probably just overwhelmed because everything is so new here." Jiang Yanna continued gently after sensing her mother's visible hesitation. "She might feel awkward, nervous, and understandably out of place right now. We should do our absolute best to help her feel included in the family circle."
Feng Lan's harsh expression gradually softened into a faint, artificial smile as she listened to Jiang Yanna's seemingly "kind" and selfless explanation. She realised that Jiang Yanna was right, though her reasoning was entirely different. They needed to maintain the outward appearance of treating Qiao Meixia well, at least for the time being. If they acted too coldly toward her too soon, Qiao Meixia might ultimately decide to abandon the Jiang Family altogether, and that would completely ruin all of their carefully laid, long-term plans.
"That's right, Lan-er... Yanna is being sensible. She is, after all, your biological daughter." Jiang Lukang added in a measured, low tone, though there was a sharp, underlying warning hidden beneath the surface of his words.
They needed to keep the girl compliant, quiet, and cooperative for the time being to ensure their objectives remained on track.
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