However, nobody followed Iris. They didn’t move. They felt uncertain as to whether it was appropriate for them to go to the meeting or not.
Iris returned, displeased at their indecisiveness.
"Meimei, you’re Aunt Jiahui’s niece. Aunt Jiahui is Father’s wife. You’re family. Big Sister Jinjing, you’re a Long. You’re family. Chen Fei, you’re not a Long so you’re not family, and I don’t really care about you, but you should still go with us because the more people there are, the better," Iris said.
"Bitch," Chen Fei muttered under her breath. However, she didn’t protest against Iris’ suggestion.
"And Ying Yue, you should also go with us. You’re a friend of a Long, me. You’re a mother of a Long, Little Jun. And now you’re also a fiancée of a Long, that big idiot beside you."
Long Hui pursed his lips at Iris’ words about him.
As for Jiang Ying Yue, fear and extreme anxiety filled her expression.
"Don’t worry, Ying Yue. Even if that big idiot beside you can’t properly protect you, I can and I will," Iris told her in a much gentler tone.
"Yeah! Big Sis Yue, don’t worry. I’ll stand by you as well. Even if the elders try to kick me out of the meeting, I’ll just hug Xiulan’s thigh so I can stay. Besides, my Auntie is Madam Long! That should count for something," Meimei said.
Long Jinjing looked at Jiang Ying Yue and her expression softened. "Me too... I’ll go, as well. I might not be able to do much, but I’ll stand by you."
Chen Fei released a heavy sigh. "If Jinjing is going, then I’m going as well. The elders are also hostile against her. I just can’t leave my best friend alone in that kind of environment. Jinjing and Jiang Ying Yue are in a similar situation. I have said this to Jinjing a million times already but I’m going to say it again now. Your Long family sucks big time."
"Tell me something I don’t know," Iris said under her breath. Then she looked at Jiang Ying Yue, awaiting her decision.
Jiang Ying Yue looked at the young women and she instantly felt a lot better. Her fearful and anxious expression eased. She gave them a faint smile. "Thank you. I still really don’t want to go to the meeting, but I’ll do it. I’m not alone anymore."
The women all smiled at each other, feeling the connection between them growing stronger.
Long Hui felt completely left out. But seeing Jiang Ying Yue with a lighter expression, he couldn’t help but smile as well. He was glad that she had found a support system with these friends of hers.
His sister was right. He was a big idiot for expecting his lady to endure the pain and hardships of facing the discrimination of the Long family. She didn’t deserve it. He wanted a happy family, but it wouldn’t happen if the wife was suffering.
He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. When she turned her attention to him, he whispered to her, "I’m sorry for my idiocy. I promise I’ll do better from now on."
"Hmph. As you should," Iris told him in a grumpy manner.
"Little sister, can you just please give me this moment with my fiancée?" he asked helplessly.
"You can have your moment later. We don’t have time. Let’s go to the meeting."
This time, everyone followed Iris when she walked out of the party and headed to the library where the family meeting was being held. When they arrived, they could immediately feel the tense atmosphere inside.
"Even if you’re the heir, making your elders wait for you for so long is unacceptable! Who do you think you are, the family head? You haven’t succeeded your father yet, boy!" Long Jufang scolded Long Hui as soon as they entered the library.
"What a pack of lies!" Long Jufang exclaimed. His furious face turned completely red, as he shot a vicious glare at Iris.
"This is slander!" Long Meng also protested.
"I..." Iris ’cowered’ at the elders’ anger before turning to Long Jinjing. "Let’s go, Big Sister. We’re really not welcome here. It seems that we have no status within the Longs. Being the children of the family head counts for nothing. We’re lower than dirt in the eyes of the elders and the branch families."
Then she threw a meaningful look at Chen Fei.
Chen Fei immediately understood. She surreptitiously pinched Long Jinjing’s waist hard and cruelly twisted it.
Poor Long Jinjing cried out once again in pain. Tears of pain flowed down her pitiful eyes. She whimpered at first, but then began sobbing hard when Chen Fei gave her another brutal pinch.
Iris gave Long Jinjing a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "Please don’t cry anymore, Big Sister. You’re going to make me cry too. Let’s go. Don’t worry. Even if we’re no one in the eyes of the branch families, Father loves us very much."
"I-it hurts..." Long Jinjing continued to cry while rubbing her abused waist.
"I know, Big Sister. It hurts me, too. But what can we do? The elders from the branch families are more important than us, the children of the family head."
Seeing his daughters’ pitiful conditions, Long Tengfei banged his hands hard on the arms of his seat. His expression looked frightening, cold and furious at the same time. He shot a glare so cold at the elders and the other relatives present that it could freeze even hell.
"Besides me and my wife, there is no one else above my own children! Not even the elders and surely not anyone from the branch families! Anyone who dares claim that they have higher status than the main family, I will disown and banish from the Long clan!"
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