Diva Alpha Meets Her Biological Daughter on a Parenting Variety Show - Chapter 27

As soon as Ji Ci spoke those words, the expression of everyone at the table shifted.

No one proactively responded to Ji Ci’s attempt to claim kinship. Clearly, those present either didn’t know her or had absolutely no desire to acknowledge a relationship with her.

The most awkward person was the on-set director. She had only intended to build a closer relationship with the investor; she hadn’t expected to be dragged into a guest’s private business. If this caused a scene and affected the filming, what would she do? Goodness, if she had known, she never would have agreed to this dinner.

Ming Nuo had no mental energy to focus on anyone else; her entire attention was on Ning Xueqing.

When Ji Ci mentioned having a relative, Ning Xueqing’s first reaction was to look at her. Although she quickly averted her eyes, a person’s first reaction in an emergency cannot be faked.

Why did Ning Xueqing look at Ji Ci?

It showed she was nervous. It showed that there was indeed a relationship between her and Ji Ci, and she was afraid Ji Ci would reveal what it was.

Ming Nuo’s blood, which had been boiling with anger, suddenly went cold. She had previously guessed that Ji Ci was Mengmeng’s biological Mammy, but lacked sufficient evidence to be sure. Seeing Ning Xueqing’s reaction now… it was almost a certainty.

When the heart turns cold, the entire abdomen feels unsettled—stomach, intestines, everything was uncomfortable. Ming Nuo was sitting close to the air conditioning vent, and the cold air made her back feel icy. She turned her face away, losing the spirit even to observe Ning Xueqing.

Before meeting Ji Ci, Ming Nuo was full of confidence. No matter what had happened to Ning Xueqing in the past, the past was the past and the present was the present; she wouldn’t mind as long as she could be with Ning Xueqing now.

But human beings naturally desire exclusive love. At this moment, as Ming Nuo suppressed the jealousy and fury in her gut, she realized she simply couldn’t help but envy and hate Ji Ci. She wanted to travel back six years to South America with Ning Xueqing to protect her the whole way, and when Ji Ci showed up to commit her violence, she wanted to kick her into the Amazon River to feed the piranhas.

In any case, if Ji Ci continued to speak in front of so many people, it would definitely be harmful to Ning Xueqing. Ming Nuo’s throat moved, her vocal cords dry. “This is a dinner for the guests. If you want to recognize relatives, please do it privately.”

Du Heng pushed up her glasses in agreement. “Yes, private matters are better discussed in private.”

Ji Ci sat back, leaning against the chair. “I can’t get an appointment to see this relative of mine in private. And I’m not saying anything scandalous; it’s not really a private matter. I just want to say hello and chat for a bit.”

Except for Ning Xueqing and Ming Nuo, the other guests looked at each other, seemingly guessing which of them was the relative the President couldn’t reach.

“Isn’t that right?” Ji Ci looked up, her lips curling into a smile that pierced through the silent air.

Ming Nuo frowned and stole a glance at Ning Xueqing on her left. Ning Xueqing was sitting upright, her head slightly lowered, with one hand beneath the table tightly gripping the fabric of her trousers.

Ji Ci parted her lips, and everyone’s eyes focused on her.

“Cousin Ji Lang.”

Ji Ci looked across the round table. Ji Lang, who was eating a cold dish, raised an eyebrow and set down her chopsticks.

Huh?

It was as if Ming Nuo had taken a step off a cliff, prepared to fall, only for the clouds to clear and reveal solid ground beneath her feet.

What was going on? Were Ji Ci and Ji Lang related? Ming Nuo didn’t know which character was used for Ji Ci’s “Ji,” but it sounded the same as Ji Lang’s surname. Since they shared a surname, there was likely a blood relation.

Ming Nuo stole another look at Ning Xueqing and found that although her expression had relaxed slightly, her hand was still beneath the table gripping her trousers. She was still very nervous.

The topic at the dinner table shifted to Ji Ci and Ji Lang, hopefully providing some relief for Ning Xueqing.

Ji Lang used a napkin to dab her lips, her smile possessing a haughty distance. “Oh? And who might your mother be?”

Ji Ci’s gaze no longer held anyone else as she focused on talking to Ji Lang. “Su Xin.”

“Oh~” Ji Lang hummed. After thinking for a few seconds, she said, “Wasn’t she my great-aunt’s adopted daughter?”

The smile on Ji Ci’s face faltered for a moment, but she maintained a proper expression. “My mother moved away with Grandma quite early on.”

Ji Lang: “I heard she married a second-timer?”

Ji Ci: “…”

Ji Lang let out a laugh and waved her hand. “I didn’t mean to imply you were an extramarital child who got legitimized.”

There was dead silence at the table. Ji Lang’s words were a blatant jab at Ji Ci being a “promoted” illegitimate daughter. By deliberately embarrassing Ji Ci in front of so many outsiders, Ji Lang’s disdain was unmistakable.

Du Heng made an excuse to take Nora out. Pineapple Cake wanted to follow and play with Nora, so Xiao Qian took the opportunity to leave with her wife as well.

Chi Shu wiped her forehead awkwardly, also wanting to take her child out, but Little Pea was listening intently and refused to budge. Her little ancestor! Did she have to listen to this kind of gossip? It’s not for her ears! If Little Pea took this to heart, heaven knows what kind of warped logic she’d sprout later.

Ming Nuo glanced at Ning Xueqing, thinking about taking Mengmeng away. Ning Xueqing looked solemn, lost in thought, but didn’t seem ready to leave. When Du Heng reached the door and saw Ming Nuo’s conflicted expression, she immediately understood and told Nora to call both Mengmeng and Little Pea out, and they all left the private room.

Ji Ci’s face darkened for only a second before the smile returned, her tone carefree. “I was born after my mother was married.”

Ji Lang changed the subject. “Even so, you shouldn’t call me ‘Cousin.’ We have no blood relation. It seems my great-aunt gave your mother a homophonous surname, so by your generation, you’ve misunderstood and thought we were relatives.”

Hearing this, Ming Nuo finally understood. No wonder Ji Lang was so annoyed; it was a matter the older generation didn’t even recognize. Likely, Ji Ci and her mother knew Ji Lang wouldn’t pay them any mind, so they used the chance of the show to force contact. However, Ming Nuo felt this was too reckless and would only backfire.

Once the truth was out, Ji Ci’s expression became quite relaxed. Her face was pale, her cheeks slightly sunken, and her dark eyeshadow gave her a heavy, world-weary look. She let out a light laugh, her finger tapping the glass turntable on the table. “You can call me whatever you want. What do you want to hear? I’ll call you that; I don’t care. Fourth Young Lady?”

Ji Lang narrowed her fox-like eyes and smiled, accepting the title.

Ji Ci: “My mother says CEO Ji Yinqi dotes on you the most. Please put in a good word with her to loosen her grip on the outsourcing rights for the Kelong chips, so that us ‘little ones’ can have a bit of the soup.”

Kelong chips? Ji Yinqi?!

Not only Ming Nuo and Ning Xueqing, but everyone remaining at the table looked up sharply. The way they looked at Ji Lang was one of utter disbelief.

The Ji family—the wealthiest in the Houjiang Special Economic Zone, ranked in the global top ten billionaires for years. Kelong Chips, Niya Biopharmaceuticals, Wansui Gold, Moxi Securities—the four giants controlling the lifeblood of the domestic market were all managed by the four Ji mother-and-daughters.

After the Chairperson retired due to her advanced age, the family industries were managed by the eldest sister, Ji Yinqi. She specialized in scientific research and innovation, leading the Kelong team last year to break through foreign technological barriers and achieve chip independence, earning a national medal. Kelong’s stock immediately hit the daily upward limit.

However, the four Ji mother-and-daughters were all Alphas; no one had heard that the Chairperson had a youngest Omega daughter. Considering Ji Lang’s history of being born abroad, it was likely the family had suppressed the news domestically to protect her. It was obvious Ji Lang was wealthy, but no one expected it to be this staggering. The way Chi Shu looked at Ji Lang turned into one of awe.

Amidst the shock, a fragment of memory floated up from a forgotten corner of Ming Nuo’s mind.

—Overseas travel vlogger. High-visual wealthy family. Her family couldn’t possibly look favorably upon Ning Xueqing. A certain actress could never climb that high…

The rumors online back then about the father of Ning Xueqing’s child were talking about the Ji family!

Ming Nuo let out an inexplicable sigh of relief. Ji Ci wasn’t a true member of the Ji family. Otherwise, with the Ji family’s overwhelming power, it would be incredibly difficult for Ming Nuo to seek justice for Ning Xueqing.

Ji Lang crossed her hands, resting her chin on them, and gave Ji Ci a sweet smile. “Do you think I’m easy to talk to? If you have a request for Ji Yinqi, why don’t you go to her directly instead of coming to me?”

Ji Ci crossed her arms, emphasizing: “I didn’t come to you; my mother made me come to you.”

“Are you a ‘mommy’s girl’?”

“Say what you want. My mother told me to do something, so I did it. I don’t care about the process or the result.”

Everyone at the table was speechless. Was this really an attitude for asking someone for a favor? Not to mention casually discussing commercial secrets in a crowded place; this childish behavior was just too bizarre. Ming Nuo even wondered if this Ji Ci had some kind of mental illness.

Ji Ci picked up her bowl to eat, then turned and used the serving chopsticks to put food in Ning Xueqing’s bowl. “Ning Xueqing, my mother told me to find Ji Lang, but I came here to see you. This is a Butterfly Valley specialty; try it.”

Ming Nuo was still in between them. She dropped her chopsticks to block her. Ji Ci frowned in annoyance and pushed back, their chopsticks clashing against each other.

Hearing the click-clack of the chopsticks, Ning Xueqing’s furrowed brow tightened abruptly. She stood up and walked straight toward the door. Ming Nuo quickly followed her out.

The grand restaurant, the lavish feast—the people had scattered, and hearts were in turmoil. The manager of Butterfly Valley hurried to handle the aftermath, while the production leader went to each guest to apologize and soothe their emotions.

In the private room, only Ji Lang remained, continuing to enjoy the feast as if nothing had happened. Chi Shu sat beside her, feeling as though she were sitting on needles. No, ‘Auntie,’ how can she still have the appetite?

“What are you looking at me for? Eat. Here, this fish—de-bone it for me.”

“Oh, right.”

Ji Lang was curious. “Eh? No protest?”

Chi Shu shook her head. “I don’t dare offend you.” She was just a small-timer in the entertainment industry with a child to raise. If she offended the Ji family heiress, her life would essentially be over.

“Ha? Am I a Siberian tiger or some man-eating monster?”

“I have a question, can I ask you?”

“Spit it out.”

Chi Shu bit her lip and said cautiously, “With your background, why would you come on a variety show and be willing to partner with someone like me who has so much ‘black material’?”

Ji Lang chewed slowly and used a napkin to dab her lips before facing her. “Your ex was the VP of the Zhenzhi Group, wasn’t she?”

“What are you doing, prying into my privacy?”

“Qiao Jing. Know her?”

“I know her…” Chi Shu lowered her head. Qiao Jing—the Best Actress who was as famous as Ning Xueqing, known as the “Two Jewels” of the film industry. She was also the current partner of Chi Shu’s ex, and the reason Chi Shu had been dumped.

Ji Lang rested her chin on her hand and winked. “She’s my ex-girlfriend.”

Outside the restaurant, Ming Nuo went to find Du Heng to get Mengmeng. Du Heng had already fed the children at the campsite and was playing games with them.

Mengmeng ran over as soon as she saw Ming Nuo. “Nuo Nuo Mammy, I ate chicken legs and wings. My tummy is so full!”

Ming Nuo knelt down to hug her. “If you’re full, you should move around. Go play with Nora and the others, okay?”

“Mm!” Mengmeng ran back to continue playing.

Ming Nuo turned around, her expression darkening. Behind a RV not far away, Ji Ci was following them like a lingering ghost. Ning Xueqing touched her forehead, a headache coming on, and moved closer to Ming Nuo.

Ming Nuo hesitated for a moment, then reached out to steady her shoulder. After choosing her words carefully several times, she asked cautiously, “You and Ji Ci…”

Ning Xueqing’s tone was weary. “I’m not close to her.”

Ming Nuo’s heart sank. Ning Xueqing said they weren’t close. If they weren’t close, why would Ji Ci say she came to see her and the child? And why was she clinging to them so shamelessly? Was Ning Xueqing lying to her…?

“Ning Xueqing!”

A sharp cry cut across the lawn. Ji Ci ran over quickly, but Ming Nuo immediately blocked her.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Move! This is between me and Ning Xueqing! The whole world is fake; only she and I are the real unique ones. She belongs to me, and I belong to her. No one can take her away!” Ji Ci screamed hoarsely at Ning Xueqing, “Ning Xueqing, why are you hiding from me! Do you know how much effort I spent just to see you!”

Ming Nuo’s pupils contracted suddenly, her heart spasmed, and the blood throughout her body accelerated. She suddenly shoved Ji Ci. As they struggled, Ji Ci’s thin frame swayed like a withered leaf before she fell onto the grass.

“Cough, cough, cough—” Ji Ci propped herself up from the ground, coughing violently. She looked up at Ming Nuo with disdain.

Ming Nuo grabbed her by the tie, furious. “You’re the one who hurt her and was irresponsible to Mengmeng, aren’t you!”

Ji Ci was slightly stunned, then suddenly laughed wildly, tilting her head back arrogantly to look at her. “The child is mine. So what?”

Bastard!

Ming Nuo’s senses were burning; she nearly lost her sanity. Only one thought remained in her mind: You piece of scum—either you die today, or I do!

Slap!

the sound of a sharp slap cut through the noise.

Ming Nuo snapped back to her senses. She saw Ji Ci doubled over, spitting out bile, with a red handprint on her left cheek.

Ning Xueqing slapped the back of Ji Ci’s head hard again. “Enough! Can’t you stay in the hospital? I’m calling your Mammy.”

Ji Ci’s eyes widened, and she grabbed Ning Xueqing’s arm like a mad dog. “That’s your Mammy!!!”